Bachman in net Garteig is already here to backup. Amerks starting their backup Wilcox in net tonight... Hopefully the comets can get it going tonight. They are the only team in the league without a home win.
The Utica Comets Thread
- Thread starter Bleach Clean
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Megaterio Llamas
el rey del mambo
Red
Registered User
Demko called up. Someone wife having a baby.....
Red
Registered User
Demko got called up - Nilsson's wife is due to have a baby.
Lengthy 5 on 3 pp results in nothing other than Boucher hitting the post twice in the same spot...... They are getting frustrated now and pressing.... 0-0 after 1.
Some puck luck, Rodin off a d mans skate and then Goldobin into a vacated net on a dump in. 2-0 comets
LickTheEnvelope
Time to Retool... again...
Megaterio Llamas
el rey del mambo
Tim Calhoun
#11
- May 31, 2006
- 10,457
- 1,320
Anybody besides me noticing the Subban usage or fading non usage? He went from a fixture for the first 4 games to healthy scratch in 3 of the last 6.
His defensive game has not improved and he has figured directly in a few GA.
His 1st unit PP position has been passed on to Holm who picks up assists but shows little in the way of a scoring touch, but doesn't surrender the glaring short handed chances over a series of games that have regularly occurred with Jordan.
The PP time he has received has been in a pairing with McEneny assuming so Evan can cover for him if he turns it over.
I've voiced an opinion against it several times, but it just may be time to slide this guy up onto the RW and see if he can't add some punch to the offense. Get Cassels out of the lineup and move MacEwen into the middle and keep LaBate on that line on the left side. That's 2 big protective type forwards who can go get the puck with a skilled puck handling play making winger who can score, carry the puck, pass, everything offensive. He represents a big threat to break out of the zone on the rush from the wing. He also won't kill the team on the back end if he turns it over deep.
What have they got to lose? They are hardly getting any scoring out of this team below the top 5 or 6 anyways, Goldobin 12, and Boucher 10 lead the pack with Bancks 6, mostly piggy backing off giving the puck to Boucher and Goldobin as their center. Archibald has 5 of which 3 were in one game and 2 were in another, but his game is considerably improved of late. Chaput has chipped in 5, but needs to become a fixture between 2 wings and stay there. Let the chemistry develop. He's being assigned different wingers in an attempt to find more offense and to also deal with the vet issue as they are rotated in and out. Rodin is coming to life and I believe we will see his numbers rise. That's it.
This amazing offensive machine the Comets were supposed to become according to preseason posters has magically not materialized. The veteran quagmire I envisioned has come to fruition. The new kids are just that, kids without top prospect skill packages and they are literally trying to survive shift to shift without playing themselves out of the lineup. Incidentally, for those of you who need to give your memories a jolt, there are only 3 of them, MacEwen, D'Aoust, and Molino. For the most part, they have held up and D'Aoust managed to pick up 4 pts with 2 goals. The catch in D'Aoust's points is that 3 of them are connected to Boucher and Goldobin on PPs. The exception is Molino and not in a positive way. He is invisible when he's in the lineup and that's been 6 of the 10 games, but scratched in 4 of the last 5. I'd guess for that exact reason and last night was more of the same. Unless you pick up the #13 in passing you would never know he got onto the ice.
Regardless they are all quite a ways from making any kind of serious splash.
The returning players who should be making major contributions at this point in their careers are not doing such.
-LaBate still can't handle the puck. He has difficulty receiving passes with any mustard on them. Gaunce hit him in stride flashing across the blue line with a bullet tape to tape beauty and Joe deflected it over the glass! He has a very dangerous hard wrist shot, but can never get himself in a position to actually take it. His best chances are created mucking in the crease for the garbage type goal, tips on the PP from in front, and rebounds off the edge because he's hard to muscle out of the way. He's not doing that and has only 2 goals to prove it.
-Cassels is just a lost cause and should eventually be replaced in the line up by someone like MacEwen. Woods and Darcy are actually better centers than Cole and it's been proven in my eye test by his efforts in the lineup. When his line is on the ice the effort needed just to get out of their own end is nearly Herculean. He loses the draw and then can never get possession of the puck even when it's passed to him . He either fails to handle it and eventually loses it to a checker, loses it in a board battle, or if he does get control of the puck his passes are weak, off target, or miscued. He is pressing so hard that he is actually losing his feet in attempts to do more. He fell 3 times on his own zone on one shift Wednesday without being hit by an opponent. Last night he had the puck off to the side of the post with no goalie in the net. All he had to do was push it across the goal line. He shot it across the gaping net mouth into the other corner. It's actually very sad to see a kid who came in here with such hope to just slide farther and farther into oblivion. Pretty harsh, huh? Yeah, it is, but sometimes you just have to come to grips with reality and, barring some miracle, this kid is on the way out. I can't even begin to list the things he has to do to come back from where he is. It's a one step at a time process that a pro team just hasn't got the time for nor most coaches the patience.
EDIT - The above has only addressed the forwards. The Comets have been playing with basically 7 D for some time and one is a vet. Holm has played all 10 games as has Sautner. Chatfield and McEneny have played 9. Brisebois 8 and Subban 7. Sifers who has been a veteran victim has played 5 and Wiercioch 2 while he was here ,but was scratched 3 times. So it can be plainly seen the kids are playing and mostly because there is little choice. The ? surrounds the recent 3 of 6 scratches to Subban while Holm, Sautner, McEneny and rookie Chatfield just keep sailing along. Even Brisebois, although protected by Holm,, has more GP. Wiercioch and Sifers as vets have more reason to be missing from the lineup, however as Sifers get more games and shows why he was signed in the first place he becomes more valuable in the lineup.
Oh, did I miss someone. Nope, that's all that has returned in the way of Vancouver prospects. 5 years now and who has managed to march through the AHL and into a firm position in Vancouver? The closest to it is Gaunce and according to half the posters in Vancouver, he should come back here.
Biega was never considered a kid prospect. In fact he was never considered a Vancouver prospect in the first place. He was acquired for their first season to be a steady force on the Comets D. He then kept improving and finally shocked the NHL management when forced to play him, and make no mistake about it only when forced, did he prove his value. he forced them into a contract and finally forced his way onto the roster.
Baertschi was a recovery project from another franchise that Green was able to reclaim.
Virtanen was a train wreck sent down from Vancouver that Green reconstructed.
Markstrom was another franchise's discard that ended up prospering under Green.
There are 2 other kids that have returned and are not exactly making any kind of headway.
- Laplante appears to have impressed Cull and Co. as much as he did Green and C0. He's been a healthy scratch in 7 of 10 games thus far. He did have an assist. I said at the beginning of camp, if the Comets were not overloaded in vets, he would be in Kalamazoo. As it is with the vets who are not eligible to play when scratched because the lineup has it's 6 vets, Laplante becomes like the 13th/14th forward waiting for an injury or call-up to create a space for him.
