2018-19 Utica Comets Thread

[stonecoldstevebernier]

 

 

With free agency approaching and a recent increase in transactions affecting the Comets, I figured it was about time to get this thread going.

 

The Comets 2017-18 season came to an end in the first round of the playoffs, pushing the eventual Calder Cup winning Toronto Marlies to a deciding fifth game and falling in the series 3-2. Utica saw a number of exciting prospects test the waters late in the season, including Lukas Jasek, Kole Lind, and Jonathan Dahlen. All figure to be given ample opportunity this year with Utica who are poised to have the most young talent they’ve had in their lineup since their inception, as Olli Juolevi, Jonah Gadjovich, Petrus Palmu, and perhaps Adam Gaudette could join their ranks.

 

On the flip side, Utica currently faces some question marks at centre as well as being without a true #1 defenseman. Last year’s number one pivot Michael Chaput was flipped to Chicago for Tanner Kero, whose AHL numbers are slightly inferior to Chaput’s while being more of a proven NHL contributor. Cole Cassels did not receive a qualifying offer, and longtime Comet Wacey Hamilton has not been re-signed – although neither is a big loss offensively. Cam Darcy returns, but ideally he is a good #3 guy who can fill in as a #2 on occasion. There’s also the possibility that Adam Gaudette could spend time in Utica, or perhaps Zack MacEwen could be utilized at centre after spending most of his rookie season on the wing. Tyler Motte retains his ability to pass through waivers and could be an option if he fails to make the Canucks out of training camp. To me, the centre ice position is going to be more of a factor than ever this season with the large influx of young wingers – Dahlen, Lind, Jasek, Gadjovich, and Palmu will all be figuring out the pro game and they need skilled centres who can support them through the inevitable learning curve.

 

As of now, it appears that the tandem of Demko and Bachman will return in net, barring the Canucks moving Nilsson or Demko outplaying him in training camp. Evan McEneny will look to have a bounce back season after being sidelined for almost the entire 2017-18 campaign and will likely see some big minutes as he helps anchor what is shaping up to be a young defense group. They lack a true #1 but with McEneny, Sautner, Brisebois, Chatfield, and possibly Juolevi all on the roster, all will need playing time, and all have valuable pro experience under their belts already. Sifers is the lone vet on the back end, with Blujus returning as well to make 7 capable AHL defensemen.

 

COMETS THIS YEAR (as of 3/24):

31-29-6-2, 70 pts (6th in the North)

Top scorers:

Reid Boucher (49) 28-29-57

Tanner Kero (62) 24-30-54

Zack MacEwen (61) 20-28-48

Brendan Gaunce (52) 16-19-35

Evan McEneny (58) 8-23-31

 

CURRENT ROSTER: [*recalled, (+) injured]

 

Forwards:

#9 Lukas Jasek
#10 Tanner Kero
#11 Cam Darcy

#13 Kole Lind (+)

#14 Reid Gardiner

#15 Zack MacEwen

#16 Brendan Gaunce
#18 Vincent Arseneau

#19 Seamus Malone

#20 Tom Pyatt

#21 Brendan Woods

#22 Jonah Gadjovich (+)

#24 Reid Boucher

#28 Kyle Thomas

#34 Carter Bancks

#36 Wacey Hamilton (+)

#37 Dyson Stevenson

 

Defencemen:

#2 Evan McEneny (+)

#3 Stefan LeBlanc

#5 Jalen Chatfield (+)

#6 Ashton Sautner*

#7 Brandon Anselmini

#8 Dylan Blujus

#23 Luke Schenn*

#26 Jaime Sifers

#38 Matt Petgrave

#39 Colton Saucerman

#48 Olli Juolevi (+)

#55 Guillaume Brisebois*

#64 Jesse Graham

 

Goaltenders:

#32 Richard Bachman (+)

#33 Marek Mazanec

#49 Michael Leighton

 

IN THE MINORS:

 

Brendan Bradley

Ivan Kulbakov

Jagger Dirk

Yan-Pavel LaPlante (+)

 

Edited March 25, 2019 by stonecoldstevebernier

[-Vintage Canuck-]

Thanks for starting one! Thread pinned.

[pluralsight]

Should be an interesting year considering how many home grown prospects will be on this team. Question for the resident Comets experts, how do you think this team will do with it's current roster of players next year? Any chance at a Calder cup or just a playoff contender?

[SingleThorn]

Any news update for Y-P Laplante. Never did know what put him out for the season. An AHL version of Dorsett.

