Chirps from Center Ice

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

Category Archives: The AHL

AHL Power Rankings: Week 17

Comments Off on AHL Power Rankings: Week 17 Posted by on January 31, 2016

We are officially at the AHL All-Star break here in the 2015-16 AHL season. If you aren’t headed to Syracuse, then it gives you extra time to read this weeks version of the Chirps from Center Ice AHL Power Rankings.

At the break, it looks like that a lot of teams in the Eastern and Western Conference are playing for second place, respectively. The Toronto Marlies of the East and the Ontario Reign of the West have been the classes of their respective Conferences from the beginning. It may take a lot for another team to step up and beat these two teams.

But it isn’t the Marlies and Reign who are one – two this week. It’s…well, I am just going to let you read to see who and where all the other teams ended up this week. Click the jump if you didn’t link in directly.

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Power Rankings

Goodwill: O’Neill Added to AHL All-Star Classic

Comments Off on Goodwill: O’Neill Added to AHL All-Star Classic Posted by on January 30, 2016

It was announced Saturday morning that Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins defenseman Will O’Neill was added to the AHL All-Star team for the Atlantic Division. O’Neill will replace Penguins winger Dominik Simon, who will miss the games due to injury.

O’Neill has nine points in his last ten games. While he may not have had All Star quality like numbers when the teams were announced a few weeks ago, he has been producing like an All-Star of recent.

O’Neill’s addition gives the Atlantic Division one extra defensemen by my count. Here’s the team as of about 1 p.m. Saturday…

G: Mike McMeknna, Portland Pirates
G: Anthony Stolarz, Lehigh Valley Phantoms

D: Connor Carrick, Hershey Bears
D: Cameron Gaunce, Portland Pirates
D: Ryan Graves, Hartford Wolf Pack
D: Ryan Pulock, Bridgeport Sound Tigers
D: Will O’Neill, Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins

F: Chris Bourque, Hershey Bears
F: Nick Cousins, Lehigh Valley Phantoms
F: Seth Griffith, Providence Bruins
F: Dustin Jeffrey, Springfield Falcons
F: Alexander Khokhlachev, Providence Bruins
F Rob Schremp, Portland Pirates

When they put these plans together, teams were supposed to be comprised of seven forwards and four defensemen. Unless I am missing something, it looks like the Atlantic will be the only division with the extra defenseman.

The Gameday setup for the rematch with Lehigh Valley will be up on the blog at 3 p.m. today.

The AHL, WBS

Murray Out for All-Stars, Simon?

1 Comment Posted by on January 28, 2016

Had a feeling Wednesday night when I was hammering out the blog post after hearing on the postgame show that Dominik Simon left the game in the second period with injury and didn’t return that I would be blogging today.

But not for what you think. Well, at least not yet.

It was announced on Thursday that Matt Murray will not be making the trip to Syracuse to participate in the AHL All-Star Classic this weekend. He will be replaced by Portland’s Mike McKenna.

Murray has a minor lower body injury and did not practice today.

On the status of Dominik Simon, he too did not practice today. Penguins Head Coach Clark Donatelli listed Simon, as well as Sahir Gill as “day to day.”

I have a pretty good idea of where and how Matt Murray was injured. From the first period Sunday in Providence.

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They initially called it a “maintenance day” today but Seth confirmed that Murray has a minor injury and is expected back after the All-Star game. The Penguins play Lehigh Valley in a home and home this Friday and Saturday before taking back to the ice next Friday in Springfield.

Another angle brought up was that assuming that Murray had started one of these two games this weekend, that’s five games in the last fourteen games for Murray. Perhaps the ruling from Pittsburgh was to allow him to rest.

Personally, I do not think that Murray is injured to a point to raise alarm. I watched carefully after Murray was slow to get up Sunday to see if he received any medical assistance. He didn’t. He played 40 plus minutes Sunday and started Wednesday and played close to sixty minutes.

If the Penguins as a whole want to make a run for a Calder Cup they will need Murray, and Simon at or as close to 100%.

Seth had more in depth analysis with quotes on his blog.

