2018-19 Utica Comets Thread

[Boudrias]

2 hours ago, Nuxfanabroad said:

Won't speak for others, but I'm quite happy with the job the front office has done, turning around the fortunes(long term) of the franchise. The drafting of the past half-decade is something we Canuck-backers have never experienced(& I've been watching since the 70's).

 

Also glad they finally got their own farm squad, back in 2013. I'd say it's done pretty well, considering prospect shelves were(at that time) pretty much emptied.

 

The comment I made which likely drew attn, was regarding holding back top talent, if that (AHL)league features a bunch of idiot goons running amuck. So we need to take up 15-25% of the farm slots with matching goons to shepherd the youth? Umm..whatever. Fine, scour the ECHL for mouth breathers...

 

I'm glad EP didn't get one whiff of that league. Neither will Hughes. OJ I trust Mgt will take all aspects into consideration.

Your critic of Utica fans totally ignores the same type of criticism leveled at Canuck management as little as 2 years ago by many on CDC. It cannot be fun to be Comet and Canuck fans during long losing streaks when player development is challenged. Questioning the rosters is a time honoured reality. 

 

What strikes a new low in your comment is your disparaging the AHL as a development league. It is by far the best NHL development avenue in the world. Are you a long term Canuck fan? If not I can comment that the Canucks acquiring a AHL franchise was a major turning point in the org's history. Canuck fans should thank Mike Gillis for doing that. While Utica fans can be disappointed with progress to date IMO that is a reflection of how bad things were when this management group took over. Stating that the org prospect depth was empty is not an overstatement. Changing that is measured in multiple years. Combine that with the number of Canuck prospects in the NCCA rather than the NHL and the impact on Utica is magnified. I see all this changing quickly over the next couple of seasons.   

[krutovsdonut]

nice.  he looks like an extra from vikings to me.

[CRAZY_4_NAZZY]

Comets again out another key cog on the defense core.  Ashton Sautner on the shelf for a while with a broken orbital bone, nose, and cheek after a dirty and blatant elbow to the face by Eric Tangradi.

 

Ashton has been a workhorse for the Comets this season. 

[RetroCanuck]

30 minutes ago, CRAZY_4_NAZZY said:

Comets again out another key cog on the defense core.  Ashton Sautner on the shelf for a while with a broken orbital bone, nose, and cheek after a dirty and blatant elbow to the face by Eric Tangradi.

 

Ashton has been a workhorse for the Comets this season. 

 

If that happened in the NHL you'd hope it would be at least a 20 game suspension for such stupidity.

 

Personally I think he should be out at least as long as Sautner is.

[CRAZY_4_NAZZY]

If you watch the replay above carefully, yes Tangradi does choose to not hit Sautner in the numbers, but he also chooses to laterally move and extend his elbow out to finish the check...that was his demise.

 

He could've also chosen to not do that, and just bump Sautner.  He identified that Sautner was in a vulnerable position, and should've also known that his head was also down.  Eric had full understanding of that and should've not chosen to use his elbow to finish through with the hit.  IMO that is just being ignorant and stupid on his part. 

[Nuxfanabroad]

^ah, there you go.. there's the kind of garbage I've been referring too. Do we really want dangerous assaults like this for our top youth?

 

 

 

5 hours ago, Boudrias said:

Your critic of Utica fans totally ignores the same type of criticism leveled at Canuck management as little as 2 years ago by many on CDC. It cannot be fun to be Comet and Canuck fans during long losing streaks when player development is challenged. Questioning the rosters is a time honoured reality. 

 

What strikes a new low in your comment is your disparaging the AHL as a development league. It is by far the best NHL development avenue in the world. Are you a long term Canuck fan? If not I can comment that the Canucks acquiring a AHL franchise was a major turning point in the org's history. Canuck fans should thank Mike Gillis for doing that. While Utica fans can be disappointed with progress to date IMO that is a reflection of how bad things were when this management group took over. Stating that the org prospect depth was empty is not an overstatement. Changing that is measured in multiple years. Combine that with the number of Canuck prospects in the NCCA rather than the NHL and the impact on Utica is magnified. I see all this changing quickly over the next couple of seasons.   

