The Fourth 2019-20 Utica Comets Thread
- Thread starter Zombotron
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(First off, I erred in putting Marky in the position to be mentored in Utica by Bachman. Bachman was a foe at the time playing with the Oklahoma City Barons. The 2 in town i meant to list that benefited from Bachie's tutealge were Demko and DiPietro
Bachman nearly singlehandedly eliminated the Comets from the 2015 playoffs. Only Markstrom's efforts prevented it:
Game 1: OKC 2 - Utica 1 (4 OT) (SOG 67/57 OKC)
Game 2: Utica 2 - OKC 1 (SOG 38/23 Utica
Game 3: Utica 3 - OKC 2 (SOG 28/22 Utica)
Game 4: OKC 7 (1ENG) - Utica 4 (SOG 42/24 Utica)
Game 5: Utica 3 (1ENG) - OKC 1 (SOG 34/32 OKC)
Game 6: OKC 2- Utica 1 (SOG 34/21 Utica)
Game 7: Utica 1 - OKC 0 (SOG40/35 Utica)
However, you still missed the point. Bachman was the in house veteran AHL mentor until he retired this Fall and was hired by the Wild as goalie coach.
Bachman was signed to play for the Comets in 2015-16. He aided Joe Cannata in his stint with the Comets.
Then Demko arrived and Bachman was with him all the way through from 2016-17 to 16 games into the 2018-19 season when Thatcher got the call.
After Demko got the call in 2018, Bachman got hurt, but he was on hand to help Ivan Kulbakov, an absolute nobody out of ECHL Kalamazoo, keep the Comets in the race. Kulbakov never played in North America again. Without any Vancouver signed goalies in the whole system and Markstrom and Demko down in Vancouver and no AHL quality guy in Utica with Bachman down, Benning finally acquired 2 more aging vets in Michael Leighton, who never played the game again(2.70/.901/19GP) and Marek Mazanec (2.99/.874/10GP) to try and keep the Comets hopes alive with Bachman completely out of the picture with his season ending injury. (He only played in 9 games.) The 2 new guys didn't fare any better than Ivan. They did not perform up to a level that could provide the crucial top goaltending necessary to keep the Comets hopes afloat. The Comets were besieged with injuries and callups and didn't manage a playoff spot finishing 8 points off the mark.
Mikey was aided by Bachie in 2019-20 until Bachman was loaned out to IK Oskarshamn of the SHL (Sweden).
Now, a new vet will have to be acquired to come on board and mentor the current young keepers. Mikey is the most recent and a new one will come on board and play in Kalamazoo and get called up when Mikey has problems and the new kid will have Domingue or whomever to work with. Again the Canucks will be a goalie short even with Domingue. Kielly was outright bad last season in Kalamazoo where he didn't even earn #1 status and Silovs will still be in Jrs. If Domingue were to be signed and play 1/2 with Mikey (the who is #1 left to be decided by the coach) and one of them were to go down or get an injury callup, who would be on deck for the Comets? Kielly would be the answer at this time. An injury on both teams would leave the Comets high and dry just like in 2018-19. Pretty sure they need another guy in the system for at least this season.
Incidentally in no way shape or form did I imply that Domingue would mentor Markstrom.
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Blue and Green
Out to lunch
- Dec 17, 2017
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If the majority of the medical world is correct, this winter will be another bad Covid time. Perhaps worse than the last major outbreak. They are predicting 400,000 US deaths before January 1. There are 211,000+ now and it took 7 months to get there. That would make for a very chaotic next 3 months. Hockey would be of little concern at that point. Be glad you live on the better side of the border.
Couldn't be happier for a great guy. Hope this leads to something even bigger in his future connection with hockey. He'll always have a place in the hearts of the Comets fandom.
He will always be welcome in Utica. Once a Comet always a Comet.
There are a lot of guys on the free agent market who are basically AHL players and some are AHL/NHL tweeners. If the Canucks actually had a real designated AHL GM instead of the lacky they have in Johnson, that GM would be compiling a fast list and urging the signing of those on it for his AHL roster that has been gutted since the AHL last played.
If they wait to compile a roster like they usually do, the good ones like Jeremy Bracco just for example (.86 PPG winger for the Marlies the last 3 seasons) won't be available. If there is going to be an AHL season, an AHL roster needs to be constructed. I'm seeing some of these names snatched up by other NHL teams already. I'm sure they are stashing them in the AHL for reserve purposes as well as mentors for their prospects.
