Firstly, a belated Happy Mother’s Day. Hope you all had the chance to catch up with family and, for you Sconnies, enjoy some of the outstanding weather we finally had this weekend.

We’ve hit into which members of the Milwaukee Admirals will be upcoming free agents. We have also taken a peak into who is on next season’s radar (and beyond) as far as new blood is concerned. There will almost certainly be members of that restricted free agent list, possibly even unrestricted free agent list, due back for the 2014-15 Admirals season. Curious as to how that whole free agent process works out? I say give this link a gander.

The question I have for you all today is this. Out of the list of restricted and unrestricted free agents – who do you think this team needs the most?

Restricted Free Agents

Taylor Beck: I feel he is coming off of his best professional season. He played strong two-way hockey, could log lots of minutes in various situations, and was really a consistent performer start to finish.

Anthony Bitetto: His season started off red hot offensively but seemed to cool half way through the season. His defense was spotty at times but did look better as the season wore on.

Joonas Jarvinen: He started the year with an injury and also missed some time in the late stages to due the dreaded “upper-body” injury. When he was on the ice he was one of the Admirals best defensive defensemen. He’s big, physical, and seemed to elevate his game from the previous 2012-13 season.

Simon Moser: I feel like his game really shined during the Olympics and the brief time he had in the NHL afterwards. He might not thrill too much on offense but he is sound defensively and has some good skill. It’s still a shame that the IceHogs injured him during that outstanding stretch of games for him.

Joonas Rask: I actually think there are some slight comparatives with Rask to Moser. Differences? Moser is ahead of him offensively but the two player solid defense from the wings and Rask may have been one of the fastest skaters in Milwaukee this past season. There was a learning curve for him adjusting from the European style rinks to the North American game – but he still played rather well on a low-line role.

Charles-Olivier Roussel: He worked his way on the roster from camp and into the lineup time-and-time again. I think he wasn’t too far behind Bryan Rodney in terms of skill set and, to be honest, was more reliable on defense. The question you have to ask is whether or not he’s playing to his ceiling or if there is yet another level to his game that we could see next season?

Scott Valentine: His season ended with shoulder surgery but his combination with Scott Ford was as good of a shutdown d-pair as the team had to offer. I feel we’ve seen a lot of what he can and cannot do in his three-seasons in Milwaukee (he was even an ace on color commentary with Aaron Sims during the playoffs). I do think that the young defensemen coming in for next season means limited room for left shooting d-men. It could be that Bitetto gets tabbed for a role over him when it is all said and done.

Unrestricted Free Agents

Paul Crowder: 29-years old. Played practically his entire season at the ECHL level. Has 31 points (12 goals, 19 assists), 34 penalty minutes, and a plus/minus rating of -8 from 106 career AHL games. Unlikely to be re-signed? Unlikely.

Scott Darling: If not for the lack of games and minutes he would be right there in all major AHL goaltending categories for his 2013-14 efforts. I think he has earned himself a two-way NHL deal or a minimum of an AHL deal elsewhere. The Predators seem like they’ll make a push to keep Carter Hutton. Add to the fact they have Marek Mazanec and Magnus Hellberg and you are left exactly where the Admirals were at the start of the season before all the injury news surfaced. I doubt we see Darling return as an Admiral next season – but I expect him to play elsewhere in the AHL.

Scott Ford: A team without the Sheriff sure would be strange right? The 2012-13 season started off that way but, with a veteran-max issue in Peoria, we brought him back. I wonder what the future holds for him. Watching his work in-person I felt his regular season was alright. Watching him play in the playoffs against Toronto and I feel as if he was getting beaten to areas of the ice a defenseman shouldn’t. The pace was lacking and therefore his greatest asset, keeping the play in front of him to defend and use his strength in-tight, was gone. Were he to return next season he would be 35-years old by Christmas. It makes you wonder just how much more is left in the tank.