-Carcone is the other one and I don't quite have a handle on this one. I don't know if Cull has seen what so many Comets fans have or if there is something else going on. A large portion of the fan base sees him as a 13th/14th guy or a Kalamazoo export. He played 5 games, was scratched for a couple with a minor injury, and has yet to return to the lineup. He was pointless in those 5 games.
So after reading this I wonder how many guys who were so high on Cull and his dedication to development approve of his Subban treatment. They crucified Green for not letting him go on his own and become the PP giant that would propel him into the NHL. Don't worry about his defensive woes 5 on 5. Just let him run as long as his offensive output exceeded his defensive lapses. You know, puts up more points than those he gives up.
Green gave the kid free reign to go whenever he could, but held him responsible in his own end. He ran the first PP unit. Green also healthy made him a healthy scratch a couple times in both of the last seasons for horrendous defensive play in his previous game. Out came the torches and rope as the lynch mob called for his head.
Cull has scratched him, as previously mentioned. in 3 of the last 6 games. He has also replaced him on the first PP unit with a new guy who doesn't possess a ounce of jordan's offensive prowess, but is dependable in moving the puck to offensive forwards and doesn't turn it over at the blue line. Thus, he is #3 in scoring with 8 pts off 7 assists. Jordan has always been right around #3 or 4 in scoring so little has been lost points wise. Jordan has been alive and well on the second unit when he he on the game roster and has been running up the ice at 5 on 5, but has mustered a meager 1 point in 7 games. Is Cull ruining this kid? Has he received orders from on high to see if he can get the new guys to play solid on d and prepare them for the future and therefore let Jordan fade away?
If the latter is the case, they better be shopping day and night to find a center who is either too small or physically not as strong as this NHL team would prefer, but does just fine at the AHL level in exchange for a PP QB who is also a puck rushing D-man with weak defensive skills that need work. Thus a project for both sides, but both receive a piece their AHL team really needs. If they can be developed with a change of scenery, all the better.
What about Carcone? Not making him a top 6 wing and milking his offensive skill set? Molino a skating speed nightmare for opposing D-men? How about the kids getting primary attention in all the big parts of the game? PP and PK, defensive zone starts, late game shifts when trying to hold on. Carcone and Molino are being used sparingly. The other 2 kids are shortened in ice time when goals are needed late or the team is trying to hold on.
The PK has roughly been handled by Bancks/Hamilton (NO! Not those awful scrubs)/Chaput/Archibald/Megna/Boucher/Gaunce/LaBate/Cassels (because they need a center to take a draw)/ and late in the kill Goldobin so that he's fresh when the kill ends and can jump start the offense against a tired PP unit. Occasionally a random new guy pops up due to line shifts at the time of the penalty call, # of guys in the box, little time left on the kill with an offensive zone face off, etc.
The PP? 1-3-1. Goldobin (Left wall and Left point when it arises), Chaput/Bancks/ center on the draw and middle of the 3 across, Boucher/Rodin (Right boards), Archibald/Labate (posted in the crease), Holm in the central point position on top.
The second unit is composed of the guys from the first unit pairs who didn't start on the first unit e.g.either Chaput or Bancks now at center, Archi or LaBate on the LW, Boucher or Rodin at RW and two D-men on the points (McEneny, Subban/Chatfield). At the end of a kill he often just sends out the next line change due up to finish it off and continue on 5 on 5. This is not all that unusual for any team so as not to get caught with the wrong personnel when it goes even, eg. 4 forwards and 1 D-maan.
See any kids on these units? See anybody actually being developed here? Nope. It was no different under Green since there were never an abundance of kids here anyways. Those who were and would probably be getting those roles at the next level did get those assignments. Gaunce got duty on both units when he was here. Shink was on the PP both seasons. Jensen killed penalties and got PP time. Grenier lived on the PP unit. Not even your mother would put Grenier on the PK. What other shiny prospects were screwed from playing on these units?
Cull is no different in his deployment than any other coach. Because you see a deployment in a certain game that you think counters what you didn't like from green doesn't mean if you watch every shift every game that you are going to see some kind of amazing different pattern.
Lastly, this veteran thing has to get fixed. It's ruining the ability of the team to form a cohesive unit. No chemistry forms between players when they keep playing with different mates from game to game. No forward has been with the same line mates every game. It's also in the way of bringing in centers to create some serious offensive ability for the talent out on the wings. Trade some of the surplus for needs. If it's 2 for 1 so be it as it reduces the vet #s while fortifying the middle. Chaput, Boucher, Rodin, and Archi stay. Bancks, Hamilton, and Megna can go. Add Subban, LaBate, Cassels, Carcone, and Laplante in any combinations with the vets to get a couple centers in here. if you can get guys not yet vets that's all the better and should be the first aim if possible. They need to reduce the roster in vets, strengthen the middle, and maintain the integrity of the roster. It may mean a D'Aoust or MacEwen becomes a regular somewhere in the lineup, but that's what everyone wants, right? The kids get to develop., but you cut the chaff from the lineup.
Goldobin/?/Boucher
Archibald/Chaput/Rodin
LaBate/?/D'Aoust
?/MacEwen/Carcone
Obviously not all of those guys listed as trade bait would be gone so they fill the 4th line LW. Subban is probably the best trade option, but I 'd like to see him in D'Aoust's slot with Gaunce as their center and Daoust now on the 4th line with the ? as their center.
So we'd see
Goldobin/?/Boucher
Archibald/Chaput/Rodin
Dahlen/Gaunce/Subban - Get Dahlen's ass over here with that out in his contract I keep reading about. Vancouver picks up a waiver 4th line type player that can do what Gaunce does and he plays here for one more season.
LaBate/MacEwen/D'Aoust
Note this situation only calls for the acquisition of one good center and there's only 4 vets left up front. Ideally Megna is the guy that brings in that center and add as many of Carcone, Cassels, LaPlante and a Vancouver late pick especially if the new center is a kid that someone has given up on that the Canucks can reclaim with a solid season in the NHL under that keen developer, Cull. Benning loves these kind of trades.
This is all speculative BS, but I see the desperate lack of talent in the middle here partnered with the overload of vets that in the long run will take this team down. Something has to happen if there is one ounce of brain matter between Cull, Johnson, Conacher, and Benning. I know Conacher has it, but he won't be listened to. Johnson is the key here. either he's an actual GM with some power or he's just a cardboard placard with a label on it.
Rochester and Binghamton made a big deal 2 seasons ago in which several players changed ships. Utica traded Kellan Lain for Will Acton and easily won that deal. Utica traded Blair Jones and Dane Fox for T.J Hensick. Utica got every end of that deal. Baertschi for a second was a good move. Get down to business and get something done boys. Sooner than later.!!!!!!