Now onto the subject of Dominik Simon. I expect him to miss the All-Star Classic also. The question then becomes with him out, Murray and Pouliot already ruled out, who do the Penguins send?

My initial thought would be any combination of Conor Sheary or Scott Wilson. But, they may have vacations planned already with the mandatory break. Families involved and such. Who knows. My guess is that if or when Simon is going to be ruled out it will come Friday. Again, who knows.

Gameday setup for Lehigh Valley will be here Friday at 3.

Just Rambling, The AHL, WBS

AHL Power Rankings: Week 16

1 Comment Posted by on January 25, 2016

We are a week away from the All-Star break and the Toronto Marlies are running away with things.

There have been some teams; Milwaukee, Grand Rapids, Wilkes-Barre to name some that have been at the top of the Rankings week to week, but the Marlies have been consistent and are again the Week 16 Chirps from Center Ice number one team this week.

While it doesn’t look like there is any stopping the Marlies right now, click through the jump if you didn’t link in direct to see where the other 29 other teams rank in the hopes of being number one some day.

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Power Rankings

Weekend Setup 1/22

Comments Off on Weekend Setup 1/22 Posted by on January 22, 2016

The Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins are in Portland, Maine for a pair of games against the second place team in the Atlantic Division and against a team that has won five in a row and is 12-2-1 in their last fifteen games. It’s an important series for both teams. Wilkes-Barre is among the AHL’s elite teams this season and the Portland Pirates are on the rise and looking to knock off the division leader.

But before you get going on your Friday, a couple things happened on Thursday that I’d like to touch on.

First, goaltender Brian Foster was recalled from the Wheeling Nailers. The reason apparently was to get him some work with Matt Murray and Tristan Jarry with Mike Buckley in Portland, as the Penguins goaltending coach is meeting the team there for some work this weekend. Initial concerns about a trade, call-up or injury were unfounded by all who speculated, myself included.

Second, ex-Penguins captain Dave Gove had the interim tag removed and was named Head Coach of the Wheeling Nailers for the remainder of the season.

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Third, Tim Erixon will probably be back Sunday and don’t expect new acquisition Ryan Parent yet.

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Regarding Providence, Frank Vatrano was sent back to the P-Bruins Thursday. Vatrano had ten goals in ten games for the Bruins prior to his recall to Boston. That’s a big time boost for a Providence side who is 6-2-2 in their last ten games.

Mark Divver from The Providence Journal has this story running in the paper Friday on Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Head Coach Clark Donatelli.

Gameday for Portland hits the blog at 3 today.

Let’s Go Pens!

The AHL, WBS, Wheeling

AHL Power Rankings: Week 15

2 Comments Posted by on January 18, 2016

If this were a NASCAR race, the crossed flags would be up at the start / finish line, signifying the halfway point of the race.

For a lot of teams, the half way point of the 2015-16 season came and went this past weekend. Some are in the drivers seat in the division; the passenger seat; the back seat and running to chase the car down.

I totally don’t even know if you can use multiple semicolons in one sentence like I did right there. If you are an English major and can help me out, the comments are open.

Anyway, getting back on track, the Toronto Marlies remain the number one team this week for the second week in a row, trailed by the best team we think in the Central Division right now. And in case you were wondering, it not the Grand Rapids Griffins or the division leading Rockford IceHogs.

Hit the jump to find out who and to see where your favorite team ended up this week.

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Power Rankings

AHL Power Rankings: Week 14

Comments Off on AHL Power Rankings: Week 14 Posted by on January 11, 2016

With Week 14, you normally know what you have if you are a fan of an American Hockey League team.

You either have a contender, a maybe, a maybe maybe or a see you next year.

We would like to think that the Week 14 version of the Chirps from Center Ice AHL Power Rankings, helps the casual fan see exactly how each team is painted while the calendar hits mid-January with All-Stars looming.

There is a new number one this week, as the Grand Rapids Griffins fall out of the top spot for the first time in what seems like forever. But you’ll need to click through the jump to find out who if you didn’t link in direct.

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Power Rankings

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