2018-19 Utica Comets Thread

[Drop Em]

1 hour ago, gurn said:

The Erickson signing was a good deal for the player every one expected to show up, unfortunately that guy died on opening night when he scored on his own team.

 Loui hasn't been the same since then.

iirc, despite Loui being an older guy the average age of the team  was down the next season.

I disagree, it was never a good deal. The Canucks (just like many other teams over the years) over paid, both on term and money because it was July 1st. He was coming off a career year at 31 and about to turn 32 when the team should have been trying to get younger. He was signed for 6 years which would have put him well past his prime even IF he had been performing as expected. He was never a great skater and the league is only getting faster and harder for him to keep up.....and although scoring on his own net would have been upsetting for him, if it put him off so much as to screw up his season and the ones following it, then his mental toughness should have been taken into consideration when he signed his contract. Signing LE and then starting a complete rebuild less than a year later makes no sense.

Edited January 2, 2019 by Drop Em

[UticaHockey]

12 minutes ago, Drop Em said:

I disagree, it was never a good deal. The Canucks (just like many other teams over the years) over paid, both on term and money because it was July 1st. He was coming off a career year at 31 and about to turn 32 when the team should have been trying to get younger. He was signed for 6 years which would have put him well past his prime if he had been performing as expected. He was never a great skater and the league is only getting faster and harder for him to keep up.....and although scoring on his own net would have been upsetting for him, if it put him off so much as to screw up his season and the ones following it, then his mental toughness should have been taken into consideration when he signed his contract. Signing LE and then starting a complete rebuild less than a year later makes no sense.

There is no way to look at the Loui Erickson signing and not come to the conclusion that it was a bad signing.  But my point was for a team that is rebuilding Benning has not done a good job of acquiring additional draft picks both at the deadline and other times of the year.  And on top of this too many of his trades included both an asset and a pick going the other way.  Ex. Pouliot for Pedan and a 4th. Gudbranson for McCann plus a 2nd and a 4th. Etem for Jensen and a 6th.  Just too many times Benning has sweetened the deal by throwing in a draft pick.  Then let's not forget the rights to Phillip Larsen for a 5th.

 

A counter point would be these 4th and 5th round picks have a low percentage of turning into NHL players but a team rebuilding should be stockpiling them to increase their overall odds of finding some success stories.  Don't forget that Gaudette was a 5th round pick which I will more than happily give Benning credit for but he should be acquiring more of these picks instead of trading them away to find the next Gaudette.

[Drop Em]

29 minutes ago, UticaHockey said:

There is no way to look at the Loui Erickson signing and not come to the conclusion that it was a bad signing.  But my point was for a team that is rebuilding Benning has not done a good job of acquiring additional draft picks both at the deadline and other times of the year.  And on top of this too many of his trades included both an asset and a pick going the other way.  Ex. Pouliot for Pedan and a 4th. Gudbranson for McCann plus a 2nd and a 4th. Etem for Jensen and a 6th.  Just too many times Benning has sweetened the deal by throwing in a draft pick.  Then let's not forget the rights to Phillip Larsen for a 5th.

 

A counter point would be these 4th and 5th round picks have a low percentage of turning into NHL players but a team rebuilding should be stockpiling them to increase their overall odds of finding some success stories.  Don't forget that Gaudette was a 5th round pick which I will more than happily give Benning credit for but he should be acquiring more of these picks instead of trading them away to find the next Gaudette.

I agree with EVERYTHING you said. But I probably shouldn't have hijacked what should be a Utica thread, with continual comments about the terrible Eriksson signing by Benning.

[canuckledraggin]

12 hours ago, UticaHockey said:

I am familiar with the fact that previous Canucks management teams traded away draft picks to stay competitive but that tradition has continued under Benning instead of being halted.  In the Benning years the Canucks have still traded away more draft picks than they have acquired.  The Canucks should have been stockpiling draft picks the past four seasons but they didn't. 

 

I'm not even close to being a Lightning fan but I do admire how successful they are at drafting and developing players and how well they run their AHL farm team.  They are the gold standard that other teams should be trying to emulate in my opinion.  

