Moose Season Discussion

[voyageur]

Should be noted that Toninato currently leads the Moose with 5 goals. Second is career AHL/ECHLer Tyson Empey with 4, then a slough of players with 3.

 

[Crocket]

If the Jets continue to struggle to score, especially the 2nd line, which they have, I'd slide Lambert in over Names. His speed with Ehlers might be interesting.

 

[Shlep]

If the Jets continue to struggle to score, especially the 2nd line, which they have, I'd slide Lambert in over Names. His speed with Ehlers might be interesting.

Lambert's already struggling to score at the AHL level, not sure he'd fare much better on the Jets.

 

[Crocket]

Lambert's already struggling to score at the AHL level, not sure he'd fare much better on the Jets.

He was sick for a few games. He plays with pugs down there. Sometimes with better players, skilled guys shine.

 

[surixon]

The Moose have just not been very good this year.

 

[blueandgoldguy]

Geez 7-1...at home. That's terrible. I don't know..playing that bad, you have to think it's a combination of a terrible roster and bad coaching. If this keeps up, they should fire the coach.

 

[Samus]

Should be noted that Toninato currently leads the Moose with 5 goals. Second is career AHL/ECHLer Tyson Empey with 4, then a slough of players with 3.

I’ve said it before many times but Hershey does it the best. They bring in the right career AHL guys to develop their prospects. With the group we have this year there’s no reason why the Jets shouldn’t have invested on a top tier AHL vet or two. We don’t even dress the max for vets either. This is no disrespect to the Toninato’s/Shaw’s/Jonsson-Fjallby/Sautner’s.

 

[surixon]

I’ve said it before many times but Hershey does it the best. They bring in the right career AHL guys to develop their prospects. With the group we have this year there’s no reason why the Jets shouldn’t have invested on a top tier AHL vet or two. We don’t even dress the max for vets either. This is no disrespect to the Toninato’s/Shaw’s/Jonsson-Fjallby/Sautner’s.

I agree. We needed some better support for our kids.

 

[JetsFan815]

I’ve said it before many times but Hershey does it the best. They bring in the right career AHL guys to develop their prospects. With the group we have this year there’s no reason why the Jets shouldn’t have invested on a top tier AHL vet or two. We don’t even dress the max for vets either. This is no disrespect to the Toninato’s/Shaw’s/Jonsson-Fjallby/Sautner’s.

Moose have followed that template in past seasons having good veteran players to surround prospects- Cormier, De Salvo, Logan Shaw, Seth Griffith, Capobianco types. I think they were going for the same thing this season but their veteren depth has been more "role player" types. On D esp there's not much depth there, my guess is that Fluery and Coghlan were signed with those Moose roles in mind but injuries have hampered that.

 

[voyageur]

Moose have followed that template in past seasons having good veteran players to surround prospects- Cormier, De Salvo, Logan Shaw, Seth Griffith, Capobianco types. I think they were going for the same thing this season but their veteren depth has been more "role player" types. On D esp there's not much depth there, my guess is that Fluery and Coghlan were signed with those Moose roles in mind but injuries have hampered that.

I think you are seeing a team with very limited prospects. You have 3 good ones but there is zero chemistry with Lambert and Chibrikov so you have to split them up. Lucius is down, Zhilkin is down, on defense Lundmark is injured and that's your second tier of prospects.

I think this year is the end of the road for Bauer, Torgersson and Nikkanen with the org and you'll get a fresh batch of CHL prospects next year and the year following to work with. If Freij arrives when Salomonsson departs might still be looking for some defensive prospects to build with.

I think Coghlan was the only one who was going to get sent down and he might have helped Anhorn start his career. Any more vets would put the Moose over the limit. But end of the day there are 7 AHL contracts on last night's roster and that's because the Jets are putting so few picks into the system year in year out. Imagine how bad it would be if Copp hadn't been traded in a non playoff year.

Seeing a guy like JAD who had such a promising camp now at 0s, -8 in 6 games, there seems to be something fundamentally wrong with the Moose.
Maybe the good news is if they suck this year Jets can promote a couple of black aces, prospects for the playoffs.

 

[Boonk]

I’ve said it before many times but Hershey does it the best. They bring in the right career AHL guys to develop their prospects. With the group we have this year there’s no reason why the Jets shouldn’t have invested on a top tier AHL vet or two. We don’t even dress the max for vets either. This is no disrespect to the Toninato’s/Shaw’s/Jonsson-Fjallby/Sautner’s.

Its pretty miserable seeing what the Moose AHL product has become. I grew up going to sold out Moose games pre-Jets return and remember the atmosphere being pretty similar to your everyday Jets game now. Winnipeg was right there with Hershey as one of the top AHL destinations for free agents some years and they were competitive because of it. Now TNSE is sitting there content on the Moose just being the farm team that draws flies and gets flogged.

