The Utica Comets Thread | Part 39

[HalfPastDan]

Is it just me or did the Canucks sign just as many AHL vet types as any other team in the off-season? It seems to me that the issue is other teams have a far better pool of drafted/signed prospects on their AHL team that gives the team its depth. You can argue about the quality of the AHL guys the Canucks signed, sure, but I feel, as usual, Canucks drafting is a problem. It's not just about quality either. It's also about quantity. If you have a lot of picks, maybe you don't get a ton of NHL'ers but you likely get your Grenier types to help fill.out the AHL roster.

I don't understand why anyone's all that surprised that our AHL team is struggling. The biggest weakness of this new regime has been pro-level scouting. And their amateur scouting isn't good enough, or they haven't had enough longevity yet to make up the difference. When you're spending assets on fringe level NHL'ers like Vey, Prust, even Granlund, Gudbransen, Sbisa, while NHL'ers - haven't been all that astute acquisitions.

Why would the formula change at all for the AHL team. It's still pro-scouting just with a lesser budget. I for one am not surprised that the Comets have gone to **** - why would you be? Management is inept at the most important facet of managing a farm team - pro scouting.

Who knows - maybe more of Jimbo's picks pan out and Utica starts getting a stream of decent AHL players for a season or two, but that pipeline hasn't been established yet, and until that happens (knock on wood), it sucks, but the Comets will suck. Because this group couldn't spot a decent AHL'er in a pick up game.

 

[UticaHockey]

The Hershey Bears are currently sitting in fifth place just out of a playoff spot. This is the type of thing that the Washington Capitals are willing to do for their AHL farm team to help push them over the hump and into a playoff spot which in turn helps their prospects playing in Hershey. Winning is a good thing.

 

[Cquant]

The Hershey Bears are currently sitting in fifth place just out of a playoff spot. This is the type of thing that the Washington Capitals are willing to do for their AHL farm team to help push them over the hump and into a playoff spot which in turn helps their prospects playing in Hershey. Winning is a good thing.

Didn't we get TJ Hensick last year for the playoff push?
There is still time. It's not the deadline yet.

 

[Bad Goalie]

Didn't we get TJ Hensick last year for the playoff push?
There is still time. It's not the deadline yet.

Hensick joined the Comets on March 9th at the AHL trade deadline. They had 19 games remaining. They lost 12 of the 19 and went out in the best of 5 first round of the playoffs 3 games to 1. TJ put up 15 points in those 19 games with 2G and 13A and 1G/1A in the 4 playoff games. He didn't make a whale of a difference. The Comets problem was not the lack of one veteran guy, it was the huge number of PTOs filling out the starting line up every night. That issue began in January and grew to the point of 9 in the lineup at one time. Tj's near PPG couldn't make a serious dent in the bigger problem.

The Comets were in a playoff spot when the player debacle began, they slowly faded out of the picture, climbed back in, and held on near the end with the help of tailspins by Rochester and Syracuse at the end and the favorable schedule with their challengers playing each other and at the same time the Comets came up with late season wins vs their challengers.

Right now the Comets are 7 points behind St. John's for the last spot. The Comets have lost 7 of their last 8 and have no top level vets on the roster at forward and only one on D. They have one top level forward prospect who can't seem to score while leading the Comets in SOG. They have one top level D prospect who had 11 points in the Comets' 1st 10 games and 14 in their next 38 with 6 in the last 18.

This season the Comets made it into a playoff spot for the first time during their 6 game winning streak from Jan. 11-21 while also hitting the .500 hundred mark for the first time. The current losing skid saw that go bye bye to where they are now in 5th place, one point ahead of Rochester, and 2 games under .500.

It will take a lot more than a single vet like TJ Hensick to get this ship sailing into calm waters. Right now they are in a tropical depression which is building towards hurricane conditions.

Tonight it's Toronto in the Aud at 7:00 EST. Toronto has scored 6 PP goals in the last 2 games vs the Comets on 7 PP attempts. If the Comets can't stay out of the penalty box or vastly improve their PK this one won't turn out any better. They also can't score enough to offset any more than 2 GA as they currently sit at #27 in league scoring.

 

[UticaHockey]

Didn't we get TJ Hensick last year for the playoff push?
There is still time. It's not the deadline yet.

And when the season ended TJ was very vocal on Twitter on how much he enjoyed playing in Utica and would love to come back again but that fell on Benning's deaf ears. He ended up signing an AHL deal with the LA King's farm team in Ontario, CA. Benning could have inked him to an AHL with the Comets and not even used up one of his NHL contracts. TJ is a pure play-maker center which the Comets desperately need.

