Matt White has fit right into the Milwaukee Admirals lineup since joining on a PTO basis from the Manchester Monarchs (ECHL). Rather than re-up him to a new PTO contract when his current one expires the Admirals have signed White to a standard player contract through the rest of the 2015-16 season as well as for the 2016-17 season.
Press Release via Milwaukee Admirals:
Milwaukee, WI—The Milwaukee Admirals announced today that they have signed forward Matt White to a American Hockey League contract for the remainder of this season and the 2016-17 campaign.
Originally signed by the Admirals to a professional try-out contract on December 4, White has registered five goals and six assists for 11 points in 21 games with Milwaukee this season.
The Whittier, CA native joined the Admirals after starting this season with the Manchester Monarchs of the ECHL. At the time he was the Monarchs leading scorer, tallying 22 points (10g-12a) in just 19 games to go along with a +9 rating. He posted 28 goals and 32 assists for the Ontario Reign last season and notched 18 points in 19 playoffs games while leading the club to the Western Conference Finals.
White had originally signed a professional try-out (PTO) contract with the Ads on December 4.
When White joined the Admirals locker room this season he had never played a game at the AHL level. His career started with the Omaha Lancers of the United States Hockey League (USHL). In his last season with the Lancers he was named the USA Hockey Junior Player of the Year (2009-10). He played with the Lancers for three-seasons before making the leap up to play at the collegiate level with the University of Nebraska-Omaha. His college playing career also lasted for three-seasons and he would join the Los Angeles Kings ECHL affiliate the Ontario Reign to start his professional playing career as an undrafted free agent signing for the 2013-14 season.
Following White’s first pro playing season he left ECHL hockey and went overseas to play for Olimpija Ljubljana in Austria. That experiment was short lived and he returned back to the Kings’ ECHL affiliate after a less than two-month stay abroad. He’s remained part of the Kings ECHL setup all the way through to this season when the Kings swapped their affiliate’s league standing this summer as part of the AHL Pacific Division movement. His 2015-16 season had been spent with the Manchester Monarchs.
In total, White has 158 games of ECHL experience and produced 139 points (60 goals, 79 assists). His brief professional stint in Austria wasn’t too poor, either. He logged 6 points (2 goals, 4 assists) in 11 games with Olimpija Ljubljana. As a member of the Admirals he has produced 11 points (5 goals, 6 assists) in 21 games.
What do you think of this signing by the Milwaukee Admirals to sign Matt White to not only the rest of this season but next season as well?
Be sure to follow Admirals Roundtable on Twitter, like us on Facebook, and see our photos on Instagram.
Grand Rapids Griffins goaltender Jared Coreau has owned the Milwaukee Admirals in his career. Can the Admirals start making a dent against him and start putting more space between themselves and the Griffins in the Central Division standings? (Photo Credit: Mark Newman)
The Milwaukee Admirals last game was played a solid week ago on the road against the Lake Erie Monsters. Their last home game was three weeks ago against the Iowa Wild. This will be the last game of an incredibly relaxing January that saw the Admirals only play 10 games throughout the month. The start was rough thanks to the marathon that December presented. The last four-game road swing allowed for a more rested and practice sharpened team to tighten up the details and pick up three-wins and two-shutouts.
Perhaps the timing of the schedule will work to the Admirals favor tonight when the Grand Rapids Griffins roll into town. The Griffins are coming off of a four-game homestand that saw them get swept clean in regulation by the Rochester Americans and Toronto Marlies. They were shutout on back-to-back games by the Americans and Marlies in that span. And, to add the fatigue factor to the mix, lost 4-2 to the Marlies last night before getting on the bus and reaching the Cream City.
During this four-game losing streak for the Griffins they have been outscored 15-5. It hasn’t been for a lack of trying, though. They’ve outshot their opponents 165-129. That’s an average of 41.3 shots per game.
Perhaps they’ve fallen into the slight trap that the Admirals have every now and then when they’ve relied too much on their power-play to get the job done. In those four defeats the Griffins went 1/17 (5.9%) on the power-play and are currently on a power-play drought of twelve straight chances without of power-play goal.
The flip-side to the Griffins special teams during this run has been perfect. Their penalty kill against the Americans and red hot Marlies was 10/10… Tye Dillinger reference here.
What I’m sure the Griffins will be thinking about heading into this game is burying those past four losses and focusing in on an opponent they’ve pretty much owned this season, the Admirals. The Griffins have a 4-1-0-0 record against the Admirals this season and Jared Coreau has officially achieved Admirals Killer status.
In net against the Admirals Coreau has played in nine-games, made eight starts, holds a record of 7-1-0-0, has three career shutouts, and stopped 203/212 shots on goal for a career save percentage of 0.958 to go along with a 0.99 career goals against average.
If there was ever a reason as to why the Griffins should be feeling confident despite coming off of a four game homestand where they were swept clean in regulation it is this match up tonight with that man between the pipes.
Expectations for tonight’s game? How do you think Kevin Fiala will play fresh off of logging some solid NHL time for the Nashville Predators? The last time Juuse Saros made a start was two weeks ago. Is it time to get him back in net or should Marek Mazanec remain the go-to following his brilliant outings against Lake Erie last weekend?
Be sure to follow Admirals Roundtable on Twitter, like us on Facebook, and see our photos on Instagram.
This past week I was so thrilled to have the Milwaukee Admirals back in town for a home game that I did a ton of work getting more Fifteen interviews done. The Admirals play tomorrow against the Grand Rapids Griffins on FM106/Coors Light Country Music Night. Sadly, just as the Admirals return they’ll be off on the AHL All-Star break Sunday and Monday before shipping out to California for games against the Bakersfield Condors and San Diego Gulls next weekend.
With all that in mind I want to setup the AHL All-Star break with two Fifteen interviews with the Admirals two representatives, Dean Evason and Frédérick Gaudreau. Today we’ll have the ol’ head coach. Monday, the day of the AHL All-Star Classic, I will have Gaudreau’s interview up.
Feel bad to have to wait so long for that follow-up interview with Gaudreau? Fear not, because I felt very bad to let you all hanging last week without an edition of Fifteen so I am officially declaring next week Five Days of Fifteen. There will be an interview posted each day next week. I won’t name names but do trust that I followed all of your suggestions and ran off of the list that I’ve been racing through as you readers continually drop names you want to hear featured next.
