Category: News

News January 7, 2016

What Ryan Johansen Means for Nashville and Milwaukee

The Nashville Predators finally dipped into their high-end defensive depth to acquire Ryan Johansen from the Columbus Blue Jackets. What does that mean for the Milwaukee Admirals in the immediate and near future? (Photo Credit: Scott Paulus)

Yesterday was a massive day in the Nashville Predators organization. They pulled the trigger on a trade and finally have a legit first choice center that they have been chasing after forever. The man: Ryan Johansen. The cost: Seth Jones.

Press Release via Nashville Predators:

Nashville, Tenn. (January 6, 2016) – Nashville Predators President of Hockey Operations/General Manager David Poile announced Tuesday that the team has acquired center Ryan Johansen from the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for defenseman Seth Jones.

“Ryan is a big, young center that can score, set up goals, win faceoffs,” Poile said. “He’s a No. 1 center who is still growing his game and has the size and skill that we have been looking for to match up with the best in the League.”

Johansen, 23 (7/31/92), played in all 82 of Columbus’ games in 2013-14 and 2014-15, first setting a career high in goals (33), then posting personal bests in assists (45) and points (71) while appearing in the 2015 All-Star Game. The 6-foot-3, 218-pound native of Vancouver has 26 points (6g-20a) in 38 games this season. For his career, Johansen has 193 points (79g-114a) in 309 games and a 51.8 percent success rate in the face-off circle, including a 52 percent success rate this season, putting him in the Top 10 among those taking at least 400 draws.

The fourth overall selection in the 2010 Entry Draft, Johansen also has six points (2g-4a) in six career Stanley Cup Playoff games – all in 2014 with the Blue Jackets. He earned a silver medal and a spot on the tournament all-star team at the 2011 World Junior Championship after posting nine points (3g-6a) in seven games, and was a 2011 WHL First Team All-Star after recording 92 points (40g-52a) in 63 regular-season WHL games, and a league-best 28 points (13g-15a) in 21 postseason contests in his second and final campaign with the Portland Winterhawks.

There you have it. The Predators finally did it. After all this time. We finally have a concrete answer for why Petter Granberg was acquired off waivers!

Alright, I could help but use that joke. Kidding aside, what an incredible moment for Predators hockey. There was so much talk among what players in the Predators defense were or weren’t available and, if they were, what value did they hold and what player(s) should they be used to fetch. Out of all the names the one that seemed like it would be hard to pry away would be Jones. He was selected fourth overall in the 2013 NHL Draft. Was an NHL level player from Day #1. And, at the age of 21-years old, can only keep getting better and better.

Here is the catch to all of this and it is something I feel very strongly about: balance is the key to championship level success.

The Predators for a very long time now have had the best three-lines of defense in the NHL. Shea Weber and Roman Josi are self explanatory at this point for how world class they are. Mattias Ekholm and Ryan Ellis‘ development process from Milwaukee to Nashville has been a joy to watch them become such strong well-rounded players. For this season, the Predators added veteran defenseman Barret Jackman to provide a touch more of experience to the group. And this all gets said without name dropping Victor Bartley, Anthony Bitetto, and this kid named Jones.

For all the iterations of the past, with so many of the same pieces, with the current set it all boils down to a simple fact. That fact is that defensemen and defensemen alone aren’t what win Stanley Cups. Teams win Stanley Cups. Teams with a well structured and balanced roster are what succeed. And the Nashville Predators, as great as that defense and goaltender are and have been, haven’t been that. For that reason and that reason alone a change needed to be made. A surplus of high-end defensive talent was in the pocket and time and time again that first choice center wasn’t there to be had. Enough was enough. The talent pool on defense was used to get that center. That center’s name was Johansen and now it’s time to see if the team’s balance can shift from defense heavy to an across the board well-rounded team.

What I think of most with this move is where my joke came in. Hey, that Granberg move finally has some fog lifting from it all of the sudden! But when you really think about it that’s where that waiver claim was always leaning towards. The Predators were aware of Granberg. They saw a chance to snatch him up clean through the waiver wire. Tested him out after his injury that sidelined his start to the 2015-16 season with a conditioning assignment here with the Milwaukee Admirals. Returned to Nashville. And now finds himself as a seventh choice defenseman at the NHL level with Bitetto stepping in early but with Granberg, the right handed shooting defenseman of those two, due to get a look to test his waters with the Predators.

So the defensive replacements were already in place to facilitate the loss of Jones. Bartley had cleared waivers to reach Milwaukee. Bitetto and Granberg can operate and rotate bottom line right side defense. Should that go faulty the Predators can do Bartley but, for those unaware in Nashville, he is currently nursing an injury and only returned to practice yesterday.

That’s all that for the Predators. An awesome moment to actually sit back and see happen. Two NHL teams trading very young highly talented players which both arrive to teams as tremendously welcomed additions fulfilling long time needs. Plus, it was a straight up deal – one for one – one fourth overall selection taken in the 2013 NHL Draft for one fourth overall selection taken in the 2010 NHL Draft. As it stands today, I think Predators General Manager David Poille should be commended for getting a move like this done now and getting it done without a frenzied rush or batch of pieces being off-loaded from the team. Last season’s trade to Toronto felt weird from Day #1 and if it didn’t for you then I’m sure it did when the Predators didn’t have a first round draft pick in the 2015 NHL Draft. This was a smooth deal and I feel like both can highly benefit from it.