Sure man..a tad sanctinmonious with the 2nd para...Then look what pops up 2 freeken posts down from yours! People need to stop being apologists for the intentional garbage that goes on. I'm tired of seeing our young guys subjected to dirty plays. Why must it be necc for the AHL team to take up spots with ECHL 'muscle'? Does this waste of development spots apply equally to all franchises?

 

You don't like my comments..that's okay. Entitled opinion to one & all.

 

I'm calling out a pattern of violence I've seen occurring, with an inordinate amount of dirty plays, vs our youth. As a fan, just voicing my opinion.

 

Lastly, it might be better to move the team closer to home. Local media/fans will have a closer eye on what goes on at both levels.

 

 

[Nuxfanabroad]

Some aspiring hockey journalist(who cheers on Comets/Canucks):

 

Should compile a list of Comets(over the past few yrs) who've been injured from dirty plays. I'm just one person(& indeed, people's memories may be skewed by factors like bias); yet it appears disproportionately high to me.

 

Compile a list of all Comets injured. Then perhaps a few more teams for comparisons' sake. Got a feeling that might be pretty interesting to see.

 

I suspect there's so much turnover in the AHL, fans memories gloss over these bad memories/events, moreso than the top league.

[alfstonker]

2 hours ago, CRAZY_4_NAZZY said:

If you watch the replay above carefully, yes Tangradi does choose to not hit Sautner in the numbers, but he also chooses to laterally move and extend his elbow out to finish the check...that was his demise.

 

He could've also chosen to not do that, and just bump Sautner.  He identified that Sautner was in a vulnerable position, and should've also known that his head was also down.  Eric had full understanding of that and should've not chosen to use his elbow to finish through with the hit.  IMO that is just being ignorant and stupid on his part. 

He's a fu--------g liar. He intentionally brings his arm/elbow round to strike his head - probably dazing him and causing the critical impact on the boards.

[Kanukfanatic]

19 hours ago, mll said:

Was also a pro-hockey player.  

 

There was that blog onecanuck - they had an article up after the Baertschi trade where they detailed Shinkaruk's game and asked BG for his opinion.  They introduced him as: "I got in contact with a former collegiate and professional hockey player who is now a season ticket holder for the Utica Comets. Posting under the handle Bad Goalie on HF Boards [...]"  

 

 

Sounds like Donald S. Cherry. An old blowhard whose opinions no longer matter. BG posts like an idiot.

[TomatoPieFan]

By Ben Birnell

Posted at 1:41 PM

 

The Utica Comets will be without Ashton Sautner for an extended period of time.

The defenseman is “out indefinitely” after he took a hard hit to the face and suffered undisclosed injuries this past weekend against Binghamton, Comets General Manager Ryan Johnson confirmed Monday.

Following Sautner’s injury, the Comets officially announced that defenseman Colton Saucerman has been signed to a professional tryout contract.

Sautner -- who has played 183 regular-season games with the Comets while on an NHL deal with the parent Vancouver Canucks -- was injured Saturday after he was hit in the face by what appeared to be the upper body of Binghamton’s Eric Tangradi in the first period Saturday as Sautner, whose ahead was at a downward angle, attemped to play the puck along the backboards. He also fell awkwardly into the boards after being hit. With an official looking on nearby, Tangradi was immediately called for a five-minute boarding penalty.

Sautner -- who scored a goal earlier in the contest that the Comets eventually won 7-4 — left the game and did not return after the injury.

The absence of Sautner -- who has made steady progress with Utica and has appeared in five games with Vancouver -- is a key loss for the Comets as he’s been a strong and steady presence, including on the Comets’ penalty kill. He’s also a leader for Utica.

Tangradi sent an apology from his Twitter account Monday.

“First and foremost I apologize to Ashton Sautner for the injuries from the hit. It is never my intention to hurt anybody a team any time during a game. While in pursuit of the puck I take an angle around his side to prevent myself from hitting him from behind. My arms are down the entire time during the impact of the hit. I take tremendous pride in being a leader and playing the right way,” Tangradi said.

