Yesterday’s news was that the Nashville Predators recalled Pontus Åberg from the Milwaukee Admirals. It wasn’t publicized by the Predators but also included in the mix was Marek Mazanec who was part of the healthy scratch brigade in last night’s 5-2 Game 1 loss against the San Jose Sharks.
Those releases aren’t to say that it is the last you will see of those guys. Especially those last three who were drafted by the Predators in recent years. It’s likely that you will see either entry level contracts signed through the Predators or standard player contracts penned to the Admirals in the off-season.
As for the “Black Aces” that typically go up to the Predators once the Admirals season ends there should be more than just Åberg and Mazanec heading up during the parent club’s playoff run. Other names that are very likely to be going to Nashville ahead of Game 3 are: Kevin Fiala, Vladislav Kamenev, Juuse Saros, Frédérick Gaudreau, Stefan Elliott, Corey Potter, and Félix Girard.
Now that the Milwaukee Admirals season has come to an end there should be a few names heading to the Nashville Predators as their playoff season continues tonight with a second round match-up against the San Jose Sharks. The first name that will be getting recalled will be Pontus Åberg whose first career NHL call-up comes during the midst of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Nashville, Tenn. (April 29, 2016) – Nashville Predators President of Hockey Operations/General Manager David Poile announced Friday that the club has recalled forward Pontus Aberg (PAWN-tuhs AW-buhrg) from Milwaukee (AHL).
Aberg, 22 (9/23/93), scored 25 goals and amassed 40 points in 74 games for the Admirals in 2015-16, tying for 13th among all AHLers in goals, while tying for the AHL lead in game-winning goals (8) and first goals (8). The 5-foot-11, 196-pound winger also ranked fourth on the Admirals in points; he amassed 34 points (16g-18a), ranking fifth on the team in the category, as a rookie in 2014-15. A native of Stockholm, Sweden, Aberg was Nashville’s first choice, 37th overall (second round), in the 2012 Entry Draft. He helped Farjestad advance to the 2014 Swedish Hockey League Final, earning a silver medal, and was a finalist for the 2012 Swedish Elite League Rookie of the Year with Djurgarden.
Individual tickets for Round Two of the 2016 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs against the San Jose Sharks are on sale now and available for purchase at NashvillePredators.com. The first two contests of the series will be held in San Jose before the club returns to Bridgestone Arena for Game Three on Tuesday, May 3 (8 p.m. CT on USA) and Game Four on Thursday, May 5 (8 p.m. CT on CNBC). If necessary, Game Six will be played in Nashville on Monday, May 9 (time and broadcast info TBD). For the latest information about the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs, visit NashvillePredators.com, or follow @PredsNHL on Twitter using #StandWithUs.
This past-season was Åberg’s second professional playing season in North America and it was a huge leap forward. Åberg finished the 2015-16 season with 40 points (25 goals, 15 assists) from 74 games. More specifically, Åberg finished the regular season on a white hot run of 22 points (11 goals, 11 assists) in the Admirals last 21 games of the season. In that span Åberg was held without a point in just 5 games. He finished the season as the Admirals top goal scorer. More names from the Admirals are expected to join the Predators in the near future.
The New Bucks Arena – with Hockey-less Hockey Rink Karate Chop Action!
According to Rich Kirchen of the Milwaukee Business Journal the Milwaukee Bucks new arena will feature an ice rink that meets NHL and NCAA specifications. This news comes less than two days after the Milwaukee Admirals played in what possibly could have been their last game at the BMO Harris Bradley Center where the two organizations are tenants.
There is much said in the article produced today by Kirchen. So let’s plunge into some snippets:
Despite the plans for a hockey rink at the new arena, a Bucks spokesman says the owners aren’t seeking an NHL team.
“There are no plans for the NHL,” Bucks spokesman Jake Suski said.
Rather, the Bucks owners are looking to host events such as the NCAA hockey tournament and its Frozen Four men’s championship or an NHL exhibition game at the new arena, Suski said.
