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alfstonker

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Everything posted by alfstonker

  1. I think there is one thing to remember here. We are talking about two different audience types. One is a knowledgeable blue collar audience giving fanatical support for THEIR team. I say that because the people of Utica probably don't give a hoot for the Canucks, Utica Comets are all that matters and is everything to these guys. The other is more than likely similar to the Canucks audience - "what have you done for me lately?" And it's not just about attendances, it is about atmosphere. What is the atmosphere like with 3,500 in a 7,000 capacity arena? I'm not saying Abbotsford couldn't support the Comets but they have not got much of a record for filling their building night after night - unlike Utica. So is it worth taking the chance? I say no but of course we fans will have little say in it. "Fans 4 In a building with a listed capacity of 3,860, Utica has averaged over that figure in each of the past four seasons. Utica proudly touts their sellout streak, which reached 100 games during the 2017-18 season. The team has a season ticket membership of 3,300 fans, which leaves less than 500 tickets available for each game. These tickets are snapped up quickly, forcing fans to search the secondary market for available seats, a rarity in the minor leagues. Comet fans do more than just fill the seats, as they provide the team with a significant home-ice advantage. Chants of “UTICA-UTICA-UTICA” reverberate through the Aud every night. The fans here are fully aware of the shifting landscape of the AHL, and are doing their best to prove they are worthy of inclusion in this exclusive club." "Atmosphere 5 The Aud is packed to the rafters on most nights, and the small barn echoes with chants of “UTICA! UTICA! UTICA!” throughout the game. Capacity crowds create a great deal of noise and a significant home ice advantage night in and night out. Most of the fans come dressed in the Comets’ blue and green colors, and some traditions from the Pacific Northwest have found their way to the Mohawk Valley. A pair of fans mimic the Canucks’ famed green men, and the team’s dance squad, the Comettes, perform and lead cheers during play stoppages. Just be careful when traversing the inner walkway around the dance team. Many a fan has lost their beverage or nachos after bumping into one of these lovely ladies during their routines. If you want to experience a Comets game like a season ticket holder, the team has several unique options to check out. The Horton Room, located behind section 218, is named for former Utica player and coach Bill Horton. This lounge boasts a line-up of top shelf liquors and Labatt Blue beer, and is decorated with Utica hockey memorabilia. Another option is Kilfoil’s Irish Pub. Fans looking for a pint of Guinness can watch the action in an authentically decorated Irish pub while enjoying a cold one during the game. Members looking for another new spot from which to take in the action can head to Zetlin’s Lounge. Featuring 17 foot floor to ceiling windows and a 22-foot bar, Zetlin’s lounge offers excellent views of the action while enjoying cold beverages."
  2. Even if Seattle did have an AHL team in the West I would still question whether we would be right to uplift our team from Utica. I remember much of the reason for saying it was a good move was that we would have players who we could call on from Utica when we were caught short in the East. Surely that is still relevant. My main point though is what would be best for our young players. Utica has built up a relationship and a strong bond with our players despite there being a deficit of young stars on the team. That will start to change now and I want these boys who are coming in to play in front of a fanatical support when on home ice. That is what Utica provides and until that shows signs of falling away I really don't see how it benefits our prospects to move them to a place like Abbotsford. By the end of next season we WILL have a surplus of good young players probably for the first time since the Moose days. What better than to have them backed by a fan base who are not only fanatical in their love for the game but have shown patience and refused to turn on the team or the management when things were not going well and the team was still not where we wanted to be. That has to be worth a lot when you are developing young boys into players ready to take the next step. Don't get me wrong if Utica had been a "what have you done for me lately" type of venue I would have no trouble in saying it's not working let's bring the team "home"
  3. If there was a any intention to move from Utica I think we should start a petition on their behalf.
  4. That's what I said. And no he couldn't so I'm out, I've had enough of constant repetition of these fantasies.
  5. Well if that is not obvious to you then maybe you didn't watch the games every night. Are you saying he was not twice the player when he left that he was when he arrived? It was all down to him was it?
  6. Blah blah blah! You have a knack of being able to change truth and reality to suit your ravings. You can't substantiate any of that and what you don't know you have placed your own soured slant on it.
  7. Well read the posts then and stop trolling this thread.
  8. Use your imagination, if I wanted to come back I'd say so categorically. He hasn't, therefore what does that tell you? You people are so needy it is becoming laughable. You're like a crowd of dumped wallflowers.
  9. No you don't you are just on here to inhibit opinions. If you were interested then read a few of the posts on this thread, it's not that difficult.
  10. What has he said that indicated he WILL come back?
  11. I would rather you tried a rebuttal but obviously that is not in your repertoire. Where in my posts are there indications of hatred towards Tryamkin? Are we not allowed constructive criticism?
