Toggle sidebar

Ontario Reign 2017/2018

  • Work is still on-going to rebuild the site styling and features. Please report any issues you may experience so we can look into it. Click Here for Updates
Any reign/Kings fans wish to provide an update on how Austin Wagner has looked in his infant AHL career thusfar?
 
BrettM said:
Any reign/Kings fans wish to provide an update on how Austin Wagner has looked in his infant AHL career thusfar?
Click to expand...
Overall, very average to slightly disappointing adjusting to the pro game. He has 6 points in 21 games, and has bounced around the line up from the 1st line all the way to the 4th. He is very aggressive physically which surprised me a bit. Not afraid to mix it up, and even destroyed someone pretty good in a fight the other day. He hasn't really learned to use his speed yet in the pro game, trying to make moves instead of north/south sometimes. My biggest concern is the puck does not seem to be on his stick often. Some players always seemed to be involved in the play or have the puck on their stick. So far, he is not one of them. I expect him to improve with experience of course, but just upon the initial breaking into the ranks, likely 2 full seasons in the AHL before he is seriously looked at. Besides Mersch who could play at the next level as a limited role-player at best, no one at the forward position playing on the Reign is ready. The next closest is Luff, and he is also likely 2 years before he gets a serious look if at all. Of the new guys, Luff>Wagner right now, and Imama is an enigma. Of the D prospects on the Reign right now that have not had any NHL time, I like Roy the best, but not really any A grade prospects on the team.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Basilisk, BallPointHammer and Nickster
regulate said:
Click to expand...


That was Ryan Miller on the PXP, filling in for Aaron Sims. Ryan was the game day host a few years ago and works on a rock station in Milwaukee. I thought that the Reign was a good skating team that controlled the neutral zone and choked off the Ads offense. You don't really get that from these highlights. I also thought that they got away with a lot of clutch and grab behind the play. One of the two refs would not call anything during the game.

I was sitting near that net that was knocked off by Lindback. I thought he was going to get a delay of game penalty. I think the refs decided that the play was dead after the goal, so no call. I have been going to pro games since 1964 and don't remember a goalie knocking over a net from behind.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Rekingsfan17


Reign with one of their best games of the year tonight from top to bottom, especially with most of their higher end talent now up with the Kings. They went with 7D, and it seemed to work better, benching ECHL center Ward. Couple of very nice goals for Mersch, who now has 18 on the season. Nice passes by Luff and Roy to set up goals.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Vino
regulate said:
Overall, very average to slightly disappointing adjusting to the pro game. He has 6 points in 21 games, and has bounced around the line up from the 1st line all the way to the 4th. He is very aggressive physically which surprised me a bit. Not afraid to mix it up, and even destroyed someone pretty good in a fight the other day. He hasn't really learned to use his speed yet in the pro game, trying to make moves instead of north/south sometimes. My biggest concern is the puck does not seem to be on his stick often. Some players always seemed to be involved in the play or have the puck on their stick. So far, he is not one of them. I expect him to improve with experience of course, but just upon the initial breaking into the ranks, likely 2 full seasons in the AHL before he is seriously looked at. Besides Mersch who could play at the next level as a limited role-player at best, no one at the forward position playing on the Reign is ready. The next closest is Luff, and he is also likely 2 years before he gets a serious look if at all. Of the new guys, Luff>Wagner right now, and Imama is an enigma. Of the D prospects on the Reign right now that have not had any NHL time, I like Roy the best, but not really any A grade prospects on the team.
Click to expand...


The "other" W prospect, Spencer Watson, recently became a point-per-game player in the ECHL: Manchester Monarchs: Statistics

Maybe Watson & Wagner should swap places, at least for the time being?

Speaking of being a point-per-game player in the ECHL, achieving this feat did not help Maxim Kitsyn in the least. The dude went to Russia and played FOUR games last season. When last I checked, he'd played in only 12 games this season. Looks like the dude's a designated healthy scratch. Oh well. I guess some peeps just refuse to work hard.....


Also.....



What the Hell happened to Auger's game? He's a near-nothing on the stat sheet, except for his glaring -15!!!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Rekingsfan17
Basilisk said:
The "other" W prospect, Spencer Watson, recently became a point-per-game player in the ECHL: Manchester Monarchs: Statistics

Maybe Watson & Wagner should swap places, at least for the time being?

What the Hell happened to Auger's game? He's a near-nothing on the stat sheet, except for his glaring -15!!!
Click to expand...

It would be a huge mistake to swap Watson and Wagner. Wagner has the physical abilities and speed to play in the AHL, just need some time to figure out the pro game. Watson's best chance is to try and make the Reign next year. It's very possible neither will ever play in the NHL, although Wagner has the better chance. Auger's game has declined every year, and he has been relegated to lower lines, however, with Amadio and Brodzinski up, he has been getting some 2nd line time now. I've always said he is not an NHL player, and I continue to hold that belief. In fact, I would not be surprised if he doesn't get another NHL contract even though he is only 23.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Rekingsfan17


Wagner's speed on full display. The separation that he gets from the backchecking Condor and Mersch is ridiculous.
 
Last edited:
Per Cap Friendly this morning, they reminded us that Mersch and Crescenzi will become group VI UFA's at the end of the season and free to sign with any team due to their age, pro seasons, and lack of NHL games. Also potentially in that group is Keven Gravel. Gravel must play 12 more NHL games by the end of the season for the Kings to retain his rights, otherwise he is also a group VI UFA.
 
Over the decades Group VI UFA rarely make much difference for either the team losing them or the team signing them. Disappointing that it looks like Gravel isn't even going to be a third pairing guy.
 
Raccoon Jesus said:
What in the hell? Why?
Click to expand...
The problem is AEG no longer runs CBBA, so the Reign are having issues with scheduling practices. They really have no control, and they practice often at public rinks in Ontario and Riverside. I can understand the frustration for a pro team not having the consistency of a location with all the facilities. Going to be very expensive for these kids to rent there though (if this happens), and they bus ride to work is going to get tiresome.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Raccoon Jesus
Reign with a very solid game today to end a 3 game losing streak and snap the Gulls 8 game winning streak. A couple of positive notes on prospects. I thought Austin Wagner had his best game as a pro. Very solid on both sides of the puck, physical, made smart plays and a couple of real nice passes for assists. Getting better every game. He played the 1st line LW with Sutter and Moulson. Also nice to Watson score his first AHL goal. Watson looked 100% more confident than he did at the start of the AHL season. Smart move by management to have him play most of the season in the ECHL to build his confidence. He looked like he belonged tonight, his second game back with the Reign. He tallied a goal and an assist in those 2 games. Also, there is this, the incredible Wagner speed.

 
  • Like
Reactions: KingTrouty, BallPointHammer, Frolov 6'3 and 1 other person
Everytime when I watch those highlights I notice Lintuniemi in a positive way.

Pretty mobile for a big defender.

@ regulate, is it absolute out of the question this guy will ever get a call up?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Ad

Upcoming events

Ad

Top Bottom