Chirps from Center Ice

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

Category Archives: The AHL

Goats Love Coal — Pens Acquire Michael Leighton

Comments Off on Goats Love Coal — Pens Acquire Michael Leighton Posted by on December 19, 2017

There was a trade made Tuesday afternoon with major implications on the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins.

The Pittsburgh Penguins acquired goaltender Michael Leighton from the Arizona Coyotes in exchange for Josh Archibald, Sean Maguire and 2019 draft pick.

Michael Leighton is one of the greatest AHL goaltenders to put on a pair of pads.

Here is his resume, from the League release on the trade….

Leighton, a five-time AHL All-Star, had been acquired by the Coyotes on Nov. 14 in a trade from Tampa Bay. In 14 AHL games between Syracuse and Chicago this season, Leighton has a record of 4-4-4 with a 3.16 goals-against average, an .869 save percentage and one shutout.

The AHL’s career leader in shutouts (50), Leighton has appeared in 479 career AHL games with a record of 236-176-48, ranking fifth all-time in victories and eighth among goaltenders in games played. He was named to the AHL All-Rookie Team in 2001-02 and won the Aldege “Baz” Bastien Memorial Award as the AHL’s outstanding goaltender in 2007-08.

In postseason play, Leighton owns the AHL records for saves in a single game (98, in a five-overtime loss on Apr. 24, 2008) and for lowest GAA in a single playoff year (1.18, in 2008). He shows a 1.67 GAA, a .946 save percentage and five shutouts in 28 career Calder Cup Playoff contests (13-12).

He’s been around the AHL this season, initially starting with Syracuse, with a stop in AHL Chicago, he did not appear in a game with the Coyotes AHL affiliate, Tucson. He was loaned to Chicago from Arizona.

So the crease in Wilkes-Barre looks like Casey DeSmith and Michael Leighton. Unless there is another move coming down the pike which would see Tristan Jarry coming back down and Leighton going to to backup Matt Murray, which is entirely plausible.

Sean Maguire needed the change in scenery. He will a great asset for the Tucson Roadrunners. He was kind of lost in the shuffle here in Wilkes-Barre.

Josh Archibald wasn’t going to make it through waivers the thought process was by the brain trust up in Pittsburgh.

Jonathan had an interesting take…

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I disagree with that thought process entirely. Casey DeSmith played his way up from ECHL obscurity a few seasons ago to an NHL contract this past summer. He is as about as solid a #1 AHL goaltender you can find, anywhere, just like Tristan Jarry and Matt Murray before him.

But like I tell people all the time, I don’t manage or coach the organization, I just blog about it.

Oh dear, as I was about to hit publish on this, a second trade was made with another implication affecting Wilkes-Barre.

Penguins acquire Jamie Oleksiak from the Dallas Stars in exchange for a 2019 conditional fourth round draft pick. As a part of the move, Kevin Czuczman was re-assigned to the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins.

The conditional end of it is explained here…

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Out the door, Wilkes-Barre recalled Jarrett Burton and Jeff Taylor from Wheeling Monday. With Ethan Prow’s status up in the air and Wilkes-Barre playing with just one extra forward last weekend, the need for those recalls were justified. Elsewhere, ex-Penguin Stuart Percy signed an AHL deal with the Rochester Americans.

Is there a third move up the sleeve of Penguins GM Jim Rutherford? We have to wait and see.

Pittsburgh, The AHL, WBS, Wheeling

AHL Power Rankings: Week 11

Comments Off on AHL Power Rankings: Week 11 Posted by on December 18, 2017

We are at Week 11 in the AHL Power Rankings and a week away from the New Year.

Teams are jockeying for positioning as we head there. Others are establishing themselves as forces to be reckoned with while others are simply fading into obscurity.

This past weekend, the heavyweight matchup was the Manitoba Moose meeting up with the Toronto Marlies. It was billed as a test for the Moose heading into Toronto to take on an established Marlies team.

