2024-25 Utica Comets and ECHL thread

[My3Sons]

I hate to say this, but you're as dogged as @My3Sons

It’s not against the ToS.

 

[Bad Goalie]

I hate to say this, but you're as dogged as @My3Sons

Thank You. I take that as a compliment.

 

[Nubmer6]

Thank You. I take that as a compliment.

It was!

 

[Bad Goalie]

It was!

LOL

 

[Bad Goalie]

Poulter to NJ. Means Daws is still not ready after a practice "tweak" a week ago is apparently still tweaking him. That leaves the Comets with Adir. callup Brennan as the Comets only healthy goalie in town.

On another note it is posted on AHL.com transactions that Legare has been sent back to Utica. Hope it won't just be a paper transaction. The Comets can really use him.

 

[Nubmer6]

Poulter to NJ. Means Daws is still not ready after a practice "tweak" a week ago is apparently still tweaking him. That leaves the Comets with Adir. callup Brennan as the Comets only healthy goalie in town.

On another note it is posted on AHL.com transactions that Legare has been sent back to Utica. Hope it won't just be a paper transaction. The Comets can really use him.

The big club just activated Bastian from IR, So I don't think it's just a paper transaction

 

[Bad Goalie]

Poulter to NJ. Means Daws is still not ready after a practice "tweak" a week ago is apparently still tweaking him. That leaves the Comets with Adir. callup Brennan as the Comets only healthy goalie in town.

On another note it is posted on AHL.com transactions that Legare has been sent back to Utica. Hope it won't just be a paper transaction. The Comets can really use him.

Comets play next on Saturday in Syracuse. Maybe Daws will be recovered by then or maybe Allen is okay and Poulter is back. If neither occurs that would put Brennan between the pipes for his first AHL start. That would also mean somebody else has to be in Utica even if just for practice. Brodeur has an AHL contract.

The big club just activated Bastian from IR, So I don't think it's just a paper transaction

I kinda figured that was the case, but the number of paper transactions in the past few weeks has been numerous so it keeps me guessing. I never was good at guessing, LOL.

 

[Bad Goalie]

Lots of moves by Utica (not that they are any big deal).

Returned to ECHL Adirondack

Were recalled a while ago, now sent back.
Tag Bertuzzi - Recalled 10/31 > sent down 12/10 as a result of Foote, Hardman and Bowers having been returned by NJ.
Jackson van de Leest - Recalled 11/26 (stayed around after the 11/28 trade acquisition Osipov arrived, but Vilen was injured so Jackson was still the 7th D > sent down 12/10 meaning Vilen is ready to go.

Were sent down a while ago and returned for 2 days (practice?) then sent right back down.
Josh Filmon - Sent down 11/13 < Called up 12/8 > Sent back down 12/10
Dylan Wendt - Sent down 11/17 < Called up 12/8 > Sent back down 12/10


Already knew about
Legare - returned from NJ 12/10


Daws tweaked something in practice 12/1
Brennan recalled 12/4

Poulter - recalled to NJ 12/10

Right now Utica has 1 goalie in house unless Daws is better, but not worth chancing a call to NJ because of the tweak.

12/10/24 - NONE

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

I hope you are not posting his stats as a sign of good work of good work.

Casey has played 15 games. He has 15 points and is also a +2. Casey takes care of business in both ends. He takes the puck on his own in the O-zone and looks to set someone up and or shoots the puck almost always on goal. However, when he goes deep he also seems to get back defensively not causing Misyul (his usual partner to have to take on the rush without him. This is not a consistent description of Nemec when he goes on the offense. He is much more apt to go rogue.

Casey is also working very hard at taking on net front hangers with physicality in spite of his size differential. Nemec does not try to be physical. In fact he is more oftten on the end of physicality.

Casey wins a lot of board battles or at least holds on until he gets help. He is masterful at avoiding the fore check when he has the puck and getting passes up the ice in those situations. Often he ends up coming away from the checker and skating the puck into open space and either headmans it from there or actually leads the rush until he has a mate in a better position whom he passes it to or carries it in and may go all the way to the goal line always looking to pass or dumps it deep if he doesn't have space to penetrate the zone and doesn't have pen help. He doesn't try to force passes. He has been playing a safe offensive game since he got here.

