2023-24 Utica Comets and ECHL thread

[Jersey Fan 12]

Mitens is not with the Thunder anymore, he wasn’t one of the three goalies on their protected list.

The three were: Jake Thuit (retired at 29), Mike Robinson (26, signed w/ EIHL), and Vinnie Purpura (24, re-signed w/ Thunder).

Brodeur is signed to a 1 year two way AHL deal so he’s very much an option, he’s also the AHL emergency guy as he’s only experienced goalie on the roster. (Their third goalie is Tyler Brennan.)

Pretty sure Brennan is ahead of Brodeur on the depth chart.

 

[Jersey Fan 12]

Not panic-worthy yet, but no points in four games for Tyce.

Is that a matter of still recovering or has his development stalled?

Remember when he was coming out of college he was viewed as a legitimate prospect; similar to his brother.

 

[Guttersniped]

Pretty sure Brennan is ahead of Brodeur on the depth chart.

Well this just happened Oct 27.

The Utica Comets goaltending situation changed briefly five games into the regular-season.

On Friday, the Comets recalled Jeremy Brodeur from ECHL Adirondack to be paired with second-year netminder Isaac Poulter.

Utica’s weekend featured its first back-to-back of the season with a game Friday at Syracuse before getting a visit from New York State rival Rochester on Saturday.

Brodeur was the backup to Poulter in Friday's 4-2 win at Syracuse.

Brodeur was added as Erik Källgren was dealing with a personal matter, according to the Comets General Manager Dan MacKinnon.

On Saturday, Brodeur was assigned back to ECHL Adirondack.

This is the sort of thing I was referring to when I said Brodeur was the “AHL emergency guy as he’s only experienced goalie on the roster”.

Let’s see how Brennan does in the ECHL first.

Utica Comets call-up goalie Brodeur for game

The Utica Comets goaltending situation changed briefly five games into the regular-season.

www.romesentinel.com

 

[Guttersniped]

Not panic-worthy yet, but no points in four games for Tyce.

Is that a matter of still recovering or has his development stalled?

Remember when he was coming out of college he was viewed as a legitimate prospect; similar to his brother.

He wasn’t viewed similarly to his brother as a prospect. One was drafted in the 1st Rd and the other was drafted in the 4th Rd as a double overager.

Tyce was eligible for the 2017 draft. He had a big year at Providence after he was drafted, that’s what led to his early buzz. He was already 20 though.

 

[Jersey Fan 12]

He wasn’t viewed similarly to his brother as a prospect. One was drafted in the 1st Rd and the other was drafted in the 4th Rd as a double overager.

Tyce was eligible for the 2017 draft. He had a big year at Providence after he was drafted, that’s what led to his early buzz. He was already 20 though.

True. But after that big sophomore season at Providence (ironically playing with former Comets teammate Jack Dugan) he was signed directly out of college a year later - foregoing his senior year - and even made his NHL debut.

The likelihood of him skating for the Devils again appears remote at this point.

 

[Mgd31]

Not panic-worthy yet, but no points in four games for Tyce.

Is that a matter of still recovering or has his development stalled?

Remember when he was coming out of college he was viewed as a legitimate prospect; similar to his brother.

Not sure, I thought he would be better because he looked good during preseason.

This is probably his last year with the organization

 

[Guttersniped]

True. But after that big sophomore season at Providence (ironically playing with former Comets teammate Jack Dugan) he was signed directly out of college a year later - foregoing his senior year - and even made his NHL debut.

The likelihood of him skating for the Devils again appears remote at this point.

He was always a long shot.

He started college at 19 though, if he stayed for his senior year then he would have been a 22 year old rookie like Dugan was.

Dugan only had two years of college but he started at 20. Dugan was drafted out of high school as an over ager in 2017 (he was eligible in 2016), he was a project pick that almost worked out.

Overagers can work out, teams do get more of sense of what’s there, but the player’s development runway is much shorter. They don’t have a lot time before they age out.

Thompson’s last year in college was the shorted COVID season and then he only played 18 games as rookie due to injury in 2021-22. That’s tough for an older prospect.