Another bright spot for Nashville is that, because of the nature of this trade, if another trade is possible or on the table with a chance to step in and add another dynamic piece to the offense – they have all those additional assets within their control right now. The prospect pipeline is fresh. It’s thriving. It is still intact. All that was traded away yesterday was one defenseman and nothing else Could more be ahead for the Predators before the trade deadline closes? I don’t know – but it is possible thanks to the resources still being there.

As far as the Admirals are concerned, this move tilts things slightly where the defense of the Predators has been chipped away a small bit in an effort to push the forward depth. An increase at forward could mean, once everyone is healthy, a possibility of Viktor Arvidsson or Miikka Salomäki returning to the team. The Admirals are already expecting to get Vladislav Kamenev back after a great showing at the 2016 IIHF World Juniors captaining his country Russia. With team captain Colton Sissons also back here in the mix lately the forward depth of the Admirals might be trending back towards the lineup that saw them set a franchise record ten-game winning streak.

The Admirals have been getting by for what feels like a month’s worth of hockey with guys like Frédérick Gaudreau. Max Görtz, Félix Girard, Kevin Fiala, Pontus Åberg, Max Reinhart, and Adam Payerl all being tasked with achieving more, being put in bigger roles than they had been tasked with, and succeeding to the point where the Admirals are currently the top team in the AHL’s Western Conference despite the necessity to make PTO signings such as Matt White and Zac Larraza just to be able to fill out a twelve man forward group. It’s worked regardless of injuries or call-ups.

It’s about to get even better as bodies return to the team in the form of returning faces or healed bodies. Taylor Aronson had been playing incredibly well until a lower-body injury put him down for what is expected to be a few more weeks yet. Trevor Murphy and Cody Bass are both back to practicing from “upper-body” injuries. Plus, signs point to Bartley getting back sooner rather than later. So many banged up bodies. So many other players rising to the occasion. It’s been a pretty miraculous season to date for the Admirals. What’s fun to think is this.

There is every bit the reason to believe the Admirals 2015-16 season could be even more special than that of their parent club, the Predators, and it’s thanks to their acquisition of Johansen. Swapping a defenseman like Jones allows a hard working polished defenseman like Bitetto to take his place at the NHL level while the Predators finally got their first line center. The defensive depth hasn’t really changed all that much but the forward depth has in a big way. Those shockwaves can alter how the Predators choose to roll out certain players and some might need to return to Milwaukee. The system depth at forward just got stronger at the NHL and AHL level. The days ahead are about to prove just that.

What was your reaction to the Nashville Predators trade yesterday? Is Ryan Johansen for Seth Jones a fair deal for both sides? Do you think the Predators are done shopping for forwards or is another deal ahead?

Be sure to follow Admirals Roundtable on Twitter, like us on Facebook, and see our photos on Instagram.

Feature, News January 6, 2016

To Milwaukee, From Nashville: Who Is Frédérick Gaudreau?

Yesterday’s news that Frédérick Gaudreau had signed a two-year entry level contract with the Nashville Predators was a picture perfect example of why I love covering life at the AHL level. It’s a league that features plenty of NHL prospects, high-end draft picks, low-end draft picks, former high and low end draft picks, and then the merry band of those who went undrafted fighting to earn their dream of one day playing NHL hockey despite the long road they face in front of them. Gaudreau was one of those players on the outside looking in. Yesterday was his first big break.

Who is this Gaudreau fellow then? Well, for those in Milwaukee and Cincinnati I feel that answer is fairly easy to muster up. Yet it is the Nashville audience that might be in the dark as to who their new prospect is. After all, he is now their property and someone worthy of keeping on an NHL radar given his success with the Milwaukee Admirals this season that forced the Nashville Predators hand into delivering him his first career NHL contract. So, without further ado, allow me to introduce you fine people of Nashville to Mr. Gaudreau.

(Photo Credit: The Weekly du St-Maurice) — (Photo Credit: L’hebdo du St-Maurice)

Gaudreau is a native of Quebec, Canada whose junior playing career started with the Shawinigan Cataractes (QMJHL) after being team captain of the Magog Cantonniers (QMAAA). In his first season with Shawinigan he played 64 games, scored 20 points (5 goals, 15 assists), and ended the debut junior hockey campaign off as a winner of the CHL Memorial Cup (2011-12 season). His career would continue with Shawinigan up until a trade in late-November 2013 that saw him move to the Drummondville Voltigeurs (QMJHL). His junior playing career ended with him winning the Frank J. Selke Trophy as the QMJHL’s Most Sportsmanlike Player and having totaled 195 games in the QMJHL with 134 points (50 goals, 84 assists) to his name.

As an undrafted free agent the search for a professional playing career began after Drummondville was eliminated from the 2014 President’s Cup Playoffs by the eventual winners the Val-d’Or Foreurs. It was a search that took less than three months to find his first professional playing contract. He signed an AHL contract with the Milwaukee Admirals on 6/11/14.

