If Kenny Ryan sounds familiar its because he played for the Lake Erie Monsters in the 2014-15 season. (Photo Credit: John Saraya)
Tomorrow morning will mark the first day of Training Camp for the Milwaukee Admirals. It will take place at 10:30 AM CST at the MSOE Kern Center and is open to the public. Yesterday the team unveiled an initial roster but have just tacked on a few more names to the forward group for good measure.
Added to the Training Camp roster will be: Justin Florek (LW), Shawn O’Donnell (RW), Kenny Ryan (RW), and Dominic Zombo (LW). With the exception of Florek all other players listed here are reinforcements from the Admirals ECHL affiliate the Cincinnati Cyclones. Florek spent last season with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers (AHL) but is currently a free agent headed to Milwaukee on a try-out basis.
Stay tuned tomorrow across social media for live coverage from practice at the MSOE Kern Center. Interviews will also be provided and uploaded later tomorrow afternoon. If you’re stopping by the rink? Do give a wave! I’ll be around.
The MSOE Kern Center ice awaits for the Milwaukee Admirals arrival on Tuesday. (Photo Credit: Daniel Lavender)
The Milwaukee Admirals will start their Training Camp on Tuesday morning at the MSOE Kern Center. Before skates hit the ice in Milwaukee we get to take a look at the initial roster for the camp that was just released.
Invitees: Boudreau, Knodel, Robinson, and the Spink twins
This roster means that forwards Pontus Åberg, Kevin Fiala, Frédérick Gaudreau, Anthony Richard, and Vladislav Kamenev are still in Nashville for the time being. The same goes for defensemen Petter Granberg as well as goaltenders Marek Mazanec and Juuse Saros who are battling for the back-up role with the Nashville Predators. With assistance from media friends in Nashville I can also say that defenseman Stefan Elliott did not report to Nashville’s Pre-Season Camp and opted to sign with Ak Bars Kazan in Russia’s KHL instead.
With the invitees I’d keep a firm eye on both Boudreau and Robinson potentially earning AHL contracts for the 2016-17 season as AHL/ECHL fringe players. Boudreau has impressed in Summer and Pre-Season camps in Nashville. Robinson’s history in the organization has already proved to show the coaching staff in Milwaukee enjoy his play and he would be a quality depth player to have around at the ECHL level in the event a call-up was needed.
Another key focal point this coming week will be the back-up goaltending battle here in Milwaukee between Gunnarsson and Visentin. This competition could come down to Gunnarsson translating from the European to North American style game vs. Visentin’s fitness. Gunnarsson looked fine enough in practice but had flustering moments at game speed. Meanwhile, Visentin has recovered from back-to-back season ending ankle injuries but is still a former first round draft pick level talent. No matter who loses out in Nashville they should be expected to shoulder the load in net for the Admirals this season. That still requires having a back-up on the AHL roster you can lean on just as well if needed.
What are you looking forward to the most out of this week’s Training Camp? Which new talent are you most excited to see on the ice? Who would you rather to take the back-up role in Milwaukee: Gunnarsson or Visentin?
The Nashville Predators signed Frédéric Allard to a three-year entry level contract Friday afternoon. The 18-year old defenseman becomes the second member of the Predators’ 2016 Draft Class to sign his entry level contract following defenseman Samuel Girard who signed his deal on Wednesday. Both are due to join their respective teams in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) for the 2016-17 season.
Nashville, Tenn. (September 30, 2016) – Nashville Predators President of Hockey Operations/General Manager David Poile announced today that the team has signed defenseman Frederic Allard to a three-year, entry-level contract.
Allard, 18 (12/27/97), has played the last three seasons with the Chicoutimi Sagueneens (QMJHL). In 2015-16, he played 64 games, amassing 59 points (14g-45a). He scored 11 power-play goals, two game-winning goals, and recorded 34 penalty minutes. Allard played 62 games for the Sagueneens in 2014-15, recording 30 points (2g-28a) and 24 penalty minutes. In 2013-14, Allard recorded 23 points (4g-19a) and 26 penalty minutes in 61 games.
