Hello everybody. I hope you all had a lovely Easter weekend. For those of us on the Wisconsin-side of things this was quite the nice weekend. The Milwaukee Admirals took a point on Friday night, the teams behind the Ads in the Western Conference standings didn’t really close that much ground afterwards, the Wisconsin Badgers managed to defeat Kentucky and advance to their first NCAA Final since 1941, and -of course- the Milwaukee Brewers open their season this afternoon with the NCAA Final later tonight.
Keeping with this warm and toasty feel I thought it would be fun to do a little of what I did last season for today. Joonas Rask is all to blame for these you see. The Admirals photographers (whether it be Scott Paulus, Jeff Hanisch, or Sara Stathas) aren’t intentionally snapping photos of players, like Rask, when they’re making silly faces but it does in fact happen… a lot. Throughout the course of this season that has been happening once more and it is time to kick back and enjoy some of the more unflattering moments captured in Admirals photography this season.
Colton Sissons has become the first member of the Milwaukee Admirals to win our “Admiral of the Month” award twice this season. (Photo Credit: Scott Paulus)
As you might expect, when the Admirals have a month as rough as they just did it’s not quite easy to think of top performing anything. The Admirals went 3-8-3-1 in March. During that time I would go as far to say each phase of the Admirals at some point had their time in the spotlight for a negative reason. Still, there have been some players that have persevered and continued producing through what has been one of the roughest months of the Admirals 2014-15 season. My choice for the Admiral of the Month of March came down to two players yesterday. And I’ve decided on Colton Sissons.
Sissons played in all fifteen games in the month of March for the Admirals and he tallied 9 points (4 goals, 5 assists). His sophomore season may not have been all that he’d have liked it to have been but I feel since the turn of the calendar he’s looked far more like he did last season while also bringing a feistier style to his game. He has been consistently playing as the Admirals top center during the past few weeks and has remained so with bits and pieces changing around him. To me, his play has been one of the few consistencies in a month of complete and utter confusion.
The other man that I really thought about for the Admiral of the Month award for March was Austin Watson. He, like Sissons, has also been a really reliable player this month and has done it in a center or wing capacity. Watson played all fifteen games in March and recorded 9 points (5 goals, 4 assists).
Other Admirals in March: Joe Pendenza, 8 points (3 goals, 5 assists)… Viktor Arvidsson, 8 points 92 goals, 6 assists) Pontus Åberg, 6 points (1 goal, 5 assists)… Kevin Fiala, 5 points (3 goals, 2 assists)… Mark Van Guilder, 5 points (3 goals, 2 assists)… Triston Grant, 5 points (1 goal, 4 assists)… Joe Piskula, the only Admiral in the month of March who has a positive plus/minus with a +2 rating.
~Admiral of the Month Award~
October: Brendan Leipsic
November: Magnus Hellberg
December: Marek Mazanec
January: Viktor Arvidsson
February: Colton Sissons
March: Colton Sissons
Who was your pick for the top performing Admiral in the month of March? Please write a comment down below as to who and why.
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Anthony Bitetto’s path to the NHL is something that has done the AHL and ECHL proud. (Photo Credit: Scott Paulus)
When operating at the American Hockey League level you are always bound to come across some very good stories. Last year, for example, saw two really great stories come out of the Milwaukee Admirals. Scott Darling was able to grasp an opportunity from the organization’s injury woes at the goaltending position and set himself up for the year he has had this season. Darling has made it as an NHL product of his boyhood team growing up, the Chicago Blackhawks, and recently signed a two-year extension. Equally as great of a story was seeing Mark Van Guilder‘s long awaited and deserved first career NHL game after playing 387 career games between the AHL and ECHL before making it to the show.
This season’s feel good story has been the rise of defenseman Anthony Bitetto. It was two years ago when he made his professional playing debut in the Nashville Predators system and he was able to make his NHL debut back in January. What has made Bitetto’s story so great to follow is how greatly it reflects the developmental process of the Nashville system. Bitetto’s career path has seen him go through Milwaukee and Cincinnati en route to logging ice time in the NHL. It says plenty about both the organization and the man himself.
Colton Sissons has been one of the most reliable Admirals over the last month. He’s our pick for the Admiral of the Month. (Photo Credit: Scott Paulus)
Let’s welcome in the month of March by giving a wave to the best performances from February. When looking back at all that happened in the last month there’s been a lot of hot and cold results but some pretty good performances. The top of which for me comes from my pick, Colton Sissons.
