Chirps from Center Ice

On a day like today, the NHL trade deadline, there are winners and losers. That also will trickle down to the AHL farm clubs. Let’s take a look at some of the contending Atlantic Division teams.

In sum, the losers in the race for Atlantic Division playoffs appear to be the Charlotte Checkers.

This is coupled with losing both goalies to recall yesterday and the trades from last week.

That trade would come at a cost, again directly affecting Charlotte.

The winners appear to be the Springfield Thunderbirds.

Djuse has 29 points with the Texas Stars.

It’s a direct blow to the Charlotte Checkers by the team pursuing them for the final spot in the playoffs that the Checkers currently occupy in Springfield. Here’s a look at the standings real quick.

4. Charlotte (64 points, 53 games played)
5. Springfield (62 points, 56 games played)
6. PENGUINS (62 points, 56 games played)

I’m kind of burying the real lede here and that’s what happened today with Pittsburgh and how it directly affects Wilkes-Barre. First, the direct impact.

Agozzino was placed on waivers Sunday at noon. That was for purposes of having him able to be assigned to Wilkes-Barre after the NHL deadline. Always a risk and there is always a possibility that a guy gets claimed when put on and now it has happened twice to the Penguins with Agozzino now and Stefan Noesen earlier in the season.

Out the door, no direct impacts to the Wilkes-Barre roster. In fact, there was this later Monday afternoon…

Lafferty and Angello were straight up assignments. With those two coupled with Phil Varone and Riley Barber, the Penguins are shaping up to be a solid team. But a contending team or a playoff team? Anyone’s guess.

Zach Trotman will likely be back down at some point, most likely after the Penguins California trip, which is later this week.

Barring any injuries, of course.

Our friends about an hour south with a splash of their own as well.

The Big Bear Machine, already warm and leading the Atlantic Division, getting hot.

That’s all really. Lehigh Valley made a few moves with TJ Brennan going to Chicago in exchange for a guy that they assigned to ECHL Reading. Brennan hasn’t played in a while and worked his way out of the locker room in Lehigh Valley. Again, a Phantoms team that stockpiled talent still only has one puck on the ice for the players to access. All of those players on that team is bound to have problems and you are seeing that with how far back the Phantoms are (in seventh place) in the standings.

More Wednesday unless there are notes for an entry Tuesday.