 

[Bad Goalie]

Benning spends so much time with his head up his *** I'd be surprised if he knows Utica is even having a problem.

Hmmm, TJ Hensick with 36 points in 44 games. Probably could have used that. Also, not one player on the roster would have had to go in order to have him here and Benning could still hoard his contracts. Hope he has a plan for them that's better than overage undrafted Jrs. They are not going to make great improvements to the franchise. Fringe players are no longer good ideas. He has to find actual players, not hopefuls on a wing and a prayer.

 

[ihaveyuidonttouchme]

no pelletier?

 

[UticaHockey]

no pelletier?

Hurt blocking a shot over the weekend.

 

[go comets]

Comets tie it up early in the 2nd on a pp....

 

[go comets]

Marlies take a 2-1 lead, but the comets respond with a shorty and another off a skate in front and hold a 3-2 lead after 2 periods.

 

[NuxFan09]

5-2 Comets now. Evan McEneny with a goal and an assist in the 3rd period to help extend the Comets lead.

Virtanen has an assist, but zero shots. Sigh.

 

[Catamarca Livin]

5-2 Comets now. Evan McEneny with a goal and an assist in the 3rd period to help extend the Comets lead.

Virtanen has an assist, but zero shots. Sigh.

The mighty Marlies the team that is at a completely different level than Utica is losing? did the team suffer from food poisoning? Or is going 4 for 5 on the pp likely unsustainable.

Nice to see McEneny really develop. Looks like he may have a future.
virtanen must have an chronic injury he looked good in the NHL at the end of last year. Often one of the best forwards. Now he is not earning an Ahl spot. Very strange if not physical issue. Shoulders has been a common issue and it makes more sense than suddenly he lost all his ability and desire to play physical hockey. I am holding out hope, the team really needs a forward like he projected to be.

I have very low expectations for Utica. Was very happy when they made the finals 2 years ago. I do not really understand the issue with icing a competitive team that they have been. All last year it was that the team could not compete there was no way they will make the playoffs then they did. This year has been the same. It seems that the mission is not to go all out to field a championship team. Likely they determine prospect spots and then fill the rest of team with Ahl stars or folder determined by budget. If all goes well they can be a contender. If vets or prospects under-perform then it will be difficult to contend, and you get a year like this. Hopefully with team retaining picks and having turned over most of the roster that some nhl level prospects that surprise like stecher and Hutton will still hone their craft in the Ahl for a while, instead of being fast tracked. On d that might a happen next year as Brisboise will not make the nhl no matter what he does in camp. Our forward situation is not good so Utica will likely get only underperfrorming prospects or projects. No place I rather have the team than Utica so hopefully they give the sellout crowds something to cheer about.

 

[go comets]

Comets finally put together a solid game for the most part. Toronto didn't look very hungry in this one.

 

[MS]

McEneny is becoming the best prospect story of this season. Great to see.

Shame he wasn't given a chance to play at this level last year over a bum like Sautner.

 

[Bad Goalie]

The mighty Marlies the team that is at a completely different level than Utica is losing? did the team suffer from food poisoning? Or is going 4 for 5 on the pp likely unsustainable.

Nice to see McEneny really develop. Looks like he may have a future.
virtanen must have an chronic injury he looked good in the NHL at the end of last year. Often one of the best forwards. Now he is not earning an Ahl spot. Very strange if not physical issue. Shoulders has been a common issue and it makes more sense than suddenly he lost all his ability and desire to play physical hockey. I am holding out hope, the team really needs a forward like he projected to be.

I have very low expectations for Utica. Was very happy when they made the finals 2 years ago. I do not really understand the issue with icing a competitive team that they have been. All last year it was that the team could not compete there was no way they will make the playoffs then they did. This year has been the same. It seems that the mission is not to go all out to field a championship team. Likely they determine prospect spots and then fill the rest of team with Ahl stars or folder determined by budget. If all goes well they can be a contender. If vets or prospects under-perform then it will be difficult to contend, and you get a year like this. Hopefully with team retaining picks and having turned over most of the roster that some nhl level prospects that surprise like stecher and Hutton will still hone their craft in the Ahl for a while, instead of being fast tracked. On d that might a happen next year as Brisboise will not make the nhl no matter what he does in camp. Our forward situation is not good so Utica will likely get only underperfrorming prospects or projects. No place I rather have the team than Utica so hopefully they give the sellout crowds something to cheer about.

If you knew anything about what you profess as if you did, I would take umbrage with about 6 things you said. You don't, so I won't.

 

[Bad Goalie]

McEneny is becoming the best prospect story of this season. Great to see.