Sissons scored 10 points (5 goals, 5 assists) in 11 games during the month of February. His start to the season in scoring was nothing like what we saw last season. It took him 25 games before even recording an assist. Jump ahead to the present and it feels like he’s game is right back where it was last season. He has played great on both sides of the puck, has been a provider, and his goal scoring touch has picked back up.
Valentine’s Day is right around the corner and love is in the air here in Milwaukee. Rockford? Not so much. (Photo Credit: Scott Paulus)
I was thinking about not doing one of these this year because it was slightly overkill last season. Then I got a cold that refuses to go away. So, I had more than enough time to make a few up for a laugh yesterday. Rather than send them as texts out for my own amusement. I figured, why not spread the love? …spread the love, not the cold. Here’s what I came up with.
(Photo Credit: Scott Paulus)(Photo Credit: Scott Paulus)(Photo Credit: Monica Vanaugh)(Photo Credit: Jamie Wahl)(Photo Credit: Scott Paulus)
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Viktor Arvidsson exploded offensively in January as the Admirals won ten out of twelve games from the month. (Photo Credit: Scott Paulus)
In December it was a struggle to choose the top performing Admiral in the month almost due to the lack of performances. You absolutely can’t say that about January. The team went 10-2-0-0 on the month and there are so many players worthy of the nod. My choice? Actually, my choice was a quite simple one. The Admiral for the Month of January was Viktor Arvidsson.
In January the Swede erupted offensively by producing 13 points (6 goals, 7 assists) in twelve games. He had a scoring streak of six games on the back-end of the Admirals franchise record nine game winning streak.
To put his January performance into perspective think of this. In November he scored 7 points (2 goals, 5 assists) in twelve games. The next month he tallied even less with 5 points (3 goals, 2 assists) in twelve games. He averaged more than a point per game in January. And, for all the winning that occurred, half of his goals scored in January were game-winners.
Arvidsson had his share of highlight reel goals in the past month but take a moment to appreciate his all around game as well. When you think about the times Pontus Åberg has been listed as a healthy scratch for doing too many individualistic plays on the puck, looking to make YouTube magic all over again, it isn’t something that has plagued his fellow countryman. Arvidsson makes the dazzling plays but he’s smart enough on and off the puck to make chances like that a little less high-effort. Play the right way? Do the right things? Arvidsson has been applying the Dean Evason philosophy and has been doing it at a high rate of speed.
Other Admirals who had a great January: Brendan Leipsic, 10 assists (AHL All Star hat trick)… Anthony Bitetto, 11 points (1 goal, 10 assists)… Colton Sissons, 8 points (6 goals, 2 assists)… Austin Watson, 7 points (4 goals, 3 assists)… Magnus Hellberg, 6-2-0-0 record (1.80 goals against average, 0.933 save percentage, 2 shutouts)… Marek Mazanec, 5-0-0-0 record (1.22 goals against average, 0.947 save percentage, 1 shutout).
~Admiral of the Month Award~
October: Brendan Leipsic
November: Magnus Hellberg
December: Marek Mazanec
January: Viktor Arvidsson
Who was your pick for the top performing Admiral in the month of January? Please write a comment down below as to who and why.
Be sure to follow Admirals Roundtable on Twitter, like us on Facebook, and see our photos on Instagram.
The 2015 AHL All Star Classic acts as a bookmark in the season. We’re now rolling downhill and heading towards the playoff grind of the season. This would seem an appropriate time then to reflect and review all that has happened up until this point in the Milwaukee Admirals 2014-15 season.
~The Road So Far~
As of today the Admirals have a record of 24-12-2-3 (53 points). They sit second in the Midwest Division and trail the Rockford IceHogs by three points but have three games in hand to climb up into first place. The Western Conference standings sees the Admirals in a comfortable position of fourth place with a three point cushion over the San Antonio Rampage in fifth place.
The Admirals began 2014-15 with a franchise record with a six-game winning streak to start the season. Things remained relatively stable until December. The team suffered losing streaks of seven and four games to transition in and out of the month and went 3-6-2-1 in December. Since snapping the four-game losing streak that started in December and ended in January? They haven’t lost. The Admirals set a franchise record last time out by winning their ninth straight game.