In his first professional playing season Gaudreau displayed qualities that showcased his range as a forward. He is a natural center but was utilized on the wing often where his game opened up more and provided him with a bit more freedom to skate and operate. The downside to his debut pro season was simply the numbers game. The Admirals roster was hefty and often times it forced Gaudreau from the lineup. Gaudreau was brought in as one of those roster depth signings in the first place and I don’t suspect when the Admirals 2014-15 season started they were expecting to take on the likes of Rich Clune and Viktor Stålberg as they wound up doing. As such, Gaudreau was frequently healthy scratched and also split time between the Admirals at the AHL level and with their ECHL affiliate the Cincinnati Cyclones.

In 2014-15, Gaudreau scored 11 points (4 points, 7 assists) in 43 AHL games for the Admirals and 7 points (5 goals, 2 assists) in 14 ECHL games for the Cyclones. That’s a combined season total of 18 points (9 goals, 9 assists) in 57 games.

What stands out from that first pro season was what came at the end of an exhausting and painful Admirals season that saw the team miss the playoffs for the first time since their inaugural AHL playing season of 2001-02. The team was sputtering. The performances fluctuated on a nightly basis with wins alluding the team time and time again. Yet, there was a kid rocking the #89 that spent his April of 2015 working his butt off shift-after-shift – game-after-game. In an angry and disappointing end to the season Gaudreau’s work rate in the face of the Admirals missing the playoffs was a true bright spot. The team might have been struggling but he played with a fire and a spark that the Admirals desperately missed when Miikka Salomäki went down for the rest of the season and Brendan Leipsic was traded away – all on the same day. That display and effort wasn’t unnoticed. Gauadreau would sign the second professional contract of his career by signing another AHL contract with the Admirals.

On opening night of the 2015-16 Admirals season Gaudreau found himself where he so often did at the AHL level the season prior. Gaudreau was a healthy scratch. To this point, it is the one and only game that he hasn’t played in for the Admirals this season and there is a good reason for why that’s the case. He has been phenomenal. Gaudreau’s skill set appeared to be that of a very good skating defensively fine tuned player. He looked great on the penalty kill and stationed on the lower operating lines for the Admirals. As this season has progressed Gaudreau kept climbing up the ladder with solid performances and saw himself being tasked with larger roles. His offensive game really opened up and it appeared that the fire he displayed late in the Admirals 2014-15 season had manifested itself on a whole other level this season.

“His last two hockey games that he played for us, we were out of the playoffs, we played him a ton,” said Milwaukee Admirals head coach Dean Evason back on 11/20/15. “We asked him to translate his skill level from practice into the games. He did that those last two hockey games. It’s funny to say that but he’s brought those two hockey games into training camp, was real good, and has continued that through the year. [Gaudreau] is a guy that, if you watch him in practice and off the ice, he is intense. He trains. He plays practices – trains all the same way. And it’s allowed him to have success. He has great skill. His hands are great. He does so many real good things out there. But he has earned what he is getting out there right now.”

Where Gaudreau’s season to this point can best be showcased came right around the same time when Admirals team captain Colton Sissons was recalled by the Nashville Predators on 11/26/15. It was at this point when a player that was healthy scratched on opening night, who started as a fourth line winger, suddenly worked himself into the roles of the team’s captain and he was succeeding. From the day of Sissons recall to where Gaudreau finds himself today, playing on the wing with Sissons on the Admirals top line, he has produced 12 points (4 goals, 8 assists) in 19 games while averaging 2.1 shots on goal per game. But what goes missing behind those fancy numbers is his work rate on the penalty kill alongside Félix Girard. His work at center winning faceoffs. His creativity on the power-play. His defensive contributions in all three zones of the ice. It’s a cliché expression but true: he doesn’t take a shift off. It’s a mentality like that which sees a Salomäki in Nashville. It’s a work rate such as Gaudreau’s that has Viktor Arvidsson in Nashville. Which begged the question. Why not Gaudreau?

That question was given a hard answer yesterday. Gaudreau signed his third career professional contract and first with the title NHL attached to it. He penned a two-year entry level contract. It was a contract that wasn’t handed out like a reward. Gaudreau earned it in the same manner he has worked from junior hockey to the Admirals top performer in 2015-16. He earned it through hard work.

The Admirals are 36 games deep into this season. Gaudreau currently leads the team in scoring with 24 points (9 goals, 15 assists) from 35 games played – which already has last season’s combined scoring total in the dust. His work rate on the Admirals power-play, a role he wasn’t utilized in last season, has seen him produce 15 power-play points (6 goals, 9 assists) – points that dwarf is overall scoring total in his debut AHL season in 8 games less work.

In the space of 24 hours Gaudreau should have gone from a relative unknown to fans of the Nashville Predators that they should very seriously start paying attention to in Milwaukee. What Gaudreau has to offer is a full-slate of skills on the puck, the defensive smarts to be a quality penalty killer, and an ever-growing offensive game that has won over the coaching staff to push him into roles he never could have dreamed of a season ago and is excelling in. Put Gaudreau on your radar, Nashville. Put him on your radar because he worked hard enough to put himself on the Predators radar in order to sign him to an NHL contract.

