2019-20 Utica Comets Thread

[Alflives]

3 minutes ago, UticaHockey said:

Juolevi blocked a couple shots on Monday that looked like they stung him.  

Why doesn’t the team just say that?  Why play that stupid secret game?  

[Guest]

3 hours ago, Alflives said:

Is he just tired?  Is his knee sore or swollen?  Why are Hockey teams so damned secretive about injuries?  

Alf, the injury he suffered last year is one of the worst ones to rehab and come back from. 
 

people have said that it takes 3-6 months AFTER you come back to playing, for the explosiveness and agility to come back. 
 

He’s technically still in rehab although he’s playing, so I’m glad that they’re not playing him too much. 

[Stelar]

2 hours ago, VancouverHabitant said:

Alf, the injury he suffered last year is one of the worst ones to rehab and come back from. 
 

people have said that it takes 3-6 months AFTER you come back to playing, for the explosiveness and agility to come back. 
 

He’s technically still in rehab although he’s playing, so I’m glad that they’re not playing him too much. 

Still baffled that he took part in the bag skate at camp. 

[Nuxfanabroad]

16 hours ago, UticaHockey said:

The Comets started the season with exactly one center under NHL contract in Graovac...who then gets injured in the first game of the season.  That is on JB for not adding enough depth down the middle over the summer to get though an entire season let alone the first month. Now with Sutter and Beagle injured and Graovac called up who is the next option in Vancouver if another center goes down?  Are you disagreeing with what Bad Goalie said regarding the lack of center depth in the organization or do you just don't like this poster?

Why reduce it to like/dislike..whomever? I don't know a single poster(personally) on these boards. Guy(over at HF) might be the proverbial salt-of-the-earth..who knows?! & I've never made an acct on that F***ing site, & never will, out of principle.

 

But yrs of whining/insulting a team's Mgt group, after that franchise brought hockey back to your ville in the first freeken' place?! How many yrs ago did the Devs leave? How long was your barn empty? I can't remember..but it was a while, wasn't it?

 

HAD Van drafted/signed hordes of C' & W's..a guy like that would prob be whining about the D, to the same flippin degree! I don't know mahn..if it's pleasurable Sunday reading to you(or anyone for that matter)..then do enjoy! Can only speak for myself, & that Utica Page/thread was(once upon a time) informative, for this fan of the parent club.

[UticaHockey]

7 hours ago, Nuxfanabroad said:

Why reduce it to like/dislike..whomever? I don't know a single poster(personally) on these boards. Guy(over at HF) might be the proverbial salt-of-the-earth..who knows?! & I've never made an acct on that F***ing site, & never will, out of principle.

 

But yrs of whining/insulting a team's Mgt group, after that franchise brought hockey back to your ville in the first freeken' place?! How many yrs ago did the Devs leave? How long was your barn empty? I can't remember..but it was a while, wasn't it?

 

HAD Van drafted/signed hordes of C' & W's..a guy like that would prob be whining about the D, to the same flippin degree! I don't know mahn..if it's pleasurable Sunday reading to you(or anyone for that matter)..then do enjoy! Can only speak for myself, & that Utica Page/thread was(once upon a time) informative, for this fan of the parent club.

So putting the rants on HF aside do you think starting the season with only one natural center on a NHL contract in the AHL is adequate depth?

[FaninMex]

The Canucks just got a team that is better than an elite AHL team this year. 

 

You would think that upgrading depth would happen this year or next at some time. Complaining about a bottom dwelling NHL team not having depth seems fruitless, no?

[86Viking]

18 hours ago, Alflives said:

Why doesn’t the team just say that?  Why play that stupid secret game?  

Doesn't make sense why they don't just say what a players injury is I agree. With all the cameras and replay available, if a team wanted to they can have a good idea of a player injury anyway now a days. Also, the NHL has become Charmin soft like Euro hockey so if injuries are disclosed do we really think there a enough "goons" in the league that will target a player who just returns from an injury to try and re injure that player...This isn't bush league, this is the elite level of hockey...

[joe-max]

If the injury was the direct result of a blocked shot, it would be least worrying. Even in case of a fracture there is a pretty clear and well-defined healing process without much risk of negative long-term effects. If it was something else, something lingering, something ligament, tendon, cartilage, inflammation, something that could cost him another 6 months, that would be devastating.

[Boudrias]

2 hours ago, UticaHockey said:

So putting the rants on HF aside do you think starting the season with only one natural center on a NHL contract in the AHL is adequate depth?

I had a long post of support and it got whipped out. I enjoy your posts and think they are informed. Keep it up. My long term hope for the Comets is that Benning will continue to add to the depth and that will make the team a perennial contender. I think it was last year you were holding the Lighting up as an example. It will happen! 