[TGT68]

Looks like the wing talent in Utica will be impressive.  I do hope we see one more top AHL center signed to add to what I perceive to be

Kero

MacEwen

Darcy

at the moment.  

As far as a number one defenceman goes, another big step forward from Brisebois this summer might just solve that dilemma.  He was a minute munching top defender in junior and team leader.  I think he will need to show that ability and leadership this year if he plans to be the NHL d man he was projected to be.  Hopefully he comes to camp this year stronger and faster.  

Edited June 24, 2018 by TGT68

[Guile]

33 minutes ago, TGT68 said:

Looks like the wing talent in Utica will be impressive.  I do hope we see one more top AHL center signed to add to what I perceive to be

Kero

MacEwen

Darcy

at the moment.  

As far as a number one defenceman goes, another big step forward from Brisebois this summer might just solve that dilemma.  He was a minute munching top defender in junior and team leader.  I think he will need to show that ability and leadership this year if he plans to be the NHL d man he was projected to be.  Hopefully he comes to camp this year stronger and faster.  

That's IF McEwen gets a look at centre, too... looks sketchy. Tyler motte is someone you could add to that conversation, but the need for a talented centre is evident. McEwen is not a playmaker at all, and I don't know enough about kero to say about him.

[stonecoldstevebernier]

1 hour ago, pluralsight said:

Should be an interesting year considering how many home grown prospects will be on this team. Question for the resident Comets experts, how do you think this team will do with it's current roster of players next year? Any chance at a Calder cup or just a playoff contender?

I see them being comparable to last season - competing for a playoff spot. They'll be more talented and entertaining to watch but less experienced and we can all expect some growing pains. I can see them being a contender in 2019-20 and beyond, I'm excited about the idea of growing a group of young players on the farm and letting them all develop together. A team like the Marlies, they had a lot of players in that 22 year old range who'd been cooking in the AHL for a season or two, so once all of our prospects figure out the pro game (and you filter in a couple more like Woo, Lockwood, Brassard, etc) we could be looking at a dangerous team.

The X-factor to me this year is goaltending... if Demko remains in the AHL as the starter, he's getting to that level where he can be a difference maker and steal games. All the young guys in front of him on defense now being a year older and wiser will help too.

[TGT68]

26 minutes ago, Guile said:

That's IF McEwen gets a look at centre, too... looks sketchy. Tyler motte is someone you could add to that conversation, but the need for a talented centre is evident. McEwen is not a playmaker at all, and I don't know enough about kero to say about him.

And the other problem being it is unlikely the Canucks are deep enough to send down a surplus center.  A scenario where they signed another NHL center AND Petterssen or Gagner was slotted to start at center might maybe push Gaudette to the AHL.  But I really can't see them doing that to the Hobey Baker Winner after not sending him to Utica last year.  

[TGT68]

1 minute ago, stonecoldstevebernier said:

I see them being comparable to last season - competing for a playoff spot. They'll be more talented and entertaining to watch but less experienced and we can all expect some growing pains. I can see them being a contender in 2019-20 and beyond, I'm excited about the idea of growing a group of young players on the farm and letting them all develop together. A team like the Marlies, they had a lot of players in that 22 year old range who'd been cooking in the AHL for a season or two, so once all of our prospects figure out the pro game (and you filter in a couple more like Woo, Lockwood, Brassard, etc) we could be looking at a dangerous team.

The X-factor to me this year is goaltending... if Demko remains in the AHL as the starter, he's getting to that level where he can be a difference maker and steal games. All the young guys in front of him on defense now being a year older and wiser will help too.

Problem I see with them contending in 2019-20 is I bet the Canucks take the best two wingers next year AND Demko.  Downgrading the forwards some and giving the goaltending back to Bachman with Dipietro learning the ropes as backup.  

[-AJ-]

I'm looking for Gaudette and McEwen to have great years in Utica. I think Palmu starts out pretty strong, but is used as a 3rd line energy forward. I'm guessing that Juolevi will start slow, but end stronger.

[elvis15]

We'll have to wait and see who is available and not back in the NCAA/Europe. Hope Utica can build off their finish to this past season.

[Kanukfanatic]

8 minutes ago, -AJ- said:

I'm looking for Gaudette and McEwen to have great years in Utica. I think Palmu starts out pretty strong, but is used as a 3rd line energy forward. I'm guessing that Juolevi will start slow, but end stronger.

