2023-24 Utica Comets and ECHL thread

[NJDevs26]

What the hell kind of promo is this lol...and in the middle of a period?!

 

[PizzaAndPucks]

Back to back wins for Utica and some great goaltending by Poulter. Clarke with the game winning goal. He has heated up the last few games.

 

[Guttersniped]

What the hell kind of promo is this lol...and in the middle of a period?!

It’s a Teddy Bear Toss. You never saw that before? It’s a Minor League staple.

 

[Bad Goalie]

Ok!
Friday night in Utica. Comets win 4-1 over Bridgeport. Daws 31/32.

Saturday night Comets win 3-1 in Syracuse. Poulter 28/29.

Sunday afternoon at 3pm. Kallgren up next vs Syracuse in Utica--------We'll have to wait and see.

 

[Guttersniped]

Contract termination waivers, I'd assume. He'd have to agree to it, since he didn't breach contract or act unprofessonally. But if he's not going to play, he probably would want to see about going elsewhere.

Kallgren: You can’t fire Mutually Terminate me, I quit got a groin injury.





That solves the crowded Utica goal crease conundrum in the short term.

Poulter stops 15/16 in a 1-4 home win vs Syracuse.

 

[Mgd31]

Impressive weekend by Utica. 3-0.

 

[forceten]

Damn. Kallgren was onto me!

 

[Triumph]

Clarke just keeps scoring. To me he's earned a callup, they should send Tierney back.

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

Daws and Poulter are probably the 2 best goalies there anyways

 

[tailfins]

Clarke just keeps scoring. To me he's earned a callup, they should send Tierney back.

Have you seen him this season? Between the comments from @Bad Goalie and Clarke’s showing in preseason, it seemed like his play without the puck was something that needed to improve significantly for him to make the NHL. Has that improved?

 

[Triumph]

Have you seen him this season? Between the comments from @Bad Goalie and Clarke’s showing in preseason, it seemed like his play without the puck was something that needed to improve significantly for him to make the NHL. Has that improved?

I haven't seen him at all, no. I don't trust preseason much and I have to say eyetesting the likely best forward on the team to be a drag on the team makes me skeptical of the assessments in this thread. I think it's very likely that Clarke is an AHL lifer and it's a shame he shoots right-handed because that's not what the Devils need now, but yeah if Haula's out a while he's worth a look.

 

[forceten]

I'd be willing to see what Clarke brings instead of playing Tierney. Tierney is worse than me playing I think. Maybe.

 

[Bad Goalie]

Daws and Poulter are probably the 2 best goalies there anyways

That's not a "probably". It's a definite!

Kallgren left yesterday's afternoon game after being injured in the first 5 minutes.

After playing Saturday night and only giving up 1 goal in a win over Syracuse, Poulter was called back into action. He repeated his efforts of the previous day on a short rest giving up only 1 goal in the 2nd of back to back games with the Crunch.

Kallgren's injury solves the 3-goalie log jam for the time being. Could simply be a strain and he'll be back in no time or it could be more serious and he'll be out much longer. Won't know for a while and the way injuries are reported here we may never know.

 

[Bad Goalie]

I haven't seen him at all, no. I don't trust preseason much and I have to say eyetesting the likely best forward on the team to be a drag on the team makes me skeptical of the assessments in this thread. I think it's very likely that Clarke is an AHL lifer and it's a shame he shoots right-handed because that's not what the Devils need now, but yeah if Haula's out a while he's worth a look.

Clarke is a player you can go crazy figuring out. He runs hot and cold on the scoreboard which is his main attribute. He has recorded 10 points in his las 5 games. In the 16 games prior to the last 5 he had 8 points. The 18 he now has moved him into the points lead over Parent with 17.

Parent is a 22-year old 5'8", 170 lb winger on an AHL contract. Xavier works his ass off every shift from start to finish, works hard in the corners and along the boards, takes hits to make plays, uses his small frame to make contact with opponents, and goes to the net without the puck. These are descriptions you'd like top see in an NHL player. IMO he will be an AHL lifer due to the size factor.

I am on record describing Clarke as a player who does not display these traits. For the most part he satys away from contact unless it comes to him. You don't see him at the net front looking to score the dirty type of goals. He is a player with a good snipe who needs the space to get it off, but doesn't work to find those sweet spots in a defense. He floats a lot and his neutral zone defensive effortds are going at the puck carrier and sweeping his stick at the puck as the opponent usually goes by him. In his own zone hew has difficulty getting the puck up ice when receiving it at the half boards especially if contact is coming or has already arrived. His skating is more than adequate at this level, but a large number of AHL players can match it indicating it's not NHL level.

