Chirps from Center Ice

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

Prospecting…and Other Stuff

Comments Off on Prospecting…and Other Stuff Posted by on July 12, 2013

Seems that every time I load Twitter, there are live tweets of a prospect camp somewhere for an NHL team. It’s been going on for a few weeks now.

No, I am not complaining of hockey live tweets, as that’s what I base my entire social media presence on, I’m just saying that prospect development camps are open for business.

Well, the Penguins are opening theirs next week. They announced a roster today complete with player bios.

A name on the roster familiar with Penguins fans in Wilkes-Barre is Tom Kuhnhackl, who apparently is healed enough to participate in the camp. Recall that he was injured earlier this year and wasn’t seen again. This is a positive sign as I expect him to have a strong camp.

Notables such as Brian Dumoulin, Reid McNeill, Philip Samuelsson, Jayson Megna, Adam Payerl and Dominik Uher are also attending next week.

There’s a name on the list that is actually on the “Big Board” who is an unrestricted free agent. His name is Carter Rowney, a right winger who had a four game apprenticeship with Abbotsford last year. He’s unranked on the Board, noted to have “good size” – he’s 6’2 and 202. He was the assistant captain for his University of North Dakota team and also received “most improved player” in 2011-12.

The Wilkes-Barre coaching staff is going to run the camp, so it will be interesting to see if Rowney or any other camp invitee gets an invite to Wilkes-Barre’s camp in the Fall.

Elsewhere…

— Ex-WBS goaltender Ty Conklin was named St. Louis Blues Goaltender Development Coach today.

— Derek Nesbitt signed with the Oklahoma City Barons today to an AHL contract. Recall that Wilkes-Barre sat Nesbitt out at the end of last season so he can retain his, “tweener” status and not be counted as a veteran for next season. To me, seems like a lot of hoops that the Penguins jumped through for a guy that was virtually invisible for the them in the postseason. It’s the nature of the business, I get that, just because it’s the nature of the business doesn’t mean I have to like it. The 2013 Offseason Moves list has been updated to reflect the move.

— Harry Zolnierczyk signed his contract with Pittsburgh today. I maintain he will not play a game for Wilkes-Barre next season.

— The Utica Comets may be playing in the AHL’s Western Conference next season, but that doesn’t mean it’s completely ruled out that they won’t play the Penguins next year. If they do, Penguins fans may see some familiar faces on the team as Benn Ferriero and Brandon DeFazio signed contracts with parent Vancouver today.

Have a great weekend.

 

Pittsburgh, The AHL, WBS

Realignment and It Feels So Good…

1 Comment Posted by on July 11, 2013

The AHL is realigning things again for 2013-14.

The Penguins aren’t going anyplace. Still in the East Division, with Norfolk, Hershey, Binghamton and Syracuse.

In fact, the entire Eastern Conference hasn’t changed at all.

The new team in Utica, the Comets, will play in the Western Conference in the North Division. The new team in Iowa, the Wild, will play in the Midwest Division.

Looking at a map, Syracuse is west of Utica, but will play in the Eastern Conference, in the East Division.

Hold on. It gets better.

The Abbotsford Heat, all the way out in British Colombia, are in the same division as the Charlotte Checkers, in the Western Conference in the West Division.

Huh?

For the Checkers, it’s the fourth division in four seasons. My blog pal Jenni runs the blog Chasing Checkers and had some thoughts on all this moving her team is enduring.

Kevin Oklobzija covers the Rochester Americans for the Democrat and Chronicle and had some thoughts on realignment that make sense.

The AHL also announced that the season starts October 4. WIth the Penguins opening at home on October 12, it looks like for a second straight year that the Penguins will open their 15th season on the road.

The Penguins have won some awards worth noting. Individually and as a team. Good times.

No signings to note in the East Division today. I wanted to off this news about realignment today and not let it get stale.

Oh, and in case you still haven’t figured out the headline.

The AHL, WBS

All Present

Comments Off on All Present Posted by on July 10, 2013

Every AHL East Division team or their NHL parent has had news since the last time I blogged.

Pittsburgh announced the re-signings of Paul Thompson and Zach Sill to one year deals. Good to have both in the mix for next season.

