Best in the regular season. Best in the playoffs. The 2014-15 Manchester Monarchs were a special team and left their city in style before becoming the Ontario Reign next season. (Photo Credit: Manchester Monarchs // Facebook)
This year’s 2015 AHL Calder Cup final was a showdown between the best two teams in the AHL this season. The Manchester Monarchs finished the regular season with the league’s best record and with 109 points. The Utica Comets were the best in the West this season with 103 points to their name. The Comets were outstanding all season and all throughout the playoffs. That is what makes the Monarchs 4-1 Calder Cup finals win all that much more impressive.
The Monarchs were 14-0 these playoffs when scoring the opening goal. They scored at least one first period goal in eleven straight games – outscoring opponents 16-7 in the process. And finished the postseason 15-4 while ending on a 10-1 record in their last eleven contests.
The 2015 Calder Cup MVP was Monarchs center Jordan Weal who ended up finishing as joint-top scorer of the entire playoffs with his teammate on the wing Michael Mersch. Weal produced 22 points (10 goals, 12 assists) – most of which came prior to the Calder Cup final itself where he tallied 3 assists.
Simply put, it was a phenomenal end-to-end season put together by the Manchester Monarchs. It’s also one that I feel is deserved for the fans of the Manchester fan base that is about to see this team ship out as part of the 2015-16 Pacific Division movement. This was the last AHL season for the Manchester Monarchs after fourteen seasons in existence and they ended it with the best regular season record and the Calder Cup. It doesn’t get much better than that.
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Our ol’ buddy Cal O’Reilly is going to the 2015 AHL Calder Cup Finals as the captain of the Utica Comets. (Photo Credit: Lindsay A. Mogle)
Much like how my bracket went on the NHL side of things my pick to win on the AHL side was eliminated in the Conference Finals. The Utica Comets have just eliminated the Grand Rapids Griffins 4-2 to advance to the 2015 AHL Calder Cup Final where the Manchester Monarchs are waiting. The top two teams from both respective Conferences? Competing for the Calder Cup? Get right out of town!
~2015 Calder Cup Finals~
(1 – East) Manchester Monarchs vs. (1 – West) Utica Comets
Game 1 – Sat, June 6 – @ Manchester, 5pm CST
Game 2 – Sun, June 7 – @ Manchester, 4pm CST
Game 3 – Wed, June 10 – @ Utica, 6pm CST
Game 4 – Fri, June 12 – @ Utica, 6pm CST
Game 5 – Sat, June 13 – @ Utica, 6pm CST
Game 6 – Tue, June 16 – @ Manchester, 6pm CST
Game 7 – Wed, June 17 – @ Manchester, 6pm CST
The Monarchs road to the Calder Cup: Round 1, won 3-2 in a best-of-five game series over the Portland Pirates… Round 2, won 4-1 in a best-of-seven game series over the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins… Round 3, won 4-0 in a best-of-seven game series over the Hartford Wold Pack.
The Comets road to the Calder Cup: Round 1, won 3-2 in a best-of-five game series over the Chicago Wolves… Round 2, won 4-3 in a best-of-seven game series over the Oklahoma City Barons… Round 3, won 4-2 in a best-of-seven game series over the Grand Rapids Griffins.
For me, I still don’t know enough about the Monarchs to give an appropriate assessment of how good they truly are. The simple logic says look at how strong they have been on their route to the Calder Cup Finals – that’s how good they are. Then you look at a team like the Comets who could have been run ragged by being pushed to the brink in their opening two series of the playoffs only to shove aside the tough -tough- Griffins in six games.
This is a really fun match-up for the AHL. Their best of the best locking horns. I put my imaginary money down on the Comets to get the edge in seven games with Jacob Markström continuing to be sensational in net: 18 games, 2 shutouts, 1.87 goals against average, 0.931 save percentage.