[theo5789]

21 hours ago, Alflives said:

Why doesn’t the team just say that?  Why play that stupid secret game?  

And miss an opportunity to cause panic and turmoil on the overreacters?

[Nuxfanabroad]

5 hours ago, UticaHockey said:

So putting the rants on HF aside do you think starting the season with only one natural center on a NHL contract in the AHL is adequate depth?

It takes time to properly outfit a deep 50 contracts(strong teams at both levels). It was decimated when JB took over. There was a drafting black hole from about 2007 - his hiring. Your Utica fanbase must've been aware of this.

 

But I've enjoyed watching as he's improved the depth. Every yr nice pieces have been added. From a Vancouver fan's pov: I'm not sure there has ever been a period where we've methodically, gradually, been consistently adding depth(both pro & prospect) over a succession of yrs. It hasn't translated to success at the pro level yet, but excessive injuries haven't helped. At least we can have faith in the fact that different ranking sites have placed JB's prospects in the top-5, overall. As this wave of vets move on, lots of talented ELC youth will be inserted.

 

So with regards to your question. I think you're asking the wrong one. If I were a fan living in Utica, every Oct I'd prob ask myself..Is this roster good enough to get to mid, or late-season, & be in the hunt?(PO spot; Div, Conf lead; whatever is realistic). Because at that level there are so many moves(turnover is accepted), that it's likely pointless to be overly fixated on one positional need.

 

I'd love to see this franchise 8, 10 deep at EVERY position(maybe 6 deep in net?)..but it takes time & patience.

[Kanukfanatic]

6 hours ago, UticaHockey said:

So putting the rants on HF aside do you think starting the season with only one natural center on a NHL contract in the AHL is adequate depth?

The owners and managers of the Comets will do what they do. 

 

Butthead goalie at hf is an annoying whiny idiot.

[Gawdzukes]

5 hours ago, Canuckster86 said:

Doesn't make sense why they don't just say what a players injury is I agree. With all the cameras and replay available, if a team wanted to they can have a good idea of a player injury anyway now a days. Also, the NHL has become Charmin soft like Euro hockey so if injuries are disclosed do we really think there a enough "goons" in the league that will target a player who just returns from an injury to try and re injure that player...This isn't bush league, this is the elite level of hockey...

 

23 hours ago, Alflives said:

Why doesn’t the team just say that?  Why play that stupid secret game?  

Probably because the fan reaction, like this. It sounds like you're just getting ready to criticize someone or something. With regards to last time he was injured they better treat the media releases with kid gloves and be 100% correct with reports, or be unceremoniously raked all over the coals again. 

[mll]

5 hours ago, Canuckster86 said:

Doesn't make sense why they don't just say what a players injury is I agree. With all the cameras and replay available, if a team wanted to they can have a good idea of a player injury anyway now a days. Also, the NHL has become Charmin soft like Euro hockey so if injuries are disclosed do we really think there a enough "goons" in the league that will target a player who just returns from an injury to try and re injure that player...This isn't bush league, this is the elite level of hockey...

 

Nashville never discloses the true extent of injuries for that reason - they talk of upper/lower body but hardly ever give more detail in season.  David Poile was asked about it and he thinks that some opposing teams indeed target the injured areas to aggravate the injury.

 

Bergevin same explanation as to why he didn't want to disclose the detail of Price's injury - he thinks that opponents will purposefully target that area.  

 

Former Wild GM Fenton got quite upset in one of his pressers because media had disclosed an injury earlier and he demanded that they don't do it again.  He talked of how it's a mean league and that he's very protective of his players.  

 

Edited November 17, 2019 by mll

[Noble 6]

5 hours ago, Nuxfanabroad said:

It takes time to properly outfit a deep 50 contracts(strong teams at both levels). It was decimated when JB took over. There was a drafting black hole from about 2007 - his hiring. Your Utica fanbase must've been aware of this.

 

But I've enjoyed watching as he's improved the depth. Every yr nice pieces have been added. From a Vancouver fan's pov: I'm not sure there has ever been a period where we've methodically, gradually, been consistently adding depth(both pro & prospect) over a succession of yrs. It hasn't translated to success at the pro level yet, but excessive injuries haven't helped. At least we can have faith in the fact that different ranking sites have placed JB's prospects in the top-5, overall. As this wave of vets move on, lots of talented ELC youth will be inserted.

 

So with regards to your question. I think you're asking the wrong one. If I were a fan living in Utica, every Oct I'd prob ask myself..Is this roster good enough to get to mid, or late-season, & be in the hunt?(PO spot; Div, Conf lead; whatever is realistic). Because at that level there are so many moves(turnover is accepted), that it's likely pointless to be overly fixated on one positional need.