I realize it's early, but the early bird catches the worms and the late comers starve to death. It's the only way the Comets get enough quality centers to feed their wings. This would be the 6th consecutive year that they have overlooked this issue. Right now the only center signed is an undrafted NCAA rookie in Michaelis.
Up front right now:
RW:
Lind
Lockwood
Jasek 1 (this is where he belongs, but they'll probably force the square RW peg into the round center hole so I'll put him in 2 places)
LW
Gadjovich
C
Michaelis
Jasek 2
That is flat out it as far as who is signed thus far. Bailey is an RFA who will need signing. They'd be crazy not to stash him in Utica. The dreamers see Baertschi here again along with Eriksson and even Sutter! It may be wishful thinking, but I think that's all it is.
Of their 3 "vets" on D, Brisebois and Chatfield are RFAs and the 3rd, Sautner is a UFA. A good number of the Canucks posters have Juolevi and Rafferty making the Canucks. Some even have Chatfield (?) in consideration.
So. that leaves Eliot and Teves who frankly are ECHL level players. Woo should probably be expected in Utica on the first year of his ELC.
I wouldn't be surprised to see them let Sautner go. He's 26 and isn't going anywhere.
**** CHECK that. He was re-signed. 1-yr, 2 way. Looks like they'll consider him the Veteran D-man. Really not good if that's the plan.
When Benning finishes whatever he's going to do with his D, I think you will see Juolevi/Rafferty get a chance.
Chatfield and Brisebois will be in Utica.
Woo will be a Comet as well.
Rathbone either starts in Utica or beats out Juolevi. The one not in Vancouver will be in Utica.
I wouldn't be the least bit surprised to see Rathbone, Rafferty, and Juolevi eventually all playing for the Comets in a normal hockey season of them here in due time.
Right side:
Rafferty
Chatfield
Woo
Eliot
Left side:
Brisebois
Juolevi
Rathbone
Teves
If I was Johnson I'd be like the little spoiled brat pulling on daddy's pants leg begging for his desires and not stopping until I was paid attention to.
Of course the impending winter Covid crisis could blow all of this in both leagues completely to HELL! It already appears to be kicking into gear in several US states.
If they wait to compile a roster like they usually do, the good ones like Jeremy Bracco just for example (.86 PPG winger for the Marlies the last 3 seasons) won't be available. If there is going to be an AHL season, an AHL roster needs to be constructed. I'm seeing some of these names snatched up by other NHL teams already. I'm sure they are stashing them in the AHL for reserve purposes as well as mentors for their prospects.
I realize it's early, but the early bird catches the worms and the late comers starve to death. It's the only way the Comets get enough quality centers to feed their wings. This would be the 6th consecutive year that they have overlooked this issue. Right now the only center signed is an undrafted NCAA rookie in Michaelis.
Up front right now:
RW:
Lind
Lockwood
Jasek 1 (this is where he belongs, but they'll probably force the square RW peg into the round center hole so I'll put him in 2 places)
LW
Gadjovich
C
Michaelis
Jasek 2
That is flat out it as far as who is signed thus far. Bailey is an RFA who will need signing. They'd be crazy not to stash him in Utica. The dreamers see Baertschi here again along with Eriksson and even Sutter! It may be wishful thinking, but I think that's all it is.
Of their 3 "vets" on D, Brisebois and Chatfield are RFAs and the 3rd, Sautner is a UFA. A good number of the Canucks posters have Juolevi and Rafferty making the Canucks. Some even have Chatfield (?) in consideration.
So. that leaves Eliot and Teves who frankly are ECHL level players. Woo should probably be expected in Utica on the first year of his ELC.
I wouldn't be surprised to see them let Sautner go. He's 26 and isn't going anywhere.
**** CHECK that. He was re-signed. 1-yr, 2 way. Looks like they'll consider him the Veteran D-man. Really not good if that's the plan.
When Benning finishes whatever he's going to do with his D, I think you will see Juolevi/Rafferty get a chance.
Chatfield and Brisebois will be in Utica.
Woo will be a Comet as well.
Rathbone either starts in Utica or beats out Juolevi. The one not in Vancouver will be in Utica.
I wouldn't be the least bit surprised to see Rathbone, Rafferty, and Juolevi eventually all playing for the Comets in a normal hockey season of them here in due time.