His defensive game has not improved and he has figured directly in a few GA.
His 1st unit PP position has been passed on to Holm who picks up assists but shows little in the way of a scoring touch, but doesn't surrender the glaring short handed chances over a series of games that have regularly occurred with Jordan.
The PP time he has received has been in a pairing with McEneny assuming so Evan can cover for him if he turns it over.
I've voiced an opinion against it several times, but it just may be time to slide this guy up onto the RW and see if he can't add some punch to the offense. Get Cassels out of the lineup and move MacEwen into the middle and keep LaBate on that line on the left side. That's 2 big protective type forwards who can go get the puck with a skilled puck handling play making winger who can score, carry the puck, pass, everything offensive. He represents a big threat to break out of the zone on the rush from the wing. He also won't kill the team on the back end if he turns it over deep.
What have they got to lose? They are hardly getting any scoring out of this team below the top 5 or 6 anyways, Goldobin 12, and Boucher 10 lead the pack with Bancks 6, mostly piggy backing off giving the puck to Boucher and Goldobin as their center. Archibald has 5 of which 3 were in one game and 2 were in another, but his game is considerably improved of late. Chaput has chipped in 5, but needs to become a fixture between 2 wings and stay there. Let the chemistry develop. He's being assigned different wingers in an attempt to find more offense and to also deal with the vet issue as they are rotated in and out. Rodin is coming to life and I believe we will see his numbers rise. That's it.
This amazing offensive machine the Comets were supposed to become according to preseason posters has magically not materialized. The veteran quagmire I envisioned has come to fruition. The new kids are just that, kids without top prospect skill packages and they are literally trying to survive shift to shift without playing themselves out of the lineup. Incidentally, for those of you who need to give your memories a jolt, there are only 3 of them, MacEwen, D'Aoust, and Molino. For the most part, they have held up and D'Aoust managed to pick up 4 pts with 2 goals. The catch in D'Aoust's points is that 3 of them are connected to Boucher and Goldobin on PPs. The exception is Molino and not in a positive way. He is invisible when he's in the lineup and that's been 6 of the 10 games, but scratched in 4 of the last 5. I'd guess for that exact reason and last night was more of the same. Unless you pick up the #13 in passing you would never know he got onto the ice.
Regardless they are all quite a ways from making any kind of serious splash.
The returning players who should be making major contributions at this point in their careers are not doing such.
-LaBate still can't handle the puck. He has difficulty receiving passes with any mustard on them. Gaunce hit him in stride flashing across the blue line with a bullet tape to tape beauty and Joe deflected it over the glass! He has a very dangerous hard wrist shot, but can never get himself in a position to actually take it. His best chances are created mucking in the crease for the garbage type goal, tips on the PP from in front, and rebounds off the edge because he's hard to muscle out of the way. He's not doing that and has only 2 goals to prove it.
-Cassels is just a lost cause and should eventually be replaced in the line up by someone like MacEwen. Woods and Darcy are actually better centers than Cole and it's been proven in my eye test by his efforts in the lineup. When his line is on the ice the effort needed just to get out of their own end is nearly Herculean. He loses the draw and then can never get possession of the puck even when it's passed to him . He either fails to handle it and eventually loses it to a checker, loses it in a board battle, or if he does get control of the puck his passes are weak, off target, or miscued. He is pressing so hard that he is actually losing his feet in attempts to do more. He fell 3 times on his own zone on one shift Wednesday without being hit by an opponent. Last night he had the puck off to the side of the post with no goalie in the net. All he had to do was push it across the goal line. He shot it across the gaping net mouth into the other corner. It's actually very sad to see a kid who came in here with such hope to just slide farther and farther into oblivion. Pretty harsh, huh? Yeah, it is, but sometimes you just have to come to grips with reality and, barring some miracle, this kid is on the way out. I can't even begin to list the things he has to do to come back from where he is. It's a one step at a time process that a pro team just hasn't got the time for nor most coaches the patience.
EDIT - The above has only addressed the forwards. The Comets have been playing with basically 7 D for some time and one is a vet. Holm has played all 10 games as has Sautner. Chatfield and McEneny have played 9. Brisebois 8 and Subban 7. Sifers who has been a veteran victim has played 5 and Wiercioch 2 while he was here ,but was scratched 3 times. So it can be plainly seen the kids are playing and mostly because there is little choice. The ? surrounds the recent 3 of 6 scratches to Subban while Holm, Sautner, McEneny and rookie Chatfield just keep sailing along. Even Brisebois, although protected by Holm,, has more GP. Wiercioch and Sifers as vets have more reason to be missing from the lineup, however as Sifers get more games and shows why he was signed in the first place he becomes more valuable in the lineup.
Oh, did I miss someone. Nope, that's all that has returned in the way of Vancouver prospects. 5 years now and who has managed to march through the AHL and into a firm position in Vancouver? The closest to it is Gaunce and according to half the posters in Vancouver, he should come back here.
Biega was never considered a kid prospect. In fact he was never considered a Vancouver prospect in the first place. He was acquired for their first season to be a steady force on the Comets D. He then kept improving and finally shocked the NHL management when forced to play him, and make no mistake about it only when forced, did he prove his value. he forced them into a contract and finally forced his way onto the roster.
Baertschi was a recovery project from another franchise that Green was able to reclaim.
Virtanen was a train wreck sent down from Vancouver that Green reconstructed.
Markstrom was another franchise's discard that ended up prospering under Green.
There are 2 other kids that have returned and are not exactly making any kind of headway.
- Laplante appears to have impressed Cull and Co. as much as he did Green and C0. He's been a healthy scratch in 7 of 10 games thus far. He did have an assist. I said at the beginning of camp, if the Comets were not overloaded in vets, he would be in Kalamazoo. As it is with the vets who are not eligible to play when scratched because the lineup has it's 6 vets, Laplante becomes like the 13th/14th forward waiting for an injury or call-up to create a space for him.
-Carcone is the other one and I don't quite have a handle on this one. I don't know if Cull has seen what so many Comets fans have or if there is something else going on. A large portion of the fan base sees him as a 13th/14th guy or a Kalamazoo export. He played 5 games, was scratched for a couple with a minor injury, and has yet to return to the lineup. He was pointless in those 5 games.
So after reading this I wonder how many guys who were so high on Cull and his dedication to development approve of his Subban treatment. They crucified Green for not letting him go on his own and become the PP giant that would propel him into the NHL. Don't worry about his defensive woes 5 on 5. Just let him run as long as his offensive output exceeded his defensive lapses. You know, puts up more points than those he gives up.
Green gave the kid free reign to go whenever he could, but held him responsible in his own end. He ran the first PP unit. Green also healthy made him a healthy scratch a couple times in both of the last seasons for horrendous defensive play in his previous game. Out came the torches and rope as the lynch mob called for his head.