Mike Liambas: There isn’t much to not like about his work rate this season. Yes, he did his share of fighting (25 in total). But, I was real happy to see his other abilities come to the surface. As Pekka Rinne said, “he’s a warrior.”

Joe Piskula: He may have been the best all-around defenseman on the Admirals this season. 23 points (3 goals, 20 assists) and a plus/minus rating of +20. He always seemed really smooth and under control. As veteran d-men returning are concerned I feel he might be top man on the list.

Bryan Rodney: A veteran puck moving d-man and one that gave Admirals fans plenty to love and hate – making his alias the Thunderdome. As far as next season’s defense is concerned there are lots of young players coming in the mix with the space for a veteran being either useful or tough to find a place for. When it comes to Thunderdome – I think it will be hard to find a place for him.

Vinny Saponari: How good was this guy last season? 33 points (15 goals, 18 assists) in 58 games. He may not have started the season off where he wanted to but once he left Cincinnati in November he never looked back.

Mathieu Tousignant: The pesky pest, French chrip-o-matic, and always entertaining Tousi provided plenty of energy to the team this season. He skates fast, has shown some amazing skill in shootouts, and really brings the type of all-around fight that you want from the lower lines on your team.

Francis Wathier: Alright, technically he is the Texas Stars’ free agent because he was “loaned” to the Admirals but still. He added a real nice element to the team that I felt they lacked. He was a big body forward that could play wing or center and was comfortable in all game situations because of his  great veteran maturity.

Out of the names above, who should return and who should be let go? Do you feel like this was the final playing season for Scott Ford in Milwaukee? Are there other players that you would be interested seeing the Admirals add as a free agent next season?

The Nashville Predators and Milwaukee Admirals have officially announced an affiliation extension that will see the two working together through the 2016-17 season. The Admirals have operated as the Predators AHL affiliate since the team’s first season in the NHL in 1998-99. It is the third-longest active streak among AHL affiliates to their parent clubs.

Per the Milwaukee Admirals press release:

Milwaukee Admirals Owner and CEO Harris Turer and Nashville Predators President of Hockey Operations/General Manager David Poile announced today that the two clubs have extended their affiliation agreement through the 2016-17 season.

“We are thrilled to extend our affiliation with the Predators,” said Turer. “David and [Nashville Assistant GM and Milwaukee GM] Paul Fenton and their staff are committed to developing players by continuing a winning tradition in Milwaukee, as evidenced by the success we have had in our relationship with Nashville.”

“We are very proud of the Admirals alumni like Shea Weber, Pekka Rinne, and many others who have helped to make the Predators one of the most difficult teams in the NHL to play against.”

During their time with the Predators the Admirals have accumulated a 660-437-31-56-90 record, good for a .588 points percentage. The Ads have won four Division Titles, two conference crowns and won the Calder Cup Championship in 2004. Milwaukee became the first team in AHL history to record 40 or more wins in 10 straight seasons and they have posted 90 or more points in nine of the past 11 seasons, including five years when they have broken the 100-point plateau. Including this past season the Admirals have accumulated the second-most points, behind only Hershey, in the AHL since joining in 2001-02 after 24 seasons in the International Hockey League.

The Ads are one of only two teams to make it to the Calder Cup Playoffs in each of the last 12 seasons, with late-season surges the past three seasons helping to extend the streak. They went 16-5-1 in their final 22 games of the 2013-14 regular season to claim the Western Conference’s sixth seed, and in 2011-12 and 2012-13, they claimed the Western Conference’s eighth and final playoff spot with wins on the final day of the campaign.

The Predators and Admirals have functioned as affiliates since Nashville’s inception in 1998-99, the third longest active streak in the AHL, and more than 140 players have played at least one game for both teams in the past 16 seasons. Additionally, six of Milwaukee’s head or assistant coaches have graduated to the NHL level, including Predators Assistant Coach Lane Lambert – who manned the Admirals helm for four seasons from 2007-11 – current Columbus Blue Jackets Head Coach Todd Richards – who was an assistant with Milwaukee from 2002-06 – and Claude Noel, who has been the head coach in Columbus and Winnipeg after serving as an the Ads bench boss from 2003-07.

