The Utica Comets | 2020-2021 Thread

[NuxFan09]

It's the weirdest thing with Woo how his exciting-sounding name makes people give him exciting Bieksa-type projections for his career.

I've been saying since he was drafted that the guy's name really should be Colton Smith or something. His upside is Sylvain Lefebvre, who is probably the most boring 'good' NHL player of the last 30 years.

It's encouraging that he seems to be adapting well to the pace of the AHL - definitely looks substantially better than guys like Juolevi/Brisebois did defensively at the same stage of their careers.

Question is how well he can develop with the puck. Will he plateau as a #7 type depth defender or can he be a #4 type 2nd pairing defensive defender?

In all honesty, the Canucks could use a boring defenseman. If he develops into a guy who is safe and reliable and can eat minutes at the NHL level then that's a really good development.

 

[Catamarca Livin]

In all honesty, the Canucks could use a boring defenseman. If he develops into a guy who is safe and reliable and can eat minutes at the NHL level then that's a really good development.

Especially when there were questions whether Woo could play at this level. Also, he is s rookie pro dman who does not play pp so yeh boring is good especially if he has a edge.

 

[MS]

In all honesty, the Canucks could use a boring defenseman. If he develops into a guy who is safe and reliable and can eat minutes at the NHL level then that's a really good development.

I don’t mean it as a criticism at all. I love boring defenders.

 

[Fatass]

I don’t mean it as a criticism at all. I love boring defenders.

A boring defender would actually be the ideal partner for Hughes.

 

[NuxFan09]

I don’t mean it as a criticism at all. I love boring defenders.

Oh I know. I was just adding my own 2 cents.

 

[Cupless44]

His footwork is pretty tidy. I wouldn't say he's 'fast' but he gets around all right and doesn't seem to be getting burned at all in the couple Utica games I've seen and reports on the other games were good as well. I expected he might have some issues on that front so I'm actually pretty pleasantly surprised. He's keeping up with things well.

That said, 'solid' AHL skaters are below-average NHL skaters so it's something he will have to continue to work on and develop. But it's good he's stepped up levels without it being an issue. Wasn't the case for Juolevi.

Thanks for the feedback

 

[m9]

It's the weirdest thing with Woo how his exciting-sounding name makes people give him exciting Bieksa-type projections for his career.

I've been saying since he was drafted that the guy's name really should be Colton Smith or something. His upside is Sylvain Lefebvre, who is probably the most boring 'good' NHL player of the last 30 years.

It's encouraging that he seems to be adapting well to the pace of the AHL - definitely looks substantially better than guys like Juolevi/Brisebois did defensively at the same stage of their careers.

Question is how well he can develop with the puck. Will he plateau as a #7 type depth defender or can he be a #4 type 2nd pairing defensive defender?

My comparison for him when he was drafted was François Beauchemin who was fairly boring and you wouldn't want him as your #1 or #2.. but he can be a very important player for you. The Bieksa stuff was always weird.

 

[vanuck]

Not a Canucks prospect, but still pretty cool to see that Dakota Joshua scored his first NHL goal for the Blues on Monday.

 

[Bad Goalie]

Not a Canucks prospect, but still pretty cool to see that Dakota Joshua scored his first NHL goal for the Blues on Monday.

Dirty as they come, but good for him.

Shot bounced off the keeper, hit Dakota in the mid section, and went in. Crash the net, get in the crease and good things can happen.

 

[Bad Goalie]

You'd think that an AHL team being supplied by two NHL teams would be swimming in extra bodies. The Comets played the last game with 11 F and 7 D and zero healthy scratches. Maybe it's time for Ryan Johnson to sign a couple PTOs so they can get through the quarantine period to be available if needed.

It will be 10 forwards tonight unless they signed PTO guys earlier in the week without telling anyone.

I mean what could a capable GM have been waiting for last weekend when they knew what they were dealing with after the last call-up. It was only a matter of time before their pathetic fragile roster would shatter.Injuries always happen and sadly come in bunches. 4 call-ups and 3 injuries and this is the inevitable result.

Benning has either placed a Castrated manger here with zero power to function beyond sending Benning supportive glowing praise for barely adequate AHL level play by guys like Chatfield. OR He has an absolutely worthless mind for the job.

