Minnesota 2023-2024 Affiliates Thread (Iowa Wild, Iowa Heartlanders)

[Sweetnut]

Iowa has their first game tonight at 7pm, and another tomorrow at 6. This weekend is free viewing on AHLTV.

Who´s their opponents? Do any players in Iowa´s lineup have a real chance to see playing time in NHL above 4th line bruiser level?

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

Who´s their opponents? Do any players in Iowa´s lineup have a real chance to see playing time in NHL above 4th line bruiser level?

Defense and goalie are way more interesting than the forwards down there, as far as possible NHL futures go.

Next year, forwards will catch up if all of Yurov, Khusnutdinov and Ohgren come over.

 

[57special]

Who´s their opponents? Do any players in Iowa´s lineup have a real chance to see playing time in NHL above 4th line bruiser level?

Henderson Silver Knights, VGK affiliate.

-Wallstedt is a likely #1 NHL starter.

- Lambos a top 4D possibility. Hunt, ROR, and Spacek will likely play NHL games. Masters is a bit of a mystery, but he blew up last year in the WHL. A very young D group.

- Beckman will likely play in the NHL. IMO, he needs to fill out, and get smarter, but he has a definable talent(shot), good length(6'2", and decent speed. Walker, arguably earned a spot on the NHL team this year with his performance both last year and in both camps, but the Cap situation doesn't allow keeping him around as a 13th forward. Fast, exciting, offensive player. Mikey Milne really came on towards the end of last year, but is injured now...don't know how badly. He might not have the skill to be a top 6'er, but he is fast, smart, and plays both ways.

 

[Sweetnut]

Henderson Silver Knights, VGK affiliate.

-Wallstedt is a likely #1 NHL starter.

- Lambos a top 4D possibility. Hunt, ROR, and Spacek will likely play NHL games. Masters is a bit of a mystery, but he blew up last year in the WHL. A very young D group.

- Beckman will likely play in the NHL. IMO, he needs to fill out, and get smarter, but he has a definable talent(shot), good length(6'2", and decent speed. Walker, arguably earned a spot on the NHL team this year with his performance both last year and in both camps, but the Cap situation doesn't allow keeping him around as a 13th forward. Fast, exciting, offensive player. Mikey Milne really came on towards the end of last year, but is injured now...don't know how badly. He might not have the skill to be a top 6'er, but he is fast, smart, and plays both ways.

Thank you very much for taking the time for such an informative reply. I have little to no knowledge of the AHL or Iowa as far as quality of play goes or who the stars of the leauge is, but I will try to catch some game this season to get an idea at least.
Thanks again.

 

[57special]

They will have a brand new coaching staff this year, which, IMO, will be a good thing. Might take a while for his systems to take root, though.

 

[Jbcraig1883]

Game just started. Bankier out until mid-November and Milne out until second half...Masters healthy scratch.

This weekend's AHL games are free to stream.

 

[Jbcraig1883]

Lambos had a pretty rough shift. Was up a bit too far and then made a bad pass in own zone which led to a scoring chance.

 

[Jbcraig1883]

Iowa outplaying Henderson for most of first until Johansson takes a penalty. Start of PK was pretty good but then they got scored on. Wallstedt was screened.

 

[Jbcraig1883]

Spacek just missed an open net but may have been deflected. ROR has looked very good imo. Solid outlet passes and strong positioning. Lambos had a couple of great passes last shift as well.

And Lucchini tipped a ROR shot to tie the game.

 

[Jbcraig1883]

Period 1 ends 1-1. Overall, young dmen look good...raw, but good. Both teams look a little sloppy but thats expected for first regular season game. Wallstedt gave up some rebounds but was positionally sound. Didn't have a chance to see the shot that went in.

 

[57special]

Lettierri, Petan, and Walker can’t seem to get anything going so far.

 

[Jbcraig1883]

Missed Henderson's goal. Spacek just had a nice shot on goal that caused a juicy rebound.

ROR with nice keep in at blueline and then a great shot on net.

 

[Obvious Fabertism]

Missed Henderson's goal. Spacek just had a nice shot on goal that caused a juicy rebound.

ROR with nice keep in at blueline and then a great shot on net.

It was a cross crease 2 on 1 on the power play, no real chance for Wallstedt. He did have an interesting play immediately before it, went for an adventure behind the net shorthanded, and did it effectively.

Fights galore, zero flow at all to this game.