Last season when he got sent down for a bit, he acted bitch slapped. It was like he felt he didn't belong here. That attitude came with him again. However, I don't think it has lasted, but his work ethic could still be better. He is not the best guy on the ice, but often attempts things that only the best guy could actually pull off. He will make dumb passes that sitting in the stands I know he is going to attempt and silently beg him not to do. That leads to turnovers and often serious goal chances for the opponent. He causes his keeper to come up big when it never had to happen. Like I said, Casey plays it safe in nhis end. His goal is to get the puck going the other way, like a good D-man does.

I really hope Fitz holds onto this kid. His attitude is nothing but positive about being here. He has stated he knows NJ has a very good D. He needs to do everything he can to improve every aspect of his game while working hard at what he wasn't doing so well in NJ while he was there. He is working extra hard to accomplish what NJ told him he has to do to be an NHL D-man.

Nemec on the other hand seems to play like he thinks he's got it all covered. I think he needs to mature. He has always been the man in his country, especially in international competition. He's not used to taking a back seat and he's not the man in the NHL by a long shot.

NJ has 2 very young outstanding NHL D-prospects in Casey and Nemec. Both will turn 21 in the 1st 2 months of 2025. If they can keep their heads on straight and bide their time, the NHL is in their future. Right now, Casey is playing that way. Nemec often does not.

Thank you for the informative write-ups. Unfortunately, a lot of this tracks with what I saw in the NHL during the end of last season and into this year with Nemec. Sounds like he needs a bit of a wake up call.

Glad to hear Casey is treating this development opportunity with the urgency it deserves. Kid is going to be a whale of a player.

@dgibb10 the above is exactly what I'm talking about, and why I favor Casey over Nemec.

 

[Bad Goalie]

12/11/24 - NONE

 

[Bad Goalie]

AHL.com lists Colton White as recalled by NJ. Paper move?

Otherwise you've got to be shi**ing me.

This move for real would make Nemec totally lose his mind.

 

[Devils731]

AHL.com lists Colton White as recalled by NJ. Paper move?

Otherwise you've got to be shi**ing me.

This move for real would make Nemec totally lose his mind.

DeSimone was sent down yesterday, White is the new guy not playing NHL games.

 

[Bad Goalie]

DeSimone was sent down yesterday, White is the new guy not playing NHL games.

A-h-h-h, I see it now.

DeSimone back in Utica and Colton White recalled to NJ.

In other changes:
Tyler Brennan was sent back to Adirondack.

Jeremy Brodeur was called up to Utica.

Still no word on Daws. That makes Brodeur the only healthy keeper according to released info.

That would mean one thing or another. Either Daws will be ready to play on Saturday or Allen will be back for the Devils and Poulter will be sent back.

The crazier outcome will be Brennan is recalled and he and Brodeur will be the keepers for the Comets on Saturday.

 

[Bad Goalie]

12/12/2024 - NONE

 

[RNCDevil]

Conor Sheary is in the AHL? Wow. 7:53pm, 1-0 Syracuse Crunch beating Utica.

 

[tailfins]

Conor Sheary is in the AHL? Wow. 7:53pm, 1-0 Syracuse Crunch beating Utica.

And it holds up. 1-0 final.

I'm only looking at the box score, but I don't understand how Daws doesn't get a star. Winning goalie gets 1st star. Player scoring GWG gets second star. Fine. But, seems like third star should go to losing goalie in a 1-0 loss?

Anyway - nice to see Daws with what seems like a good effort. 22 saves on 23 shots.

Edit: heck of a play by Sheary to score

 

[Bad Goalie]

12/14/2024

Utica Comets @ Syracuse Crunch

Forwards:
(79) Laberge (16) Engaras (11) Legare
(25) Foote (26) Schmelzer (24) Halonen
(39) Hardman (67) Parent (34) Beckman
(5) Gambardella (15) Bowers (61) Stillman

D-Pairs:
(93) Misyul (57) DeSimone
(83) Vilen (17) Nemec
(3) MacKinnon (22) Casey

Goal - (50) Daws

Period 1

TV TO
13:57
Thus far no SOG for either team.

