Utica Comets Thread 2021-22

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

3 minutes ago, mfitz804 said:

Losers lol. 

They’re starting to come back to Earth, but managing to bank points in 18 out of 19 games…impressive sh!t.  Especially since it’s not like they’re heads and shoulders better than the rest of the AHL. 

[devlman]

11 hours ago, Colorado Rockies 1976 said:

They’re starting to come back to Earth, but managing to bank points in 18 out of 19 games…impressive sh!t.  Especially since it’s not like they’re heads and shoulders better than the rest of the AHL. 

They’re clearly heads and shoulders better than the rest of the AHL. The roster has more potential NHL-caliber players than most of the teams in the league. Either way, still very impressive.

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

25 minutes ago, devlman said:

They’re clearly heads and shoulders better than the rest of the AHL. The roster has more potential NHL-caliber players than most of the teams in the league. Either way, still very impressive.

Outside of Holtz, who is really expected to make the NHL (or be a sure thing to)?  One of the D?  Maybe one of the goalies?  We've been over it...they're a team of very solid, well-coached AHLers, who match up pretty well with other AHL teams.  I don't necessarily believe that they're significantly more talented than some other AHL clubs, but they do play well as a team.  If Holtz, a D, and a goalie off the current Utica roster all come up here and become legit NHLers, I'll consider that a win.

Not knocking them...like I've said a bunch of times, I'd love it if there were 5 or so guys just waiting for their chance to become borderline stars (or even reliable NHLers).  Friggin' Daneyko mentioned DeLeo by name when he was rattling off players...c'mon Ken, the 26-year-old DeLeo is never coming up here to be a regular. 

[devlman]

3 hours ago, Colorado Rockies 1976 said:

Outside of Holtz, who is really expected to make the NHL (or be a sure thing to)?  One of the D?  Maybe one of the goalies?  We've been over it...they're a team of very solid, well-coached AHLers, who match up pretty well with other AHL teams.  I don't necessarily believe that they're significantly more talented than some other AHL clubs, but they do play well as a team.  If Holtz, a D, and a goalie off the current Utica roster all come up here and become legit NHLers, I'll consider that a win.

Not knocking them...like I've said a bunch of times, I'd love it if there were 5 or so guys just waiting for their chance to become borderline stars (or even reliable NHLers).  Friggin' Daneyko mentioned DeLeo by name when he was rattling off players...c'mon Ken, the 26-year-old DeLeo is never coming up here to be a regular. 

Players don’t have to be ‘sure things’ to make the NHL to be considered realistically ‘capable’ of playing in the NHL one day. 

As we’ve been over before, Utica has a bunch of dudes who could play in the league. I’m certainly not saying they’re sure fire going to be stars or that they’re even definitely going to make it, but they have that potential to play some games in the NHL. Holtz, Thompson, Foote, Schmid, Daws, Walsh, Zetterlund, Okhutiuk, Bahl, Boqvist, Clarke. 

The number of players with that potential capability, from what I’ve read about prospect pools across the league, puts Utica at or near the top of the league in that department. You also don’t go 16-1 with a bunch of average AHLers no matter how good the coach.

[Devil Dan 56]

 

Apparently Daws went out with an injury last night. Hopefully nothing serious 

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

1 hour ago, devlman said:

Players don’t have to be ‘sure things’ to make the NHL to be considered realistically ‘capable’ of playing in the NHL one day. 

As we’ve been over before, Utica has a bunch of dudes who could play in the league. I’m certainly not saying they’re sure fire going to be stars or that they’re even definitely going to make it, but they have that potential to play some games in the NHL. Holtz, Thompson, Foote, Schmid, Daws, Walsh, Zetterlund, Okhutiuk, Bahl, Boqvist, Clarke. 

The number of players with that potential capability, from what I’ve read about prospect pools across the league, puts Utica at or near the top of the league in that department. You also don’t go 16-1 with a bunch of average AHLers no matter how good the coach.

I guess I can't go too crazy about a gaggle of "prospects" that might play 50-100 games each (over multiple call-ups, with multiple teams) in the NHL someday...not saying that applies to every player on your list, but it does to a number of them.  Not to knock them for getting that far...they'll have gotten a lot further than others who chased the dream.  Just that when I'm thinking about guys to get excited about, I'm thinking about players who have a real shot to stick...doesn't matter if it's a bottom-6 forward or a bottom-pairing D, or if he even winds up sticking somewhere else (say, after he's dealt for a player that fits a more immediate need).  I also didn't say they were average AHLers...like I said, I think a number of them are good AHLers.  And I think a lot of them won't do much beyond that.      