Right side:
Rafferty
Chatfield
Woo
Eliot
Left side:
Brisebois
Juolevi
Rathbone
Teves
If I was Johnson I'd be like the little spoiled brat pulling on daddy's pants leg begging for his desires and not stopping until I was paid attention to.
Of course the impending winter Covid crisis could blow all of this in both leagues completely to HELL! It already appears to be kicking into gear in several US states.
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I really feel for some of those AHL-NHL 'tweeners' you talk about. There's just no incentive for any teams in the NHL to sign players to two-way contracts with the future of the AHL uncertain.
When you check the signings on the TSN UFA tracker, there's only a smattering of players signing two-way deals. And with a flat salary cap and some NHL teams having an 'internal salary cap' which is far lower, there's no incentive to sign marginal free agents. Frankly I'm a little surprised that the Canucks re-upped Sautner at all.
It's going to be a huge problem for prospects and AHL veterans who won't have any place play for much of the winter. Just another casualty of the COVID nightmare, along with minor league baseball; a good chunk of college sports; and a lot of amateur leagues in N.A.
When you check the signings on the TSN UFA tracker, there's only a smattering of players signing two-way deals. And with a flat salary cap and some NHL teams having an 'internal salary cap' which is far lower, there's no incentive to sign marginal free agents. Frankly I'm a little surprised that the Canucks re-upped Sautner at all.
It's going to be a huge problem for prospects and AHL veterans who won't have any place play for much of the winter. Just another casualty of the COVID nightmare, along with minor league baseball; a good chunk of college sports; and a lot of amateur leagues in N.A.
According to Cap Friendly, of all the 'capped out' teams in the NHL, the Canucks have by far the fewest number of contracts signed (39). Assuming that there are 22-23 players on the NHL roster; that leaves only about 16-17 spots for their AHL team. And we haven't even factored in the likelihood of any injuries, or that NHL teams might be keeping a taxi squad of players at the NHL level like they did in the playoff bubble.
Currently do they even have enough bodies to fill out the Utica Comets roster? I can see another season of Utica signing a raft of PTO's just to get through a season. Of course we still don't know if there will even be an ECHL for them to draw from.
Currently do they even have enough bodies to fill out the Utica Comets roster? I can see another season of Utica signing a raft of PTO's just to get through a season. Of course we still don't know if there will even be an ECHL for them to draw from.
Instead of pulling on Daddy's pants leg begging for his desires to be fulfilled, Johnson just stated in a headline article in the Utica OD that he is being "patient". He'll sign the ECHL wannabes that he is sure have promise , but don't and rely on Benning/Vancouver to supply him a roster if it comes to that.
The US today set a record for the most new single day Covid cases, 83,010, 441,541 for the week. 41,485 are in the hospital. Prediction of 500,000 dead by end of February if people keep carrying on as they are right now and the govt. doesn't levy nationwide rules and enforce them. Trump will never do this. Biden would if he wins, but he still won't have any say until January 20th.
This will have a humongous effect on our game. I know I won't be attending any games if the AHL thinks it can play and I have been a season ticket holder since their inception. AHL TV will be my ticket to the Comets and and all the rest of the league. The wife and I are perfectly cozy in our home, the larder is chuck full and we will be adding to it, and the freezer is being restocked by the day. It can be a winter from Hell, but we will be just fine. WE have no place to go and are just fine with that. We have enough new recipes from a plethora of cookbooks we have assembled over this summer. We have noted each page we wish to try. I think it would total a few years before they were all put to the test. LOL.
The US today set a record for the most new single day Covid cases, 83,010, 441,541 for the week. 41,485 are in the hospital. Prediction of 500,000 dead by end of February if people keep carrying on as they are right now and the govt. doesn't levy nationwide rules and enforce them. Trump will never do this. Biden would if he wins, but he still won't have any say until January 20th.
This will have a humongous effect on our game. I know I won't be attending any games if the AHL thinks it can play and I have been a season ticket holder since their inception. AHL TV will be my ticket to the Comets and and all the rest of the league. The wife and I are perfectly cozy in our home, the larder is chuck full and we will be adding to it, and the freezer is being restocked by the day. It can be a winter from Hell, but we will be just fine. WE have no place to go and are just fine with that. We have enough new recipes from a plethora of cookbooks we have assembled over this summer. We have noted each page we wish to try. I think it would total a few years before they were all put to the test. LOL.