A homeless person could be brought in from the cold, offered food and shelter in the Aud basement in turn for finding the team help, and do a better job with no knowledge of the game of hockey. The guy has bee a total waste since the first day he arrived on the scene which was even actually long after he was hired.

Petty harsh you say? Not even close!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Diversification]

It will be 10 forwards tonight unless they signed PTO guys earlier in the week without telling anyone.

I mean what could a capable GM have been waiting for last weekend when they knew what they were dealing with after the last call-up. It was only a matter of time before their pathetic fragile roster would shatter.Injuries always happen and sadly come in bunches. 4 call-ups and 3 injuries and this is the inevitable result.

Benning has either placed a Castrated manger here with zero power to function beyond sending Benning supportive glowing praise for barely adequate AHL level play by guys like Chatfield. OR He has an absolutely worthless mind for the job.

A homeless person could be brought in from the cold, offered food and shelter in the Aud basement in turn for finding the team help, and do a better job with no knowledge of the game of hockey. The guy has bee a total waste since the first day he arrived on the scene which was even actually long after he was hired.

Petty harsh you say? Not even close!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That sounds like a horrific situation. If I had to guess, it probably comes down to economics. NHL team owners don't even want to play an NHL season let alone an AHL one and this is the result. That said, I wonder what the rules are on AHL PTOs in terms of money and quarantine guidelines and whether that could be an option? Certainly something like that has be in place for emergency goalie situations (barring say, Cull donning the pads).

 

[Bad Goalie]

That sounds like a horrific situation. If I had to guess, it probably comes down to economics. NHL team owners don't even want to play an NHL season let alone an AHL one and this is the result. That said, I wonder what the rules are on AHL PTOs in terms of money and quarantine guidelines and whether that could be an option? Certainly something like that has be in place for emergency goalie situations (barring say, Cull donning the pads).

Other teams have been employing PTOs. Rochester used 2 vs the Comets last Friday. Of Course one would have to exercise enough common sense to realize if there are quarantine rules to follow that you have to be proactive and recognize when situations are becoming critical you act to be ready. Anybody with a brain would have seen that time when Anas became the 4th player recalled on Feb. 25, leaving the Comets with 13 forwards. That was the time to act proactively. But no. Nothing.

So, on Feb. 26th, the Comets played the Rochester Americans and surprise, surprise John Stevens and Hugh McGing go down with injuries during the game. Now they have 10 forwards to finish that game and 11 total for the game the next night vs Syracuse.

Cull dresses 7 D-men on game night. Understandable. Which one of them will be asked to play out of position on a wing?
Shockingly, no one. He rotated the 3 centers between the 8 wings to keep the top lines in tact and allow the 4th line shifts rotating centers. The 7 d rotated throughout the game throwing the continuity the guys were building with Rathbone's arrival and Santini's departure into the trash.

Worse that night, Arseneau was injured. Now they have 10 forwards going forward. He had Sunday through today to get some PTOs in here. That was enough time to quarantine and make ready for tonight's game.

10 forwards and 7 D. What magic will Cull be asked to work now? Skate 3 lines and rotate fresh guy in every line shift? Yea, that keeps the lines functioning at top potential by the 2nd period. How about moving that 7th D-man up to the wing, keep the 6 D in their best alignment, and rotate a center into that 4th duo to keep recreating a makeshift 4th line every time you send it out. That line would get very short shifts and hopefully started in the O-zone, skipped whenever play stoppages created some down time, and if the team needed to push just skipped altogether.

I understand this season is more for development than any other, but the way they are mishandling things, it's going to mean less development than ever before. If many of you think Benning is doing a bad job in Vancouver, you ought to try his hand picked bozo to run the show down here. Money can't be the excuse for not providing your prospects with at least a full roster every single game night. You are actually further subjecting those prospects to injury under these conditions, which will have them fatigued and being asked to do more than is reasonable to ask of any player at any level..

 

[UticaHockey]

It will be 10 forwards tonight unless they signed PTO guys earlier in the week without telling anyone.

I mean what could a capable GM have been waiting for last weekend when they knew what they were dealing with after the last call-up. It was only a matter of time before their pathetic fragile roster would shatter.Injuries always happen and sadly come in bunches. 4 call-ups and 3 injuries and this is the inevitable result.

