Utica Comets AHL Discussion - Part XIV
- Thread starter PG Canuck
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McEneny (although he played a game or two at the end of last season). Maybe Valk?
Valk? He isn't even signed with us. I assume you think he'll stand out enough at camp to already earn a contract?
vanuck
Now with 100% less Benning!
- Dec 28, 2009
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Yeah MacEneny and maybe Blain who got good reviews from our Utica folks and Tiranis even the year before. Valk would be an interesting option to watch at C.
Other than that, Zalewski likely starts in Utica as well. Hoping Blomstrand establishes a spot on the 3rd line next year at the very least.
Other than that, Zalewski likely starts in Utica as well. Hoping Blomstrand establishes a spot on the 3rd line next year at the very least.
Yeah, of course I also thought that about Sylvester last year and struck out
Forgot about Zalewski!
Lindgren
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- Jun 30, 2005
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Yeah, of course I also thought that about Sylvester last year and struck out
Forgot about Zalewski!
I had sagely predicted big things from Sacha Guimond.
Southern_Canuck
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- Sep 13, 2004
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Possible Lineup? (unsigned in red)
F
Hunter Shinkaruk - Cal O'Reilly - Nicklas Jensen
Mike Zalewski - Pascal Pelletier - Alexandre Grenier
Darren Archibald - Dane Fox - Benn Ferriero
Ronalds Kenins - Kellan Lain - Alex Friesen
(Brendan Gaunce, Ludwig Blomstrand, Alexandre Mallet - and Jeff Costello?)
D
Peter Andersson - Alex Biega (R)
Henrik Tommernes - Frank Corrado (R)
Evan McEneny - Jeremie Blain (R)
(Yann Sauve?)
G
Joacim Eriksson
Joe Cannata
S_C
F
Hunter Shinkaruk - Cal O'Reilly - Nicklas Jensen
Mike Zalewski - Pascal Pelletier - Alexandre Grenier
Darren Archibald - Dane Fox - Benn Ferriero
Ronalds Kenins - Kellan Lain - Alex Friesen
(Brendan Gaunce, Ludwig Blomstrand, Alexandre Mallet - and Jeff Costello?)
D
Peter Andersson - Alex Biega (R)
Henrik Tommernes - Frank Corrado (R)
Evan McEneny - Jeremie Blain (R)
(Yann Sauve?)
G
Joacim Eriksson
Joe Cannata
S_C
HalfPastDan
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- Feb 7, 2010
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Shinkaruk - O'Reilly - Jensen
Archibald - Pelletier - Grenier
Fox - Gaunce - DeFazio
Stuart - Friesen - Kenins
Lain
Zalewski
Huskins - Corrado
McEneny - Biega
Andersson - Tommernes
Blain
Jokie
Cannata
Archibald - Pelletier - Grenier
Fox - Gaunce - DeFazio
Stuart - Friesen - Kenins
Lain
Zalewski
Huskins - Corrado
McEneny - Biega
Andersson - Tommernes
Blain
Jokie
Cannata
Zalewski is getting sold short here. The guy was in the NHL to finish last season and made a really positive impression. He isn't going to be a 4th liner/spare part in Utica next year, and if he is that would be a really surprising result.
I suspect we'll see room left for one of our younger low-upside grinders (Zalewski, Archibald, Lain) to stick on the NHL roster as the 12th/13th forward.
The Summer will pass, but it will make way for the Fall and a rekindling of last season's resurgence of hockey at the Aud for the next 6 months. I see it as only getting better!
Like you, I think the entire Comets' fan base is anticipating what the draft will bring in the way of possible trades and picks. Reality says those trades will have an effect on the Utica roster. Current guys may be in the trades and new Comets may be created by said same trades. The draft picks are players we will likely see in the years ahead.
The current Utica RFAs and UFAs are important to this franchise and we hope Vancouver will reward those guys for their tremendous efforts last season and add the new infusion of talent to the already established talent base.
Biega (UFA), Andersson (RFA), and Huskins (Comets property) mixed with McEneny, Blain, Tommernes, and most likely Corrado, all under contract to Vancouver, puts a much improved D-corps on the ice. Huskins was the key piece in developing the Comets d last season. It would be a crime to give him up in favor of Sauve. No offense to Yanne, but he is the weakest D-man on this list.
Pelletier (UFA), Ferriero (UFA), O'Reilly (Comets property) were the top three scorers. Combine them with Shinkaruk, Gaunce, Fox, Zalewski all Vancouver signed new talent. Then add the likes of Grenier, Friesen, and Lain, all of whom are also under Vancouver contracts, and the offensive grouping isn't too shabby either. If Jensen is returned and Archibald (RFA) resigned, they too would add measurably to the team. That's 18 skaters + a 7th D-man with the two goalies, Eriksson and Cannata to form a very competitive team to help heat up the often brutal cold of the Mohawk Valley winter.
There are a few other guys floating around in the background who are Vancouver property who played in Utica last season, were in the Zoo, or played elsewhere (NCAA, Jrs., and Europe) and are yet to be assigned to North American pro teams.
The future has many possibilities and we await the final outcome which won't even start until the draft right around the corner, then it's Summer trade possibilities, then Vancouver training camp, after which the Comets hold training camp and the finally a Utica Comets roster to start the season. That roster most likely will change a few times before it's locked in and then injuries and call ups will cause constant minor adjustments.
I CAN"T WAIT!!!! Just talking about it gets me all psyched up. My seat is sitting empty and lonely even amongst his 3800+ empty companions. Sometimes it calls to me in the night, "Let's Go Comets!" LOL, LOL.