“The arena includes facilities and equipment for ice-related events so that the venue has the flexibility to attract all kinds of world-class entertainment,” Suski said.
Something about the timing of this announcement rubs me the wrong way. The Bucks offered zero communication with the Admirals in regards to their participation in the new arena. That forced the Admirals to look after their own best interests, which they did, and they were approved by the Wisconsin Center District for a ten-year lease with a mutual option for five more years. The Admirals host the opening two games of their opening round series in the 2016 Calder Cup Playoffs, they lose both, are on the brink of elimination, and could have possibly played their last game at the BMO Harris Bradley Center with the loss on Saturday night. Out of nowhere the Bucks get to talking about their new venue being able to host hockey events? There is something highly questionable to that considering how little they viewed the Admirals in their plans. To announce it shortly after the Admirals potential last game at the Bradley Center comes across like a parting shot.
The Admirals and the Bucks relationship, at least on the surface level, seems fine. When you start to scratch below that a little bit to find out things in connection to where the money from Admirals games at the Bradley Center mostly goes to you can get a sense of tension. The Bucks pocket the majority of merchandise revenue from the Admirals merchandise at the Bradley Center. The Admirals leaving the Bucks, after being given the silent treatment during new arena talks, has allowed for them to rediscover a playing venue that was once called home ice where they can once again call it their building. They will be seeing new revenue streams that they never really were able to tap into because of the functionality of the Bucks business practices at the Bradley Center. The Admirals will be getting merchandise and concession revenue at the UW-Milwaukee Panthers Arena. The Bucks will now be losing all that the Admirals provided them that they leached off of for years upon years. In what could be their final act of partnership, as the Admirals bow out, the Bucks immediately welcome the work week with news that they never before cared to share months ago: there will be a hockey rink.
Is this to say it makes any sort of a competitive business act by the Bucks against the Admirals? No. Even if there were exhibition games held at the new arena, something that happened with the Bradley Center first opened, they would be just that – exhibition games. If they’re smart, in terms of marketing, they would seek the Nashville Predators, the parent club of the Admirals, to take part in any of those exhibition games to try and lure their local fan base in. NCAA Frozen Four? That would be a bit more head-to-head with the Admirals for a brief span of time in April but I’d imagine, barring the Wisconsin Badgers hockey program making a major turn-around in the next few years, the bulk of attendance would be travelling college fan bases from the participating schools.
What this news is was a “look at us” from the Bucks while the Admirals news cycle is going for once with the possibility of final games at the Bradley Center in-play. It could have been announced far in advance. It could have been communicated to the Admirals when inquiries were made of any possible participation at the new arena. It could have even been brought up in the dead of summer when neither team had anything happening. Instead, this news comes a little shy of forty-eight hours from what might have been the last opening puck drop of Admirals hockey at the Bradley Center. It’s a parting shot. It’s a sour attempt to step in front of the Admirals, who were the last professional team playing in the building this spring, to take the spotlight. Timing is everything. The timing of this news is coincidental at best and intentional at worst.
They have been with the team now since the last week of the regular season but weren’t officially part of the Milwaukee Admirals roster. Ahead of tonight’s Game Two against the Grand Rapids Griffins in the opening round series of the 2016 Calder Cup Finals – that’s changed. The Admirals have officially added goaltender Janne Juvonen and defenseman Joonas Lyytinen to PTO Contracts.
Juvonen was a seventh round draft choice of the Nashville Predators in the 2013 NHL Draft. He was the last selection made by the Predators in that draft class which includes current Admirals Felix Girard and Juuse Saros. The 21-year old netminder Juvonen has spent his career to the point playing in his native Finland. He has already logged 86 games at the senior team level at the top flight of Finland’s Liiga which have all come with the team he joins the Admirals from, Pelicans.
Lyytinen is yet another member of the brilliant selections made by the Predators in the 2014 NHL Draft. Every member of that draft class, aside from Justin Kirkland who is currently battling it out in the 2016 WHL Playoffs for the Kelowna Rockets, are now playing professionally. Lyytinen was selected in the fifth round of that draft class by the Predators and has spent his entire career, youth system and senior level appearances, as part of KalPa in his native Finland.
