Chirps from Center Ice

A fan blog about the AHL's Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins

Category Archives: The AHL

Power Rankings – U-ti-ca!

Comments Off on Power Rankings – U-ti-ca! Posted by on November 2, 2021

You can only ignore an undefeated team for so long. So with the month of November here, we put the teams who either haven’t lost at all yet or haven’t lost in regulation yet at the top of this weeks version of the AHL Power Rankings.

The Utica Comets haven’t lost. At all. Not in overtime, not in a shootout. They haven’t lost. Sure, they have only played a league low four games, but they haven’t lost yet and this is my blog so they get number one.

I think the top five is pretty stout. You may not see much movement off of these five for a while, maybe. I guess we will see next week?

Anyway, here’s all 31 teams.

RankTeamBlurbLast Week
1Devils get top billing this week. They haven’t lost in any game yet, they HAVE to be number one this week.+2
2Reign still haven’t lost in regulation, points in every game. Schedule gets busy this week.n/c
3Thunderbirds continue to roll. Still haven’t lost in regulation. Look like an above average team right now playing in an average division. -2
4There are teams that you expected to compete and Chicago is one of them, the Wolves are exceeding expectations this far, pasting Grand Rapids twice this week.+7
5Heat haven’t lost in regulation either. Had a game with San Jose get postponed Sunday because the Barracuda didn’t have enough players. +5
6AHL’s luckiest team? It just many be. Took 5 of 6 points last week.+1
7Monsters playing where they should, at the top of the division. Only three Monsters games have been decided in regulation and the Monsters have points in every game they have played except for their first game of the season. +9
8Play a competitive series against Cleveland this weekend. Springfield and Wilkes-Barre will get all the plaudits this far with their performances, but don’t forget about 11-time.-4
9Split with Manitoba up in Winnipeg this past weekend. Looking like the only team early on who can run with Chicago.-3
104 of 6 points from last week. Two more with Bridgeport this week who they beat pretty handily last week. -2
11Swept Laval this week. Nothing flashy with this team, but they will play run and gun with you.+6
12Staying ahead of the North with a split with the Wild at home. Moose play on the road till the third week of November.-3
13Fewest games played so far than any other team in the Pacific. Barracuda are dealing with a COVID deal. What, you didn’t think we were done with that, did you?n/c
14Sweep three this week using overtime or better to get there. Host an undefeated Utica Friday in what’s going to be a banger. Should be higher in these Rankings.-2
15Pair of wins to start, then a pair of losses, so of course the pattern continues with a split this past weekend with Henderson.n/c
16split with Rockford. Pacific trip for the next two weeks for the Stars. Have to maximize those points, especially against a struggling Colorado side this weekend. +4
17Offense is sputtering but the defense is OK. .500 team as we head into November. +4
18Let it slip away Sunday in Springfield. Head home to host a still winless Lehigh Valley this weekend. -13
19Beat a bad Milwaukee side then got pasted by an elite Wolves team. The games sometimes are what we think they are.+7
20Toiling around mid-pack in the Atlantic. -1
21Middle of the North. Swept Belleville by identical 5-2 scores this weekend. Schedule gets tough with Rochester and Utica this week.+1
22They aren’t just going to hand you things. Rocket drop two to the Amerks at home this weekend. Things don’t get any easier with Utica and Syracuse this week. +2
23Split a pair in Bakersfield this weekend. There are two teams in this division who have yet to lose so the Silver Knights are just fine. -5
24Canucks have seen enough of Ontario, whom they have played four times already. A trip to Stockton this weekend. -10
25It’s surprising how low the Bruins are in the standings. If it wasn’t for Lehigh Valley’s struggles, the Bruins would be the talk of the Atlantic on how out of place they look at the bottom of the division.n/c
26Gritted out a split in Texas. Five game homestead starts this Saturday against Grand Rapids.+2
27Picked up their first win this past week in Tucson. Could possibly get their second this Saturday against a bad Colorado team. Penalty kill is dead last in the AHL. +4
28Last place in the North – a 2-5 start isn’t great, but there is time, lots of it, to turn it around in Belleville. -1
29Yikes. Four straight losses. Busy month gets ripping quick against a good Manitoba team, a better Iowa side and an great Chicago club this weekend. -6
30At this pace, Colorado will let in 100 goals by Thanksgiving. Already have 34 in on them. -1
31This team stinks.-1
Power Rankings