~Fifteen~
Admirals Roundtable: What were your inspirations to play hockey?
Dean Evason: I don’t think there was an inspiration it was just what we did. My mum and dad, we always had a rink in the backyard and my brother and I played. I can’t remember not playing hockey… before school, after school, weekends, that’s all we did. I don’t think there’s an inspiration but there was certainly a motivation to play hockey.
AR: When did you realize that you were going to be doing this for a career?
Evason: Probably in junior. When I started playing in the Western Hockey League I played in Kamloops. Probably the time you get drafted and you’re like, “Well, maybe I can make a living out of playing hockey.” That’s probably the first time.
AR: Who was the first famous player that you met?
Evason: That I met. [pause] Bobby Hull. He came up to Thompson, Manitoba which is 10-hours North of Winnipeg. He came up there for some exhibition thing and autograph signing. I met him in an autograph signing in line.
AR: What is your greatest hockey moment and, for you, as a player or as a coach?
Evason: I always say my greatest hockey moment was playing in the NHL. I mean, just to have that opportunity – that chance – that was the moment. Certainly there’s been ups and downs but to actually play and to be there for sure was that moment as a player. As a coach, I’d likely say the same thing. And my aspirations to get there again as a head coach is still out there. It’s still a dream. As I say an aspiration to something I’m striving for but to be in the NHL as an assistant coach was pretty exciting as well. (AR: What was it like to coach [Alexander Ovechkin] in Washington?) It was fun. It really was. I came in the exact same time that he did. I actually met him in the summer. We were looking for a place to live and went into the dressing room and he was coming in for his press conference deal and I met him. It was fun. I mean, he’s a special athlete -obviously- a special hockey player but he’s a very genuine guy. He really is. He’s gone through a lot in his career so far. He’s had some ups and downs but he’s a really good person. And it was fun to be around him for as much as I was.
AR: What is the most memorable goal that you scored in your playing career?
Evason: Probably… [pause] I probably got two. I scored one hat trick in the NHL. I don’t know the year. It was in Calgary. I think it was ’86, maybe, ’86 – ’87. I scored a hat trick. Got in a fight at the end of the first period – second fight. When you were involved in a second fight, there’s already a fight that’s gone on, and I got in a fight and got kicked out of the game. And it was my father’s Birthday. There’s no TV. There was TV games but not a lot. So I phoned him after the first period after I got undressed and I said, “Happy Birthday.” And he goes, “What the heck are you doing?” And I said, “Well, I scored a hat trick. Got in a fight. And got kicked out.” So, that was very memorable. The other one was probably when I was with the World Championships in ’97. I scored, we beat Sweden in a three-game series and it was the third game – it was the gold medal game. I was able to score in that game. That was fun.
AR: What is the strangest game that you’ve played or coached in?
Evason: Probably a strange one, off the top of my head, was in Quebec City. Again, I’m not 100% sure of the year. There was a bad penalty call and the Quebec fans all went to the bathrooms and grabbed all the toilet paper, from every toilet in the building, and threw them on the ice. So all you could see is just streams of toilet paper coming down on the ice. I think it was something Ulf Samuelsson did that warranted the eruption of it. That was probably pretty strange. As a coach… (AR: Pink Ice Game in Rockford?) That was a long… that was a long session for sure. But, I don’t know if we’ve had one that’s been real crazy or anything like that.
AR: What is your most embarrassing moment, either as a player or even as a coach?
Evason: Anytime you get, as a coach, a bench minor it’s embarrassing. All coaches I think get a little heated on the bench. It’s an area of concern that I’ve had to deal with through my coaching career. I was always a bit of an emotional player and to do that as a coach… I did a lot earlier or a lot more when I was younger. Now I’m, I hope, a little more reserved. But, anytime you get a bench minor it’s a very embarrassing moment for sure and I’ve been suspended a couple times as a coach. Anytime it happens you don’t look very good. Those types of things are embarrassing. As a player, gosh, I don’t know. I had so many embarrassing moments as far as falling down or being on a breakaway and falling down or missing. There’s countless times I think that when you play long enough you go through some embarrassing things on the ice. [gets reluctant] Well I guess I will tell you one. I got in a fight with Keith Tkachuk in Winnipeg and he was just out of college. And I thought I did very well against him – I did do very well. And then the second time we played them it was a few months later and he’d been in the league and honed his skills a little more. He hit me so hard my forehead looked like it had a Coke can sticking out of the side of my temple. I was in Winnipeg and my family was all there – and all my buddies. After the game I went into the shower. I actually showered with my helmet on to try to keep the pressure on it to keep it down. But then I came out, and all my buddies are standing there, and it was a Coke can again. They were looking at me just laughing their butts off. So, that was a little bit embarrassing but that happens in the game as well. (AR: Tkachuk is tough. He had a great career, too.) Yeah, and BIG. Big and strong – and I’m not.
AR: What is your most painful moment of your playing career?
Evason: Broke my nose five times. Every time you get punched in the nose or a puck, which happened a couple times, it’s extremely painful. But likely the most pain I think, and you could probably ask other players, is having a seriously pulled groin. (AR: That goes without saying for anyone.) Yeah, you just can’t do anything. You get massages, it hurts. You put ice on it, it hurts. You skate, you walk, it hurts. Probably the most painful would be a groin injury besides the broken nose. (AR: Any time I see on a bottom line “groin injury” and it’s like, day-to-day or something, I just say that’s me done for a career. I’m out.) We’ve got some great trainers and I had some great trainers. I’ve always had groin problems. To keep you in the game they do a great job for sure.
AR: What are your favorite uniforms in hockey?
Evason: I honestly love our uniforms. I really do. Clearly I have never worn one but I’m a big blue fan – a big baby blue fan. So, when I was first approached to take this job by Nashville I had no idea of the colors. I went online and checked them out and was pretty excited. I really like our colors, no question. I guess the Chicago Blackhawks jersey has always been a special looking jersey. For me, I’ve never been a fan of their team but I like their jerseys. (AR: I don’t have to bail you out for the Nashville fans listening to this now.) It’s just a cool jersey. (AR: Really all the Original Six are nice.) You know what I grew up a Philadelphia Flyers fan. Bobby Clarke was from Flin Flon. I’m from Flin Flon. I don’t particularly like orange but I really enjoyed their uniforms back in the 70’s and the way their teams were put together. Certainly the way that he played. I enjoyed their jerseys.