Shame he wasn't given a chance to play at this level last year over a bum like Sautner.

I was in his corner before they sent him back to Jrs in 14-15. However, he would have been on the bottom of the ladder so it was a good move. At the beginning of last season he got a couple of games and was meh. The Comets D was okay to start the season and the new prospects get the nod over the old prospect who didn't make it. So, he was sent to the Zoo for big minutes in key roles and got hurt. He only played 36 games there. So when the Comets personnel ****storm happened he wasn't ready.

This season he has made the best of his opportunity. He began the season playing solid in his own end, finding the first pass immediately and making it tape to tape, played it safe and took no chances. Once that was working, he started to expand by making a move or 2 before head-manning the puck. Then he started to actually skate it up the ice and make the pass when challenged. Now he hits the quick pass, starts up the ice and hits the pass, carries it up the ice and makes the good pass or fires to the dump side corner where his man is going hard, carries it in himself and makes plays off his rush, pinches when it's smart, looks to pass from the point and will shoot when it's there, sneaks down on the back side when the back door opens up, takes shifts on the PP, and gets his shot to the net. His goal tonight was from in close. The kid is playing well. There is one knock and that is that he is on the ice for a lot of goals against. Not saying they are his fault, but he has some tightening up of the game in his own end to take care of. He is getting walked to the outside a bit too frequently.

 

[Bad Goalie]

Comets recap 2/13/17

Utica 5 Toronto 2
Hopefully this can stop the skid of 7 losses in the last 8.

 

[NuxFan09]

It says a lot about Utica management that THEIR guys are constantly the ones getting it done, for the most part at least. Yes, the Comets are owned by the Canucks but I still attribute their AHL signings to Pat Conacher and Co., not Benning.

Valk and Archibald form 2/3 of the top line and are the team's 2nd and 3rd leading scorers respectively. Both are signed to AHL deals. Oh, and by the way, the other member of that line, and the team's top scorer, is Alexandre Grenier, a 2011 draft pick from the Gillis regime.

Bancks and Hamilton form 2/3 of the go-to checking line, maybe the best checking duo in the league throughout the past several seasons. Bancks is 7th in team scoring, Hamilton 11th. Both are signed to AHL deals.

Rounding out the top 11 in scoring are Jordan Subban, Colby Robak, Cody Kunyk, Pascal Pelletier, Evan McEneny and Michael Chaput. Subban, McEneny and Chaput are the only ones out of those who are signed to NHL deals.

 

[Bad Goalie]

Comets recap 2/13/17

Utica 5 Toronto 2
Hopefully this can stop the skid of 7 losses in the last 8.

Post #282 gives you the lines and D-pairs.

Bachman in goal as it was his turn in the rotation.

Scratches:

Healthy -
Demko
Sautner
Roy
Nilsson

Injured -
Pelletier
Hulak
Negrin

SOG:
Toronto 9 10 5 - 24
Comets 8 15 10 - 33
The Comets usually out shoot their opponent win or lose.

PP
Toronto - 0/6
Comets - 2/5

Live by the sword, die by the sword. Special teams carried the Marlies in the last 2 outings vs the Comets scoring 6 PPGs on 7 chances.
Tonight the Comets scored 2 PPGs and a shortie for 3 goals which was enough to win and then added two others.

They practiced the kill and the PP yesterday. I stated in my pregame post that the Comets would have to outscore their errant play and turn up the power on the pk if they wanted to win this one. They did both.

The skill level of the two teams was still trey evident. The Marlies are much more skilled. Their passing is sharp and crisp and they take the pass with no bobbles or pucks bouncing off their sticks. Their progression up the ice is smooth and machine-like, always an open man to pass to. They are always looking to shoot and their points are geared to let fire at all times. However, they can't outwork the Comets when they ALL put in the work effort necessary to make life miserable for the skill guys for 200 feet. They blocked a million passes and shots. They played the body hard. They got into the passing lanes. They fore checked and back checked their ***** off. They had some horrific shifts in which they could not get the puck to cross their own blue line, but they battled and battled in every case but one in which the Marlies were able to change their entire unit of 5 and keep the pressure going until the exhausted Utica five surrendered the second goal. That whole sequence started when Rendulic, for no good reason, decided to double back into his own end instead of dumping it out when he had no pass. The puck was stolen and the Comets and Bachman were under siege for 2 entire shifts. It's little errors like this that kill this team. Dump it out and make them start over while your guys regroup and take them on in a position of strength.