Cull has scratched him, as previously mentioned. in 3 of the last 6 games. He has also replaced him on the first PP unit with a new guy who doesn't possess a ounce of jordan's offensive prowess, but is dependable in moving the puck to offensive forwards and doesn't turn it over at the blue line. Thus, he is #3 in scoring with 8 pts off 7 assists. Jordan has always been right around #3 or 4 in scoring so little has been lost points wise. Jordan has been alive and well on the second unit when he he on the game roster and has been running up the ice at 5 on 5, but has mustered a meager 1 point in 7 games. Is Cull ruining this kid? Has he received orders from on high to see if he can get the new guys to play solid on d and prepare them for the future and therefore let Jordan fade away?
If the latter is the case, they better be shopping day and night to find a center who is either too small or physically not as strong as this NHL team would prefer, but does just fine at the AHL level in exchange for a PP QB who is also a puck rushing D-man with weak defensive skills that need work. Thus a project for both sides, but both receive a piece their AHL team really needs. If they can be developed with a change of scenery, all the better.
What about Carcone? Not making him a top 6 wing and milking his offensive skill set? Molino a skating speed nightmare for opposing D-men? How about the kids getting primary attention in all the big parts of the game? PP and PK, defensive zone starts, late game shifts when trying to hold on. Carcone and Molino are being used sparingly. The other 2 kids are shortened in ice time when goals are needed late or the team is trying to hold on.
The PK has roughly been handled by Bancks/Hamilton (NO! Not those awful scrubs)/Chaput/Archibald/Megna/Boucher/Gaunce/LaBate/Cassels (because they need a center to take a draw)/ and late in the kill Goldobin so that he's fresh when the kill ends and can jump start the offense against a tired PP unit. Occasionally a random new guy pops up due to line shifts at the time of the penalty call, # of guys in the box, little time left on the kill with an offensive zone face off, etc.
The PP? 1-3-1. Goldobin (Left wall and Left point when it arises), Chaput/Bancks/ center on the draw and middle of the 3 across, Boucher/Rodin (Right boards), Archibald/Labate (posted in the crease), Holm in the central point position on top.
The second unit is composed of the guys from the first unit pairs who didn't start on the first unit e.g.either Chaput or Bancks now at center, Archi or LaBate on the LW, Boucher or Rodin at RW and two D-men on the points (McEneny, Subban/Chatfield). At the end of a kill he often just sends out the next line change due up to finish it off and continue on 5 on 5. This is not all that unusual for any team so as not to get caught with the wrong personnel when it goes even, eg. 4 forwards and 1 D-maan.
See any kids on these units? See anybody actually being developed here? Nope. It was no different under Green since there were never an abundance of kids here anyways. Those who were and would probably be getting those roles at the next level did get those assignments. Gaunce got duty on both units when he was here. Shink was on the PP both seasons. Jensen killed penalties and got PP time. Grenier lived on the PP unit. Not even your mother would put Grenier on the PK. What other shiny prospects were screwed from playing on these units?
Cull is no different in his deployment than any other coach. Because you see a deployment in a certain game that you think counters what you didn't like from green doesn't mean if you watch every shift every game that you are going to see some kind of amazing different pattern.
Lastly, this veteran thing has to get fixed. It's ruining the ability of the team to form a cohesive unit. No chemistry forms between players when they keep playing with different mates from game to game. No forward has been with the same line mates every game. It's also in the way of bringing in centers to create some serious offensive ability for the talent out on the wings. Trade some of the surplus for needs. If it's 2 for 1 so be it as it reduces the vet #s while fortifying the middle. Chaput, Boucher, Rodin, and Archi stay. Bancks, Hamilton, and Megna can go. Add Subban, LaBate, Cassels, Carcone, and Laplante in any combinations with the vets to get a couple centers in here. if you can get guys not yet vets that's all the better and should be the first aim if possible. They need to reduce the roster in vets, strengthen the middle, and maintain the integrity of the roster. It may mean a D'Aoust or MacEwen becomes a regular somewhere in the lineup, but that's what everyone wants, right? The kids get to develop., but you cut the chaff from the lineup.
Goldobin/?/Boucher
Archibald/Chaput/Rodin
LaBate/?/D'Aoust
?/MacEwen/Carcone
Obviously not all of those guys listed as trade bait would be gone so they fill the 4th line LW. Subban is probably the best trade option, but I 'd like to see him in D'Aoust's slot with Gaunce as their center and Daoust now on the 4th line with the ? as their center.
So we'd see
Goldobin/?/Boucher
Archibald/Chaput/Rodin
Dahlen/Gaunce/Subban - Get Dahlen's ass over here with that out in his contract I keep reading about. Vancouver picks up a waiver 4th line type player that can do what Gaunce does and he plays here for one more season.
LaBate/MacEwen/D'Aoust
Note this situation only calls for the acquisition of one good center and there's only 4 vets left up front. Ideally Megna is the guy that brings in that center and add as many of Carcone, Cassels, LaPlante and a Vancouver late pick especially if the new center is a kid that someone has given up on that the Canucks can reclaim with a solid season in the NHL under that keen developer, Cull. Benning loves these kind of trades.
This is all speculative BS, but I see the desperate lack of talent in the middle here partnered with the overload of vets that in the long run will take this team down. Something has to happen if there is one ounce of brain matter between Cull, Johnson, Conacher, and Benning. I know Conacher has it, but he won't be listened to. Johnson is the key here. either he's an actual GM with some power or he's just a cardboard placard with a label on it.
Rochester and Binghamton made a big deal 2 seasons ago in which several players changed ships. Utica traded Kellan Lain for Will Acton and easily won that deal. Utica traded Blair Jones and Dane Fox for T.J Hensick. Utica got every end of that deal. Baertschi for a second was a good move. Get down to business and get something done boys. Sooner than later.!!!!!!
The feeling and some light rumors are that Subban is probably gonna get traded.
Carcone has been listed as sick for the entire homestand thus far.
Molino is such a non factor in last night's game that I didn't even realize he was playing untill the 3rd period.
Cassels I'm afraid has actually gotten worse..... Basically useless........
Play the youngsters and hope they flourish.
D'Aoust and Macewen both look pretty serviceable.......
Cull does seem to use more players on special teams, getting everyone involved for the most part. Sautner had OT shifts, never would've seen that under Green.
Carcone has been listed as sick for the entire homestand thus far.
Molino is such a non factor in last night's game that I didn't even realize he was playing untill the 3rd period.
Cassels I'm afraid has actually gotten worse..... Basically useless........
Play the youngsters and hope they flourish.
D'Aoust and Macewen both look pretty serviceable.......
Cull does seem to use more players on special teams, getting everyone involved for the most part. Sautner had OT shifts, never would've seen that under Green.
