Feature

Best Goal of the 2016-17 Season
(Photo Credit: Jeff Hanisch)

While the saves and hits this season felt so-so the goals scored along the way by the Milwaukee Admirals were spectacular. This year’s team had such fantastic pace and skill which provided many great goals. That’s what makes this category the most difficult to really decide upon.

I’ve stuck to really three goals that stand out to me as your podium finishers. In saying that, depending on how you view it, these could really all vary on which goal stands on the top step of the podium.

The third best goal of the season in my eyes belongs to Vladislav Kamenev. On 12/12/16 against the San Antonio Rampage the 20-year old Russian toe-dragged defenseman Mason Geertsen and then snapped high-glove on Kent Simpson.

The second best goal of the season just so happened to be the first career pro goal scored by Yakov Trenin. “Why do I always travel to Rockford,” you ask. Because the Rockford IceHogs video quality on AHL Live is such that I likely would never have actually seen the beauty that was Trenin’s first goal as a pro. On 4/12/17 the Admirals were able to top the IceHogs at the BMO Harris Bank Center by way of their Russian duo. The game-winning goal on the evening turned out to be Trenin’s no-look spin-o-rama backhander gliding away from Lars Johansson in net and burying top shelf over his glove. It really is a high bar that Trenin set for himself to score a better goal than his first as a pro.

Yet, it was always going to be difficult to defeat this one. The Best Goal of the 2016-17 Season belongs to Kevin Fiala for this:

I must have watched this clip a dozen or more times and going frame by frame to appreciate the speed, stick skills, and sheer smoothness of Fiala to have done everything to record the game-winning goal on the road for the Admirals over the Charlotte Checkers back on 1/18/17. Allow me to do some breaking down of what Fiala actually did.

It’s three-on-three overtime. Fiala is on a slight odd-man rush down the right wing with Jack Dougherty joining him down the left wing. Standing in front of Fiala acting as a defenseman was Phil Di Giuseppe – a forward. Lucas Wallmark was backchecking on Fiala tightly. As Fiala skates in with pace Di Giuseppe moves off a touch to his right to break up a possible play to Dougherty. Di Giuseppe then gets down to take away space and Fiala instantly changes forehand to backhand to skate past a flailing stick check. Wallmark then overlaps off of Fiala which sends him free one-on-one against the AHL’s All-Time Shutout King Michael Leighton. Once there, in really no space at all, Fiala goes from backhand to forehand – then stickhandles away from a poke check by Leighton – hits the brakes – switches stance and begins gliding away from goal while cradling the puck like a yo-yo on his backhand – before depositing with the forehand over the top of a down and out Leighton’s left pad.

In short: Fiala is absolutely incredible and we here at Admirals Roundtable wish him the best of recovery from his injury. He will be back. And more highlights such as that will happen again. This goal came when he was 20-years old and frankly still learning. He’ll be back to this level once again. I don’t question that.

Be sure to keep updated with Admirals Roundtable through social media platform of your choice: follow along Twitter, like us on Facebook, get photo updates on Instagram, and listen along on SoundCloud.

News

2017-18 AHL Alignment Approved
(Photo Credit: Scott Paulus)

The American Hockey League have announced the approval for the 2017-18 season’s divisional alignment. The change comes with the arrival of the Belleville Senators, Binghamton Devils, and Laval Rocket. In addition, the new alignment sees an alteration in the Western Conference’s Central Division with the Charlotte Checkers shifting out and into the Eastern Conference’s Atlantic Division.

Press Release via AHL:

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. … American Hockey League President and CEO David Andrews announced that the league’s Board of Governors, convening for its Spring Meeting earlier this week in Chicago, Ill., has approved the following division alignment for the 2017-18 AHL season.

The format for the 2018 Calder Cup Playoffs will be finalized by the Board of Governors at its Annual Meeting in Hilton Head Island, S.C., July 2-6, and the complete playing schedule for the 2017-18 regular season, which begins Oct. 6, will be announced this summer.