 

[surixon]

Its pretty miserable seeing what the Moose AHL product has become. I grew up going to sold out Moose games pre-Jets return and remember the atmosphere being pretty similar to your everyday Jets game now. Winnipeg was right there with Hershey as one of the top AHL destinations for free agents some years and they were competitive because of it. Now TNSE is sitting there content on the Moose just being the farm team that draws flies and gets flogged.

There mantra has changed and it's all about development by keeping the top spots open for your top prospects. I definitely get that but I also think you need some good vets to play with them and show them the ropes.

I also question if the current coach is right for the job. I thought Vincent did a great job of balancing those two principles but haven't been overly happy with the work of the new guy.

 

[Whileee]

A "draft and develop" team can't afford to have a tire fire AHL team. It won't be a good development environment for the handful of bona fide NHL prospects. The vets brought in have been abysmal. Zinger needs to do better and turn things around.

 

[flin flon bombers]

Lambert's already struggling to score at the AHL level, not sure he'd fare much better on the Jets.

I don't know if I agree but you could be right,but my beef is how cheap chipman is,why not get some career ahl stars.its hard to build morale and momentum that young players can thrive from.chapman was a nice fit because he understood his role and provided professionalism and leadership for ahlers,this moose team has zero identity but I don't watch them just from people who do.i rather have the moose gone and the winnipeg clubs back.

 

[surixon]

I don't know if I agree but you could be right,but my beef is how cheap chipman is,why not get some career ahl stars.its hard to build morale and momentum that young players can thrive from.chapman was a nice fit because he understood his role and provided professionalism and leadership for ahlers,this moose team has zero identity but I don't watch them just from people who do.i rather have the moose gone and the winnipeg clubs back.

I don't think it's about being cheap, we have a $1 million goalie in the AHL and Toninato and AJF are making big cash to play there. To me it's they got the wrong type of vets.

We have vets that are able to be plugged and played into the fourth line, but we don't have AHL vets that can play a Cerebral skilled game to play with Lambert and Chibrikov.

Coughlan was likely supposed to be the high skilled vet AHL dmen to help the team like Capo last year, but injuries have impacted that.

 

[voyageur]

A "draft and develop" team can't afford to have a tire fire AHL team. It won't be a good development environment for the handful of bona fide NHL prospects. The vets brought in have been abysmal. Zinger needs to do better and turn things around.

For the Jets I think they are still a draft and develop team, but expending so many picks has stalled the development process. Where you are rushing 18 and 19 year olds onto the roster because there isn't a lot going on. I thought it was interesting the Jets chose not to sign Julien and Levis this year to put them on the Moose after strong camps, but maybe Zhilkin's slow start scared them away from that plan. Although I think Zhilkin was brought in to help Chibrikov adapt to North America. And it's funny how the rules work because Yager is 4 days too late from being Moose eligible this year.

But I think it's a transition year, where some of the ELC prospects who didn't pan out move along. next year you have Yager, Barlow, Julien and Levis who are all having decent seasons coming in, and maybe as a result of the past 2 drafts you see a quicker paced CHL style of play up front going forward. The one I wonder about is having Freij and Salomonsson play a season together on the Moose, where you develop a chemistry that could be a key to success in the future. The Jets, Arniel specifically wanted Salomonsson to start the process last year, but there was the consideration of having his family get to watch him play in the World Juniors. I think for any overseas player there's a transition to playing on smaller ice.

I don't imagine it's any easier for the Moose to attract free agents, the high priced ones you probably prefer warmer cities with less travel. You can get guys like Seth Griffith, who can score, but you need good teammates too, on and off the ice. Losing Capobianco and Heinola on defense and not replacing them is probably their biggest hole right now.

 

[Whileee]

For the Jets I think they are still a draft and develop team, but expending so many picks has stalled the development process. Where you are rushing 18 and 19 year olds onto the roster because there isn't a lot going on. I thought it was interesting the Jets chose not to sign Julien and Levis this year to put them on the Moose after strong camps, but maybe Zhilkin's slow start scared them away from that plan. Although I think Zhilkin was brought in to help Chibrikov adapt to North America. And it's funny how the rules work because Yager is 4 days too late from being Moose eligible this year.

But I think it's a transition year, where some of the ELC prospects who didn't pan out move along. next year you have Yager, Barlow, Julien and Levis who are all having decent seasons coming in, and maybe as a result of the past 2 drafts you see a quicker paced CHL style of play up front going forward. The one I wonder about is having Freij and Salomonsson play a season together on the Moose, where you develop a chemistry that could be a key to success in the future. The Jets, Arniel specifically wanted Salomonsson to start the process last year, but there was the consideration of having his family get to watch him play in the World Juniors. I think for any overseas player there's a transition to playing on smaller ice.