Many of Nashville’s core players spent time with the Admirals, including four of their top five point-getters in 2013-14. Two-time Olympic Gold Medalist, three-time Norris Trophy finalist and Predators captain Shea Weber started his pro career with Milwaukee in 2005-06; Patric Hornqvist started his North American career with Milwaukee in 2008-09 before putting up more than 20 goals in four consecutive full seasons for Nashville from 2009-14; Craig Smith spent time in his home state of Wisconsin during the 2012-13 campaign and Roman Josi put up 40 points (6g-34a) for the Ads in 2010-11 before bursting onto the NHL scene. Two-time Vezina Trophy finalist Pekka Rinne spent his first three seasons in North America with the Ads from 2005-08, while roster mainstays Colin Wilson, Nick Spaling, Gabriel Bourque, Ryan Ellis, Mattias Ekholm and Victor Bartley all spent time developing in Milwaukee before becoming full-time players in Nashville.

In 2013-14 alone, forwards Calle Jarnkrok, Filip Forsberg, Colton Sissons, Simon Moser, Mark Van Guilder, Taylor Beck, defenseman Joe Piskula, and goaltenders Pekka Rinne, Marek Mazanec and Magnus Hellberg appeared in games for both franchises.

“Our organization has been philosophically committed to an affiliation in which the road to Nashville goes through Milwaukee,” Poile said. “Our current roster supports this philosophy. The Milwaukee Admirals have cultivated a winning tradition, as evidenced by their 12 consecutive trips to the playoffs – including a Calder Cup Championship in 2004 and another appearance in the Calder Cup Finals in 2006. Led by Harris Turer, the Milwaukee ownership group has assembled a bright and dedicated staff headed by President Jon Greenberg, that has created a major league environment for our prospects.

“With the Milwaukee organization working together with ours, led by Paul Fenton this has been and will continue to be a partnership that rewards both teams, and most importantly, the hockey fans in both cities.”

Considering just how often affiliation changes take place or, one better, teams completely moving ship to different locations – it is quite remarkable when you think about the relationship between the Predators and Admirals. The coaches and players may come and go but the pipeline to Nashville really does start here in Milwaukee and has for a great many years. Another three-seasons worth of that? Yes please!

Happy to see the Milwaukee Admirals partnership with the Nashville Predators continue? Do you feel the end date of this agreement, in 2016-17, is a wait-and-see for the potential new Bucks venue downtown? What do you see the Admirals and Predators achieving over the course of this brand new agreement?

The Nashville Predators officially announced this afternoon that they have signed Pontus Aberg to a three-year entry level contract. The 20-year old from Stockholm, Sweden was selected thirty-seventh overall in the second round of the 2012 NHL Draft by the Predators. This coming 2014-15 season will be his first professional playing season in North America.

With some of the stories we’ve had up on here recently – Aberg was a speculative possibility. Now, he should be a lock to be in Milwaukee starting next season. He played last year with Färjestad BK where he competed in 52 games, produced 31 points (15 goals, 16 assists), had a plus/minus rating of +2, and 41 penalty minutes.

Despite the mediocre regular season for Färjestad BK – they found themselves in the SHL Finals against this year’s top Swedish team Skellefteå AIK. Aberg played 13 playoff games in FBK’s run to the Final, scored 4 points (2 goals, 2 assists), and was a -5 with 4 penalty minutes to his name. FBK was swept in the SHL Final by Skellefteå AIK, 4-0.

Excited for Pontus Aberg? Were you able to watch him play in this year’s AHL All Star Classic? Which center should he play alongside next season? Is it safe to assume he’ll be starting and playing the bulk of next season here in Milwaukee?