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The Milwaukee Admirals re-signed defenseman Jimmy Oligny to a one-year AHL contract yesterday afternoon. He signed his first pro-contract with the Admirals last June after finishing up his time with Rimouski Océanic of the QMJHL.
Milwaukee, WI—The Milwaukee Admirals have announced today they have signed defenseman Jimmy Oligny to an AHL contract.
A Lasarre, QE native, Oligny recorded one goal and four assists for a total of five points during his rookie year as an Admiral in 2014-15. He also racked up 46 penalty minutes while playing in 53 games.
Prior to playing with the Admirals, Oligny skated with the Rimouski Oceanic in the QMJHL, where he recorded 36 points (7g-29a) during the 2013-14 campaign. During his single season with the Oceanic, a franchise that produced Sidney Crosby, Oligny contributed eight points (3g-5a) in their 2013-14 playoff run. He also played four years with the Charlottetown Islanders.
I’m a wee bit late to the party on this one but, if it makes me feel any better, I just about called my own shot/this re-signing with Summer Ramblings yesterday. Oligny is just the type of defenseman that works for the Nashville Predators system from the attacking aspect from the blue line. He may have only produced 3 points (1 goal, 2 assists) in 52 games but it is his skating ability that can allow him to jump up into the rush, step up from the blue line to pinch in the offensive zone, and not get too caught out racing back defensively.
It was Oligny’s first season as a pro last year and he was never shipped down to the Cincinnati Cyclones of the ECHL. That tells me the coaching staff had lots of confidence in his abilities and it also should be a reminder of his work as a rookie. I feel as if there’s much more to see from Oligny’s game and bringing him right back to a team and situation he is familiar with is a great way to see just how much he has to offer.
Gary Steffes has had an incredible 2014-15 season. It was only fitting that he would score the game-winning goal that saw his Allen Americans go through in Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals and to the Kelly Cup Finals in their first season in the ECHL. (Photo Credit: Scene by Kimberly)
Wednesday night was a big one for the ECHL. Both Conference Finals were decided in thrilling Game 7 fashion. Now that the dust has settled from those contests it will be the Allen Americans and South Carolina Stingrays facing off in this year’s Kelly Cup Finals.
~2015 ECHL Kelly Cup Finals~
(1 – West) Allen Americans vs. (1 – East) South Carolina Stingrays
Game 1 – Sun, May 31 – @ Allen, 7:05pm CST
Game 2 – Tue, June 2 – @ Allen, 7:05pm CST
Game 3 – Wed, June 3 – @ Allen, 7:05pm CST
Game 4 – Sun, June 7 – @ South Carolina, 6:05pm CST
Game 5 – Tue, June 9 – @ South Carolina, 6:05pm CST
Game 6 – Wed, June 10 – @ South Carolina, 6:05pm CST
Game 7 – Sun, June 14 – @ Allen, 7:05pm CST
The Allen Americans came all the way back from 3-1 down in their series against the Ontario Reign to advance to the Kelly Cup Finals in their first year of existence within the ECHL. The Americans were part of the Central Hockey League (CHL) from 2009 up until the league ceased operations October 2014. They would join the ECHL as an affiliate to the San Jose Sharks and, well, look where they are now.
The game-winning goal in the Americans’ Game 7 was none other than Gary Steffes. In all competitions (regular season and playoffs), between the Allen Americans (ECHL) and Milwaukee Admirals (AHL), Steffes has scored 88 points (57 goals, 31 assists) in 90 games. He’s been outstanding and should be up in the AHL for the 2015-16 season.
As for the Eastern Conference Finals? That roller coaster ride ended with Scott Ford‘s South Carolina Stingrays taking down the Toledo Walleye in their Game 7. About that: the Walleye were down 3-0 in the series but came all the way back to force Game 7, that Game 7 was played in Toledo, and that Game 7 became the longest scoreless deadlock in ECHL history.