Ahead of the Milwaukee Admirals first game of the 2016 Calder Cup Playoffs they have added a familiar face to the roster in the form of forward Zac Larraza. The 23-year old had previously signed a PTO Contract with the Admirals back in mid-December. He now signs yet another PTO Contract at the dawn of the AHL’s playoff season.
With the Admirals Larraza managed to play 10 games while scoring 3 points (1 goal, 2 assists). He collected 13 shots on goal and did not take any penalties while holding an even plus/minus rating. This season has been his debut season of professional hockey and, while the better majority of his time spent has been with the Manchester Monarchs of the ECHL, he has played for two other AHL teams than the Admirals: Portland Pirates and San Diego Gulls. In total, Larraza’s 2015-16 campaign across the AHL and ECHL has garnered 38 points (23 goals, 15 assists) from 63 games of work.
Of note, Larraza’s first stint with the Admirals saw him wearing #28 with the team. That has since been claimed by defenseman Corey Potter. As such, Larraza will become the first Admirals player to wear #20 since Miikka Salomäki who wore it earlier this season.
The Nashville Predators have announced this afternoon that they have signed Milwaukee Admirals forward Adam Payerl to a one-year, two-way contract that will see him stay within the organization for the 2016-17 season.
Nashville, Tenn. (April 21, 2016) – Nashville Predators President of Hockey Operations/General Manager David Poile announced Thursday that the club has signed forward Adam Payerl to a one-year contract worth $575,000 at the NHL level and $75,000 at the AHL level in 2016-17.
Payerl, 22 (3/4/91), has spent the 2015-16 campaign with Nashville’s primary developmental affiliate, the American Hockey League’s Milwaukee Admirals, posting 29 points (13g-16a) and 114 penalty minutes in 74 games and helping the club claim the Central Division title. The 6-foot-3, 215-pound native of Kitchener, Ont., has appeared in 204 career AHL contests since 2012 with Milwaukee and Wilkes-Barre, amassing 60 points (23g-37a) and 284 penalty minutes, in addition to playing in two NHL games with Pittsburgh during the 2013-14 campaign (0pts, 2 PIMs).
Never drafted, Payerl played five seasons in the Ontario Hockey League with Barrie and Belleville from 2007-12, posting 143 points (60g-83a) and 303 penalty minutes in 306 games.
Payerl entered this season as property of the Cincinnati Cyclones after not having any other AHL offers on the table. The Admirals brought him into their pre-season camp with a few other names from the Cyclones roster and Payerl instantly made a huge impression on the Admirals coaching staff. This season he has reached AHL career highs across the board having contributed 29 points (13 goals, 16 assists) from 74 games.
The Springfield Falcons’ 21-year AHL run appears to be over as the Arizona Coyotes will likely move the franchise to Tucson. Logo via Chris Creamer’s SportsLogos.net
There is an interesting report surfacing in recent days in regard to the Arizona Coyotes and the Springfield Falcons.
Last week ArizonaSports.com made it known that the Coyotes were interested in purchasing an AHL team and relocating them to Arizona to setup shop in Tucson. Arizona’s second largest city is just a short drive south of the Phoenix Metro area.
The initial ArizonaSports.com feature did not cite which team would be relocating, but a report on WWLP.com cited the Falcons as the likely party. This morning Falcons announced the news on their website, and it was reported on MassLive.com that team owner Charlie Pompea confirmed the news.
In August 2015 the Coyotes signed a three-year affiliation with the Falcons, who did not make the AHL playoffs this season. Previously Arizona had been affiliated with the Portland Pirates.
Springfield, Massachusetts has housed an AHL team nearly every year since 1936 and is currently home to the offices of the American Hockey League.
The potential Tucson team would join the Pacific Division per the ArizonaSports.com report. It would likely play its games at the Tucson Convention Center beginning as early as 2016-17, but that timetable is still to be resolved according to the MassLive.com report.