The Comets are dealing with longer-term injuries to Olli Juolevi and Jalen Chatfield in addition to Sautner among the blue line group.

 

The team has played fewer than 30 games this season and has already accumulated more than 100 man-games lost to injury to various players.

The 26-year-old Saucerman, who is known in hockey circles for his impressive beard, joins the Comets from ECHL Idaho.

Saucerman, a righthanded defenseman who is listed at 5-foot-9 and 197 pounds, has appeared in 136 ECHL games with three teams and has totaled 14 goals and 74 assists.

He has five assists in 17 AHL games with Hershey, Springfield, Providence and Ontario.

This season, Saucerman has three goals, five assists and 15 penalty minutes in 10 games with The ECHL Idaho Steelheads as well as a goal, three assists and 23 penalty minutes in 12 games for ECHL Manchester.

The Comets, who won back-to-back contests last weekend, have a pair of home games this week.

The Comets (12-13-1-1, tied for 4th place in the North Division) play Providence on Wednesday before getting a visit from Binghamton on Friday.

[TomatoPieFan]

Sam Gagner 'frustrated' by latest demotion to American Hockey League

TORONTO — Sam Gagner was back in the NHL and feeling great.

Playing an important role with the Vancouver Canucks — first-line minutes, No. 1 power play — following a surprise banishment to the minors before the season, his family had also been reunited on the West Coast.

The 29-year-old forward was all smiles at the team’s skills competition earlier this month, accompanied on the bench by one of his two young sons wearing dad’s blue No. 89 jersey.

Even though the Canucks were struggling, Gagner had a goal and two assists, and was regularly deployed late in games.

There was reason for optimism.

A couple of days later, however, Gagner got his second professional shock in two months when the Canucks returned him to the AHL’s Toronto Marlies, resuming their loan agreement.

I played really well when I was in Vancouver — that’s the surprising part,” he said after his first game back with the Marlies over the weekend. “Both (Canucks GM Jim Benning and head coach Travis Green) said the same thing. They thought I played well.

“That’s why it’s hard to take.”

A veteran of 770 NHL games heading into this season, Gagner was demoted despite playing more than 18 minutes a night during that two-week stretch.

His average of 3:14 on the power play was tied for third with Bo Horvat, trailing only Brock Boeser and Elias Pettersson. Gagner also had the best even-strength shot differential at 58.21 per cent, while his other advanced metrics suggest he was unlucky not to have scored more often.

It wasn’t enough to keep him up with the big club.

“We weren’t finding wins,” Gagner said. “But that stint drove it home for me that I can play at that level and be effective.”

Sam Gagner faces the Hartford Wolfpack during American Hockey League action in Toronto on Saturday, Oct. 20, 2018. Gagner has been loaned to the Marlies by the Vancouver Canucks. Jack Boland / Jack Boland/Toronto Sun

An eyebrow-raising training camp cut — he signed a three-year, US$9.45-million contract in free agency two summers ago, choosing the Canucks over a number of other suitors — Gagner was loaned to the Marlies in October instead of being assigned to Vancouver’s affiliate in Utica, N.Y., after clearing waivers.

And while Gagner, who had seven goals and eight assists in 15 games with Toronto before getting recalled on Nov. 18, said he would never ask for a trade, a move would clearly be welcomed at this point.

“I want an NHL opportunity,” said Gagner, whose rights are maintained by the Canucks. “I’d like for it to be in Vancouver, but it doesn’t really seem like I’m in their plans.

“I’ve proven I belong.”

Gagner, who is making US$3.5 million this season no matter where he plays, has 153 goals and 283 assists in parts of 12 NHL campaigns.

The sixth pick in the 2007 draft by Edmonton said he was told by the Canucks the reason for this demotion was simple — unlike some other veterans on the roster, he didn’t have to clear waivers a second time.

Caught in a numbers game with a rebuilding franchise, Gagner skated around the question when asked if he regretted signing in Vancouver following his 50-point season with Columbus in 2016-17.