Tyce started last season with 22 points (7G 15A) in 33 GP, with 6 points (3G 3A) coming in the first 8 games.

He had 4 points (4 A) in his last 23 GP, with 3 points (3 A) coming in his last 2 games.

He played pretty well in his 7 game run in NJ in 2020-21 it’s a shame he hasn’t gotten more traction since then.

 

[Devils731]

First AHL goal while playing against his brother.

 

[Mgd31]

Good for Stillman

 

[Jersey Fan 12]

Good for Stillman

Few players I'd like to see succeed more than him. The crap he's gotten from "fans" on here was McLeod-esque.

And equally unwarranted.

 

[Unknown Caller]

Few players I'd like to see succeed more than him. The crap he's gotten from "fans" on here was McLeod-esque.

And equally unwarranted.

In fairness McLeod was twice the prospect Stillman was and will always be a better NHLer than Stillman.

McLeod at least had projectable physical traits, primarily his skating. The production just never matched the tools which is why he’s a 4th liner. He didn’t deserve hate.

Stillman on the other hand really doesn’t have projectable physical traits nor production. He’s just a player with snarl who was drafted too high. A couple AHL goals doesn’t change that.

 

[Guttersniped]

In fairness McLeod was twice the prospect Stillman was and will always be a better NHLer than Stillman.

McLeod at least had projectable physical traits, primarily his skating. The production just never matched the tools which is why he’s a 4th liner. He didn’t deserve hate.

Stillman on the other hand really doesn’t have projectable physical traits nor production. He’s just a player with snarl who was drafted too high. A couple AHL goals doesn’t change that.

I disagree. Stillman has projectable traits, he just didn’t produce. That’s why he’s a long shot now, historically players with his post-draft production in juniors don’t make it in the NHL.

His biggest selling point by far has always been his motor. He has offensive skill and good skating. He looks like a player who should have scored more in juniors.

He was on a team where traded players scored less, but they were the 12th highest scoring team in the OHL last season.

As the 2022 write-up mentioned, his D-1 production was on par for a 1st round pick and then COVID wiped out out most of his draft year. But you want to see more post-draft production in Canadian Juniors.

It sounds like he might be a guy who keeps his feet moving rather than thinks and plays at high pace. The best two-way forwards in Canadian Junior typically play center.

I also worry about how well Stillman plays defense. He wasn’t one of Peterborough’s 10 forwards with shorthanded points in 2022-23, which makes me wonder how big a role he played on the PK. He did have 3 SH assists in 2021-22.

His “snarl” is a bit overrated, he isn’t particularly big so I don’t see his physical game having that much impact. He looked legit in 2022-23 Development Camp scrimmages, he definitely stood out live. I can see why his lack of production was a bit of a head-scratcher. He’s not a talentless banger.

There’s a question about how good his hockey sense is though. You can see that score drop year by year below in Elite Prospects’ coverage of Stillman since he was drafted.

It’s not negative to be realistic about Stillman. He has projectable qualities though and that’s what still gives us a little hope here.

This is the grade guide for the Elite Prospect scores.

This is FV (Future Value) score guide:

Stillman was 4.5 but dropped to 4.0 in 2023. They’re deliberately stingy so 4.5 is very common for ranked non-blue chip prospects.

Sep 29, 2021, NJD 11th Prospect Pool link

Born out of the bounty that saw Travis Zajac and Kyle Palmieri go to the New York Islanders, the New Jersey Devils selected the human locomotive of the 2021 draft, Chase Stillman, with the 29th pick.

This excerpt from the Elite Prospects 2021 Draft Guide describes Stillman's game to a tee, "Call it motor or energy or engagement or drive -- Stillman has it. He is willing to go above and beyond, willing to play whatever role needed to the maximum of his ability to give his team the win. Every game for him, you saw constant pressure on the forecheck, constant pressure on the backcheck, and rapid close-outs in the defensive zone -- and speed, more speed than we remembered from the previous OHL season. There are better skaters than Stillman in the draft, but few who move with the same energy. The Sudbury Wolves forward finished with one of the best expected goals and offensive-zone retrievals per 60 at the [U-18] tournament."

