2018-19 Utica Comets Thread

[TomatoPieFan]

COMETS SIGN DYSON STEVENSON TO PTO

Mar 14, 2019

Utica, N.Y. – Utica Comets General Manager Ryan Johnson announced today that the club has signed Dyson Stevenson to a PTO.

 

Stevenson, 25, has earned 29 points (11-18-29) in 39 games with the Wichita Thunder this season. He has also skated in six career AHL games between the Portland Pirates and Bridgeport Sound Tigers. The Shaunavon, SK Native has 130 points (52-78-130) in 279 career ECHL games.

[mll]

Batchelor just tweeted that the Canucks had used 2 recalls.  

 

Sautner and Brisebois were papered down at the TDL using up 2 of the 4 recalls.  Brisebois was then returned on the 28th and recalled back up on the 6th of March - does that count as a 3rd recall ?  Is there a minimum time on the NHL roster for it not to count.

 

Edited March 15, 2019 by mll

[TomatoPieFan]

By Ben Birnell

Friday

Posted at 12:22 PM

Share

With college hockey seasons coming to an end, teams are adding free agent players and the Utica Comets are no different.

On Friday, the Comets announced the addition of Seamus Malone on an amateur tryout contract following his senior season at Wisconsin.

The 22-year-old Malone, who is from Illinois, was Wisconsin’s top center and was a member of special teams in totaling eight goals and 18 assists in 37 games for the Badgers. His 26 points led the Badgers.

The undrafted Malone, who is 5-foot-10 and 181 pounds also plays some wing according to reported, joins the Comets at a time when the team has been depleted at forward because of injuries, call-ups and trades. He gives the Comets 13 healthy forwards after the team added Dyson Stevenson on a professional tryout contract on Thursday.

Malone joins Brendan Woods, who also played college hockey at Wisconsin.

[TomatoPieFan]

 

[TomatoPieFan]

 

[CRAZY_4_NAZZY]

This has been the fourth straight game where the Comets have taken a penalty within the first five minutes of the game.

 

For the past two months the Comets have almost averaged 5-6 penalties a game.  That is wayyyyy too much.  They have to seriously tone down the penalties and I am beginning to think that their style of play is far too aggressive and would explain why this team is decimated by injuries as well.

 

I think top to bottom from the Canucks down to the Comets, the amount of injuries that have accumulated over 3 seasons is largely due to an overly aggressive style of play that just is not sustainable.  Something drastically needs to change in order for self-preservation and the sake of not  always playing from behind. 

Edited March 16, 2019 by CRAZY_4_NAZZY

[TomatoPieFan]

 

Edited March 17, 2019 by TomatoPieFan

[TomatoPieFan]

Coming into this game Comets in 21st spot overall with Hartford 25th in the league.  Hartford last in the division and less than .500.  Comets 1/3 PP and Hartford 1/8.  Comets 28 shots vs. 20. Mazanec has been horrible. He's giving up goals with clear vision of the shot. Got pulled after 3 goals in 23:35  and Leighton gives up 2. Bring back Kulbakov! The highlight of the game for Comets was watching a career ECHL PTO Dyson Stevenson beat up on Shawn O'Donnell. Comets continue to lead the league giving up SH goals which negated the nice start to the game going up 1-0.  Comets now sit in 6th place with Belleville and Cleveland winning.  Still close but how far are you going to go even if you make the playoffs.

Edited March 17, 2019 by TomatoPieFan

[TomatoPieFan]

 

Edited March 17, 2019 by TomatoPieFan

[TomatoPieFan]

Quote

 

By Ben Birnell

Posted Mar 16, 2019 at 10:19 PM Updated Mar 16, 2019 at 11:32 PM

 

UTICA – The March swoon continues for the Utica Comets.

The depleted Comets’ recent rough stretch comes at an inopportune time for a team whose postseason hopes are quickly fading.