AR: Funniest players that you’ve either coached or played alongside?
Evason: Funniest? (AR: Funniest.) Well, Scott Ford would be the funniest coach I’ve ever had beside me. It’s not because he’s funny either. He’s just funny to be around. (AR: How many more moments has he had where he’s forgotten that he’s in coach mode where he’s taking a knee with all the players?) Those were funnier earlier in the year. He’s kind of gone past that a little bit but he still has some moments that are lots of fun. As a player there’s so many guys that were funny guys. You know what Ray Ferraro, who I lived with in Binghamton and then went to Hartford and played with him there for several years. We still stay in contact. He is very funny on the ice. Very witty as far as his comebacks to other players. Probably the next guy would be Paul Lawless who I played with in Hartford, as well. Really funny man.
AR: What’s been your favorite part of Milwaukee since you joined?
Evason: You know what. I would say the entire city. When I first came here I didn’t know much about the city. I had been here twice to visit family but I really didn’t know much about the city. I think the whole city.. the restaurants, the entertainment, the sporting events, the golf courses.. I mean I could go on and on. I really have enjoyed my time here both through the season and when I’ve had an opportunity to come back in the summer. It’s a real fun city and I think you don’t recognize it until you’re actually here. (AR: I always liked the way that Scott Ford put it calling it Small-waukee because you can get to so many different places all in the city.) Yeah, but the people are a small town feel because of how genuine and how nice they are but you have all the big city events and big city things that you can do. It has a real nice balance for sure.
AR: What’s your favorite food?
Evason: Favorite food? Oh my gosh. I don’t know I eat a lot of salads. I would probably say shrimp tacos. (AR: That’s out of left field from everyone else I’ve heard so far.) No, I really -you can ask the guys- when we go on the road it’s shrimp tacos for me. I really enjoy it.
AR: What is your favorite non-hockey hobby?
Evason: Golf. I play 36 holes a day or more. I’ve played 54 [holes] one day with a buddy of mine in Washington. I would just keep playing and playing until my back gave out.
AR: What is your favorite non-hockey memory?
Evason: Probably the birth of all three of my children. As anyone knows that has had kids that’s an extremely special time in anyone’s life.
AR: The last question I usually end on for the players with, “what are your plans for after after hockey?” I think you sort of got that under wraps. So what do you think you’re going to be doing in, say, 10-years?
Evason: I hope I’m doing the exact same thing. Where? I don’t know. I heard a quote, there’s a referee [Ray Scapinello] said find a job that you love and you will never work a day in your life. I truly believe that. I’ve been so fortunate. I’ve played this game for a living and now I’m making a living still in this game coaching. If I can stay in the game I’ll try to stay in it as long as I can. (AR: That quote is something I’ve been living with since college and it’s a reason why I’m usually the last one out of this building writing. It’s not work. It’s fun.) [laughs] It isn’t work. It isn’t. We’re so fortunate to have the ability to come to work and put a pair of skates on, go on the ice, blow a whistle, skate around, and exercise. And have a family without having a family. It’s exciting. Hockey is a great great sport – on the ice that people see – but off the ice it’s a great sport. There’s great great people involved in it. Again, I’m very fortunate to be involved as well. (AR: And, as a coach, it has to be pretty nice to be part of that moment of letting people know that they’re going to the NHL – whether it’s a player as young as a Kevin Fiala or as old as a Mark Van Guilder.) No question. I had never experienced it. I’ve heard coaches talk about it. Stan [Drulia] talked about it when I first got here. To have that experience every time – to see that player’s face – to see it in his eyes when you can sit there and look him in the eyes and say he’s going to play his first NHL game – he’s getting called up – it’s awesome. It really is. There’s no way to describe it. A lot of reactions are different. Some are more excited than others but you can see everyone just in their eyes of what it means to them to get that opportunity. It’s awesome.
As always, a big thank you to Milwaukee Admirals head coach Dean Evason for taking the time to do this interview. He deals with me enough on gamedays that it was fun to do something different like this. The list of players you all want to hear from next is starting to run to ground. So, who do you want to have featured in Fifteen next? Please comment down below with your suggestions!
Be sure to follow Admirals Roundtable on Twitter, like us on Facebook, and see our photos on Instagram.
This morning I attended practice at the MSOE Kern Center. As I was settling in I received the alert that Kevin Fiala was reassigned to the Milwaukee Admirals from the Nashville Predators.
Milwaukee, WI–Nashville Predators President of Hockey Operations/General Manager David Poile announced today that the club has reassigned forward Kevin Fiala to Milwaukee.
Fiala played in five games with Nashville after being recalled by the Predators January 11th. He scored his first NHL goal on January 14th in the Predators 5-4 OT loss to the Winnipeg Jets. Overall this season the Preds 2014 first round pick has tallied six goals and added 15 assists for 21 points in 34 games with the Admirals.
Fiala will join the Admirals for their game this Saturday night when they host the Grand Rapids Griffins at 7 pm at the BMO Harris Bradley Center.
Tickets for Saturday, or any Ads game, can be purchased by calling Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Groups of ten or more can receive great discounts over single game prices. Those interested in booking a group can call the Admirals office at (414) 227-0550.
Fiala took part in last night’s Predators 2-1 victory on the road against the Calgary Flames. He wasn’t a participant in today’s Admirals practice but should be on-hand tomorrow. He is expected to be with the Admirals through the NHL All-Star Break – which effectively means him playing this weekend’s game before being returned back to the Predators on Tuesday.
Of note from today’s practice: Jonathan Diaby took part in a brief skate session ahead of the full practice taking place. He has missed the last six-games due to an upper-body injury. Félix Girard displayed an evolution in his ability to celly after completing his shootout drill. And Jamie Devane also beat Marek Mazanec leading to an equally great celly. It should also bet noted that I didn’t see Trevor Murphy or Viktor Arvidsson take part in today’s practice.
Be sure to follow Admirals Roundtable on Twitter, like us on Facebook, and see our photos on Instagram.
After a lengthy road trip the Milwaukee Admirals are back in town with a concert night game set for Saturday against the Grand Rapids Griffins. To get the ball rolling slowly towards the Admirals first home game since 1/9/16 I met up with the team yesterday and conducted more interviews for Fifteen.