If Springfield to Tucson is the only offseason relocation for the AHL, my initial guess on how the divisions would shake out is this: Charlotte would move out of the Central Division and into the Eastern Conference, while Tucson would slot into the newly formed Pacific Division. The Pacific Divison would then have eight teams and the Central would be left with seven.
The sale and move of the franchise is not yet official as it needs a final sign off by the American Hockey League’s Board of Governors.
So Roundtable . . . What do you think of year one of the AHL’s Pacific Division? Are you sad to see another longtime AHL city lose its team? What are your thoughts on the Admirals potentially playing Tucson in the future?
According to AHL Transactions the Milwaukee Admirals have release forward A.J. White from his amateur try-out (ATO) contract. This move comes two days after White suited up in the Admirals regular season finale which was his fifth appearance with the team.
White joined the Admirals from UMass-Lowell where he had just finished his college playing career. He had played 153 games at UMass-Lowell and contributed 79 points (28 goals, 51 assists). He also happened to be teammates at the college program with current Admiral Joe Pendenza. White made his professional playing debut with the Admirals on 4/2/16 in Milwaukee against the San Antonio Rampage. In his five appearances with the team he didn’t score a point of offense, didn’t take a penalty, and had a plus/minus rating of -3 which all came in his last two outings of the season.
(Photo Credit: Andre Ringuette // HHOF-IIHF Images)
I’m not sure why this process took as long as it did but the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) has suspended Vladislav Kamenev for two-games in relation to his unsportsmanlike conduct major in the Gold Medal Game of the 2016 IIHF World Junior Championships. The suspension for the current center of the Milwaukee Admirals will be served during the 2017 IIHF World Championships.
ZURICH – Russian forward Vladislav Kamenev has been suspended for two games due to unsportsmanlike conduct during the 2016 IIHF World Junior Championship.
During the gold medal game between Russia and Finland after Finland had scored a 3-2 goal with 3:09 left in regulation time, team captain Kamenev was sent to the game officials in order to dispute a non-call. The referee instructed him to go back to the bench and when the referee skated away, the player followed him to continue his complaints and was given a 10-minute misconduct penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct.
When the referee ordered him to enter the penalty box, Kamenev hesitated to do so, again arguing with the referee. Then while entering the penalty box he crashed his stick so forcefully against the door jamb of the penalty box that the stick broke. After he had entered the penalty box he also slammed the broken stick downwards, injuring an off-ice official standing beside him who was trying to close the door of the penalty box. He then kicked the rest of his stick out of the penalty box onto the ice.
The referee assessed a 20-minute game misconduct penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct according to IIHF Rule 168.
The off-ice official suffered an open cut leaving a scar on his left hand and a hematoma that lasted about three weeks.
At the formal session conducted in Zurich, Kamenev, who currently plays for the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals, was represented by the counsel of the Ice Hockey Federation of Russia, who argued that it was appropriate and customary for a team captain to discuss the non-call with the referee and the only way to talk to him was to follow him, therefore the 10-minute penalty was not warranted and provoked the regrettable behaviour.
However, according to IIHF Rule 28 vi, the player, even being the captain of the team, was not allowed to come off the players’ bench and discuss with the referee about how he was conducting the game unless requested to do so by an on-ice official. According to the rule the player shall get a warning and with a second incident a 10-minute misconduct penalty no matter whether profane language or gestures were used as the referee reported and the player denied. The penalty is justified in any case by IIHF Rule 116 iii.4.
Also the second penalty after the incident at the penalty box was correct and justified by IIHF Rule 116 iii.5. A second misconduct penalty becomes an automatic 20-minute game misconduct penalty according to IIHF Rule 107 ii.
The Deciding Panel of the IIHF Disciplinary Board is of the opinion that the game misconduct penalty is not adequate enough to sanction the agitated behaviour of the player as the aggressive behaviour he unmistakably expressed made his actions a more serious case that showed a flagrant disregard of the rules.