If Gaudreau was driven to play professional hockey with the dream of playing NHL hockey, going undrafted, signing an AHL contract, playing ECHL hockey, and playing AHL hockey as hard as he does – I greatly look forward to seeing how Gaudreau plays with that dream now dangling within an arm’s reach for him to clutch and run with it. The hard work to get there has gotten him here. Now the real work for Gaudreau begins.

Be sure to follow Admirals Roundtable on Twitter, like us on Facebook, and see our photos on Instagram.

Feature, News January 5, 2016

Juuse Saros First Nashville Predators Mask

I always love the aesthetic side of sports. Here in the sport of hockey you get something unique: goaltending masks. It’s great seeing either the goaltender’s personality or simply an artist’s creativity come out on to the ice with the mask. David Gunnarsson of DaveART happens to be one of the absolute best in the business at putting both of those on the ice.

Gunnarsson has done the work of so many goaltenders within the organization that, rather than rattle off all the names again, I encourage you to view his Flickr portfolio or give him a follow on Instagram. He’s a brilliant artist and I’ve really enjoyed all of his work for goaltenders we’ve had here in Milwaukee. That includes the man pictured up top, Juuse Saros, who just had a brand new bucket made – and it is the first design with the Nashville Predators specifically in mind.

Description from David Gunnarsson:

Juuse Saros knew what he wanted on his new Predator mask. The Finnish lion mascot Finkey as a goalie in great action. He breaks out from the mask made of ice, ready for adventures, and save pucks. This is a mask which breath Predators and Finland and Saros to 100%. I just love to create these storyteller designs and build them in the details, create chapter after chapter and tell the goalies story.

I loved when Magnus Hellberg used Pelle as the motif on all of his masks. I will love it if Saros uses Finkey for all of his future masks.

What do you think of Juuse Saros’ first Nashville Predators mask? If you were to have a goaltending mask what sort of motif would you feature on your mask to say something about you or where you live?

Be sure to follow Admirals Roundtable on Twitter, like us on Facebook, and see our photos on Instagram.

Feature, News January 5, 2016

Kaptain Kamenev vs. the World

(Photo Credit: Andre Ringuette // HHOF-IIHF Images)

The 2016 IIHF World Junior Championships came to an end today with a thrilling gold medal game between Russia and the host country Finland. The game was looking certain to end in regulation but Russia scored with six-seconds remaining to force overtime. Finland would score the game-winner 1:33 into the overtime period to take home the gold with a 4-3 win.

Throughout this entire tournament I have been keeping a close eye on one player and one player only, Vladislav Kamenev. The second round selection of the Nashville Predators in the 2014 NHL Draft, taken forty-second overall, has been enjoying his first professional playing season in North America at the AHL level here with the Milwaukee Admirals and was named team captain of Russia for this tournament. It was the second time in his career that he participated at the World Juniors and, as it turned out, the second time that he came back from the tournament with the silver medal.

When I watched Kamenev play game-by-game I was so impressed by seeing the exact same player that I was seeing here in Milwaukee. His faceoff skill was outstanding. He was defensively very strong. He took part on both ends of special teams for Russia. And displayed a quality eye for goal scoring or teeing up teammates. He ended the tournament with 6 points (5 goals, 1 assist) in a total of seven-games played.

His highlight moment came during Russia’s quarter-final game against Denmark. This was setting up to be one of the bigger upsets in World Juniors’ history. Denmark was up 3-2 and Russia went empty net to bring the extra attacker on. With forty-four seconds remaining Kamenev scored the game-tying goal to force overtime. And five-minutes into the overtime period Kamenev buried the game-winner to send Russia into the semi-finals with a 4-3 win over Denmark.

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.

Russia actually managed to equalize with Finland after all of this took place with a goal coming six-seconds before the final horn sounded. Overtime was forced and Finland would secure the gold medal through a warp-around game-winning goal scored by Kasperi Kapanen. All the while, Kamenev watched from down in the Russian team tunnel as his country lost out in the finals of the World Junior Championship for a second consecutive year.

I feel like this becomes a very high profile version of what I saw out of Kevin Fiala back in mid-November. What was said on the ice? Who knows. What was there for all to see? A lot. What’s important to remember here, even more so than with what happened to Fiala, is you have a 19-year old in a highly emotionally charged competitive atmosphere letting his temper get the better of him. With Fiala flipping off the Lake Erie Monsters bench? It was a small scale audience in comparison to the grand stage that is a gold medal game in a competition as hotly contested as the World Juniors. In a brief moment of his existence the Kamenev that everyone knows ceased to exist, the world around Kamenev ceased to exist, and it was a teenage kid and his anger unloading in front of a world wide television audience.

The act in and of itself isn’t the thing that worries me for Kamenev. Similar to the Fiala situation I fully understand the psychology of what’s going on. It’s youthful stupidity and emotions overcoming the surrounding environment. I get it. Still, it doesn’t change what actually happened and accountability must be had. Fiala paid for his actions with a two-game suspension by the AHL. Kamenev paid for his actions by getting ejected from the biggest game of his career to this point and leaving the ice as a disgraced team captain with his team losing on a grand stage. That’s quite a crushing punishment to hand over the head of someone. Not to mention, he leaves from that situation to Milwaukee where that image and moment stays in his head with few people that can properly communicate with him as a way to talk him through or over what happened.