The Utica Comets allowed five consecutive goals as the Hartford Wolf Pack cruised to a 5-3 American Hockey League victory on Saturday at the Adirondack Bank Center Utica Memorial Auditorium.

Ryan Gropp scored twice – including one as part of a three-goal second period -- for Hartford (28-29-6-3), which sits at the bottom of the Atlantic Division.

“We got away from it a few times and gave up some really good scoring chances,” said Carter Bancks, who played in his team-record 305th regular-season game surpassing Darren Archibald.

It was the seventh consecutive loss for the Comets (30-27-6-2) – struggling mightily after being left short-staffed by injuries, call-ups and other moves. Utica is 1-8-2-0 in the last 11 games.

“I wish we could do better for (the fans). I really do,” Comets coach Trent Cull said, who acknowledged blue line’s lack of speed and experience was a weakness Saturday. “We’re trying. They’ve been positive with us. ... I think they understand. I think they’re a knowledgeable group of fans that kind of understand the plight. Hopefully we can do more for them.”

It is going to be tough, though, for the Comets. Utica is stuck at 68 points and chasing the Belleville Senators, which earned a 6-5 shootout win over Laval on Saturday and pulled four points ahead for the fourth and final playoff spot in the North Division. Utica has 11 regular-season games remaining and is tied with Cleveland, which earned a point Saturday in an overtime loss.

Up next

What: Utica Comets at Belleville Senators.

When: 7 p.m. Wednesday.

Where: CAA Arena, Belleville, Ontario.

Broadcast: KROCK 94.9 FM; watchtheahl.com.

Season series: Belleville leads the six-game series 3-2-0-0.

Last meeting: Belleville won 5-2 on Jan. 19 in Utica.

“Every game from here on out is huge. We have to find a way. There’s no doubt about it,” said Bancks, who scored in the third period. “At the end of the day, we’re not finding a way to win. That’s what it comes down to. We have to find a way.”

 

 

Jesse Graham had a goal and an assist and Tanner Kero scored for his career-best 51st point for the Comets, who had a seven-game home point streak against Atlantic Division teams end.

Michael Leighton totaled 10 saves in relief of Marek Mazenac, who was pulled after allowing three goals on eight shots.

It started out well for Utica, which had the advantage in the first period when it led 11-5 shots.

However, the teams traded goals near the midpoint of the period when the Comets got a five-minute advantage following a dangerous hit from behind by Brandon Crawley – who also got a game misconduct -- on Lukas Jasek, who left the game under his own power.Seven seconds into the power play, Kero won a faceoff back to Jesse Graham, who found Cam Darcy on the right side. The forward sent to the puck the slot, where Kero redirected in his 22nd of the season with 9:59 to play.

The goal snapped a 0-for-22 stretch on the power play for the Comets.

However, Hartford answered 2:43 later on Bobby Butler’s shorthanded goal from the left circle. It was the 15th shorthanded goal the Comets have allowed, which is tied for the most in the AHL.

“We give up the shorty when you’re hoping to extend (the lead) and it just stinks,” Cull said. “The bad thing is when we did spend time in our zone it was extended and then we had some poor reads.”

It was a rough second period for the Comets, who were outshot 9-8 and appeared flat.

Hartford took control with goals 1:29 apart from Shawn St. Amant – on a 2-on-1 rush – and Ryan Gropp’s power-play goal on snipe from the right circle over Mazanec’s shoulder for a 3-1 advantage.

The goal spelled the end of the night for Mazanec as Trent Cull brought in Leighton with 16:25 left.

Vincent Arseneau had the Comets’ best chance of the period later when he got a breakaway after coming out of the box, but his attempt was handled by Huska.

Hartford extended the lead with 5:59 left following a Comets’ miscue in the corner as Ville Meskanen buried a shot from the slot after a feed from Matt Beleskey.

The Wolf Pack pushed it to 5-1 on Gropp’s second goal on tap-in from the slot after a centering feed from Steven Fogarty with 13:46 remaining.