Goaltender of the Month: Filip Lindberg

Comments Off on Goaltender of the Month: Filip Lindberg Posted by on November 1, 2021

Instead of wondering about my favorite teams fortunes on how well a goalie played during the month of October and whether said goalie would be in contention for Goaltender of the Month (and having it come true) I should wonder when I will see a $100 bill out on a walk or run around town or my neighborhood.

Only one of these things hasn’t happened yet.

Filip Lindberg was named AHL’s Goaltender of the Month for October. So far he’s posted a 1.71 goals against average and .942 save percentage through his first four AHL starts. Lindberg is tied for the league lead with four wins and is one of two goalies to remain unbeaten through four games this season (Ontario’s Matthew Villalata is the other)

Lindberg is a rookie, and the AHL does month Player of the Month, Rookie of the Month and Goaltender of the Month. I know it doesn’t happen this way, but I could have saved Springfield a lot of ink by just giving Lindberg both Rookie and Goaltender of the Month honors.

League release here. Coal Street release here.

Andrew Poturalski of the Chicago Wolves was named Player of the Month. The Wolves are a machine and he’s a big part of the reason why. Rochester Americans Jack Quinn was named Rookie of the Month. The Penguins will see Quinn and the Americans next Wednesday.

AHL Power Rankings Tuesday then the Weekend Preview Wednesday.

The AHL, WBS

Power Rankings – Thunderbirds Soar!

Comments Off on Power Rankings – Thunderbirds Soar! Posted by on October 26, 2021

Back for Week 2 with some movement this week in the second version of these Power Rankings. There is some Atlantic Division bias here with five teams in the top ten. Sorry!

This week belongs to the Thunderbirds, who are off to a hot start. I think we knew that Ontario was going to be good and they are number two, but Utica at number three? That’s an early surprise.

Here are the rest for you in order.

RankTeamBlurbLast Week
1I mean we have seen this before with previous iterations with Springfield, but this is a good start. Wilkes-Barre and Charlotte in for some early tests.+4
24-0 start with one shootout loss to start the year, top of the Pacific. Trip to Abbotsford this weekend.+8
3Surprising start. Surprising in that if you watched this team in Binghamton last year, you never saw this. Leagues stingiest team (4 goals allowed)+5
4Bit of a drop, but not far for the Bears out of the top spot. Home cooking this week with Syracuse and Cleveland.-3
53 of 4 points from Hershey isn’t bad by any stretch.+6
6Tidy sweep of Rockford at home has the Wild at the top of the Central.+13
7Worked overtime to beat Hartford and Lehigh Valley this weekend. Will face rested Hartford and Springfield this weekend after another match midweek with the Phantoms.+5
8Good start for the Wolf Pack, racking up early points.+1
9Swept Grand Rapids at home. Hosts Iowa this weekend.+7
10Heat have the momentum on their side and are amongst the stingiest teams in the Pacific with big wins over San Diego and Bakersfield.+6
11Sweep the Admirals in a home and home and the Carolina affiliation looks better than it did last week.+17
12So that offense we talked about last week with the Crunch dried up a bit and only got the Crunch four goals against some surprising teams in Utica and Rochester.-10
13The other stingiest team in the Pacific is the Barracuda, who are winning games with defense early on. Trip to Stockton Sunday makes for an interesting matchup.+13
14Abbotsford hosted and swept Henderson in hockey’s return to the Fraser Valley this past weekend. Hosts the top team in the division Ontario this weekend.+9
15the ebbs and flows of a season. Pair of wins to start the season, pair of losses now. How will the Condors respond against Colorado and Henderson this week?-12
165 out of 6 points from the weekend is a great start to the young season. Tough road trip this week out to Syracuse then down to Hershey.+14
17Huge wins by big margins over some old rivals in Toronto and Syracuse have the Americans in third in the North.+8
18The fun and gun they displayed at home against Colorado last week was shut down in Abbotsford this weekend, including getting shutout.-14
19Stayed busy last weekend with a good old 3-in-3. Shutout a tired Laval team Sunday.+5
20Split a weekend pair with Tucson. Splits seem to be the norm with the Stars early on here.+1
21Split a pair with the Stars and are .500. Last place San Diego is in this weekend.-3
22.500 start for the Marlies, which is right where the may play all season.-2
23Swept by the Wolves this weekend. One more with Chicago then a stop in Grand Rapids.-17
24Rocket get some home cooking this week in the likes of Toronto and Rochester. Should be an interesting early matchup with the Americans.-11
25Not the best start for the P-Bruins at 1-2-1-1, one point out of a three game weekend with Charlotte and Bridgeport in next.-18
26Tight contests in Winnipeg this past weekend with the Griffins coming out on the losing end. Wins will come, eventually.-11
27Cleveland held this team to just one goal in two games. Such as life in this league and the schedule doesn’t get much easier this week.-13
28IceHogs have given up the most goals in the AHL so far.-6
29Rough start of the season for the Eagles who are in search of their first win.n/a
30Leagues best offense on paper has least amount of goals scored in the league. Oof.+1
31The only team yet to register a point. Maybe it comes this weekend in Tucson.-4
Power Rankings