There certainly have been growing pains as the season has gone along. The Admirals were the youngest team in the AHL entering the season but their age by no means has limited them. The talent of the youthful group might be the most exciting batch that Milwaukee has seen in quite awhile. And there is plenty of promise that this current winning-streak is the style and form that the team could capture as they roll into the playoffs later in the season.
~Report Card~
Let me preface by saying that these grades are purely my own judgement. I also feel it fair to grade an “incomplete” to any player that hasn’t played in half the games that the Admirals have played this season. We’re 41 games into this season. To make it fair, let’s say any player to have played 20+ games will receive a letter grade. Also, I’ll be ordering these grade by jersey number for the sake of convenience. Let’s dive in!
2, Anthony Bitetto: It’s been yet another positive step forward for Bitetto this season. Halfway in, he leads all Admiral defensemen in scoring with 22 points (2 goals, 20 assists). His work led to his first career NHL call-up and game in January. The goal scoring might not be where he would like it to be, down 7 goals from where it was this time last season, but defense is the name of the game and his +11 puts him second among Admiral defenseman. (Grade: B+)
3, Jonathan Diaby: At first, I was disappointed in what I was seeing out of Diaby. He looked uncoordinated and confused at times on the ice. He still has zero points of offense this season. Even our goaltenders have totaled a combined 5 assists. Yet, recent play has started to look more and more promising. His defense has been very strong and his pairing with team captain Piskula has been really consistent in their own zone. Plus, he is the team’s third on-ice enforcer next to Clune and Liambas. 20-years old. First full year of pro hockey. He’s doing alright for himself. (Grade: C)
7, Joe Piskula: What can you say other than reliable? The veteran leads the entire team with a plus/minus rating of +18 and has 12 points (1 goal, 11 assists) this season. He has been consistent on his defense and has been doing the better part of his work while coaching up the new guy Diaby. Captain Piskula has been the veteran leader the team has needed. He has also been the veteran leader the team has expected. (Grade: B+)
10, Patrick Cehlin: His season was rough before it even began. First he had off-season hip surgery. Then he had a blood clot that developed in his leg. He only played in four games with the Admirals before getting sent to the ECHL. He didn’t score a point with the Ads. And was recently shipped home to Sweden to finished off the rest of his entry-level contract with Leksands IF. (Grade: Incomplete)
12, Kevin Fiala: From one Swedish loan to another, Fiala’s loan period with HV71 of the SHL came to an end when the Nashville Predators assigned him to the Admirals two weekends ago. He made his debut last week and has logged two games. The ceiling with this 18-year old his incredibly high. Watching his development for the rest of the season should be a blast for all of us in Milwaukee. (Grade: Incomplete)
15, Ian White: The Admirals signed this veteran d-man to a PTO and he has 16 games with the Admirals. You know what that means? He has nine more games left before the Admirals need to make a decision on him. Were I to make a decision on the matter I would re-sign him to another PTO when the current one expires. He has scored 8 assists and is a +3 since joining the Ads. He has been a nice right-handed shooting defenseman that offers plenty of experience to the group. (Grade: C+)
16, Félix Girard: I’ve been impressed with what I have watched out of Girard. He works really hard and rarely does he have a bad shift. His skating ability is top notch and he makes smart plays on both ends of the ice while operating on the lower two lines for the Admirals. He is also one of five players to have dressed for all games this season. (Grade: B-)
17, Mike Liambas: No one has more penalty minutes (107) on the Admirals this season than Mr. Bobble-Fists. He has a team high of 11 fighting majors this season. Away from that, gasp shock awe, he has scored 5 points (4 goals, 1 assist). It’s his highest scoring hockey season since he was a defenseman with the Erie Otters of the OHL in 2006-07. It also must be said that his penalty killing has also been a plus. (Grade: C+)
18, Colton Sissons: No getting around this. It hasn’t been the follow-up season that Sissons would have wanted. He missed out on staying the the Predators out of pre-season camp due to the added veterans but also due to him lacking the offensive explosiveness that they would like him to provide. He has 17 points (12 goals, 5 assists) in 41 games this season. This time last season, through 41 games, he had 28 points (16 goals, 12 assists). Can’t quite put a finger on what has caused the offensive regression. (Grade: B-)
