2016-17 Utica Comets

Talk about your favorite prospects and the happenings of the Canucks AHL affiliate, the Abbotsford Canucks.

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Aaronp18
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Re: 2016-17 Utica Comets

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Blob Mckenzie wrote: I don't mind Crow. At least he won't trap it up and drive fans away like Wiwie and Jarvis. That said I doubt this owner brings him back. I believe Green will be here next season.
I actually think Crawford would be a good option as well, I think he's learned a fair bit coaching in Europe and even commentating. When he did commentate I often found what he had to say far more interesting than most of the buffoons the networks employ.

But I do agree that Green seems to be next in line, I like what he's doing in Utica. Young guys seem to improve fairly quickly under his tutelage and when they come up to the Canucks they look well prepared. With the likes of Virtanen, Demko, Boeser, and possibly Juolevi making an impact at some point next season with the Canucks I can see Green working better with them.
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Mickey107
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Re: 2016-17 Utica Comets

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Aaronp18 wrote:
Blob Mckenzie wrote: I don't mind Crow. At least he won't trap it up and drive fans away like Wiwie and Jarvis. That said I doubt this owner brings him back. I believe Green will be here next season.
I actually think Crawford would be a good option as well, I think he's learned a fair bit coaching in Europe and even commentating. When he did commentate I often found what he had to say far more interesting than most of the buffoons the networks employ.

But I do agree that Green seems to be next in line, I like what he's doing in Utica. Young guys seem to improve fairly quickly under his tutelage and when they come up to the Canucks they look well prepared. With the likes of Virtanen, Demko, Boeser, and possibly Juolevi making an impact at some point next season with the Canucks I can see Green working better with them.
What would you think about a combination of the two?
Not so strange these days.
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Aaronp18
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Re: 2016-17 Utica Comets

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micky107 wrote: What would you think about a combination of the two?
Not so strange these days.
Like co-head coaches? That would never work.

Crawford must be under contract for a couple more years I'm assuming, he'll probably have a clause that allows him to negotiate for a higher position elsewhere but lateral moves (ie. becoming an assistant in Vancouver) would have to happen if he's relieved of his duties or his contract is up.

I think I'd rather have Green as a head coach, wouldn't mind Crow as an assistant but that would have to wait.

And I think I'd prefer Green over Crow as a head coach.

And I don't think Green would take the assistant role in Van.
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SKYO
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Re: 2016-17 Utica Comets

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IF Green is the next head coach of the Canucks, team will definitely need a veteran NHL coach to help him along with Jarvis.

Like Gallant?

Getting tired of all these rookie coaches getting schooled by the vets.

There has to be a coach whose good at the eye judge and analytics and firing up the team, plus has solid NHL experience, been around winning etc. (K. Dineen)
Can the Canucks just win a Cup within the next 5 years.
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Re: 2016-17 Utica Comets

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Whats going on with Cassels? he had such a promising last year in juniors with his team stopping McDavid, winning the memorial cup. It looks like Cassels will be a superb checking center in the NHL after he's ready and experienced enough like a Brad Richardson.
May 15, 2015:
The accolades keep pouring in for Cassels, but is he going to be able to translate this elite two-way game to the NHL, or is he just a product of having a physical advantage over his younger peers and playing on a stacked team? Find out after the jump.

Cassels' playoffs have been nothing short of spectacular. Playing on a line with Bradley Latour and Hunter Smith, coach D.J. Smith has been hard-matching Cassels against Connor McDavid so far in the first 4 games of the OHL final. It's been working for the Generals too, as Cassels has held the nearly unstoppable McDavid to 6 points in 4 games - a pedestrian total for the Otters' juggernaut. In games 1 and 2 when Smith had last change and was able to hard-match Cassels on McDavid even closer, the future Oiler was held to just 1 assist.

Cassels on the other hand has 8 points (4G, 4A) in the series, including the overtime winner in game 4.

