The Utica Comets Thread | Part 35

[Bad Goalie]

Because he could have been papered down.

In terms of papering down without having to pass through waivers, the only Canucks to meet that criteria were Hutton, Granlund, and Horvat.

Higgins was probably still able to be sent back to Utica based on the number of games or days a waived player can go the NHL and go back to the AHL without passing through waivers again. He may actually have qualified as an emergency call-up and therefore bypassed waivers.

McCann and Virtanen too young and caught up in the NHLPA/NHL/Jr bargaining agreement (not actually clear on the labels of all the groups involved).

 

[PM]

I believe they could have papered Weber as well who most certainly would have passed through waivers again.

 

[VanJack]

I see Boch of the Vancouver Proince is predicting Travis Green will be gone after this season, with a number of NHL teams interviewing for HC's.....would be typical.....if the Canucks are crappy out of the gate, Willie could be gonged after 20 games.....then where do you find a coach?...I guess Glen Gulatzan is the only guy with head-coaching experience

 

[vanuck]

"Kenins-Gaunce-Grenier (would like to see this as VAN's 4th line next season)"
As long as you have no problem with a low finish and are looking for another good draft in the midst of a serious rebuild that would be fine. It saves big on cap space as well, but after Benning signs 2 UFA forwards (Lucic and Eriksson just as examples and Benning said he will be active in the UFA market did he not?) Dorsett, Vey, Granlund, Etem, Hansen, Burrows, McCann are all still around.

Gaunce looks like the most likely promotion. I can see McCann sent to Utica.

I can see Vey not making it on a normal team, but WD is still the coach. Benning has to start out with Etem and Granland or admit two more bad trades. Dorsett isn't going anywhere. Hansen and Burrows could be moved, but I don't think so.



Thus, the last 2 guys to make the Canucks roster are Grenier and Kenins even if it might be a good move economically and they are probably as good or better than guys I left on the list.

I would've happily swapped out all 3 of Prust-Vey-Dorsett this past season for Kenins-Gaunce-Grenier. Cheaper overall and almost certainly better at hockey too.

Remember I put McCann in Utica which they might not do.

Yeah I can see McCann being sent to Utica next year. He seems like he could use the conditioning and big minutes.

 

[Scurr]

Yeah I can see McCann being sent to Utica next year. He seems like he could use the conditioning and big minutes.

McCann needs to gain strength and explosiveness… that's made more difficult by playing big minutes and/or conditioning. This body type tends to slowly deteriorate throughout a season and often begins the next offseason program close to where they started the last without a lot of real gains. I think a plan to have him play less games and less minutes while leaving time to train and recover is a really good plan for McCann. Kind of a college hockey approach to development.

 

[Bad Goalie]

McCann needs to gain strength and explosiveness… that's made more difficult by playing big minutes and/or conditioning. This body type tends to slowly deteriorate throughout a season and often begins the next offseason program close to where they started the last without a lot of real gains. I think a plan to have him play less games and less minutes while leaving time to train and recover is a really good plan for McCann. Kind of a college hockey approach to development.

Sounds like the AHL approach taken with Cassels. His 67 GP totals were accelerated by the horrible manpower shortage the Comets endured over the last 3 months forcing Green to use him on a regular basis. He had been working in and out of the lineup as per your recipe until disaster struck the roster.

 

[Bad Goalie]

I see Boch of the Vancouver Proince is predicting Travis Green will be gone after this season, with a number of NHL teams interviewing for HC's.....would be typical.....if the Canucks are crappy out of the gate, Willie could be gonged after 20 games.....then where do you find a coach?...I guess Glen Gulatzan is the only guy with head-coaching experience

That would be just one more chink in the Vancouver management's armor. Not being able to plan ahead for the big picture. If Green is as good as he has appeared to be, it would be crazy to lose him to another franchise because you want to hold on to Willie as a scapegoat insurance policy to avoid your own demise. He has already proven after refusing to change anything about how he does things in two years that the job is too much for him.