Where Kamenev has been at his most comfortable in North America I have to believe is right on the ice with a pair of skates on. The sooner he gets back to Milwaukee and gets involved in a game again is when his mental healing process can officially begin. More games under his belt. The further he can separate himself from his actions that got him ejected from the biggest game of his career. His Russian team made him captain. That’s no simple pat on the back. That’s a distinction that is earned through character. When Kamenev returns to the Admirals I believe his character will be put under the microscope and he will show signs that more than just his game is impressive.

Be sure to follow Admirals Roundtable on Twitter, like us on Facebook, and see our photos on Instagram.

News January 5, 2016

Nashville Sign Frédérick Gaudreau to NHL Contract

One of this season’s truly great stories just got even better. The Nashville Predators have announced that they have signed Frédérick Gaudreau to a two-year entry level contract.

Press Release via Nashville Predators:

Nashville, Tenn. (January 5, 2016) – Nashville Predators President of Hockey Operations/General Manager David Poile announced Tuesday that the club has signed forward Frederick Gaudreau to a two-year entry-level contract.

Gaudreau, 22 (5/1/93), leads Nashville’s primary developmental affiliate, the American Hockey League’s Milwaukee Admirals, in points (9g-15a-24pts) and assists, helping the club to the top of the Central Division and Western Conference. The 6-0, 192-pound native of Bromont, Que., is also tied for sixth in AHL power-play goals (6) and 10th in power-play assists (9). The 2015-16 campaign is Gaudreau’s first full season at the AHL level after splitting 2014-15 between the Admirals and the ECHL’s Cincinnati Cyclones.

Undrafted, Gaudreau entered the Predators organization after a three-season career in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League which saw him amass 134 points (50g-84a) in 195 games with Shawinigan and Drummundville, winning the 2012 Memorial Cup with the Cataractes and earning the 2014 Frank J. Selke Trophy as the QMJHL’s most sportsmanlike player with the Voltigeurs.

Gaudreau was an undrafted free agent signing by the Milwaukee Admirals in the summer of 2014. He split some time between the AHL and ECHL last season to earn another AHL contract this past summer but it is his 2015-16 season that has helped him to officially landed pen to paper on his first ever NHL contract.

This season Gaudreau has produced a team leading 24 points (9 goals, 15 assists) in 34 games for the Admirals. He has already surpassed last season’s overall total of 18 points (9 goals, 9 assist) from 57 games between the AHL and ECHL. Much of his production this season came with Colton Sissons move up to the Nashville Predators and Gaudreau forcing himself into the captain’s roles. His success speaks for itself. And his success clearly caught the attention of the Nashville brass.

Be sure to follow Admirals Roundtable on Twitter, like us on Facebook, and see our photos on Instagram.

News January 4, 2016

Max Görtz Named AHL Rookie of the Month

The AHL’s monthly awards for December have been announced this afternoon and the Milwaukee Admirals have a representative. Max Görtz has been named the CCM/AHL Rookie of the Month for his efforts last month.

Press Release via AHL:

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. … The American Hockey League announced today that Providence Bruins right wing Seth Griffith, Milwaukee Admirals right wing Max Gortz and Grand Rapids Griffins goaltender Jared Coreau have been selected as the league’s award winners for December.

Griffith, the CCM/AHL Player of the Month, tallied six goals and 11 assists for a league-high 17 points in 11 games for Providence during the month, chipping in on more than half of the Bruins’ 32 goals with him in the lineup.

Griffith opened December by scoring the game-winning goal in the Bruins’ 3-2 overtime victory vs. Portland on Dec. 4. He then recorded four points, including his first two-goal performance of the season, in a 6-1 win over Springfield on Dec. 6. Griffith assisted on the winning goal in Providence’s 3-1 win over Hartford on Dec. 11, and notched three assists to help the Bruins past Bridgeport, 3-2 in overtime, on Dec. 18. Griffith registered a goal and two assists in a 4-3 loss at Bridgeport on Dec. 27, and then was recalled by Boston and made his season debut with the parent Bruins on Dec. 29, picking up an assist vs. Ottawa.

Griffith, who turns 23 today, is tied for sixth in the AHL in scoring with 30 points (10 goals, 20 assists) in 25 games for Providence this season. A fifth-round draft choice by Boston in 2012, the Wallaceburg, Ont., native has totaled 42 goals and 69 assists for 111 points in 133 AHL games over his three professional seasons, along with six goals and five assists in 32 NHL contests with Boston.

In recognition of his achievement, Griffith will be presented with an etched crystal award prior to an upcoming Bruins home game.

Also see: Past winners, AHL Player of the Month

Gortz, the CCM/AHL Rookie of the Month, tallied five goals and 10 assists for 15 points in 13 games for Milwaukee during the month.

Gortz entered December without a point in his last four games, but broke through with a goal vs. Manitoba on Dec. 1. He later had a six-game scoring streak from Dec. 18-29, highlighted by three separate three-point games. Gortz scored twice and added an assist in a 7-5 win over Manitoba on Dec. 19, and then on consecutive nights he scored the game-winning goal and picked up two assists each in victories over Chicago on Dec. 28 and Grand Rapids on Dec. 29.