That's false. For every pick they have traded away, they have acquired one to offset it. Some of his trades could be argued are mistakes like trading away a 2nd for Vey, but it was a worthwhile gamble at the time considering the numbers he was putting up in the AHL. It just so happens that he was playing with Pearson and Toffoli on his wings and he had a tougher time making the jump to the NHL. I'd still do the Baertschi for a 2nd deal and Comets fans got to witness what he can do with his skill and it could be argued that without Baertschi and Conacher they wouldn't have made it to the Calder finals. I'd still do a 3rd for Dorsett, who was an absolute warrior for us. The biggest controversy is McCann and a 2nd for Gudbranson, but he fills a void in the defense as fas as physicality goes, created when he traded away Bieksa for a 2nd.

 

Have a look. It's a talking point that can keeps getting repeated, that just isn't true.

 

https://hfboards.mandatory.com/threads/jim-benning-era-transaction-summary.2225825/

[alfstonker]

9 hours ago, Drop Em said:

I disagree, it was never a good deal. The Canucks (just like many other teams over the years) over paid, both on term and money because it was July 1st. He was coming off a career year at 31 and about to turn 32 when the team should have been trying to get younger. He was signed for 6 years which would have put him well past his prime even IF he had been performing as expected. He was never a great skater and the league is only getting faster and harder for him to keep up.....and although scoring on his own net would have been upsetting for him, if it put him off so much as to screw up his season and the ones following it, then his mental toughness should have been taken into consideration when he signed his contract. Signing LE and then starting a complete rebuild less than a year later makes no sense.

I have to agree the LE deal was not a good one. Examination of his record did not suggest a consistently high production player to me. 

That said the reason I was not pleased was more to do with his lack of pushback and that is the point I made at the time. 

You have to wonder if JB had "a thing" for Loui and maybe was involved in a big part of bringing him to Boston.

 

All I can say is he is not awful. He works hard and seems to be good with the "details" coaches so love to talk about.

[alfstonker]

7 hours ago, canuckledraggin said:

That's false. For every pick they have traded away, they have acquired one to offset it. Some of his trades could be argued are mistakes like trading away a 2nd for Vey, but it was a worthwhile gamble at the time considering the numbers he was putting up in the AHL. It just so happens that he was playing with Pearson and Toffoli on his wings and he had a tougher time making the jump to the NHL. I'd still do the Baertschi for a 2nd deal and Comets fans got to witness what he can do with his skill and it could be argued that without Baertschi and Conacher they wouldn't have made it to the Calder finals. I'd still do a 3rd for Dorsett, who was an absolute warrior for us. The biggest controversy is McCann and a 2nd for Gudbranson, but he fills a void in the defense as fas as physicality goes, created when he traded away Bieksa for a 2nd.

 

Have a look. It's a talking point that can keeps getting repeated, that just isn't true.

 

https://hfboards.mandatory.com/threads/jim-benning-era-transaction-summary.2225825/

McCann has been a surprise to me. He has not developed with Florida as well as I imagined he would. I really thought he was progressing better in Vancouver and it was his lack of size that was inhibiting him - however he is now 6'-1" and 198 lbs ( he doesn't look it though) and his progress imo has stalled. 

 

I was not happy with the move at the time, because I really liked McCann's fire as well as his skill and speed however in hindsight I think JB made a good trade for us. That said I really do think McCann would have been lighting it up for us by now if he had stayed.

[stawns]

15 hours ago, UticaHockey said:

There is no way to look at the Loui Erickson signing and not come to the conclusion that it was a bad signing.  But my point was for a team that is rebuilding Benning has not done a good job of acquiring additional draft picks both at the deadline and other times of the year.  And on top of this too many of his trades included both an asset and a pick going the other way.  Ex. Pouliot for Pedan and a 4th. Gudbranson for McCann plus a 2nd and a 4th. Etem for Jensen and a 6th.  Just too many times Benning has sweetened the deal by throwing in a draft pick.  Then let's not forget the rights to Phillip Larsen for a 5th.

 

A counter point would be these 4th and 5th round picks have a low percentage of turning into NHL players but a team rebuilding should be stockpiling them to increase their overall odds of finding some success stories.  Don't forget that Gaudette was a 5th round pick which I will more than happily give Benning credit for but he should be acquiring more of these picks instead of trading them away to find the next Gaudette.

