The Utica Comets Thread | Part 35

[bryndogcanucks]

Current Benning projects are questionable, but seem to sit in the same level on the chart, bottom 6. Others not yet included like Demko and Boeser are up in the air as to ever actually signing. I think Boeser comes over, but if Demko goes back to BC you can chalk him up to a Boston UFA. Their goalie pool can handle a local boy on the rise. Subban is the #2 at the AHL level and he sucks. Everyone below Rask is within Demko's reach and Rask himself is getting older.

Demko is not really a local boy, though. He plays for Boston College but has no other ties there that I know of. He was born and raised in California. His father is a dual citizen whose parents live in Canada. I believe his father attended UBC (a university in Vancouver). Demko himself is listed as a dual citizen on eliteprospects.com. His whole family seemed very happy when he was drafted by the Canucks. He seems to have more ties to Vancouver than he does to Boston. Obviously he also has a good chance of making the NHL in the Canucks organization after some seasoning in the minors. If he goes back for his senior year it may mean nothing more than he wants one more chance to win the NCAA championship.

 

[vanuck]

Thanks for the reports BG. It was actually pretty exciting to read and follow along. Good to see our future GM stepping up - he's going to be a full-timer next year IMO.

 

[DadBod]

I saw on some social media Carl Neill is with UTI. Will he play?

 

[donut]

 

[go comets]

Neill has not dressed in any games. Comets take a 2-1 lead into the third period. A win gives them a first round matchup with Albany. First two games are Friday and Saturday at Albany.

 

[go comets]

Comets choke and give up 3 in the third, loose 4-2. Bridgeport got destroyed 6-1, so the comets will face Albany in the first round. Fri and Sat at Albany, Tues and Thurs(if needed) in Utica, and Sat back in Albany if needed.

 

[go comets]

BG .. Just a note on the rewards program, was posted today on Facebook that they will be adding more prizes to the program shortly.

 

[VanJack]

Mike Zalewski voted 'the most improved player' in Comets year-end awards....must have been by a landslide....guy didn't even have an NHL contract at the start of the season, and eventually earned two call-ups to the Canucks....impressed every time I've seen him....good on the dot, strong skater and excellent size....does he have a chance to make it, if not as a centre, could be play wing?

 

[vanuck]

Nice goal by our future GM. Way to be Gonzo.

 

[Interior Cascadian]

Does anyone remember if the Canucks' affiliation with Utica expires after this season? I don't want to take this too far off on a tangent from the thread topic, but I'm looking ahead to when Vancouver moves their farm team west.

 

[StIllmatic]

Does anyone remember if the Canucks' affiliation with Utica expires after this season? I don't want to take this too far off on a tangent from the thread topic, but I'm looking ahead to when Vancouver moves their farm team west.

We have a great thing with Utica. We own Utica Comets.

 

[tyhee]

Does anyone remember if the Canucks' affiliation with Utica expires after this season? I don't want to take this too far off on a tangent from the thread topic, but I'm looking ahead to when Vancouver moves their farm team west.

The Canucks own the Comets franchise, with most management functions conducted by agreement with Mohawk Valley Garden. The current lease agreement expires after the 2018-19 season. I think the Canucks have or had an out at some point. If it hasn't already passed, Linden's comments have made clear they don't intend to use that out.

This has come up occasionally on this thread (or earlier volumes of it.) Most posters don't want the Canucks moved west. I agree with them and believe the players' experience in Utica (where the Comets always sell out, the fanbase is enthusiastic and there is close proximity to numerous other AHL cities) outweighs any small benefit there may in moving the team west.

Trevor Linden has on numerous occasions said the Canucks have no intention of moving the franchise from Utica. For example, see http://thecanuckway.com/2015/12/22/vancouver-canucks-utica-comets-true-blessing/ where Linden is quoted as saying, last December, "We have no interest in moving (the AHL team) west."

Imo the Canucks have a great situation with MVG. Travel time is minimized with the proximity of teams to the Comets and the local management seems to have done well. The Comets are, I believe, the #1 sports franchise in the area and though the arena is small, it always sells out and the fanbase has been enthusiastic, despite the Canucks doing a poor job of stocking the Comets team with players in 2013-14 and 2015-16.

 

[go comets]

Does anyone remember if the Canucks' affiliation with Utica expires after this season? I don't want to take this too far off on a tangent from the thread topic, but I'm looking ahead to when Vancouver moves their farm team west.

From what I recall, it is for a total of six seasons, the first 5 guaranteed a team is here. So two seasons left to go.maybe 3.

 

[VanJack]

Do we have an AHL playoff pool involving the Comets?....how do you grade the Albany series?.....guessing as the higher seed, they go in as the favorites.....goals are going to be at a premium....just a feeling that Bachman and Kenins/Gaunce are going to have to be the key guys in the series for Utica to have a chance.