With all of the excitement over playoff hockey – you nearly forget that the 2014 IIHF World Championship starts in Belarus on Friday.

There will be a lot of players from the Nashville Predators system competing for their countries. Here is a look as to who will be taking part:

Team Canada: Ryan Ellis

Team Finland: Pekka Rinne, Miikka Salomaki, Juuse Saros

Team Sweden: Calle Jarnkrok, Mattias Ekholm

Team Switzerland: Roman Josi, Simon Moser

Team USA: Seth Jones, Craig Smith

The Predators personnel won’t just be limited to what you’re seeing on the ice, either. Team USA will also see the likes of assistant coach Phil Housley and video coordinator Lawrence Feloney join their ranks in Belarus.

To get a better sense of schedule, rosters, groups, etc – I recommend giving the official IIHF website a proper shakedown. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to track down the latest Suomi jersey and get it customized with Salomaki’s name and number.

Will you be tuning in for the 2014 Worlds tournament? Are you excited to see some current Admirals representing their countries? How do you think they will fair in the tournament?

We discussed the potential free agents here at the Roundtable on Monday. Now let’s actually think about what the potential 2014-15 roster and lines could look like.

I think the easiest way to go about constructing next year’s team and line combos would be to work backwards. Example, if you look at that list of upcoming free agents for the Admirals this off-season, let’s forget about them entirely and build from there. That means no restricted or unrestricted free agents as well as leaving off the one real “destined to start in the NHL next season” bloke, Calle Jarnkrok, because I’m pretty sure we have seen the last of him in Milwaukee. This is what I’ve come up with:

Filip Forsberg (LW) – Colton Sissons (C) – Taylor Beck (W)
Miikka Salomaki (W/C) – Brendan Leipsic (C/LW) – Patrick Cehlin (RW)
Pontus Aberg (LW) – Mark Van Guilder (C) – Austin Watson (C/RW)
Kevin Henderson (LW) – Felix Girard (C) – Zach Budish (W)

Jonathan Diaby (L) – Garrett Noonan (L)
Jaynen Rissling (L) – Mikko Vainonen (L)
(None) – Taylor Aronson (R)

Marek Mazanec – Magnus Hellberg

That could be a potential squad for next season. If you’re like me – you probably already spotted some red flags. (1) there aren’t quite confirmed numbers on defense (2) the only right-handed defenseman accounted for would be Aronson (3) Budish or Aronson would really need to earn their roster spots at the AHL level given their play this previous season (3) experience is very much lacking – if you take away Van Guilder the oldest player on that roster would be Henderson at 27-years old – and there is no guarantee that we’ll even see him back after his loan move to the Texas Stars this season.

There are other players on the cuff to make the Admirals next season and for the years ahead. One of the names I left off of my mock-roster was Josh Shalla – who we have seen but, similar to his pals playing with the Cincinnati Cyclones of the ECHL right now, would more than likely need to earn his place on the AHL roster. That said, from the last three draft years alone there are still plenty prospects on the horizon in terms of making it to Milwaukee. Those all include Nashville Predators draft selections that are either in Juniors, College, or in Europe:

North America: Teemu Kivihalme (18, D, NCAA), Tommy Veilleux (19, LW, QMJHL), Wade Murphy (20, RW, NCAA), Jimmy Vesey (20, LW, ECAC), Zach Stepan (20, C, WCHA), Chase Balisy (22, F, NCHC), Brent Andrews (21, C, QMJHL)

Europe: Juuse Saros (19, G, Finland), Saku Maenalanen (19, W, Finland), Emil Pettersson (20, C, Sweden), Janne Juvonen (19, G, Finland), Simon Fernholm (20, D, Sweden), Max Gortz (21, RW, Sweden), Simon Karlsson (20, D, Sweden)

I’m sure there are some players that I missed from that grouping of prospects -but- you can help me fill that in if that’s the case!