In operation since 1936, 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 16th year in a row, more than 6 million fans attended AHL games across North America in 2016-17.

Also, the Milwaukee Admirals announced the teams that they will be facing for the 2017-18 season. The teams mentioned include the return of Eastern Conference opposition with the likes of the two teams the Admirals faced in their Calder Cup Finals appearances: the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and the Hershey Bears.

Press Release via Milwaukee Admirals:

Milwaukee, WI— American Hockey League President and CEO David Andrews announced that the league’s Board of Governors, convening for its Spring Meeting earlier this week in Chicago, Ill., has approved division alignment for the 2017-18 AHL season.

The Admirals will continue to play in the Central Division of the Western Conference, along with the Chicago Wolves, Cleveland Monsters, Grand Rapids Griffins, Iowa Wild, Manitoba Moose, and Rockford IceHogs. The division is unchanged from last season.

In addition to the divisional alignment, the Admirals unveiled their opponents for next season, which includes match-ups with the Hershey Bears and the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Coincidently, those teams were the Admirals opponents in their two appearences in the Calder Cup Finals. The Admirals topped the Penguins 4-0 in 2004 and fell to the Bears 4-2 in the Finals in 2006. However, they haven’t played either team in the regular season since the 2001-02 campaign.
In addition, the Admirals will also face off with the Ontario Reign for the first time. The Reign, the primary affiliate of the Los Angeles Kings, will be in their third year in the AHL next season and play in the Pacific Division. In addition to the Reign, the Admirals will also play the San Diego Gulls and the Stockton Heat from the Pacific.

The Admirals will continue to play a 76-game, unbalanced schedule which includes 38 home contests at the UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena. The Chicago Wolves will be the most common opponent at Panther Arena with six match-ups, while the Ads will host Grand Rapids, Iowa and Rockford each five times.

Milwaukee Admirals Opponent Breakdown:

Chicago Wolves…………6
Grand Rapids Griffins…..5
Iowa Wild……………….5
Rockford IceHogs……….5
Cleveland Monsters…….4
Manitoba Moose………..4
San Antonio Rampage….2
Texas Stars………………2
Hershey Bears…………..1
Ontario Reign…………..1
San Diego Gulls….……..1
Stockton Heat…………..1
WBS Penguins………….1

Personally, I am so happy to see the conferences clashing in-season once again. The last time that the Admirals played Eastern Conference opposition was the 2007-08 season when the Manchester Monarchs and Providence Bruins were on the schedule. That is a very welcome change and one that also sees the arrival of the Ontario Reign on the Admirals schedule for the first time as well.

Be sure to keep updated with Admirals Roundtable through social media platform of your choice: follow along Twitter, like us on Facebook, get photo updates on Instagram, and listen along on SoundCloud.

Feature

Best Save of the 2016-17 Season
(Photo Credit: Scott Paulus)

As mentioned in the hitting department, this season in saves from the Milwaukee Admirals goaltending wasn’t all that flashy or eye-popping. If there were ever a category where that is probably a good thing is is here. The Admirals goaltending this season was reliable, made good reads, and above all did a tremendous job staying square to shooters. While there were some odd-man rushes and breakaway saves made throughout the 2016-17 campaign – most were finished between the pipes with great composed positioning in net more than with desperation.

I’ve scanned plenty of saves from this season and kept coming back to three stops made between both Marek Mazanec and Jonas Gunnarsson. On 2/3/17 against the Rockford IceHogs, Mazanec made a brilliant snapping glove save against Brandon Mashinter on a break from the slot. On 12/10/16 against the Chicago Wolves, Gunnarsson made multiple saves on a rush play during a Wolves power-play opportunity – one while sprawling on his wallet.