Power Rankings – Week of the Bear

Comments Off on Power Rankings – Week of the Bear Posted by on October 19, 2021

To start, I want to let you know that I want to simplify things with these Rankings. They were a bear to put together each week, and a bear to maintain. I don’t like to dabble in HTML but I had to in order to make things simple every week. Not anymore. If you want to know who the Chicago Wolves, or any team, play this week or how the Stockton Heat, or any team, did last weekend, you can go here and here. If you are wondering what the record of the Laval Rocket is or, for that matter, any team, navigate here. These parts in large parts were what made the whole concept so difficult because you had to maintain 31 teams capsules of scores, records and schedules each week for each team. Again, it’s a massive project that takes away a lot of my day / week. I do this as a hobby and debated just scrapping these altogether, but decided to bring them back. It was either this or the silly stat charts, but really, who wants to look at percentages and do math? Not me anymore!

What I don’t know is where or when or really how often I will run these. Let’s go with Tuesday’s, for now, and consider it a weekly feature again.

Rank, team, blurb and where they were last week is what I am giving you. I want to keep it as simple as I can make it this year. Not only for myself but for the reader.

Anyway here they are. Theme this week is Jekyll and Hyde. Every division has one and some have two. Here they are, in all their glory.

RankTeam BlurbLast Week
1As good as we thought they would be; 2-0 and at the top of the Atlantic Division.
2Good lord that offense is potent. Down multiple goals in both games against Cleveland, Crunch storm back and win both games.
3Beat San Jose Sunday 1-0 with just 15 shots to the Barracudas 34. Reigning Pacific Division Champs are in familiar territory, at the top of the division at 2-0.
4Played fun and gun against Colorado in a pair of home contests and swept the Eagles.
5Good start for the new affiliation with St. Louis, 2-0.
6Pasted Grand Rapids in their only game of the weekend. They should all come this easy!
7Ultra competitive division and every point is going to matter. 3 out of a possible 4 points isn’t bad, but Hershey was perfect, just saying.
8It’s one game (and it was against Rochester) but a good start for the new Devils affiliate.
9Hartford outgunned opponents this weekend. Hardly sustainable, but a 2-1 start nevertheless.
103 of 4 points to start the season isn’t bad at all.
11Two more cracks against the Bears at home this weekend. Could be an early season indicator on how good the Checkers will be.
12Jekyll and Hyde performances for the Pens this past weekend against Lehigh Valley and Charlotte.
13Split a pair with Belleville in similar fashion. Good test with Providence coming Saturday.
14See Laval. They get Cleveland at home for a pair.
15Blow out win (Rockford) and a blow out loss (Milwaukee) Jekyll and Hyde? Jekyll and Hyde!
16See Grand Rapids, but substitute Toronto as the opponent.
17Split a pair at home against Tucson in front of about 2000 fans combined for both contests, and you thought your teams attendance was bad.
18This is why a power rankings at the beginning of the season is a fools errand. Roadrunners are .500 after a pair of games against Stockton. It may take a while to figure these .500 teams out.
19Bunch of teams are 1-1 in the Central, Wild are one of them.
20Jekyll and Hyde performances against Manitoba (5-1 win, 5-0 loss) – Rochester up next then Cleveland.
