Chirps from Center Ice

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

Category Archives: The AHL

Calder Cup Playoff Preview — Western Conference

Comments Off Posted by nafsnep on April 22, 2014

I don’t know about the weather where you are reading my blog from, but in Wilkes-Barre the last few days it has been sunny and springlike. Yes, Spring is here, and so are playoffs in the AHL!

Today we take a look at the Western Conference. Teams like Chicago, Texas, Grand Rapids and Milwaukee are teams that places like Wilkes-Barre, Binghamton and Providence never see in the regular season.

For teams that I only see from time to time on my AHL Live subscription, below is snapshot of each team participating, their stats, leaders, who they play first round and how they fared. I offer an overview and my odds for the team to win the Calder Cup in June.

Here goes nothing…

Abbotsford Heat

Record: 43-25-5-3 // 94 pts., 2^nd place West Division (5 seed)

Power Play: 4^th // 21.9%

Penalty Kill: 27^th // 79.4%

Top 3 Scorers: Max Reinhart 21-42-63 / Ben Street 28-32-60 / Corey Locke 10-38-48

Overview: Gritty Heat led the West for a time before Texas went on its white hot run. Faltered then recovered and seems to be peaking at the right time. G Joni Ortio is in the Top 6 for goaltending leaders. Could upset Grand Rapids in a five game series.

First Round Opponent: Grand Rapids Griffins

Record vs. the Griffins: 1-2-0-1

Odds to win the Calder Cup: 25:1

–

Chicago Wolves

Record: 41-21-5-5 // 100 pts., 1^st place Midwest Division (2 seed)

Power Play: 30^th // 12.6%

Penalty Kill: 4^th // 85.6%

Top 3 Scorers: Ty Rattie 31-17-48 / Keith Aucoin 11-32-43 / Alexandre Bolduc 18-39-37

Overview: Up and down year for the Wolves, who were constructed on paper in the Fall to totally run away with things. Still managed to win the Midwest on the final weekend. The way the lineup is built with perennial hall of famers like Keith Aucoin and Goaltender of the Year Jake Allen in the lineup, the Wolves are looking like a tough out.

First Round Opponent: Rochester Americans

Record vs. the Americans: 1-1-0-0

Odds to win the Calder Cup: 10:1

–

Grand Rapids Griffins

Record: 46-26-2-5 // 99 pts., 2^nd place Midwest Division (4 seed)

Power Play: 7^th // 20.2%

Penalty Kill: 5^th // 85.6%

Top 3 Scorers: Teemu Pulkkinen 31-28-59 / Adam Almquist 4-49-53 / Cory Emmerton 16-30-46

Overview: Defending Champion Griffins looking to repeat this year having missed out on Midwest crown on the final day of regular season to the Chicago Wolves. But don’t let that fool you. The Griffins have been a top five team all season long. They know what it takes to win a championship.

First Round Opponent: Abbotsford Heat

Record vs. the Heat: 3-1-0-0

Odds to win the Calder Cup: 5:1

–

Milwaukee Admirals

Record: 39-24-6-7 // 91 pts., 3^rd place Midwest Division (6 seed)

Power Play: 14^th // 17.5%

Penalty Kill: 7^th // 83.8%

Top 3 Scorers: Miikka Salomaki 20-30-50 / Taylor Beck 17-32-49 / Austin Watson 22-24-46

Overview: Admirals never really were a threat to overtake division rivals Chicago and Grand Rapids, but that didn’t stop them from making their 12^th consecutive playoff appearance.

First Round Opponent: Toronto Marlies

Record vs. the Marlies: 2-0-0-0

Odds to win the Calder Cup: 30:1

–

Oklahoma City Barons

Record: 36-29-2-9 // 83 pts., 3^rd place West Division (8 seed)

Power Play: 3^rd // 22.1%

Penalty Kill: 28^th // 78.9%

Top 3 Scorers: Roman Horak 23-32-55 / Anton Lander 18-34-52 / Brad Hunt 11-39-50

Overview: Barons surged past Charlotte, Rockford and Utica in the seasons closing weeks to claim the eighth and final playoff spot. The Barons are the only playoff team that has four or more wins against the Texas Stars this season.

First Round Opponent: Texas Stars

Record vs. the Stars: 4-6-2-0

Odds to win the Calder Cup: 50:1

–

Rochester Americans

Record: 37-28-6-5 // 85 pts., 2^nd place North Division (7 seed)

Power Play: 10^th // 19.8%

Penalty Kill: 12^th // 83.1%

Top 3 Scorers: Phil Varone 18-43-61 / Luke Adam 29-20-49 / Nick Deslauriers 19-23-42

Overview: Amerks looked for a time like they weren’t going to make playoffs, having lost nine in a row in March but managed to turn things around with a five game win streak and got in as a 7 seed.

