The Utica Comets Thread

[Red]

Oops, yeah, theahl.com had the score wrong for the longest time as 5-2, I think they doubled Wallmark's goal.

MacEwen with his 2nd. Even if he is still getting his feet wet, he's the prospect I'm the most intrigued by on the Comets for this season.

 

[go comets]

OMG.... Archie hurt early, callups of Boucher, Gaunce and Demko have left the bottom two lines a hot steaming pile of nothing..... Team is in big trouble without all of it's pieces....


Not a pretty game and quite honestly should have been a blowout. Canes have a ton of prospects in Charlotte, the direct opposite of the Canucks.

 

[absolute garbage]

Anyone who thought Molino looked "promising" last season has absolutely no idea what he is watching. The guy is 23 and looked like a fleet-footed pond hockey hero wearing an NHL jersey.

 

[UticaHockey]

Anyone who thought Molino looked "promising" last season has absolutely no idea what he is watching. The guy is 23 and looked like a fleet-footed pond hockey hero wearing an NHL jersey.

Molino was actually noticeable last night unlike the previous weekend when I thought he was invisible. He was much more engaged and can fly but was still ineffective. I don't think he sees the ice well and just runs around at full speed not using his teammates at all. One prime example was when he was skating up the middle fast as hell across the blue line with his head down not noticing a teammate 15 feet offsides trying to get back to the blue line. Somewhat of a Keystone Cop comedy moment.

He is definitely a work in process and it may take months before he is even a competent AHL player.

 

[go comets]

Molino was actually noticeable last night unlike the previous weekend when I thought he was invisible. He was much more engaged and can fly but was still ineffective. I don't think he sees the ice well and just runs around at full speed not using his teammates at all. One prime example was when he was skating up the middle fast as hell across the blue line with his head down not noticing a teammate 15 feet offsides trying to get back to the blue line. Somewhat of a Keystone Cop comedy moment.

He is definitely a work in process and it may take months before he is even a competent AHL player.

I noticed him more last night too.... mostly for his out of control bowlegged skating, inability to see or make a play and his haphazard stopping and turning..... this guy is gonna plaster himself into someone or the boards......

 

[Bad Goalie]

11/8/17
Charlotte Checkers at Utica Comets

Charlotte 5 Utica Comets 2

Forwards:
Goldobin/Chaput/Archibald
Bancks/Darcy/Rodin
LaBate/Megna/MacEwen
Molino/Cassels/D'Aoust

D-Pairs:
Sautner/Chatfield
Holm/Brisebois
Sifers/Subban

Scratches:
Carcone (ill)
Hamilton (inj)
Woods (inj)
McEneny (?)
Laplante
Garteig

Goal - Bachman SA/23 Svs/19
1-3-0-0 GA/15 GAA/3.70 SV%./850

Goldobin (6) from Bancks (6) and Sifers (1)
MacEwen (2) from Chaput (4) and LaBate (3)

SOG:
Charlotte 10 7 7 = 24
Comets 9 12 14 = 35

PP:
Charlotte 1/3
Comets 0/6

3 Stars:
1 - Andrew Miller (Charlotte) 1G/1A
2- Lucas Wallmark (Charlotte) 1G/1A
3 - Zack MacEwen (Utica) 1G

Consecutive Sellout - 96

Some might wish to start right in on Bachman, but he was not to blame. This was by far the weakest defensive coverage by a Comets team in their existence.
I have never witnessed an AHL hockey game in which the imaginary box created by drawing a line to connect the two face off circles at the inside inside hash marks and then from each hash to the end boards was literally unguarded. Charlotte was able to move around in that box virtually unmolested from one shift to another.

One goal resulted from a player coming off the end boards behind the net out along side of the post, turned and went right to the goal, deked Bachman, and then stepped to the right post and slid the puck into the net. He was not touched and all ten players were in the Comets zone and the Comets were supposedly matched up defensively.