“I had bounced around,” said Gagner, who like many Canucks had a tough 2017-18 with just 10 goals and 21 assists. “They seemed to be very excited about having me there. That’s kind of the surprising part. It’s the same coach and management.

“Definitely frustrating.”

Maple Leafs centre John Tavares, who grew up with Gagner in the suburbs west of Toronto, said he was surprised to see his close friend back in the minors.

“It’s a great test of his character and his willingness to dig in,” said Tavares, who spoke with Gagner after he was demoted. “I always tell him he’s someone for me to look up to because I haven’t been in that situation and I can’t imagine how difficult it is.”

Marlies head coach Sheldon Keefe said the way Gagner has dealt with the adversity is a lesson to his young players.

“You have to make the best of it,” Keefe said. “He’s dusted himself off and got back to work.”

“His career is what any of us wish we could have,” Marlies veteran centre Chris Mueller added. “He’s not down here being negative or mad at the world. His presence, his leadership is going to go a long way as far as showing these kids what it’s like to be a good pro.

“I’m not too familiar with the Canucks’ situation, but I know he’s a hell of a hockey player and deserves to be up there.”

That’s what Gagner is hoping, especially with his wife and kids having stayed in Vancouver since September.

“You go from playing first-line minutes and on the first power play one night. You’re with your family and Christmas is around the corner,” he said. “The next day you’re going back to the minors — definitely a shock.

“You just keep pushing forward and hopefully there’s another opportunity.”

Either with the Canucks or elsewhere.

[canuckledraggin]

http://www.uticacomets.com/

 

So 19 forwards. 10 Defensemen and 2 goalies with Kulbakov waiting in the wings.

 

WTF are you expecting? 6 1st year rookies, who can be rotated into the lineup. Just curious. What did you expect? Oh and by the way. You already bought your tickets. Nobody needs to sell you anything. Suck it up and enjoy the ride you whining ass pansies...

[UticaHockey]

27 minutes ago, canuckledraggin said:

http://www.uticacomets.com/

 

So 19 forwards. 10 Defensemen and 2 goalies with Kulbakov waiting in the wings.

 

WTF are you expecting? 6 1st year rookies, who can be rotated into the lineup. Just curious. What did you expect? Oh and by the way. You already bought your tickets. Nobody needs to sell you anything. Suck it up and enjoy the ride you whining ass pansies...

You been drinking tonight?

[canuckledraggin]

1 minute ago, UticaHockey said:

You been drinking tonight?

I was hoping for a rebuttal. Please tell me all the problems with the lineup and how you would rectify them Ryan Johnson 2.0

[GoldenAlien]

12 hours ago, Boudrias said:

While Utica fans can be disappointed with progress to date IMO that is a reflection of how bad things were when this management group took over. Stating that the org prospect depth was empty is not an overstatement. Changing that is measured in multiple years. Combine that with the number of Canuck prospects in the NCCA rather than the NHL and the impact on Utica is magnified. I see all this changing quickly over the next couple of seasons.   

While I think the state of Canucks' prospect pool during the Gillis' era is directly related to how the team has fared in the past few seasons -- we had no one to supplement the Sedins once they slowed down -- Utica's troubles are more just a consequence of being a farm team of a rebuilding club. 

 

First, because we were able to pick high, our best prospects don't spend any time in the AHL.  Compare that to a club that's picking in the late teens or 20s, almost all of their first rounders are going to start in the AHL.

 

Then, because we have a thin roster, anyone who's good enough to make the NHL will be given every chance to do so.  Someone like Goldobin would've been traded like Sprong had he been on a contending team.  There's simply no room to let young players figure it out, particularly if they need top 6 minutes to do so.  But as a rebuilding team, we both have the room and the incentive to give young players a longer leash.

 

As a follow up to the above, there's also no "overcooking" of prospects.  For example, Nyquist spent 3 years in the NCAA, then had his first pro season at 22 years old.  He scored 58pt in 56 AHL games and 7pts in 18 NHL games.  If he were on the Canucks, he would've been given a full time spot on the big team by the end of the year.  Instead, the season after, he played 58 games in the AHL, scoring 60pts, and even after that season, played another 15 games, scoring 21pts, before he made the Red Wings for good.  He was 24 by then. 