The Moose pass with flying colors and are again your number one team this week.

They are followed by a Rochester Americans team which you need to start taking seriously. The Texas Stars, slowly creeping into the top spot of the Pacific round out the top three. In fourth is the Atlantic Division leader Providence Bruins followed by the Marlies, who don’t fall too far because there aren’t that many teams that have won at least 20 games in the AHL just yet.

Hop past the Marlies if you didn’t link in direct to see where your favorite team ended up this week.

1

 Last Week: MTB 7 @ BEL 3, MTB 2 @ TOR 1, MTB 5 @ TOR 1
Moose just running away with things. 14 straight games, a franchise record, without a regulation loss. Head Coach Pascal Vincent punches his ticket to Utica in January to head up the Central bench. Rampage stopping by this weekend could be a test.

+1

 This Week: vs. SA 12/21, vs. SA 12/22
Record: 21-5-1-2

2

 Last Week: UTI 1 @ RCH 3, TOR 3 @ RCH 2, RCH 3 @ UTI 2 (OT)
Amerks appear to be for real, not letting a tight setback to the Toronto Marlies bother them at all, shaking it off and taking down the Utica Comets the next night.

+3

 This Week: vs. BEL 12/20, @ LAV 12/22, @ LAV 12/23
Record: 16-6-3-3

3

 Last Week: ONT 4 @ TEX 2, CLE 4 @ TEX 5 (OT)
Sweep the week, are 8-2 in their last ten. This run will have the Stars at the top of the Pacific in no time.

+3

 This Week: @ ONT 12/20, @ SJ 12/22, @ BAK 12/23
Record: 17-10-0-1

4

 Last Week: PRO 3 @ HER 0, PRO 3 @ SYR 5, PRO 6 @ HER 2
Eight game winning streak ended in Syracuse on Friday, but The P-Bruins still lead the Atlantic Division as we head into the Christmas break.

+3

 This Week: @ HFD 12/22, @ SPR 12/23
Record: 18-7-2-0

5

 Last Week: TOR 3 @ RCH 2, MTB 2 @ TOR 1, MTB 5 @ TOR 1
Can’t really fault the Eastern Conference’s best team for losing to the AHL’s overall best team this weekend, so the Marlies stay in the top five for now. Two this week with the Comets in New York.

-4

 This Week: @ UTI 12/20, @ UTI 12/22
Record: 21-7-0-0

Click through here to see teams 6 through 30

Power Rankings

AHL Power Rankings: Week 10

Comments Off on AHL Power Rankings: Week 10 Posted by on December 11, 2017

We shuffled up the top five teams this week and then after that it was a bit of a tough sledding to hash out the next 20 teams.

The Toronto Marlies are the first AHL team to 20 wins this season and have re-taken over the top spot in the Week 10 Chirps from Center Ice AHL Power Rankings followed closely behind by the Manitoba Moose who are still rolling, but lost in a shootout Saturday to the Milwaukee Admirals at home, so they slip to second.

Those two teams meet this weekend in Toronto in a matchup that will be epic.

The rest of the top five this week go Stockton, who remain in third, Rockford, who are better in their last ten than Rochester, who is fifth.

Pop past the Amerks if you didn’t link in direct to see six and beyond and enjoy!

1

 Last Week: TOR 3 @ LAV 1, TOR 5 @ LAV 2
First team to twenty wins this season are your Toronto Marlies. Circle those visits from the Moose later this week on your calendar.

+1

 This Week: @ RCH 12/15, vs. MTB 12/16, vs. MTB 12/17
Record: 20-5-0-0

2

 Last Week: MIL 4 @ MTB 3 (SO), MIL 1 @ MTB 6
Moose continue to roll. The nine game win streak ended Saturday when Milwaukee clipped them in a shootout, but Manitoba put it on the Admirals on Sunday. Two huge contests this week with Toronto will be ones to watch.

