The Utica Comets | 2020-2021 Thread
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it was a joke
A-h-h-h-h, I get it. Benning all of a sudden after 7 years, almost 8, needs more time.
I'm still not laughing since the Comets are stumbling all over themselves to explain what's happening. Just give the world a daily update, what are you doing, and how will the players be prepared to play when it starts up again. The word is that they have not been practicing. You can't just run them back out there like nothing has happened.
Have to believe their numbers are down due to their COVID issues. Playing with serious manpower shortages just subjects players to greater harm. If you don't have the ability to ice a full roster then you you should consider other options:
Bring in other players and their ability to replace the AHL players they are in for is inconsequential at this point. ECHL is where they will have to come from and teams (Comets well documented) have done so for years.
Postpone a few more games until the team is ready to play.
Extend the season by a couple weeks to enable missed games to be made up. They have stated there will not be playoffs
anyways so what does it matter?
Can the season. When the Division you play in consists of 3 teams and 2 are beset with COVID cases, they continue to sporadically appear, and the postponed contests mount up, you are left with no other choice.
That has been my stance since he was named. Early on he was doing his job by watching Comets games onm TV in Ohio. I referred to him as the ghost GM. Eventually he made some appearances and finally became a fixture in Utica living in a hotel.
He doesn't appear to have much permission to acquire or trade for players as Lorne Henning did in his 2 seasons here.
Pat Conacher acquired the ECHL players during the season as needed due to injury and call-ups. He had a working relationship with most of the ECHL teams. He scoured the ECHL for the best he could find.
Then starting over the last 2 seasons Johnson made big media splashes by signing ECHL players to AHL contracts and stashing them in Kalamazoo for the purpose of AHL depth. Thus, the Comets were it seemed tied to only one ECHL team. However when those guys proved not to be up to par, Conacher went on the prowl again and got some better ones, Colton Saucerman being a prime example.
This season Conacher named to an amateur scouting position by the Canucks. That has left Johnson in charge. The Comets this season signed 2 players to AHL contracts and both were with the team last season, Vincent Arseneau and John Stevens.
All the rest of the players are signed by Vancouver. The only player he has brought in this season was forward Shawn Cameron. He was acquired from the ECHL Greenville Swamp Rabbits (Greenvile South Carolina) on 3/9 and wasn't available to dress on the 10th vs Rochester. The Comets game roster had 11 forwards (all they had available) and 1 D-man (Josh Wesley) playing up front and all 6 of the remaining d-men.
Cameron was sent back to Greenville on 3/24 meaning that the arrival of Sam Anas and the injured must make him expendable. That would mean the team has 13 forwards and 7 D-men. Why you would refuse to keep one extra forward, making 14 and acquiring another d-man to make 8 is beyond me. Especially the way they have been losing a player almost every game.
It would be Johnson who has to find the extras and it might be why they continue to be shorthanded. We also don't know who or how ready the COVID guys are.
NoRaise4Brackett
But Brackett!!!
No, it's about the Van doctors not being able to diagnose properly (going all the way back to Cody Hodgson) and the Canucks hiding what is wrong (Pettersson has been out "day-to-day" for like a month now) It makes pefect sense that this organization can't even get Covid protocols right. lol
UticaHockey
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Hansen
tyler motte simp
Have to think that the team continuing to practice and gather has not helped this situation one bit
UticaHockey
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Initially they held practice with a smaller group on the ice and kept the players isolated that were out with COVID protocols. I don't think they held any practices in at least a week.
Edit. I have no idea what their living situation is like this season. Players on two way NHL contracts and AHL contracts took huge pay cuts this year so instead of having two guys share an apartment you may now have four. Not ideal.
Fatass
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Benning should have moved the entire Utica team up here to play in the Canadian AHL. I think the Flames did that with their team. Had them play out of GM Place (or whatever the heck it’s called now; it will always be the garage) too.
There's a lot more that goes into that than the GM. I can understand why they didn't.
Fatass
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Calgary did.
Actually it’s time our AHL team plays here anyway. Utica is a great little hockey town, but it’s way too far and too difficult a trip.
None of us know what contracts and agreements are in place between ownership and Utica. If there were various opt-out dates, compensation, etc. It's the business side of things that we will never know. Maybe Calgary was willing to take the hit. Maybe there was no hit for them to take.
It really doesn't make that much of a difference where the AHL team plays. This year is definitely a factor but every other years there's only one or two instances where it comes up. As someone who lives in Abbotsford, I would love if the Canucks would put their AHL team here. I would become the new Bad Goalie. From a team perspective, there's not a big incentive.