UticaHockey
Registered User
I agree with all of this. Carcone is supposed to be sìck and what ever he has must be pretty bad because he wasn't even there for the home opener to be announced along with his fellow scratched teammates.
Cassels is a lost cause at this point and if the Comets weren't short on both centers and non veteran forwards he really should be sent down to the Zoo.
I don't see Subban being part of the Canucks system much longer. He just keeps falling lower and lower on the depth chart and Cull scratches him even more than Green did. When Jordan is putting up points you can live with his defensive struggles but when he only has one point in seven games while not improving defensively something has to give. I have a feeling a trade is coming.
11/4/17
Rochester Americans vs Utica Comets
Utica 3 Rochester 2 (SO)
Utica now 5-4-0-1, 2 points out of the basement and 5 points out of first in an early season jammed up division. Winning and losing streaks will, separate the horses in this race as the season progresses.
Forwards:
Boucher/Bancks/Rodin
LaBate/Cassels/MacEwen
Molino/Chaput/D'Aoust
Goldobin/Gaunce/Archibald
D-Pairs:
Holm/Brisebois
Sautner/Chatfield
McEneny/Sifers
Goal - Bachman
These lines lasted a couple shifts and then the dickering began. 18 penalties and their ensuing kills and PP units caused the lines to become all kinds of combos. By the 3rd period the bench shrank eventually to just 3 lines with D'Aoust, Casssels, and Molino losing lots of ice. MacEwen hung in their for his big body in a very physical contest.
SOG
Amerks 10 8 5 1 = 24
Comets 8 20 7 2 = 37
PP:
Amerks 1/7
Comets 1/9
Rodin (1) from MacEwen (1) and LaBate (2)
Goldobin (5) from Chaput (3) and Holm (7)
Goldobin scored the only goal in the Shootout and Bachman stopped all 3 Rochester attempts.
Bachman - 22/24
2 GP 1-2-0-0 11 GA GAA/3.58 SV%/.857
3 Stars:
1. Nikolay Goldobin (Utica) 1G + GWG in the Shootout
2. Richard Bachman (Utica) 22/24 + stopped all 3 shots in the Shootout
3. Adam Wilcox (Rochester) 35/37
The 95th consecutive sellout at the Aud. Seating capacity now listed as 3,917.
Hotly contested game between division rivals. Will meet 8 times. Current record Utica 3-0-0-1.
Sautner and Chatfield working well as a pairing. Chatfield is the faster and stronger of the 2. makes few mistakes in his own end. Makes a quick exit pass whenever it's there. Sautner still struggles under pressure. Neither is a real offensive threat, but Chatfield gets shots on net and is penciled in on the second unit PP in the absence of Subban. Both can use work on picking up guys in front and clearing the crease. Saunter loses track of guys that work in behind him on the back door and is often guilty of puck watching vs finding the nearest danger.
Sifers and McEneny - The most effective duo. Both are strong one on one. Both can move the puck either with the pass or skating it when it's there. Both are calm under pressure and don't panic. Sifers is very physical and Evan seems to be acquiring a taste for it as well. Both are also blocking a lot of shots but Sifers is a master at it. Mac is much better along the wall than he was last year and doesn't let his guy spin off back into the play. Like the two above crease management can be a problem for Evan.
Holm and Brisebois - Holm is a very calminng influence for Guy since he doesn't fluster and calmly goes about his business. He is always available for the quick pass from the kid so he can escape incoming physicality. Both will hit but neither attempts to lay out the kill hit, just enough to take the guy out of harm's way. Guy is having problems with guys in front because I think a lot of them are bigger and stronger than he's used to. It's not Holm's forte either. He is more apt to prevent the puck from getting to the guy rather than keeping the guy from the puck. He grows more confident with each game as he is plotting in his proper positioning on the smaller NA rinks. Brisebois appears to be a quick study and has shown an ability to escape pressure by skating out of it, particularly in the mid zone range when pressure approaches. He made several jaunts up ice in just such situations last night. He panicked in his first few starts, but that seems to be less of an issue already. He's been out there enough to just play. There's no reason to be nervous. You are here and you aren't going anywhere so settle down and do what you know how to do and learn what you need to as quickly as possible. Load up the tool box on a daily basis.
Boucher/Bancks/Rodin
Goldobin/Gaunce/Archibald
These guys are the cream of the crop. they moved all over the place in terms of combinations. Each has his own individual skill set and they adjust that set to the guys they are with. It would be better to always work with the same guys, but at the moment, Cull isn't doing that very often.
Goldobin is the offensive mind set and he expects people on the ice with him to find him and feed him the puck. he will get open and wants the puck when he is. He is frustrated when that doesn't happen. A little sense of selfishness methinks. His skill set maybe gives him reason to feel that way. He has his problems carrying the puck into traffic and cannot stick handle through any interference. He is physically not a strong player from what I have seen in 3 games. He's been knocked around and down pretty effectively. He is a good skater, but not outstanding. He has a very quick release of an accurate shot.
Knowing that, he is easily frustrated when his shot doesn't go exactly where he expects it to.
He reads the ice and the play as it develops and knows exactly where to go and where his mates should go as a result. When they don't plays die on sticks, in the goalie's glove off the low % shot that ends up available, lost to the opponent, taken to the corner or boards in an effort to start something up again, or worst case scenario turned over.
He really needs to be paired up with 2 guys who read the ice as he does and can move the puck with quickness and accuracy and always look to find and feed the open man which he is most of the time. He's having difficulty giving up the puck to guys who don't give it back. thus creating that selfish appearance I mentioned by trying to do too much by himself.
He was especially distraught at Holm who took his pass at the point from the short wall and sent an easy glove save wrist shot from long range instead of the better play in giving it back to Goldy as the high man on the PK went out to challenge the point shot leaving him wide open to drive down to the net giving him a much better shot than Holm's weak wrister or an open man down low if the bottom man came to challenge him. He just kept shaking his head after the easy save ended the play. He went to Holm shaking his headand had a chat and then to the bench still shaking his head.
Another time he had a discussion with Archi and hand pointing and gesturing after delivering a short cross ice pass when the two were entering the Rochester zone at the blue line. As the defender approached Archi he dipped his shoulder and barged to the outside toward the circle and ended up taking it behind the net and ended up in an involved puck battle. Goldy wanted the quick return which would have freed him up for a short run down the middle and a high % shot or even another pass back to Archi if he had continued towards the net. Interference prevents an opponent from stopping Archi from pursuing that route. Archi nodded and took it all in. This kind of thing leads to great on ice communication between players if they are aligned together as a fixed trio. Also between the forward and his point man on the PP.
They duo handled the same situation the next time much differently. To perfectly illustrate that in the third period when the two had the similar approach at the blue line. It was Archi who dished the short lateral pass and broke for the return which was just off the toe of his stick as Goldy had misjudged Archi's speed. Archi would have been loose for a great chance.