-1

 This Week: @ BEL 12/15, @ TOR 12/16, @ TOR 12/17
Record: 18-5-1-2

3

 Last Week: STK 6 @ SJ 0, TUC 2 @ STK 5
Heat take down the Roadrunners on Saturday and take over first in the Pacific. Show goes on the road this week with stops in San Diego and Ontario.

n/a

 This Week: @ SD 12/13, @ ONT 12/15, @ SD 12/16
Record: 14-6-0-2

4

 Last Week: RFD 4 @ GR 1, GR 2 @ RFD 7
Rockford continues to roll. 7-2-1-0 in their last ten.

+1

 This Week: vs. CHI 12/12, @ SA 12/15, @ SA 12/17
Record: 15-9-1-0

5

 Last Week: RCH 2 @ SPR 1, RCH 2 @ HFD 3 (SO), RCH 4 @ BRI 1
Amerks need to keep winning if they want to stay in touch with the Marlies who are just smoking opponents. They are doing that.

-1

 This Week: vs. UTI 12/13, vs. TOR 12/15, @ UTI 12/16
Record: 14-5-3-3

Click through here to see teams 6 through 30

Power Rankings

AHL Power Rankings: Week 9

Comments Off on AHL Power Rankings: Week 9 Posted by on December 4, 2017

Have we settled into a groove here in the Week 9 Chirps from Center Ice AHL Power Rankings?

Reason why is that there is no reason to switch up the top two this week. Manitoba is just plastering teams right now and Toronto remains a strong threat any given night.

Stockton moves up to third as they continue to stockpile points.

Any time you take down one of the best teams in the league in Wilkes-Barre, you are going to draw attention like Rochester in fourth this week.

Finally, in fifth, Rockford seems to have ironed out problems that have bothered them of late and are second in the Central behind the Moose and fifth in this weeks Rankings.

Click past the IceHogs if you didn’t link in direct to see where your favorite team ended up this week.

1

 Last Week: MTB 8 @ RFD 1, CLE 1 @ MTB 7, CLE 0 @ MTB 4
Best team in the AHL is just steamrolling teams. Nine consecutive wins, outscoring opponents 25-3 in their last five games, including two shutouts. How long can the Moose sustain this reign of terror on opponents?

n/a

 This Week: vs. MIL 12/9, vs. MIL 12/10
Record: 17-5-1-1

2

 Last Week: SYR 3 @ TOR 1, TOR 3 @ BEL 1, HFD 3 @ TOR 4 (OT)
Rebounded nicely after the mid-week setback that the Crunch handed the Marlies on national television.

n/a

 This Week: @ LAV 12/8, @ LAV 12/9
Record: 18-5-0-0

3

 Last Week: STK 3 @ BAK 1, STK 3 @ BAK 4 (SO)
Heat still piling on the points and have a date with the Roadrunners coming later in the week.

+2

 This Week: @ SJ 12/6, vs. TUC 12/9
Record: 12-6-0-2

4

 Last Week: RCH 1 @ UTI 2 (OT), HFD 5 @ RCH 4 (SO), RCH 5 @ WBS 2
Routed the Penguins Saturday. That is good enough, along with getting points out of other contests this week, to keep the Amerks in the top five in this weeks Rankings.

-1

 This Week: @ SPR 12/8, @ HFD 12/9, @ BRI 12/10
Record: 12-5-3-2

5

 Last Week: MTB 8 @ RFD 1, CHI 3 @ RFD 4 (OT), TEX 2 @ RFD 6
Whatever turbulence that the IceHogs experienced a few weeks ago, the air is a lot cleaner now and it’s smooth sailing again for the second place in the Central Rockford IceHogs.