Stillman is somewhat limited in terms of dynamic offensive qualities, more specifically in how his handling and skating blend together. He struggles to string actions together in motion, static feet being the main issue.

The St. Louis-born winger has a lot of qualities to like, however. On top of his already high motor, Stillman protects the puck at an above-average level, and generally can execute high-level plays. Plus peripheral vision, give-and-go ability, deception, and passing skills like one-touches, slips, and backhand facilitations highlight his game.

With a return to the OHL's Sudbury Wolves in the cards, Stillman will not only receive more opportunity to flex his motor, but the extra puck touches should help develop his playmaking even more. In the future, further defensive development, along with his high engagement level over the 200 feet of ice, should create a favourable situation for Stillman to become a useful bottom-six player.

Sep 30, 2022 NJD 11th Prospect Pool link

Even my most pessimistic projection didn’t have Chase Stillman scoring just 49 points in 59 games. His draft-minus-one season featured less consistency than his peers but just as impressive highs as the best players in the age group. The midseason trade that sent him from a low-scoring team to an inconsistent, top-heavy one certainly didn’t help. However, it’s tough to see Stillman’s lack of success as anything other than disappointment.

There’s little doubt Stillman has the tools to be among the OHL’s leading scorers next season. It’s evident along the boards, where he combines finesse and power to pull pucks off the boards and step to the inside. Off the rush, he deceives opponents, then cuts across or drives the net. A quick, deceptive release houses a powerful shot, and when engaged, he shows the instincts necessary to support the shot.

Those impressive plays usually break up long stretches of limited impact. Stillman’s wasteful with touches in prime areas, blindly throwing pucks into space or trying to break through pressure himself with open teammates. A tendency to pass into defenders rather than around suggests he lacks the passing skill to access the lanes he identifies. And he often floats around and watches the play instead of taking an active hand in support or battling.

When Stillman’s engaged, he shows the off-puck instincts, positioning, and vision to link his numerous skills. In those moments, he looks like a potential top-nine with wrecking ball potential.

2023 NJD 11th Prospect Pool link

It's becoming increasingly difficult to try to justify or explain Chase Stillman's unremarkable counting stats.

He played a big role on a Memorial Cup contending team (albeit, one where many top prospects saw their bottom line dip) in his draft-plus-two season and didn't even come particularly close to cracking the point-per-game mark. In fact, his per-game offence dipped relative to the season prior.

What's perhaps most frustrating about this lack of production is that Stillman has physical tools that would easily pass muster in professional hockey. He's explosive and quick as a skater, overwhelmingly physical, and has a shot that can threaten from some distance.

Yet the sum has been less than the equal of its parts for two seasons now. This isn't an accident though. Stillman mostly attacks in straight lines, often directly into pressure. The end result is a mountain of turnovers and low-percentage shots. He has passing skill but lacks the patience or the cunning to let plays develop or create in the face of pressure. His off-puck offence is mostly characterized by screening the goaltender with little movement to get open for clean looks.

The lack of sophistication in Stillman's game at this point suggests that even if he gets back on track, there isn't a particularly high ceiling here. If he can develop into a crash-and-bang bottom-of-the-lineup winger, though, there's a lot of value in that. Even if it's not the sort of value the Devils expected out of a first-round pick.

 

[NJDevs26]

 

[Ripshot 43]

Yessss

Now do Nemec!

 

[Devils731]

Yessss

Now do Nemec!

Nemec played last game.

 

[Ripshot 43]

Nemec played last game.

Totally missed that. Awesome news.

 

[PizzaAndPucks]

Totally missed that. Awesome news.

Had a secondary assist too.

 

[Mgd31]

This is good news, I thought when he first got hurt, early projections were he wasn't coming back till December.

 

[Triumph]

This is good news, I thought when he first got hurt, early projections were he wasn't coming back till December.

This might still be true.

 

[Bad Goalie]

11/1/2023
Utica Comets (1-2-2) @ Laval Rocket (1-5-1)

A battle of the cellar dwellers. Utica is in 6th place with 4Pts and the Rocket are in last a #7 with 3Pts.

The Comets currently sit at #30 in the AHL while Laval sits at #32, dead last in a 32-team league.