20, Miikka Salomäki: From one story of regression to another. You could say that the Finn’s numbers have also dropped. He has 18 points (7 goals, 11 assists) in 36 games this season. Through the same number of games last season he had scored 23 points (8 goals, 15 assists). The difference has been that “Bull in a China Shop” mentality has been refined and his all-around game has been brilliant. He was a -4 this time last season. Now he is a +15 which is the best among Admiral forwards. His consistent play earned himself an NHL call-up and debut that saw him score a goal in Nashville. It’s been a reliable season to date. (Grade: B+)
21, Triston Grant: When the season started I was over the moon at the idea of having Grant back in Milwaukee. When Clune was brought down and the team was tasked with having three similar minded players, Liambas included, I was puzzled at who the lesser of the three is. Truth be told, Grant is 30-years old and in his tenth full season of professional hockey. His wheels aren’t great. But he still offers plenty to a group as young as the Admirals. He has contributed in a multitude of ways. And I think the best asset he provides is coming up when the playoff crunch starts to knuckle down on the team. (Grade: C+)
22, Joe Pendenza: Another great find for the Admirals. Pendenza was picked up last season after his time UMass-Lowell came to an end and earned an AHL contract this past off-season. He has been one of the rotation figures on the Admirals fourth line and that puts him in the spot he is on now, Cincinnati. Yet, when he has played, he has performed very well. He has 10 points (6 goals, 4 assists in 27 games and has the second best plus/minus among Admirals forwards with a +11. It’s a shame the numbers game for forwards pushed him down the ladder. (Grade: B)
23, Taylor Aronson: I was skeptical at first with Aronson. This has been his first real season of non-stop AHL hockey. You know what? He has been great. He was the lone right-handed from the blue line at the start of the season. His overall performance has far out-weighed that he is up for the right shot alone. He has 21 points (3 goals, 18 assists) in 38 games, is a +4, and only has 12 penalty minutes – second fewest among Admiral defensemen. (Grade: B-)
24, Zach Budish: He has only played in 13 games. The Admirals have won each and every game he has played in. Budish is having the best season of his pro career. In total, between the AHL and ECHL, he has 28 points (11 goals, 17 assists) and is a +17 in 39 games. Like a few on this list, it is just a shame that the numbers game has him limited to his AHL opportunities. (Grade: Incomplete)
25, Viktor Stålberg: Sad. So Sad. It’s a sad, sad situation… -but- at least he’s making the most of his time with the Admirals. In eight appearances the Swede has produced 7 points (3 goals, 4 assists). He has the right attitude with the team, as well. If there is any sort of bitterness about his current situation. It just doesn’t find its way on the ice. That’s a win for the Admirals in the time we’ll have with him on-board. (Grade: Incomplete)
28, Brendan Leipsic: Who would have thought that for a second year in a-row that the Admirals would be lead in scoring at the halfway point by a rookie? Leipsic has all the tools to be good NHL product. His skating and stick skills are great, his vision to set up teammates has him fourth in the AHL with 27 assists, and he should well have more goals than he currently has. He became the first Admiral to score a hat trick in the AHL All Star Classic on Monday. Perhaps the goals are coming to go along with all those assists! (Grade: A)
29, Mark Van Guilder: At the moment MVG’s points per game are lower than they were last season: 2014-15, 0.37 pt/g… 2013-14, 0.42 pt/g… It is the last season of the 31-year old’s contract and he’s been providing that same ol’ steady play expected of him. I would argue that the most important thing that he does is something that the AHL doesn’t statistically cover, faceoffs. His work on the dot is better than anyone on the team and, especially in penalty killing, can make a massive difference in swaying the game to the Ads favor. (Grade: B)
31, Marek Mazanec: Between the Admirals goaltending tandem it has been Maz that has played the majority of games to this point. He has been great. He really has: 13-8-3-1 record, 2.41 goals against average, 0.909 save percentage, and three shutouts. From last season to this season I see such a more calm and composed goaltender in net. He hasn’t looked anywhere near as flustered or ADHD has he did in stretches last season. It’s set him up to be back where he was last season, Nashville. (Grade: A)
33, Viktor Arvidsson: The Swede is second on the team in scoring with 29 points (15 goals, 14 assists). With the run he has had on the nine-game winning streak it feels as if it’s only a matter of time before he leaps Leipsic for the team lead. Arvidsson has had his share of highlight reel goals but it is his complete game that has him rocking and rolling in his first pro season in North America. He makes plays so quickly and his shot, especially that slapper, is lethal. I’m excited to see what his second half of the season has to offer. Will it keep elevating like it has been recently or drop back down a notch? We shall see. (Grade: A)