[devlman]

8 hours ago, Colorado Rockies 1976 said:

I guess I can't go too crazy about a gaggle of "prospects" that might play 50-100 games each (over multiple call-ups, with multiple teams) in the NHL someday...not saying that applies to every player on your list, but it does to a number of them.  Not to knock them for getting that far...they'll have gotten a lot further than others who chased the dream.  Just that when I'm thinking about guys to get excited about, I'm thinking about players who have a real shot to stick...doesn't matter if it's a bottom-6 forward or a bottom-pairing D, or if he even winds up sticking somewhere else (say, after he's dealt for a player that fits a more immediate need).  I also didn't say they were average AHLers...like I said, I think a number of them are good AHLers.  And I think a lot of them won't do much beyond that.      

While many of them may not seem like must-see, exciting prospects, the more players you have with the ability to even reach the NHL, the greater your odds of hitting on a guy who overshoots his ceiling and sticks or even thrives at the big league level. And to reiterate my response to your original comment- we have more of those type of players than most AHL clubs. So Utica is indeed ahead of most of the AHL from an overall talent view.

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

6 hours ago, devlman said:

While many of them may not seem like must-see, exciting prospects, the more players you have with the ability to even reach the NHL, the greater your odds of hitting on a guy who overshoots his ceiling and sticks or even thrives at the big league level. And to reiterate my response to your original comment- we have more of those type of players than most AHL clubs. So Utica is indeed ahead of most of the AHL from an overall talent view.

Some of those guys got a shot due to general state of the Devils at the time (injuries, just not being very good, etc).  

I do hear what you're saying, as far as "the more warm bodies that could actually play in the NHL, the better your chances that one or two of them could exceed expectations".  That definitely applied with Coleman...unfortunately, that scenario tends to be the exception.  I'll be surprised if most of what's at Utica does a whole lot at the NHL level (especially in terms of having lasting NHL careers).  I think you're better off having a meh team with a few truly legit prospects (as opposed to a team of solid to good AHLers), but as we know, it's not like many of those kind of prospects are playing in the AHL anyway...Mercer skipped right over that level, Luke Hughes probably doesn't play much there if he does at all...Ty Smith blew right past it (after an overage junior year), etc.  I'm guessing Holtz will show up to next year's camp with a job to lose, as long as he turns in a good year and doesn't regress down there.  Gotta think Okhutyuk and Bahl have a shot next year too...PK will be gone, and I'd say the only guys that are 100% certainties to stick around on D are Hamilton and Graves.  Smith, Severson, Siegs...obviously Smith is young so I doubt he gets moved this early, but Seves will have one year left before going UFA, and Siegs is what he is (expendable).  Who knows...maybe Luke becomes part of the mix ahead of schedule.

Anyway got off track a bit, but I guess the more realistic question is how many of the Utica forwards (except Holtz) get a shot at 3rd/4th line duty, and how many of them get thrown into deals to help the big club?    

[Chimaira_Devil_#9]

There is a lot to be said for being around a winning culture and learning how to win games. I think it's better to have that Ballance of young guys and established AHL players. 

Reilly Walsh has quietly gone about being joint top scorer on the team. 15 points in 20 games is not too shabby. Bahl has work to do, his game hasn't come on much this season. 

[Nicomo]

52 minutes ago, Chimaira_Devil_#9 said:

There is a lot to be said for being around a winning culture and learning how to win games. I think it's better to have that Ballance of young guys and established AHL players. 

Reilly Walsh has quietly gone about being joint top scorer on the team. 15 points in 20 games is not too shabby. Bahl has work to do, his game hasn't come on much this season. 

I didn’t have much hope for Walsh being anything more than a slightly better Will Butcher, but it’s nice to see he’s producing in the AHL. If Ty Smith doesn’t get his sh!t together at some point Walsh could be the future QB of our PP. 

[Chimaira_Devil_#9]

First game back in a while. Not good for Utica, blew a 5-1 lead to lose in OT as giant the phantoms. 

 

 

 

[Chimaira_Devil_#9]

Utica is playing with a pretty depleted roster due to all of our call ups and some injury's. The goaltending front is really hurting them at the moment , and they are shipping a lot of goals, which was one of their strong points in the early going this season. 

 

They lost an early game to the Toronto Marlie's 6-4 today. The Marlie's are a who's who of former Devils players including Joey Anderson (2g 1a) , Brett Seney (1g , 2a) Mathew Hellickson (1g, 2a) and Joe Blandisi (held scoreless, but probably fell over). 