Utica pushed later to make it interesting. The Comets got goals 3:17 apart from an unchecked Graham – who had shot from the top of the right circle get through traffic with 6:32 to play – and a backhand shorthanded tally from Bancks with 3:15 to play.

The Comets pulled Leighton late, but were hampered be penalties and couldn’t closer.

“Guys are trying so hard. Sometimes, when you’re on a streak like this everything that is going to bad is going into the net,” Bancks said.

Note: The Vancouver Canucks signed defenseman Jett Woo to a three-year entry-level contract Saturday. The 2018 draft pick ranks fifth on the Moose Jaw Warriors with a career-high 62 points in 61 games. The 18-year-old Woo is not eligible to play full-time in the AHL. Woo joins Quinn Hughes and Josh Teves to recently sign with Vancouver.

[Connor comet]

12 hours ago, CRAZY_4_NAZZY said:

This has been the fourth straight game where the Comets have taken a penalty within the first five minutes of the game.

 

For the past two months the Comets have almost averaged 5-6 penalties a game.  That is wayyyyy too much.  They have to seriously tone down the penalties and I am beginning to think that their style of play is far too aggressive and would explain why this team is decimated by injuries as well.

 

I think top to bottom from the Canucks down to the Comets, the amount of injuries that have accumulated over 3 seasons is largely due to an overly aggressive style of play that just is not sustainable.  Something drastically needs to change in order for self-preservation and the sake of not  always playing from behind. 

You make some good points. The comets play a very hard game, they have since season one. A physical hard forechecking game and normally a low scoring game. 

 

The comets offence was better at points this season, but that was when they had Gaudette here for less than 20 games. 

 

This is on management for failing to bring in skill players which would allow a more skilled, less physical type of play.

 

Instead they fill the lineup with 4th line checking type forwards which dictated the style the team must play. 

 

This also is a big factor in why the youngsters have not fit in and flourished in Utica. 

 

Benning and the Canucks totally abandoned the comets in the last two months. This team is mess with both Hamilton and Bancks signed for another season. More of the same is expected. 

[UTICANUCK]

Utica can't correct Utica, only the Canucks can by sending quality prospects and leaving them here to develop and shine, but that won't be happening soon.   Nice signing of Jett Woo, but he's a Canuck or junior for the next 2 years and not AHL eligible.   The Canucks are so weak on D they have to fix their own problem before even thinking about building D depth in Utica.   Ridding Utica of Dahlen was not a bad thing (no goals in 7 games in San Jose says something) but he was not replaced, and in essence they traded Archie and Nilly for Pyatt and Pyatt is no Archie and now he is hurt as well.  Archie will help Belleville to the playoffs while the Comets will be golfing.  Something has to change in the organization.   In past years the Comets had managed to find a way to the playoffs despite the odds while the Canucks were golfing, but this year the odds are so bad (3 top D callups and 2 D inuries since the trade deadline) plus the loss of veterans Hamilton, Boucher and Pyatt and no replacement for Dahlen and you have an ECHL team on the ice.   They really play hard and give it their all - and I they still could make a little run at a playoff spot - but the odds are not in their favor and the blame lies with the parent organization. Fore!  

[UticaHockey]

51 minutes ago, Connor comet said:

You make some good points. The comets play a very hard game, they have since season one. A physical hard forechecking game and normally a low scoring game. 

 

The comets offence was better at points this season, but that was when they had Gaudette here for less than 20 games. 

 

This is on management for failing to bring in skill players which would allow a more skilled, less physical type of play.

 

Instead they fill the lineup with 4th line checking type forwards which dictated the style the team must play. 

 

This also is a big factor in why the youngsters have not fit in and flourished in Utica. 

 

Benning and the Canucks totally abandoned the comets in the last two months. This team is mess with both Hamilton and Bancks signed for another season. More of the same is expected. 