So, there are some holes that certainly need to be addressed this summer. I feel the two biggest are getting experience and a right-handed shot on defense to get that balance that you want from a team. Perhaps Scott Ford has another season left in the tank after-all.

How do you see the 2014-15 Milwaukee Admirals shaping out? What is needed the most? Where are the holes? What new players would you be most excited to see?

The speculation can stop, because the Nashville Predators second ever search for a head coach has ended with the appointment of Peter Laviolette.

After Nashville declined to renew Barry Trotz contract last month the rumor mill was churning out names. Among them was Laviolette’s name – the man who was fired a mere three games into the Philadelphia Flyers 2013-14 season.

Laviolette had coached the Flyers into the Stanley Cup Final in his first season in charge back in 2009-10. His coaching track record also sees a Stanley Cup victory as the head coach of the Carolina Hurricanes in 2005-06. Prior to the Cup success he had also picked up a Calder Cup as the head coach of the Providence Bruins in 1998-99.

In addition to the appointment of Laviolette the Predators will also be bringing Kevin McCarthy on-board as an assistant coach. He will be working side-by-side with Phil Housley and former-Admirals head coach Lane Lambert next season.

Quotes from the Nashville Predators official press release:

“Having reached the peak as a Stanley Cup Champion, Peter knows the intensity and urgency it will take to help our team reach its ultimate goal,” Poile said. “He is a great hockey mind who not only has a winning resume, but has done it with an aggressive offensive philosophy while also excelling in helping young players reach their potential. We look forward to Peter instilling his culture in Nashville immediately following his duties coaching the United States at the 2014 World Championship.”

“I love the nucleus of this team, starting on the back end with two of the best players at their positions in defenseman Shea Weber and goaltender Pekka Rinne, in addition to a solid group of dependable veterans and talented, rising young talent,” Laviolette said. “My challenge will be to impart a system that enables our young forwards to thrive and reach their offensive potential. Being a perennial Stanley Cup contender requires buy-in, passion and commitment from every player on the roster. I can’t wait to get to Nashville and get started on our journey.”

In my book, this was a slam dunk choice by the Predators. He has a proven track record and was really a victim of unfortunate GM work in Philadelphia that lead to his shockingly fast removal at the start of this season. I was fairly surprised to see him last the majority of this NHL season without landing in a new home. Now we all know that home will be Nashville. And I think that bodes well for the years to come.

What are your thoughts on the hiring of Peter Laviolette? Was this the right choice by the Nashville Predators? How do you think he will fair in his first few seasons as head coach? What should the outlook for the Predators be in these next few years be?

The AHL season isn’t even over yet and we have some shuffling amongst AHL teams for next season.

If you weren’t already aware – the Adirondack Phantoms were set to move over to Allentown, Pennsylvania where they would play under the banner of the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.

Now that their old barn is free the Calgary Flames have finally managed to get the heck on out of Abbotsford and right in where Adirondack left off. With the AHL Spring Meeting taking place in Chicago earlier in the day – it was announced today that the move will be official and the Abbotsford Heat will be moving over to Glens Falls, New York. No official team name has been announced as of yet.

Abbotsford has been among the lowest of the low as far as attendance is concerned in the AHL. This past season they saw an average of 3,007 fans which put them second to only the Portland Pirates (2,185 average attendance) for the lowest in the league. Compare that to the team/location they’ll be moving into, Adirondack, who sported an average of 4,192 fans. That may have still been at the cliff of the bottom ten in AHL attendance this past season -but- it is a massive improvement as far as Abbotsford is concerned.

With no more Abbotsford Heat to speak of, sob – cry – tear, let’s look back on the most classic of classic moments in Heat history.

What do you think about this move for the Calgary Flames organization? What do you think their new affiliate should be called? If this causes a shuffle in the Conferences – who is most likely to shift to the West in their place?