 

Now, Detroit is keeping a 19 year old Rasmussen in their lineup, who has scored 9pts in 28 games.  Was a 23 year old Nyquist really less ready for the NHL than Rasmussen is right now?  Probably not, but when a team is contending, you only keep a rookie on the roster if they come in and force your hand.  Once upon a time, we had a RHD depth of Bieksa, Ehrhoff and Salo.  Had we signed Stecher then, he would've spent his entire rookie season in the AHL.  Doesn't matter whether he needed that much time -- who would've been sat to give him a chance?  Can you imagine AV giving Hutton ice time over Rome back in 2011?  But now, we waive Gagner to make room for Motte. 

 

Teams that are tops in the AHL generally have good prospects who are second or third year players, along with AHL vets (or fringe NHL players).  But for us, some of our first round picks skip the AHL, so we often don't have multiple first round picks on the farm.  Then, prospects who are dominating at that level aren't going to be left there for long.  In essence, the only guys who stay in Utica are either rookies (who need to adjust) or lower level prospects (who provide limited skill).  There's not a single skater in Utica who's a second year AHLer and projects as a top 6 F/ top 4 D in the NHL.  In 2014-2015, when the Comets made the finals, Jensen, Gaunce and Shinkaruk spent the whole season on the farm, with Jensen being a sophomore.  Then Baertschi joined after the TDL, and even Virtanen played 10 playoff games after his WHL season ended.  That's 5 first round picks, with 2 who has multiple years of pro experience.  Say what you want about how some of them turned out, but a second year Jensen is going to be better than a first year Lind.

 

This is not necessarily a bad thing for the Canucks.  If we needed guys like Baertschi and Granlund to beat a vet for a spot right off the bat, they would've never developed into NHL regulars with us.  And while there's generally no harm in overcooking prospects, there's often no utility in doing so either.  Had we had the centre depth of Sedin - Kesler - Malhotra in 2014, Horvat would've been sent back for a 4th season in London.  Would that have hurt his potential?  No.  But is that really the best use of his time?  And obviously, there are no downsides to getting Pettersson or Hughes.

 

The Comets will only get better when the Canucks become a contending team.  Then players like Dahlen, who would be dominant as a second year AHLer, would stay down for an extra year instead of making the Canucks.  Then we'd pick #23, and have a rookie like Borgstrom scoring PPG in the AHL, instead of #5, and have a rookie like Pettersson scoring PPG in the NHL.

 

Edited December 11, 2018 by GoldenAlien

[Qwags]

16 hours ago, SID.IS.SID.ME.IS.ME said:

So the Comets have added one of the best names and best beards in hockey by signing Colton Saucerman to a PTO.

 

https://canucksarmy.com/2018/12/09/utica-comets-add-defenceman-colton-saucerman-on-pto/

 

 

Man, it’s tough not to want to root for this guy catching on and becoming a player for Utica. Hell, eventually Vancouver.

 

5’9” and 200ish lbs Dman. Built pretty much like Gimli from LOTR. RH shot, can run a power play, and willing to drop the gloves. Pretty decent ECHL numbers.

 

https://www.eliteprospects.com/player/45683/colton-saucerman

 

But who cares about the hockey stuff? What we really need is an article on that beard! 

 

https://www.idahosteelheads.com/en/articles/the-art-of-the-beard

What a name.

 

Dish us a pass, you're the Saucerman.

Dish us a pass tonight.

Because we're all in the mood for a breakaway.

And your zone exits have been great all night.

[alfstonker]

8 hours ago, TomatoPieFan said:

By Ben Birnell

Posted at 1:41 PM

 

The Utica Comets will be without Ashton Sautner for an extended period of time.

The defenseman is “out indefinitely” after he took a hard hit to the face and suffered undisclosed injuries this past weekend against Binghamton, Comets General Manager Ryan Johnson confirmed Monday.

Following Sautner’s injury, the Comets officially announced that defenseman Colton Saucerman has been signed to a professional tryout contract.