 

[VanJack]

That would be just one more chink in the Vancouver management's armor. Not being able to plan ahead for the big picture. If Green is as good as he has appeared to be, it would be crazy to lose him to another franchise because you want to hold on to Willie as a scapegoat insurance policy to avoid your own demise. He has already proven after refusing to change anything about how he does things in two years that the job is too much for him.

Agreed....if the Canucks were smart (when it comes to upper-management personnel decisions, that's debatable) they'd keep Willie on a very short leash and have Green waiting in the wings after a minimum of 20 games.....but if history is any guide, even if they gonged Willie, they'd just had it over to someone with an 'interim' label.

 

[WTG]

Well now Utica fans have Demko to look forward to it.

Thatcher, Thatcher the puck snatcher

 

[MadaCanuckle]

Well now Utica fans have Demko to look forward to it.

Thatcher, Thatcher the puck snatcher

Can he play for Utica in PO's?

Edit: Nevermind, saw the John Shannon tweet, the answer is no.

 

[fancouver]

Probably wouldn't want Demko in the Utica playoffs that fast anyways. Everyone is firing at 110% whereas Demko will be coming in cold.

Anyways, as for Travis Green, I really hope management doesn't screw this up. I see him as the successor coach. The guy can make a mediocre team play well. But then again, this is all in the AHL. Willie was a pretty good AHL coach too....

 

[Jimson Hogarth*]

 

[VanJack]

Is Neill a guy the 'Nucks are even likely to sign?....they still have McEneney and Cederholm in Kalamazoo and seem to have a lot of these kind of d-men still in junior?

 

[Bad Goalie]

I don't think the release of Neill comes as any surprise.

 

[NoShowWilly]

Goodluck tonight, Utica! should be a good one.

 

[Bad Goalie]

Looks like they start Bachman in net tonight.

Hamilton appears to be near ready, but not quite. He's skating with the out of the lineup guys. There are two guys in that group who have been playing, Landry and Valk. I believe Landry was injured in the finale against Binghmaton. Valk would be a healthy scratch and join Pereira, Bubela, and Currier.

Pedan and Fedun are in for sure. After that Subban, Negrin, Shields, and Sautner are definitely healthy. Not sure about Ehrhardt, but if he's hurt along with Landry, the Comets only have 6 healthy D-men.

Forwards ready to go tonight look like:

LaBate/Hensick/Grenier - This has been a line for the last few games.

Jones/Cassels/Marino - Also a set line of late.

The next 2 lines could have several combos and depends upon the health of Archibald since he looks to be in the lineup based on the guys who were skated after practice.

Kenins/Friesen/Bancks They have been a line.

Gaunce and Zalewski have been together as wings, but if one goes to center, I could see

Archibald/Gaunce/Zalewski

Bancks could also center Z and Gaunce or go to either of the wings.

Archi could be the RW for Friesen and Kenins.

After that, Green has had a week to reset all of his lines. There are a multitude of possibilities, but Hensick on a wing is the most unlikely switch I can see. He has been the best center on the team since his arrival. So, we wait until game time to see the 2016 Calder Cup Playoff edition of the Utica Comets for game #1 vs the Albany Devils at 7:00 pm in Albany.

 

[Hansen]

Really hope we don't lose Green for nothing. I don't think that it would come as any major surprise though as it would just be another sacrifice (just like keeping Willie to act as sacrificial meat shield) to keeping face for Jimbob Benning & Co.

 

[VanJack]

Looks like they start Bachman in net tonight.

Hamilton appears to be near ready, but not quite. He's skating with the out of the lineup guys. There are two guys in that group who have been playing, Landry and Valk. I believe Landry was injured in the finale against Binghmaton. Valk would be a healthy scratch and join Pereira, Bubela, and Currier.

Pedan and Fedun are in for sure. After that Subban, Negrin, Shields, and Sautner are definitely healthy. Not sure about Ehrhardt, but if he's hurt along with Landry, the Comets only have 6 healthy D-men.

