The Utica Comets Thread | Part XXX | [mod warning post #855]

[Mr. Canucklehead]

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[VanillaCoke]

AHL should be on TSN.
Or gamecenter

 

[Bad Goalie]

AHL should be on TSN.
Or gamecenter

Good luck on that one. We have a Time Warner Sports channel in our cable package. It shows local sports of interest in central New York. It covers high school, college, and minor league sports. The Comets appear once in a great while when playing on the road, but I don't recall a game played in Utica ever being broadcast on the channel.

Utica posters come to my aid here. First, have we ever had a home game broadcast?

Second, how many times has a road game been broadcast?

I only watched a late season game vs Syracuse in the 2013-14 season. That was the only game I was actually aware of. I could be accused of living under a rock if there have been loads of broadcasts. Anyone seen any others?

 

[UticaHockey]

Good luck on that one. We have a Time Warner Sports channel in our cable package. It shows local sports of interest in central New York. It covers high school, college, and minor league sports. The Comets appear once in a great while when playing on the road, but I don't recall a game played in Utica ever being broadcast on the channel.

Utica posters come to my aid here. First, have we ever had a home game broadcast?

Second, how many times has a road game been broadcast?

I only watched a late season game vs Syracuse in the 2013-14 season. That was the only game I was actually aware of. I could be accused of living under a rock if there have been loads of broadcasts. Anyone seen any others?

The only time when a Comets game has been broadcast on TWS is when they have played in Syracuse. TWS does a number of Crunch games every year and have never done a Comets game other than when it lined up with one of the Crunch games that they were showing.

 

[Bad Goalie]

The only time when a Comets game has been broadcast on TWS is when they have played in Syracuse. TWS does a number of Crunch games every year and have never done a Comets game other than when it lined up with one of the Crunch games that they were showing.

Thank you. I thought that was how it went.

 

[Canadian Canuck]

Utica got a lot worse this yr imo

 

[Bad Goalie]

Utica got a lot worse this yr imo

If you mean the upcoming season, the way the roster stands now I couldn't agree with you more. It's still before the training camps come and go and more could happen so I'm still waiting.

 

[Love]

Hey guys I have a burning question and I couldn't find a better place to ask it... so here goes:

What's the deal with Dane Fox? I realize he was in the ECHL last season, but I have not heard a peep about the guy in the the last year.

Will he be on the Comets this upcoming season? How much longer is he under contract with the Canucks?

 

[Scurr]

Hey guys I have a burning question and I couldn't find a better place to ask it... so here goes:

What's the deal with Dane Fox? I realize he was in the ECHL last season, but I have not heard a peep about the guy in the the last year.

Will he be on the Comets this upcoming season? How much longer is he under contract with the Canucks?

Blomstrand and Fox are the first two players in the ECHL in 10 years at the age of 22 or under to score 30+ goals in a season.

That's the first of three years on his entry level deal. He's got a couple more years to show something in the AHL to earn himself another contract. It'd be nice to see some improvement in his skating and a move up to the AHL this season. I don't necessarily think all is lost… but he still has a long way to go.

 

[Love]

That's the first of three years on his entry level deal. He's got a couple more years to show something in the AHL to earn himself another contract. It'd be nice to see some improvement in his skating and a move up to the AHL this season. I don't necessarily think all is lost… but he still has a long way to go.

That's encouraging, especially the stat about him scoring 30.

He should be a lock to make the Comets then, no?

 

[DL44]

For the people in Utica..from Linden's radio appearance:

Canucks are extremely pleased with seemingly everything about the Utica-Canucks affiliation.
- location of Utica is advantageous for being within a couple hrs of 7 other teams... enables a lot more practice time.
- NHL caliber facilities
- Crowd support and atmosphere loved by the players
- no plans of moving anywhere

 

[Bad Goalie]

That's encouraging, especially the stat about him scoring 30.

He should be a lock to make the Comets then, no?

A lock? No.