Yet somehow, with him tossing aside all these picks, he's managed to only have a net loss of one pick?  Your narrative flies in the face of actual facts

[TomatoPieFan]

COMETS SIGN CRAIG WYSZOMIRSKI TO PTO

Jan 2, 2019

Utica, N.Y. – Utica Comets General Manager Ryan Johnson announced today that the club has signed defenseman Craig Wyszormirski to a professional tryout contract.

 

Wyszormirski, 26, has appeared in 20 games with the Manchester Monarchs this season, recording seven points (2-5-7).

 

The Mahwah, NJ native has suited up in 135 career ECHL games, tallying 35 points (8-26-34). The defenseman has also appeared in 10 career AHL games.

[mll]

1 hour ago, TomatoPieFan said:

COMETS SIGN CRAIG WYSZOMIRSKI TO PTO

Jan 2, 2019

Utica, N.Y. – Utica Comets General Manager Ryan Johnson announced today that the club has signed defenseman Craig Wyszormirski to a professional tryout contract.

 

Wyszormirski, 26, has appeared in 20 games with the Manchester Monarchs this season, recording seven points (2-5-7).

 

The Mahwah, NJ native has suited up in 135 career ECHL games, tallying 35 points (8-26-34). The defenseman has also appeared in 10 career AHL games.

 

And Bobby Sanguinetti was just signed to an AHL deal by the Charlotte Checkers.  He wore an A for Utica and was a key part of the playoff run back in 2015 when they reached the finals.  

 

I have no idea if they approached him but it just feels like a shame with all the injuries that they end up getting a PTO from the ECHL when Sanguinetti signs an AHL deal.

[DS4quality]

So long Archie, you will be missed 

[Hafizzle]

I wonder what Utica looks like without Demko...

[aGENT]

1 hour ago, DS4quality said:

So long Archie, you will be missed 

Bit of a grit downgrade and Archie was a solid citizen there but Pyatt's an upgrade in both player and position (C).

[Boudrias]

42 minutes ago, aGENT said:

Bit of a grit downgrade and Archie was a solid citizen there but Pyatt's an upgrade in both player and position (C).

Archy has done everything in Utica other than win a Calder Cup. I wish him well. I liked Pyatt with the NYR but don't know where he is at now. Utica is losing a goalie who can steal games and a heart & sole skater. Not a good day for them. Hoping Demko gets papered so he can return for playoffs.   

[aGENT]

1 hour ago, Boudrias said:

Archy has done everything in Utica other than win a Calder Cup. I wish him well. I liked Pyatt with the NYR but don't know where he is at now. Utica is losing a goalie who can steal games and a heart & sole skater. Not a good day for them. Hoping Demko gets papered so he can return for playoffs.   

They're certainly going to have a goalie downgrade when Demko gets called up. No question. And yes, hopefully he gets papered down (I have to assume he will).

 

Edit: Thought more on this and McKenna should actually offer pretty comparable back stopping to Demko in the A. So not really a downgrade at all in net @Boudrias.

 

Archie to Pyatt is not a downgrade though and Utica's also been in desperate need of better C depth. So what they lose in goal they gain at F (specifically C) IMO. I also doubt Benning's done, so maybe we see the net bolstered somehow in another move.

 

Hopefully they can hang on to a playoff spot to close the year and Demko can go back down for a nice run.

Edited January 2, 2019 by aGENT

[TomatoPieFan]

The parent Vancouver Canucks made a key trade Wednesday with the Ottawa Senators that has some implications for the Utica Comets.

The biggest news: The versatile Darren Archibald – the fan favorite forward known as “The Mayor” by teammates and who holds Comets records in games played (305), goals (75) and is second in points (144) – had his time in Utica come to an end.

Archibald, 28-year-old forward, was sent to Ottawa along with goaltender Anders Nilsson and in exchange for goalie Mike McKenna, forward Tom Pyatt and a 2019 sixth round draft pick.

Another big development as part of the trade, which isn’t a big surprise: Touted goaltending prospect Thatcher Demko — an AHL All-Star last season with Utica -- is going to get an opportunity to show what he can do in the NHL in the near future, the Canucks said.