The other goal occurred from one of Grenier's carbon copy bonehead passes. It started with Pedan caught up ice and Grenier over on the wrong side of the ice trying to play D vs a puck carrying, rushing Marlie. Give him credit for getting over there. The guy realized he was going against a forward, faked Gren out of his jock and blew by him wide. Grennie did turn and chase and McEneny arrived from the offside to push play to the corner. There was a short board battle and the puck squirted to Grenier who promptly without looking passed it in front of his own net like a perfect centering pass to a Marlie who has all the time in the world to put the move on Bachman and score. Why Pedan didn't get back and pick up in front where he should have gone is beyond me.

The Comets had tied the game at 1:47 of the 2nd.

Rendulic(6) from Kunyk(15) and LaBate(7) PP

Score 1-1

Labate was playing in his first game since 12/31. I'm not going to count to double check, but I think he's missed like 17 games since then.

The Comets would take 4 penalties in the period scoring a short handed goal on the 3rd one on great work by Carter Bancks to set up Wacey Hamilton at 13:09.

Hamilton(7) from Bancks(10) and Shields(9) SH

Score 2-2

A little over 3 minutes later Kunyk would tip in a wide angle shot from Pedan below the circle. Cassels was also there.

Kunyk(7) from Pedan(3) and Virtanen(5)

The goal would be argued by the keeper. The refs and a linesman go the goal judge area and kibitz. Then the Captain and other Marlies converge and argue. The coach is yelling from his bench. In short, it was for naught and the goal stood. Turns out Sparks was saying the net was off it's moorings. No Comets had been near the net, the tip was in front and the goal stood. Sparks would argue profusely at the end of the period, but that could not end any other way than sorry.

3-2 Comets

The game would go back and forth deep into the 3rd when McEneny would get involved down near the net as a battle ensued for the puck and he would eventually score goal #4 of the night at 13:31 and give the Comets a 2 goal lead.

McEneny(6) from Bancks(11) and Kunyk(16)

4-2 Comets.

Toronto would press and some good chances occurred but no dice. Then TO would take a penalty with the Comets counterattacking off the Marlies all out offensive efforts. On the ensuing PP Valk would take a pass streaking down the slot and make it 5-2 and all questions as to the outcome were answered.

Valk(14) from McEneny(7) and Grenier(23) PP

5-2 Comets.

3 stars:
1st - Cody Kunyk (Utica) GWG/2A
2nd - Carter Bancks (Utica) 2A
3rd - Wacey Hamilton (Utica) 1G

Outstanding game by the entire team. Effort was all out from every guy. It's real hard to play this way every night. They did it for 6 straight games before the recent 7 out of 8 losses. However, the effort was there in some of the close losses but a bounce here and a dumb play there cost them victories.

This is about the time Green's teams put on their best rushes to the end of the season. It is correct you can't play like this for 76 games, but you can play like this for 38 give one here or there. It's now or never. Tonight's win allowed them to keep pace with the team they are chasing. St. John's also won and maintained their 5 point lead, but the Comets do have 3 games in hand on them so there is that.

Standouts tonight as I saw it were Bancks, Hamilton, Archibald, Valk, and Kunyk up front. Kunyk is a streak scorer and puts up multiple points and then goes missing for games on end. He is most effective against teams who don't get physical with him all over the ice. When he is allowed to just weave in and out and get to where he's going without physicality, he is good. Tonight was one of those nights.
The standouts on D were Robak, Shields, and McEneny. One on each pairing. That's a fact that the coaching staff should take note of.
Bachman had another strong game. His GA went up from 2.50 to 2.51 and his SV% rose from .910 to .911.

 

[Bad Goalie]

It says a lot about Utica management that THEIR guys are constantly the ones getting it done, for the most part at least. Yes, the Comets are owned by the Canucks but I still attribute their AHL signings to Pat Conacher and Co., not Benning.

Valk and Archibald form 2/3 of the top line and are the team's 2nd and 3rd leading scorers respectively. Both are signed to AHL deals. Oh, and by the way, the other member of that line, and the team's top scorer, is Alexandre Grenier, a 2011 draft pick from the Gillis regime.

Bancks and Hamilton form 2/3 of the go-to checking line, maybe the best checking duo in the league throughout the past several seasons. Bancks is 7th in team scoring, Hamilton 11th. Both are signed to AHL deals.

Rounding out the top 11 in scoring are Jordan Subban, Colby Robak, Cody Kunyk, Pascal Pelletier, Evan McEneny and Michael Chaput. Subban, McEneny and Chaput are the only ones out of those who are signed to NHL deals.

And Chaput has only played 10 games and is tied with McEneny for 10th on the team in scoring. McEneny is in fuego of late and Chaput put up 13 points in 10 games and the rest of the Comets have 3 to 5 times that # of games and still trail him. Says something about their fire power.