The season only just came to a close a few days ago but there is still a fair bit of uncertainty as to what the Milwaukee Admirals will look like for the 2014-15 season. According to Cap Geek, which does have a few names missing from the ones below, the Admirals will have seven restricted free agents and nine unrestricted free agents.

RFA: Taylor Beck, Anthony Bitetto, Joonas Jarvinen, Simon Moser, Joonas Rask, Charles-Olivier Roussel, Scott Valentine

UFA: Paul Crowder, Scott Darling, Scott Ford, Mike Liambas, Joe Piskula, Bryan Rodney, Vinny Saponari, Mathieu Tousignant, Francis Wathier

With those in mind you then start thinking about some of the new faces that should enter the system in the near future. In fact, we’ve had the chance to get a good look at a few of them already: Pontus Åberg, Jonathan Diaby, Felix Girard, Brendan Leipsic, Garrett Noonan, Jaynen Rissling, and Mikko Vainonen.

It has to be said, looking top-side and from our end, boy are we ever stacked when it comes to defensemen! I would be surprised to see us go forward into next season without some sort of veteran mind in that core. Whether it would be Ford, Piskula, or both would be an interesting decision.

I also have to wonder, having watched the Toronto Marlies really out-pace him in the playoffs, if we may have actually seen the last of the Sheriff. It would be painfully sad if that would be the case but I have to imagine, turning 35-years old this December, it could be getting closer to that time when both side have to move on.

As for the Nashville Predators they will have a few RFAs/UFAs as well.

RFA: Michael Del Zotto, Mattias Ekholm, Ryan Ellis, Nick Spaling

UFA: Patrick Eaves, Carter Hutton

Also, joy of joys, the Preds partial hold on Devan Dubnyk‘s contract will also come off of the books. I expect Nashville to gleefully let Eaves walk and I also expect the team to make a push on re-signing Hutton. As for any potential summer moves – what do you think could or should happen?

Who would you like to see stay and who would you like to see go? Will there be a youth-movement on the Admirals blueline in the 2014-14 season? Are there other prospects you feel can add to the mix next season? Should any of our late-2014 ATO players also be considered for next season?

This weekend capped off the opening round of the Calder Cup Playoffs. There were two game fives: (7) Providence Bruins vs. (2) Springfield Falcons – (7) Rochester Americans vs. (2) Chicago Wolves.

On Saturday the Bruins managed to pull off the upset of the Falcons by winning 6-3 on the road. Then the Wolves defeated the Amerks 4-2 in a series that saw neither team pick up consecutive wins. That means the second round playoff match ups will look like this:

Western Conference: (1) Texas Stars vs. (4) Grand Rapids Griffins, (2) Chicago Wolves vs. (3) Toronto Marlies.

Eastern Conference: (4) St. John’s IceCaps vs. (8) Norfolk Admirals, (6) Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins vs. (7) Providence Bruins.

I don’t know about you guys but that Eastern Conference opening round sure was lethal! Every single division winner was eliminated in the first round. The Springfield Falcons went five games against the Providence Bruins. The Manchester Monarchs, who finished the regular season one point behind the Texas Stars for the best record in the entire AHL, wear defeated by the Norfolk Admirals in four games. And the Binghamton Senators lasted four games against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins before bowing out.

As four our lovely Western Conference – two of our divisional opponents made it through to the next round: Grand Rapids and Chicago. Each of the second round games from our Conference are going to be explosive. While I most want to see a Stars (offense) vs. Marlies (defense) West Final – it is still very much open. The Griffins will give the Stars a serious run for their money and I think the Wolves can play just as strong defensively as the Marlies.

The second round goes to a best-of-seven format, as it should be for all rounds, and here are my predictions: Texas in six games. Toronto in five games. St. John’s in seven games. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton in five games.

Who do you think will make it to the AHL Conference Finals? How about all those opening round upsets out of the Eastern Conference? Do you already see a Calder Cup favorite from the second round?