The list of people you want to hear from had me on Kevin Fiala as I arrived yesterday. He of course isn’t around at the moment so I decided to make a change on the fly and go with the man who swapped places with him, Viktor Arvidsson, instead.
~Fifteen~
Admirals Roundtable: What was your inspiration to play hockey?
Viktor Arvidsson: My dad. He put me on the ice when I was little and I followed him to the rink and stuff like that. (AR: Did he used to play professionally or anything like that?) No, he played for the local team and I followed him to the rink – me, my brother, and my sister too. We’d end out there too. He was out skating with me, my brother, and my sister. So he got us to play hockey.
AR: When did you realize that you were going to be playing hockey for a career?
Arvidsson: Probably when I was eighteen.. nineteen. When I first got up in the Under-20 team in my hometown and then got a contract with the Elite team. So that was when I felt I could go a long way. (AR: Actually, thinking of you specifically, you went through the NHL Draft a couple times. Was there any ever like a fear of you’re never going to get drafted by an NHL team? Because you’ve kind of made a few people I think regret letting you go.) Yeah, of course there was. I felt angry that I didn’t get picked but after awhile I just said it doesn’t matter. I’ll take the long way in that case – just get to develop in Sweden. Then the last year the Nashville Predators picked me and that was awesome. (AR: I think a few teams are kicking themselves for letting that happen in the first place.) Yeah.
AR: Who was the first famous player that you ever met?
Arvidsson: Ooh, that’s a tough question. Probably like Henrik or Daniel Sedin, probably… or Jan Erixon. He coaches junior teams in my team in Sweden. So, I had him as a coach and stuff like that so I know him well. He’s a great person.
AR: What is your greatest hockey moment so far?
Arvidsson: Greatest hockey moment is for sure playing my first NHL game. That was a huge step in my career. It was a lot of fun. Then the gold medals with my team in Sweden [Skellefteå AIK, 2012-13 & 2013-14] was a really good time. We had a great team. (AR: I always hear the nerves, not so much for the game, isn’t the worst part for the first NHL game but it’s actually the pre-game skate. Is that true?) Yeah, it’s like.. (AR: Because you’re there but it’s just practice.) Exactly, then when the game starts it’s the game. You’re used to it and stuff like that but still nervous when you go out there for warm-ups and stuff.
AR: You have a lot of flashy goals. What’s the most memorable one?
Arvidsson: Probably the one I scored against Charlotte last year. I think [Mark Van Guilder] passed it to me, chipped it to me, I skated around the D and cut into the net and put a backhander up top. I think it’s that over here in America. (AR: I’d like to throw out one because I see you do the move every now and again. Fake slap shot, change-up wrist shot. You did that to get your hat trick in Iowa.) Yeah, I did yeah – I do that sometimes. I like to catch the goalie- (AR: Which is very mean because your slap shot is ridiculously hard.) [laughs] Yeah, I try to catch them. They know I shoot a lot, then catch them by surprise, just pump fake and go to the side.
AR: What is the strangest game that you’ve ever played in?
Arvidsson: [deep thought] Probably once in Sweden when the fire alarm went off and everybody went off the ice. (AR: During the middle of a game?) Yeah. (AR: So they had to evacuate the building as well?) Yeah, every guy in the building had to go out. So we stood in the parking lot with full gear on, both teams, so.. that’s probably it.
AR: What is your most embarrassing moment of your hockey career?
Arvidsson: Embarrassing… [long pause] (AR: And, when all else fails, there’s a couple other Swedes in the locker room that might be able to give an answer for you.) Yeah, probably. If you asked them they probably have an answer. [pause] I know I missed an open netter once in Sweden. I was all alone, just, breakaway and put it beside the net. That’s embarrassing you come down all alone you should score and you miss the net that’s one of them. (AR: Next time you go to Nashville there is a guy named Craig Smith – ask him about his missed empty netter. Because he was standing right there and he airmailed it. I don’t even know if, I think that hit the back-netting.) Yeah, I think it went straight over. I saw that.
AR: What’s the most painful moment of your hockey career?
Arvidsson: When we lost the junior final in Sweden. We were up 3-0 and we just collapsed in the third period – lost 6-3. Then painful if you mean like injury? I broke my foot once. That wasn’t nice. A teammate sat on my knee and my foot snapped. That was painful. (AR: That wasn’t even from a blocked shot? Just a teammate?) Yeah, he fell over me and I stood on one knee – my wrist couldn’t handle him and then it just snapped. That was painful.
AR: What are your favorite hockey uniforms?
Arvidsson: [long pause] I really like the Mighty Ducks old jerseys. They look sick I think. That has to be my answer. (AR: Old Mighty Ducks?) Yeah, it’s a cool jersey I think. (AR: They did have the greatest hockey player in history named Adam Banks from the movies.) That’s true! (AR: Best ever.)
AR: Who is the funniest player that you’ve ever met?
Arvidsson: [long pause] I think Jimmie Ericsson is funny. I played with him in Sweden he’s really funny. I think Carter Hutton is funny. He plays in Nashville. (AR: He’s become a bit of a legend just for his little segments on TV as Pekka Rinne is playing.) Yeah, yeah. (AR: He has a catch phrase and everything.) Yeah, he is funny so I’d have to say those two.
AR: What is your favorite aspect of Milwaukee since you arrived here?
Arvidsson: It’s boring if I say hockey [laughs] it’s the only thing I’m here for. I like the town, the people, the fans are great. Like, all the season ticket holders are awesome. They feel for the team and when the team loses. I have to say that. I didn’t think the fans would be that good so I’m happily surprised by the fans. (AR: It’s always weird to gauge because [the BMO Harris Bradley Center] is basically a pro building and this is the AHL team but they still come out, good support.) Yeah they do. (AR: Concert game this coming week it’s going to be probably upwards of -maybe- 12,000 fans. The noise level is going to be huge.) That would be great. And you always see the same persons are here almost every game so that’s awesome. (AR: That’s one of the things I noticed as a fan. You’d sit down and you would have people randomly asking you about how your work day was. All those regulars.)
AR: What is your favorite food, either in Milwaukee or just in general?
Arvidsson: Favorite food? It has to be a Swedish dish. I like palt. [Editor’s Note: This is Palt.] It’s like a big dough ball with pork inside with the lingonberry jam and butter. That’s probably my favorite dish.
