I know Utica looks destined to be more of a middling team this season with the center depth, but with Muk, Hughes, Nemec, and Vilen all likely to be in the system next year, I really hope the team puts a focus into solidifying the center group.
Devils center draft picks of late have been huge swings and misses. Either NHL talent or bust so nothing that the AHL team can look forward to from a top-six perspective.
The defense + goaltending going into next year has the potential to be a real strength. It’s likely Hughes and Bahl are on the NHL team and Walsh ends up somewhere in the NHL due to waiver status.
No bonus points for "The defense + goaltending going into next year has the potential to be a real strength". That was known to be the case going into this season. So, the prospects like Thompson, Foote, Clkarke were supposed to pound salt? It's like I said previously, I don't think Fitz is counting on those 3 to fill NHL spots. His D was designed to help Schmid and Daws keep climbing on the way to reaching their true potential. The forwards were left to fend for themselves and that has not gone well.
The Comets are currently number 8 in goals against at 56, 7 goals behind the league leader Coachella Valley.
They are # 30 inn goals for with 53, 30, goals behind league leader Calgary with 83.
Drafting centers likely won't help next year's Comets for another year or 2. If he is going to get centers they will be in the fa market of proven AHL players not able to crack an NHL lineup, college guys who recently had great seasons after having gone undrafted, undrafted Europeans both veteran and young player both having gone undrafted, AHL vets, recent NHL cuts, players waived at the last cuts who end up going through again when NJ waives them to send them down. That could have just as easily been done this year as it was in 2021-22 and can be done again in 2023-224. There was no excuse for not doing it in 2022-23. They literally didn't acquire a single one Knowing the only ones here were very competent #3 in Schmelzer (team Captain) and borderline #4 Talvitie. They knew Pinho and Thompson were a RWs. Neither has come close to shining as a center and Thompson has already been moved to the RW. Foote/Pinho/Thompson has become Dineen's top line and they just aren't doing it since Pinho is just not any kind of playmaker and neither of the other 2 can do it from the wing.
- Foote (6 goals) 3 with Pinho as his center and only one of those with the Foote/Pinho/Thompson line.
- Thompson (3 goals) None with Pinho or Foote on his line.
- Pinho (8 goals) 3 assists from Foote while on his line, but one was with Pinho on RW and Schmelzer at center. Thompson was not on the line for any of them
The line has been together for the last 7 games (Games 13-19) and scored 1 goal by Foote in game 16.
In fact Pinho neeted a PP goal in game 13 and that with the single goal from Foote is the total number of goals scored by those 3 in any situation period in those 7 games and Thompson hasn't scored since game 12 and that goal was his only one since game 6. That's 1 goal in 13 games for those of you counting.
Clarke has scored 3 of his 4 goals and added 2 assists in the last 6 games. Gambardella has energized Clarke.