If they stayed together, the two would start to create some great opportunities for each other just off that simple play as they learned the partner's speed and skill set at making and taking passes. More would follow to address the multiple situations that arise in any hockey game.
Cull knows this, but he keeps moving guys all over the place to address every new situation and trying to keep the vets involved and happy with ice time. Moving from center to center and wing to wing leads to a lot of missed opportunities since the game is instinctive, partner acquainted, and learned, not robotic. It's nearly impossible to form those deep connections players develop with each other through continuous interaction from game to game and practice to practice if you are trying to learn all that stuff about every other player on the team. Play becomes much more predictable and much easier to defend.
Boucher shows great desire to display his shooting prowess to the detriment of the 5 guys out there with him. He has a simple robotic philosophy, "I get the puck and I'm shooting it. That isn't very effective. Moving the puck from player to player in order to set up the best shot is more successful in the long run. He'll score more goals by giving it up to get it back with the defense and goalie having to move to set up on him. He's got as good shot and using it from higher % spots with less defensive interference obviuosly increases his chances of scoring.
Chaput is the cool calm play maker, but he is being asked to set up all kinds of people and he doesn't have a feel for them all. He will be successful. I have no doubt. He sees the ice well and looks to pass. He has good puck control, passes accurately, and can take a return pass. I mention these obvious hockey skills because he is the only guy playing center for the Comets today that can do all of those things. He also can and will shoot which makes him more dangerous than an O'Reilly type who always wants to pass almost no matter what.
Rodin is just coming out of his knee funk. This guy ahsn't played any real hockey for around 2 years. He is going to take a little time getting it all back. He is testing the knee every shift and becoming more convinced that he can still do certain things the way he used to, but it's slower at the moment and too thought controlled. His instinctive, natural play will evolve from game to game. I've seen a giant step just from Friday to Saturday. He was skating with more confidence on Friday. He took more chances. He moved with the puck instead of looking to pass as quickly as he could. He ventured into the physical part of the game and made a check or two and took a hit to make things happen for his lie. The scoring play in which he ripped a shot on an almost parallel line to the center top of the crease Happened because he looked up and saw what was taking place and instinctively just ripped the pass. Yes, it was a bullet of a pass. He wasn't shooting form that angle to score. He was trying to hit a big streaking MacEwen at the net front and the pass was perfectly on the $. The goalie had little chance if Mac could just direct it on the net. He didn't because the defender did with his skate instead just ahead of Zach's stick. The result was the same - GOAL! The keeper had no chance and Anton got credit for a goal he had no intention of scoring but had intended to make happen with his pass. A pass he never thought about. he just knew it ans fired it on the tape. That is the kind of stuff Anton will do more and more and more of until we see a guy playing like the one named the MVP of the Swedish Hockey League. Unfortunately if they comes too quickly we will lose him to the 'Nucks. However, if we do, we have to get somebody back unless they are devastated by losses to injury, in which case the Comets would be screwed anyways.
Archi is Archi and I'll leave that at that for now.
Gaunce is gone but his hard nosed play from shift to shift would be invaluable to this team in the middle.
Bancks, God Bless him is good enough to get a regular gig on this team at wing, but he is not 1st or 2nd line center material where he is being asked to serve. You are asking too much of his skill set. It's a disservice to both him and the wings he's being asked to serve.
Cassels is a lost cause.
LaBate is playing himself into an AHL 4th line banger. His lack of puck skills is killing him. Most plays die on his stick or get thrown haphazardly toward a team with hopes it will connect. In spite of all his physicality and hard fore check, he rarely comes away with the puck. In his own end, his defensive work is admirable, but his difficulty controlling the puck and making a good crisp pass can negate his efforts. The clock is running out on Joe. RFA this summer.
Carcone has missed 5 games with a majority of the missed games as a healthy scratch. MacEwen was injured to start the first 5 games. Since he was activated he has played in all 5 games. D'Aoust has played every one of the Comets 10 games.If Carcone is going to become something other than a long shot to play in the AHL he is another wasted ELC if Valk was let go so He and Lpalnte could have contracts. Valk proves himself to be extremely valuable in a position the Comets are hurting for, center. Florida gave him a 1-yre ELC. Benning could have done that as well. You may argue why do that for a guy who has little to no chance of making the NHL? First, every AHL team has guys under contract to the big club who will never get there, but they serve important roles in aiding those who will. Valk certainly displayed that as the Comets #2 point getter last season and he's proving it again in AHL Springfield with 10 pts in 13 GP at the moment.
MacEwen and D'Aoust are showing more skills and promise in their short work this season than Carcone did in his first 5o games last year. He also has O points in the 5 games he has played.
The two new kids are getting their feet wet. Alexis shows a nose for the net and is not afraid to shoot and hits the net. MacEwen is a big guy who is used to barging around the rink and having his size allow him to get away with it. he has been involved in a couple of bone jarring collisions that have left him fuzzy. It will take a bit for him to pick his spots, learn to avoid useless contact, and make the simple plays right now. he's not going to lug the puck through these defenses. He will be a very strong asset in the corners and around the net. If he can get the puck to his teammates and work to space to get it back, he becomes a scoring threat as well.
Molino is actually joining Laplante in playing his way to Kalamazoo. If all the vets on this team were eligible, their position on the depth chart goes to 16th and 17th forward instead of 13/1nd 14. That would put them in the ZOO. Carcone right now is a nod above them only based on his season finish last year and last final 20 games of success is sinking into the past quickly. "What have you done for me lately?", will become the next question.
Next up for the Comets is Wednesday night at the Aud against Charlotte.
Rochester Americans vs Utica Comets
Utica 3 Rochester 2 (SO)
Utica now 5-4-0-1, 2 points out of the basement and 5 points out of first in an early season jammed up division. Winning and losing streaks will, separate the horses in this race as the season progresses.
Forwards:
Boucher/Bancks/Rodin
LaBate/Cassels/MacEwen
Molino/Chaput/D'Aoust
Goldobin/Gaunce/Archibald
D-Pairs:
Holm/Brisebois
Sautner/Chatfield
McEneny/Sifers
Goal - Bachman
These lines lasted a couple shifts and then the dickering began. 18 penalties and their ensuing kills and PP units caused the lines to become all kinds of combos. By the 3rd period the bench shrank eventually to just 3 lines with D'Aoust, Casssels, and Molino losing lots of ice. MacEwen hung in their for his big body in a very physical contest.
SOG
Amerks 10 8 5 1 = 24
Comets 8 20 7 2 = 37
PP:
Amerks 1/7
Comets 1/9
Rodin (1) from MacEwen (1) and LaBate (2)
Goldobin (5) from Chaput (3) and Holm (7)
Goldobin scored the only goal in the Shootout and Bachman stopped all 3 Rochester attempts.