In his first season of play in North America, Gortz has recorded nine goals and 14 assists for 23 points in 31 games for Milwaukee, good for second on the team in scoring. Gortz is tied for the AHL lead among rookies with six power-play goals, and owns a share of the overall league lead with four game-winning tallies. A 22-year-old native of Hoor, Sweden, Gortz was a sixth-round selection by Nashville in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft.

In recognition of his achievement, Gortz will be presented with an etched crystal award prior to an upcoming Admirals home game.

Also see: Past winners, AHL Rookie of the Month

Coreau, the CCM/AHL Goaltender of the Month, made 11 starts in December and went 9-2-0 with a 1.92 goals-against average and a .938 save percentage during a historic month for the Griffins.

Coreau began the month with a 31-save effort vs. Chicago on Dec. 4, backstopping the Griffins to a 3-1 victory. He made 23 stops vs. Milwaukee on Dec. 9, and turned aside 38 of 39 shots at Rockford on Dec. 12, his fourth consecutive game allowing one goal or fewer. After making 29 saves in a 4-3 overtime win at Iowa on Dec. 13, Coreau matched a career high with 47 stops in a 3-2 victory at Lake Erie on Dec. 16. Coreau made 26 saves at Lake Erie on Dec. 26 for his 11th consecutive winning decision – and the Griffins’ 15th win in a row – then bounced back from a pair of road losses by registering a 23-save shutout of Milwaukee on Dec. 31.

In his third professional season, Coreau is 15-4-1 in 21 appearances for Grand Rapids in 2015-16, ranking sixth in the AHL with a 2.11 goals-against average and third with a .932 save percentage. Coreau is also one off the league lead in wins and ranks fourth in shots faced (643) and saves (599). A 24-year-old native of Perth, Ont., Coreau originally signed as a free agent with the Detroit Red Wings in April 2013 after a three-year collegiate career at Northern Michigan University.

In recognition of his achievement, Coreau will be presented with an etched crystal award prior to an upcoming Griffins home game.

Also see: Past winners, AHL Goaltender of the Month

Görtz had a slow start to his 2015-16 season which was compounded by two situations when he showed up late to team practices. He was sent to the Cincinnati Cyclones (ECHL) very briefly before making his return to the Admirals. December looks to have been his true coming out party. With Viktor Arvidsson‘s recall to the Nashville Predators it has been Görtz who has stepped up offensively. In his last 15 games played the Swede has scored 17 points (7 goals, 10 assists).

Be sure to follow Admirals Roundtable on Twitter, like us on Facebook, and see our photos on Instagram.

News January 2, 2016

Dean Evason to Coach in 2016 AHL All-Star Classic

Knowing how strange this year’s 2016 AHL All-Star Classic might be with a new format it was curious how players would get nominated to go or if the Milwaukee Admirals were going to have any representation. As it turns out they already have a representative and have it in the form of head coach Dean Evason.

Press Release via Milwaukee Admirals:

Milwaukee, WI–The American Hockey League announced today that the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, Toronto Marlies, Milwaukee Admirals and Ontario Reign have clinched the right to be represented by their coaches at the 2016 Toyota AHL All-Star Classic, to be held Jan. 31 and Feb. 1 in Syracuse, N.Y.

This year’s All-Stars will be divided into four teams, one representing each of the league’s four divisions, for the 2016 Toyota AHL All-Star Challenge on the evening of Feb. 1. Instead of a traditional 60-minute game, the teams will play a round-robin tournament featuring six games of nine minutes each; the first half of each game will be played at 4-on-4, and the second half at 3-on-3. The two teams with the best records at the end of the round-robin tournament will face off for the championship, a six-minute game played at 3-on-3.

The 2016 Toyota AHL All-Star Skills Competition on Jan. 31 will keep its traditional format, with All-Stars from the Eastern Conference squaring off against All-Stars from the Western Conference in seven skills events.

The Penguins, Marlies, Admirals and Reign all owned the best record in their respective divisions as of the pre-determined deadline – the end of play on Dec. 31.

Evason, 51, has Milwaukee in first place with a mark of 22-10-1-0 (.682) and will guide the Central Division All-Stars. He is in his fourth year as the team’s bench boss and has accumulated a 135-90-36 mark, the fourth most wins in team history. He spent seven seasons as an assistant with the Washington Capitals, and played 803 games during his NHL career with Washington, Hartford, San Jose, Dallas and Calgary. The last Admirals head coach to work an All-Star game was Claude Noel back in 2005.

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton will be represented by associate head coach and Syracuse native Jay Leach, who will coach the Atlantic Division All-Star team. Leach began the season as the Penguins’ assistant coach before being named interim head coach upon Mike Sullivan’s promotion to Pittsburgh on Dec. 12; he was appointed associate head coach when Clark Donatelli was named head coach on Dec. 22. With the 36-year-old Leach on the staff, the Penguins have posted a record of 21-8-0-1 (.717) and rank third in the AHL in both offense and defense.

Toronto’s Sheldon Keefe will coach the North Division team as the Marlies currently sport the AHL’s best record at 25-7-2-0 (.765), including a remarkable 15-2-1-0 mark on the road. Keefe, the youngest head coach in the league at 35, is in his first season in the AHL after three years guiding Sault Ste. Marie in the Ontario Hockey League.