Nashville’s fourth choice, 78th overall (third round), in the 2016 Entry Draft and a native of St. Sauveur, Quebec, Allard is currently attending 2016 Predators Training Camp. He skated 21:24 on Tuesday in the Preds’ second preseason game against the Florida Panthers, a 2-1 victory.
Unlike Girard, I wasn’t able to get an up close look at Allard this Summer at the Predators Rookie Development Camp as he was still nursing an injury at the time. The good news is that he was fit and factored into the Pre-Season activities for the Predators which should serve him nicely heading into his last junior playing season with the Chicoutimi Saguenéens (QMJHL).
Allard’s development in Chicoutimi saw a relatively incremental change from his rookie QMJHL season to his second but last season proved to be explosive. His best previous goal scoring production went from 4 goals (2013-14) to 14 goals and his best previous assists total went from 28 assists (2014-15) to 45 assists. The 2016 NHL Draft really was needed to replenish the Predators defensive depth and it appears that the scouts did an outstanding job finding quality early and often in this year’s class.
Admirals Roundtable’s Editor-in-Chief Daniel Lavender, pictured left, can typically be seen in the media section taking selfies of co-workers at awkward times. (Photo Credit: Daniel Lavender)
The Milwaukee Admirals 2016-17 season is fast approaching. This coming Tuesday will be the first official day of Training Camp here in Milwaukee and it will lead into the first of two Pre-Season games on the weekend that follows. The full schedule of the Training Camp can be found here. Friendly reminder, all practice sessions held at the MSOE Kern Center are open to the public.
I often like to set the table on a season by providing a little Admirals Roundtable 101 for a lot of the new readers and followers. My name is Daniel Lavender and I am the Editor-in-Chief of Admirals Roundtable. This season will be my fifth with the Milwaukee Admirals and fourth heading up Admirals Roundtable. My goal is to deliver a comprehensive inside look into the Milwaukee Admirals, provide breaking news, game recaps, feature stories, interviews, and make this your go-to destination for the Admirals and Nashville Predators prospect news.
When it comes to feature stories? Those vary but I often love to provide the stories that you want to know more about. Last season was the first in which we had an interview feature series known as Fifteen and it was driven mainly by getting to the players you readers wanted to hear from the most. Reader interaction is something I love bouncing off of because, without it, this isn’t much of a Roundtable is it? Always feel free to provide your comments and feedback on the website, stories, or social media platforms so a lot of what you want to be heard is heard and reciprocated.
As for our social media platforms – that’s a big thing. I like to stress that Twitter (@adsroundtable) is where the most activity tends to come from. It’s a better way to chat or ramble along with Admirals Roundtable and is where live play-by-play of the games gets presented. The Facebook page is a lot more relaxed and is generally used to provide stories when they’re released, minor notes here and there, and keeps the frequency of posts to a lighter setting to those who might feel that’s the overwhelming feel of -say- Twitter. We’re also available on Instagram for quickfire posts on news, final scorelines, roster activity, and general photographic hijinx. Additionally, all of our interviews with the Admirals coaches and players are hosted on SoundCloud where you can sometimes catch post-game interviews before they launch on the website.
When will things get posted? That’s often a question dependent upon how the news comes in but on a typical game-day experience you get a pre-game story known as Scouting The Enemy in the morning, the Game Recap gets posted as soon as it possibly can, and the post-game interview column Chatterbox tends to get posted late into the night. As always, when news becomes news – we shall get that rounded up and published. And feature stories generally come with a tip off of their arrival on social media but will come along in bulk when the season starts hitting stride.
Lastly, I always massively encourage everyone to participate, share thoughts, provide feedback, and -100%- have fun. Come Tuesday morning this is full-time work and things will be very busy and active. It’s the best time of the year, to me. The weather is getting colder. We’ve made it through the long off-season and buried that awful last game of the 2015-16 season in our minds… until I brought it up. Hockey is finally here. And, with all the storylines due to come at the UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena, I think we’re in for a special ride here in Milwaukee with the 2016-17 Admirals.
Welcome to the Roundtable,
Daniel Lavender
Editor-in-Chief
Admirals Roundtable
18-year old defenseman Samuel Girard has been turning heads ever since he first took to the Nashville ice this Summer. It’s perhaps with little surprise then that today he became the first member of the Nashville Predators 2016 NHL Draft Class to sign his entry level contract.