The point men were open most of the night as close as the middle of the face off circles in to the center of the slot. There was always an uncovered man in that prime scoring box and the passes easily went right to the man's stick. The goal at :50 seconds of the second period involved a single player working his way to the net through Comets to the doorstep and an unassisted goal.
It was outright preposterous.

Green insists on defensively responsibility. He won't get that from a single one of these guys.

Goldobin is supposed to be learning his defensive game so he can go up and "never be seen here again", that quote coming from GM Johnsom. He was on the ice for 4 goals against last night 2ES, 1 on the PK, and one EN. I know +/- is not a valid way to judge a player's efforts but this was unacceptable especially since the players out with him on the goals varied from goal to goal. You can't call the goals the work of hard work and extra effort. The Comets did not make them work for any of them.

Molino showed up, but it was just several bursts of speed without a given plan. He wants the long stretch pass. He has to know that pass can't come through several bodies. His work up the ice in such situations has to be a part of rush comprise of himself and a couple other guys. When he did get that pass he was driving for, he fumbled it anyways. He is not strong on his skates and seems to suffer from an ailment displayed by a few other bottom dwelling Comets, frequently falling down. He joins Cassels and Carcone with this hockey anomaly.

I have previously mentioned that this team is predicated on the offense of 5 or 6 players and the rest just battle to keep the other team off the board while anxiously trying to show some offensive talent.
Goldobin, Boucher, Bancks, and Chaput with Arhibald and LaBate chipping in a peripheral few points each (5). Now Boucher and his 10 points are in Vancouver. Archibald left in the first with what looked to be a serious injury.
They have also been the beneficiaries of some good contributions by 2 of the D, Holm (8) and McEneny (6), but Holm's 8 points are misleading considering that most of Holm's points are in conjunction with Goldobin, Boucher, and Chaput and 3 of Evan's were in 1 game.

This group has 19 of the Comets 30 goals. Gaunce and Wiercioch have 3 more goals and they are not playing for the Comets now. That's 22. The remaining 16 Comets have scored a collective 8 goals and the rookies D'Aoust and MacEwen have 4 of them! So the other 14 have 4!!!

8 of those 16 Comets have just 1 point and 5 more have 0. That's 13 players.

So, the number is reduced to Goldobin and his 13 points. In the team's 4 home games Goldy has 3 points and misses on two breakaways in 2 of those games, but won the Shootout game scoring the only goal. Chaput has 3 pts. Archi has 3, but all were in the shootout game, the only one that Goldobin was shut out. Labate has 2 assists and Bancks has one assist. This is not exactly a prolific offensive output and the Comets have lost 3 of the 4 games.

Thus, with only Goldobin and Chaput actually driving some offense and Archi and Boucher not in the lineup, the Comets are right back to being a typical Comets team, goal starved. The difference with the past 4 teams is that they could turn 2 goals into points on a lot of occasions because they were so strong defensively. This group is not displaying a propensity in that vein.

This team has a whole lot of hard work ahead of it to become the "good team" Cull says he envisions. They have miles to go to become a solid defensive team. Key will be whether significant offense can be extracted from those 16 guys hardly contributing at all.

 

[orcatown]

Comets played a good third but really disorganized at the start of the first and second. Main problem is lack of ability to handle opposition around the net or to get a big stop by Bachmann.
Some of the disorganization caused by loss of Archibald (who was very heavily checked into the boards and looked really shaken up) and b/c McEneny was out (apparently day to say)

Young defensemen still having their issues. Would say the following about defense:

Chatfield is ok in open ice and is trying hard but he is having huge problems dealing with size around the net.

Brisebois is the same. Can see the upside in Brisebois, at times, in terms of skating but needs to get things done quicker. Still looks like he thinks he has the time to make the play at a slower pace like in Junior. Could make a case he has the best potential of the younger dman.

Sautner – weak around in his net. Can look pretty speedy in open ice and is able to push the offense some.