Sautner -- who has played 183 regular-season games with the Comets while on an NHL deal with the parent Vancouver Canucks -- was injured Saturday after he was hit in the face by what appeared to be the upper body of Binghamton’s Eric Tangradi in the first period Saturday as Sautner, whose ahead was at a downward angle, attemped to play the puck along the backboards. He also fell awkwardly into the boards after being hit. With an official looking on nearby, Tangradi was immediately called for a five-minute boarding penalty.

Sautner -- who scored a goal earlier in the contest that the Comets eventually won 7-4 — left the game and did not return after the injury.

The absence of Sautner -- who has made steady progress with Utica and has appeared in five games with Vancouver -- is a key loss for the Comets as he’s been a strong and steady presence, including on the Comets’ penalty kill. He’s also a leader for Utica.

Tangradi sent an apology from his Twitter account Monday.

“First and foremost I apologize to Ashton Sautner for the injuries from the hit. It is never my intention to hurt anybody a team any time during a game. While in pursuit of the puck I take an angle around his side to prevent myself from hitting him from behind. My arms are down the entire time during the impact of the hit. I take tremendous pride in being a leader and playing the right way,” Tangradi said.

The Comets are dealing with longer-term injuries to Olli Juolevi and Jalen Chatfield in addition to Sautner among the blue line group.

 

The team has played fewer than 30 games this season and has already accumulated more than 100 man-games lost to injury to various players.

The 26-year-old Saucerman, who is known in hockey circles for his impressive beard, joins the Comets from ECHL Idaho.

Saucerman, a righthanded defenseman who is listed at 5-foot-9 and 197 pounds, has appeared in 136 ECHL games with three teams and has totaled 14 goals and 74 assists.

He has five assists in 17 AHL games with Hershey, Springfield, Providence and Ontario.

This season, Saucerman has three goals, five assists and 15 penalty minutes in 10 games with The ECHL Idaho Steelheads as well as a goal, three assists and 23 penalty minutes in 12 games for ECHL Manchester.

The Comets, who won back-to-back contests last weekend, have a pair of home games this week.

The Comets (12-13-1-1, tied for 4th place in the North Division) play Providence on Wednesday before getting a visit from Binghamton on Friday.

That is terrible news, I have been pushing for Ashton to be brought up as recently as 3 days ago. 

I hope he heels well and. quickly.

[MoneypuckOverlord]

9 hours ago, TomatoPieFan said:

Sam Gagner 'frustrated' by latest demotion to American Hockey League

TORONTO — Sam Gagner was back in the NHL and feeling great.

Playing an important role with the Vancouver Canucks — first-line minutes, No. 1 power play — following a surprise banishment to the minors before the season, his family had also been reunited on the West Coast.

The 29-year-old forward was all smiles at the team’s skills competition earlier this month, accompanied on the bench by one of his two young sons wearing dad’s blue No. 89 jersey.

Even though the Canucks were struggling, Gagner had a goal and two assists, and was regularly deployed late in games.

There was reason for optimism.

A couple of days later, however, Gagner got his second professional shock in two months when the Canucks returned him to the AHL’s Toronto Marlies, resuming their loan agreement.

I played really well when I was in Vancouver — that’s the surprising part,” he said after his first game back with the Marlies over the weekend. “Both (Canucks GM Jim Benning and head coach Travis Green) said the same thing. They thought I played well.

“That’s why it’s hard to take.”

A veteran of 770 NHL games heading into this season, Gagner was demoted despite playing more than 18 minutes a night during that two-week stretch.

His average of 3:14 on the power play was tied for third with Bo Horvat, trailing only Brock Boeser and Elias Pettersson. Gagner also had the best even-strength shot differential at 58.21 per cent, while his other advanced metrics suggest he was unlucky not to have scored more often.

It wasn’t enough to keep him up with the big club.

“We weren’t finding wins,” Gagner said. “But that stint drove it home for me that I can play at that level and be effective.”