Yet, the one that stands out to me the most -even if the game didn’t turn out too well- came during the regular season finale on 4/15/17 against the Grand Rapids Griffins. Your Best Save of the 2016-17 Season belongs to Jonas Gunnarsson sliding post-to-post to deny Tyler Bertuzzi on the back-door on a five-on-three power-play bid for the Griffins.

Be sure to keep updated with Admirals Roundtable through social media platform of your choice: follow along Twitter, like us on Facebook, get photo updates on Instagram, and listen along on SoundCloud.

Feature

Best Hit of the 2016-17 Season
(Photo Credit: Scott Paulus)

When it comes to hits and saves delivered this season: there weren’t too many jaw-droppers. That’s not to say that there weren’t good plays put on display but, as a highlight reel is concerned, things were rather simple. There just wasn’t a big field from which to pick from. But, that said, the Best Hit of the 2016-17 Season is one that packs a punch. And the man responsible is Mike Liambas.

This Liambas hit came during the Milwaukee Admirals contest on 11/23/16 against the Grand Rapids Griffins. Evgeny Svechnikov was caught playing defense and swooping out of his own defensive corner when he picked his head up and was quite literally run over by a bus.

Be sure to keep updated with Admirals Roundtable through social media platform of your choice: follow along Twitter, like us on Facebook, get photo updates on Instagram, and listen along on SoundCloud.

Feature

Best Fight of the 2016-17 Season
(Photo Credit: Jeff Hanisch)

This season the AHL promoted a brand new rule against fighting majors. There was a cap against players that had them being suspended once they hit 10 fighting majors on the season and the penalty would increase along the way.

Rule 46 (“Fighting”)/Rule 23 (“Game Misconducts”)
• Players who enter into a fight prior to, at, or immediately following the drop of the puck for a faceoff will be assessed an automatic game misconduct in addition to other penalties assessed.

• During the regular season, any player who incurs his 10th fighting major shall be suspended automatically for one (1) game. For each subsequent fighting major up to 13, the player shall also be suspended automatically for one (1) game.

• During the regular season, any player who incurs his 14th fighting major shall be suspended automatically for two (2) games. For each subsequent fighting major, the player shall also be suspended automatically for two (2) games.

• In any instance where the opposing player was assessed an instigator penalty, the fighting major shall not count towards the player’s total for this rule.

Did it work in limiting fighting majors? Well, looking at the Milwaukee Admirals alone, I’d say so. In the Dean Evason Era of the team fighting majors have gone: 44 in 2012-13, 62 in 2013-14, 66 in 2014-15, 53 in 2015-16, and 40 in 2016-17. It’s certainly fallen down. And, for those wondering about it, the Admirals did not have anyone punished under the new AHL ruling. Mike Liambas sat on 9 fighting majors for the final 10 games of the season and that is a dramatic drop on his career record.

So, what then of this season in Admirals hockey fights? I don’t recall many barn-burners, slobber-knockers, or walk-off KO’s along the way. That lends itself to me deciding the winner based around the one that stands out the best. And there was a fight this season that had me laughing all the way through it taking place. The Best Fight of the 2016-17 Season belongs to Anthony Richard vs. Matt Lorito.

The Admirals and Griffins rivalry is rather well documented at this point – as is the Griffins methods of getting under the Admirals’ skin. The Griffins are a team that talk, talk, talk some more, and keep on talking while never actually walking the walk. Even in this instance it looked to be that case. Lorito decided to challenge the one person on the ice for the Admirals he deemed least willing to actually fight if he challenged him. Richard not only accepted but proceeded to throttle him and win instantly. The Admirals bench erupted and that gave Richard his first pro Gordie Howe hat trick.

What was your favorite fight this season? Do you feel the AHL’s fighting major policy benefited or hurt the way games were played this season? Should that policy return as it was this past season or be changed?

Be sure to keep updated with Admirals Roundtable through social media platform of your choice: follow along Twitter, like us on Facebook, get photo updates on Instagram, and listen along on SoundCloud.