Pittsburgh also announced today the signing of Matt D’Agostini, a right winger with NHL experience who will likely provide third / fourth line depth for Pittsburgh and will probably never be seen in Wilkes-Barre. To that end, while I have updated the 2013 Offseason Moves List to reflect the Sill / Thompson moves. I did not note the D’Agostini signing.

Here’s a nice story from the Wheeling Nailers on Bobby Farnham’s NHL contract.

Norfolk has some news. First, they hired ECHL Coach of the Year Jarrod Skalde from the Cincinnati Cyclones as an assistant coach. Second, Anaheim signed Alex Grant, who was traded there from Pittsburgh. Finally, the Zack Stortini and Nolan Yonkman news is finally official.

Ottawa re-signed Binghamton captain Mark Borowiecki Tuesday. Borowiecki is probably graduated to Ottawa this Fall though. They also re-signed David Dziurzynski.

Syracuse signed Evan Rankin to an AHL deal today. Rankin was with Rochester last year.

Washington re-signed Peter LeBlanc, who led the Bears in playoff scoring, for another season.

Robert Bortuzzo filed for salary arbitration today. There’s another ex-WBS Penguin also on that list.

Brad Thiessen and Warren Peters are still unemployed.

Pittsburgh, The AHL, WBS

I Feel Like a Bear on Monday

Comments Off on I Feel Like a Bear on Monday Posted by on July 8, 2013

After a weekend where virtually nothing happened signings wise in and around the AHL’s East Division, the Hershey Bears and Norfolk Admirals have some bodies that may be in the respective jerseys come the Fall.

First, the Anaheim Ducks signed D Nolan Yonkman and RW Zack Stortini to deals. There hasn’t been anything “official” by way of a team tweet or anything, but the news is everywhere. Yonkman is a giant defenseman who has spent all of his career playing in the AHL’s Western Conference. Stortini is an agitator, he had 241 PIMs for the Hamilton Bulldogs last season.

The Hershey Bears also may be the recipient of some of the signings the Washington Capitals made today.

First, the Bears signed Derek Whitmore to an AHL deal today. Whitmore had been playing overseas with Augsburger Panther in the DEL in Germany but opted out and came back over here to play in the AHL again.

Second, the Caps signed D Tyson Strachan, RW Matt Watkins and G David Leggio.

Leggio was the highest rated goaltender on the Big Board (10) and led the AHL in wins (38) for the Rochester Americans. He’ll no doubt split time with G Philipp Grubaer and mentor him this season.

Matt Watkins was the Bridgeport Sound Tigers captain last season and has had at least 30 points in his last three seasons.

Strachan played 38 games for Florida last season. If he doesn’t make the NHL out of camp, the Bears have a defenseman with fresh NHL experience.

Brad Thiessen and Warren Peters are still unsigned, unrestricted free agents.

Bombulie had a piece today on the price of depth at the AHL level.

Wanna know who has the best organizational depth? Click here. Penguins are in the bottom third.

Binghamton forward Pat Cannone is headed to St. Louis in exchange for future considerations.

Pittsburgh opens Development Camp next week. More details to come from them.

I’ll continue to update the blog as the news in and around the East Division warrants. Check back Tuesday for hopefully more news.

Pittsburgh, The AHL

Sundays are Where Nothing Happens

1 Comment Posted by on July 7, 2013

Day 3 of NHL / AHL Free Agency came and went.

Nothing happened.

You can still follow the Twitter list I created for the East Division-centric NHL / AHL Free Agency chatter here.

I’m not bringing the live blog back for a Day 4. Keep with me on Twitter for any news if it breaks Monday and check back on the blog for a recap if one is warranted.

Just like that, I go from lots of stuff to write about to nothing. Such is summertime blogging.

At least the pool water was warm this afternoon. 82 degrees. So I had that going for me.

Maybe something happens tomorrow. Maybe not.

Deliberately Uncategorized

2013 Free Agency: Day 2 Recap

1 Comment Posted by on July 6, 2013

If you were waiting to see who else the Penguins would add to the roster you waited.

And waited….

If you were waiting to see where unrestricted free agents Brad Thiessen or Warren Peters would sign, you waited.

And waited…

Outside of the Washington Capitals signing David Kolomatis, a right handed defenseman slated to see top pair work in Hershey in the Fall, Saturday was a pretty dull day, signings wise for the AHL’s East Division teams.