+2

 This Week: @ GR 12/8, vs. GR 12/9
Record: 13-9-1-0

Click through here to see teams 6 through 30

Power Rankings

AHL Power Rankings: Week 8

Comments Off on AHL Power Rankings: Week 8 Posted by on November 27, 2017

After Week 8 and American Thanksgiving, it’s a pair of Canadian teams that are 1-2 in this weeks edition of the Chirps from Center Ice AHL Power Rankings

The Manitoba Moose are the hottest team in the AHL right now, but the Toronto Marlies are the actual best statistical team in the league. Both teams are virtually identical, 9-1 in their last ten games, but the Moose are running away with the Central Division right now which is always tight.

Rochester slots in third. Anytime you smoke an opponent with 10 goals like the Americans did to Binghamton on Saturday, you open some eyes.

Two teams that faced off this week for a pair of games fill out the top five. That’s your Tucson Roadrunners and your Stockton Heat.

Jump past the Heat if you didn’t link in direct to find out who the sixth place team is all the way down to the last place team.

1

 Last Week: LAV 2 @ MTB 3 (SO), MTB 3 @ GR 1, MTB 3 @ MIL 0
9-1 in their last ten, Moose are the hottest team in the AHL right now. Normally the Central is a dogfight, but Manitoba right now as the calendar flips to December is turning it into a runaway.

+2

 This Week: @ RFD 11/28, vs. CLE 11/30, vs. CLE 12/2
Record: 14-5-1-1

2

 Last Week: TOR 5 @ UTI 2, BEL 1 @ TOR 2 (SO), BEL 1 @ TOR 5
League’s statistically best team remain second this week behind the smoking hot Moose team. Favorable schedule this week can keep the Marlies on a tear to start December.

n/a

 This Week: vs. SYR 11/29, @ BEL 12/1, vs. HFD 12/2
Record: 16-4-0-0

3

 Last Week: RCH 5 @ SYR 6 (OT), BNG 3 @ RCH 10, RCH 4 @ BNG 3 (OT)
Don’t want to look past Utica and Hartford, but meeting the Pens in Wilkes-Barre Saturday night will be a good litmus test for this Rochester side who have surprised of late.

+4

 This Week: @ UTI 11/29, vs. HFD 12/1, @ WBS 12/2
Record: 11-5-2-1

4

 Last Week: SD 0 @ TUC 5, STK 2 @ TUC 3, STK 4 @ TUC 2
Got back at San Diego in the middle of the week then split a pair with the Heat which you would have signed up for at the beginning of the week.

+2

 This Week: vs. ONT 12/3
Record: 10-3-2-1

5

 Last Week: STK 1 @ ONT 3, STK 2 @ TUC 3, STK 4 @ TUC 2
Despite the two losses this week to Ontario and Tucson, the Heat are in the thick of things at the top of the Pacific Division with three other teams.

-1

 This Week: @ BAK 11/30, @ BAK 12/1
Record: 11-6-0-1

Click through here to see teams 6 through 30

Power Rankings

AHL Power Rankings: Week 7

Comments Off on AHL Power Rankings: Week 7 Posted by on November 20, 2017

Thanksgiving Week feels like a short week, doesn’t it?

Also, feels like we just started the season, doesn’t it? How did we get here, this fast?

Week 7 has come and gone in the American Hockey League and there is a new number on team. It’s the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins.

The Penguins have points in eleven straight games. They are followed by a Toronto Marlies team who have the most points in the AHL right now.

A pair of surprising Western Conference teams are third and fourth in Manitoba and Stockton and the top five is rounded out with San Antonio, who we feel have been here in the top five ever since Week 1.

Hop through the jump to see the rest of the teams after the Rampage if you didn’t link in direct and enjoy Thanksgiving week in the USA!

1

 Last Week: WBS 4 @ BNG 3
Points in 11 straight games. Mind you, Wilkes-Barre has only played 14 games so far. Busy Thanksgiving week coming with with some pre-turkey day action with Lehigh Valley followed by a home and home with Syracuse.

+1

 This Week: vs. LV 11/22, @ SYR 11/24, vs. SYR 11/25
Record: 11-2-0-1

2

 Last Week: SYR 1 @ TOR 2, SYR 1 @ TOR 3
Racking up points in the North, and but for a Rochester and Laval team keeping them honest, would be running away with the division.

