Scouting November 12, 2016

Griffins: Scouting the Enemy

“No Goal” and “Goaltender Interference” was the awful and moronic crime that the officials called for in the last appearance of the Grand Rapids Griffins in Milwaukee. The Griffins would go on to win the game and sweep the opening round playoff series the next game that also saw unnervingly poor officiating. What chapter gets written in the Admirals-Griffins rivalry during the 2016-17 season? We find out tonight. (Photo Credit: Scott Paulus)

When saying “Grand Rapids Griffins” now all that comes to mind is the insanity that took place during last season’s Calder Cup Playoff series that saw various bizarre situations en route to a first round sweep to end the Milwaukee Admirals otherwise brilliant 2015-16 season.

There was a situation in which Corey Potter had his helmet ripped off during a Griffins forecheck yet was called for an unsportsmanlike conduct for playing without his helmet. There was the infamous “no goal” call in which a Potter shot was deflected off of Max Görtz and went in for a goal that would have made it a 2-1 game with a period left to play. It was waved off for goaltender interference despite the fact no one was remotely close to Griffins goaltender Tom McCollum. The Admirals would later score through Vladislav Kamenev but ultimately lose 2-1 with the deficit being the disallowed goal.

And then of course, it had to come to it, the madness that was Game 3 that saw not one but two pucks go flying clean through the net. Were they goals? Yes. Was the huge delay in determining what was happening all while leaving the exact same net in after the first goal took place a factor? Yes. It was the worst of the worst as far as AHL officiating ineptitude could possibly have and on display at a stage where it should never be an on-ice issue. It was. And it will sting for awhile.

Thankfully, there are plenty of the exact same bodies on both sides coming back from that series to take part in tonight’s first head-to-head meeting since that cruel playoff exit for the Admirals. Memories in the game of hockey are long. And the matter of “revenge” is a true storyline heading into tonight’s game. The great news is that the very first meeting of the season is at the UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena where the nets are in tip-top shape and it would take a Shea Weber-like effort to torch a puck through the net.

Another nice thing the Admirals will have going for them tonight is the fact that the Griffins played last night at home and shutout the Rockford IceHogs by a final score of 3-0. The Admirals have been stationary since playing Wednesday in the AM hour so the freshness factor should really be seen as tonight’s game progresses.

The Griffins enter tonight’s game with a record of 7-4-0-0 (14 points, 0.636 points percentage). They have won their last two games consecutively but have been sporadic having won half of their last six games. It’s either been good enough or just a touch off -but- they haven’t really played a poor game to date.

If anything their performance last night to finish off a four game homestand was one of their better efforts this season. Not only did they earn a shutout over the IceHogs but they uncorked 42 shots on goal including a massive third period finish that saw them outshoot the IceHogs 14-4 to cement the wire-to-wire win.

Jared Coreau was the man in net for the shutout last night and he stopped all 30 shots the IceHogs threw at him. It was his first shutout of the season and it came in his tenth start of the season. Coreau has started as many game in net as the Admirals have played as a team this season while utilizing four different goaltenders. It’s pretty crazy. That said, he has met the massive work load with quality results: 7-3-0-0 record, 2.10 goals against average, and a 0.934 save percentage. The other man to start for the Griffins in Coreau’s lone rest day to date was Eddie Pasquale who suffered a loss while the Griffins offense was blanked on the road against the Charlotte Checkers.

There are currently two players out of the Griffins lineup on recall to the Detroit Red Wings who you’d hope don’t magically arrive in time for tonight’s game given the damage they’re capable of offensively. Anthony Mantha started the season in the AHL on fire by scoring 10 points (8 goals, 2 assists) in 10 games before an injury to Andreas Athanasiou saw him recalled yesterday. In Mantha’s career against the Admirals he has scored 14 points (8 goals, 6 assists) in 17 games including last year’s playoff match-up. The other notable man absent from the Griffins lineup is Tyler Bertuzzi who scored 3 goals in 3 games during the Griffins sweep of the Admirals in the playoffs. This season he had 4 points (2 goals, 2 assists) in 9 games prior to being recalled while Thomas Vanek was placed on injured reserve.

When scanning the rest of the Griffins roster you see plenty of familiar names returning from last year’s group. Players to keep an eye on tonight I feel will be: Louis-Marc Aubry, Mitch Callahan, Martin Frk, Tomas Nosek, Eric Tangradi, and Robbie Russo. Elsewhere the Griffins have added good veteran depth with one of those being an Admiral from a season ago by the name of Conor Allen who I suspect signed with the hopes of not playing for three different AHL teams this season.

All those names and I could rattle off even more solid veteran minded players: Brian Lashoff, Nathan Paetsch, Daniel Cleary, Matthew Ford, and Ben Street. That gets paired with some prospects that the likes of Vladislav Kamenev and Jack Dougherty should be familiar with in Yevgeni Svechnikov and Dominic Turgeon. Svechnikov was drafted by the Red Wings in the 1st Round (19th Overall) in the 2015 NHL Draft and played with Kamenev at the national team level at World Juniors. Turgeon was team captain of the Portland Winterhawks (WHL) last season where Dougherty was an alternate captain alongside him.

So, the Griffins have yet another very stacked, deeply talented, and diversely structured team once again. Go figure, right? I feel as if two of the best teams right now in the NHL when it comes to scouting and the developmental process through the AHL are the Detroit Red Wings and Nashville Predators. No wonder these two sides lock horns so well.