So while saying "Cassels has shut down McDavid!" isn't at all accurate, he's definitely helped contain junior hockey's most dominant player better than any other opponent has so far been able to do. This really shouldn't come as a surprise though, as the Generals played better team defense than almost every other OHL team this season, allowing a league-low 157 goals against. They trailed only North Bay in total shots allowed as well, while generating the most shots on goal in the OHL. Put this together, and you have the junior hockey version of the (recently good) L.A. Kings, and Cole Cassels is their Anze Kopitar.

Cassels has played in all situations for the Generals, being a major contributor to their 4th ranked powerplay and a shutdown ace on their league-best penalty kill, and we can also infer that his two-way game is also legitimately great by CHL standards given Oshawa's team success and Cassels' major role. Offensively, Cassels has found another gear this season after developing a legitimately good offensive game in 2013-14, finishing 2nd on the Generals and T-15th in the OHL with 81 points in 54 games.

If there is a concern about Cassels offensive production, it's that less than half of his total points came at even strength. Looking at even strength scoring rate, Cassels was 33rd in the OHL in ES points per game, and scored just 12 goals all year that weren't on special teams. This would seem to indicate that most of Cassels' offensive punch was helped by playing 1st unit powerplay minutes with a legitimately elite offensive CHLer in Michael Dal Colle. Of course, there's also the fact that Cassels was 19 years old at the start of this season, which plays to his advantage too. Scoring 1.5 points per game like Cassels did this year is impressive, but not nearly as impressive as if someone is scoring at that rate at 17 or 18.

A Canuck that had a similar OHL development path as Cassels was Brad Richardson. Shawn Matthias.

http://canucksarmy.com/2015/5/15/a-look ... ter-season
Can the Canucks just win a Cup within the next 5 years.
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Re: 2016-17 Utica Comets

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Virtanen gone cold again the last 3 games. 0 points, 3 shots on goal and 2PIM over 180+ mins of hockey.

Other "prospects":

- Over the same span Labate has 5 shots, 1 point, 2 fights.
- Subban 2nd in team scoring with 19 points in 25 games. +/- is -5 which is OK given how the team is doing overall.
- Demko with a .907 SV%. 2.65 GAA, 7 wins.

No other notable prospect to write home about on the Comets.
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Re: 2016-17 Utica Comets

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JV now gone 16(!!) games without a goal. 3 assists over that same span. We keep hearing how he's playing well down there and doing good things, but the production simply isn't where it needs to be to be an NHL prospect. Not willing to give up on the kid right now, but if there isn't an upward trend soon, we will very well be wishing the Canucks had taken many people's advice of selecting Ehlers with the JV pick.

Demko seems to be going through some mid-season struggles as well right now. Save % dropped to .901, GAA is creeping up. Backman appears to be outplaying him on paper with a lower GAA and higher SV%.
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Re: 2016-17 Utica Comets

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Tanti09 wrote:JV now gone 16(!!) games without a goal. 3 assists over that same span. We keep hearing how he's playing well down there and doing good things, but the production simply isn't where it needs to be to be an NHL prospect. Not willing to give up on the kid right now, but if there isn't an upward trend soon, we will very well be wishing the Canucks had taken many people's advice of selecting Ehlers with the JV pick.

Demko seems to be going through some mid-season struggles as well right now. Save % dropped to .901, GAA is creeping up. Backman appears to be outplaying him on paper with a lower GAA and higher SV%.
Doesn't say anything about ice time, but I'm assuming it's lots.
3 assists in 16 games is pathetic and whoever thinks that's doing good things and playing well is blowin sunshine up our asses.
Thanks for the up-dates. It's an eye opener. :(
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Re: 2016-17 Utica Comets

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Really not much to report on the farm other than Virtanen has scored a grand total of 1 goal in the last 2 months. Gaunce goes down and promptly scores 2 in his first 3 games... I really wonder what JVs value is right now. At this point you have to think he needs next year on the farm as well unless we see some sort of awakening in the last bit of the season.
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