Fatass
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Would be great for the local fans for sure to have the farm team here. I think the players, especially the goalies, could benefit from coaching. Plus, maybe we could see the young guys in the lineup more often? The travel from Utica to here is (apparently) really difficult. It might be the best for our overall club performance to have the kids here. Utica sounds like a great spot, but it’s just so far away. Cost of living is likely way less than here though. Maybe the players would prefer there?
Selfishly I would love for the AHL affiliate to play somewhere within a reasonable driving distance from the lower mainland. There are lots of reason pro and con that have already been discussed a lot. On balance it would come down to economics for the owners.
What gets a little lost in this discussion are the fans. I always feel a little uncomfortable with this conversation when it comes up because, as evidenced from this thread, there are a lot of Utica fans who are very loyal and invested in the team. It feels like we're trying to take something away from a town that has done nothing but support their local team. That said, because of such a good fan base in hockey I'm sure it wouldn't be long before a different affiliation would exist in Utica.
I just wonder what it would feel like for us in BC if, once the CFL and XFL merge and become the farm league for the NFL (something I think is inevitable), fans were always talking about moving the BC Lions to Florida to be closer to their parent affiliate Buccaneers (team selected at random, no inside knowledge
)
I love the fact that fans from Vancouver and New York (and, of course, a bunch of other cities and regions too) can get together and discuss teams with common interest.
What gets a little lost in this discussion are the fans. I always feel a little uncomfortable with this conversation when it comes up because, as evidenced from this thread, there are a lot of Utica fans who are very loyal and invested in the team. It feels like we're trying to take something away from a town that has done nothing but support their local team. That said, because of such a good fan base in hockey I'm sure it wouldn't be long before a different affiliation would exist in Utica.
I just wonder what it would feel like for us in BC if, once the CFL and XFL merge and become the farm league for the NFL (something I think is inevitable), fans were always talking about moving the BC Lions to Florida to be closer to their parent affiliate Buccaneers (team selected at random, no inside knowledge
) I love the fact that fans from Vancouver and New York (and, of course, a bunch of other cities and regions too) can get together and discuss teams with common interest.
The biggest factor is it's a 12 hour flight so emergency call-ups are difficult. You're not going to get much extra coaching as the coaches are already scheduled with the main roster. There's not a lot of off days. The distance has never been a problem before and the Canucks haven't had a problem getting younger players in the line-up in years past. The main difference is that the Utica Comets mean something as a local professional sports team while the Abbotsford Mini-Canucks would just be a place for amateur scouts to get material to post on forums and blogs. It insulates young guys from constant media and fan critique.
Here's an excerpt from a press release in 2018:
CANUCKS EXTEND AHL AFFILIATE DEAL WITH THE UTICA COMETS | Utica Comets Official Website
Essentially, they have a good thing going the positives don't outweigh the benefits. Maybe that all changes after this year and the perspective has shifted. Eventually management will change and maybe they have a different opinion on how the AHL team should be handled. Right now, I don't see a main reason to change anything.
Also, if the team was in Abbotsford it would have been shut down anyway. We have the second highest rate of covid cases in BC.
That wouldn't be nice. You do have the Canucks nearby. We would have nothing.
I would need intervention. no LOL
It's SUCH a hassle to get to Vancouver!
Honestly, I'm a big fan of supporting local sports teams in smaller communities. I would much rather the Comets stay put than come here. I know you'd be 1000x more invested than I ever would.
Also pretty selfish if you stop and think for a moment. I can only speak from what i have seen heard and got directly form players _______ They love it here. No hassles in the super market, restaurants, shopping centers, coffee shops, etc. Most people don't know who they are when they take off the helmets. So much of what they want to do and where they want to go is within walking distance of the arena or their place of lodging. What isn't is a 5 minute car ride.Most arrive in their own autos. Those that don't find the local auto dealers, particularly those that advertise the Hel lout of the arena are there to give them great lease deals without locking them into any time frames. These guys can be leaving at any moment and shouldn't have to be paying lease payments on vehicles they gave back. It's all taken care of up front.
Hamilton and Bancks did a thing in the city's main shopping mall. It was videoed and played between periods. They acted as the man in the street and asked people walking by if they were Utica Comets fans. They asked who their favorite player was. Then they asked them if they were familiar with the play of Wacey Hamilton and Carter Bancks. What did they think of their play? Would you know them if you ran into them in the mall? Most had no idea they were talking directly to those 2 guys.The degree of embarrassment in some of them was hilarious to watch.