Apparently the NHL GM's were wrestling with 'the AHL question' at the GM's Zoom meeting yesterday. I don't see how the league can play without fans in the building, unless the NHL parent teams were prepared to underwrite a limited schedule and cover all the losses.
It's hard to see this happening since NHL owners have their own set of headaches right now. Without fans they aren't making any money either.
My best guess is an AHL schedule with just division games without any travel outside those divisional cities. There also might be the possibility of limited live seating like you see at NFL games, with the appropriate social distancing. The problem is that indoor seating in a cold hockey rink is inherently more dangerous than an outdoor stadium.
Of course all this assumes that the Canada-USA border will be open by then. The latest closure has been extended to Nov. 21st and as long as COVID cases are surging, it's hard to see it reopening before the New Year at least.
I'd really like to see the AHL make it happen, somehow. But I fear the season might go the way of minor league baseball.
It's hard to see this happening since NHL owners have their own set of headaches right now. Without fans they aren't making any money either.
My best guess is an AHL schedule with just division games without any travel outside those divisional cities. There also might be the possibility of limited live seating like you see at NFL games, with the appropriate social distancing. The problem is that indoor seating in a cold hockey rink is inherently more dangerous than an outdoor stadium.
Of course all this assumes that the Canada-USA border will be open by then. The latest closure has been extended to Nov. 21st and as long as COVID cases are surging, it's hard to see it reopening before the New Year at least.
I'd really like to see the AHL make it happen, somehow. But I fear the season might go the way of minor league baseball.
UticaHockey
Registered User
I think it is obvious that the Canucks have taken the position that there will not be an AHL season for the Comets which is why they haven't signed any AHL level players. If they do end up putting an AHL team on the ice somewhere in Canada at the last minute they will sign whatever AHL free agents are available to fill out a roster. It is possible that Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton share a facility in Ontario to save costs and keep travel to a minimum.
Blue and Green
Out to lunch
- Dec 17, 2017
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Seems like a given that Canadian NHL teams won't have their AHL franchises in the USA this season and being based in Ontario probably makes the most sense. Lots of things to consider not only for teams but also for players. If you're an AHLer with a family on the other side of the border, are you willing to be isolated from them or to move them to your team's city for a few months? And cross-border ECHL callups/demotions wouldn't be viable, therefore teams will have to keep plenty of players on hand-- three goalies for sure would have to be in the Canadian AHL city.
I proposed a schedule for the Comets weeks ago and it's in this thread if you hunt back through it.
Utica, Syracuse, Binghamton, and Rochester have to be the 4 closest AHL teams to one another in the league. Utica is the farthest to the east and Rochester to the west and they are a 2 hour bus ride away. Syracuse is in the middle. All are directly off the NYS thruway. Bingo is south of Utica and 1hr 10mins from Syracuse, 1hr 53mins from Utica, and 2hrs 26mins from Rochester. With game times at 7 pm these teams play each other and are in their own beds before or at least around midnight.
Other teams in the Division are the 3 Canadian teams of Ottawa, Toronto, and Laval. The border issue could make them difficult to include, but the 3 NYS teams have rides between 3-5 hours to each of these cities.
New York State has a Covid deal with it's surrounding states of Massachusetts, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Rhode Island to allow travel between the states based upon the most current situation with the virus state by state. Providence, R.I., Springfield, Mass., Bridgeport, CT., Hartford, CT., Hershey, PA., and Allentown, PA. are all teams that the 3 NYS teams play every season anyways. Depending upon which team you're talking about, all of these teams are between 2 and a half and 4 and a half hours away from the NY teams.
You could easily arrange a schedule with the NY teams and then let each of them play the nearest of theses other teams whether in Canada or the other teams in the northeastern states to fill out the schedule.
Those eastern teams of Bridgeport, Hartford, Providence, and Springfield have the same sort of proximity to each other as the NY teams. You could have both foursomes comprise divisions playing the bulk of the games within their division and then play a few crossover games vs the closest teams from the other division and include the Canadian trio in these non division games.
e.g.
- Binghamton is 2 hours and change from Hershey and Allentown.
- Utica is 2 hours and change from Springfield and 3 hours from Hartford.
- Syracuse is 3 hours from Ottawa and Allentown.
