Chirps from Center Ice

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

Category Archives: The AHL

AHL Power Rankings: Week 5

Comments Off on AHL Power Rankings: Week 5 Posted by on November 10, 2014

A pig, a comet and a wolf all walk into a bar and say to the bartender, wearing a pirate costume, “why is that wolf taking a flame to that penguin wearing a tiger costume?”

You will get the point when you see who is at the top of the Week 5 Chirps from Center Ice AHL Power Rankings.

The biggest jump this week belongs to your Bridgeport Sound Tigers up 13 spots to 8th.

The biggest fall this week belongs to your Rochester Americans down 12 spots to 17th.

I could have kept going on my joke and maybe one day I will. That way you won’t have to click through the jump if you didn’t link in direct. I haven’t done it today, so please do so now….

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Power Rankings

AHL Power Rankings: Week 4

Comments Off on AHL Power Rankings: Week 4 Posted by on November 3, 2014

A week of practice for some worked wonders. For teams like Norfolk and Portland, a week of practice reared perfect weekends for these clubs and net gains made in Week Four of the Chirps from Center Ice AHL Power Rankings.

There is a new number one this week, your Utica Comets, who are on fire and are the AHL’s top team as November begins in whole across the country.

The biggest gain this week belongs to your Portland Pirates, (up 18) Lake Erie Monsters (up 17) and your Norfolk Admirals (up 16) who exemplify the term, “practice makes perfect.”

The biggest loss belongs to your Lehigh Valley Phantoms, who are down 14 spots and could use some practice this week.

Click through the jump if you didn’t link in anyplace direct to see where everyone else ended up….

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Power Rankings

AHL Power Rankings: Week 3

1 Comment Posted by on October 27, 2014

A pair of Admirals bookend this weeks AHL Power Rankings.

The biggest movers are your Providence Bruins, up sixteen spots after not allowing a single goal this weekend.

The biggest free fall this weekend belongs to your Syracuse Crunch, down thirteen spots.

If you didn’t link in direct, please jump through to see where everyone else ended up this week.

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Power Rankings

AHL Power Rankings: Week 2

Comments Off on AHL Power Rankings: Week 2 Posted by on October 20, 2014

So how’d your team do this week, with a week of practice under them after last weekends opener?

Going through the shuffling this week, there really hasn’t been that much movement between teams in the second week of the Chirps from Center Ice AHL Power Rankings.

The biggest gainer this week were your Hershey Bears, up 20 spots to 7th and…well, just read the capsules in the new look. Oh, wait, you missed last week and the new look? Well, better late than never!

The club in free fall this week were your Springfield Falcons, down 16 spots to 28th.

Click through the jump to see where your favorite team ended up this week…

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Power Rankings

AHL Power Rankings: Week 1

4 Comments Posted by on October 13, 2014

The first weekend is in the books for the 2014-15 American Hockey League.

For some, the season has started out great.

For some, they left a little on the table.

For others, they are looking for the reset button.

If you are new to the blog and new to these rankings, this is just one man’s opinions on where these teams should be ranked, if AHL Power Rankings were a thing. These Rankings were a highly talked about item here on the blog last year, so if you think I am wrong with the rankings, leave me a comment.

A new season, a new look! I changed up the formatting for something I believe will be easier for me to build on Sundays and easier for you to read. A test audience in the summertime loved the new look, so jump through to get started…..

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Power Rankings

East Divison Preview

1 Comment Posted by on October 10, 2014

Regular AHL

We have reached the conclusion of the Fifth Annual Chirps from Center Ice AHL Previews in all too familiar territory, the East Division. If you missed any of the other division previews in this fine League, please use the scroll down menu at the top of the blog.

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east

The only change in the division is the Syracuse Crunch out and the Lehigh Valley Phantoms in. Since the Penguins reside in this division, they obviously play all the teams listed multiple times. Home games are featured in bold.