As captain of the team he should have acted in an exemplary manner. Neither his youth nor the alleged lack of experience nor the importance of the game can count as mitigating factors. The IIHF World Junior Championship is one of the most important international competitions. Therefore players taking part must meet the demands of such a competition and it can be expected that the players are adequately educated and able to deal with such situations.
The Panel rejects the player’s counsel’s contention that the actions were provoked by the referee’s unjustifiable actions. In the contrary, the incident was caused by the refusal of the player to listen to the referee’s decisions and the lack of respect toward the referee.
Smashing the broken stick furiously downward, injuring an off-ice official due to significantly negligently action and then kicking the broken stick out of the box onto the ice must be judged as a highly inconsiderate, uncontrolled and reckless action showing a degree of lack of sportsmanship and self-control that cannot be tolerated.
Therefore Kamenev has been suspended for his actions for two games. The suspension will be served during the 2017 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship as outlined in the IIHF Disciplinary Code 10.5.2.
The decision may be appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport within 21 days.
That press release paints about as rough of a picture of the incident as it can against Kamenev. To plunge more into the “how did it escalate up to that point” of the matter you have to run back to when the infraction took place on 1/5/16. My summary of that game, and the incident, read like this:
What becomes so sad about Kamenev’s time in the 2016 World Juniors is how it ended, literally. After being able to thwart Team USA in the semi-finals the Russians squared off against the host country Finland in the goal medal game. Kamenev scored a howitzer of a one-timed slap shot on the power-play to put Russia out in front 1-0 in the first period. From there, Finland was all-over Russia and poured on pressure upon pressure with the Finns looking certain to crack Russia’s defense. It wasn’t a matter of it it only felt like a matter of when. The game was tied 2-2 until a power-play goal from Mikko Rantanen with 2:09 remaining in regulation appeared to give Finland a certain win. That’s when things went ugly.
After the power-play goal for Finland was scored to give them a 3-2 lead with 2:09 remaining in the game it was apparent that Kamenev was very unhappy with the referees in regards to something. Was it the amount of power-plays going the way to Finland? Was it something that occurred to him that wasn’t called as he was penalty killing? We might not know unless someone speaks out about it but whatever was said between Kamenev and the officials led to him being slapped with a misconduct penalty. Enraged by getting a misconduct, Kamenev skated over to the penalty box and broke his stick at the door in disgust. As he entered the box he was attempting to throw what was left of his stick at the ground. When he was winding up to spike it a penalty box judge was stepping up from behind him and Kamenev’s stick smacked his clipboard out of his hands. It looked bad. It was bad. But the real damage was already done the moment Kamenev shattered his stick at the penalty box door. His misconduct penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct was accompanied by a game misconduct and he was ejected from the game.
It clearly was a wrongful act. No defending that. But I still relate to the human element of the matter in which a 19-year old, under a massive microscope, let the emotions of the moment overwhelm himself. It cost himself a chance to finish what could be the biggest game of his career to this point off and did end up having Team Russia lose the Gold Medal to the host nation Finland in overtime. There are many human elements to this one mistake of judgement made by Kamenev. The press release from the IIHF makes him out to be a savage hot head who left the bench to throw a temper tantrum. Kamenev was on the ice working the penalty kill when Finland scored to take a late lead after which he was clearly upset about a call made on the ice. He then was slapped with a misconduct for disputing the call. That sent an already bitter moment into a rage. It doesn’t make it right but it also doesn’t make the IIHF’s portrayal of him accurate, either.
The roster news today keeps on rolling in as the Milwaukee Admirals have announced that they have signed defenseman Aaron Irving to an ATO contract. Irving was selected by the Nashville Predators in the sixth round of the 2014 NHL Draft. Irving is now the fourth member of that draft class on the Admirals roster alongside Kevin Fiala, Vladislav Kamenev, and Jack Dougherty. He joins Anthony Richard, Marek Mazanec, and Corey Potter as part of the team’s roster moves today.