Pepole say hello. A kid might ask for an autograph. People let them be while being very friendly and helpful as well. Visiting tams have nothing but good things to say about the facilities, the fans, the atmosphere, and the way they are treated in the community if staying for a day or 2. During the playoffs in 2015 the visiting teams were treated with the greatest hospitality. I was watching the Comets practice one morning. The Oklahoma City Barons had practiced earlier. I came out after the Comets finished and several players were kicking a soccer ball around on the plaza in front of the main entrance to the Aud. One of them headed it up onto the roof over the entrance just as I came out.
I jokingly said, "That's a little bit over the net." and laughed.
They laughed with me and added little digs along the lines of
"That's where his shots go in the games too." "Keep track of his shots in the games. You'll see we are right."
One of the players came over and started a conversation and wanted to know where they might catch a bite where the locals go within walking distance of the hotel. I gave them 3 options and easy directions, but told him you can ask anyone on the street and they will, be happy to help you out. It turned out the player was Richard Bachman.
At the game the next night during warmups Bachman was kneeling near the red line at the opposite end of the Comets bench. I was sitting at ice level next to the bench watching warmups. Bachman came to the Utica bench and the trainer came out through the arena seats to the bench and yelled to Bachie. He came to the bench, scooted up to the glass and got something from the trainer that I paid little attention to. He turned to leave and glanced down the ice towards the Comets net checking for his safety before he stepped onto the ice. I waved and he waved back and then gave me a second closer look. A big smile crossed his face and he remembered me from the day before. I have 3 sticks from Bachie. He was a great guy. Friendly and easy to talk to. Always had time to chat for a bit. Was never too big to give an autograph or a handshake to a kid. Great team mate. Very visible in community service. A very good all around human being. Almost robbed that series from the Comets. Had some great games here as well in a Comets uniform.
I have had similar interactions with other teams in the same manner off the ice. They were all vocal about the atmosphere in the building and how much they liked to play here. Some even said if they were to have to leave their team this would be the first place they'd like to go. It's a hockey town and the players know it. it's small. the building is intimate. The crowd is right on top of you and when things are going strong you can't hear yourself think and the players can't either.
THEY LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!
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That's nice to hear. I enjoy our little interactions. Look forward to more of them.
Fatass
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From Utica it is hard to get to Vancouver, especially when compared to commuting from Abbotsford. It’s actually insane our farm team is so far away. They should be here. But it’s likely just too expensive for the players to live here, so it’s a no go.
Fatass
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Clearly Utica us a great little city, and a very good AHL market. I doubt it would be more than a few days they would hook up with another (more local) NHL team of the Canucks brought their team here.
Tampa loves their farm in Syracuse. Top of the east coast to the bottom of the east coast.
St. Louis is in Springfield Massachusetts.
As far as finances are concerned, it's cheaper for the Canucks to have their farm here.
Fatass
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For sure Utica is great. But it’s still a heck of a trip from there to here. And N.Y. to FLA is nothing like Utica to Van. A few hours and same time zone compared to 2 days to three time zones.
Nothing against Utica. Just for our team it makes way more sense to have the farm team closer.
The closest AHL teams, if they were to move back to Abbotsford, are Winnipeg, Stockton, San Jose, and Fort Collins. If they were to move their AHL team it would be closer to them than to Abbotsford. The key thing for the Comets is there are three other teams in the same state a bus ride away, 7 other teams a state or two over, 2 Canadian teams close by, and Cleveland just far enough but still close. The travel expenses are absolutely minimal. Scheduling difficulties are part of the reason the team struggled (same as the St. John's IceCaps).
Utica Observer dispatch article this am announcing the postponement of the next 3 games including tonight vs the Rochester Americans.
I have always called GM Johnson a puppet. Catch this one,
"We are literally operating on a day-to-day basis and seeing where we are at." Where have I heard this before?
Of course each day is measured against the one before. However, they did try and put the team back on the ice to practice before they knew exactly "where they were at." Then something else happened, a second player tested positive. We have no idea what has transpired since then but we are looking at a month by the time the next scheduled game takes place.
It's pretty clear more has gone wrong or they would not have had to postpone the latest 3 games. Keeping people in the dark has always been the Benning playbook and it's exactly what the Comets have done since Johnson arrived upon the scene.
I have always called GM Johnson a puppet. Catch this one,
"We are literally operating on a day-to-day basis and seeing where we are at." Where have I heard this before?
Of course each day is measured against the one before. However, they did try and put the team back on the ice to practice before they knew exactly "where they were at." Then something else happened, a second player tested positive. We have no idea what has transpired since then but we are looking at a month by the time the next scheduled game takes place.
It's pretty clear more has gone wrong or they would not have had to postpone the latest 3 games. Keeping people in the dark has always been the Benning playbook and it's exactly what the Comets have done since Johnson arrived upon the scene.
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