Colton White continued his hot streak with another Goal. Zatterlund also got on the scoresheet with the other goals from De Leo (no surprise) and Bryan Flynn. 

Next up is the W-B/S Penguins (there must be a better name for that team)

 

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

Seney and Anderson putting up nice numbers for the Marlies.  Seney obviously is what he is…a AAAA-player.  Not sure if Anderson is still considered to be a real prospect…he’s already 23.

[Devil Dan 56]

23 minutes ago, Colorado Rockies 1976 said:

Seney and Anderson putting up nice numbers for the Marlies.  Seney obviously is what he is…a AAAA-player.  Not sure if Anderson is still considered to be a real prospect…he’s already 23.

That Anderson trade looks really good these days.  No knock to Anderson, I liked that guy, but Johnsson has upped his game a lot this season 

[mfitz804]

3 minutes ago, Devil Dan 56 said:

That Anderson trade looks really good these days.  No knock to Anderson, I liked that guy, but Johnsson has upped his game a lot this season 

3 assists in the last 12. He is still getting a lot of credit for a hot start. 

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

11 minutes ago, mfitz804 said:

3 assists in the last 12. He is still getting a lot of credit for a hot start. 

Overall Johnsson’s been a mixed bag, but Anderson’s played all of three games in the NHL as a Leaf.  Feels like the Devils won the deal so far on that alone.

[mfitz804]

1 hour ago, Colorado Rockies 1976 said:

Overall Johnsson’s been a mixed bag, but Anderson’s played all of three games in the NHL as a Leaf.  Feels like the Devils won the deal so far on that alone.

For sure. 

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

Comets win a wild one…they were up 4-2 heading into the third, then gave up 3 goals before tying things up at 5-5 and eventually winning in a shootout.  They’re now 19-2-3.

Holtz with a goal, two assists, and a shootout goal…in 12 AHL games, he now has 7 G and 6 A.  For the love of God, please just let the kid stay there now and play out his season.  No more taxi squad, no more sticking him with random linemates up here…if he makes the big club fair and square next season as a 20-year-old and is able to stick, awesome, but he’s not ready yet this year.  No reason not to let him learn, develop, and improve in the AHL right now.

Goalie Mitens has three wins in five games with the Comets, but from the numbers looks like he’s having a tough time:  3.70 GAA and an .870 save%. 

[Chimaira_Devil_#9]

1 hour ago, Colorado Rockies 1976 said:

Comets win a wild one…they were up 4-2 heading into the third, then gave up 3 goals before tying things up at 5-5 and eventually winning in a shootout.  They’re now 19-2-3.

Holtz with a goal, two assists, and a shootout goal…in 12 AHL games, he now has 7 G and 6 A.  For the love of God, please just let the kid stay there now and play out his season.  No more taxi squad, no more sticking him with random linemates up here…if he makes the big club fair and square next season as a 20-year-old and is able to stick, awesome, but he’s not ready yet this year.  No reason not to let him learn, develop, and improve in the AHL right now.

Goalie Mitens has three wins in five games with the Comets, but from the numbers looks like he’s having a tough time:  3.70 GAA and an .870 save%. 

100% agree, as I have said all along consistency will be better for his development than getting bounced around all over the place. 

He needs top 6 minutes and power play time. 

Edited January 8, 2022 by Chimaira_Devil_#9

[Chimaira_Devil_#9]

Delete: links wouldn't work 

Edited January 8, 2022 by Chimaira_Devil_#9

[Chimaira_Devil_#9]

Highlights from last night. 

 

Mitens getting lit up.

 

 

 

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

On 1/8/2022 at 7:29 AM, Chimaira_Devil_#9 said:

100% agree, as I have said all along consistency will be better for his development than getting bounced around all over the place. 

He needs top 6 minutes and power play time. 

Comets lose 2-1 on Saturday, but even worse, Holtz wasn't in the game.  Guy has played in all of 12 AHL games this season...why was he out?  

[mfitz804]

3 minutes ago, Colorado Rockies 1976 said:

Comets lose 2-1 on Saturday, but even worse, Holtz wasn't in the game.  Guy has played in all of 12 AHL games this season...why was he out?  

Covid. 

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

6 minutes ago, mfitz804 said:

Covid. 

Didn't know that, thank you!

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

Mitens is becoming a serious problem…he’s put up an .859 save% so far.  Comets almost bailed him out…they were down 7-3 entering the third, and pulled to within one with almost four minutes left, but the comeback stalled there.  As long as Mitens to be in net (and the Comets may not have much choice in the short term), the losses are going to start piling up for Utica.