36, Rich Clune: When I first talked to Dicky here in Milwaukee he seemed bitter that Nashville had sent him to the AHL. I don’t know if that anger finds its way to the ice or not but he has been so much fun to watch from the moment he started with the Admirals. He has dropped the gloves nine times, posted 10 points (4 goals, 6 assists) in 32 games, and has a grand total of 89 penalty minutes. Whether he’s singing Brett Eldredge, face punching, or scoring goals. It’s been plenty of fun seeing him work. (Grade: B)
37, Garrett Noonan: The former captain for Boston University has been the odd man out of the Admirals defense from just about the start of the season. Shame. He’s not done badly or anything but he’s just been odd man out to the likes of Diaby and Oligny. Noonan has the most goals scored by any Admiral defenseman this season with four. Yet, he current finds himself in the ECHL. (Grade: C+)
40, Rob Madore: Alright. He hasn’t “played” a game yet. He has served on the bench, though. I’m still hoping at some point we get to see the 5’10” netminder get a game here in Milwaukee. He might not be putting together the season or playoff run that he did with the Cyclones last season but he’s still a solid minor-pro goalie. (Grade: Incomplete)
45, Magnus Hellberg: Last season was a train wreck for Hellberg. He had injury trouble for the first time in his career and found himself on the bench watching Madore steal the show for the Cincinnati Cyclones ECHL Kelly Cup run. This season? It feels a whole lot like watching the Hellberg we saw carry the Admirals into the playoffs on his back as a rookie. He has a 11-4-2-2 record on the season, 1.84 goals against average, 0.931 save percentage, and two shutouts. (Grade: A)
46, Pontus Åberg: On opening night this Swede blew our minds with a highlight reel goal to introduce himself to the city of Milwaukee. Since, it has been a little hit and miss with the coaching staff very finger point-y at the miss. He has 21 points (14 goals, 7 assists), a plus/minus rating of +5, and 12 penalty minutes in 36 games. His skill set sometimes gets the best of him as he gets caught out too many times doing individualistic plays. That highlight reel goal? Great, but it doesn’t work each and every game. And that is why he has been healthy scratched for a two stints this season. (Grade: B-)
47, Jimmy Oligny: This was yet another nice find for the Admirals. Oligny was an undrafted d-man that was a leader with two different teams in the QMJHL. The 21-year old only has 4 points (1 goal, 3 assists) in 34 games this season but has paired nicely this season alongside Aronson. Nothing flashy. And nothing that bad to really think about for Oligny – who also happens to have four fights this season. (Grade: C)
51, Austin Watson: I remember having a talk last season with Watson where he said he was having trouble keeping up with the speed of his wingers. When he was put at right wing it seemed to give him a big boost. That translated into this season as well. He leads the Admirals with 16 goals and is third in overall scoring. He has been kicked back to center with the recent additions of Fiala and Stålberg. He’s still looking quicker than he has the last two seasons. Pair that boost with his bread and butter solid penalty killing work and he’s putting together his best AHL season. (Grade: A-)
55, Johan Alm: This is a sad story. Alm was one of the final roster cuts from Predators pre-season camp alongside Piskula. It seemed like those two were going to form a great shutdown d-pair as well. Then he suffered an upper body injury in early-December and hasn’t appeared in a game since. When I last saw him, he had a cast on his left wrist and there was dialogue from head coach Dean Evason that Alm was back to skating. No time table of when he’ll be back. It’s a shame that his first pro season in North America has been crippled the way it has: 21 games, 5 assists, plus/minus of -3, and 10 penalty minutes. (Grade: C-)
89, Frédérick Gaudreau: Another of the fourth line rotation squad, Gaudreau has had a decent showing in the times he’s been given a chance for the Admirals. He has 9 points (4 goals, 5 assists), a plus/minus rating of +6, and 8 penalty minutes. He had avoided an ECHL send down for the entire season up until last week. (Grade: C+)
How would you rate the Milwaukee Admirals through the halfway point in the season? Who has impressed and who has not impressed?
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Marek Mazanec’s play this month has been one of very few bright spots during a dreadful December for the Admirals. (Photo Credit: Scott Paulus)
The best Milwaukee Admirals performer for the month of December. Talk about trying to find hay from the needle stack. This has been a rough month across the board. Yet, I feel as if one player really stood out from all the madness.