Cassels, Jones, Friesen, Hamilton, LaBate, are centers signed as well. Also, Valk was on the same pace or better as Fox and Blomstrand last season until he was hurt and he's a center who will likely be in camp as well. This roster really needs a replacement of the same caliber as O'Reilly and he may yet be added to the roster making it an even steeper climb for Dane. He will have to beat out guys who likely slate ahead of him going in.

His defensive game needs some work and I know the first 4 names I mentioned are already proven to be good defensively. Green's players are held to a high defensive standard. Not that a guy can't be taught. That is the job of minor league coaches, but if you have other guys also under contract who are better, so be it.

His skating will also have to improve as the guys I've listed skate well and we all know that's a known weakness of Dane.

On the flip side, his shot is dynamite and scoring has been a serious weakness of the Comets. It won't be as easy to pot goals in the AHL, especially if he can't skate with his opponents.

Training camp will be a big challenge for Fox.

 

[PM]

I'm pretty sure Fox has played some wing. I believe he played on Gaunce's and McDavid's wing in his last year in juniors with Connor Brown on the other side. I don't think he actually played much centre for them after they acquired Gaunce from Belleville.

 

[Bad Goalie]

For the people in Utica..from Linden's radio appearance:

Canucks are extremely pleased with seemingly everything about the Utica-Canucks affiliation.
- location of Utica is advantageous for being within a couple hrs of 7 other teams... enables a lot more practice time.
- NHL caliber facilities
- Crowd support and atmosphere loved by the players
- no plans of moving anywhere

This has been his take since the new Western division was announced. I am always pleased to hear his positive spiel, but I am also careful to avoid the Kool-Aid and drink only spring water. Nothing is ever absolute.

 

[Bad Goalie]

I'm pretty sure Fox has played some wing. I believe he played on Gaunce's and McDavid's wing in his last year in juniors with Connor Brown on the other side. I don't think he actually played much centre for them after they acquired Gaunce from Belleville.

Labate already played RW for the Comets last season. The left side would be hard to crack with Shink, Gaunce, and Friesen already locks. Blomstrand would be his immediate competition there.

The right side is hurting at the moment with Grenier the only top six guy on that side. Bancks, LaBate, and Zalewski ( a center/wing I failed to mention who has signed an AHL contract with the Comets) are also signed and then there's the forward project MacKenzie. Hope the project takes place in the Zoo for a season.

The wing does offer Fox more opportunities. However, it's also likely that the centers who don't make the grade will be considered for wings as well.

Training camp sets up to be a real battle to make the roster for quite a few guys and any new invitees may be better than what's already on the list making it even more difficult. Should be interesting for sure.

 

[PM]

Friesen is on the wing now too eh? I'm completely blanking right now and can't think of any of the current Comets' centres now that O'Reilly and Acton (I think) are gone. Hamilton is one right? And I guess Cassels is going to get one spot.. I'm forgetting someone. If our centre depth is that shallow I hope they put Gaunce back at centre. Maybe even put Fox on his wing and reunite their success in Erie.

 

[Cancuks]

Does anyone have a link to or an idea what the Comets roster will look like this coming season?

 

[Bad Goalie]

Friesen is on the wing now too eh? I'm completely blanking right now and can't think of any of the current Comets' centres now that O'Reilly and Acton (I think) are gone. Hamilton is one right? And I guess Cassels is going to get one spot.. I'm forgetting someone. If our centre depth is that shallow I hope they put Gaunce back at centre. Maybe even put Fox on his wing and reunite their success in Erie.

I did just go over this a few posts back. but here they are again. All are under contract.

Friesen
Cassels
Jones
Hamilton
LaBate
Zalewski
Fox
Valk (unsigned)

The first 4 will be Comets. There is not a true #1 in that bunch. Cassels may just be, but down the road, not right now. Friesen is really a #3 not the #2 he was playing at season's end. Jones is an AHL veteran journeyman, but not the slick type a #1 would be, probably #2. Hamilton is an ideal #4, great faceoff guy, terrfic forechecker, and great PKer. They all fit very well into the 2,3,4 spots. #1 is still missing. That's definitely not Fox. Without one this team will suffer even more as all these guys move up and all play out of position.