AR: What is your favorite non-hockey hobby?
Arvidsson: Fishing.
AR: What is your favorite non-hockey memory?
Arvidsson: I got engaged with my wife. That’s my biggest non-hockey memory for sure.
AR: What are your plans after hockey?
Arvidsson: I think I’ll still be into hockey. Doing something like runs around hockey or something but I don’t know. That’s nothing I really thought about like coach or be a junior coach or development coach.
Thanks to Viktor Arvidsson for taking the time to do this interview yesterday. I currently have three more editions of Fifteen in the tank. Who should be next? Please comment down below with who you would like to hear from next on Fifteen!
Be sure to follow Admirals Roundtable on Twitter, like us on Facebook, and see our photos on Instagram.
Vladislav Kamenev, who left Friday’s game against the Lake Erie Monsters due to a lower-body injury, will miss this weekend’s game in Milwaukee against the Grand Rapids Griffins as well as the 2016 AHL All-Star Classic in Syracuse.
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. … The American Hockey League announced today several roster changes for the 2016 Toyota AHL All-Star Classic, set for this Sunday and Monday in Syracuse, N.Y.
Added to the AHL All-Star rosters are Portland Pirates defenseman Cameron Gaunce and Providence Bruins forward Alexander Khokhlachev (Atlantic Division); St. John’s IceCaps defenseman Morgan Ellis (North Division); Manitoba Moose goaltender Eric Comrie, Rockford IceHogs forward Jake Dowell and Lake Erie Monsters forward T.J. Tynan (Central Division); and Ontario Reign forward Sean Backman and San Jose Barracuda forward Ryan Carpenter (Pacific Division).
In addition, the AHL announced that Bridgeport forward Joe Whitney, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton defenseman Derrick Pouliot, St. John’s defenseman Mark Barberio, Manitoba goaltender Connor Hellebuyck, Lake Erie forward Kerby Rychel, Milwaukee forward Vladislav Kamenev, Ontario forward Michael Mersch and Texas forward Travis Morin will all be unavailable for the event.
The 2016 All-Star rosters now feature 41 first-time participants, nine AHL rookies and 18 former first- and second-round NHL draft choices. In addition, 24 of this year’s All-Stars have appeared in a National Hockey League game already this season.
A limited number of tickets for the 2016 Toyota AHL All-Star Classic are still available. They can be purchased either in person at the Syracuse Crunch office located in the War Memorial Arena at 800 South State Street in Syracuse or by calling (315) 473-4444, through all Ticketmaster outlets or online at http://www.ticketmaster.com.
In addition, complimentary tickets for the AHL Hall of Fame Induction and Awards Ceremony are available by visiting the Syracuse Crunch office or by phone at (315) 473-4444. The AHL Hall of Fame Induction and Awards Ceremony, to be held at the Crouse Hinds Theater at 11 a.m. on Feb. 1, will feature the induction of Bruce Cline, Ralph Keller, Jean-Francois Labbe and Bruce Landon as the AHL Hall of Fame Class of 2016 and will also celebrate honorary All-Star Classic captains Michael Peca and Scott Walker.
The 2016 Toyota AHL All-Star Classic in Syracuse will be televised live to an international audience on Sunday, Jan. 31 (8 p.m. ET) and Monday, Feb. 1 (7 p.m. ET) and will feature the top young talent in the American Hockey League: Of the 679 players to take part in the AHL All-Star Classic since 1995, more than 94 percent have competed in the National Hockey League, including Patrice Bergeron, Ben Bishop, Troy Brouwer, Ryan Callahan, Zdeno Chara, Logan Couture, Jiri Hudler, Tyler Johnson, Chris Kunitz, Ryan Miller, Gustav Nyquist, Zach Parise, Tuukka Rask, Pekka Rinne, Bobby Ryan, Cory Schneider, Patrick Sharp, Jason Spezza, Eric Staal, P.K. Subban and Mats Zuccarello.
In operation since 1936 and celebrating its 80th-anniversary season in 2015-16, the AHL continues to serve as the top development league for all 30 National Hockey League teams. More than 88 percent of today’s NHL players are American Hockey League graduates, and for the 14th year in a row, more than 6 million fans attended AHL games across North America in 2014-15.
This news broke as I was on location this afternoon at the Milwaukee Admirals locker room and I had the chance to follow up with head coach Dean Evason as to the health of several of the injured Admirals right now:
Kamenev’s lower-body injury will sideline him for this weekend and the AHL All-Star festivities he was set to take part in. He is possible to return to the lineup when the Admirals do a California road trip next weekend. Jonathan Diaby is currently sidelined due to an upper-body injury and doesn’t have a time table to return at the moment. Trevor Murphy participated in pre-game skate before Saturday’s game in Lake Erie and went a full-session of practice today. He is possible to return this weekend. Viktor Arvidsson missed the last two-games but is probable to return this weekend. He didn’t practice today but is expected to take part on Thursday and Friday’s practice sessions.
Kamenev’s absence in Syracuse now leaves the Admirals with two representatives: Frédérick Gaudreau and Evason who will be acting as the coach of the Central Division All-Stars.
Be sure to follow Admirals Roundtable on Twitter, like us on Facebook, and see our photos on Instagram.
Stefan Elliott has provided an instant impact on both sides of the puck since joining the Milwaukee Admirals from the Arizona Coyotes organization in a three-team trade that saw Victor Bartley head to the Montreal Canadiens. (Photo Credit: John Saraya)
The Milwaukee Admirals last four games have had their moments. There have been plenty of real positives to take but, unfortunately, the injury bug has also soured the way the offense operated for the last two of what was a four game road trip. It’s tough to see the likes of Viktor Arvidsson and Vladislav Kamenev miss any sort of time out due to injury considering their dynamic playmaking and scoring ability.
Fortunately, the injuries at the forward position came at a time where the Admirals are playing only a single game over the next twelve days. That rest period should let their bodies heal up and heal up well. The team has returned home to Milwaukee after completing the four game road trip and have a concert night game Saturday against the Grand Rapids Griffins. After that the AHL All-Star break begins with a wait before a two game California road swing against the Stockton Heat and San Diego Gulls awaits.