Milwaukee— Nashville Predators President of Hockey Operations/General Manager David Poile announced today that the club has assigned defenseman Corey Potter, goaltender Marek Mazanec and forward Anthony Richard to Milwaukee. In addition, the Admirals have signed defenseman Aaron Irving to an Amateur Try-Out Contract (ATO) and reassigned goalie Brandon Whitney to the Cincinnati Cyclones of the ECHL.
Potter played in his first game with the Predators in their 3-2 loss to Dallas last Saturday night. He has three assists in 16 games for the Admirals since joining the Nashville organization at the Trade Deadline, helping them to a 12-2-2 record in that span. In 77 total AHL contests this season with Milwaukee and Springfield, the 6-foot-3, 205-pound native of Lansing, Michigan has 20 points (5g-15a). Potter also has 130 NHL games to his credit with the New York Rangers, Pittsburgh, Edmonton, Boston and Calgary since 2008-09, posting 32 points (8g-24a). A fourth-round selection (122nd overall) of the Edmonton Oilers in the 2003 Entry Draft, Potter spent four seasons at Michigan State University from 2002-06. He won gold medals with Team USA at the 2002 Under-18 World Championship and the 2004 World Junior Championship.
Mazanec, who backed up Carter Hutton in the Preds season finale last Saturday, has posted a 19-14-5 record with four shutouts (tied for sixth in the AHL), a 2.33 goals-against average (eighth) and a .916 save percentage in his third season in North America in 2015-16. The 6-foot-4, 202-pound native of Pisek, Czech Republic has appeared in 27 career NHL games since 2013-14, and was named the NHL’s Rookie of the Month for November 2013 after going 5-4-1 with two shutouts, a 2.00 goals-against average and a .933 save percentage. Mazanec was Nashville’s ninth choice, 179th overall (sixth round), in the 2012 Entry Draft, and catches with his right hand; only five of 91 goalies to appear in the NHL this season do so.
Richard recently completed his fourth QMJHL season with Val-d’Or, tying for 11th in league points (25g-36a-61pts), ranking 12th in assists and tying for 14th in goals despite missing the final three weeks of the regular season due to injury. The Trois-Rivieres, Quebec native also tied for the league lead in shorthanded points (5g-3a-8pts), ranked second in game-winning goals (8) and third in shorthanded goals. A season ago, Nashville’s third choice, 100th overall (fourth round), in the 2015 Entry Draft ranked eighth in the QMJHL in goals (43) and tied for eighth in league points, then tied for third in the 2015 QMJHL Playoffs in goals (12) and ranked ninth in postseason points (22) as the Foreurs advanced to the league semifinals. In his first full season with Val-d’Or in 2013-14, he helped the club win the 2014 President’s Cup and advance to the Memorial Cup, ranking fourth on the team and tying for seventh among all skaters in postseason goals (10).
Irving recently completed his season with the Edmonton Oil Kings of the WHL where he finished second among team defenseman and fourth overall with 40 points (9g-31a). The Predators sixth round pick in the 2014 NHL Draft has spent the parts of the past four seasons with the Oil Kings, accumulating 83 points on 24 goals and 59 assists to go along with 240 penalty minutes in 205 games. The Edmonton, Alberta, native put up 30 points (9g-21a) in 63 games for the Oil Kings in 2013-14 and helped them win their first Memorial Cup in franchise history.
The Admirals begin the final week of the regular season when they host the Chicago Wolves on Tuesday night at 7 pm in Amtrak Rivalry Action at the BMO Harris Bradley Center.
Tickets for 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.
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It’s worth noting that, unlike Richard, Irving has yet to sign his entry-level contract with the Predators. This signing is an amateur try-out contract. It’s not to say the Predators won’t be penning the 20-year old defenseman to that ELC deal in the near future but just worth pointing out.
Irving just finished up his third full-season with the Edmonton Oil Kings of the WHL where he enjoyed his best season of junior hockey. In 72 games he produced 40 points (9 goals, 31 assists). During his WHL career he has logged 205 games, all with the Oil Kings, and scored 83 points (24 goals, 59 assists).
Admirals Roundtable 