The reigning winner of the Louis A.R. Pieri Award as the AHL’s coach of the year, Mike Stothers has led Ontario to a 17-6-2-1 mark (.712) after winning the Calder Cup championship with Manchester last season. The 53-year-old Stothers will lead the Pacific Division All-Star team in his second consecutive All-Star coaching appearance and fourth overall; he was an assistant coach at the 1998 and 1999 events.

Playing rosters will be announced in the coming week.

Tickets for the two-day 2016 Toyota AHL All-Star Classic are on sale now. Ticket prices range from $40-60 and can be purchased either in person at the Syracuse Crunch office located in the War Memorial Arena at 800 South State Street in Syracuse, by calling (315) 473-4444 or through all Ticketmaster outlets.

The 2016 Toyota AHL All-Star Classic in Syracuse will feature the top young talent in the American Hockey League: Of the 679 players to take part in the AHL All-Star Classic since 1995, more than 93 percent have competed in the National Hockey League, including Patrice Bergeron, Ben Bishop, Troy Brouwer, Ryan Callahan, Zdeno Chara, Logan Couture, Jiri Hudler, Tyler Johnson, Chris Kunitz, Ryan Miller, Gustav Nyquist, Zach Parise, Tuukka Rask, Pekka Rinne, Bobby Ryan, Cory Schneider, Patrick Sharp, Jason Spezza, Eric Staal, P.K. Subban and Mats Zuccarello.

In operation since 1936 and celebrating its 80th-anniversary season in 2015-16, the AHL continues to serve as the top development league for all 30 National Hockey League teams. More than 88 percent of today’s NHL players are American Hockey League graduates, and for the 14th year in a row, more than 6 million fans attended AHL games across North America in 2014-15.

So, “how did this come about,” you asked. At the turn of the calendar the AHL tabbed the current division leading teams’ head coaches for All-Star honors that will see them coach their respective divisional All-Star teams.

The Milwaukee Admirals ended the 2015 side of the calendar with a record of 22-10-1-0 (45 points). Their 0.682 points percentage betters the trailing Rockford IceHogs by a margin of one-hundredth of a percentage point. As such, that’s enough to have Evason carry the Admirals banner into Syracuse at the end of the month. Now we all get to sit tight and see if he gets to have a player of his tag along with him.

Be sure to follow Admirals Roundtable on Twitter, like us on Facebook, and see our photos on Instagram.

News January 1, 2016

Jonathan Diaby Reassigned to Milwaukee

I spoke a good deal about how many injuries there have been with the Milwaukee Admirals in my “Admiral of the Month” Award for December. I also brought up one of the tightest knit groups in the locker room, the French Fries. Combine those two and you get today’s news story that the Admirals have recalled defenseman Jonathan Diaby from the Cincinnati Cyclones of the ECHL.

The man who coined the group name, who I simply call The Big Fry, has had a rough 2015-16 season to date. He began the year off as the poster boy for the new Admirals logo and uniforms, played two games in the AHL, looked all sorts of lost on the ice, and was sent packing to the ECHL where he would miss a good amount of game time due to injury. He has played 17 games for the Cyclones, has an assist, a plus/minus rating of +1, and 11 penalty minutes.

The reason behind this call up is perhaps the more troubling detail to this news, sadly. Taylor Aronson is expected to be out for around a month due to a lower-body injury. Trevor Murphy was the recipient of an illegal check to the head by Ryan Hartman of the Rockford IceHogs which gave him what can most specifically be detailed as an upper-body injury. Johan Alm had missed upwards of eight-games due to a lower-body injury not too long ago. So, the mystery right now becomes which member of the defense is hurt now? There were plenty of blocked shots and heavy plays made in the previous two games against the Grand Rapids Griffins but nothing severe enough that screams to one key player that it might be. Regardless, the Admirals look to be short yet another player and this time it means calling up Diaby who himself is only two ECHL games back from an injury of his own.

Be sure to follow Admirals Roundtable on Twitter, like us on Facebook, and see our photos on Instagram.

News December 28, 2015

Colton Sissons Reassigned to Milwaukee

The Nashville Predators have activated Mike Fisher from injured reserve and reassigned Colton Sissons to the Milwaukee Admirals. Now all that will remain to be seen is whether or not the weather will impede Sissons ability to join the Admirals for tonight’s home game against the Chicago Wolves. It would be the first time since 11/24/15 that the Admirals had their team captain back on the ice.

Press Release via Nashville Predators:

Nashville, Tenn. (December 28, 2015) – Nashville Predators President of Hockey Operations/General Manager David Poile announced Monday that the club has reassigned forward Colton Sissons to Milwaukee (AHL) and activated forward Mike Fisher from Injured Reserve.

Fisher, 35 (6/5/80), has missed the past 11 games after sustaining a lower-body injury on Dec. 1 versus Arizona. The 6-1, 216-pound center has seven points (5g-2a) in 24 games in 2015-16, and was riding a three-game goal streak prior to his injury.

Sissons has played more games with the Predators this season than he has the Admirals. In 19 NHL games he has produced 2 points (1 goal, 1 assist) with a plus/minus rating of +7 and 5 penalty minutes. With the Admirals this season he has played 12 games, scored 8 points (3 goals, 5 assists), has an even plus/minus rating, and 16 penalty minutes.

