Chirps from Center Ice

Welcome back to the final installment of the AHL Previews here on the afternoon of the AHL Opener! To get refreshers on all of the other five divisions covered previously, click on the “AHL Previews” tab at the top of your computer screen and select your division.

Ah, yes. The East Division. Where the big boys play. If there is a division heavy with Calder Cup contenders, it is this one. Wilkes-Barre plays these divisional foes multiple times with the home games listed in bold. Off we go!

Binghamton Senators (Ottawa Senators)

Last Year: 42-30-3-5 (92 pts.) 5th place East Division and the crossover team in the Eastern Conference. Won Calder Cup after defeating Houston Aeros in 6 games.

Head Coach: Kurt Klinendorst

Arena: Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena

ECHL Affiliation: Elmira Jackals

Offseason Moves: Mike McKenna, Josh Godfrey, Lee Sweatt, Brian Stewart

The case for: The defending champs return league MVP Corey Locke and Calder Cup MVP Robin Lehner. Lehner is Ottawa’s future in goal but will use this season to continue to season and give opposing teams fits. Locke has scored 70+ points since 2007 and will probably do the same and will be in the discussion for MVP again in the Spring.

The case against: Those guys that helped this team win a Calder Cup are playing full time in Ottawa, some other NHL team, or some other AHL team. They lost a lot more than they gained and no one is going to be fooled by this team this year.

Beat Writer: Joy Lindsay (blog / twitter)

Fan Blog: Wrap Around (blog / twitter)

Twitter: @BSens_Hockey

Broadcaster: Grady Whittenburg

vs. WBS: 10/15, @ 11/5, 11/15, @ 11/26, @ 12/7, 12/13, @ 1/28, @ 2/17, 3/18, 4/13

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Hershey Bears (Washington Capitals)

Last Year: 46-26-3-5 (100 pts.) 2nd place East Division. Lost in East Division Semifinals to the Charlotte Checkers in 6 games.

Head Coach: Mark French

Arena: GIANT Center

ECHL Affiliation: South Carolina Stingrays

Offseason Moves: Chris Bourque, Graham Mink, Danny Richmond, Christian Hanson, Jacob Micflikier, Ryan Potulny, Matthew Ford

The case for: The Bears losing in 6 games to the Charlotte Checkers last year. What’s that you say? I knew right then and there that Hershey would do what they did in the offseason and just reload. Getting Bourque and Mink back are huge for the Bears as these were keys to the Calder Cup Championships in the past. Adding Micflikier, Potulny, Ford and Hanson are just adding more fuel to the fire.

The case against: Defense and goaltending. It looks like Braden Holtby is going to be starting the year again in Central PA and while he does look like a great NHL goaltender he has looked very pedestrian at the AHL level. And I don’t care how good you are, any defense with Danny Richmond on it is flirting with disaster.

Beat Writer: Tim Leone (blog / twitter)

Fan Blog: Sweetest Hockey on Earth (blog / twitter)

Twitter: @TheHersheyBears

Broadcaster: Scott Stuccio (twitter)

vs. WBS: 10/8, @ 10/22, 11/4, @ 11/11, 11/25, @ 12/10, 12/27, @ 12/28, 2/3, @ 2/5, @ 2/12, 4/6

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Norfolk Admirals (Tampa Bay Lightning)

Last Year: 39-26-9-6 (93 pts.) 4th place East Division. Lost in East Division Semifinals to the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins in 6 games.

Head Coach: Jon Cooper

Arena: Norfolk Scope

ECHL Affiliation: Florida Everblades

Offseason Moves: Richard Petiot, Trevor Smith, Alexandre Picard, J.T. Wyman

The case for: This team is going to break through this season and is the dark horse for division winner if Wilkes-Barre and Hershey beat each other into pulps and focus too much on each other as threats and forget about the rest.

The case against: It may be all or nothing with the Admirals. In focusing fully on the Penguins and Bears the Admirals may lose sight of teams like the Crunch, Senators and others and may be out of things by February.

Beat Writer: None

Twitter: @NorfolkAdmirals

Broadcaster: Pete Michaud

vs. WBS: @ 11/9, 11/12, @ 11/29, 12/17, 1/4, @ 1/10, 2/15, 2/26, @ 3/14, @ 4/3

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Syracuse Crunch (Anaheim Ducks)

Last Year: 35-38-3-4 (77 pts.) 6th place East Division

Head Coach: Mark Holick

Arena: War Memorial at Oncenter

ECHL Affiliation: Elmira Jackals

Offseason Moves: Andrew Gordon, Jeff Deslauriers, Mathieu Carle

The case for: This is a fish or cut bait year for the Crunch as an AHL team. They are in the last year of their affiliation agreement with Anaheim as a parent. The Ducks have certainly stocked the cabinet with the bodies who are capable enough to allow the Crunch to make the playoffs. Syracuse showed signs of life late last year with less talent, so expect this team to be much better this season.

The case against: Division heavyweights Wilkes-Barre and Hershey are virtual locks to make the playoffs. I think the East Division sends three teams to the playoffs this season. Is Syracuse better than Norfolk and Binghamton?

Beat Writer: Lindsay Kramer (blog / twitter)

Fan Blog: Chairman How’s Glorious Army (blog / twitter)

Twitter: @SyracuseCrunch

Broadcaster: Jason Lockhart (twitter)

vs. WBS: @ 10/28, 11/23, @ 12/3, @ 12/16, 1/7, 1/21, @ 1/22, 2/25

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Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins (Pittsburgh Penguins)

Last Year: 58-21-0-1 (117 pts.) 1st place East Division. Lost in East Division Fnals to the Charlotte Checkers in 6 games.

Head Coach: John Hynes

Arena: Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza

ECHL Affiliation: Wheeling Nailers

Offseason Moves: Scott Munroe, Andrew Hotham, Colin McDonald, Boris Valabik, Alexandre Picard, Jason Williams, Richard Park

The case for: Defense. Probably the best corps in the league. Couple that with another year experience under the belts of guys like Brian Strait and Robert Bortuzzo and you can expect great things. You also cannot forget about Brad Thiessen, named the AHL most outstanding goaltender last year. Save for injuries to Marc-Andre Fleury or Brent Johnson, it is Thiessen’s crease again for all of the 2011-2012 season.

The case against: The team about 100 miles south of here. If the rival Bears run roughshod over the league like many predict, the Penguins will be just another victim come playoff time no matter who suits up for WBS. The Pens get 12 chances against the 11-time champions to see what they have, so this season series should be a decent measuring stick as to how the playoffs will go for the Pens.

Beat Writer: Jonathan Bombulie (blog / twitter)

Fan Blog: Look no further. (blog / twitter)

Twitter: @WBSPenguins

Broadcaster: Tom Grace (twitter) and Mike O’Brien (twitter)

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Another fun project for me dissecting all of the AHL teams. Please feel free to agree / disagree in the comment section. These Previews will be available in the “AHL Previews” tab probably until mid-November.

Tomorrow, it all starts. The Gameday post should be up at 3:30 p.m. Saturday afternoon for Game 1 vs. Hershey.

Thanks for reading!