Nashville, Tenn. (September 28, 2016) – Nashville Predators President of Hockey Operations/General Manager David Poile announced Wednesday that the team has signed defenseman Samuel Girard to a three-year entry-level contract.
Girard, 18 (5/12/98), has played the last two seasons with the Shawinigan Cataractes (QMJHL). In 2015-16, he played 67 games, amassing 74 points (10g-64a). He posted a plus-24 rating and scored seven power-play goals. Girard played 64 games for the Cataractes in 2014-15, recording 43 points (5g-38a) and a plus-15 rating.
Nashville’s second choice, 47th overall (second round), in the 2016 Entry Draft and a native of Roberval, Quebec, Girard is currently attending 2016 Predators Training Camp. He skated 20:49 on Tuesday in the Preds’ second preseason game against the Florida Panthers.
Girard still has two-years remaining of junior playing time before he could ever see the AHL ice here in Milwaukee. With how sharp the Predators second round choice in the most recent NHL Draft has looked though I question if Admirals fans will be afforded the luxury of seeing him as an Admiral for all that long of a stay.
In two-seasons playing for the Shawinigan Cataractes (QMJHL) Girard has produced 117 points (15 goals, 102 assists) from the blueline in 131 games. He was awarded the Raymond Lagacé Trophy in 2014-15 as the QMJHL’s Defensive Rookie of the Year and named to the All-Rookie Team. He followed that up by being named the CHL Sportsman of the Year, the QMJHL Defenseman of the Year (Emile Bouchard Trophy), and the QMJHL Most Sportsmanlike Player (Frank J. Selke Trophy). He’s expected to rejoin Shawinigan this Fall for his third season of junior hockey.
It’s almost time to get frozen over at the MSOE Kern Center! (Photo Credit: Daniel Lavender)
Remember this morning when I said that the Milwaukee Admirals Pre-Season Camp hasn’t been officially scheduled or set in stone? It’s the afternoon now. And it has! The team will start on-ice activities here in Milwaukee on Tuesday October 4th. That same week will see the Admirals play their two Pre-Season games on Friday and Saturday.
~Training Camp Schedule~
Tuesday, October 4th:
10:30 AM – 12:00 PM @ MSOE Kern Center
Wednesday, October 5th:
10:30 AM – 12:00 PM @ MSOE Kern Center
Thursday, October 6th:
10:30 AM – 12:00 PM @ MSOE Kern Center
Friday, October 7th:
10:00 AM – 11:00 AM Pre-Game Skate @ MSOEKern Center
7:00 PM – Exhibition Game vs. Rockford @ MSOE Kern Center
Saturday, October 8th:
10:00 AM – 11:00 AM Pre-Game Skate @ Kern Center
7:00 PM – Exhibition Game vs. Chicago @ Triphahn Center Ice Arena
Sunday, October 9th:
Team Building Activity
Monday, October 10th:
Off-Day
Tuesday, October 11th:
9:30 AM – 10:30 AM @ MSOE Kern Center
Wednesday, October 12th:
10:30 AM – 12:00 PM @ MSOE Kern Center
Thursday, October 13th:
10:30 AM – 12:00 PM @ MSOE Kern Center (Tentative Media Day)
Friday, October 14th:
Travel Day to San Antonio
Saturday, October 15th:
7:00 PM – Regular Season Opener @ San Antonio
It’s nice to have everything mapped out, eh? It is also worth noting that all practice sessions held at the MSOE Kern Center are open to the public. So, if you’re just too eager to see the Admirals back on the ice, get your calendars cleared up now and plan accordingly.
Juuse Saros showed no signs of getting lost in translation as he made the leap from Europe to North America last season with the Milwaukee Admirals. (Photo Credit: Scott Paulus)
Today marks the first day of on-ice activities for the Nashville Predators Pre-Season Camp. And with that comes the counting down of days until the Milwaukee Admirals’ coaches and players migrate North for their own Pre-Season Camp. There is no official date set in stone just yet as to when the Admirals will take to the ice at the MSOE Kern Center and that comes from two key factors: the on-going World Cup of Hockey and on-going construction at the UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena. That primary factor is that of the World Cup of Hockey which affords coaches and players due for Milwaukee that extra bit of time in Nashville with the big camp and allows for the last rounds of construction to be completed before the Admirals move into their brand new home for the 2016-17 season and beyond.