 

[UticaHockey]

Do we have an AHL playoff pool involving the Comets?....how do you grade the Albany series?.....guessing as the higher seed, they go in as the favorites.....goals are going to be at a premium....just a feeling that Bachman and Kenins/Gaunce are going to have to be the key guys in the series for Utica to have a chance.

If I were a bookmaker I would set the odds at Albany in four but I wouldn't bet against a Travis Green coached team. The Comets are going to need to get solid goaltending to have a chance. Albany is a very deep team and finished the regular season with just one less point than the Comets did last season when they won the conference regular season and playoff championship.

 

[Bad Goalie]

Do we have an AHL playoff pool involving the Comets?....how do you grade the Albany series?.....guessing as the higher seed, they go in as the favorites.....goals are going to be at a premium....just a feeling that Bachman and Kenins/Gaunce are going to have to be the key guys in the series for Utica to have a chance.

Who needs to be the key guys? Let's start with the keepers. We really don't know how Green will deploy his goaltenders. Usually a coach makes a decision on his keeper and rides that guy. The Comets have rotated Bachman and Cannata every other game all season with Cannata getting the only 2 games in a row as far as a I can recall. We'll have to wait and see on this one, but one or both depending on how they are used will have to stand on their heads for the Comets to move forward. The Devils are a very strong defensive team and don't give up a lot of goals and the Comets are hard pressed to score against tight defensive units as their sniper skills are low.

Offensively:
Shinkaruk actually still leads the teams in goals with 21 and amassed 39 points in 45GP. However, he doesn't matter now. DUMB TRADE!

Alexandre Grenier leads the team in points with 16G/32A/48PTs.

Gaunce leads the team in goals with 17 and added 21A for 38PTs in only 46GP.

Bancks is at 14G/25A/39PTs. All are career highs for him. He has really helped the Comets stay afloat during the player shortage over the past 3 months.

Zalewski has 16G/17A/33PTS in 56GP.

To say Kenins will have to be key would be to not realize his output.
He has scored a mere 5 goals, but has 18 helpers for 23PTs in 41 GP.
In contrast LaBate has 10G/10A/20PTs and most of his production is in the past few weeks. He is coming on strong and helping the Comets produce offense especially on the PP.

Defensively Subban leads the D corps in points with 11G/25A/36PTs in 67GP, but he has not scored in April and had 2 in March so he will need to step up his production.

Fedun has 8G/25A/33PTs in 63 GP.

Landry has 6G/19A/26PTs in 47GP.

Pedan has 7G/14A/21PTs in 45GP.

They will need to tighten up defensively because every goal in this series will be critical. They have to take advantage of their chances. They can't be firing scoring chances high, wide, or high and wide like they do so often. They can't flub or misfire their shots, or pass the puck when looking at open nets. These are three other things they do every night. If they get a breakaway or a 2 on 1, they have to score. I know these things are something to be said of every team, but the Comets chances against Albany will be reduced vs their normal number/game. They either pot the chances they get or they will come up short in the end. They also need every member of the fringe scorers to chip in as well. The Comets will only get through this with contributions from the whole. The top guys can't carry them alone. They simply aren't that dynamic.

 

[HSD19]

??

My precise point was that the Comets and Canucks lack elite young talent because of the crap drafting between 2011-2014.

Hunter??? oh wait Jimbo traded him

 

[Bad Goalie]

Hunter??? oh wait Jimbo traded him

Yeah, here's the quote from my post above yours which makes a lot of heads shake and many voices utter, "HUH, WTF?"

Shinkaruk actually still leads the teams in goals with 21 and amassed 39 points in 45GP. However, he doesn't matter now. DUMB TRADE!

 

[vanuck]

Great to see that Labate has been coming on strong lately with 10 points and 47 shots in his last 18 games. He's been shooting a ton as well - 29 shots in his last 8 games...

Also noteworthy that Valk has seemed serviceable in his stint with Utica so far. Wonder what Fox/Blomstrand could've provided this year?

------

With the way the lineup is right now it'd be interesting to see what kind of lineup the Comets will roll. Just for fun:

Kenins-Gaunce-Grenier (would like to see this as VAN's 4th line next season)
Labate-Zalewski-Hensick
Friesen-Valk-Bancks
Jones-Cassels-Bubela

Pedan-Fedun
Landry-Subban
Sautner-Shields

Cannata
Bachman

 

[vanuck]

OTOH, just for the misery of it:

Shinkaruk-Gaunce-Grenier
Kenins-Vey-Hensick
Friesen-Zalewski-Higgins
Archibald-Labate-Bancks

Pedan-Biega
Hutton-Fedun
Landry-Subban

Cannata
Bachman

Even without Horvat in there - and it'd be awesome to see even if it doesn't happen - that's a pretty freaking deep lineup. And this was entirely possible had they just known what papering even was.