Here we go…

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NHL Affiliation: Ottawa Senators

Record: 44-24-3-5 (96 pts., 1st place East Division)

Playoffs: 3 seed — Lost in four games to the Wilkes-Barre / Scranton Penguins in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals

Head Coach: Luke Richardson

Arena: Floyd L. Maines Veterans Memorial Arena

ECHL Affiliation: Evansville IceMen

Offseason Moves: Carter Camper, Aaron Johnson

The case for: Division Champs bolster an already solid lineup with excellent additions in Camper and Johnson.

The case against: This Binghamton team streaked like no tomorrow last season, good for bad, bad for good. That recipe may spell disaster this season.

Media Coverage: Matt Weinstein and Matt Verderame for the Press & Sun-Bulletin

Fan Blog: None — or I haven’t found it yet.

Twitter: @BSens_Hockey

Facebook: /binghamtonsenators

Instagram: bsens_hockey

Broadcaster: Grady Whittenburg

vs. WBS: 10/26, @ 11/8, @ 12/20, @ 12/26, 1/2, 2/11, 3/21, @ 3/27

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14her_500

NHL Affiliation: Washington Capitals

Record: 39-27-5-5 (88 pts., 4th place East Division)

Playoffs: Did not qualify.

Head Coach: Troy Mann

Arena: Giant Center

ECHL Affiliation: South Carolina Stingrays

Offseason Moves: Tim Spencer, Philippe Cornet, Jon Landry, Mike Moore, Chris Conner, Tim Kennedy

The case for: New leadership under a familiar name in Troy Mann have Bears fans hopes for a return to glory sooner rather than later.

The case against: A lot of teams caught and passed the 11 time Champs. Can they recover?

Media Coverage: Tim Leone for PennLive

Fan Blog: Sweetest Hockey on Earth

Twitter: @TheHersheyBears

Facebook: /TheHersheyBears

Instagram: thehersheybears

Broadcaster: Scott Stuccio

vs. WBS: @ 10/25, 11/7, @ 11/16, @ 11/26, 12/6, @ 12/7, 12/14, 12/31, @ 1/3, @ 2/7, 3/11, 3/14

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14lv_500

NHL Affiliation: Philadelphia Phantoms

Record: 30-38-2-6 (68 pts., 4th place Northeast Division, playing as the Adirondack Phantoms)

Playoffs: Did not qualify.

Head Coach: Terry Murray

Arena: PPL Center

ECHL Affiliation: Reading Royals

Offseason Moves: Connor Knapp, Darroll Powe, Austin Fyten, Brett Hextall, Andrew Gordon, Blair Jones, Zack Stortini

The case for: The Phantoms may boast the most star studded lineup in the East Division, with names like Powe and Gordon. The new kid on the block may be able to contend in what’s called the toughest division in the AHL.

The case against: Goaltending. Probably the weakest in the division, if not the Conference. Inexperience in goal could doom this team early and often.

Media Coverage: Gary Blockus for The Morning Call

Fan Blog: The Horn and Bell

Twitter: @LVPhantoms

Facebook: /LehighValleyPhantoms

Instagram: lehighvalleyphantoms

Broadcaster: Bob Rotruck

vs. WBS: 10/11, @ 10/29, 11/14, 12/5, @ 12/13, 1/31, 2/14, @ 3/22, @ 3/28, 4/4, @ 4/8, @ 4/19

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14nor_500

NHL Affiliation: Anaheim Ducks

Record: 40-26-3-7 (90 pts., 3rd place East Division)

Playoffs: 8 seed — Lost in six games to the St. John’s IceCaps in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

Head Coach: Jarrod Skalde

Arena: Scope Arena

ECHL Affiliation: Utah Grizzlies

Offseason Moves: Jason LaBarbera, Steve MacIntyre, Nathan McIver, Brad Winchester

The case for: Might be the toughest team in the division, if not the conference.

The case against: What exactly did Norfolk do this offseason other than adding an aging goaltender in LaBarbera and Steve MacIntyre, who may only dress for less than half of their games?