 

[Jbcraig1883]

2nd period was a bit crazy with some fights, stoppages, etc. Top line, as mentioned above, not showing much. Not going to tough areas like they were in Wild's exhibition. Lambos, Hunt, and Spacek all had some good plays and some rough plays, but you can see the potential in all of them. O'Leary and Lucchini best forwards that period, imo.

 

[thestonedkoala]

Ouch, Wally didn't have a great outing.

 

[57special]

Bad game last night. Wild started out well, but took a whole bunch of penalties(a recurring theme from last year), which prevented them from developing anything. First line bad, Beckman scored on a nice shot, but was otherwise stuck on a line with Khaira(who was mediocre). Defense was ok...Lambos looked vg at times, but made a couple of bad decisions. I think he is still adjusting to the AHL. Hunt and ROR were decent. ROR is looking to be more confident.

The refereeing was horrible. Not just the calls(including noncalls), but managing the game. Took forever to get penalties/clock/benches sorted out. Real amateur hour.

Wallstedt wasn't as bad as the numbers made him look. Henderson was outshot, but it seemed like their chances were much better than Iowa's. Iowa's PK was pretty bad. They miss Milne, and maybe even Fogarty.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

Bad game last night. Wild started out well, but took a whole bunch of penalties(a recurring theme from last year), which prevented them from developing anything. First line bad, Beckman scored on a nice shot, but was otherwise stuck on a line with Khaira(who was mediocre). Defense was ok...Lambos looked vg at times, but made a couple of bad decisions. I think he is still adjusting to the AHL. Hunt and ROR were decent. ROR is looking to be more confident.

The refereeing was horrible. Not just the calls(including noncalls), but managing the game. Took forever to get penalties/clock/benches sorted out. Real amateur hour.

Wallstedt wasn't as bad as the numbers made him look. Henderson was outshot, but it seemed like their chances were much better than Iowa's. Iowa's PK was pretty bad. They miss Milne, and maybe even Fogarty.

A fair deduction I'd say, since it was his first AHL game.

 

[Sweetnut]

I was able to catch some of the last 15 minutes in the third. Oh man, it was some rough hockey. The overall skill level of the players was below mediocre and the play itself was more of a bunch of people gathering along the boards digging, trying to get a piece of the puck. As far as the production level of the broadcast - well, there is much room for improvement. The sound was horrrible, like from an empty can. and the constant zooming in of random annoying kids making faces in the crowd sent me to youtube watching old clips of Slave Raiders reunion show in the 90`s

 

[57special]

I was able to catch some of the last 15 minutes in the third. Oh man, it was some rough hockey. The overall skill level of the players was below mediocre and the play itself was more of a bunch of people gathering along the boards digging, trying to get a piece of the puck. As far as the production level of the broadcast - well, there is much room for improvement. The sound was horrrible, like from an empty can. and the constant zooming in of random annoying kids making faces in the crowd sent me to youtube watching old clips of Slave Raiders reunion show in the 90`s

Yeah, the incessant crowd shots, and lack of decent replays, are reasons not to watch, for sure.

 

[Obvious Fabertism]

Yeah, the incessant crowd shots, and lack of decent replays, are reasons not to watch, for sure.

Like Sweetnut, it’s not my personal cup of tea, but I do appreciate you (and all others!) watching and giving updates on the AHL team and specifically the standouts with NHL potential.

 

[Jbcraig1883]

Missed most of the third last night but I forgot to say that I thought ROR was the best overall D man last night. He doesn't have that offensive touch in terms of pinching in but he made a lot of smart plays, was good in own zone, smart passes, and got 2 or 3 shots on net (one of which was tipped for a goal). I am publicly eating crow since I criticized him after the prospect showcase and his exhibition games.

Yikes, Henderson scores 39 seconds into game. Pretty sure it was a turnover after a lazy attempt at a breakout.

 

[Jbcraig1883]

And 2-0. Defensive breakdown with ROR, his partner and the forward...

 

[Jbcraig1883]

And 3-0. Unsure if that was a weak goal but their d coverage has been terrible...

I think I will just be watching Wild for rest of the way...

 

[Jbcraig1883]

Just checked score and Iowa down 6-2. 6 goals on 12 shots....

 

[Jbcraig1883]

Wild down 6-3 and on PP. Lambos overhandles puck for about 15 seconds, then turns it over at blue line, then takes a penalty.