So many tears right now.

 

[WTG]

Shinkaruk-McCann-Grenier
Kenins-Horvat-Virtanen
Higgins-Z-Hensick
Labate-Gaunce-Bancks

Hutton-Subban
Pedan-Biega
Landry-Fedun

Cannata
Bachman

You're right vanuck if only we had papered down players :

 

[Catamarca Livin]

Shinkaruk-McCann-Grenier
Kenins-Horvat-Virtanen
Higgins-Z-Hensick
Labate-Gaunce-Bancks

Hutton-Subban
Pedan-Biega
Landry-Fedun

Cannata
Bachman

You're right vanuck if only we had papered down players :

I can understand the complaints about Hunter being traded as the return is questionable but really in what world would Horvat be playing in the Ahl playoffs? Ahl playoffs are for Ahl players, I think if last year's camp showed us anything a longer summer may be more valuable for prospects than a long playoff run. McCann and Hutton killed it in camp and early in the year Corrado, Sven b., and Virtanen took a while to get going last year. I am thinking Utica might surprise with a good series as they have risen their game up under adversity a number of times this year. It was exciting to see Hunter put up numbers this year management has put itself out there with that trade but it is not a mistake unless Hunter shows something at the next level. Make no mistake they traded Hunter because they believe he will be nothing at the nhl level.

 

[Bad Goalie]

I notice that all of you have penciled Hensick into your ideal postseason lineup as a wing. He is a center and a better one at the moment than most you have inserted at that position. I know you want Gaunce to play there, but Hensick is a much better play maker than both Gaunce and Zalewski. Both can play wing and Z is very comfortable and effective there as is Gaunce when he wants to be.

As to guys the canucks could have papered, I'd like to have seen McCann and Virtanen sent down. Only the most elite 19 year old NHL player would be excused from doing such, except the NHL forbids it for the same reason they couldn't be assigned to Utica in the regular season, they are too young.

Hutton could have been assigned and should have. He isn't an established NHL star yet. Biega would have been a good move if you didn't have to put him on waivers first. It didn't work out well for the Canucks with Cracknell. I get the feeling they will try that next Fall with Biega and hope to sneak him through.

Vey and Granlund could have been papered, but I think Vey would have had to pass through waivers again. Both are really bottom line type guys in the NHL and those guys are often papered, but i don't think Travis would end up playing Vey anyways. He isn't in love with him like WD. Granlund maybe, but they would both be subject to some heavy banging and Vey was very displeased with it on his visit here earlier in the year.

Higgins could have, but it would be kind of an insult after his recall (even if it was due to injuries). He would have been in the playoffs here if he hadn't been recalled, but sending him back would just not have been the right thing to do.

Horvat leaves me leaning both ways. He is an established NHL player unlike Virtanen and McCann. He also just turned 21 in April. His point accumulations in both seasons occurred in the second half of the season when many teams have rolled up the carpet and later are resting guys for the playoffs or the players are not pushing so hard saving themselves for the playoffs. He has had his problems in the first half of both seasons and he could use the extra work in the dot and his defensive play could use some polish.

On the other hand, he has gone through a long season and could use some recovery time before he gets into his training for next season. Maybe they could have left the option up to him. Maybe they did. Who Knows, but I have no problem with his exclusion.

 

[Bad Goalie]

Great to see that Labate has been coming on strong lately with 10 points and 47 shots in his last 18 games. He's been shooting a ton as well - 29 shots in his last 8 games...

Also noteworthy that Valk has seemed serviceable in his stint with Utica so far. Wonder what Fox/Blomstrand could've provided this year?

------

With the way the lineup is right now it'd be interesting to see what kind of lineup the Comets will roll. Just for fun:

Kenins-Gaunce-Grenier (would like to see this as VAN's 4th line next season)
Labate-Zalewski-Hensick
Friesen-Valk-Bancks
Jones-Cassels-Bubela

Pedan-Fedun
Landry-Subban
Sautner-Shields

Cannata
Bachman

"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:
Sedin/Sedin/UFA
Baertschi, Horvat, Virtanen A UFA on one of the 2nd or 3rd lines?
Hansen, Sutter, Burrows
Gaunce, Granlund Dorsett

Etem
Vey
Guy replaced by the 2nd UFA.

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

Finally, left out of this picture is Vancouver's 1st round pick this season. A top 3 pick is in Vancouver for sure and likely through #5. After that, who knows, but Jimbo needs a new toy or 3 to help sell tickets, bolster confidence in himself and his management team, and give the casual fan belief that the team is going to be a winner. That's why Virtanen and McCann spent the whole season in Vancouver this past year. Their numbers don't support them being there, especially if he seriously believed he had a 100 point playoff team.

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.

 

[WTG]

in what world would Horvat be playing in the Ahl playoffs?

Because he could have been papered down.