- Rochester is 3 hours from Toronto and 4 from Ottawa.
Almost all of the teams are within 4-5 hours at the most. A weekend road trip could put any of them in one city on Friday after a 3-4 hour or less ride and then leave them with a short jaunt to their Saturday game and another short jaunt for a Sunday game. Then they have all of the next week to rest up and practice for the next weekend within the their own Division. They could also take the longer ride for a single Friday game, come home and play on Sunday. It would take some creative schedule making, but a season could be had even if played with a shortened schedule with less travel than normal, but more games vs the same opponents.
I'm not a rocket scientist, but I can see how things could be arranged so the prospects don't lose a year or more of competition. Being placed on a black aces squad with practice in an NHL city won't get them the progression they need to up their game to an NHL level. They need lots of game time intensity. There are similar situations of teams throughout the league having close proximity to 2 or 3 other teams similar to the NY teams where these kind of schedules could be worked out. You'd have to reconsider a Calder cup playoff postponement under this kind of setup, but the prospects would get a season of game play.
Utica, Syracuse, Binghamton, and Rochester have to be the 4 closest AHL teams to one another in the league. Utica is the farthest to the east and Rochester to the west and they are a 2 hour bus ride away. Syracuse is in the middle. All are directly off the NYS thruway. Bingo is south of Utica and 1hr 10mins from Syracuse, 1hr 53mins from Utica, and 2hrs 26mins from Rochester. With game times at 7 pm these teams play each other and are in their own beds before or at least around midnight.
Other teams in the Division are the 3 Canadian teams of Ottawa, Toronto, and Laval. The border issue could make them difficult to include, but the 3 NYS teams have rides between 3-5 hours to each of these cities.
New York State has a Covid deal with it's surrounding states of Massachusetts, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Rhode Island to allow travel between the states based upon the most current situation with the virus state by state. Providence, R.I., Springfield, Mass., Bridgeport, CT., Hartford, CT., Hershey, PA., and Allentown, PA. are all teams that the 3 NYS teams play every season anyways. Depending upon which team you're talking about, all of these teams are between 2 and a half and 4 and a half hours away from the NY teams.
You could easily arrange a schedule with the NY teams and then let each of them play the nearest of theses other teams whether in Canada or the other teams in the northeastern states to fill out the schedule.
Those eastern teams of Bridgeport, Hartford, Providence, and Springfield have the same sort of proximity to each other as the NY teams. You could have both foursomes comprise divisions playing the bulk of the games within their division and then play a few crossover games vs the closest teams from the other division and include the Canadian trio in these non division games.
e.g.
- Binghamton is 2 hours and change from Hershey and Allentown.
- Utica is 2 hours and change from Springfield and 3 hours from Hartford.
- Syracuse is 3 hours from Ottawa and Allentown.
- Rochester is 3 hours from Toronto and 4 from Ottawa.
Almost all of the teams are within 4-5 hours at the most. A weekend road trip could put any of them in one city on Friday after a 3-4 hour or less ride and then leave them with a short jaunt to their Saturday game and another short jaunt for a Sunday game. Then they have all of the next week to rest up and practice for the next weekend within the their own Division. They could also take the longer ride for a single Friday game, come home and play on Sunday. It would take some creative schedule making, but a season could be had even if played with a shortened schedule with less travel than normal, but more games vs the same opponents.
I'm not a rocket scientist, but I can see how things could be arranged so the prospects don't lose a year or more of competition. Being placed on a black aces squad with practice in an NHL city won't get them the progression they need to up their game to an NHL level. They need lots of game time intensity. There are similar situations of teams throughout the league having close proximity to 2 or 3 other teams similar to the NY teams where these kind of schedules could be worked out. You'd have to reconsider a Calder cup playoff postponement under this kind of setup, but the prospects would get a season of game play.
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AHL players do bring their families to their American city for a few months. If the Covid issue in any of those cities is rampant the team won't be playing there anyways. The thought that the Canadian teams will have AHL farms while the US cities won't makes no sense. Without the bubble setup, most of the NHL and AHL cities are suspect to be shut down anyways. I seriously doubt that the Canadian teams will be allowed to be the only NHL teams with a season. It will be all or none.
You guys better hope Trump loses, because his win vs his defeat will have the greatest impact on the playing of the 2020-2021 season or its cancellation. This country right now is on track for a winter that will be worse than the nation's battle up to now that has cost 220,000+ deaths and the current trump led government's idea is to enact herd immunity which would cost millions not hundreds of thousands of lives.