The way that the farm is managed will not change next year or the year after that as long as the current management team is still in place.  Until Benning is fired and replaced with a GM that cares about the success of the farm team as an integral part of development it will be the same $&!# but a different year.  I don't believe Benning has stepped foot in Utica for three seasons in a row dispite traveling with the Canucks on east road trips regularly.  The Comets are so far down on his priority list it's like they don't even exist.  Yes he has Ryan Johnson to manage the team but he does absolutely nothing to advocate for his team.  He is just there to sound good in radio interviews and remind the Canucks listeners that "the AHL is a hard league" when the heat is turned up on lack of development and scratching of young players.  They both can't be fired soon enough.

[SingleThorn]

8 minutes ago, UTICANUCK said:

Utica can't correct Utica, only the Canucks can by sending quality prospects and leaving them here to develop and shine, but that won't be happening soon.   Nice signing of Jett Woo, but he's a Canuck or junior for the next 2 years and not AHL eligible.   The Canucks are so weak on D they have to fix their own problem before even thinking about building D depth in Utica.   Ridding Utica of Dahlen was not a bad thing (no goals in 7 games in San Jose says something) but he was not replaced, and in essence they traded Archie and Nilly for Pyatt and Pyatt is no Archie and now he is hurt as well.  Archie will help Belleville to the playoffs while the Comets will be golfing.  Something has to change in the organization.   In past years the Comets had managed to find a way to the playoffs despite the odds while the Canucks were golfing, but this year the odds are so bad (3 top D callups and 2 D inuries since the trade deadline) plus the loss of veterans Hamilton, Boucher and Pyatt and no replacement for Dahlen and you have an ECHL team on the ice.   They really play hard and give it their all - and I they still could make a little run at a playoff spot - but the odds are not in their favor and the blame lies with the parent organization. Fore!  

Re: bolded...........Agree. Plan A wasn't a bad plan using what we ( Canucks/ Comets ) had in the system. For the 3rd or 4th year in a row, both clubs have been decimated with injuries. Simple fix tho' ( tongue in cheek ). 'We' have to have our own ECHL franchise. I don't know if that's doable under NHL rules. Don't know if ECHL teams can/ do make a profit. I'm more than happy to spend Aqulini's money, but I believe it would be money well spent !

[The Great Canucks]

16 minutes ago, UticaHockey said:

The way that the farm is managed will not change next year or the year after that as long as the current management team is still in place.  Until Benning is fired and replaced with a GM that cares about the success of the farm team as an integral part of development it will be the same $&!# but a different year.  I don't believe Benning has stepped foot in Utica for three seasons in a row dispite traveling with the Canucks on east road trips regularly.  The Comets are so far down on his priority list it's like they don't even exist.  Yes he has Ryan Johnson to manage the team but he does absolutely nothing to advocate for his team.  He is just there to sound good in radio interviews and remind the Canucks listeners that "the AHL is a hard league" when the heat is turned up on lack of development and scratching of young players.  They both can't be fired soon enough.

Well, I don't want Benning fired. Honestly, I doubt this problem would be fixed even if we had a new GM. You say he doesn't care? Well, I think that is a load of crap. This "problem" with Utica needs to be fixed through free agency, honestly. There is not much else he, or any other GM can do beyond that. You're not getting much in the way of prospects because they are either good enough to come to the NHL, or they are going to college, since we have been pretty damn successful going the NCAA route. You may not like that, but it's true and you have to deal with it.

 

What really needs to change is seeing if the organization can do anything to minimize injuries. It's pathetic how many man games we lose each season.

[UticaHockey]

24 minutes ago, SingleThorn said:

Re: bolded...........Agree. Plan A wasn't a bad plan using what we ( Canucks/ Comets ) had in the system. For the 3rd or 4th year in a row, both clubs have been decimated with injuries. Simple fix tho' ( tongue in cheek ). 'We' have to have our own ECHL franchise. I don't know if that's doable under NHL rules. Don't know if ECHL teams can/ do make a profit. I'm more than happy to spend Aqulini's money, but I believe it would be money well spent !