Feature

Best Game of the 2016-17 Season
(Photo Credit: Sara Stathas)

The Milwaukee Admirals provided many great moments throughout the 2016-17 season. When thinking of what the “Best Game” was there are fortunately many to pick from. Do you go with the time the Admirals clobbered the Texas Stars 9-1 on the road? Do you think a little on the evil side and take the 6-3 win over the Grand Rapids Griffins? Or, is there something off the cuff that managed to pile all kinds of great sequences together?

To me, despite the options, there is really only one winner. The Best Game of the 2016-17 Season was the Admirals’ second ever School Day Game which ended in a thrilling 5-4 overtime win over the Chicago Wolves at the UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena.

That game had it all but, above all, an unmatched atmosphere that was loud from start to finish. It is always noisy with those school crowds coming in but all the kiddos quickly get to grips with how hockey is played and set the backdrop on the most entertaining game of the season.

The Admirals went up 2-0 but then allowed three straight goals to the Wolves. The Admirals would equalize, concede, and equalize again en route to overtime. That set the stage for Alex Carrier to score one of the best goals of the season to cap off overtime in style.

What was your favorite game that the Milwaukee Admirals played this season? Write your answer down below and be sure to comment why that was your favorite game of the season.

Be sure to keep updated with Admirals Roundtable through social media platform of your choice: follow along Twitter, like us on Facebook, get photo updates on Instagram, and listen along on SoundCloud.

News

Emil Pettersson Signs Entry Level Contract
(Photo Credit: Ola Westerberg)

The Nashville Predators have announced that forward Emil Pettersson has signed a two-year entry level contract with the organization. Pettersson was selected in the sixth round of the 2013 NHL Draft by the Predators and will be making the leap from Sweden to North America in the 2017-18 season.

Press Release via Nashville Predators:

Nashville, TN – Nashville Predators President of Hockey Operations/General Manager David Poile today announced that the club has signed forward Emil Pettersson (eh-MIHL PEH-tuhr-suhn) to a two-year, entry-level contract.

Pettersson, 23 (1/14/94), finished ninth in the Swedish Hockey League in points (15g-23a-38pts) while splitting the 2016-17 season between Skelleftea and Vaxjo. The 6-foot-2, 164-pound center has spent the past four seasons in Sweden’s senior leagues, first in the second division with Timra, then at the elite level with Modo, Skelleftea and Vaxjo.

Nashville’s seventh choice, 155th overall (sixth round), in the 2013 Entry Draft, Pettersson is expected to play the 2017-18 season with the American Hockey League’s Milwaukee Admirals.

That last sentence is an exciting one given how Swedish forwards have done in the pipeline in recent years with the Milwaukee Admirals in the AHL. Pettersson has spent the last two seasons at the top flight of the Swedish Hockey League (SHL) for the likes of MODO Hockey, Skellefteå AIK, and Växjö Lakers HC. He moved mid-season from Skellefteå to Växjö and managed to really surge offensively. In total, his 2016-17 season with both clubs saw him amass 38 points (15 goals, 23 assists) in 51 games. He also produced 7 points (4 goals, 3 assists) in 6 playoff games with Växjö.

Be sure to keep updated with Admirals Roundtable through social media platform of your choice: follow along Twitter, like us on Facebook, get photo updates on Instagram, and listen along on SoundCloud.

News

Norfolk Admirals Named Nashville Predators New ECHL Affiliate
Kevin Henderson Approved! The Nashville Predators minor-pro affiliates are now the Admirals and the Admirals. (Photo Credit: John Malkowski)

For the first time in organizational history the Nashville Predators’ minor pro affiliations will be changing. While the Milwaukee Admirals were announced to a new five-year agreement as the Predators AHL affiliate the same will not be said of the Cincinnati Cyclones as the ECHL affiliate.

The Norfolk Admirals have just announced via Facebook Live that they will be the new ECHL affiliate to the Predators (NHL) and Admirals (AHL) moving forward. As of yet there has been no concrete details as to the terms of the ECHL affiliation agreement between Nashville and Norfolk but it will mean for all Admirals at all times outside of Nashville.