It wasn’t until 5:35 into triple overtime when Joe Devin scored the game’s only goal to help the Stingrays from blowing a 3-0 series lead. The heroes of that game, as you’d expect, were both goaltenders: Jeff Jakaitis (South Carolina) stopped all 44 shots en route to the shutout while Jeff Lerg (Toledo) stopped 41/42 shots.
With no Cincinnati Cyclones to cheer for this means exactly what I was hoping for all along: Ford vs. Steffes. The Sheriff against The New Guy. Two members of this year’s Admirals team, teammates for a brief while, and they should be matching up throughout the series. I feel like most Admirals fans will be backing Ford here. Me? I’m happy that both made it to the 2015 ECHL Kelly Cup Finals and it’s great that one will come out a champion. These were the top two teams in the entire ECHL this season. It’s fitting that it boils down to South Carolina and Allen.
~Meanwhile in the American Hockey League~
The AHL’s Eastern Conference Finals were nowhere near as dramatic or long lasting. The top seeded Manchester Monarchs swept the third seeded Hartford Wolf Pack to advance to the 2015 AHL Calder Cup Finals.
This is a bit of a swan song season for Manchester. The Los Angeles Kings moved their AHL affiliate as part of the new Pacific Division and will be known as the Ontario Reign next season. Manchester, who began operations in 2001, are sort of a question mark moving forward. Will they survive in name like the Peoria Rivermen? Perhaps, but the great thing here is that they are going out from the AHL with a bang. This is the first time in the franchise’s history that they will be playing in the Calder Cup Finals. As a fan of the game itself that makes me pretty happy for the people of Manchester.
Now all that is left is to await the winner of the AHL Western Conference Finals between the Utica Comets and Grand Rapids Griffins. The Griffins were able to take a game in Utica to make the series 1-1 before shifting back to Grand Rapids. The next three all take place in the Griffins barn so they have the opportunity to punch their ticket to the 2015 Calder Cup Finals without needing to travel back to Utica. That’s a tough ask. First part of which starts with Game 3 tonight.
Who are you rooting for, the Stingrays (Ford) or Americans (Steffes)? Do you think that the Manchester Monarchs will be hurt or helped by waiting a long time before the Western Conference Finals ends?
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When he was 100% healthy Patrick Cehlin could be a major contributor to the Milwaukee Admirals offense. Unfortunately for both parties that was a rarity. (Photo Credit: Scott Paulus)
When Patrick Cehlin was shipped back to his native Sweden on loan with Leksand IF for the rest of the 2014-15 season it effectively signaled the end of his time playing hockey in North America for the foreseeable future. His time in the Nashville Predators organization was up following this season and, injury after injury, things sadly didn’t work out. Hopefully his time back home in Sweden will see him get back in form and find success. Leksand IF was the temporary stop. Rögle BK will be his home for the 2015-16 season.
For as rough as Cehlin’s past season already was things came to an end all the same when Leksand IF was relegated from the top tier of the Swedish Hockey League. Rather than compete in the second division of Swedish hockey by sticking with Leksand IF he will join the newly promoted Rögle BK in their first season back in the SHL since the 2012-13 season.
Cehlin was a fifth round draft choice of the Predators in 2010. He made the leap to North America for the 2012-13 season and -unfortunately- his debut season would be as good as it gets. He battled through concussion woes, bone chips in his hip, and a blood clot. In total, he recorded 56 points (15 goals, 41 assists) in 112 games with the Milwaukee Admirals in the AHL – including 3 points (2 goals, 1 assist) in 6 playoff games. He also suited up 10 times as a member of the Cincinnati Cyclones in the ECHL where he tallied 5 points (4 goals, 1 assist).
~UPDATE~
Per a reliable source I’ve been informed that Cehlin was actually never “loaned” to Leksand IF but rather was placed on unconditional waivers and had his contract terminated. That allowed for his move back to Sweden.
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Go Freddy Go! Go Go Freddy Go! (Photo Credit: Scott Paulus)
The Milwaukee Admirals have just announced that forward Frédérick Gaudreau has been re-signed to the team to a one-year AHL contract.