First Round Opponent: Chicago Wolves

Record vs. the Wolves: 1-1-0-0

Odds to win the Calder Cup: 45:1

–

Texas Stars

Record: 48-18-3-7 // 106 pts., 1^st place West Division (1 seed)

Power Play: 1^st // 25.3%

Penalty Kill: 3^rd // 86.4%

Top 3 Scorers: Travis Morin 32-56-88 / Curtis McKenzie 27-38-65 / Colton Sceviour 32-31-63

Overview: The Stars tore through the regular season and won the Macgregror Kilpatrick Trophy. They have the league MVP in Travis Morin, they have the best power play in the league converting at over 25% and are top three on the penalty kill. Texas is the second highest scoring team in the league, barely being edged by Binghamton back East. This team is a powerhouse and the odds on lock for the Calder Cup in June.

First Round Opponent: Oklahoma City Barons

Record vs. the Barons: 8-3-1-0

Odds to win the Calder Cup: 3:1

–

Toronto Marlies

Record: 45-25-2-4 // 96 pts., 1^st place North Division (3 seed)

Power Play: 9^th // 19.9%

Penalty Kill: 11^th // 83.2%

Top 3 Scorers: T.J. Brennan 25-47-72 / Spencer Abbott 17-52-69 / Greg McKegg 19-28-47

Overview: Marlies have been the class of the North Division for years now. Very balanced attack can roll line after line at opponents and wear them down. A Division winner can’t be considered a dark horse to win it all, can it?

First Round Opponent: Milwaukee Admirals

Record vs. the Admirals: 2-0-0-0

Odds to win the Calder Cup: 8:1

—

So there you have it. Not bad for an East Division blogger that never sees half these teams in person, eh?. Tomorrow we roll with the Eastern Conference Playoff Previews.

The AHL

Week 29 AHL Power Rankings

Comments Off Posted by nafsnep on April 20, 2014

So another season is in the books in the American Hockey League. For a concept I cooked up on my couch in October, these 29 weeks of putting out Power Rankings have been a success.

You’ll notice this week that the Top 16 teams in this weeks Rankings are all playoff teams. You’ll also notice that all the division winners are in the Top 6. I felt it fitting that it be this way, with this being the final week of the Rankings.

I do plan on bringing these back for 2014-15 and appreciate everyone reading, commenting and spreading the word of these Rankings all throughout the internets.

No change at the top, as the Regular Season Champion Texas Stars reign supreme in this weeks Rankings. The Chicago Wolves, err, the Midwest Division Champion Chicago Wolves, are you biggest gainers this week, up 5 spots to 4th.

Biggest fall this week belong to the Hershey Bears, who will not be competing for the Calder Cup this Spring for the first time since 2005-06. The Bears were eliminated Friday.

You should know the drill by now. Click through the jump if you didn’t link in anywhere else direct.

PSST! Hey, Man? You Up!?

3 Comments Posted by nafsnep on April 17, 2014

I put the following up on Facebook, but figured it’s too good to go there, so we blog.

Only I am in bed, sleeping. This is a scheduled blog for you night owls enjoying NHL playoff hockey, West Coast baseball, late night TV or something else…

Chris Conner was sent to Wilkes-Barre for conditioning. This puts the Pens at two over the veteran limit.

Jonathan reports that Reid McNeill is out this weekend with a lower body injury but will be ready for playoffs.

Binghamton burned their game in hand on the Penguins tonight. They lost in overtime to the Toronto Marlies 5-4. The B-Sens and Pens are now tied in points for the East Division lead.

Easiest way for the Penguins to win the division is win the next two games. They get the B-Sens Friday then Utica Saturday. The Comets were eliminated from playoffs today. If Bingo wins in regulation, because they have the tiebreaker on WBS, they are the East Division Champions.

Bingo gets Norfolk Saturday. The Admirals will have bussed in from Virginia the night before. They beat Hershey tonight 4-3 in regulation. If they do that again Friday in the rematch they eliminate the Bears.

The Albany Devils have clinched a playoff berth. Albany’s first since the old River Rats days. The Devils are going to be a tough out. I project them as a 6 seed, meaning that the East Division Champion (either WBS or Bingo) gets them round one in the 3-6 matchup.

It all may be meaningless, as the Texas Stars locked up the best record in the AHL tonight and are my odds on lock to represent the West in the Calder Cup Finals in June.

Unless something big breaks Thursday, next blog update comes Friday afternoon for the setup vs. Binghamton.

Now, go to bed already!

The AHL, WBS

Here’s Chuckie

1 Comment Posted by nafsnep on April 15, 2014

When Chuck Kobasew was recalled back to Pittsburgh, I had honestly thought that was the last time we would see him in Wilkes-Barre. Kobasew, assigned to Wilkes-Barre March 5, put up 10 goals and an assist in 11 games. Seemingly a man playing a kid’s game.

He’s back.