~The Big Three Questions~
A variety of important storylines are being presented right now in Nashville: Will Kevin Fiala make that extra leap this year and start with the Predators on opening night? Is Marek Mazanec actually the lock for the back-up role to Pekka Rinne or is Juuse Saros capable of stepping in now? What final pieces and parts will stick in place and who falls to Milwaukee?
(Photo Credit: Sarah Fuqua)
Tackling those one at a time means starting with the big one, Mr. Fiala. Around this time a season ago there was all the feeling in the world that Fiala was going to climb into a role out of Pre-Season Camp despite the immense competition surrounding him. That didn’t happen. And the impact of Fiala being cut from Predators camp was something that lingered into the start of his AHL season. By no means was last year any sort of a lost season for Fiala. Instead I’d say it was exactly the season that he needed to grow as a man and as a player. For all the adversity there is out on the ice the battles off the ice are far more trying and taxing. Fiala was essentially cut from a big team for the first time in his career after having called his shot the months prior by saying he would make the team. It wasn’t so much his ability to lead the Admirals in scoring last season that was impressive as much as it was him overcoming early season struggles and accepting his place and roles with maturity. There were some hiccups along the way, team and league suspensions, but they were all taken as part of the learning process and taken to heart. By season’s end the Fiala on the ice and in the locker room from that of the start of the season were two different people. Should he make the Predators? Last season will have proved to work exactly as hoped for by Predators management, coaching, and the guidance given by the like in Milwaukee. Should he start the season in the AHL? He will have had last season’s situation to fall back on and know that all he truly needs to do is keep working. Either way, Fiala should factor into the Predators this season. It’s really just a question of if it manifests immediately or not.
(Photo Credit: Scott Paulus)
Mazanec or Saros? That’s a question that came about a fair bit around Milwaukee last season but its now a Pre-Season storyline in Nashville. The assumption would be that Mazanec, who has both the time logged in the system and NHL experience to boot, is the front runner to back-up Rinne. I agree with this assumption for two reasons: (1) Mazanec has paid his dues and is coming off of his most consistent season since arriving in North America. (2) Saros is still incredibly young and should get the experience of a full-season at the AHL level of being heavily leaned upon as “the guy” in net. Rinne played 147 games in Milwaukee at the AHL level. Mazanec, 118 games. Saros, 38 games. There’s no telling whether or not the Predators eventually fast track Saros but the only way they can confidently or remotely go with that as an option is to give him a full-season as a first choice goaltender in the AHL. In Rinne’s first season with the Admirals he played in 51 games. In Rinne’s last season with the Admirals he played 65 games. Saros literally 50-50 split starts with Mazanec last season at 38 starts per goalie. That needs to be upped substantially and it will be a true test of Saros ability as well as endurance. Therefore it isn’t exactly time to pull the trigger on Saros. But, should he pass with flying colors as he did last season but on an even larger sampling size, it will give plenty of people something to think about next off-season.
(Photo Credit: Scott Paulus)
And to allow for a better note on Mazanec as the choice of back-up to Rinne I tell Nashville fans this: relax. It’s bizarre to think that for as good as Rinne is that there is this unease in the air regarding his ability heading into the season. Last year’s 2.48 goals against average wasn’t all that great but his ability to bounce back for the better has only really seen further regressions twice (2008-09 to 2009-10, 2011-12 to 2012-13). He is still going to be great in net. Mazanec, in the same light, is now being promoted into a role he’s been groomed for. His progressions in the AHL have been steady but last season was an eye-opener. Mazanec entered the 2015-16 season seeing his previous year’s battery-mate Magnus Hellberg get traded to make way for the young hyped up goaltending prospect Saros who would be pushing for playing time in net. Mazanec could have fallen flat on his face, Saros could have steam rolled him and started more games, but the two split starts. Mazanec had his best AHL season, in my book, in 2015-16 and only a stinker of a regular season finale in Rockford by the team in front of Mazanec cost him the statistical numbers to cement that as a 100% fact. Mazanec is ready. He’s always been ready as proven by his past work for the Predators. Now he just has the chance to match his AHL level work in the NHL.