Press Release via Milwaukee Admirals:
Milwaukee, WI—The Milwaukee Admirals announced today that they have signed forward Frederick Gaudreau to a one-year AHL contract.
Gaudreau finished his rookie season with the Admirals last year, tallying four goals and adding seven assists for 11 points to go along with 12 penalty minutes in 43 games. He also totaled seven points (5g-2a) in 14 games with the Cincinnati Cyclones of the ECHL.
The Bromont, QC native finished a distinguished junior career in 2013-14 with the Drummondville Voltigeurs (QMJHL). Gaudreau won a Memorial Cup with Shawinigan in 2012 and was named the QMJHL’s Most Sportsmanlike Player in 2013-14. He was also Shawinigan’s captain in 13-14 prior to being traded to Drummondville.
The Admirals will open their 2015-16 home schedule on Friday, October 16th at 7 pm at the BMO Harris Bradley Center. Plus, classic rock legend Foreigner will perform in a post-game concert on October 24th
I quite like this move. Gaudreau showed on quite a few occasions last season how good he can be. He, like the Admirals first off-season re-signee Joe Pendenza, is also able to play center or out on the wing. Those two are a nice complement to one another I think. Both play a safe but smart two-way game and skate real well. If the idea is to adapt Peter Laviolette’s uptempo style of hockey then having guys like Gaudreau and Pendenza are a nice start to keep that speed game rolling along.
Thoughts on the Milwaukee Admirals bringing back Gaudreau? Who do you think could be next on the list as far as re-signings go and should the veterans get locked up next?
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This is Teemu Pulkkinen. All he does is score goals. (Photo Credit: Mark Newman)
The Manchester Monarchs, Hartford Wolf Pack, and Grand Rapids Griffins have been set and ready to go for the the 2015 AHL Calder Cup Conference Finals. As far as the Griffins are concerned they just needed to await the winner of tonight’s Game 7 between the Utica Comets and Oklahoma City Barons. The Comets won 1-0 behind a 35-save shutout by Jacob Markström to bring the AHL down to its final four contenders for this year’s Calder Cup.
~Eastern Conference Finals~
(1) Manchester Monarchs vs. (3) Hartford Wolf Pack
Game 1 – Thu, May 21 – @ Manchester, 6pm CST
Game 2 – Sat, May 23 – @ Manchester, 6pm CST
Game 3 – Tue, May 26 – @ Hartford, 6pm CST
Game 4 – Wed, May 27 – @ Hartford, 6pm CST
Game 5 – Sat, May 30 – @ Manchester, 6pm CST
Game 6 – Sun, May 31 – @ Hartford, 6pm CST
Game 7 – Tue, June 2 – @ Manchester, 6pm CST
~Western Conference Finals~
(1) Utica Comets vs. (2) Grand Rapids Griffins
Game 1 – Sun, May 24 – @ Utica, 6pm CST
Game 2 – Mon, May 25 – @ Utica, 6pm CST
Game 3 – Thu, May 28 – @ Grand Rapids, 6pm CST
Game 4 – Fri, May 29 – @ Grand Rapids, 6pm CST
Game 5 – Sun, May 31 – @ Grand Rapids, 4pm CST
Game 6 – Tue, June 2 – @ Utica, 6pm CST
Game 7 – Wed, June 3 – @ Utica, 6pm CST
There was a slight upset there by the Wolf Pack to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals. Hartford, the third seed, was able to top the second seeded Hershey Bears 4-2 in six games – winning two of the four in overtime to advance.
As for the top seed in the East it was another five game series for them. The Manchester Monarchs were pushed to the brink of elimination in their opening series against the eighth seeded Portland Pirates but came back with a powerful reminder of just how strong they are by defeating the fourth seeded Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins 4-1 and pelting the league’s top rookie and goaltender this season, Matt Murray, with 150 shots and 15 goals.