Subban – shows unbelieveable speed on some of his rushes but they don’t amount to anything as he ends up skating into traffic or putting team off side. Rest of the team just out of sync when he does this.
Sifters – disappointment. Isn’t much better than others and is not providing the veteran leadership past vet defenseman have.

Holm – pretty good moving the puck but another who has trouble down deep in his end. Think he is marginally improving but can see he needs to respond faster on the small ice surface.

Others
Thought Darcy looked decent but didn’t appear to play in the third. Maybe hurt again

Goldobin had plenty of chances and maybe should have completed them better. Made some great passes and probably deserved more assists. Really has some offensive chops including deceptive speed.
On defense, Goldobin is making an effort. Getting back inside his line and trying to make the good play out of his zone. Can make the cute little play that leads to a rush but that can also lead to a turnover at his blue line leading to a good chance on his goal.

In this game made two bad defensive plays that contributed to goal being scored.

On first goal, he ended up in the slot and tried to stick check a player going to the net. But Chatfield should have been in a better position to back him up and Backman should have moved out to stop the player cutting across the net.

On the second, Goldobin was on the PK and really had nothing to do with the goal. Sifters got drawn out too far and pass was made to open man in front of the net. Saunter was slow in covering and Backman let puck slip through him. Goldobin was on the opposite side to where play was made.

On the third, Goldobin got muscled off the puck in the corner and puck got moved around to an open man who scored. Should note that originally Subban got bounced off the puck which led to the pressure in the d-zone.

On the 4th. Goldobin not on the ice and the 5th was a long shot from deep in the Checkers end on an open net.

Some other players
MacEwen – his skating is getting smoother and he is not doing things like over rotating and spinning around as he completes pivots. Maybe over-stickhandles at times but doing fairly well

Rodin – still caught up in traffic too much and getting knocked down too much. Don’t see much upper level ability.

Megna – have to expect more here. Occasional play but mostly mediocre.

Molino – bounced around at will. Simply not strong enough.

 

[exilegordy]

So did the Comets ice 6 vets (Archibald, Chaput, Bancks, Rodin, Megna and Sifers) in the game against Charlotte, in breach of the rule re 5 Vets + 1Vet Exempt, or do we need to revisit the vets debate again to see who's in what category?

 

[Bad Goalie]

So did the Comets ice 6 vets (Archibald, Chaput, Bancks, Rodin, Megna and Sifers) in the game against Charlotte, in breach of the rule re 5 Vets + 1Vet Exempt, or do we need to revisit the vets debate again to see who's in what category?

It's a puzzling question I couldn't get any answers to at the game either. The 6 names you listed are all vets and none are VE. Thus, by the rules only 5 should have been eligible.

I know that McEneny was unable to play after leaving practice on Tuesday for an undisclosed reason. That meant the comets only had 6 D-men available of which Sifers was one.

Of the scratched forwards as far as I know only Laplante was game available. The way I understand the rules, he should have been penciled in for a vet up front, but he was not. Maybe he took ill as well leaving the Comets with only 18 available players with 6 being vets. I don't know if there is any kind of provision for an emergency insertion of an extra vet, but there were definitely 6 in the lineup and I repeat none are VE meaning that was against the rules.

Somebody got an answer here?

 

[UticaHockey]

It's a puzzling question I couldn't get any answers to at the game either. The 6 names you listed are all vets and none are VE. Thus, by the rules only 5 should have been eligible.

I know that McEneny was unable to play after leaving practice on Tuesday for an undisclosed reason. That meant the comets only had 6 D-men available of which Sifers was one.

Of the scratched forwards as far as I know only Laplante was game available. The way I understand the rules, he should have been penciled in for a vet up front, but he was not. Maybe he took ill as well leaving the Comets with only 18 available players with 6 being vets. I don't know if there is any kind of provision for an emergency insertion of an extra vet, but there were definitely 6 in the lineup and I repeat none are VE meaning that was against the rules.

Somebody got an answer here?