Pretty sure Gaudette won't go to Utica. He is gonna be 22 years old soon and has already competed at a high level in college. I believe he will be given every chance to play with the Canucks this season.

[-AJ-]

12 minutes ago, Kanukfanatic said:

Pretty sure Gaudette won't go to Utica. He is gonna be 22 years old soon and has already competed at a high level in college. I believe he will be given every chance to play with the Canucks this season.

He will be given a chance, but he's far from proven himself at the NHL level yet. He's competed at college, but even the AHL would be a significant step up from college. I think he has a shot, but he's sitting on the outside looking in until he proves himself.

[Camel Toe Drag]

Jagger Dirk.... that's all. 

[SID.IS.SID.ME.IS.ME]

13 minutes ago, Kanukfanatic said:

Pretty sure Gaudette won't go to Utica. He is gonna be 22 years old soon and has already competed at a high level in college. I believe he will be given every chance to play with the Canucks this season.

Yeah, I think at the draft, JB referred to “the Gaudettes” alongside “the Boesers” and “the Petterssons” as the one of key players in our young group moving forward.

[JamesB]

5 hours ago, Kanukfanatic said:

Pretty sure Gaudette won't go to Utica. He is gonna be 22 years old soon and has already competed at a high level in college. I believe he will be given every chance to play with the Canucks this season.

 

8 hours ago, TGT68 said:

Looks like the wing talent in Utica will be impressive.  I do hope we see one more top AHL center signed to add to what I perceive to be

Kero

MacEwen

Darcy

at the moment.  

As far as a number one defenceman goes, another big step forward from Brisebois this summer might just solve that dilemma.  He was a minute munching top defender in junior and team leader.  I think he will need to show that ability and leadership this year if he plans to be the NHL d man he was projected to be.  Hopefully he comes to camp this year stronger and faster.  

1. First, thanks to @stonecoldstevebernier for an excellent OP. Covers a lot of ground, including quite a few things I was not aware of.

 

2. I agree that Gaudette is going to get a very long look with the Canucks. He is old enough and, using normal league translation factors, in expected value term he should be able to play successfully in the NHL. And the Canucks are short on centers. From what Benning has said, he certainly expects Gaudette to make the team. And Gaudette looked good in his short period with the Canucks last year. He was unlucky not to get on the score sheet, and he was very solid defensively. Personally, I expect a 4th line of Gaudette between Leipsic and Virtanen. And that should be a good 4th line.

 

3. Center is a problem for Utica. I was wondering if Utica would bring back Cassels on an AHL contract. But I guess not. And I have to agree with that decision. I agree with TGT that the Canucks should sigh a high-end veteran AHL center to play between some of their skilled wingers, particularly Dahlen and Lind. Assuming Kero plays 1C or 2C, they need another good playmaking top 6 C.

 

4. It looks like there is a pretty good chance that Quinn Hughes starts the season in Utica. That would certainly make things exciting.

 

[kenhodgejr]

could Gaunce go down?

[UticaHockey]

4 hours ago, kenhodgejr said:

could Gaunce go down?

Gaunce requires waivers but yes he can be sent down.

[Hugor Hill]

4 hours ago, kenhodgejr said:

could Gaunce go down?

Could Eriksson go down?

[UticaHockey]

13 hours ago, pluralsight said:

Should be an interesting year considering how many home grown prospects will be on this team. Question for the resident Comets experts, how do you think this team will do with it's current roster of players next year? Any chance at a Calder cup or just a playoff contender?

On paper they have some good prospects that should be exciting to watch but until we see how they adjust to the pro game I won't make any predictions.  Cole Cassels should teach us to wait and see how these kids develop at the next level.

 

Even if players like Lind, Gadjovich, Dahlen etc excel in the AHL this team will not be a Calder Cup contender without a true #1 center, a #1 dman and great goaltending.  

 

The #1 center is completely lacking in the organization at this time so the thing to look for is if they address it in free agency.  With the quality of prospects playing on the wing in Utica it should be a high organizational objective to get them a center that will aid their development.

 

The #1 dman would be a nice bonus but could be less important if Chatfield, Brisebois, Sautner and MacEneny continue to develop. (Or Juolevi being here for the playoffs?)

 

Then the goaltending situation.....Bachman is a good mentor and a #2 AHL goalie.  He was better down the stretch but really struggled during the first half of last season.  If Demko is here of they waive Nilsson down to Utica to make room for Thatcher we will be fine but if Nilsson is moved to make room for Demko then goaltending will be an issue for the Comets.