The final question is more of a sitting and waiting game. The Pre-Season Camp roster provides plenty of insight as to who could be on the AHL and ECHL radar given the attention provided by Nashville from Development Camp through the recent Rookie Camp and Tournament.
Out of those names there are already a few to keep a firm eye out on. Robinson became a familiar name when he joined the Admirals at the end of the 2014-15 season out of Dartmouth and proceeded to start the 2015-16 season with a bang before a knee injury around Thanksgiving ended his season. He took to the ice for the Rookie Camp and Tournament and looked just as dynamic as he did at the start of last season. I feel comfortable in saying he is a Evason-style player in that he always works hard and “does the right things.” If he is fully fit he should at least be due for Milwaukee once Pre-Season Camp begins and is likely for the ECHL as a flex player the Admirals could utilize again this season.
The next name that I think we should be getting used to is Boudreau who was a participant at this year’s Rookie Development Camp and has been brought into the mix again for the full-range of Predators Pre-Season activities. That same tag can be given Sawchenko but, unlike the goaltender, Boudreau is done with his junior playing commitments and is set for his first year of pro hockey this season. Boudreau made his professional playing debut last season as a member of the San Jose Barracuda in the 2016 AHL Calder Cup Playoffs. He was a second round draft pick of the San Jose Sharks in the 2013 NHL Draft and I’m willing to bet that high draft selection came due to his shot. I’ve watched him in person and his shot is a deadly one. He hits his wide variety of shots with pop and a very quick release. If the Sharks let him go? It’s the Predators gain to secure this 21-year old who still has plenty of potential.
~The Back Up~
For the sake of things let’s keep running with the assumption: Mazanec in Nashville, Saros in Milwaukee. That’s great. It makes a lot of sense. But who backs up Saros is debatably the biggest question facing the Admirals heading into the 2016-17 season.
(Photo Credit: Todd Reicher)
Think about the onslaught of names that are behind Saros right now in the AHL/ECHL pipeline and the situation that awaits the Cincinnati Cyclones once everything falls into place: Jonas Gunnarsson, Mark Visentin, Brandon Whitney, Steve Racine, and Joel Rumpel. One of those first three names listed will compete for the back-up spot. The rest will end up in the trenches down in Cincinnati. The front runner to back-up Saros right now would likely be Gunnarsson but a 100% healthy Visentin could prove to be quite the competition heading into the season. Just because Saros made last year’s transition from Europe to North America look easy doesn’t mean that it is the same for everyone. If there is any true positions in the game of hockey that get exposed in that transition it is in net and on defense where the pace of the game can cause all kinds of havoc that wasn’t experienced in the Swedish or Finnish leagues. I’ve watched Gunnarsson up close this Summer and liked what I saw. He looked alright in the Rookie Tournament, as well. But when the temperature drops outside and the real games are played what kind of Gunnarsson is going to show up as an AHL goaltender? This is a goaltender that was basically tabbed over Janne Juvonen despite Gunnarsson having teatered between the top two flights of the Swedish Hockey League in his career while Juvonen has been the go-to for Pelicans in the top flight of Liiga the past two-seasons. It’s a risk. Visentin and his injury history, it’s a risk. Whitney, who struggled mightily last season in the ECHL, it’s a risk. If Saros will be “the guy” for Milwaukee he really is going to be earning that title if some of these depth selections don’t pan out.
~Don’t Forget About Me~
People know about Fiala. People know about Saros. Nashville was introduced to Pontus Åberg last season in the playoffs and there is a sense of anticipation for Vladislav Kamenev this season. Yet, someone I don’t often hear spoken of in these prospect conversations is a guy who hit the AHL running last season by the name of Max Görtz.