21Split with the Wild in close contests. Rockford next.
22One of many .500 teams in the Central.
23First win in franchise history as the top affiliate of Vancouver in shootout fashion against Ontario Sunday. Home opener against Henderson this weekend.
24Two shootout losses already. Already? Already.
25It’s one game, against Utica, but you lost to Utica!
2634 shots Sunday in Bakersfield Sunday and no goals. Held the Condors to 15 and still lost.
27You can’t take much from just one game. Gulls won’t be in last place in the Pacific for long.
28Not a good start with the new Carolina affiliation, but it is just one game.
29Gave up 11 goals in Nevada this weekend, more than any other team.
30Yeah you aren’t going to compete in this division, or any division really, when you throw away multiple goal leads.
31Potent offense on paper scored just two goals on ice. That’s why you don’t play games on paper.

Comments are there for you if you want them. I’ll be back next week, maybe, with week two.

Power Rankings

2021-22 Opponent Preview

Comments Off on 2021-22 Opponent Preview Posted by on October 12, 2021

Predicting what will happen in the American Hockey league is a tricky science because you genuinely never know what will happen. One month you can be up, and the other you can be down.

Anyway, I decided to bring these back this year, but mixed up a little than before. I am giving you something interesting regarding each team the Penguins will play, including when the Penguins play each team. Only the teams that the Penguins play are included here, so you Tucson Roadrunners fans which read my blog are out of luck.

Let’s get right to it, in no particular order, but starting in the Atlantic Division with Springfield.

Springfield Thunderbirds (St. Louis Blues)

Tell me something interesting about the Thunderbirds: They are a St. Louis affiliate now. It’s a silly game that the Charlotte Checkers of the AHL and the Carolina Hurricanes of the NHL are playing where they don’t like each other anymore and aren’t affiliated with each other any longer. Carolina’s affiliate went to the Chicago Wolves, the Checkers are a Florida affiliate mainly and are also hosting Seattle’s AHL prospects while the new AHL team in Palm Springs debuts next season. Springfield, a team that basically gets the short end of pretty much everything of late, is left with St. Louis, who changes AHL affiliates more times than most people change their socks.

Blues prospects are good though, so look for this iteration of Springfield to contend for one of the six playoff spots available in the division.

vs. WBS: @ 10/30, @ 11/19, vs. 12/12, vs. 2/2

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Hartford Wolf Pack (New York Rangers)

Tell me something interesting about the Wolf Pack: They are one of the two teams I don’t think will make the silly expanded playoffs in the division. Rangers are full on rebuild mode but on the upswing, Wolf Pack made a late push late in last years forced exhibition season but that won’t translate to a more normal season. Someone is going to have to finish last in the division and it may very well be Hartford.

vs. WBS: vs. 10/22, @ 10/29, @ 11/6, vs. 3/13, vs. 3/30, @ 4/24

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Hershey Bears (Washington Capitals)

Tell me something interesting about the Bears: Hershey took care of Hershey this offseason, adding big names, but Washington’s depth for NHL prospects is as bad if not worse than Pittsburgh’s. Despite that, the Bears reloaded and will probably play at the top of the division all season.