Sam Gagner faces the Hartford Wolfpack during American Hockey League action in Toronto on Saturday, Oct. 20, 2018. Gagner has been loaned to the Marlies by the Vancouver Canucks. Jack Boland / Jack Boland/Toronto Sun

An eyebrow-raising training camp cut — he signed a three-year, US$9.45-million contract in free agency two summers ago, choosing the Canucks over a number of other suitors — Gagner was loaned to the Marlies in October instead of being assigned to Vancouver’s affiliate in Utica, N.Y., after clearing waivers.

And while Gagner, who had seven goals and eight assists in 15 games with Toronto before getting recalled on Nov. 18, said he would never ask for a trade, a move would clearly be welcomed at this point.

“I want an NHL opportunity,” said Gagner, whose rights are maintained by the Canucks. “I’d like for it to be in Vancouver, but it doesn’t really seem like I’m in their plans.

“I’ve proven I belong.”

Gagner, who is making US$3.5 million this season no matter where he plays, has 153 goals and 283 assists in parts of 12 NHL campaigns.

The sixth pick in the 2007 draft by Edmonton said he was told by the Canucks the reason for this demotion was simple — unlike some other veterans on the roster, he didn’t have to clear waivers a second time.

Caught in a numbers game with a rebuilding franchise, Gagner skated around the question when asked if he regretted signing in Vancouver following his 50-point season with Columbus in 2016-17.

“I had bounced around,” said Gagner, who like many Canucks had a tough 2017-18 with just 10 goals and 21 assists. “They seemed to be very excited about having me there. That’s kind of the surprising part. It’s the same coach and management.

“Definitely frustrating.”

Maple Leafs centre John Tavares, who grew up with Gagner in the suburbs west of Toronto, said he was surprised to see his close friend back in the minors.

“It’s a great test of his character and his willingness to dig in,” said Tavares, who spoke with Gagner after he was demoted. “I always tell him he’s someone for me to look up to because I haven’t been in that situation and I can’t imagine how difficult it is.”

Marlies head coach Sheldon Keefe said the way Gagner has dealt with the adversity is a lesson to his young players.

“You have to make the best of it,” Keefe said. “He’s dusted himself off and got back to work.”

“His career is what any of us wish we could have,” Marlies veteran centre Chris Mueller added. “He’s not down here being negative or mad at the world. His presence, his leadership is going to go a long way as far as showing these kids what it’s like to be a good pro.

“I’m not too familiar with the Canucks’ situation, but I know he’s a hell of a hockey player and deserves to be up there.”

That’s what Gagner is hoping, especially with his wife and kids having stayed in Vancouver since September.

“You go from playing first-line minutes and on the first power play one night. You’re with your family and Christmas is around the corner,” he said. “The next day you’re going back to the minors — definitely a shock.

“You just keep pushing forward and hopefully there’s another opportunity.”

Either with the Canucks or elsewhere.

He’s as frustrated Of being sent down as we are watching him play.  He’s here because we gave him the best offer.  Dude is done and i don’t think he’s even good enough to stay up unless we are slammed with injuries.  

[Connor comet]

10 hours ago, Kanukfanatic said:

Sounds like Donald S. Cherry. An old blowhard whose opinions no longer matter. BG posts like an idiot.

Hate to tell you this , but your posts have been no better lately.... Time to chill out....... 

[Connor comet]

9 hours ago, canuckledraggin said:

http://www.uticacomets.com/

 

So 19 forwards. 10 Defensemen and 2 goalies with Kulbakov waiting in the wings.

 

WTF are you expecting? 6 1st year rookies, who can be rotated into the lineup. Just curious. What did you expect? Oh and by the way. You already bought your tickets. Nobody needs to sell you anything. Suck it up and enjoy the ride you whining ass pansies...

Unfortunately 1/3 of these players ever should have been signed to contracts.

 

And I won't even get into the slew of garbage Johnson signed for depth that are stuck in the ECHL until they decide to get real jobs..    

The team is very poorly constructed and has had the same problems in their lineup for 3 seasons.

 

No matter.. eventually the Canucks fans will figure it out as these young prospects wallowing mediocrity which eventually will flow all the way to Vancouver. 

 

The Canucks will be a sub 500 team for years........