  12. The ONLY reason Tryamkin is/was good enough for the NHL; and "starred" in the KHL when he went back was through the effort the coaches here put in on him. I am not saying that was down to WD, more likely Lidster but I'm sure WD would have some input (he did with Stecher) So try to look at your hatred of the man as something which should embarrass you instead of mouthing off on here all the time making excuses for a player who didn't want to be here and likely never will come back. Thankfully we are moving on and I doubt there will be a spot for him soon, I hope you can live with that.
  13. Don't forget Ashton Sautner. I was very impressed by his attitude and the way he fitted in seamlessly when he came up last season. He played 5 games and was +4 with 2 points. If there is a threat to Hutton and Pouliot I reckon it is this boy.
  14. You got that wrong again Alf. Granted it sounds good but under scrutiny it is just more BS imo. Good coaches with good players win games, good coaches with poor/inadiquate players lose games. I can't believe you have watched hockey for as long as you apparently have and haven't worked that out. If you can seriously look at Willie's roster in years 2 and 3 and think any coach could have done better then don't become a scout.
  15. Thanks for your contribution, it is much appreciated. I too wish Green every success and I always support the coach in situ. My feeling is that WD showed more than enough to support my theory that he would have done at least as well if not better than Coach Green but that's all water under the bridge now. There will come a time when the jackals on here and in the media will fall upon Green and I will be there to support him as I was with WD and AV. The reason for this is I think a lot of a coach's success lies in what he is given to work with. Why else would we have coach's like Trotz and Sutter fired only to come back and win the SC?
  16. I'm ok with that but thanks for coming out.
  17. Which year are you comparing. Your reply seems all over the place. Torts also had the Sedins when they were legit. and he didn't get near 101 points. You talk like a coach has FA to do with how players perform. I suppose in that case we can do away with coaches. Once the league had seen him is BS. Once JB had stripped him of the decent vets and forced him to play 8 rookies, 2 of whom had never played against men, and a handful of AHL lifers. As for special teams, that was the responsibility given to Jarvis and it's difficult to be successful with special teams if the vets are getting asked to cover for players who were not ready or inexperienced. The fact remains, given a half decent team and despite horrendous injuries he gained 101 points. Given half a roster poor calibre replacements and 2nd year rookies he was still only 4 points behind Green. You have to wonder what he might have done with last year's team.
  18. I suspect reading between the lines, WD had twice the strength of character your little pet had. He was fed $&!# by JB and still managed to stick it out, gaining the playoffs with 101 points in his first year and even in his last year with a pretty poor team compared to the one Green was handed WD was only 4 points behind Green's team. "Desjardins, who has a masters in social work and an education degree, is a populist coach. “He communicates a lot with the players…everything he says he’s got poise and he’s thought about it. He’s not just saying stuff to say stuff. When he talks everybody listens,” said veteran winger Alex Burrows, who’s had Alain Vigneault and Tortorella as head knocks before this. Danny Sedin sings the same song as Burrows. “It’s been good so far. He talks to guys and keeps it upbeat,” said Sedin. Canucks’ feisty winger Derek Dorsett played for Desjardins in Medicine Hat definitely thinks he’s a people person. “He finds the way to get the best out of every player, and he manages the room…one of his best strengths is getting to know each individual. It’s not just a team thing. He respects guy and he’s honest with them,” said Dorsett. “He is what he is, he’s as advertised. He wants to win. He hates to lose, maybe the most. He’s a pretty focussed guy. Outside noise doesn’t distract him,” said Dorsett." "By then, he was studying education at the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon. Since seeding coincided with his spring finals, Desjardins would study on his tractor. He and his dad used to sit side-by-side in the kitchen, before dawn, waiting for the sun to come up. They were so eager to get working, they couldn’t bear to waste a minute of sunlight."
  19. That is not what I said and unless you had trouble with reading at school you know it. Tryamkin would not have had half the fans on here if it had not been for the extracurricular stuff. i.e. all the stuff he claims he doesn't want to do. Beiga out scored Tryamkin in hits by the way.
  20. It depends on what team you gave him. WD would have won a hell of a lot more with Boeser, Vanek, Gagner Leipsic Motte, Pouliot, MDZ etc. as well as the likes of Bo, Stech, Hutton etc being a year more experienced. I'm not making that a criticism of Green just an attempt at parity of resources. After all WD got to the playoffs with a similar team - 101 points Oh and by the way, I also think Green would want Tryamkin to intimidate the opposition.
  21. Well to be fair if you are saying Tryamkin is not going to consistently use his physical attributes he is definitely not going to find it easy getting a place in the NHL Do you seriously think he was any better than Biega if he hadn't done the "other stuff"?
  22. It's called a hockey forum I believe. I suppose that could be described as a hobby by someone of "heightened imagination"
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