Blue and Green
Out to lunch
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Canada has a 14-day quarantine for people entering or re-entering the country. Until that is rescinded there will be no viable way for Canadian NHL franchises to transfer players to/from an American AHL farm team during the season. Cross-border AHL road trips are also infeasible. The AHL would have to create a Canadian division, just as the NHL is expected to do.
I agree with BG....there's a lot of AHL teams in the mid-upper New York State region. If the NHL clubs are committed to salvaging an AHL season, maybe they could reduce the schedule to just 'divisional games'. Limited travel and games with reduced COVID seating and televised through the AHL television network. Maybe the Galaxy Cup can be revived for the North Division?
Surely having your prospects playing competitive hockey somewhere is better than what MLB did, with just practices and inter-squad games in a bubble.
Surely having your prospects playing competitive hockey somewhere is better than what MLB did, with just practices and inter-squad games in a bubble.
The AHL has once again rolled back the start time for the 2020-21 season. It will only be the 2021 season as there will be no hockey in the 2020 part.
The previous tentative start date was December 3. The new tentative date is Feb. 5. That date is as sure as the previous one. We all know they will be hostages to the COVID-19 virus. The numbers are already surpassing the worst we had seen and winter is officially still basically 2 months out. That winter had been predicted to be a bad one virus wise. If now is any indication of the future, hockey will be the least of our concerns.
Yesterday, Esche was talking about fans being able to attend games. Yeah, that's likely to happen.
Good luck to the NHL playing in the U.S. any time in the next few months as well. US hockey doesn't have thew TV deals that the NFL, MLB, and NCAA football/basketball do. I don't see the NHL owners willing to lose the kind of money it would cost them to play in empty buildings with only their local TV deals to bring in revenue.
The previous tentative start date was December 3. The new tentative date is Feb. 5. That date is as sure as the previous one. We all know they will be hostages to the COVID-19 virus. The numbers are already surpassing the worst we had seen and winter is officially still basically 2 months out. That winter had been predicted to be a bad one virus wise. If now is any indication of the future, hockey will be the least of our concerns.
Yesterday, Esche was talking about fans being able to attend games. Yeah, that's likely to happen.
Good luck to the NHL playing in the U.S. any time in the next few months as well. US hockey doesn't have thew TV deals that the NFL, MLB, and NCAA football/basketball do. I don't see the NHL owners willing to lose the kind of money it would cost them to play in empty buildings with only their local TV deals to bring in revenue.
The infectious disease experts--actual scientists--are now predicting a vaccine could be available as early as February-March next year. At that point, the first set of inoculations would be for the most vulnerable people, seniors and people with pre-existing medical conditions. That would obviously be a game-changer, and would allow authorities to ease some of the COVID restrictions.
So I could see the AHL starting a limited schedule by Feb. 5th or so. They might still have to enforce 'social distancing' in the seating area, but if they taped off every second or third seat, they might be able to squeeze a few thousand fans into some AHL buildings.
And from a hockey standpoint, if there's anything 'positive' to come out of this devastating pandemic, it's that AHL hockey is probably safe in Utica for the foreseeable future. With NHL revenues taking a pounding, I seriously doubt that the Aquilinis would entertain moving their AHL to British Columbia and incurring all of the extra costs associated with operating a team in the Lower Mainland.
So hopefully the passionate hockey fans in Utica and the Mohawk Valley will be able to support their beloved Comets indefinitely.
So I could see the AHL starting a limited schedule by Feb. 5th or so. They might still have to enforce 'social distancing' in the seating area, but if they taped off every second or third seat, they might be able to squeeze a few thousand fans into some AHL buildings.
And from a hockey standpoint, if there's anything 'positive' to come out of this devastating pandemic, it's that AHL hockey is probably safe in Utica for the foreseeable future. With NHL revenues taking a pounding, I seriously doubt that the Aquilinis would entertain moving their AHL to British Columbia and incurring all of the extra costs associated with operating a team in the Lower Mainland.
So hopefully the passionate hockey fans in Utica and the Mohawk Valley will be able to support their beloved Comets indefinitely.
Ive never been an advocate of having the AHL in the Fraser valley not without the northwest NhL teams having their teams close by rather than all in California.