I don't imagine it's any easier for the Moose to attract free agents, the high priced ones you probably prefer warmer cities with less travel. You can get guys like Seth Griffith, who can score, but you need good teammates too, on and off the ice. Losing Capobianco and Heinola on defense and not replacing them is probably their biggest hole right now.

Don't really see that much in Julien or Levis at this point. They have some size but they are really going to struggle with the AHL pace.

 

[flin flon bombers]

I don't think it's about being cheap, we have a $1 million goalie in the AHL and Toninato and AJF are making big cash to play there. To me it's they got the wrong type of vets.

We have vets that are able to be plugged and played into the fourth line, but we don't have AHL vets that can play a Cerebral skilled game to play with Lambert and Chibrikov.

Coughlan was likely supposed to be the high skilled vet AHL dmen to help the team like Capo last year, but injuries have impacted that.

I will keep my chipman and cheapness out of the equation, but why are there no career ahl star playmakers on the team,wait until winter comes and we see the moose dip.but you have to spend to keep the stars from going to Europe and other ahl teams.

 

[voyageur]

Don't really see that much in Julien or Levis at this point. They have some size but they are really going to struggle with the AHL pace.

I think Julien is probably the best bet the Jets have to replace Adam Lowry who is going to lose a stride with age. Dale Hunter coaching should help his transition, in my opinion. If Levis can become an Appleton type, I'd be pretty happy with that as a 7th round pick, but that's probably exceedingly optimistic.

 

[MyNameIsTaken]

A "draft and develop" team can't afford to have a tire fire AHL team. It won't be a good development environment for the handful of bona fide NHL prospects. The vets brought in have been abysmal. Zinger needs to do better and turn things around.

Feels like we’d need a citation needed on the impact of a strong AHL team on prospect development and until then we could probably use a more measured take.

I too would like the moose to be doing better! I can’t imagine it needs to turn around now or else we are in dire straits, which is how I read that message.

Sorry in advance for being pedantic and pushy :p

 

[Whileee]

I think Julien is probably the best bet the Jets have to replace Adam Lowry who is going to lose a stride with age. Dale Hunter coaching should help his transition, in my opinion. If Levis can become an Appleton type, I'd be pretty happy with that as a 7th round pick, but that's probably exceedingly optimistic.

Lowry was a much, much better prospect than Julien. Lowry was the WHL player of the year with 40+ goals in his D+2 season. Julien is on pace for less than 40 points in his D+2 season.

So yes, exceedingly optimistic at this point.

Similarly, Appleton was much better as a prospect than Levis. Both are huge longshots for the NHL.

 

[Whileee]

Feels like we’d need a citation needed on the impact of a strong AHL team on prospect development and until then we could probably use a more measured take.

I too would like the moose to be doing better! I can’t imagine it needs to turn around now or else we are in dire straits, which is how I read that message.

Sorry in advance for being pedantic and pushy :p

Sure, it's just my take. But I worry that playing in a ton of meaningless games where they can't get anything going isn't a great situation for offensive prospects who need to learn how to produce at the pro level.

 

[HFNHLOilers]

Curiousity question, Salomossons production seems to be good for a first year NA dman in the AHL at a young age. Whats he looked like defensively, how long till you guyd think he might he an NHLer or atleast a shot

 

[Whileee]

Curiousity question, Salomossons production seems to be good for a first year NA dman in the AHL at a young age. Whats he looked like defensively, how long till you guyd think he might he an NHLer or atleast a shot

He's been the best D on his AHL team. He had a very strong NHL camp.

Defense is his forte, and is probably already good enough for the NHL. He's getting time in the AHL to develop his offense and puck handling, and has been improving quickly.

He'll be the first AHL call-up and I think he'll get some NHL games this season. He could be an NHL regular as early as next season. He's a really good prospect.

 

[voyageur]

Curiousity question, Salomossons production seems to be good for a first year NA dman in the AHL at a young age. Whats he looked like defensively, how long till you guyd think he might he an NHLer or atleast a shot

He's got a big fan in our head coach, who was formerly the d coach under Bowness. He was the very last cut in TC. Defensively he made significant improvements over the course of the preseason. He was still having some struggles with the smaller ice, and the speed at the next level, but improved with each game, it seemed. Getting sent to the farm has given him the opportunity to be on the top units for both the PP and PK, which he wouldn't have got on the Jets.

He could get a look this season, especially if the farm team is going nowhere. Realistically the Jets have been patient with developing d-men so it could be next year, and at the very least on the roster for 2026-2027