+2

 This Week: @ UTI 11/22, vs. BEL 11/25, vs. BEL 11/26
Record: 13-4-0-0

3

 Last Week: CHI 2 @ MTB 3, CHI 4 @ MTB 6, LAV 2 @ MTB 5
Seven wins in their past eight games for a Moose side who is no longer a surprise, but a team you need to start taking seriously.

+4

 This Week: vs. LAV 11/21, @ GR 11/24, @ MIL 11/25
Record: 11-5-1-1

4

 Last Week: BAK 2 @ STK 4, BAK 2 @ STK 5
Swept the Condors this week, but now some real competition steps up with the Reign and the Roadrunners this week.

+6

 This Week: @ ONT 11/22, @ TUC 11/24, @ TUC 11/25
Record: 10-4-0-1

5

 Last Week: GR 6 @ SA 3, SA 3 @ TEX 4, TEX 2 @ SA 5
Thought that the Rampage were in trouble after Grand Rapids smacked them mid-week, then they split a series with the Stars. San Antonio may just be OK.

-2

 This Week: @ BAK 11/21, @ SJ 11/22, @ BAK 11/25, @ ONT 11/26
Record: 10-5-1-0

Click through here to see teams 6 through 30

Power Rankings

Andrey Pedan Suspended Three Games 11/13

Comments Off on Andrey Pedan Suspended Three Games 11/13 Posted by on November 13, 2017

Word came down Monday afternoon from Springfield that Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins defenseman Andrey Pedan has been suspended three games for an incident stemming from a charging incident on Saturday, November 11 against the Providence Bruins.

Here’s the video I ripped from video highlights Coal Street put forth Saturday night…

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Suspension verbiage from the league release went as follows…

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins defenseman Andrey Pedan has been suspended for three (3) games as a consequence of a charging incident in a game vs. Providence on Nov. 11.

Pedan was suspended under the provisions of AHL Rule 28.1 (supplementary discipline). He will miss Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s games Friday (Nov. 17) at Binghamton, Nov. 22 vs. Lehigh Valley and Nov. 24 at Syracuse.

Rule 28.1 in the AHL Rulebook reads as follows…

28.1 Supplementary Discipline – In addition to the automatic fines and suspensions imposed under these rules, the President may, at his discretion, investigate any incident that occurs in connection with any Pre-season, Exhibition, League or Playoff game and may assess additional fines and/or suspensions for any offense committed during the course of a game or any aftermath thereof by a player, goalkeeper, Trainer, Manager, Coach or non-playing Club personnel or Club executive, whether or not such offense has been penalized by the Referee.

If an investigation is requested by a Club, it must be initiated within twenty-four (24) hours following the completion of the game in which the incident occurred. In addition, teams are required to fill out a request for supplemental discipline form along with a two hundred fifty dollar ($250) deposit refundable if further action is taken by the League.

There was no penalty called for charging at the time and no penalty assessed on the play at all other than the fight between Pedan and Kenny Agostino. Essentially, Providence asked that the League review the hit because Zboril did not return to the game nor did he play Sunday in Springfield when the Bruins visited the Thunderbirds.

Pedan will miss this Friday in Binghamton, next Wednesday at home against Lehigh Valley and Friday, November 24 at Syracuse.

Pedan’s game, I felt, was rounding into form. I don’t know if the suspension will hinder that or what.

Out the door, some other news…

https://twitter.com/FriedgeHNIC/status/930118757468573696

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Pittsburgh has the right of first refusal in the case of a re-claim…

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We will see what Pittsburgh decides to do Tuesday at noon. Niemi could, now hypothetically, be assigned to Wilkes-Bare and tandem with Casey DeSmith and Wilkes-Barre could send Colin Stevens back to Wheeling. Stay tuned I guess.

The AHL, WBS

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