Tell me something else interesting about the Bears: We play these fools twelve times in the season, but the first game isn’t until the month of December.

vs: WBS: @ 12/5, vs. 12/5, vs. 12/8 (editors note: that’s three straight games against Hershey) @ 12/18 (editors note #2: that’s four times in a five game stretch) vs. 12/27, @ 12/29, @ 1/8. @ 1/9, vs. 1/16, @ 1/25, vs. 3/9, vs. 4/15

–

Bridgeport Islanders (New York Islanders)

Tell me something interesting about the Islanders: Wait a minute, who? Huh? Islanders? Weren’t these the Sound Tigers? Yes, Lou Lamoriello doesn’t like facial hair on his employees and likes continuity in the lineage of his franchises. You had the New Jersey Devils, the Lowell / Albany and Binghamton Devils in the AHL and at one time you even had the Trenton Devils of the ECHL. Nobody knew what a Sound Tiger was anyway. The AHL team in Bridgeport isn’t going anywhere, despite always being in the rumor mill, so changing the name to match up with the NHL counterpart is a thing that no one will notice come November.

Bridgeport is probably a playoff team, unless they aren’t, because Lou doesn’t really care that much about his AHL clubs.

vs. WBS: ‘member how I said we don’t play Hershey till December? The Penguins don’t meet up with the Sound Tigers Islanders until February 4 in Wilkes-Barre. Rest of the schedule goes like this: @ 2/26, @ 3/4, @ 3/5 (editors note #3: three games against Bridgeport in a four game stretch) vs. 4/2, vs. 4/16

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Lehigh Valley Phantoms (Philadelphia Flyers)

Tell me something interesting about the Phantoms: They kept Hershey honest last years exhibition season and should contend and push for the division crown this year. Philly is a long term buy on a franchise who is going to find success sooner or later. Where does that start, usually? On the farm. You saw that in the 2010 to 2015 iterations of the teams in Wilkes-Barre, and Pittsburgh went on to win back-to-back Stanley Cups. Philly’s prospects are the best in the group that play AHL hockey in the state of Pennsylvania.

vs. WBS: vs. 10/16, @ 10/24, vs. 10/27, @ 11/3, vs. 1/14, @ 1/15, vs. 1/19, @ 2/12, vs. 2/23, @ 3/20, @ 4/1, vs. 4/6

–

Providence Bruins (Boston Bruins)

Tell me something interesting about the Bruins: Won a three team division last year with a mediocre Bridgeport and a bad Hartford team. But for a few games with Utica, that’s all who Providence faced off against last year. Bruins won’t have ex-Penguin coach Jay Leach behind the bench as Leach defected for NHL Seattle in the offseason. Ryan Mougenel gets that honor this season, having served as a Leach assistant last season. What does it all mean? It means the Bruins are probably a lock for the postseason and will contend. If you want a dark horse team to win the division, look no further.

vs. WBS: vs. 11/5, @ 11/20, vs. 11/27, vs. 2/5, @ 3/6, @ 4/22

–

Charlotte Checkers (Florida Panthers / Seattle Kraken)

Tell me something interesting about the Checkers: Florida affiliate now, splitting with neophyte Seattle while Palm Springs gets their AHL ducks in order for next season. They didn’t play last year so they are a bit of an unknown as to how good they can be. They are the other team I think that does not make playoffs this season, despite how well they look on paper. They will be in the mix till the very end, but I can see them faltering and finishing seventh, probably behind the Penguins and well ahead of the Wolf Pack. I’m probably wrong about this however and the Checkers missing out is probably the least confident I am in all my picks of who or won’t make playoffs.

vs. WBS: vs. 10/17, vs. 11/12, vs. 11/13, @ 11/23, @ 11/24 (editors note #4: four times in a six game stretch here) vs. 12/4, @ 2/15, @ 2/16

–

Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins (Pittsburgh Penguins)