The Griffins were able to get the better of the fourth seeded Rockford IceHogs in the semifinals. Grand Rapids won the series 4-1 in five games with Teemu Pulkkinen scoring 9 points (7 goals, 2 assists). The Finn is now the Griffins all-time leader in playoff goal scoring with 21 goals in 34 career AHL playoff games.
Lastly, the Comets and Barons was a series that established just how tight things were going to be with Game 1. The two battled all the way into quadruple overtime and fought to the distance – all the way to a Game 7. Utica had the chance to eliminate OKC back in Game 6 but did get the job done by the hairs of their netminder’s chinny chin chin to do so.
I don’t know about you folks but my prediction of a Griffins over the Monarchs in this year’s 2015 AHL Calder Cup Final is still all systems go. I feel like that opening round series for Manchester was a slight wake up call that got them fired back up. As nice as it is to see Chris Mueller and the Wolf Pack get past Hershey I just don’t see them pulling off yet another upset. As for those Griffins? They have it all but, mostly, they have Pulkkinen and that will make all the difference when this year’s Calder Cup is decided. No offense Utica.
As for the ECHL‘s Conference Finals – things are still aligned for the Scott Ford vs. Gary Steffes showdown that would makes us all actually interested in this year’s Kelly Cup Finals. Ford’s South Carolina Stingrays are currently up 3-0 in their series against Jared Nightingale‘s Toledo Walleye. Steffes and his Allen Americans are currently deadlocked 1-1 in their playoff series against the Ontario Reign. Allen went through a similar start on home ice in the previous series in which they eventually beat the Rapid City Rush 4-2 in six games.
Who do you see advancing to this year’s AHL Calder Cup Finals? How about the ECHL Kelly Cup Finals?
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Bye Rochester Americans! It was nice being Western Conference mates with ye! (Photo Credit: Scott Paulus)
So long Midwest Division. Adios three divisional conferences. Hello newly formatted, restructured, two division conferences. The American Hockey League’s President and CEO David Andrews announced that the league’s Board of Governors, convening for its Spring Meeting today in Chicago, has approved the following division alignment for the 2015-16 AHL season:
All told, I think this new divisional alignment works rather nicely and seems to mirror what the NHL did not too long ago. The format of how the 2016 Calder Cup Playoffs have yet to be finalized but I’d hazard to guess that too could mirror the NHL’s current structure. That is expected to be finalized by the Board of Governors around July 6-9 during their Annual Meetings held in South Carolina.
The Admirals will remain pretty well nestled with some familiar teams but get the return of some others as well. Fellow Midwest Division rivals the Chicago Wolves, Rockford IceHogs, Grand Rapids Griffins, and Lake Erie Monsters will all be back once again. Meanwhile the Iowa Wild, who were in the Midwest Division in the 2013-14 season, and the Charlotte Checkers, who were in the Midwest Division in the 2011-12 season, both join the mix. Then there is the return of the Manitoba Moose, last featured in the 2010-2011 season, who polish off the brand new Central Division.
Of note, there are a few teams that have crossed conferences during the new alignment: Rochester Americans, Toronto Marlies, and Utica Comets. That of course comes without even mentioning all those new Pacific Division based teams. To which, looking at that division, I feel slightly bad for those two Texas squads and the travel they’ll get to log for the coming season. However, if it means the Pacific Division plays a full schedule like the rest of the AHL (remember the chatter of those teams playing a lesser schedule?), then I tip my cap and applaud the Texas Stars and San Antonio Rampage for biting the bullet for the rest of the league.
What is your reaction to the new AHL alignment for the 2015-16 season? Did they get it right? How will the Milwaukee Admirals handle the new Central Division? If the Pacific Division still doesn’t end up playing a full schedule how does the AHL format the playoffs?