Talk about Gaunce going back to center has occurred, but Green said for now he is penciled in as a wing in the top 6.

A #1 center and another veteran D-man are necessary pieces in order for this team to compete on an equal level. People complained last season about too many vets. Well, this season there are currently too many rookies and still learning young players. Need a little more balance. Some serious veteran leadership/mentorship. Huskins could be the D-man if he doesn't retire, but if he does? They still have to find the center. A veteran sharpshooter could help fill the void on right wing as well. It certainly won't be Bancks or Zalewski. LaBate might fit in, but his chances of being a top scorer transitioning to wing aren't high. Don't even suggest MacKenzie.

Hope that helps you focus on what's there.

 

[Bad Goalie]

Does anyone have a link to or an idea what the Comets roster will look like this coming season?

This may not appeal to you, but go back to the last thread and do a quick scroll and you will find my rundown on all of the players signed and listed in their positions. I am not going to type that all out again.

EDIT: See the next post.

 

[Bad Goalie]

I have gone back and retrieved this post to have it available for folks like depro777 when they ask.

Let's take the list of signed players and make a lineup just putting guys in their position not necessarily creating actual lines.

Shinkaruk/Jones/Grenier
Gaunce/Friesen/LaBate
Jensen/Cassels/Zalewski
Blomstrand/Hamilton/Bancks

La Bate and Z are on the RW only because they played there last season. Grenier is the only one of the 4 listed as RW who shoots right! Z should be replaced by a true right shooting gunner. That moves Z onto the list of forwards out of a position.

Stewart being a left shooter should be up against Blomstrand for that 4th position. If Blomstrand shows that scoring touch he had in the ZOO, Stewart should start learning his new position in the ZOO where the experiment should start anyways.

Blomstrand and Fox are the first two players in the ECHL in 10 years at the age of 22 or under to score 30+ goals in a season. That should at least earn them a decent look. If they can't be responsible in their own end, Green won't put up with them. Scoring as many as you cause against equals nothing.

Forwards not in the first 12:

Zalewski
Fox
Valk
Stewart

2 of the forwards go to the Z00. Could be somebody in the first 12.

Defense:

Biega McEneny
Fedun Hutton
Subban Pedan

Sautner
Blain
Cederholm
Negrin

Two of these four or one of the above goes to the Zoo.

Goalies:

Bachman
Cannata
Witt

There will be more guys at camp than those on this list. Someone else will be picked up by Utica or Vancouver and sent here. Then there will be the free agents looking for a job and there will be unsigned guys invited to try out. Don't forget the possibility that someone may be lost to a summer or training camp trade that may also bring in some newbie(s). There will be some tough competition no matter how you look at it as there should be.

 

[galiano]

I believe Dane Fox is not a centre. He's a left wing.

 

[Bad Goalie]

I believe Dane Fox is not a centre. He's a left wing.

Hate to correct you, but he is a center.

 

[VanillaCoke]

Hate to correct you, but he is a center.

I think he means he's better suited for the wing...

If he ever makes the NHL do you think it'll be at center?

 

[Peen]

He's slow as hell so I doubt it even matters

 

[Bad Goalie]

I think he means he's better suited for the wing...

If he ever makes the NHL do you think it'll be at center?

Having never watched him up close and personal for any length of time, I can't answer that question. My response was only to tell a poster Fox is currently a center. It's very possible for a player to make the switch to wing, but as of now he's listed as a center.

MacKenzie is supposed to be converted from a d-man to wing this season. Gaunce did so last season and was okay. He's being slated as a top six wing this season. How he makes out in that capacity will probably determine if they give him another shot at center. This organization at the moment is not very deep in the middle with top notch talent. Utica doesn't even have a true #1 center on their roster going into this season. A center call up from Utica at the moment wouldn't provide the Canucks with a strong talent.