Bachman - 22/24
2 GP 1-2-0-0 11 GA GAA/3.58 SV%/.857
3 Stars:
1. Nikolay Goldobin (Utica) 1G + GWG in the Shootout
2. Richard Bachman (Utica) 22/24 + stopped all 3 shots in the Shootout
3. Adam Wilcox (Rochester) 35/37
The 95th consecutive sellout at the Aud. Seating capacity now listed as 3,917.
Hotly contested game between division rivals. Will meet 8 times. Current record Utica 3-0-0-1.
Sautner and Chatfield working well as a pairing. Chatfield is the faster and stronger of the 2. makes few mistakes in his own end. Makes a quick exit pass whenever it's there. Sautner still struggles under pressure. Neither is a real offensive threat, but Chatfield gets shots on net and is penciled in on the second unit PP in the absence of Subban. Both can use work on picking up guys in front and clearing the crease. Saunter loses track of guys that work in behind him on the back door and is often guilty of puck watching vs finding the nearest danger.
Sifers and McEneny - The most effective duo. Both are strong one on one. Both can move the puck either with the pass or skating it when it's there. Both are calm under pressure and don't panic. Sifers is very physical and Evan seems to be acquiring a taste for it as well. Both are also blocking a lot of shots but Sifers is a master at it. Mac is much better along the wall than he was last year and doesn't let his guy spin off back into the play. Like the two above crease management can be a problem for Evan.
Holm and Brisebois - Holm is a very calminng influence for Guy since he doesn't fluster and calmly goes about his business. He is always available for the quick pass from the kid so he can escape incoming physicality. Both will hit but neither attempts to lay out the kill hit, just enough to take the guy out of harm's way. Guy is having problems with guys in front because I think a lot of them are bigger and stronger than he's used to. It's not Holm's forte either. He is more apt to prevent the puck from getting to the guy rather than keeping the guy from the puck. He grows more confident with each game as he is plotting in his proper positioning on the smaller NA rinks. Brisebois appears to be a quick study and has shown an ability to escape pressure by skating out of it, particularly in the mid zone range when pressure approaches. He made several jaunts up ice in just such situations last night. He panicked in his first few starts, but that seems to be less of an issue already. He's been out there enough to just play. There's no reason to be nervous. You are here and you aren't going anywhere so settle down and do what you know how to do and learn what you need to as quickly as possible. Load up the tool box on a daily basis.
Boucher/Bancks/Rodin
Goldobin/Gaunce/Archibald
These guys are the cream of the crop. they moved all over the place in terms of combinations. Each has his own individual skill set and they adjust that set to the guys they are with. It would be better to always work with the same guys, but at the moment, Cull isn't doing that very often.
Goldobin is the offensive mind set and he expects people on the ice with him to find him and feed him the puck. he will get open and wants the puck when he is. He is frustrated when that doesn't happen. A little sense of selfishness methinks. His skill set maybe gives him reason to feel that way. He has his problems carrying the puck into traffic and cannot stick handle through any interference. He is physically not a strong player from what I have seen in 3 games. He's been knocked around and down pretty effectively. He is a good skater, but not outstanding. He has a very quick release of an accurate shot.
Knowing that, he is easily frustrated when his shot doesn't go exactly where he expects it to.
He reads the ice and the play as it develops and knows exactly where to go and where his mates should go as a result. When they don't plays die on sticks, in the goalie's glove off the low % shot that ends up available, lost to the opponent, taken to the corner or boards in an effort to start something up again, or worst case scenario turned over.
He really needs to be paired up with 2 guys who read the ice as he does and can move the puck with quickness and accuracy and always look to find and feed the open man which he is most of the time. He's having difficulty giving up the puck to guys who don't give it back. thus creating that selfish appearance I mentioned by trying to do too much by himself.
He was especially distraught at Holm who took his pass at the point from the short wall and sent an easy glove save wrist shot from long range instead of the better play in giving it back to Goldy as the high man on the PK went out to challenge the point shot leaving him wide open to drive down to the net giving him a much better shot than Holm's weak wrister or an open man down low if the bottom man came to challenge him. He just kept shaking his head after the easy save ended the play. He went to Holm shaking his headand had a chat and then to the bench still shaking his head.
Another time he had a discussion with Archi and hand pointing and gesturing after delivering a short cross ice pass when the two were entering the Rochester zone at the blue line. As the defender approached Archi he dipped his shoulder and barged to the outside toward the circle and ended up taking it behind the net and ended up in an involved puck battle. Goldy wanted the quick return which would have freed him up for a short run down the middle and a high % shot or even another pass back to Archi if he had continued towards the net. Interference prevents an opponent from stopping Archi from pursuing that route. Archi nodded and took it all in. This kind of thing leads to great on ice communication between players if they are aligned together as a fixed trio. Also between the forward and his point man on the PP.
They duo handled the same situation the next time much differently. To perfectly illustrate that in the third period when the two had the similar approach at the blue line. It was Archi who dished the short lateral pass and broke for the return which was just off the toe of his stick as Goldy had misjudged Archi's speed. Archi would have been loose for a great chance.
If they stayed together, the two would start to create some great opportunities for each other just off that simple play as they learned the partner's speed and skill set at making and taking passes. More would follow to address the multiple situations that arise in any hockey game.
Cull knows this, but he keeps moving guys all over the place to address every new situation and trying to keep the vets involved and happy with ice time. Moving from center to center and wing to wing leads to a lot of missed opportunities since the game is instinctive, partner acquainted, and learned, not robotic. It's nearly impossible to form those deep connections players develop with each other through continuous interaction from game to game and practice to practice if you are trying to learn all that stuff about every other player on the team. Play becomes much more predictable and much easier to defend.
Boucher shows great desire to display his shooting prowess to the detriment of the 5 guys out there with him. He has a simple robotic philosophy, "I get the puck and I'm shooting it. That isn't very effective. Moving the puck from player to player in order to set up the best shot is more successful in the long run. He'll score more goals by giving it up to get it back with the defense and goalie having to move to set up on him. He's got as good shot and using it from higher % spots with less defensive interference obviuosly increases his chances of scoring.
Chaput is the cool calm play maker, but he is being asked to set up all kinds of people and he doesn't have a feel for them all. He will be successful. I have no doubt. He sees the ice well and looks to pass. He has good puck control, passes accurately, and can take a return pass. I mention these obvious hockey skills because he is the only guy playing center for the Comets today that can do all of those things. He also can and will shoot which makes him more dangerous than an O'Reilly type who always wants to pass almost no matter what.