Benning has either placed a Castrated manger here with zero power to function beyond sending Benning supportive glowing praise for barely adequate AHL level play by guys like Chatfield. OR He has an absolutely worthless mind for the job.

A homeless person could be brought in from the cold, offered food and shelter in the Aud basement in turn for finding the team help, and do a better job with no knowledge of the game of hockey. The guy has bee a total waste since the first day he arrived on the scene which was even actually long after he was hired.

Petty harsh you say? Not even close!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It will still be 11 forwards if Vinny is good to go but yes it it beyond time to have a couple of extra bodies here if needed.

 

[Hansen]

In all honesty, the Canucks could use a boring defenseman. If he develops into a guy who is safe and reliable and can eat minutes at the NHL level then that's a really good development.

Im most excited just by him looking like he could play in the NHL. I think in terms of scoring we have some very good pieces, but its really the depth and the defensive end that we need support on now. Having an ELC player in the lineup would be a huge bonus too.

That said, he has been jumping into the play a surprising amount and when he's on the left side he has been going in and getting some very sneaky one timers off against the flow of play. His shot isnt a cannon but when he gets it off it gets to the net, some of those are bound to go in.

 

[NuxFan09]

Im most excited just by him looking like he could play in the NHL. I think in terms of scoring we have some very good pieces, but its really the depth and the defensive end that we need support on now. Having an ELC player in the lineup would be a huge bonus too.

That said, he has been jumping into the play a surprising amount and when he's on the left side he has been going in and getting some very sneaky one timers off against the flow of play. His shot isnt a cannon but when he gets it off it gets to the net, some of those are bound to go in.

Agreed on all counts. A player like him would be a breath of fresh air on our NHL roster.

 

[Bad Goalie]

3/3/2021
Utica Comets @ Rochester Americans

Forwards:
Baertschi/Jasek/Lind
McKenzie/Focht/N. Stevens
Gadjovich/ROTATE/Lockwood
Arseneau/Kaspick/Jackson

D-Pairs:
Rathbone/Woo
Tucker/Reinke
Teves/Eliot
Wesley to rotate in

Goal - Gillies

Scratches:
Injured -
John Stevens
McGing

Healthy:
Kielly
Fitzpatrick
(both goalies)

Comets with 11 forwards as Arseneau who is banged up and missed practice yesterday will play. The 3rd line will see the rotating center. The D will once again rotate 7 D-men. I didn't like it last game and I still don't.

It has been announced that Lind will move back to RW and Jasek will move back into the middle on the 1st line.

 

[Bad Goalie]

Comets Score

G______O______A_______L

Gadjovich

Lockwood sent a shot off the left wing and Gadjovich garbaged it out as Luke didn't control the shot.

1-0 Utica 59 seconds in.

 

[NuxFan09]

Jon Gillies vs Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen in today's game vs the Rochester Americans.

Aaaaand, the Comets score just 59 seconds in. Lockwood got off a shot on net and guess who? was Johnny on the spot in the crease: Jonah Gadjovich!

 

[Bad Goalie]

Lind misses off the RW.

 

[Bad Goalie]

16:11 to go. Whistle and faceoff in the Comets end.

Jasek wins the draw.

 

[Bad Goalie]

Icing.

M2B likes that. LOL

 

[Bad Goalie]

Bad turnover by Jasek.

Amerks with pressure.

Rathbone gets it out. Rushes it in and it doesn't get through a mess in front.

 

[Fatass]

Bad turnover by Jasek.

Amerks with pressure.

Rathbone gets it out. Rushes it in and it doesn't get through a mess in front.

But what Bone did after that great rush up ice was get back and show how smart he is by forcing the Rochester player to pull up on a three on two, creating an off side.
Bone is not only elite skilled, and skating, but holy crap his hockey iq is off the charts!

 

[Bad Goalie]

There's a lot of confusion with the rotating players by Cull.
Just run 3 lines and mix up the 4th. Run 6 D and mix Wesley in once in a while. He's trying to give the 7 D equal time and they are all mixed up. I'd leave the top 2 sets alone and just work Wesley in on the 3rd set and give that set less ice time.

 

[Fatass]

Sorry all us Canuck fans, but Lind reminds me too much of Virtanen. He doesn’t look like he understands the game very well, and is not in proper condition to keep up. He’s really young though, so maybe in a couple years he gets it?