Patrick McNeill, who played six season for the Hershey Bears, has found a new home with the Columbus Blue Jackets.

So to fill in a few more paragraphs before I turn in this story, as I did earlier in the day while smoking a cigar in the backyard, let’s speculate as to where Brad Thiessen can land.

Look no further than the two closest geographical rivals, the Binghamton Senators and the Hershey Bears. Both have untested rookies backing up Philipp Grubauer in Hershey and Nathan Lawson in Binghamton.

I’m speculating. But Robin Lehner’s contract runs out next year in Ottawa. Sign Thiessen to a two-year deal. Let him split time with Lawson and be ready if Craig Anderson, who is 32 years old and made only 24 appearances last season due to injury, goes down again. Or, if Lehner wants to test free agency next season, have Thiessen graduate next year. Makes sense, right?

Or, Thiessen could just re-sign with Pittsburgh, and all will be right in this bloggers world.

I’ll keep at the “live blog” thing for at least a few more days. It’ll be up again Sunday morning. You can always add the Twitter list here though.

Hopefully Sunday brings more things to write about.

Just Rambling, The AHL

2013 Free Agency: Day 1 Recap

2 Comments Posted by on July 5, 2013

Took them a while, but the Penguins made a big splash again in Free Agency. Setting aside the news that they signed Rob Scuderi and re-signed Craig Adams, two players that will never set foot in Wilkes-Barre, the parent club signed three players likely destined for Coal Street in the Fall and re-signed a familiar face.

Let’s get to the familiar one first. Bobby Farnham earned himself an NHL contract today. He needs no introduction.

The next three were all in the Top 50 in the Bombulie / Cignoli Big Board.

Chris Conner. A familiar face to Wilkes-Barre fans. His second tenure in Northeast Pennsylvania. Number 34 on the Big Board, Conner put up 13-27-40 in 60 games for the Portland Pirates last year, good for fifth on the team.

Nick Drazenovic. 24 on the Big Board. Breakout year for Drazenovic on a pretty loaded Springfield Falcons team, second in points for the Falcons, going 17-36-53 in 62 games last season including an eight game look for the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Andrew Ebbett. 26 on the Big Board, described on it as a bubble player who is an elite playmaker at the AHL level. 11-21-32 in 37 AHL games for the Chicago Wolves last season. Ebbett also played 28 games for the Vancouver Canucks, going 1-5-6.

Jonathan summed it up nicely:

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There’s a great new AHL blog out there focusing on strictly the AHL and its teams. Today, they had this piece on the WBS news.

Matt Cooke signed with Minnesota today. What this means is that it is very likely that recent acquisition Harry Zolnierczyk will probably remain with Pittsburgh and not be sent to Wilkes-Barre, at least in my opinion.

There was other news too.

The Hershey Bears kicked things off by announcing that they had signed Jamie Johnson to an AHL deal, who spent last season over in Russia in the KHL. Johnson had (27-44-71) playing with Rochester in 2009-10 while playing with Jeff Taffe in Rochester.

The Bears later announced the hire of assistant coach Ryan Mougenel who was recently the head coach of the Las Vegas Wranglers of the ECHL.

Tampa Bay / Syracuse signed ex-WBS Penguin Geoff Walker. Walker played 51 games limited by injury for the Lake Erie Monsters last season and put up 5-15-20.

Walker had this to say to Lindsay Kramer, which to me, represents an East Division power shift:

–

There was a trade that may affect Norfolk, as Bobby Ryan was traded back to Ottawa from Anaheim for Jakob Silfverburg and Stefan Noesen. After the lockout last season Silfverburg went up and stayed up with Ottawa. Noesen is a prospect that will most likely start the season in Norfolk.

Trevor Smith is off to the The Big Smoke. No news on Brad Thiessen, Warren Peters or any other free agent on this list you should check out right now.

Finally, number one on the aforementioned Big Board, Keith Aucoin signed with the St. Louis Blues. Also, Mark Mancari and Alexandre Bolduc signed on with St. Louis. These guys were in the top nine on the Board. If they don’t stick with St. Louis, AHL affiliate Chicago has themselves quite the haul.

I will have the Liveblog back later tonight and all day tomorrow for Day 2.

Pittsburgh, The AHL, WBS

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