Kobasew was re-assigned today by Pittsburgh along with Harry Zolnierczyk and Simon Despres as the Penguins are about to embark on their run for their first ever Calder Cup. With the unknown status of Brian Dumoulin and the injury to Philip Samuelsson, the addition of Simon Despres is welcome and needed.

Having Kobasew back in town adds one more body over the veteran limit, but at this time of year having seven healthy veterans is a good problem to have.

Our neighbors to the north and south of I-81 loaded up too.

Ottawa sent Cody Ceci, Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Mark Stone to Binghamton yesterday, made official today.

Washington sent Julien Brouillette and Peter Leblanc to Hershey yesterday. Tyson Strachan was assigned today after clearing waivers. Chandler Stephenson signed his ATO and joined the team en route to Norfolk, for two huge games against the Admirals for seemingly the right to go to the Calder Cup Playoffs.

Wilkes-Barre signed three guys to ATOs today. Jean-Sebastian Dea, Clark Seymour and Matthew Murray. A forward, defenseman and a goaltender. Seymour and Murray were with the team last Spring on ATOs. Dea wowed in the Fall and earned himself a contract. Out of the trio, I would bet we see Dea.

Sad news out of Abbotsford today, as it was announced that the Heat would not return for a sixth season. The five seasons in British Columbia have been a disaster at the turnstyle, with Abbotsford at the bottom of AHL attendance. To boot, the city had to subsidize the team for 10 years meaning that the taxpayers had to pay for the team. There’s speculation that the team may relocate to Glens Falls in the Fall, with the Phantoms already set to move to Allentown in October.

Be thankful you have a Penguins team that plays at or near capacity night after night.

Pittsburgh, The AHL, WBS

Week 28 AHL Power Rankings

Comments Off Posted by nafsnep on April 14, 2014

Could have used more.

That’s the theme that many teams will be saying to themselves this week. There are five spots remaining. Three in the East and two in the West. For teams jockeying for those final five spots, there are some that could have used more points.

The Albany Devils are not one of those teams. They are your biggest gainer this week after a perfect weekend.

Biggest fall this week belong to your Hartford Wolf Pack, out of the tenth spot and down six spots. The Pack are playing spoiler, but got smoked on the Rock by the IceCaps.

The Texas Stars are still your number one team. There is a change to the number two team, no longer held by the Grand Rapids Griffins, but you will have to click through the jump to see who and where your favorite team ended up.

Wednesday Notebook

Comments Off Posted by nafsnep on April 9, 2014

A bunch of stuff to get to. Here we go…

Goaltender Tomas Vokoun was assigned to Wilkes-Barre today on a conditioning assignment.

In a reactionary move, G Eric Hartzell was sent to Wheeling to get games in. Also in that release is the recall of Cody Sylvester.

Scott Wilson has signed his ATO.

Two other teams are in playoffs. Reservations made for the St. John’s IceCaps and the Abbotsford Heat.

Kris Letang is back.

Andrew Ebbett is back too.

Jonathan had an update on the days news, with quotes from Vokoun. Coal Street put together an audio package that you can listen to here.

Some footnotes: The Ebbett re-assignment puts the Pens one over the veteran limit again. In case you were wondering, having Tomas Vokoun in town on conditioning does not affect the veteran limit because goaltenders are exempt from this rule…Cody Sylvester had his appendix removed a few days ago and was called up to get looked at medically here.

The AHL started rolling out its end of year awards. Schedule here. The All-Rookie Team was announced today. None of the Penguins were on it. But that game me an idea nevertheless. My own Chirps from Center Ice End of the Year Awards. We can do the standard Rookie of the Year, Best Forward, Best Defenseman, Best Goalie and MVP and any other category that comes to me within the final two weeks of the season. The good people at WordPress who host my blog allow me to use polls, so I am going to put it to you, the reader to decide who wins. Look for that in the coming weeks.

Next blog update will probably be the Friday afternoon setup for the game in Syracuse.

Pittsburgh, The AHL, WBS, Wheeling

Week 27 AHL Power Rankings

Comments Off Posted by nafsnep on April 7, 2014

“You may delay but time will not”
– Benjamin Franklin

Many teams in the AHL jockeying for playoff positioning still haven’t gotten there quite yet. There are six teams qualified through 27 weeks, and still ten spots up for grabs.

Moral is, time is running out for a lot of teams.

No changes to the top four teams in the Week 27 AHL Power Rankings.

The Chirps from Center Ice Politburo, seemingly unimpressed with the Toronto Marlies third consecutive North Division Championship, have the Marlies outside the top 10 and down 6 spots.

It’s the Charlotte Checkers down the most spots this week (9) after being swept in Oklahoma City this weekend and their playoff hopes taking some steps backwards. The Rochester Americans are the biggest risers this week with a 9 spot gain, after winning three straight and getting back into the Western Conference Playoff discussion.

If you didn’t link in direct, click through to see where everyone else ended up.