Pyatt – who has played 445 NHL games -- will report to Utica after clearing waivers earlier in the day, the Canucks said. The veteran forward -- who also plays a penalty kill role -- has two assists in 37 games with Ottawa this season. Ottawa, meanwhile, said Archibald has been assigned to Belleville, which is a North Division rival of the Comets. The AHL teams meet Jan. 19 in Utica.

Vancouver General Manager Jim Benning said McKenna will serve as backup for the Canucks on Wednesday in Ottawa and Thursday in Montreal. Then, Demko will be called up the Canucks, Benning told media. McKenna will need to clear waivers in order to be assigned to the Comets.

“It’s time to bring him up and see where he’s at facing NHL competition,” Benning said of Demko, who made his NHL debut last season and is 7-5-1 this season with Utica following a prolonged injury absence.

 

 

McKenna would help provide some veteran presence for the Comets, who are without Richard Bachman for the rest of the season. Benning confirmed that Bachman suffered a torn Achilles tendon muscle in his left leg.

Archibald, who had spent time with the Canucks this season, has 11 goals and five assists in 23 games this season. With help from his rugged style, Archibald had been a popular player with Comets fans and had been an all-situations player for the team.

 

The 35-year-old McKenna has split this season between Ottawa and Belleville. In 10 NHL appearances this season, McKenna is 1-4-1 with a 3.96 goals-against average and an .897 save percentage. He has also appeared in six games with Belleville, going 3-3-0 with a 2.72 GAA and a .914 save percentage.

McKenna is the winningest U.S.-born goaltender in AHL history with 226 career victories and has a record of 226-175-39 with a 2.70 GAA, a .913 save percentage and 27 shutouts in 467 games. He’s played for AHL teams Belleville, Texas, Syracuse, Springfield, Portland, Peoria, Binghamton, Lowell/Albany, Norfolk, Milwaukee and Omaha.

The 28-year-old Nilsson, who backed Sweden to gold at the world hockey championship last spring, had a 3-8-1 record, 3.09 GAA and 0.895 save percentage in 12 games with Canucks this season.

[ohmy]

Sucks that Utica lost Archie and Demko is getting called up but I like the deal. Mckenna is a solid AHL goalie for now and can split duties with Dipietro next year. Pyatt gives Utica some great depth at Center with Gaudette down there as well now. Canucks shed salary and pick up another 6th round pick for the draft. Gotta love Jim Benning shoving the haters heads up there bottoms. Go Utica and Go Canucks!!!

[krutovsdonut]

not easy to see utica getting better out of this if demko sticks with the canucks, but at least they got something back for a change.  gaudette and pyatt should help the forward crew.  mckenna replaces bachman at minimum.

[aGENT]

44 minutes ago, krutovsdonut said:

not easy to see utica getting better out of this if demko sticks with the canucks, but at least they got something back for a change.  gaudette and pyatt should help the forward crew.  mckenna replaces bachman at minimum.

McKenna has basically identical AHL stats to Demko.

[krutovsdonut]

1 hour ago, aGENT said:

McKenna has basically identical AHL stats to Demko.

in less starts on a better defensive team where he was seeing less shots.  belleville is playing a 20 year old prospect with an .889 sv% in most of their games this year and still has a better defensive record than utica.

 

but, yes, hopefully mckenna can give the team some solid veteran goaltending.

[aGENT]

1 minute ago, krutovsdonut said:

in less starts on a better defensive team where he was seeing less shots.  belleville is playing a 20 year old prospect with an .889 sv% in most of their games this year and still has a better defensive record than utica.

 

but, yes, hopefully mckenna can give the team some solid veteran goaltending.

Just saying the goal tending is largely a wash/maybe a slight dip. And Pyatt's an improvement over Archie at a much more important and needed position. And they added Gaudette there recently as well. 

 

I doubt Utica fans are terribly upset about those changes and they're just as likely to improve the team overall if anything. Not to mention getting Demko NHL level games to prep him for a potential Utica playoff run. 

 

And we added a pick.

 

This move is all sunshine, lollipops and rainbows as far as I can tell.