Forwards:
15 Gambardella/ 26 Schmelzer/12 Thompson
20 Willman/ 10 Dowling/ 92 Clarke
67 Parent/ 51 Criscuolo/ 61Stillman
19 Fitzgerald / 14 Bowers/ 90 Ibragimov

D-Pairs:
2 Vukojevic/ 7 Nemec
83 Vilen/ 5 Russo
93 Misyul/ 3 Wotherspoon

*There was a lot of jockeying with these 6 guys tonight. Nemec started the game with Vukojevic on LD. Wothespoon played some LD with Russo and some with his normal partner, Nemec. Vuk was with Nemec. Wotherspoon was a RD with Vukojevic on the left. Vuk has been playing RD most of the time before tonight. Tongiht he was seen on both sides. Misyul seemed to be getting short shifts.
With the call-up of Foote and the injury to Nemec the Comets were left with a heavy LD presence. There is a lot of talent in the 8 guys the season opened up with and the versatility of some has been utilized or maybe in a case now and then improvised.

4 penalties to D-men, one to Nemec and Vilen at the same time, and 2 PP all in the 2nd period, led to a lot of improvisation on the coaching staff's part.

Goal - 1 Poulter

Scratches:
Kallgren (BU)
Hatakka (I)
Laberge (I)
Felix (H)

The Comets played the only healthy 12 forwards they have. ON a healthy day they only carry 13. In the AHL that is unheard of and cost the Comets last satyrday when Laberg was out and Dwling got called up. They only played with 11 forwards and dressed 7 D with call-up Colin Felix.

It appears very obvious that Dineen has little to no confidence in the forwards in Adirondack and is treading water as long as he can until Halonen and hopefully 1 other player is sent here from NJ. To that notion I hope he knows more than I do, because no team can play a 72-game season with 13 roster forwards.

Scoreless 1st.

Comets once again put forth a pitiful 1st period offense being outshot 9-4.

Poulter the only Comet deserving credit for a good period.

 

[Bad Goalie]

Comets to the PK right off the bat. Terrible call. One of the oldest tricks in the book. Tied up on the boards the Rocket player wrapped his arm around Wotherspoon's stick. Then he attmeptds a stride to escape the boards and wraps the stick around his leg an d goes down. Idiot Ref calls it hooking!

Poulter a real good save from the slot.

Comets kill it.

Again Poulter stands tall.

2 on 1 and Poulter stops it.

Parent takes the puck from his left and skates right to the net and scores while skating across the crease.
S------C-----O-----R-----E-------S!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Bad Goalie]

Parent again!!!!!!!!!!

Standing in front. Point shot by Vilen stopped, bounces out front and Parent puts it home.

2-0 Comets.

Thompson with another dumb penalty. I believe he leads the team and none of them have been what you would call a good penalty.

1-timer caught by Parent.

2 on1 whiffed 1-timer by the Rocket.

PK successful.

Clarke in alone and he's stopped.

 

[Bad Goalie]

TV TO
8:04 to go

Matching penalties before the TO.
Villen gets 2 as well, the Comet are down 5 on 4.

Point shot from the middle of the blueline and Parent holds on.

Rocket hit the post as the penalty ends. Comets control and work 6 on 5 on the delayed call. Back into their own end and they accomplish nothing as the Rocket grab the puck once they get up ice.

Comets to the PP. 5:13 to go in the period.

Thompson storms in and immediately turns it over.

Fitzgerald one timer down low stopped off a cross ice pass.

Clarke stopped off a long shot.

Nothing on the PP.

 

[Bad Goalie]

Man both the Comets passing and puck control is poor tonight.

Shot from the top of the circle gobbled up by Poulter.

Rocket hit the post after the Rocket broke in when Thompson flubbed the puck on his wing.

 

[Bad Goalie]

2nd ends with the Comets on top 2-0

SOG:
14-12 Utica
Total is 21-18 Laval after 2.

The Comets are notoriously anemic offensively in the 1st. Then they turn it up in the 2nd. The problem with that is if the opponent gets a couple the Comets start the 2nd chasing the lead. What's happened thus far in the few games played is they come up short in the long run.

PP:
Both teams are 0/2 after 2.