(Photo Credit: Christina Shapiro)
Görtz narrowly missed out to Fiala for the highest scorer on the Admirals roster last season. The Swede scored 47 points (18 goals, 29 assists) in 72 games. There are two stats I point to when comparing Görtz and Fiala last season, penalty minutes and plus/minus. Görtz had 18 penalty minutes to Fiala’s 78 penalty minutes, Görtz plus/minus came in at +14 while Fiala’s was -19. You can eye-roll the plus/minus as a stat all you want, call it a fluke stat, but that margin between the two is that of the second best forward and worst forward in that category on the team last season. In fact, Görtz was tied for second best in plus/minus on the entire team with defenseman Jimmy Oligny with both trailing leader Max Reinhart by a +2 margin. Görtz all-around level of play last season was reliable and, at times, explosive. In the month of December he scored 15 points (5 goals, 10 assists) in 13 games en route to being named the AHL Rookie of the Month. With one Swede with a power shot gone from the Admirals power-play, Viktor Arvidsson, who stepped in? It was Görtz – who hammered in a team best 11 power-play goals. Only seven players in the AHL scored as many or more power-play goals last season than Görtz. He also had 11 power-play assists last season which had him tied with Kamenev for fifth on the team.
His ability to score and his shot were known coming into last season. Would most have expected it to show off as well as it did in his debut season in North America? Not likely. But the element that ties everything together nicely is the on-ice maturity he displayed right away. Mistakes are minimal. Penalty issues don’t come up all that often and that comes from a big bodied player that can battle along the boards to get pucks. He isn’t careless. He showed a patient approach to his game last season and it paid off. Now that he should be a lot more comfortable knowing the North American game and the system of hockey the team looks to provide it is going to be a fascinating watch to see if Görtz can go from the guy that people just aren’t talking about to the one they would most like to see get called up in the middle of the season.
~Four More~
What excites me the most about the 2016-17 season for the Admirals isn’t as much the new venue they will be playing at but that pretty much all of last year’s team will be returning. You know, that team that went 48-23-3-2 (101 points, 0.664 points percentage) and won the Central Division? Sure there are some veteran names that left but some veteran names were added right back on. That’s the life of an AHL team. But the added entertainment value of the life of an AHL team is the new talent and prospects that join year-to-year. This season there will be four first-year pros that were drafted by the Predators that could make splashes straight away: Justin Kirkland, Anthony Richard, Jack Dougherty, and Alexandre Carrier.
(Photo Credit: Marissa Baecker // Shoot the Breeze)
If forward roles weren’t stacked enough for the Admirals in the 2016-17 season they will be seeing the inclusion of Kirkland and Richard. It’s worth noting that Richard made his pro debut in the playoffs with the Admirals last season and looked energetic despite playing with a lower-body injury. He’s healed up. And now he gets to really open up the throttle for his first full-season of pro hockey. As for Kirkland? He should be the one everyone is most excited to see take to the ice for the first time this season. When everyone was busy talking about Jimmy Vesey my mind shifted towards Kirkland. He’s younger, bigger, stronger, and more dynamic. The true selling point between the two though is that Kirkland sounds like just the type of player that an Evason is going to love to coach. He can play center. He can play out on the wing. Better than that? It doesn’t matter to him as long as he is out there doing what the coaches are telling him.
Defensively this year’s Admirals group will be a young one but I feel that’s been the conversation these last few seasons. Adding Matt Irwin should be a positive influence on the group but the hope is for guys such as Oligny and Trevor Murphy to really up what they were able to achieve a season ago as players such as Dougherty and Carrier enter the mix.
Dougherty has been in a storm these last few seasons where he can’t quite settle down and grow in the same place: USA Hockey National Team Development Program (2013-14), University of Wisconsin (2014-15), and Portland Winterhawks (2015-16). Hopefully by coming on-board with the Admirals he will finally have a stable platform from which to build from because, despite all the rapid changes in scenery, he has still done very well for himself. That showed late last season when he managed to play for 3 games with the Admirals. The pro debut is out of the way. His first pro point has already been achieved. He knows the team, its coaches, and its players. Perhaps this season is one where he can finally settle in and blossom.