Be sure to follow Admirals Roundtable on Twitter, like us on Facebook, and see our photos on Instagram.

Feature, News December 27, 2015December 27, 2015

The Turnaround

The Milwaukee Admirals, for all the injuries and roster moves that have stretched the team thin, are currently on a three-game winning streak with seven wins from a ten-game span. Their record at the moment is 20-9-1-0 (41 points) with a 0.683 points percentage through 30 games played. Last season, with the same amount of games, the Admirals record was 15-11-1-3 (34 points) for a 0.567 points percentage.

To see this year’s Admirals team not being flustered very much by all that’s happened so far is simply impressive. Per Elite Prospects, the Admirals were the second youngest team in the AHL to start this season trailing only the St. John’s IceCaps. The youth hasn’t felt like inexperience. A solid chunk of this team experienced the pains of what last season brought and so many of those first-year players are excelling this season.

Frédérick Gaudreau has been nothing short of incredible for the Admirals and the exclamation point comes when looking at the year-to-year difference he’s shown. Last season, as an undrafted free agent signing by the Admirals, he split time between the AHL and ECHL and produced a combined 18 points (9 goals, 9 assists) in 57 games for the Admirals and Cyclones. This season he has stayed up at the AHL level all season long, started on the wing before getting lined up at center, and leads the Admirals in scoring: 21 points (9 goals, 12 assists) in 29 games. He has already matched last season’s overall goal total and has more power-play goals for the Admirals this season than he did overall in Milwaukee all-last season.

Then there is possibly the forgotten Swede in the pipeline by the name of Pontus Åberg. Yes, Filip Forsberg and Viktor Arvidsson are great Swedish wingers in the organization but Åberg is playing the best hockey of his pro career this season and he’s plenty of the reason why the Admirals have stayed afloat during this roster squeeze: 11 points (8 goals, 3 assists) in 29 games. Half of his goals have been game-winning goals. Three of his goals were first-goals. He’s been both an igniter and a finisher this season.

This all is said without simply tipping the cap to the overall depth that has shined, as well. Félix Girard has been a workhorse all season long and has had no problem playing alongside the Manchester Monarchs PTO contractees Matt White and Zac Larraza. Max Reinhart has provided a veteran-like touch for the team down the middle while Colton Sissons is up with Nashville and Cody Bass is out with injury. Adam Payerl went from pre-season camp invitee on loan from Cincinnati, to earning standard AHL contract with the Admirals, and has picked up 17 points (5 goals, 12 assists) in 28 games.

Oh yeah. There’s that Kevin Fiala kid. He’s starting to finally look relaxed after a rough start to this season. While he was held scoreless these last two-games in Rockford his month of December has impressed: 8 points (3 goals, 5 assists) in 11 games. More than anything else he appears to have his explosiveness back. He’s beating defenders with skill and pace. And adds a much needed threat for the Admirals as so many of those sorts of players were all called up to Nashville.

Defensively things have also been different from one season to the next. Well, when I say defensively I kind of mean offensive productivity from the defense. In 2014-15 the Admirals defense produced 127 points (16 goals, 111 assists) among eleven different players. This season Admirals defensemen have already amassed 53 points (13 goals, 40 assists) in 30 games among the exact same amount of defensemen as last season. In better perspective, the Admirals are up to 1.76 points per game from defensemen this season as opposed to 1.67 last season. They’re only 3 goals from matching last season’s total.

Entering this season it was going to be a fascinating storyline to watch play-out as Marek Mazanec faced in-house competition in the form of Juuse Saros. The hype of Saros making the North American leap this season was huge. The 20-year old Finn has met it well. And, by the same trade, Mazanec has been far improved this season while competing for time in net. Last season the Czech had a 2.76 goals against average (GAA), 0.900 save percentage (SV%), and a rough 0.565 shootout percentage (SO%) while losing nine of twelve games that went to overtime (including losing four of four games in the shootout). This season Mazanec has a 2.68 GAA, 0.910 SV%, and an 0.875 SO% while winning four of five overtime games (including winning all three shootout games he has played).

It feels like ages since the Admirals had core players on the ice. Their team captain, Sissons, has played more games in the NHL (19) than AHL (12). Arvidsson, last season’s leading scorer and quickly found himself leading in that department when he returned to Milwaukee, has also now played more games in the NHL (17) than AHL (14). Not to mention, Miikka Salomäki started the season with the Admirals only to play 4 games and never come back from Nashville.

This season really has been a time when the coaching staff of Dean Evason, Stan Drulia, and Scott Ford have all really earned a pat on the back as well as a respective tip of the cap to so many contributors that have stepped above and beyond expectations so far to yield team results. The details are much more crisp than last season. Rarely it seems the Admirals are their own worst enemy costing themselves games. Momentum shifts don’t overwhelm the Admirals anymore it feels as if they ride the wave and adapt to how a game is being played seamlessly. That’s a true sign of a team. And, right now, it’s being performed with bits a pieces moving in and out of the lineup on recall or professional try-out basis.

Be sure to follow Admirals Roundtable on Twitter, like us on Facebook, and see our photos on Instagram.

News & Discussion Site For Your Milwaukee Admirals