Is he an AHL lifer? His ability to score or record assists on a nightly basis without long streaks of nothing might cause an NHL team to overlook his negatives in order to get his offense. The way it is now he is a 50-60 point AHL player. There are currently 45 players in the AHL with more points, bur many are right in the same neighborhood. By the end of last season he was #27 in AHL scoring.

I mean your guess is as good as any. I personally think his skating, inconsistency, and lack of physicality are issues he would have to overcome. As is the case with anyone assessing a player's future, I could be wrong. I can only wait and see. I hope I'm wrong as I always am when I don't think a player has what it takes. He is only 22 and a large number of NJ posters are not exactly high on guys who are not setting the AHL on fire by that age. I'm not in that group. High first round picks maybe, but even then I'm skeptical. Clarke's problem is he can't play down in the lineup because all his assets are offensive, but require the assistance of feeders. He's not going to take the puck and get by defenders while going to the net and getting off a good scoring chance. HIs best effort may see him elude 1 guy as he did on a goal Saturday, but that usually doesn't happen.

I have watched him now for this the 3rd season and those are my $.02.

 

[My3Sons]

Clarke is a player you can go crazy figuring out. He runs hot and cold on the scoreboard which is his main attribute. He has recorded 10 points in his las 5 games. In the 16 games prior to the last 5 he had 8 points. The 18 he now has moved him into the points lead over Parent with 17.

Parent is a 22-year old 5'8", 170 lb winger on an AHL contract. Xavier works his ass off every shift from start to finish, works hard in the corners and along the boards, takes hits to make plays, uses his small frame to make contact with opponents, and goes to the net without the puck. These are descriptions you'd like top see in an NHL player. IMO he will be an AHL lifer due to the size factor.

I am on record describing Clarke as a player who does not display these traits. For the most part he satys away from contact unless it comes to him. You don't see him at the net front looking to score the dirty type of goals. He is a player with a good snipe who needs the space to get it off, but doesn't work to find those sweet spots in a defense. He floats a lot and his neutral zone defensive effortds are going at the puck carrier and sweeping his stick at the puck as the opponent usually goes by him. In his own zone hew has difficulty getting the puck up ice when receiving it at the half boards especially if contact is coming or has already arrived. His skating is more than adequate at this level, but a large number of AHL players can match it indicating it's not NHL level.

Is he an AHL lifer? His ability to score or record assists on a nightly basis without long streaks of nothing might cause an NHL team to overlook his negatives in order to get his offense. The way it is now he is a 50-60 point AHL player. There are currently 45 players in the AHL with more points, bur many are right in the same neighborhood. By the end of last season he was #27 in AHL scoring.

I mean your guess is as good as any. I personally think his skating, inconsistency, and lack of physicality are issues he would have to overcome. As is the case with anyone assessing a player's future, I could be wrong. I can only wait and see. I hope I'm wrong as I always am when I don't think a player has what it takes. He is only 22 and a large number of NJ posters are not exactly high on guys who are not setting the AHL on fire by that age. I'm not in that group. High first round picks maybe, but even then I'm skeptical. Clarke's problem is he can't play down in the lineup because all his assets are offensive, but require the assistance of feeders. He's not going to take the puck and get by defenders while going to the net and getting off a good scoring chance. HIs best effort may see him elude 1 guy as he did on a goal Saturday, but that usually doesn't happen.

I have watched him now for this the 3rd season and those are my $.02.

Thanks for sharing that. A reasoned and eloquent explanation. Much appreciated....

 

[Bad Goalie]

Thanks for sharing that. A reasoned and eloquent explanation. Much appreciated....

My pleasure.

 

[PizzaAndPucks]

Got up here early and saw the enemy's chariot

 

[Guttersniped]

Got up here early and saw the enemy's chariot

Quick, buy a carton of eggs!

 

[Guttersniped]

One team in the org won tonight and is in 1st place (in point %).

 

[Nubmer6]

One team in the org won tonight and is in 1st place (in point %).

So... Do they play the same defensive system as us???

(Asking for a friend)

 

[Bad Goalie]

So... Do they play the same defensive system as us???