My choice for December’s Admiral of the Month is Marek Mazanec.
Mazanec played in eight of the Admirals twelve games in December and had 2 wins, 3.13 goals against average, 0.885 save percentage, and a shutout. That stat line might not look good for him on paper but his play in December has been very strong. He’s been weathering the storm that is played out in front of him and looked calm and composed throughout this poor stretch of play for the entire team.
Other players that have impressed me during this month: Joe Pendenza, 5 points (2 goals, 3 assists) in 8 games… Pontus Åberg, 7 points (5 goals, 2 assists) in 11 games… Taylor Aronson, 5 points (2 goals, 3 assists) in 12 games with a plus/minus rating of +2.
~Admiral of the Month Award~
October: Brendan Leipsic
November: Magnus Hellberg
December: Marek Mazanec
Who was your choice for December’s Admiral of the Month? Is there another Admiral who you felt was the top performer this past month? If so, who and why?
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This is Joonas Jarvinen. He’s an intense fella on the ice. (Photo Credit: Scott Paulus)
There certainly could be a rant in regards to last night’s 4-3 defeat to the Lake Erie Monsters. It was an ugly looking game that seemed to sucker punch the Admirals after their 4-0 shutout on Tuesday that appeared to be a return to form. Sadly that wasn’t that case.
As optimistically as I can put it. This spell is still a good thing as far as the learning process is concerned for so many of the prospects on the Admirals roster. The good start was just that. But it is seeing these players overcoming adversity, time and time again, that will help long term. The rest of the teams in the AHL have gotten better since the start of the season. So must the Admirals. The answer as to “how” they get out of this funk may just define their season.
~The Then & Now Report~
In another effort to get all of our minds off of last night’s game I thought it would be fun to look at some recent and (possibly) future Admirals. Plenty of names worth discussing and worth giving a look. Let’s start with some former Admirals to start things out.
Then
Scott Ford. What better place to start than with The Sheriff? Since joining the South Carolina Stingrays of the ECHL he has played 6 games, tallied an assist, has a plus/minus rating of +1, has 12 penalty minutes, and 2 fights.
Braden Pimm. Why talk about him? Because, fun fact, he remains teammates with fellow Fort St. John, BC native Ford with those very same South Carolina Stingrays of the ECHL. Pimm has played in 20 games, is fourth on the Stingrays in scoring with 12 points (7 goals, 5 assists), and has 8 penalty minutes.
Michael Young. Hey! Remember this guy? He made his professional playing debut with the Milwaukee Admirals last season and was injured in that debut, never to be seen again. At least not until this season where he, you guessed it, joined the South Carolina Stingrays of the ECHL. How trendy? He was actually a roster camp invitee of the Boston Bruins in pre-season. Thus far with the Stingrays he has played 9 games, hasn’t produced offensively, and is a -7 player.
Kirill Gotovets. Hey! Another “remember this guy?” player. He wasn’t really sure how he even became an Admiral last season but, like Young, made his professional playing debut as a member of the Admirals. This season he has been a member of the Indy Fuel of the ECHL and has 5 points (3 goals, 2 assists) and 12 penalty minutes in 12 games.
Joonas Järvinen. I was always a fan of Järvinen. He was a no nonsense stay at home style defenseman that could hit like a hammer and just seemed to be getting better. He joined the newly formed HK Sochi of the KHL in the off-season and… well, I wonder if he is dreaming of Milwaukee. In 29 games he has an assist, 20 penalty minutes, and a plus/minus rating of -11… which is a 25 point drop off compared to his last season as an Admiral… oof..
Bryan Rodney. The man I nicknamed “Thunderdome” due to his hit and miss, hot and cold, fan reception joined HC Bolzano in Austria in October. He has played 19 games, scored 9 points (3 goals, 6 assists), and has 14 penalty minutes.
Charles-Olivier Roussel. Another likable guy on this list – it has actually proved to be a busy year for Rouss on the loose. He had signed an ECHL deal with the Utah Grizzlies in late September but found himself traded in November to another ECHL squad in the Greenville Road Warriors. In total, his ECHL numbers this season read as such: 21 games, 7 points (1 goal, 6 assists), 8 penalty minutes, and a -2 rating.
