Chirps from Center Ice

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

Category Archives: The AHL

Jeff Zatkoff and Derrick Pouliot Named AHL All-Stars

It was announced at 3 p.m. Wilkes-Barre time that Jeff Zatkoff and Derrick Pouliot were named to the 2015 AHL All-Star Classic to be played January 25 and 26 in Utica, New York. The duo join Tom Kostopoulous, who was named playing captain a few weeks back.

Jeff Zatkoff has been the best goaltender in the AHL and recently has been playing in front of a Wilkes-Barre team stripped of usual names like Farnham, Harrington, Rust and Wilson. That he has been able put up a 11-6-2 record with a 1.69 GAA and a .932 save percentage with three shutouts is a remarkable feat. It would have been a crime and a joke if he wasn’t named to the team.

Derrick Pouliot is a bit a surprise to me, but not so much because the AHL touts itself about being a league where the stars of tomorrow play today. Pouliot is currently on NHL recall to Pittsburgh. If he doesn’t get re-assigned back to Wilkes-Barre, another defenseman from another team will take his place.

Couple of quick observations. Wilkes-Barre is sending three players, the most since 2009, to Utica. No one else in the division between Hershey, Binghamton, Lehigh Valley and Norfolk is sending anymore than one. What does that say about the East Division these days?

How about Manchester? They are sending four players, three forwards and a defenseman. They could have easily sent G Jean-Francois Berube too.

Here’s the League release, followed by the one from Coal Street.

If you missed the Norfolk Gameday setup, scroll down one or click here if you linked in direct.

More after the game……

AHL Power Rankings: Week 13

There is some moving and shaking going around in Week 13 of the Chirps from Center Ice AHL Power Rankings.

Oklahoma City overtakes Utica for tops overall in the Western Conference and remain the number one team this week.

The Springfield Falcons draw within one point of the Eastern Conference leading Manchester Monarchs.

The Syracuse Crunch get to two points behind the Falcons with a game in hand.

This weeks Rankings reflect all of this, as all of the division leaders are in the top seven. You are an experienced reader and know that you have to click the jump in order to see where everyone ended up this week if you didn’t link in direct from elsewhere.

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AHL Power Rankings: Week 12

There used to be a saying around the American Hockey League that the East Division was the best division where hockey is played.

No more.

The Northeast Division is the best division in the AHL. With all five teams in the top eight in the Eastern Conference, all five teams are in the top nine in the Week 12 Chirps from Center Ice AHL Power Rankings.

But, there is a team out in Oklahoma City that is tops this week and a team in Utica that is tops overall.

With respect to the East Division, there is a team that the Politboro finds to be the most complete team. It isn’t Wilkes-Barre or Hershey, so you’ll need to hop through the jump to see who and to see where all the other teams ended up this week.

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AHL Power Rankings: Week 11

So have you been naughty or have you been nice? Do you have a team that is winning or a team that is losing?

For some teams, they were winning and are losing (Rockford) – for others, they have been losing and now are winning (Hartford, Providence)

Some teams have lost all season long (Rochester) other teams have won all season long (Utica)

So while not a naughty and nice list, the Week 11 Chirps from Center Ice AHL Power Rankings hopefully captures the spirit of the thing.

Hop though the jump to see where everyone ended up this week if you didn’t link in direct.

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AHL Power Rankings: Week 10

A Monarchy this week here in Week 10 of the Chirps from Center Ice AHL Power Rankings.

Despite an Atlantic Division team leading this week, the Northeast Division is the Power Conference. There are four teams in the division that are in the top eight in the Eastern Conference. The Springfield Falcons were dethroned by Manchester this weekend, but don’t let that fool you. Also, there is a team in that division not mentioned here who I call the AHL’s best team. You shouldn’t have to scroll down too far to see who.

You should know the drill now. Hop through the jump if you haven’t linked in from someplace else to see where everyone ended up this week.

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AHL Power Rankings: Week 9

Not a whole heck of a lot of shake up to the top five this week in the Week 9 Chirps from Center Ice AHL Power Rankings.

The Springfield Falcons remain at the top of the pack with another perfect week and an 11 game winning streak.

The surprising Oklahoma City Barons are second on the board with a perfect weekend and leading the West Division.

The San Antonio Rampage remain hot with points in their last eleven outings.

There’s 27 other teams that I can ramble on about here in this space but won’t. Instead I will ask you to click the jump to see where the rest all ended up if you didn’t link in direct.

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AHL Power Rankings: Week 8

So here we are in Week 8 of the Chirps from Center Ice AHL Power Rankings, with a new number one.

It’s a bird! It’s a pla—, no literally, it’s a bird. The Springfield Falcons have won nine straight and are at the top of the Power Rankings this week.

There’s a team that I call the AHL’s yo-yo team. There’s a two horse race brewing in the Midwest Division. It’s a real battle in the West Division. There’s a team in the East Division I dub the best in the East Division that isn’t the Penguins or Bears.

Click through the jump if you didn’t link in from someplace else to see what I am talking about and to see where your favorite team ended up.

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