Forwards ready to go tonight look like:

LaBate/Hensick/Grenier - This has been a line for the last few games.

Jones/Cassels/Marino - Also a set line of late.

The next 2 lines could have several combos and depends upon the health of Archibald since he looks to be in the lineup based on the guys who were skated after practice.

Kenins/Friesen/Bancks They have been a line.

Gaunce and Zalewski have been together as wings, but if one goes to center, I could see

Archibald/Gaunce/Zalewski

Bancks could also center Z and Gaunce or go to either of the wings.

Archi could be the RW for Friesen and Kenins.

After that, Green has had a week to reset all of his lines. There are a multitude of possibilities, but Hensick on a wing is the most unlikely switch I can see. He has been the best center on the team since his arrival. So, we wait until game time to see the 2016 Calder Cup Playoff edition of the Utica Comets for game #1 vs the Albany Devils at 7:00 pm in Albany.

That's actually a pretty serviceable lineup, although goals are going to be at a premium....the pp's will probably decide the series, and one of either Bachman or Cannata is going to have to the Comets' best player for them to advance....hope Archie can get back in....they seem to be a different team when he's delivering some of his thunderous hits.

 

[Bad Goalie]

That's actually a pretty serviceable lineup, although goals are going to be at a premium....the pp's will probably decide the series, and one of either Bachman or Cannata is going to have to the Comets' best player for them to advance....hope Archie can get back in....they seem to be a different team when he's delivering some of his thunderous hits.

If the PP is the key Utica is some trouble.

Overall:
Albany - #8 at 18.3%
Utica - #23 at 15.5%

Home:
Albany - #3 at 23.5%
Utica - #29 at 14.0%

Away:
Albany - #22 at 13.2%
Utica - #9 at 17.2%

We should look at the PK as well.

Overall:
Albany - #3 at 87.2%
Utica - #4 at 86%%

Home:
Albany - #2 at 89.9%
Utica - #1 at 90%

Away:
Albany - #6 at 84.6%
Utica - #15 at 82.3%

So in Albany the Devils PP clicks at 23.5% while the Comets PK operates at 82.3% and the Comets PP clicks at 17.2% and the Devils PK operates at 89.9%. Decisive edge to the Devils in both the PP and the PK.

In Utica the Comets PP clicks at basically league worst 14.0% and the Devils PK operates at 84.6% and the Devils PP clicks at 13.2% and the Comets PK operates at the league's best of 90%. PK edge to the Comets and PP edge to the Devils. Close to a wash here.

Biggest problem for the Comets is that the first 2 games are in Albany where the Comets PP is #9 and the Devils PK is #2 in the league and the Devils PP is #3 in the league and the Comets PK is #15. The Comets league leading PK is at home.

They will have to stay out of the box and try and make the best of any PP chances they have without surrendering great chances to Albany while a man up. Utica has done just that all season. Bad enough that the PP has been pitiful, but the short handed chances they surrender makes one shake and tremble when they go on the power play.

Agree on your assessment of Archi in the Utica lineup. Also, his goals have usually come at key times. Is anything more key than this.

 

[Devilsfan992]

Good Luck guys. Do you know if any free legal streams will be provided?

You're welcome in our GDT if you want to chat as well.

 

[Bad Goalie]

Nearing face off time for game #1.

Bachman gets the nod tonight and green makes no predictions as to who gets the nod tomorrow. Could be either guy and Green said the results tonight might not influence the decision tomorrow.

Hundreds of Comets fans made the short trek down the thruway and will be in attendance tonight. Comets tickets to the public went on sale this am and could only be purchased in person. 550 tickets are all that is available based on the 3,300 STHs. More could exist if some STHs decided not to purchase tickets for the playoffs. Can't be many of them.

 

[WTG]

Let's go Comets!!!! I'll cover this series.

 

[WTG]

Pedan off for a crosscheck