Rodin is just coming out of his knee funk. This guy ahsn't played any real hockey for around 2 years. He is going to take a little time getting it all back. He is testing the knee every shift and becoming more convinced that he can still do certain things the way he used to, but it's slower at the moment and too thought controlled. His instinctive, natural play will evolve from game to game. I've seen a giant step just from Friday to Saturday. He was skating with more confidence on Friday. He took more chances. He moved with the puck instead of looking to pass as quickly as he could. He ventured into the physical part of the game and made a check or two and took a hit to make things happen for his lie. The scoring play in which he ripped a shot on an almost parallel line to the center top of the crease Happened because he looked up and saw what was taking place and instinctively just ripped the pass. Yes, it was a bullet of a pass. He wasn't shooting form that angle to score. He was trying to hit a big streaking MacEwen at the net front and the pass was perfectly on the $. The goalie had little chance if Mac could just direct it on the net. He didn't because the defender did with his skate instead just ahead of Zach's stick. The result was the same - GOAL! The keeper had no chance and Anton got credit for a goal he had no intention of scoring but had intended to make happen with his pass. A pass he never thought about. he just knew it ans fired it on the tape. That is the kind of stuff Anton will do more and more and more of until we see a guy playing like the one named the MVP of the Swedish Hockey League. Unfortunately if they comes too quickly we will lose him to the 'Nucks. However, if we do, we have to get somebody back unless they are devastated by losses to injury, in which case the Comets would be screwed anyways.
Archi is Archi and I'll leave that at that for now.
Gaunce is gone but his hard nosed play from shift to shift would be invaluable to this team in the middle.
Bancks, God Bless him is good enough to get a regular gig on this team at wing, but he is not 1st or 2nd line center material where he is being asked to serve. You are asking too much of his skill set. It's a disservice to both him and the wings he's being asked to serve.
Cassels is a lost cause.
LaBate is playing himself into an AHL 4th line banger. His lack of puck skills is killing him. Most plays die on his stick or get thrown haphazardly toward a team with hopes it will connect. In spite of all his physicality and hard fore check, he rarely comes away with the puck. In his own end, his defensive work is admirable, but his difficulty controlling the puck and making a good crisp pass can negate his efforts. The clock is running out on Joe. RFA this summer.
Carcone has missed 5 games with a majority of the missed games as a healthy scratch. MacEwen was injured to start the first 5 games. Since he was activated he has played in all 5 games. D'Aoust has played every one of the Comets 10 games.If Carcone is going to become something other than a long shot to play in the AHL he is another wasted ELC if Valk was let go so He and Lpalnte could have contracts. Valk proves himself to be extremely valuable in a position the Comets are hurting for, center. Florida gave him a 1-yre ELC. Benning could have done that as well. You may argue why do that for a guy who has little to no chance of making the NHL? First, every AHL team has guys under contract to the big club who will never get there, but they serve important roles in aiding those who will. Valk certainly displayed that as the Comets #2 point getter last season and he's proving it again in AHL Springfield with 10 pts in 13 GP at the moment.
MacEwen and D'Aoust are showing more skills and promise in their short work this season than Carcone did in his first 5o games last year. He also has O points in the 5 games he has played.
The two new kids are getting their feet wet. Alexis shows a nose for the net and is not afraid to shoot and hits the net. MacEwen is a big guy who is used to barging around the rink and having his size allow him to get away with it. he has been involved in a couple of bone jarring collisions that have left him fuzzy. It will take a bit for him to pick his spots, learn to avoid useless contact, and make the simple plays right now. he's not going to lug the puck through these defenses. He will be a very strong asset in the corners and around the net. If he can get the puck to his teammates and work to space to get it back, he becomes a scoring threat as well.
Molino is actually joining Laplante in playing his way to Kalamazoo. If all the vets on this team were eligible, their position on the depth chart goes to 16th and 17th forward instead of 13/1nd 14. That would put them in the ZOO. Carcone right now is a nod above them only based on his season finish last year and last final 20 games of success is sinking into the past quickly. "What have you done for me lately?", will become the next question.
Next up for the Comets is Wednesday night at the Aud against Charlotte.
Megna is returned to make up for the loss of Gaunce. As of this point in the season Gaunce has been by far more noticeable and much more valuable in his 5 GP (2G/1A) than Megna was in his 4 GP (0G/1A).
Megna has been sitting and that won't bode well fora set of game legs come Wednesday night. The Comets might only practice hard once with him before then. He also adds to the Vet quagmire that his absence helped ease. Gaunce was not a vet.
Megna has been sitting and that won't bode well fora set of game legs come Wednesday night. The Comets might only practice hard once with him before then. He also adds to the Vet quagmire that his absence helped ease. Gaunce was not a vet.
1. Yes, it has been difficult not to notice from the game reports that Subban has been sitting. I was just trying to remember whether it was 3 in 5 or 3 in 6 before seeing your post.
2. Try Subban as a forward-agree completely. I'd been against it until his first sitout following some game reports that made it seem he was still having defensive troubles (though the Comets were playing away games at the time.) He probably won't be able to be effective at forward, either, but if the organization has given up on him as a defenceman there's nothing to lose trying it out.
3. "ounce of brain matter between Cull, Johnson, Conacher and Benning ..."
I think it has to be Johnson or Benning, guessing that Cull and Conacher have to realize the problem and probably realized it quite some time ago, but would need approval from up the line to change things. Johnson as you've said before either doesn't have any real power as GM or is so dense he doesn't see. If the latter, perhaps he sees it now. Benning might actually be fine with the status quot. From his point of view the Canucks now have depth, both on the roster and
players for callups. With Chaput in Utica, maybe he's satisfied that the best wingers have a center to pass the puck.
Sigh.
Thanks for this and your game report, the kind of posts that help make this the place for Canucks fans to come for info on the Comets.
Hearing Cull on the pre-game show that the Comets haven't jelled jet and will be a far stronger team as the season unfolds.....have to agree with him....too much talent on this team for them not to go on an extended run at some point....and if they falter, they've got Demko to bail them out--particularly on the road.
Subban has been passed by on the prospect depth chart by the likes of Chatfield, Brisebois and even McEneny....doubt he gets qualified in the off-season unless traded first.....will be intriguing to monitor the development of both Chatfield and MacEwan....were very good at the prospects tournament and have a lot more give as the season wears on...and depending on how their junior teams fare, both Lind and Gadjovich could be available before the end of the season....and still a possibility Dahlen could arrive by January.
Still very bullish on the '17-'18 edition of the Comets.....if the Canucks avoid the rash of injuries that afflicted them last season, things will be solid in Utica.
Subban has been passed by on the prospect depth chart by the likes of Chatfield, Brisebois and even McEneny....doubt he gets qualified in the off-season unless traded first.....will be intriguing to monitor the development of both Chatfield and MacEwan....were very good at the prospects tournament and have a lot more give as the season wears on...and depending on how their junior teams fare, both Lind and Gadjovich could be available before the end of the season....and still a possibility Dahlen could arrive by January.
Still very bullish on the '17-'18 edition of the Comets.....if the Canucks avoid the rash of injuries that afflicted them last season, things will be solid in Utica.
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