I personally would rather see the Canucks relocate their A team to California with the other pacific teams to make call ups easier.
Whether that is long beach formerly in the IHL or Sacramento with the NBA Kings. I don’t think it’s configured for nhl capacity but should be more than adequate for AHL crowds of under 10k.
for this season who knows was cal and Edm and van have to do if the nhl needs to have an all Canadian division due to the border. Does that force them to bring their AHL clubs up north and situate them in the east near the moose, Marlies, Rocket and baby sens?
Brisebois is signed. $125k to play here.
Sautner is signed. 200K to play here.
Teves is signed and according to CapFriendly he's on a 1-way contract of $700K!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That can't possibly be!!!!!!!!!
Eliot is signed. On his last ELC year - $70K.
Woo is signed. 1st yr of his ELC - $70K.
Chatfield is the only one still unsigned.
If Juolevi fails to make the NHL grade, he comes down on the 3rd of his ELC at $70K.
If Rafferty fails to make the NHL grade, he comes down and according to CapFriendly his 1-way would pay him $700,000!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
If Rafferty and Teves contract numbers on Cap Friendly are fact, that would be ridiculous, especially Teves. He couldn't even make it it into the top 6 last season.
J.C. Reid Boucher was in the running for the AHL scoring title, but injury cost him 10 games and the title went to Iowa's Sam Anas with 70 points in 63GP. Reid finished 3 points behind at 67 in 53 GP. Reis was paid $450K. If Teves gets anywhere close to $700K that would be atrocious and could vie as the worst contract Benning has ever handed out. At least his other bad deals were to guys who play in the NHL.
If there is an AHL season, I can actually see all 8 of these guys playing in Utica. They were #16 in the league in Goals Against. It won't get much better with the same cast of characters. If Juolevi and Rafferty both make the Canucks as #s 6/7, the remaining 6 will see elevate those numbers and the Comets will fall farther in the league's GA column.
Sautner is signed. 200K to play here.
Teves is signed and according to CapFriendly he's on a 1-way contract of $700K!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That can't possibly be!!!!!!!!!
Eliot is signed. On his last ELC year - $70K.
Woo is signed. 1st yr of his ELC - $70K.
Chatfield is the only one still unsigned.
If Juolevi fails to make the NHL grade, he comes down on the 3rd of his ELC at $70K.
If Rafferty fails to make the NHL grade, he comes down and according to CapFriendly his 1-way would pay him $700,000!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
If Rafferty and Teves contract numbers on Cap Friendly are fact, that would be ridiculous, especially Teves. He couldn't even make it it into the top 6 last season.
J.C. Reid Boucher was in the running for the AHL scoring title, but injury cost him 10 games and the title went to Iowa's Sam Anas with 70 points in 63GP. Reid finished 3 points behind at 67 in 53 GP. Reis was paid $450K. If Teves gets anywhere close to $700K that would be atrocious and could vie as the worst contract Benning has ever handed out. At least his other bad deals were to guys who play in the NHL.
If there is an AHL season, I can actually see all 8 of these guys playing in Utica. They were #16 in the league in Goals Against. It won't get much better with the same cast of characters. If Juolevi and Rafferty both make the Canucks as #s 6/7, the remaining 6 will see elevate those numbers and the Comets will fall farther in the league's GA column.
Yep, there was a fair bit posted about those Rafferty and Teves contracts when they were originally reported.
Benning signed them to one year entry level deals, immediately burned by playing Teves in one NHL game and Rafferty in two, then signed them both to two year extensions with the second seasons 1-way. It seemed clear to me that they'd really made the deals on the extensions at the time of the entry level deals-that in order to get them signed, Benning had promised them 1 way contracts for their second (technically third counting the burned seasons) years. I don't know of anyone who suggested that Teves, in particular, had shown well enough to get a one way deal.
Mind boggling absurd!!!!!!!!!!!
Teves not signing because he wasn't going to get a year burned off would have been no loss. To make him the highest paid player on the Comets would be outright criminally stupid.
*Update to previous post.
I'm not going to go back through the history to look at every significant Comets' salary, but that may make him the highest paid Comet since their birth and he isn't remotely close to deserving that kind of paycheck.
He may become the first Comet to receive openly negative attention from the fan base if he doesn't produce to the level of the best Comets D-man ever at that price. It might not be his fault that his salary is so high, but he will be measured by it unfair or not.
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