Carrier is the one player on this list where I fear the numbers game could potentially rattle him down to the ECHL for his first full-season of pro hockey. That wouldn’t be a bad thing but my experience this Summer seeing his line-work with Murphy really makes me hope that they stick together for awhile. The two had instant chemistry and have games that are quite similar to one another. They aren’t the biggest defensemen on the ice but their skating and puckhandling skills make-up for the size. If the Predators defensive structure and the ideals of what it is to be a Predators defenseman is to be an active offensive presence by joining the rush while utilizing that same skating and attacking ability to defend? There might not be a better example coming down the pipeline than a paring between Murphy and Carrier. I just hope Milwaukee gets a chance to see it work this season.
~Closing~
This season is going to be a roller coaster ride that far exceeds the on-ice product for the Milwaukee Admirals. It is a reintroduction of the UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena as the home to the franchise that it once housed when it was the MECCA. A changed environment is going to be a surreal feeling those first few games. I actually wonder just how many fans have actually never stepped foot inside of the UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena but are bracing for that first experience in close to a month’s time. Those who have experienced it but will be taking in all the renovations. Myself? I last attended an event in the building during the US Cellular Arena days for a Motocross event with my dad when I was a middle school kid. Seeing these changes to what I remember are simply impressive.
As last season was unique with new uniforms and the realization that the BMO Harris Bradley Center was no longer going to house Admirals hockey this too is going to have such a unique look and feel about it. While renovations will be on-going, as the old becomes new again, the constant that we can all rely on is that this year’s team should provide the same level of excitement that it did a season ago. The benefit of last season, despite the painful playoff exit, was the experience and the time provided to learn and grow. Those players are pretty much all coming back. The idea of unfinished business and multiple players looking to prove their NHL value right now should make the 2016-17 season a special one on the ice. And it will be paired at the hip with a special one off it as the Admirals well and truly have a place they can call their home.
Alexandre Carrier and Samuel Girard will be among those participating in this year’s Nashville Predators Rookie Camp and Tournament. (Photo Credit: Daniel Lavender)
The long slumber that is the off-season is near its end. The Nashville Predators pre-season activities will start with their Rookie Camp on September 15th. Plus, the new World Cup of Hockey will open up with exhibition games tonight with competitive fixtures beginning a little over a week from today on September 17th. Hockey season is finally upon us and all is right with the world once more.
There are plenty of talking points when looking at the released roster for the Predators Rookie Camp. A good chunk of the names listed are quite familiar, some were on hand during this summer’s Rookie Development Camp, and a few others are invitees who could potentially land with the Milwaukee Admirals or the Cincinnati Cyclones for the 2016-17 season.
The players that are listed as invitees, or are under contract through the Admirals, are: Bennett, Olivier, Paquin-Boudreau, Robinson, Spink, other Spink, Walsh, Doherty, and Sawchenko.
(Photo Credit: Jamie Wahl)
My first head turning moment with the roster comes in the form of Robinson being listed. The 26-year old winger made his pro debut with the Milwaukee Admirals at the end of the 2014-15 season and returned on an AHL contract last season. His 2015-16 season started with a bang: 4 points (3 goals, 1 assist) in 5 games with the Admirals (AHL) and 9 points (4 goals, 5 assists) in 8 games with the Cyclones (ECHL). This all came to a thundering halt on 11/26/15 when he suffered a significant knee injury that required surgery and put him out for the rest of the season. It’s unclear if the forward is officially set to rejoin on an AHL contract with the Admirals but his inclusion on the Predators Rookie Camp Roster is a welcome sight given the story of “what if” for him a season ago. Not to mention, if not for his injury, who knows if Matt White would have entered the fold.
(Photo Credit: Bob Cornell // Colgate Athletic Communications)
It’s not all that often that you see identical twins playing on the exact same team but the Spink twins are looking to make a splash together in their first full-season of professional hockey. The two 23-year olds played at Colgate University where they both enjoyed a solid four-year run of NCAA Division I hockey. At the end of last season they both joined the Toledo Walleye in the ECHL on ATO contracts and Tylor managed to get a bump up to the AHL with the Toronto Marlies. Telling the two apart off the ice might be a bit tricky but on the ice it becomes a bit more clear: Tylor is a center with a right shot and Tyson is a winger with a left shot. All things told these two combined for 243 points (92 goals, 151 assists) at Colgate University. They’re in as invitees but could both add to an already deep AHL forward group for the 2016-17 season.
