2024-25 Utica Comets and ECHL thread

[NJDevs26]

The offseason's ticking over so might as well start the new year threads

Previous thread: 2023-24 Utica Comets and ECHL thread

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[Guttersniped]

Emotionally preparing myself for Xavier Parent to sign somewhere else.

And I assume it will be him dumping us.

 

[Bad Goalie]

Emotionally preparing myself for Xavier Parent to sign somewhere else.

And I assume it will be him dumping us.

I would not be surprised, but that doesn't mean I won't be angry. 8 wings already committed to contracts. That's 4 lines. There is plenty of room for Xavier. The Devils/Comets always drag their feet before addressing the Farm. The good UFAs sign before the Devils even start searching. Utica just signed barely AHL capable Filip Engaras to another contract. He makes center #4.

Dowling
Schmelzer
Bowers
Engaras

That would be one of the league's weakest top 4 centers. Bowers is better on the wing since he does not work to set up his mates.
Engaras is actually a good ECHL center as he showed in the playoffs with Adirondack.
Schmelzer is excelling way above his pay grade.
Dowling is a good #2, but battles the minor injury bug all season long and often ends up on the wing as a result.
I heasitate to repeat myself, but the Comets still have not received a #1 center since the Devils brought their AHL franchise here 3 seasons ago. Don't even feel like hoping it will change for season 4. They don't have any centers in their prospects to play here this season and actually no real good draft picks ready to come into the AHL. The best they have to offer are Stillman, Filmon, Dylan Wendt, and a project they hope will finally find his complete game with a new franchise, Adam Beckman.

X was the team's 3rd leading point producer for the Comets last season. He was second in assists with only Schmelzer ahead of him. He's been seen and he won't have trouble getting a contract. It's time for MacKinnon to get his head out of his ass and get some talent in here instead of being all happy happy like every other season when he signs a bunch of guys that will give the Comets camp enough players to practicv e and play the preseason contests before being shipped to ECHL Adirondack for the season. in Adirondack

 

[Bad Goalie]

Right on Cue! Mackinnon announces 2 signings.

Jackson van de Leest (23), 6'7"/235, LD. Starting his 1st full pro season. He played 6 games for Utica and showed his #1 deficit is skating. He is a plodder. He accounted for 1 Assist. He played 14 games for ECHL Adirondack and rung up 2 assists. Nothing to see here.

Andre Ghantous (25), 5'9"/174, RW. Startin g his 1st full pro season. Last year he signed an ECHL contract late in the 23-24 season after finishing his 5th season with NCAA Northern Michigan. He signed 2 PTOs with Utica and recorded 1G/1A/3GP. He played 10 games with Adirondack and put up 13Pts/10GP and added 8Pts/14 playoff games. This kid has promise and showed it last season, but Dineen chose not to run with him when the Comets were chasing a pipe dream, the AHL playoffs. Instead he was relegated mostly to the Thunder.

Both have signed 1-yr, 2-way AHL contracts meaning they likely play for Adirondack unless needed due to injury or call-up.

That's exactly the way Dineen handled Xavier Parent his 1st season and he responded with 51 PTs/50GP. He recorded 6Pts/14GP for the Comets at the end of their season. He proved he belonged during camp last season and played 71 of the Comets 72 games and finished as their 3rd highest scorer and 2nd in assists.

Dineen doesn't play any player not sent to him by NJ until that player puts some Devil acquisitions to shame. Until Schmelzer caught fire at the end of the season and became the Comets best all around player coupled with a late goal scoring surge by Clarke, Parent led the team in points. As previously stated he finished 3rd in points and 2nd in assists as an AHL rookie. Clarke finished 1st in goals and Schmelzer 1st in points and assists.
Parent is still unsigned. He should have been the first offered an AHL deal unless we are waiting for NJ to give him one of their NHL 2-ways that go to a few signees for the farm.

Would like to what Ghantous can do with the Comets and join Parent in his second season.

 

[PizzaAndPucks]

Right on Cue! Mackinnon announces 2 signings.

Jackson van de Leest (23), 6'7"/235, LD. Starting his 1st full pro season. He played 6 games for Utica and showed his #1 deficit is skating. He is a plodder. He accounted for 1 Assist. He played 14 games for ECHL Adirondack and rung up 2 assists. Nothing to see here.

Andre Ghantous (25), 5'9"/174, RW. Startin g his 1st full pro season. Last year he signed an ECHL contract late in the 23-24 season after finishing his 5th season with NCAA Northern Michigan. He signed 2 PTOs with Utica and recorded 1G/1A/3GP. He played 10 games with Adirondack and put up 13Pts/10GP and added 8Pts/14 playoff games. This kid has promise and showed it last season, but Dineen chose not to run with him when the Comets were chasing a pipe dream, the AHL playoffs. Instead he was relegated mostly to the Thunder.

Both have signed 1-yr, 2-way AHL contracts meaning they likely play for Adirondack unless needed due to injury or call-up.

That's exactly the way Dineen handled Xavier Parent his 1st season and he responded with 51 PTs/50GP. He recorded 6Pts/14GP for the Comets at the end of their season. He proved he belonged during camp last season and played 71 of the Comets 72 games and finished as their 3rd highest scorer and 2nd in assists.

Dineen doesn't play any player not sent to him by NJ until that player puts some Devil acqusitions to shame. Until Schmelzer caught fire at the end of the season and became the Comets best all around player coupled with a late goal scoring surge by Clarke, Parent led the team in points. As previously stated he finished 3rd in points and 2nd in assists as an AHL rookie. Clarke finished 1st in goals and Schmelzer 1st in points and assists.
Clarke is still unsigned. He shpould have been the first offered an AHL deal unless we are waiting for NJ to give him one of their NHL 2-ways that go to a few singnees for the farm.

Would like to what Ghantous can do with the Comets and join Parent in his second season.

Clarke was traded to the Minnesota Wild a week or so ago...

 

[Bad Goalie]

Clarke was traded to the Minnesota Wild a week or so ago...

That was a brain fart. Obviously that was Parent I was talking about in that line.

Clarke WAS traded and it was a foregone conclusion to any hockey mind in Utica that it had to be. Clarke was the most 1- dimensional player I have ever watched or played with. He could score goals, but only if nobody got in his way. Other than that he sucked in every other aspect of hockey.

Hopefully Adam Beckman will be a better piece for the Comets. We won't know until things have been going into January. It is obvious if you do some research on these t 2 that this trade was an exchange of 2 players that have similar flaws. he feeling is that hopefully the change of franchises wakes them the f**k up and they realize they have to play a complete game if they hope to get any farther.

 

[Bad Goalie]

Comets have 2 more acquisitions for '23-24.

RD Colton White and forward Mike Hardman have both signed 2-yr NJ 2-way contracts.