Once an official statement becomes available with details on behalf of either the Nashville Predators or Norfolk Admirals I will provide an update to this story with the press release. Keep your eyes peeled for that as well as updates on social media regarding the new ECHL affiliation change.

Press Release via Norfolk Admirals:

NORFOLK, VA. – The Norfolk Admirals announced today that the club has reached an affiliation agreement with the Nashville Predators of the National Hockey League, beginning with the 2017-18 season.

“After a thorough process, the Nashville Predators are the perfect fit for the city of Norfolk and the Admirals. Their proven history of community outreach, innovative marketing, player development and winning is everything Admirals fans demand of us,” Admirals President Michael Santos stated.

Predators Director of Hockey Operations Brian Poile represented the new parent club at the event and said, “As an organization, we’re a big believer in the direction the Admirals are headed. We love having committed relationships with our affiliates for a variety of reasons, not limited to only player development.”

The Milwaukee Admirals will continue to serve as the American Hockey League affiliate for the Predators, the bridge between Nashville and Norfolk.

Since their inception in 1998, 35 Predators have been ECHL alumnus, including players such as Tomas Vokoun, Vern Fiddler and Anthony Bitetto.

This announcement comes as the first of three major organizational changes this summer for the Admirals. A new logo and jerseys will be revealed prior to the season.

The Admirals will kick off their 2017-18 campaign in October, with the home opener coming on Friday the 27th against the South Carolina Stingrays.

Season memberships are on sale now and start as low $500 for 36 games at Norfolk Scope Arena. Memberships can be purchased by contacting the Admirals at 757-640-1212 or on norfolkadmirals.com.

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News

Cody Bass Recalled by Nashville
(Photo Credit: Scott Paulus)

The Nashville Predators have recalled Cody Bass from the Milwaukee Admirals. This move comes a day after the “Black Aces” made their way up from Milwaukee to help bolster the Predators run in the 2017 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs.

This season started off so well for Bass as he made the Predators roster to begin the 2016-17 season. Things then went downhill and all came to a serious injury at the end of the 2016 portion of the Admirals calendar. He injured his hamstring on 12/28/16 and required surgery. That would sideline him for the rest of the Admirals regular season as well as the playoffs. He missed the final 50 games that the Admirals played.

What is encouraging though for Bass was he started to really practice hard at the end of the season. If the Admirals playoff run lasted longer there was a chance that he could have factored in with a deep run. Sadly, that wasn’t the case. But his leadership qualities off the ice continued on as he stayed around the team at season’s end to assist where he could. Bass will still be with the organization in 2017-18 and should be fully fit when the season begins.

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News

Black Aces Arrive in the Form of Five
(Photo Credit: Scott Paulus)

The Nashville Predators have officially recalled Alex Carrier, Jack Dougherty, Petter Granberg, Vladislav Kamenev, and Trevor Murphy from the Milwaukee Admirals. They will be joining the likes of Marek Mazanec and Frédérick Gaudreau by the Predators as part of the “Black Aces” from the Admirals.

Of the names going up to help bolster the Predators depth for their playoff push there are five players who have logged a game or more with the Predators in the NHL this season. You’d have to look at names such as Dougherty and Murphy as players who have yet to participate with the Predators as of yet.

This end-season recall for the group that played in the AHL at the end of the season helps to both give a look up at the NHL level as well as to provide depth on-ice during practice sessions and more for the Predators. For a player specifically like Dougherty, who has yet to get a recall until this moment, it offers a glimpse at the end goal being worked so hard for. It wouldn’t be clear if any would suit up for a game -but- the options now exist for the Predators thanks to revamped depth.

Be sure to keep updated with Admirals Roundtable through social media platform of your choice: follow along Twitter, like us on Facebook, get photo updates on Instagram, and listen along on SoundCloud.