To end with some final notes: If Sawchenko manages to climb up from being an inclusion to Rookie Development Camp and Rookie Camp all the way to a pro contract – that would mean the AHL and ECHL setup having five goaltenders. Allard attended Rookie Development Camp this summer but did not participate in on-ice activities due to injury. Paquin-Boudreau was involved in on-ice activities this summer with the Predators, looked great, and could be yet another forward slated for a pro contract.
Who do you feel has an opportunity to best elevate themselves from invitee to a contract for the 2016-17 season?
The Milwaukee Admirals have officially signed goaltender Mark Visentin to a one-year AHL contract this afternoon. Visentin was an invitee to the Nashville Predators Rookie Development Camp this Summer where he was reacquainted with goaltending coach Ben Vanderklok who he started his career with in junior hockey with the Niagara IceDogs of the OHL.
Milwaukee, WI—The Admirals announced today that they have signed goaltender Mark Visentin to a American Hockey League contract for the 2016-17 season.
Visentin, 23, spent last season with the Rockford IceHogs, where he accumulated a 4-6-2 record with a 2.60 goals against average, .906 save percentage and one shutout in 13 contests. The Arizona Coyotes first round pick in 2010, Visentin played two seasons with the Portland Pirates from 2012-14 and made his NHL debut with the Coyotes on April 12, 2014 against the San Jose Sharks.
Visentin played four years of junior hockey with the Niagara IceHogs of the OHL. He was named the league’s Goalie of the Year in 2011 after going 30-9-6 with 2.52 GAA and a .917 save %. The following year he led OHL goalies with 10 shutouts and a 1.99 GAA. The Waterdown, ON native played for Team Canada in the World Junior Championships in both 2010 and 2011, winning silver and bronze medals, respectively.
The Admirals will open up the home portion of their 2016-17 season on Saturday, October 29th at the UWM Panther Arena. The remainder of the schedule will be released later this summer.
Visentin was the second goaltender selected in the 2010 NHL Draft when he was drafted by Arizona Coyotes organization with the twenty-seventh overall pick. He made his NHL debut on 4/12/14 but unfortunately for the soon to be 24-year old goalie that was his one and only game played at that level. A series of ankle injuries have hindered his career which ended up leaving him in a similar position last off-season when he wound up signing an AHL contract with the Rockford IceHogs. He only logged 13 games in the 2015-16 season sporting a 4-6-2-1 record with a 2.60 goals against average, 0.906 save percentage, and a lone shutout.
The depth now at goaltender shouldn’t be all that worrying. Between the Nashville Predators potential back-up options, the Admirals options, and the ECHL there are five options to chose from: Marek Mazanec, Juuse Saros, Jonas Gunnarsson, Brandon Whitney, and now Visentin. It’s most likely that the latter two names will be the ECHL depth options but, with strong performances in pre-season camp versus the debutant to the North American game Gunnarsson, the options for the back-up role in Milwaukee just improved.
The recent news of defenseman continues. This go-round it is actually a member of last year’s Milwaukee Admirals team finding a new home. Patrick Mullen has signed with Dinamo Riga of Russia’s Kontinental Hockey League (KHL).
Mullen was acquired from the Ottawa Senators organization by the Nashville Predators in exhange for Conor Allen during the Admirals defensive re-organization last season. This was then followed by the acquisitions of Stefan Elliott and Corey Potter. From Mullen’s debut on 1/15/16 to the end of the regular season the Admirals put together a brilliant record of 25-10-1-2 from their final 38 games. Mullen contributed 14 points (2 goals, 12 assists) from 29 games with the Admirals in the 2015-16 season and held a plus/minus rating of +6 with 19 penalty minutes.
For those who enjoy following Admirals careers post-Milwaukee, such as I do, it might interest you to note that Mullen will not be the lone former-Admirals player at Dinamo Riga this coming season. Vinny Saponari, the Legend of Toe-Drag City, will also be there.
Admirals Roundtable 