Since Cull can't seem to keep track of the number of players he has on the ice it wouldn't surprise me if he didn't keep track of the number of veterans he penciled into the lineup. Other than that I have no idea how they got away with playing 6 veterans.

 

[Bad Goalie]

Since Cull can't seem to keep track of the number of players he has on the ice it wouldn't surprise me if he didn't keep track of the number of veterans he penciled into the lineup. Other than that I have no idea how they got away with playing 6 veterans.

Is there a penalty to a team for having done SUCH?

 

[UticaHockey]

Is there a penalty to a team for having done SUCH?

Not sure but I would think so.

 

[Bad Goalie]

Not sure but I would think so.

Guess we can only wait and see.

Something to keep an eye on tonight.

Any word on Archi?

 

[go comets]

is Rodin exempt?????

 

[UticaHockey]

is Rodin exempt?????

I don't see how he could be. Too many games in the Swedish Elite League. If hockeydb is accurate I count 340 games between the AHL/NHL and the SEL coming into this season.

 

[Bad Goalie]

I don't see how he could be. Too many games in the Swedish Elite League. If hockeydb is accurate I count 340 games between the AHL/NHL and the SEL coming into this season.

The only players under contract with the Vancouver Canucks that would qualify as VE are Boucher and Bo. So Reid is the only guiy who will be a Comet.

That's another failure to prepare the farm properly. You can play up to 6 VEs but only 5 vets. So to get 6 vets into the line up you need at leasat one VE. Without Boucher the Comets are limited to 5 vets. Another player that Vancouver had no intention of bringing to Vancouver, but had VE status should have been acquired and he should have been a center. It would actually have been a wiser choice than Sifers.

 

[krutovsdonut]

So did the Comets ice 6 vets (Archibald, Chaput, Bancks, Rodin, Megna and Sifers) in the game against Charlotte, in breach of the rule re 5 Vets + 1Vet Exempt, or do we need to revisit the vets debate again to see who's in what category?

maybe rodin is an exempt veteran due to this codicil to the ahl rule

Any Player who participates in European Elite League games during a hockey season in which the Player would be eligible to play in the Canadian Hockey League (excluding an overage year) shall not have such games count in the calculation of the two hundred and sixty (260) regular season games.

i think that erases the 36 sel games he played in 2009-10, bringing him down under 320.

the rule also does not apply to players on conditioning stints so maybe they can fudge it that way.

 

[go comets]

2-1 after 2 periods. Comets with a late shift goal. Now need to kill off a 5-3 pp for the 1st minute of the 3rd.

 

[go comets]

Checkers finish off a 5-2 win. Comets did play better but simply no match for this extremely strong checkers team.

All 6 dman 6-1 and over
4 centers strong down the middle.
Strong mix of size and skill up front.
Strong goaltending.
At least 6-8 solid prospects in their lineup.
Not really any weakness on that team.

Canucks may wanna take notes on how to stock a team with centers.......

 

[NuxFan09]

Getting kinda tired of the Comets being destroyed by the Checkers. Good thing they're getting Demko back. Bachman isn't doing anything to help the Comets in his absence.

 

[Melvin]

It's a puzzling question I couldn't get any answers to at the game either. The 6 names you listed are all vets and none are VE. Thus, by the rules only 5 should have been eligible.

I know that McEneny was unable to play after leaving practice on Tuesday for an undisclosed reason. That meant the comets only had 6 D-men available of which Sifers was one.

Of the scratched forwards as far as I know only Laplante was game available. The way I understand the rules, he should have been penciled in for a vet up front, but he was not. Maybe he took ill as well leaving the Comets with only 18 available players with 6 being vets. I don't know if there is any kind of provision for an emergency insertion of an extra vet, but there were definitely 6 in the lineup and I repeat none are VE meaning that was against the rules.

Somebody got an answer here?

The rule per the PHPA is that you must have 11 "development players."