Other teams are starting to use the ECHL as part of their development system with the most notable being Toronto and Tampa Bay.  Both teams aren't afraid to put prospects on ELCs in the ECHL to maximize their ice time.  Toronto went as far as hiring the coach for the ECHL Growlers.  If the Canucks sent a prospect down to the ECHL it would be met with criticism from the media and fan base so they don't do it.

 

They stash a couple of players on AHL deals in KZoo but they are just warm bodies that Ryan Johnson signed last summer and have not been as productive as the other ECHL PTOs that they find mid season.

 

[UticaHockey]

13 minutes ago, The Great Canucks said:

Well, I don't want Benning fired. Honestly, I doubt this problem would be fixed even if we had a new GM. You say he doesn't care? Well, I think that is a load of crap. This "problem" with Utica needs to be fixed through free agency, honestly. There is not much else he, or any other GM can do beyond that. You're not getting much in the way of prospects because they are either good enough to come to the NHL, or they are going to college, since we have been pretty damn successful going the NCAA route. You may not like that, but it's true and you have to deal with it.

 

What really needs to change is seeing if the organization can do anything to minimize injuries. It's pathetic how many man games we lose each season.

I'll agree with your point about fixing the Utica problem through free agency. The Canucks do not have many skilled centers in the prospect pool that will be in the AHL so they have to supplement that deficiency through free agency.  This has been discussed every year but never addressed.  If you want to develop your young wings into top 6 players you can't put them out there with the likes of Wacey Hamilton, Brendan Woods and Carter Bancks.

 

But the Utica Problem is also a result of Benning trading away more draft picks than he has acquired even though the Canucks have been near the bottom of the league in each of the past three seasons.

 

This year Benning has stated multiple times that he would not trade any draft picks because the draft is in Vancouver.  Why does it take a big dog and pony show of hosting the draft to get him to not trade picks for more NHL castaways?

[Connor comet]

Does anyone on here feel that Benning and company can even begin to manage an ECHL team?? They can't even handle Utica...... 

 

Benning needs to delegate someone to be fully in charge of this AHL team.. and it's not Ryan Johnson. This clown is useless..

 

They have Pat Conacher here.. turn the guy loose......

[The Great Canucks]

15 minutes ago, Connor comet said:

Does anyone on here feel that Benning and company can even begin to manage an ECHL team?? They can't even handle Utica...... 

 

Benning needs to delegate someone to be fully in charge of this AHL team.. and it's not Ryan Johnson. This clown is useless..

 

They have Pat Conacher here.. turn the guy loose......

Seriously? We get it, you are upset with how things are going in Utica. You don't need to say stupid sh** like this, too. There are enough dumbass Benning haters on here already.

[stawns]

3 hours ago, UTICANUCK said:

Utica can't correct Utica, only the Canucks can by sending quality prospects and leaving them here to develop and shine, but that won't be happening soon.   Nice signing of Jett Woo, but he's a Canuck or junior for the next 2 years and not AHL eligible.   The Canucks are so weak on D they have to fix their own problem before even thinking about building D depth in Utica.   Ridding Utica of Dahlen was not a bad thing (no goals in 7 games in San Jose says something) but he was not replaced, and in essence they traded Archie and Nilly for Pyatt and Pyatt is no Archie and now he is hurt as well.  Archie will help Belleville to the playoffs while the Comets will be golfing.  Something has to change in the organization.   In past years the Comets had managed to find a way to the playoffs despite the odds while the Canucks were golfing, but this year the odds are so bad (3 top D callups and 2 D inuries since the trade deadline) plus the loss of veterans Hamilton, Boucher and Pyatt and no replacement for Dahlen and you have an ECHL team on the ice.   They really play hard and give it their all - and I they still could make a little run at a playoff spot - but the odds are not in their favor and the blame lies with the parent organization. Fore!  

The only thing that needs to change is for the Canucks to be healthy.  But don't let that stand in the way of a good, baseless rant