Awesome summary, Woodchuck. You really hit on so many of the main things. For what it's worth, some of my thoughts as a former STH who still follows the Monsters closely:
If you're heading up for a game, expect to be blown away a bit. By the size of the Jumbotron first, but also just by the game presentation. The Cavs allot all their resources to the Monsters, so you get major league production in a major league venue at a minor league game. It can be kind of an assault on your senses at times, with the music cranked and lots of "make some noise" prompts. I know some traditionalists hate it, but I'm a fan. That's what works these days and gets the casual fans in the seats, and you need that to survive in the minors. Lots of promos and promo jerseys, too.
Weekend games are so much more entertaining that weekday ones. The crowds vary so much, and it truly is a weekend league. The energy level is so much higher if you are there on a Friday or Saturday, when 12k crowds aren't unusual. Fortunately, the Monsters seem to have surprisingly high priority in scheduling at The Q and get plenty of these dates.
Seats, I go for club level sidelines all the way. Gives me the perfect view of everything. It's also where they put the cameras and the announcers.
Like Woodchuck mentioned, I'd expect Jock Callander to join the assistant coaching ranks. He's a Cleveland hockey legend - IHL all-time scoring champ with seven years as a Lumberjacks player and one as an assistant, worked for the AHL Barons front office after that, and then started up with Monsters too. He's not behind the bench for every game, as he will join Plagens and do color commentary when the team is on television. No way will he be leaving the Monsters or Cleveland.
Plagens is a solid play-by-play guy, in my opinion. He seems to do his homework and gets into the game at an appropriate level, without any excessive homerism. My biggest complaint is the injury report. Could be a Colorado thing, I'm not sure, but the team is maddeningly vague on injuries. The most you will ever get is UBI or LBI. Guys have had season-ending surgery or a major injury that they have freely tweeted about, yet the team won't acknowledge it as anything more than that general distinction. Kind of insulting at times.
Newspaper coverage is pretty lousy. Occasionally they will get a devoted news and notes type article, but those are few and far between. I actually think it has gotten worse as the attendance has gone up, somehow. I feel like the Blue Jackets alliance might help sow the seeds of change there (fingers crossed).