(Asking for a friend)

Pretty much and it's almost impossible to watch. If they were as aggressive 5 on 5 in their own end as they are on the PK the results might be much better, but leaving points wide open makes it near impossible to work some kind of breakout. The long aerial pass ends up opponent possession. The Dump on the rush ends up in the opponent's possession.

When you can't make an on target stick to stick pass anywhere on the ice and when you do your mate can't take it cleanly, putting together some kind of offensive pressure is not possible.

*See my next post

 

[Nubmer6]

Pretty much and it's almost impossible to watch. If they were as aggressive 5 on 5 in their own end as they are on the PK the results might be much better, but leaving points wide open makes it near impossible to work some kind of breakout. The long aerial pass ends up opponent possession. The Dump on the rush ends up in the opponent's possession.

When you can't make an on target stick to stick pass anywhere on the ice and when you do your mate can't take it cleanly, putting together some kind of offensive pressure is not possible.

*See my next post

You're talking about Adirondack? I didn't realize you watched many of their games. I appreciate your insight.

 

[Guttersniped]

You're talking about Adirondack? I didn't realize you watched many of their games. I appreciate your insight.

At least he had an answer. I just scoreboard watch these ECHL juggernauts. (They won again last night!) A TEAM OF DESTINY.

And they have a Nico too!

 

[Bad Goalie]

What a difference a week makes.
Last week the Comets played 5 games on 2 consecutive weekends:

- Saturday 12/2 in Cleveland
A 4-2 victory. 24 SOG
28 SOG against Poulter.

- Sunday 12/3 at 12 noon again in Cleveland
Somehow while trailing 5-2 and then 6-3 they strung together the last 4 goals of the game to grab an unfathomable 7-6 victory while amassing 40 SOG.
Kallgren 5 GA on 16 shots in the 1st period
Poulter 1 GA on 23 SOG over the final 2 periods

- Friday 12/8
A 4-1 victory over the Bridgeport Islanders with an ENG in Utica. 25 SOG
Daws 31/32


- Saturday 12-9
A 3-1 victory over the Syracuse Crunch in Syracuse with an ENG. 18 SOG
Poulter 28/29

- Sunday 12/10
A 4-1 victory over the Syracuse Crunch in Utica with an ENG. 27 SOG
Kallgren 6:50 before an injury
Poulter 53:06 in relief, 1GA - 15/16

*See next post

 

[Ripshot 43]

What a difference a week makes.
Last week the Comets played 5 games on 2 consecutive weekends:

- Saturday 12/2 in Cleveland
A 4-2 victory. 24 SOG
28 SOG against Poulter.

- Sunday 12/3 at 12 noon again in Cleveland
Somehow while trailing 5-2 and then 6-3 they strung together the last 4 goals of the game to grab an unfathomable 7-6 victory while amassing 40 SOG.
Kallgren 5 GA on 16 shots in the 1st period
Poulter 1 GA on 23 SOG over the final 2 periods

- Friday 12/8
A 4-1 victory over the Bridgeport Islanders with an ENG in Utica. 25 SOG
Daws 31/32


- Saturday 12-9
A 3-1 victory over the Syracuse Crunch in Syracuse with an ENG. 18 SOG
Poulter 28/29

- Sunday 12/10
A 4-1 victory over the Syracuse Crunch in Utica with an ENG. 27 SOG
Kallgren 6:50 before an injury
Poulter 53:06 in relief, 1GA - 15/16

*See next post

What a difference a week makes.
Last week the Comets played 5 games on 2 consecutive weekends:

- Saturday 12/2 in Cleveland
A 4-2 victory. 24 SOG
28 SOG against Poulter.

- Sunday 12/3 at 12 noon again in Cleveland
Somehow while trailing 5-2 and then 6-3 they strung together the last 4 goals of the game to grab an unfathomable 7-6 victory while amassing 40 SOG.
Kallgren 5 GA on 16 shots in the 1st period
Poulter 1 GA on 23 SOG over the final 2 periods

- Friday 12/8
A 4-1 victory over the Bridgeport Islanders with an ENG in Utica. 25 SOG
Daws 31/32


- Saturday 12-9
A 3-1 victory over the Syracuse Crunch in Syracuse with an ENG. 18 SOG
Poulter 28/29

- Sunday 12/10
A 4-1 victory over the Syracuse Crunch in Utica with an ENG. 27 SOG
Kallgren 6:50 before an injury
Poulter 53:06 in relief, 1GA - 15/16

*See next post

See next post