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Brandon Whitney participated in the Chicago Blackhawks 2013 Training Camo Festival but never played professionally within their system. He now looks set to join the Nashville Predators minor league affiliates with the Milwaukee Admirals or Cincinnati Cyclones.
Consider this signing clean out of left field. For all the conversation and chatter in regards to in-system moves regarding the goaltending position the Milwaukee Admirals have just added Brandon Whitney on a two-year contract. This report comes via the Victoriaville Tigres website.
Whitney was drafted by the Chicago Blackhawks in the seventh round of the 2012 NHL Draft. While the photo above suggests otherwise he actually never played within their organization in his professional playing career. His junior career was entirely played in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) with both the Victoriaville Tigres and Gatineau Olympiques. He was teammates with Jonathan Diaby at Victoriaville from 2010-14.
Last season he not only played with Victoriaville and Gatineau of the QMJHL but also for the Miramichi Timberwolves of the Maritime Junior “A” Hockey League (MJAHL), the Wheeling Nailers of the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL), and even the Hamilton Bulldogs of the American Hockey League (AHL). He will turn 21-years old this coming Monday.
It’s still unclear whether or not Juuse Saros will make the leap to North America for the 2015-16 season. If a Magnus Hellberg re-signing, similar to that of Marek Mazanec, comes in the next few days I would imagine it as a signal of Saros staying in Finland for another season. If Saros arrives, paired with Mazanec and now Whitney, it may mean Hellberg is out of work. If that happens I’ll have a rant column the day it happens. As for now, I think we can all agree that this move is even worse news for there being any chance that Rob Madore sticks around as the Admirals ECHL option.
Note. I will update this story when an official press release is out. As of right now it is the Victoriaville Tigres reporting this.
UPDATE. This deal is expected to be an AHL contract through the Milwaukee Admirals and not through the Nashville Predators as I initially wrote due to the wording of the Victoriaville news story. Think of this in the same mindset as Madore and Darling before him except on a two-year basis rather than one.
What does this news mean to you? Is this the end of Hellberg’s time in the Nashville Predators organization or a move with the ECHL and future (considering it is a two-year deal) in mind? Should the Predators consider moving Carter Hutton rather than one of their younger goaltenders?
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Joe Pendenza has only known one pro organization since finishing up his time at UMass-Lowell. That’ll remain the case in 2015-16. (Photo Credit: Scott Paulus)
Yesterday there was the news of Marek Mazanec staying onboard with the Nashville Predators by signing a one-year two-way contract. Today there is the first bit of Milwaukee Admirals business done and dusted. Joe Pendenza has re-signed with the Admirals to a new one-year contract.
Press Release via Milwaukee Admirals:
Milwaukee, WI—The Admirals announced today that the team has signed Joe Pendenza to a one-year American Hockey League contract.
Pendenza recently completed his rookie season with the Admirals, totaling nine goals and nine assists for 18 points and just six penalty minutes in 48 contests. The Wilmington, MA native first three goals with the Ads all were game winners and he finished the season fourth among club rookies in goals. He also tallied seven points (3g-4a) in 13 games with Cincinnati of the ECHL.
Pendenza spent four seasons at the University of Massachusetts-Lowell where he led the River Hawks in goals (14) assists (16), and points (30) as a senior, while helping them qualify for the NCAA tournament and make it within a game of the Frozen Four. In four seasons at UMass-Lowell, the Wilmington, MA native recorded 49 goals and a 61 assists for 11 points in 152 games played.
Pendenza joined the Admirals on an ATO contract when his time at UMass-Lowell came to an end in the 2013-14 season. He signed his first professional contract with the Admirals at the conclusion of the season and spent the bulk of his first full pro season in Milwaukee. In 48 AHL games he tallied 18 points (9 goals, 9 assists). With the Cincinnati Cyclones of the ECHL he recorded 7 points (3 goals, 4 assists) in 13 games.
Happy to have Joe Pendenza back with the Admirals? Who do you feel are some of the other names that will be re-signed next?
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