Laberge and Vilen in 2 on 1 and Vilen misplayed a perfect pass in a good scoring position.

11:06 and Vilen gets the first SOG for either team.

7:40 to go and the SOG are 1-1.

6:21 to go and the SOG are 2-2.

High shot hits Daws in the neck and hes hurting. Refs call a
TV TO.
4:59 to go
SOG 3-2 Crunch

Crunch score on their 6th shot of the period. The shot hit somebody in front and deflected slowly up into the air to the left of Daws and Cleary skating past the post reached out and tapped it into the net just below the level of the cross bar.

Crunch 1-0
18:27

Period 1 finish (1:33) will precede the 2nd period start.

1st Period SOG are 8-3 Crunch.

They are Comets are sent to the locker room as the stuffed animals flood the ice.

Period 2
Nothing came of the 1:33 left in the first. Horn went and they lined up to face off for Period 2.

Nothing came of Period 2, but MacKinnon was called for Cross-checking at 19:45 so the3 Comet will start the 3rd on the PK.

SOG
12-8 Utica
2-period total 16-15 Crunch.

Period 3

MacKinnon is in the box for 1:45 to start the period.
Comets kill it.

Stillman hit the crossbar from the high slot as the penalty was expiring.

Parent moved in on Halverson and shot form the bottom of the right circle and it glanced off the mask and went out of play.

2 near misses that may be the difference in this one.

Syracuse wraparound goes off the far post. Daws lost his stick and mads a save to stop play without it.

The refs have swallowed their whistles. Infractions are being committed on the part of both sides and are ignored by the zebras.

Schmelzer from inside the right circle hits the post.

TVTO
4:31 to go
I don't feel good about this one. Icing Utica
3:46 to go

Syracuse forechecking hard and the Comets can't get out.
2:15 to go and they can muster nothing.

Syracuse Icing 1:54 to go.
Daws is off.

1 minute to go.

Comets have yet to get a shot, in that 3:46.

Nemec in front in the last 10 seconds and is stooped and Halverson covers it. .08 seconds to go.

This one is over even though there is yet to be a faceoff to Halverson's left.. Crunch win the draw.

Comets lose this one 1-0.

Comets new losing streak at 3.
5-13-1-2

12/13/2024 - NONE

12/14/2024 - NONE

 

[devilsblood]

And it holds up. 1-0 final.

I'm only looking at the box score, but I don't understand how Daws doesn't get a star. Winning goalie gets 1st star. Player scoring GWG gets second star. Fine. But, seems like third star should go to losing goalie in a 1-0 loss?

Anyway - nice to see Daws with what seems like a good effort. 22 saves on 23 shots.

Edit: heck of a play by Sheary to score

Daws back to a somewhat respectable .900 save%. Would like so to see the splits, First 20 Utica games vs second 20.

Have to think Nemec and Casey have helped the goalies.

 

[Bad Goalie]

12/15/2024 - NONE

 

[barriers]

edit: 4 hours later

 

[Bad Goalie]

Did Daws even go to NJ, for practice maybe just to get an up close look, or was it just paper movement?

 

[Bad Goalie]

12/16/2024 - NONE

 

[Bad Goalie]

12/17/2024 - NONE

 

[Bad Goalie]

The Comets recalled Jackson van de Leest from Adirondack yesterday. Hope that doesn't mean someone is down. Maybe just because they are in Cleveland tonight and tomorrow they wanted a couple extra D.

Casey
Nemec
DeSimone
Misyul
Vilen
MacKinnon

Osipov
van de Leest

Can't see a need for either of them on the roster, but taking both of them to Cleveland doesn't make sense.

 

[My3Sons]

The Comets recalled Jackson van de Leest from Adirondack yesterday. Hope that doesn't mean someone is down. Maybe just because they are in Cleveland tonight and tomorrow they wanted a couple extra D.

Casey
Nemec
DeSimone
Misyul
Vilen
MacKinnon

Osipov
van de Leest

Can't see a need for either of them on the roster, but taking both of them to Cleveland doesn't make sense.

So the young defenders are fairly talented. They should be well above the average. the only dud in the group is MacKinnon. But they don't seem to be doing much to lift the play of the team other than Casey. To me this is almost as disappointing as the team not adding real centers.