Media Coverage: Virginian Pilot

Fan Blog: Admirals Aftermath / Beneath the Scope

Twitter: @NorfolkAdmirals / Ads Game Updates

Facebook: /NorfolkAdmirals

Instagram: norfolkadmirals

Broadcaster: Pete Michaud

vs. WBS: @ 10/31, @ 11/1, 12/28, 1/6, 1/9, @ 1/23, @ 1/24, 4/18

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14wbs_500

NHL Affiliation: Pittsburgh Penguins

Record: 42-26-3-5 (92 pts., 2nd place East Division)

Playoffs: 6 seed — Lost in six games to the St. John’s IceCaps in the Eastern Conference Finals.

Head Coach: John Hynes

Arena: Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza

ECHL Affiliation: Wheeling Nailers

Offseason Moves: Taylor Chorney

The case for: The core that made it to the Eastern Conference Finals returns. While not as an impressive offseason as in prior years, I see no reason why this team cannot compete for a division title.

The case against: Youth and inexperience. A lot of second year guys and rookies may be relied upon to carry the offensive load this season.

Media Coverage: Jonathan Bombulie for The Citizens’ Voice and Tom Venesky for The Times Leader

Fan Blog: I do not know of another that does it better than I.

Twitter: @WBSPenguins / WBS Game Day

Facebook: /WilkesBarreScrantonPenguins

Instagram: wbspenguins

Broadcaster: Mike O’Brien

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Thanks for reading my previews. I hope you enjoyed read thing them as much as I enjoyed creating them. If you have a team going tonight in the AHL’s Opening Night, Good Luck and Happy New Year. The Penguins open their 16th Season tomorrow at 7:05 against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms at home. The Gameday Setup for this returns to the blog Saturday at 3 p.m.!

The AHL

Hartzell Down, Murovich Signed, Blog of the Year

Comments Off on Hartzell Down, Murovich Signed, Blog of the Year Posted by on October 9, 2014

A few things to mention today as my AHL Previews continue….

— Coal Street was active Thursday afternoon, signing Tyler Murovich to an AHL contract and assigning him to Wheeling. Murovich was recently let go by the Pens this week, but picked up and signed today.

— Eric Hartzell will begin the season with the Wheeling Nailers, having been sent down Thursday. At this stage of Hartzell’s development, the Penguins felt that he would be better suited as a number one goaltender vs. backing up Jeff Zatkoff, fresh off of being an NHL backup to Marc Andre Fleury last season. I don’t consider Hartzell starting the year in the ECHL a bad thing at all. He’s not going to be number one in Wilkes-Barre, he’s a second year pro and not a rookie, let him prove his worth in Wheeling in the ECHL. Matt Murray, a rookie and Zatkoff’s backup, will get plenty of opportunities to show that he belongs in the AHL. Most likely we will see Murray start a game next weekend in St. John’s. If Murray falters and Hartzell shines, the two are easily interchangeable.

— The Penguins also announced their broadcast schedule. All games will be heard on WILK Newsradio and there will be eight television games. They will be all Saturday games and are as follows: October 11 vs. Lehigh Valley, December 6 vs. Hershey, January 31 vs. Lehigh Valley, February 21 vs. Providence, March 14 vs. Hershey, March 21 vs. Binghamton, April 4 vs. Lehigh Valley and April 18 vs. Norfolk.

— On Wheeling, they extended Head Coach Clark Donatelli for three more years and signed a three year extension with WesBanco Arena, guaranteeing that the Nailers remain in West Virginia through 2017-18.

— The Great Mike Fornabaio broke down the rules changes this season in the AHL. A good read for a rules nerd like me.

Oh, one more thing. I was notified today that Chirps from Center Ice won “Sports Blog of the Year” as part of the NEPA Blog Con contest that ran a few weeks ago. I’d like to thank everyone who voted for me and this blog. Again, as I have said before in the past, this blog is a hobby which I enjoy very much. To see that my hobby is being rewarded with an award is very humbling. So thank you to all who voted for the blog. I honestly do very much appreciate the support.

We close out the AHL Previews with the East Division at noon tomorrow. Barring any more breaking news, the Gameday Setup vs. Lehigh Valley will be on the blog Saturday at 3 p.m.

The AHL, WBS, Wheeling

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