The Milwaukee Admirals are receiving a bloke named Pekka Rinne soon. Combine that with the roster all getting healthy and you get this news. Today the Admirals have reassigned Scott Darling and Zach Budish to the Cincinnati Cyclones of the ECHL.
In retrospect, perhaps my feature story on Darling could have waited a few days. Though, as we discussed, he didn’t know whether or not the team would make a move like this or simply healthy scratch a goalie as Rinne comes to camp. It turns out the team would much rather send Darling out to Cincinnati to play in games rather than sit out – either on the bench or as a scratch.
For Budish this is his first reassignment the entire season. He spent most of last season finishing up his time with the University of Minnesota before joining the Admirals late in the campaign. He’s been on the cuff most of the season – sometimes being a healthy scratch and other times working his way into the fourth line. I put him down as one of my Underrated All Stars not too long ago. I feel this stint in Cincinnati could be highly beneficial for him because he should be logging more playing time than he has all season. That means more game situations, more chances to get his offense going, and time to also sharpen up his gritty defense – which has been good for the Admirals this season.
The short way to view this: Pekka Rinne moves in. Scott Darling moves out. Joonas Rask moves in. Zach Budish moves out. The Darling move should be temporary. The Budish move might be a little while before he works his way back – barring any injuries that is.
Thoughts on the move? Was it the right decision to send Scott Darling to the ECHL rather than healthy scratch him while Pekka Rinne is with the Admirals? How do you feel this move works for Zach Budish?
Admirals Roundtable 
Not happy about the Darling move. Peks hasn’t played in a long time and is retuning from a serious health issue. God forbid there’s an issue, but if all we have available at that point is 2 goal minimum Maz. We kiss away the weekend.
Gary: I’m with you. I think the way Mazanec has play, combined with him only just coming off of an injury, he should get back in a groove down in Cinci if only for a few games. Darling has been the most consistent netminder the Ads have had this season… if you ignore how consistently Mazanec allows two or more goals per game.
I fully expect Pekka to be fine during this stint. I just don’t quite see how Mazanec benefits from not playing his way through his own rough stretch.
Cincinnati has three in three this weekend , home and home vs. Evansville and Sunday at Wheeling. It will be good for Darling to get two of those games. I think Mazanec has played too much since his return from Nashville. Sitting on the bench while Rekka Rinne is in net might do him some good. Budish needs ice time to improve his game he will get that in Cincinnati .
Don – Nashville isn’t going to send Mazanec to Cincinnati with Rinne and Mitch Korn coming to town , where he’ll get a chance to work with both . M.M. played in 25 NHL games this season he is NOT on the road to the ECHL.
What is the status on Magnus Hellberg, would he be available in a pinch?
MGB: I should get a better update on this tomorrow. Mags has been working out pretty much since his lower-body injury. I’ve talked to him a fair bit around the locker room and it’s all been a matter of comfort in the goaltending stance. Last I heard from him – he was planning on skating around. I’ve not heard anything related to him practicing though. I don’t think we should expect him back for another two or three weeks yet.