Chirps from Center Ice

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

Category Archives: WBS

Home Preseason Dates Announced

Comments Off on Home Preseason Dates Announced Posted by on August 10, 2011

Today, the Pens announced their home preseason schedule and opponents:

  • Friday, September 30 vs. Hershey at 7:05 p.m.
  • Sunday, October 2 vs. Adirondack at 5:05 p.m.

The Pens will play two road preseason games. Against who isn’t known yet. Have to figure one game versus the Bears in Hershey and another either against Binghamton or Syracuse. If those teams put out dates and opponents I will have it here and on the Twitter feed.

Interesting that we would play an out of division opponent in Adirondack in preseason, given we will only play them twice all in the regular season.

Look for the league schedule within the next week to 10 days.

WBS

Deep Depths*

Comments Off on Deep Depths* Posted by on August 8, 2011

News is slow. I have been absent on Twitter enjoying my summer lately. However, I have been monitoring my feed every now and then for news and notes. Found this tidbit retweeted by Texas Stars blogger extraordinaire @100degreehockey:

Chupp’s numbers with Texas last year were 5-9-14, -9 in 58 games last year. It looks like an ECHL deal. Here’s his hockeydb page. He’s never played in the ECHL, so this is a bit peculiar to me that he would sign an ECHL deal on tryout with Wilkes-Barre. He may never see the Wyoming Valley. Potentially a depth signing, and by that I mean a deep depth signing for the Penguins.

I asked Hundred Degree Hockey about Chupp and here is what he tweeted me:

So we will see what happens. Hey, it’s something on a hot, humid, sticky Wilkes-Barre mid-afternoon.

* – I always look for innovative headline posts. I was actually going to go with “Chupp Yours” but decided against it because I like to keep things headline-wise, rated G.

WBS, Wheeling

Deep Farming

Comments Off on Deep Farming Posted by on July 27, 2011

Wilkes-Barre announced this afternoon that they have signed Brandon DeFazio and Andrew Hotham to AHL deals.

Hotham is a defenseman who saw American League action with Rochester last year for six games. In 109 games at St. Mary’s University in Canada playing in the Canadian Interuniversity Sport, he scored 34-114-148. He was also named Atlantic University Sport’s most valuable player.

DeFazio, you recall, played here in WBS for two games when half the forwards were up in Pittsburgh when the Penguins had all those injuries.

In July, it looks like both of these guys are destined to continue developing in Wheeling this fall and add depth to Wilkes-Barre should they need to be called upon.

Keep chirpin’. Go Penguins!

WBS, Wheeling

Center of Attention

Comments Off on Center of Attention Posted by on July 26, 2011

Announced this afternoon that Pittsburgh has signed Jason Williams to a one year, two-way contract today.

He is a veteran of 447 NHL games and is 30 years old. Looks like, to me, to be a depth signing here on the farm for Wilkes-Barre / Scranton.

You can examine his numbers over here at hockeydb.com and make your own assumptions as to whether or not Williams is an upgrade to the departed Tim Wallace who signed with the New York Islanders last week.

Chirps from Center Ice would like to thank Mr. Williams for breaking up the monotony of the slow news cycle which is the summer months on a hockey blog.

Pittsburgh, WBS

Which Way to Denver?

Comments Off on Which Way to Denver? Posted by on July 20, 2011

So I wake up this morning, drive to work and fire up Bombulie’s blog only to find out that the Penguins have signed a kid by the name of Denver Manderson.

Who? Exactly. I have no idea who he is let alone have I ever heard of the name.

Jonathan had an entry on him. From the looks of things, it looks like Manderson was the setup guy for Penguins draft pick Beau Bennett. He also had some astronomic numbers playing with the Penticton Vees of the British Columbia Hockey League.

Faceoff-Factor’s Jesse Marshall (@jmarshhh) who is a prospect genius of course heard of Manderson and had some quality information he tweeted last night:

  • Manderson and Bennett were great at Pencticton. Manderson can play.
  • Manderson got injured then Bennett took off to the prospect he is today. Prefacing the injury, the thought was Bennett was so good because of Manderson.
  • He is an underrated talent.
I have no idea where he projects. Could be Wheeling, could be Wilkes-Barre. This article confirms him attending Wilkes-Barre’s camp then has him in Wheeling. We’ll see.
WBS

Gimme Five and Pensfest

Comments Off on Gimme Five and Pensfest Posted by on July 19, 2011

Today the Pens finally gave us the news we have been waiting for.

Pensfest 2011 will be held at the Ice Rink at Coal Street on Friday, August 19. At Pensfest, Joey Mormina and Ryan Schnell will be on hand for autographs and pictures. Also, the new third jersey will be on display. In addition, season ticket holders can pick up their tickets for Black and Gold Game II.

The Pens also gave us the five guaranteed dates we all have been waiting for also. They are as follows:

  • Saturday, October 8, 2011
  • Friday, December 2, 2011
  • Saturday, December 17, 2011
  • Saturday, December 31, 2011
  • Friday, January 20, 2012

Opponents will be announced in a few weeks when the League releases the schedule.

Keep chirpin’. Go Penguins.

WBS

What’s Your Schedule Look Like?

Comments Off on What’s Your Schedule Look Like? Posted by on July 14, 2011

Breaking of the monotony of who signed where, the Pens announced the schedule matrix this morning. Without further delay, here it is…

EAST DIVISION
Hershey Bears (Washington) (6/6)
Binghamton Senators (Ottawa) (5/5)
Norfolk Admirals (Tampa Bay) (5/5)
Syracuse Crunch (Anaheim) (4/4)
TOTAL (20/20)

NORTHEAST DIVISION
Albany Devils (New Jersey) (2/2)
Bridgeport Sound Tigers (New York Islanders) (2/2)
Connecticut Whale (New York Rangers) (2/2)
Springfield Falcons (Columbus Blue Jackets) (2/2)
Adirondack Phantoms (Philadelphia) (1/1)
TOTAL (9/9)

ATLANTIC DIVISION
Manchester Monarchs (Los Angeles Kings) (2/2)
Portland Pirates (Phoenix Coyotes) (2/2)
St. John’s (Winnipeg Jets) (2/2)
Providence Bruins (Boston Bruins) (1/1)
Worcester Sharks (San Jose Sharks) (1/1)
TOTAL (8/8)

NORTH DIVISION
Rochester Americans (Buffalo Sabres) (1/1)
TOTAL (1/1)

Gone are Charlotte, Toronto and Abbotsford from last year. Good to see Manchester and Portland back on the schedule, both are great cities to visit.

Teams are announcing that the actual schedule of who plays who on what day and where will be released in “early August.” So take that as before August 15 which puts us at approximately a month away.

Yet to be announced by the Pens is details on Opening Night and the five guaranteed dates. Also, the League has yet to announce details on an All-Star Classic location. Stay tuned.

The AHL, WBS

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