 

[VanJack]

McEneny is becoming the best prospect story of this season. Great to see.

Shame he wasn't given a chance to play at this level last year over a bum like Sautner.

Agree that McEneny has taken his game to another level this year.....but that was his track record in the OHL, where he became a very solid d-man by the time he'd completed his final overage year in Kingston.

Apparently needed that year in the ECHL I guess....I remember some Comet posters saying he just wasn't an AHL player in his first season as a pro....but definitely trending upward now......could see him earning at least an injury call-up to the Canucks next season.

 

[Ziostilon]

Has McEneny shown more progress than Pedan, since Pedan has been in Utica

McEneny did spend more time in the OHL than Pedan. Maybe that steady progression from one level of play to the next helps.

Just from getting the feedback from Comets fans, I think I've seen more accolades towards McEneny than Pedan has in the last couple years combined

 

[Bad Goalie]

Has McEneny shown more progress than Pedan, since Pedan has been in Utica

McEneny did spend more time in the OHL than Pedan. Maybe that steady progression from one level of play to the next helps.

Just from getting the feedback from Comets fans, I think I've seen more accolades towards McEneny than Pedan has in the last couple years combined

That's because amid all of Pedan's good play there are his every game terrible passes, whiffed pucks on clearing attempts and shots, up ice pinches that didn't work and led to outnumbered chances, and shots into opponents pads that result in guys blowing by him with the puck in both ends of the ice. He has bonehead low IQ plunders every game. McEneny is working to make that something he doesn't do at all.

What we have to keep our fingers crossed on is that Evan's upsurge isn't a streak that disappears. If this is the guy he's become and he tightens up his defensive game a little bit more, who knows. I have been hoping for at least a career AHL player, but a little bit better guy is possibly emerging. It's too early to paint him in just yet, but I'm liking what's occurring right now.

I will repeat that before his concussion in 14-15 Pedan was on a path to the NHL. The next season he got it going again and was called up. Since his return from the Canucks that first time we saw a considerable drop off in his play and it has repeated itself with every additional trip he takes to Vancouver. He just gets worse. I'm not saying he is a bad player, but he is no longer the strong NHL candidate he once was. With the emergence of Tryamkin and Stecher, he may have played himself right out of the picture. Consistency from game to game is a problem. These inexplicable dunderhead plays will be his undoing. You guys already have one pizza man. You sure don't need another.

 

[RobertKron]

Benning spends so much time with his head up his *** I'd be surprised if he knows Utica is even having a problem.

Hmmm, TJ Hensick with 36 points in 44 games. Probably could have used that. Also, not one player on the roster would have had to go in order to have him here and Benning could still hoard his contracts. Hope he has a plan for them that's better than overage undrafted Jrs. They are not going to make great improvements to the franchise. Fringe players are no longer good ideas. He has to find actual players, not hopefuls on a wing and a prayer.

If they'd signed Hensick instead of Chaput, then they'd still be basically in the same spot today. The larger problem is that they clearly don't think it has been a priority to try to get their AHL guys back to their AHL team.

 

[Bad Goalie]

If they'd signed Hensick instead of Chaput, then they'd still be basically in the same spot today. The larger problem is that they clearly don't think it has been a priority to try to get their AHL guys back to their AHL team.

You don't get it. They should have signed them both. Chaput gets the NHL contract that he has and Hensick would have been on an AHL contract just like he was on last season a la O'Reilly, but much cheaper. Would having 2 play making centers be a bad thing? Who would be kept out of the lineup? Cassles still centers a line and Hamilton gets his. You can carry more than six vets, but only play 6 in a game. Chaput and Megna are in Vancouver. When they were in Utica there would have been 6. Pelletier wasn't even here yet. He arrived after the other two were called up. So he would have made 5

Hensick, Bancks, Hamilton, Archibald, and Robak would be 5 and as it is they now have 5 with Pascal. So if Hensick is here and Pascal signs, they have 6 vets. Gaunce's return doesn't matter he's still on an ELC. Megna and Chaput look to be settled for the season. Deadline deals make it even more of a done deal. Even if fate were to bless the Comets and they both came back, you sit 2 vets and let injuries and call-ups take care of it as they usually do. The worst case scenario is Pascal asks for a release if he doesn't choose to sit a bit.

It's called depth. There are no roster limits in the AHL. Toronto had 14 scratches in the game tonight. Utica had 7 and one was Pelletier. The Comets played 4 vets. Brooks Leich played for the Marlies tonight. The Leafs are taking care of their AHL club. The Canucks not so much.