Tell me something interesting about the Penguins: They could be good this year and could contend for a bit, but I don’t see them as a top four team. We ragged the expanded playoff announcement in the summertime by the AHL, but that could play into the hands of Wilkes-Barre / Scranton. Alex D’Orio is probably the #1 in goal with a steady vet in Louis Domingue as the veteran presence. I have them as a #6 seed and a play-in team. Need to play .500 or better hockey against one of either Hershey or Lehigh Valley, maximize points against bad clubs like Hartford and teams in the North Division in order to have a shot at a spot. They could punch above their weight and contend for a bit, but everything would have to fall into place perfectly. With Pittsburgh’s core aging and the walking M*A*S*H unit that it is, don’t expect the group that plays opening night to be the same come March, probably way sooner. 

–

Now onto the aforementioned North Division, where the Penguins play every team at least once.

–

Laval Rocket (Montreal Canadians)

Tell me something interesting about the Rocket: Laval is an early Calder Cup favorite. They played a few percentage points worse than league best Hershey last season, absolutely ran circles around their Canadian counterparts in last years circus of a season and will carry that momentum into this season. Hands down a favorite to win the North provided things fall into place. I really want to see how they stack up against Syracuse and Cleveland in the division and Hershey, Lehigh Valley and Providence in the Atlantic.

vs. WBS: vs. 3/12, @ 3/26

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Cleveland Monsters (Columbus Blue Jackets)

Tell me something interesting against the Monsters: Should be a dark horse contender. Played in the Central Division last “season” against the likes of Iowa, Grand Rapids and Chicago. They have a decent mix of prospects. I have them as a playoff team. They are an above average team that plays in an above average division.

vs. WBS: vs. 12/31, vs. 1/1, @ 1/28, 1/29

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Utica Comets (New Jersey Devils)

Tell me something interesting about the Comets: Devils affiliate this year, Devils were bad last year in Binghamton, so this is one of the two teams I do not think make playoffs this season. Probably the one team I would put money on (if I did that) to miss playoffs. Team will be looking to maximize points against this team early and often.

vs. WBS: @ 1/7, vs. 3/18

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Rochester Americans (Buffalo Sabres)

Tell me something interesting about the Americans: They are probably the other team that doesn’t make the expanded playoffs this season. Buffalo is a dumpster fire, and that stuff normally runs downhill. Plain and simple.

vs. WBS: vs. 11/10, @ 12/22

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Belleville Senators (Ottawa Senators)

Tell me something interesting about the Senators: They still have Troy Mann running things behind the bench for them. But for how long is the question because Mann is a hell of a mind and with all the turnover with NHL head coaches it won’t be long and you can argue is well overdue that Mann gets his shot. On the ice Belleville is projected to be a playoff club. They will just have to outlast the Laval’s and Cleveland’s of the division and maximize points against the Utica’s and Rochester’s.

vs. WBS: vs. 2/11, @ 3/25

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Syracuse Crunch (Tampa Bay Lightning)

Tell me something interesting about the Crunch: One of a handful of teams who require you to be vaccinated in order to take in a home game. Keep that in mind if you plan on heading to Syracuse this season. On the ice, a good team who will mix it up with the Laval’s and Cleveland’s of the world. Should have ex-Penguin Max Lagace tending nets.

vs. WBS: @ 12/3, vs. 2/27, vs. 3/19, @ 4/9

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Toronto Marlies (Toronto Maple Leafs)

Tell me something interesting about the Marlies: They signed a bunch of guys I never heard of for the farm. Things are a powder keg in Toronto, with the Maple Leafs seemingly ready to break out but instead, implode. How does that carry over across town to the AHL affiliate when you may already have five good teams to make playoffs is anyone’s guess. Marlies are probably a solid five seed behind some combination of Laval, Syracuse, Cleveland and Belleville.

vs. WBS: @ 12/21, vs. 1/21, vs. 1/22, @ 3/23

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–

So there you have it. I am probably wrong about the playoff chances for most of these teams because, like I said at the top the AHL is a funny league. Teams that are bad go on runs, teams that are good go through dry spells. There is always one or two surprise teams. That’s why we watch.