What the Admirals lost in Arvidsson and Kamenev in the games against the Lake Erie Monsters was pretty evident. Arvidsson was out for both games and the team missed his high energy work rate on both ends of the puck – especially his ability to finish scoring chances. And then Kamenev left the Friday game in the second period due to a lower-body injury after having dished up a primary assist on an Admirals power-play goal in the first frame. He wouldn’t play the follow up contest on Saturday afternoon and it meant adding the third cast member from the Manchester Monarchs (ECHL) to the Admirals’ AHL stage this season, Matt Leitner, on a PTO basis just to have the forward depth to field a complete roster. The moment Kamenev left Friday night the Admirals offense went flat and the Saturday effort lacked real energy or creativity that was eye-popping on the two previous road games against the San Antonio Rampage.
Where the Admirals lacked offense in Lake Erie something well and truly stood out. Yes, a massive amount of credit can be given to Marek Mazanec on his efforts for the weekend. He stopped 40/42 shots on goal in the two games against the Monsters, took an overtime loss on Friday, and earned his third shutout of the season on Saturday. He was brilliant. But equally so was the newly retooled Admirals defense that was playing in front of him.
When the Nashville Predators made trades on back-to-back days that saw both defensemen Conor Allen and Victor Bartley leave for a different pair of defensemen in Patrick Mullen and Stefan Elliott it didn’t necessarily carry the gravitas of, say, the Ryan Johansen trade. It was almost purely a Predators push to strengthen their AHL outfit when you think about it. I don’t feel Mullen will be around past this season. Elliott has the potential to stick around with his great track record behind him. But, for the here and now of the 2015-16 season, the moves were basically meant for the Admirals – not the Predators.
Those trades beg the question to an outside observer which is the following: were Allen and Bartley doing poorly? And the answer to that question is a mix of yes and no.
Allen wasn’t bad by any stretch of the imagination but he was was pretty one dimensional in his style of play. What I mean by that is Allen has two more points scored as a member of the Admirals this season than Elliott has. Allen had 6 points (1 goal, 5 assists) in 31 games with the Admirals. Elliott has already produced 4 points (2 goals, 2 assists) in 3 games since arriving from the Arizona Coyotes organization – all while defending his position very well to boot.
Bartley was collecting dust, cobwebs, and NHL paychecks in Nashville before he went through the waiver wire process, cleared, and returned to the Admirals for the first time since the 2012-13 season. Including regular season and playoff games Bartley played in 92 games from a possible 193 games played (47.6%). He had been an outsider to the incredible defensive depth in Nashville, sent to Milwaukee, played with some rust and alack of offensive ability he used to show as an Admiral, and also wasn’t looking too sharp on defense. Where he made up for the flaws was his constant professionalism as a teammate and as an individual to work hard first, improve now, and get back to the NHL as quickly as possible.
The obvious here is that both Allen and Bartley are well respected individuals that are great for a team to have on and off the ice in terms of leadership. The sad reality is that they just weren’t providing enough versatility. The Admirals cheat sheet pens them as a team with defensemen unable to really threaten at all from the defensive zone up the ice and into attack. One, that doesn’t sound like mapping and mirroring the Predators attacking philosophy. Two, it puts a firm defensive focus to ignore the Admirals blueliners all together. Teams could simply set sights clear on shutting down Admirals forwards in the neutral zone and attacking zone to slow their pace down, box out around the net, and take away key ice from the forwards. Their only option in attack becomes board play, where they can get outmuscled, or pass back to the blueline to attempt to reset the defensive posture and find new points of attack… which would work if more shots on goal were generated from the defensemen… but that’s not happening with Allen and Bartley… so the defense would hold back and stay tight to the forwards and generate tougher passes and generally turnovers.
Allen’s AHL career numbers for shots on goal have gone down massively this season. He went from 1.43 shots on goal per game from 2013-15 with the Hartford Wolf Pack to 1.00 for the Admirals this season. Bartley’s shots on goal per game number was also steadily declining: 2.05 (2011-12, Admirals)… 1.29 (2012-13, Admirals & Predators)… 0.71 (2013-16, Predators & Admirals).
Now, let’s compare that “shots on goal per game” number to the new additions of Elliott and Mullen.
See what a small difference it can make when the added option of shots from the blueline becomes an extra dimension for the new look Admirals defense? Yes, it is great having a balance of three right handed shooting defensemen (hey Taylor Aronson, hi) to three left handed shooting defensemen to work pucks around the wall and provide options and looks from the blueline. But how about just giving any look from the blueline to the net in general? That’s what both Elliott and Mullen have done throughout their careers and it’s an aspect of their game that makes an Admirals offense less forward-centric and more balanced when they’re on the ice.
Elliott has 82 games of NHL experience to his name – which is more than Anthony Bitetto, Petter Granberg, and Allen combined by a hefty 51 games. Mullen has yet to play an NHL game in his career at the age of 29-years of age… but, you know what, neither does anyone else not named Elliott in the Admirals defensive group. His experience and ability shouldn’t be kicked under the rug on that basis alone when comparing him to any of the two outbound Admirals defensemen from two weeks ago. His ability to fit the role the Admirals need, a right handed shooting two-way defenseman, makes him a better fit than either Allen or Bartley.
In four games for the Admirals Mullen has no points of offense, 2 shots on goal, was on the ice when the Admirals scored a goal 3 times, wasn’t on the ice for a goal against once, and participated in two shutout performances.
In three games for the Admirals Elliott has 4 points (2 goals, 2 assists), has 3 power-play points (2 power-play goals, 1 power-play assist), has 12 shots on goal for an average of 4.00 shots on goal per game, 6 penalty minutes (cross-checking, tripping, hooking), he has been on the ice for 5 Admirals goals forced and for none scored against – including Saturday afternoon’s shutout.
I won’t lie. As a spectator I think that going from games the likes that the Admirals played in San Antonio to the ones played in Lake Erie can feel like a buzzkill. The Admirals outscored the Rampage 9-3 in two games and blew the doors off them with pace and precision. That pace and precision wasn’t to be found by the Admirals offense so much in Lake Erie but it was with the Admirals defense. You can credit the same speed and puck skills that Elliott and Mullen possess as defensive assets that helped assist Mazanec in net a great deal for his solid weekend against the Monsters.