Vinny Saponari. He signed a deal with the Hartford Wolf Pack in September and has spent the majority of this season in the ECHL with Roussel and the Greenville Road Warriors. He did get a quick AHL stint where he picked up an assist in 3 games. Yet, it’s been mainly ECHL duty to this point: 17 points (7 goals, 10 assists) in 22 games.
Scott Valentine. Last season ended on a sad note for Valentine. He had a shoulder injury that required surgery and he ended up missing the playoffs. He healed up and signed with the Idaho Steelheads of the ECHL before getting signed to an AHL contract by the Texas Stars exactly one month later. He has played 10 games for the Stars and has himself 29 penalty minutes so far.
Kevin Henderson. Similar to Ford and Pimm. Let’s stay on the same team! Henderson remains with the Texas Stars, who he won last year’s Calder Cup with, after Nashville shipped him off at the start of the season. He has a single assist from 16 games. 4 penalty minutes, and a -4 rating. In his 15 game stint with the Stars last season he had 9 points (5 goals, 4 assists).
Paul Crowder. The man with the longest neck in the entire world, probably, joined the Lake Erie Monsters (AHL) and Fort Wayne Komets (ECHL) ahead of the 2014-15 season. His season, like most, has been spent at the ECHL level where he has played 17 games for the Komets, scored 10 points (4 goals, 6 assists), and has 4 penalty minutes
Simon Moser. He wasn’t happy that he wasn’t guaranteed his place on the Nashville Predators NHL roster. So he said, “something something I’m going home.” It’s proving to be a very poor decision on his part because a combination of injuries and bad form has seen him play 9 games for Bern in his native Switzerland and register no points of offense and 4 penalty minutes.
Joonas Rask. Meanwhile, in another tale of going home, Tuukka’s brother is finding some success in his return to Liiga in Finland. He joined fellow former-Admiral Juuso Puustinen at HIFK and has produced 14 points (7 goals, 7 assists), 2 penalty minutes, and is a +12 player in 23 league games. His team is also in the Champion’s Hockey League and Rask has 3 points (1 goal, 2 assists) in 4 games.
Francis Wathier. The man we saw effectively get swapped for with Henderson and the Texas Stars last season was a nice addition in the late goings of last season’s playoff push. He joined the Portland Pirates in October on a PTO contract before making the deal an official contract to last the rest of this season. He has played 20 games for the Pirates and has 3 assists and 10 penalty minutes.
That’s last year’s group. Certainly worth looking at many more. Whether it is looking at someone such as Michael Latta who has been up with the Washington Capitals all season. Alexander Radulov getting sent airborne. There’s been some pretty good stuff going on.
There are a certain few players worth keeping a major eye out for. The recent draft class for the Nashville Predators was a solid one. To boot, there is another outstanding Finnish goaltending making major strides in the pipeline.
Now
Kevin Fiala. The 11th overall selection in the 2014 NHL Draft has 14 points (5 goals, 9 assists) in 20 games for HV71 in the SHL this season. He certainly looked impressive in the Predators pre-season. At 18-years old he’s probably playing his final season of hockey in Europe.
Vladislav Kamenev. This was the first of two second round draft selections in the 2014 NHL Draft for the Preds. Kamenev, another 18-year old forward prospect, has produced 8 points (5 goals, 3 assists) in 31 games for Metallurg Magnitogorsk of the KHL.
Jack Dougherty. This would of course be the second of those second round picks by the Preds. For all you Wisconsin based readers, you could skip this section and cheer this defenseman on the flip-side of the calendar when the Wisconsin Badgers season gets back and running. (side note. You think the Admirals run is bad? Look at the Badgers record this season.) Dougherty has played in 10 games, is a -11 player, and has 2 points (1 goal, 1 assist).
Justin Kirkland. Another one of the forwards selected by the Predators in the 2014 NHL Draft, Kirkland has tallied 21 points (9 goals, 12 assists) in 24 games for the Kelowna Rockets of the WHL. He has some work to do if he wants to match Colton Sissons numbers for the Rockets, though.
Juuse Saros. This Finnish netminder is in his second full season of professional hockey for HPK in Liiga… at 19-years old. This season he has a 2.30 goals against average and a 0.924 save percentage in 24 games. Last season he had a ridiculous 1.76 goals against average in 44 games. Just another quality European goalie in the Predators system.
What players are you most excited to see coming through the ranks in the Nashville Predators prospect pipeline? Any former Admirals you still following? Are there any names listed above, who played last season in Milwaukee, that you wish we kept?
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