 

I'd love to see this franchise 8, 10 deep at EVERY position(maybe 6 deep in net?)..but it takes time & patience.

 

Do you really think it takes 5-ish years to get AHL depth? 

 

5-ish years for prospect depth (while trading away picks) makes sense, but we're not talking specifically about prospects. The Canucks could have easily signed 1-2 more centers of the Chaput/Megna/Groavac variety, but haven't. Toronto does it every year; they signed like 5 player to one way contracts this offseason and buried them in the AHL for depth and to strengthen the team. 

[Captain Canuck #12]

1 hour ago, Horvat is a Boss said:

 

Do you really think it takes 5-ish years to get AHL depth? 

 

5-ish years for prospect depth (while trading away picks) makes sense, but we're not talking specifically about prospects. The Canucks could have easily signed 1-2 more centers of the Chaput/Megna/Groavac variety, but haven't. Toronto does it every year; they signed like 5 player to one way contracts this offseason and buried them in the AHL for depth and to strengthen the team. 

Might be easier to find good AHL'ers to play in Toronto than in Utica.

[Noble 6]

54 minutes ago, Captain Canuck #12 said:

Might be easier to find good AHL'ers to play in Toronto than in Utica.

 

That's definitely true, but surely it was possible to sign more centers than we did. We didn't have to go as far as signing 5 players, but an extra one or two would've made a difference. 

[Boudrias]

19 hours ago, Nuxfanabroad said:

It takes time to properly outfit a deep 50 contracts(strong teams at both levels). It was decimated when JB took over. There was a drafting black hole from about 2007 - his hiring. Your Utica fanbase must've been aware of this.

 

But I've enjoyed watching as he's improved the depth. Every yr nice pieces have been added. From a Vancouver fan's pov: I'm not sure there has ever been a period where we've methodically, gradually, been consistently adding depth(both pro & prospect) over a succession of yrs. It hasn't translated to success at the pro level yet, but excessive injuries haven't helped. At least we can have faith in the fact that different ranking sites have placed JB's prospects in the top-5, overall. As this wave of vets move on, lots of talented ELC youth will be inserted.

 

So with regards to your question. I think you're asking the wrong one. If I were a fan living in Utica, every Oct I'd prob ask myself..Is this roster good enough to get to mid, or late-season, & be in the hunt?(PO spot; Div, Conf lead; whatever is realistic). Because at that level there are so many moves(turnover is accepted), that it's likely pointless to be overly fixated on one positional need.

 

I'd love to see this franchise 8, 10 deep at EVERY position(maybe 6 deep in net?)..but it takes time & patience.

Been here since the start and I agree that there has never been a period like we are seeing now. Canucks have either been starved for talent which forced players faster than they should have been or picks and young talent were traded for 'hope & a prayer' CUP runs. Benning has made a few mistakes but on balance been far better than any we have seen. 

[GoldenAlien]

On 11/17/2019 at 7:59 PM, Horvat is a Boss said:

Do you really think it takes 5-ish years to get AHL depth? 

 

5-ish years for prospect depth (while trading away picks) makes sense, but we're not talking specifically about prospects. The Canucks could have easily signed 1-2 more centers of the Chaput/Megna/Groavac variety, but haven't. Toronto does it every year; they signed like 5 player to one way contracts this offseason and buried them in the AHL for depth and to strengthen the team. 

So much depth yet sitting at No. 21 in the NHL with $0 in projected cap space.  Missed the playoffs 10 seasons out of 11 from 2005 to 2016, but has an incredibly mediocre prospect pool — ranked No. 21 by Pronman, No. 21 by Sporting News, and No. 21 by EP Rinkside.  (Canucks’ prospects were ranked No. 5, No. 8, and No. 4 by the same organizations). Does not seem like a model organization to follow, unless the height of the Canucks’ aspirations is to win the Calder Cup. 

Edited November 19, 2019 by GoldenAlien

[Noble 6]

9 hours ago, GoldenAlien said:

So much depth yet sitting at No. 21 in the NHL with $0 in projected cap space.  Missed the playoffs 10 seasons out of 11 from 2005 to 2016, but has an incredibly mediocre prospect pool — ranked No. 21 by Pronman, No. 21 by Sporting News, and No. 21 by EP Rinkside.  (Canucks’ prospects were ranked No. 5, No. 8, and No. 4 by the same organizations). Does not seem like a model organization to follow, unless the height of the Canucks’ aspirations is to win the Calder Cup. 

 

You're talking about everything besides the point. Can you show me where in my post I was talking about cap space, prospect pools or the Playoffs? It looks like you saw the word Toronto and nothing else. 

 

I'm talking about signing 1-2 more players for Utica. Toronto signed 5 or so players specifically for the AHL this past summer. That's all I'm comparing.