There is much to like about what these moves have created. And that’s without even mentioning how great it is to have a completely healthy Aronson back in the mix alongside the defensive group that now stacks its defense three lefties and three righties. That balance is a nice quality for a team to have but the performance level of the players on the ice is all that matters at days end. Elliott and Mullen, for a mid-season introduction to the Admirals roster, are going to provide a well-rounded game that can alleviate pressure both off the forwards and the man between the pipes. It’s only been a small sample size of this retooled defense but the performances speak volumes of positive change. There have been four games played and more shutouts posted than points lost.
Be sure to follow Admirals Roundtable on Twitter, like us on Facebook, and see our photos on Instagram.
Nope. That shot didn’t do in – just like the rest of them. How good was Marek Mazanec this weekend? (Photo Credit: John Saraya)
The Milwaukee Admirals won a 1-0 shutout on the road against the Lake Erie Monsters Saturday afternoon at the Quicken Loans Arena.
This contest was by no means a thrill ride as both defenses really clogged scoring chances up today. The Admirals got all they needed thanks to some of that clogged up traffic being eased with a power-play and a goal from Stefan Elliott. The rest came down to defending properly and allowing Marek Mazanec to shine once again. The Czech stopped all nineteen shots he faced this afternoon to record his third shutout of the season. Those three shutouts have all come in his last seven starts.
For the second time in less than twenty-four hours defenseman Stefan Elliott had himself a power-play goal in the building he used to call home. The power-play chance came in the second period after the Monsters were finally whistled down for having too many men on the ice – something that was a serious point of contention with last night’s overtime game-winner on the Admirals side of things. With the power-play chance Taylor Aronson went point-to-point with Elliot before receiving a pass back and setting up his fellow defenseman with a feed into the wheelhouse for bomb of a one-timed slap shot. The puck ricocheted off almost every post and in to give Elliott his second goal of the season and fourth point in three-games since joining the Admirals roster.
In net, Mazanec wasn’t quite as tested as he was yesterday but a load of credit should be given to the defensive effort in front of him. The defensemen and forwards all did an outstanding job minimizing quality scoring chances for the Monsters and those that came through found an incredibly in-form Mazanec who denied every shot he faced today. He really was tremendous in net this weekend in Lake Erie.
The Admirals win pushes their record to 26-13-3-0 (55 points). There are still plenty of games to be played today but the Admirals should end the weekend in a comfortable spot as their 0.655 points percentage through forty-two games played really is solid. The team will continue to rest up, heal up, and return to game action back in Milwaukee this coming Saturday against the Grand Rapids Griffins before the AHL All-Star break begins.
Ramblings: Following last night’s game the Milwaukee Admirals signed forward Matt Leitner of the Manchester Monarchs (ECHL) to a PTO contract. Today’s line combinations were: Hodgson-Sissons-Gaudreau, Åberg-Reinhart-Görtz, White-Leitner-Payerl, Devane-Girard-Pendenza, Oligny-Elliott, Näkyvä-Mullen, Alm-Aronson. Today’s scratches were: Viktor Arvidsson (undisclosed injury), Vladislav Kamenev (lower-body injury), Jonathan Diaby (undisclosed injury), and Trevor Murphy (undisclosed injury – but did participate in pre-game skate).
Thoughts on today’s game? I know it isn’t as flashy as last weekend but how great has this retooled Milwaukee Admirals defense looked since it has formed? Is this current run for Marek Mazanec the best he has ever played?
Be sure to follow Admirals Roundtable on Twitter, like us on Facebook, and see our photos on Instagram.
The Milwaukee Admirals lost 2-1 in overtime on the road against the Lake Erie Monsters Friday night at the Quicken Loans Arena.
Despite a phenomenal effort in net by Marek Mazanec tonight it was the home team getting just enough of the offensive game rolling to snag an equalizer in the dying seconds of the second period and the winner in overtime. The Admirals will claim a point with the overtime loss but, if the offense was able to replicate more of what was on display last weekend, it should have been a much better result than that.
In the first period that high octane Admirals power-play kept delivering the goods and did so with a returning face. Vladislav Kamenev was swooping around the net on his backhand when he dished off a feed to the left wing faceoff circle where Stefan Elliott was on-hand to smack a puck over the left shoulder of Brad Thiessen for his first goal as a member of the Admirals. This was Elliott’s first game back at his old barn playing against the Monsters after having played 199 games under the Colorado Avalanche’s banner prior to this season.
The second period was pretty much all Lake Erie. This put a spotlight firmly on Marek Mazanec in net. As it proved, that was a pretty darn good thing because he made an astonishing save to rob Nick Moutrey from point blank range. Mazanec made the initial save off his wrist, the puck floated up and over his head, and he made a no-look backhanded save with the glove. What is it about highlight reel saves between these two teams in Cleveland? Last season Calvin Pickard made SportsCenter’s Top 10 Plays robbing Kevin Fiala and now this effort by Mazanec against Moutrey.
Sadly, after several missed chances of their own doing, the Monsters did get a good bounce to go their way. A point shot off net front traffic spring-loaded into the left wing circle where defenseman Steve Eminger raced from the blueline and tagged the loose puck for his first goal in his first game played this the season.
This game would end up marching through the third period and into overtime. The very first shot on goal of the overtime period wouldn’t be registered until 3:54 of the frame. That shot would come off a two-on-one from close range with Markus Hännikäinen feeding over to Michael Chaput whose shot went crossbar and down. The puck appeared to cross the line on the initial effort but, just to make sure, Chaput did push it back across long before anyone made an attempt to clear the goal line. Whether it be the initial shot or the follow up that was the overtime game-winner and Chaput’s ninth goal of the season.
The tough luck loss goes to Mazanec who was certainly the best player on the ice in tonight’s game. He stopped 21/23 shots on goal and did his part to see the Admirals at the very least take a point from this contest. Without plenty of his efforts this game could have very easily ended as a regulation defeat. In this new points percentage era for the AHL every single point earned is huge. So, slight tip of the cap on the man between the pipes for getting that much done tonight.
Of note, Kamenev left the game during the second period with Admirals head athletic trainer Doug Agnew and never returned. It felt like the Admirals attacking game went a bit flat after Kamenev left the action. There weren’t many high quality scoring chances to speak of but the Admirals did have two more power-plays during his absence. His presence on the Admirals power-play was on display in the opening goal for Elliott. Losing him on the power-play and thinning out the forwards group appeared to be a real buzzkill.