PHPA - Agreements Site

Each AHL Club must dress for each regularly scheduled or play-off game, at least eleven (11) Players, other than goaltenders, who have played in a total of not more than two hundred and sixty (260) regular season games in the National Hockey League, American Hockey League, International Hockey League, or any European Elite League, prior to the start of the season, and one (1) player, other than goaltenders, who has played in a total of not more than three hundred and twenty (320) regular season games in the National Hockey League, American Hockey League, International Hockey League, or any European Elite League, prior to the start of the season.

18 forwards, minus those 6, still leaves 12 "development players"

1) Chatfield (0)
2) MacEwan (0)
3) D'Aoust (0)
4) Brisebois (0)
5) Molino (5)
6) Darcy (90)
7) Sautner (97)
8) LaBate (119)
9) Cassels (133)
10) Subban (140)
11) Goldobin (179)
12) Holm (197)

So they are well within the rules, and in fact could swap in another tweener vet.

 

[UticaHockey]

The rule per the PHPA is that you must have 11 "development players."

PHPA - Agreements Site



18 forwards, minus those 6, still leaves 12 "development players"

1) Chatfield (0)
2) MacEwan (0)
3) D'Aoust (0)
4) Brisebois (0)
5) Molino (5)
6) Darcy (90)
7) Sautner (97)
8) LaBate (119)
9) Cassels (133)
10) Subban (140)
11) Goldobin (179)
12) Holm (197)

So they are well within the rules, and in fact could swap in another tweener vet.

Not sure why but that differs from what is listed on the AHL website.

What is the AHL’s development rule?
In the AHL, player development is a top priority. The American Hockey League and the Professional Hockey Players’ Association have the following development rule in place:
Of the 18 skaters (not counting two goaltenders) that teams may dress for a game, at least 13 must be qualified as “development players.” Of those 13, 12 must have played in 260 or fewer professional games (including AHL, NHL and European elite leagues), and one must have played in 320 or fewer professional games. All calculations for development status are based on regular-season totals as of the start of the season.

 

[UticaHockey]

Although the PHPA and AHL websites differ on the number of "development players" that have to dress each game the PHPA website goes into greater details about what games count towards the veteran classification. It looks like Rodin is indeed a veteran exempt because the 36 games that he played for Brynas in 2009-10 don't count becuase he was still age eligible to play in the Canadian Hockey League.

What is the Veteran Rule?
Each AHL Club must dress for each regularly scheduled or play-off game, at least eleven (11) Players, other than goaltenders, who have played in a total of not more than two hundred and sixty (260) regular season games in the National Hockey League, American Hockey League, International Hockey League, or any European Elite League, prior to the start of the season, and one (1) player, other than goaltenders, who has played in a total of not more than three hundred and twenty (320) regular season games in the National Hockey League, American Hockey League, International Hockey League, or any European Elite League, prior to the start of the season. Any Player who participates in European Elite League games during a hockey season in which the Player would be eligible to play in the Canadian Hockey League (excluding an overage year) shall not have such games count in the calculation of the two hundred and sixty (260) regular season games. Players on loan from the National Hockey League for a first fourteen (14) day conditioning period shall not be affected by the aforesaid experience requirement.
In the event a Club dresses fewer than seventeen (17) skaters, the number eleven (11) shall be reduced accordingly. In the event the Member Clubs elect to dress eighteen (18) skaters, the development rule minimum number of eleven (11) shall be increased to twelve (12).

 

[Melvin]

Not sure why but that differs from what is listed on the AHL website.

What is the AHL’s development rule?
In the AHL, player development is a top priority. The American Hockey League and the Professional Hockey Players’ Association have the following development rule in place:
Of the 18 skaters (not counting two goaltenders) that teams may dress for a game, at least 13 must be qualified as “development players.” Of those 13, 12 must have played in 260 or fewer professional games (including AHL, NHL and European elite leagues), and one must have played in 320 or fewer professional games. All calculations for development status are based on regular-season totals as of the start of the season.

This is no longer on the actual AHL website.

 

[UticaHockey]

This is no longer on the actual AHL website.

Sure it is.
https://theahl.com/faq