I’ll be back Thursday with the weekend preview of the games against Lehigh Valley on Saturday and Charlotte on Sunday. Gone are the daily Gameday setups, at least for now. Check me out then.

The AHL

Sunday Ketchup

Comments Off on Sunday Ketchup Posted by on October 3, 2021

Well, things are picking up so may as well bust off a blog post summarizing what’s probably already been summarized elsewhere.

First, there were some questions regarding the arena mandates as far as COVID is involved. Will you need to show proof of vaccination in order to take in a game and all that like some other places in the League are requiring? No, or at least not yet.

Know before you go. Masks recommended, cashless concessions. I don’t really like under $5 transactions on my credit card, so $3 or whatever for a soda or a box of popcorn may be a few and far between idea for me every now and again. What they should do is offer gift cards or reloadable food cards you can use in the arena for those who go to more than just one game like me. Heaven help us if the transaction system ever goes down.

Pittsburgh training camp continues and there have been the usual cuts and what not. A notable name was Matt Bartkowski, a defensemen they invited to camp on a PTO. The Penguins released him Saturday and not long after Coal Street announced an AHL contract for him. Enough of an impression left between both sides that the veteran Bartowski signs an AHL deal with the affiliate. Wilkes-Barre looks stacked on defense.

Training camp opened Sunday morning on Coal Street. Full list of participants here. It’s a group of familiar names plus those released by Pittsburgh’s camp so far. A local name on there is Charlie Spetz, who played for Wilkes University. Coal Street featured him in a story Sunday afternoon. Spetz signed a contract with Roanoke of the Southern Professional Hockey League, which is a notch below the ECHL.

Do I expect Spetz to make the team? No. Wilkes-Barre is stacked at defense, a position Spetz plays. But, like Bartowski, it’s all about making a positive impression with the option that one day he gets a chance to play for the Penguins.

Later, it was announced that Head Coach J.D. Forrest and his assistant Kevin Porter agreed to a two year contract extension. Forrest took a team to .500 in a joke of an exhibition season against three tough opponents (sorry, Binghamton) and the team looks (at least on paper) to be better than last year, so reward the staff with a two year extension and see what 2021-22 brings.

I have the Penguins as a six seed. Hershey, Lehigh Valley and Providence are the class of the field. Hartford I have finishing last and some combination of either Springfield or Charlotte finishes seventh. But that’s today, on the first day of training camp as opposed to 40 or 50 games in, with call ups, trades and injuries and all that.

Anyway, you will get more thoughts on how the rest of the division sets up next week when I roll out my previews. Next up, a Wednesday and Friday preseason home game against the Phantoms Bears, respectively.

Have a good week and we’ll talk to you Wednesday.

Pittsburgh, The AHL, WBS

Preseason Official 9/23

Comments Off on Preseason Official 9/23 Posted by on September 23, 2021

Well, as official as can be.

League announced Thursday their 2021 Preseason Schedule. Coal Street never followed through with an official release because the cat was out of the bag when the teams announced the regular season schedules back in July. If you have the Penguins app on your phone, you should see the two home dates. There is also a road date. They are:

  • Lehigh Valley @ Wilkes-Barre (Wednesday, October 6)
  • Hershey @ Wilkes-Barre (Friday, October 8)
  • Wilkes-Barre @ Lehigh Valley (Saturday, October 9)

Each start is at 7:05.

I have a few things in the cooker for you this upcoming season. I’ll have a preview of the season with looks at opponents probably the week of October 11 and I’m shaking up the way I do the pre-game setups. Gone are individual Gameday setups and here to play (at least in the short term) are weekend previews. I drafted a few mock ones up the other day and really liked how they flowed. They offer more substance I think too vs. the usual, “here is the opponent, the time it starts and the record.” You’ll probably have to wait for that as we get closer to the start of the season in about three weeks.

Anyway, so that’s what’s going on. Talk to you in a few weeks.

The AHL, WBS

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