Ramblings: Since the Milwaukee Admirals last played there were shockingly zero roster moves that took place in a week’s time. How lovely is that? Tonight’s line combinations were: Hodgson-Sissons- Görtz, Åberg-Kamenev-Gaudreau, White-Reinhart-Payerl, Devane-Girard-Pendenza, Oligny-Elliott, Näkyvä-Mullen, Alm-Aronson. Tonight’s scratches for the Admirals featured players all out with undisclosed injuries: Viktor Arvidsson, Jonathan Diaby, Trevor Murphy.
Thoughts on tonight’s game? Where did all that high speed offense that was on display last weekend for the Milwaukee Admirals? Was the loss of Vladislav Kamenev in this game an immediate downfall for the Admirals?
Be sure to follow Admirals Roundtable on Twitter, like us on Facebook, and see our photos on Instagram.
How good has Kaptain Kamenev looked since rejoining the Milwaukee Admirals from the 2016 IIHL World Juniors? (Photo Credit: Scott Paulus)
Happy Days, everyone. The Milwaukee Admirals are back in your life. Note the schedule tweak that sees this game tonight starting at 6:00 PM CST and tomorrow afternoon’s game at 12:00 PM CST. Why such an early game on Saturday? Because, like the Admirals, the Lake Erie Monsters share a venue with an NBA team that gets priority. Call me crazy but I’m far more excited to see Vladislav Kamenev play hockey than LeBron James play regular season sportsketball.
~Recapping~
With such extended breaks I feel some recapping would be a good thing. The Admirals have been standing at 40 games played with a record of 25-13-2-0 (52 points) and a 0.650 points percentage. To get an idea of why they’ve been stationary you should consider how jam packed the Admirals schedule has been. In the AHL’s Western Conference the Admirals, Monsters, Iowa Wild, Texas Stars, and San Antonio Rampage are the lone teams over 40 games played – five teams out of fifteen.
What have the others been up to during the Admirals rest period? The Rockford IceHogs and Grand Rapids Griffins continue to be brilliant. I spoke about it briefly in my Then & Now Report that the Charlotte Checkers have been on a huge tear alongside 21-year old goalie Daniel Altshuller. Those three teams current sit in front of the Admirals in the Central Division standings with the IceHogs leaping up and over the Pacific Division leading Ontario Reign for the best record in the Western Conference.
The Chicago Wolves, unlike the Griffins earlier this season, have kept on sputtering and are tip-toeing around a 0.500 record with their struggles projecting them down past even if they can’t find stability soon. The Manitoba Moose have been painfully bad and the currently not-as-bad Iowa Wild might be getting out of the Central Division basement if the two sides keep playing the way they have been lately.
~The Cleveland Show~
The Lake Erie Monsters enter this weekend’s set of games with a record of 20-14-4-3 (47 points). Their 0.573 points percentage has them right behind the Admirals in the Central Division standings, fifth place, and behind the San Jose Corporate Sellouts in the Western Conference standings at seventh place.
There is a sigh of relief in Lake Erie land. Why? Because they’re finally home. The Monsters endured a ridiculous ten-game road trip that lasted from 12/31/15 to 1/18/16. They didn’t play their first home game of 2016 until two-days ago when the Griffins beat them 3-2 in overtime.
How did the Monsters do on that epic marathon of a road trip? They went 3-5-1-1 which includes two meetings in Milwaukee and two shutout losses in back-to-back games against the Moose and Griffins.
I feel it is safe in saying the last time these two teams met was about as sloppy, exhausted, and uneventful of a hockey game you’ll have watched this season when it is all said and done. Heck, it says a lot when Marek Mazanec out and out referred to the game as boring. It shouldn’t have been surprising that the game played out as it did though. The Admirals were gassed having played seven games in eleven days. The Monsters were in the middle of that mammoth ten-game road trip. And the Monsters had just enough in them to polish off a 4-0 shutout win with Cincinnati Cyclones product Brad Thiessen in net.
I am going out on a limb and saying there is no chance that same game will be played this weekend. The Admirals are twelve games clear since they last played at home and have only two-games to show for it. In those games they smoked the San Antonio Rampage in their own barn 3-0 and 6-3. With all that rest and new introductions to the roster the Admirals played with an amazing amount of speed that overwhelmed the Rampage. It’s been a week since those games. The Admirals were rested and ready then. They’ll be even more rested and the new pieces will have had more time to practice and get used to the setup of the team.
That’s the Admirals side of heading into this weekend’s games. The same sense of relief can almost be said of the Monsters. Their road marathon is complete and they’re back home in Cleveland for the rest of the month. That acts as a great boost for them and, hey, they almost beat the Griffins their first night back on home ice – forced them to overtime – and, as we know, that’s not an easy task at all. This side should be fired up. Their fans were 4,024 strong on a Wednesday night to welcome them back and I suspect a louder rowdier crowd to form in The Q to give a further boost to the Monsters drive and fire.
~Who What Now~
When these two met last time a major talking point was between the pipes for the Monsters. Both of their AHL goaltenders were recalled by the Columbus Blue Jackets which left the duties to PTO contract signings to weather the storm. Thiessen did well and remains on the roster but is joined by the returning face of Anton Forsberg.
The Swedish goaltender returned to the AHL last Friday after a four-game spell in the NHL. In the four games since Forsberg’s return to the Monsters he has played three games, lost two, and has a 2.30 goals against average and 0.933 save percentage. Last time out he stopped 43/46 shots on goal against the Griffins in a tough luck overtime loss.
The Monsters current leading scorer is T.J. Tynan who has 25 points (3 goals, 22 assists) in 41 games. He’s followed by two other forwards at the 20+ points plateau with one of them on the roster and another one who currently finds himself playing for the Blue Jackets. Michael Chaput has 22 points (8 goals, 14 assists) in 38 games. Kerby Rychel has 20 points (5 goals, 15 assists) in 21 games but is up in the NHL where he recently notched his first career NHL goal.
Expectations for this weekend’s games? Will the down time help make the Milwaukee Admirals perform as well as last weekend or do you hesitate to say so considering the San Antonio Rampage haven’t won on home ice since mid-November? Can Kamenev continue scoring a goal per game since his return from the 2016 IIHF World Juniors?
Be sure to follow Admirals Roundtable on Twitter, like us on Facebook, and see our photos on Instagram.
News & Discussion Site For Your Milwaukee Admirals
Admirals Roundtable 