Blain goes into the top 6 if he plays anywhere never the level he played in Utica's last 6 games. The last game he and McEneny were the best 2 D-men on the ice.
HalfPastDan
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I was waiting for you to chime in with that.
I would agree - I just anticipate him not playing to that level.
UticaHockey
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The thing I wonder about is goaltending. I keep hearing on the NHL network that the Canucks may be interested in signing a free agent goalie so either one of the current tenders could be packaged in a trade or they elect to not resign Cannata which would put the tandem of Joakie and Markstrom in Utica.
Ferriero is much better than DeFazio.
If all the talent that's available at the moment gets assigned here, DeFazio and several others, who were Comets like Mallet, Marshall, and Welsh, might be looking for work.
RFA Archibald didn't tear up the ice over the last half of the season either. He and Lain both need to improve their skating and puck skills immensely or their days may be numbered as well because a team can only use guys like this for just so long and then their numbers say they aren't getting it done (Lain 25 yrs old, 7G/12A=19Pts and Archibald 24 yrs old, 10G/12A-22Pts.) These numbers don't make them threats to take any jobs from the Canucks and youth will move them out of Utica if the youth puts up good numbers as new young guys will be on the way the next season making room scarce for vets who aren't producing.
Incidentally (and not to stir up trouble) Horvat is not a lock to start in Vancover either and even if he does start there he is not a lock to stay. Vancouver trades of a couple well known vets are likely to return like players to the the Canucks roster making space for a rookie without #1 pick type can't miss will start now and be a star skills less available. It could easily happen.
"I suspect we'll see room left for one of our younger low-upside grinders (Zalewski, Archibald, Lain) to stick on the NHL roster as the 12th/13th forward."
Not if the Canucks' new brass isn't lying about their determination to make the playoffs now. We haven't really seen Zalewski play enough to know how valuable he is at this very moment. He was kept in vancouver at the end of the season to give him enough games to be able to keep him under contract. He will most likely be assigned to Utica. As to Lain and Archibald, read my comment above (#969) for how I see them panning out.
Southern_Canuck
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Of course if Horvat doesn't make the Canucks, he will be back in the OHL - that's why I didn't include him on my roster guess...
I think the real question is about which one of Shinkaruk or Jensen makes the NHL, or neither... or more unlikely, both?
S_C
What I watched in person was very impressive compared to the way the other Vancover signees played throughout the season. they all improved immensely, but he and McEneny did everything correctly all of the time. That can't be said for the rest including Corrado.
You are entitled to your anticipation. I will await that outcome. You know how slowly that Heinz bottle releases it's contents. Talk to you about it in October.
Or they deal Markstrom as he may have more immediate value. Or more terrifying for Utica, they deal Jokie and make Markstrom #1 in Utica. The latter would be a mistake for Vancouver IMO. Of the 3, I believe Jokie has the highest potential to be an NHL stopper. His presence on the Team Sweden roster at the World Cup says it for me. Markstrom was available as well as other guys with NHL experience, but they chose Jokie. If he improves this season at the rate he did last season, the NHL is definitely in his future. One NHL teams has already passed on Markstrom. Vancouver is better served grooming Jokie in Utica and letting Markstrom back him or obtain a more experienced backup using Markstrom in a deal or getting the keeper in free agency and dealing Markstrom with another or more Canucks to help acquire a different Vancouver need.
Markstrom and Lack are not a reliable NHL tandem at this time and thus Vancouver looking for experience in net is most likely to occur. So yes, my friend we are right to worry about the state of the Comets' keepers. I would hope after last season's second half run and the outstanding level of goal tending they were provided by Jokie and Joe that they let these 2 guys continue to labor here and only get better. It is to the benefit of the Vancouver franchise to get these guys to the top of their game. They either become Vancouver's future or high value in attaining future needs for the Canucks. Trading either of them now brings back little real value as they are unproven talents and are usually swapped for same. This is not of great interest to Vancouver at this stage of the game with new management trying to construct the best chance to make the playoffs now while simultaneously trying to get better for the future .
"or more unlikely, both?"
I tend to agree with this outcome. Either is a longshot if the brass deals for UFAs or trades for current top talent. There is only so much room up there and if healthy they have too many guys to clear that roster space. New guys coming in makes it tres difficult.
It would not be a bad thing to let both of these guys get their A-game down and then elevate them. By that time Vancouver can depend on them and trade for other needed talent with the roster guys they replace.
I'm not a big fan of learn by the seat of your pants. It leads to too many mistakes. It also hinders development as mistakes lead young guys to hold back on taking chances and playing it safe so as not to repeat mistakes. Unless a guy is immensely talented, he is better off in the AHL for a couple of seasons until there is nothing left for him to learn down there. Then you put him into the NHL mix when it's more a matter of adjustment rather than wide eyed amazement and repetitive errors as he tries to acclimate to a speed and style he is really not ready for.
Jensen did well at times, but more often hung in there. Same was true of Corrado. They can play, but not excel. They don't have the consistent game they need to play to be successful. A little more improvement to the level where the fans in every AHL city say, "Why is that guy still in the AHL?" I said it of a few opponents last season and they were in the NHL soon after. Stromme (SP) was one. No one says that about Jensen or Corrado just yet. They will if they are given the time, but not now.
Intangibos
High-End Intangibos
Doesn't Markstrom have to clear waivers? Doubt we risk it if that's the case, he was a good prospect not too long ago, and now finally has a goalie coach. No sense giving up on him this early.
If he doesn't have to clear waivers, never mind, disregard everything I said
If he doesn't have to clear waivers, never mind, disregard everything I said
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