What are your expectations for tonight’s game? Will the Milwaukee Admirals winning streak continue? Do you still cringe when thinking about last year’s playoff games against the Grand Rapids 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 November 11, 2016

A Room Filled With Leaders

We’re only ten games into the 2016-17 season and I already feel as if a word that is going to get used a lot this season is character. The Admirals as a team has character. The UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena is an old school building that has character. This was something felt and said quickly by Milwaukee Admirals head coach Dean Evason at Media Day ahead of the season and it is already an attribute of the team that is strongly being showcased.

“We feel real good about our group of veteran people and prospects. But most importantly we’re excited about the character of this team as opposed to other teams of the past. We’ve had real good teams here. The character of this group seems really high and really good.” ~Dean Evason

What does this character element mean, you ask. To me it means having leadership far and wide in various aspects where it is needed. There are veteran players who have been part of the Admirals current group for a few seasons that know life and the process of the team and city. There are new veterans that were brought in that conduct themselves professionally on and off the ice and lend themselves to teaching and assisting those in the locker room. And the young up and coming talents of the team feature a background in their own right as leaders from previous teams, locker rooms, and have taken that mindset into the professional ranks.

Recent years the Admirals roster has been either the youngest in the American Hockey League (AHL) or among the youngest. As a developmental league you expect that to a degree but would also expect such youth to trickle into less than favorable results as opposed to the rest of the league’s more polished or experienced players and minds. Last season in particular the Admirals played 23 players who were 23-years of age or younger at some point in the season. They played 6 players that were teenagers. And that team was able to finish on top of the Central Division, nearly even the entire Western Conference, with a record of 48-23-3-2 (101 points, 0.664 points percentage).

How is something such as that achieved? Is it a simply matter of having the right pieces? Having a locker room and on-ice chemistry that clicks incredibly well? Or are there key players that pull extra weight and can be accountable when things shouldn’t be going right? The answer is of course – all of the above. What helps it all come together though is having the right leaders in the room to make it all work. The Admirals have a room filled with leaders. And this season’s team just so happens to have a room with heart and soul type players and people.

If you were to purely judge someone such as Mike Liambas based on his career’s statistical measurements you would probably consider him to be an undersized enforcer. On paper, saying that, you can probably assess that he clearly has warrior spirit and one that can endear him to his team, teammates, and the fans. The thing is that Liambas has always been far beyond the sort of player that simply drops the gloves when he chooses to. He isn’t just a fourth line AHL level grind it out player. Liambas is a leader. Liambas is the type of person that can lighten the mood of a locker room and tighten it up. He is both a vocal leader and one who can lead by example for the way in which he conducts himself as a professional athlete.

After completing the 2012-13 season a young defenseman by the name of Anthony Bitetto sought out advice for a diet and work out regiment to better prepare himself for the riggers of a pro hockey season. The man who helped him was Liambas and the lessons learned for Bitetto saw him produce career best offensive numbers in 2013-14 with the Admirals and gave him a platform to start working on the full-game as a pro level defenseman.

When arriving to the Admirals as an 18-year old first year pro after completing a junior playing career with the Kelowna Rockets of the Western Hockey League Colton Sissons roommate for the season just so happened to be Liambas. The two quickly formed a solid friendship. Sissons was a skillful yet tactically sound two-way center. Liambas the hard-nosed winger that scrapped it out. Both learned tremendously from one-another and Liambas’ game in that season and the one that followed grew to new heights as a very solid defensive minded forward.

It was bittersweet to see last season when Liambas signed an NHL contract through the Chicago Blackhwaks. He earned an NHL contract but wasn’t just leaving the Admirals organization but playing head-to-head against them as a member of the Rockford IceHogs. He has his moments but, one season later, finds himself right back in familiar surroundings in Milwaukee. It hasn’t taken long to see what bringing Liambas back to the team does for the team. It doesn’t take much from watching him at team practices as to why he wears an “A” on the front of his jersey. He has the keen ability to know when to get his teammates to laugh and when to get them to listen. He can bring them together post-practice and come up with a silly activity such as who can hit the net on the fly from a slap shot taken at center ice. He can then skate on up to an individual player to communicate through details and specific questions. And, once the puck actually drops, he can make even the best of the best impressed for the compete level that he brings to the ice.

“He’s a warrior that guy. I’m impressed. It’s amazing. He’s got a big.. a big set of…” ~Pekka Rinne on 2/28/14

That is Liambas. One player in a group of now 22 players on the Admirals roster. Trevor Smith is one of those leaders. Harry Zolnierczyk and Adam Payerl are those type of leaders. Adam Pardy, someone who only recently acquired, is now one of those leaders. And what do they all have in common? They are good quality people as well as quality players. It is an aspect of the Admirals in recent years to bring in quality people as much as they are a player on the ice. And it makes plenty of sense at the AHL level when wanting to set an example for the professionalism required to reach the end goal of playing in the NHL.

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

It is then that this ideal of what it is to have a solid locker room with quality people as well as players also gets found by the Nashville Predators scouting process. This isn’t limited to players that the Predators draft, either. Frédérick Gaudreau, Jimmy Oligny, Trevor Murphy, and Matt White were all undrafted players that made their way into the Admirals roster. Those names were solid players and leaders who wore letters in their junior or collegiate playing careers before becoming professional hockey players. But, what of those who were drafted that exist on the Admirals roster right now? Alex Carrier was an alternate captain for three of his four-year junior career with Gatineau (QMJHL). Jonathan Diaby was an alternate captain for his final two seasons of a four-year junior career with Victoriaville (QMJHL). Jack Dougherty was an alternate captain in his one and only junior playing season for Portland (WHL). Félix Girard was a team captain for his final two seasons of a four-year junior career with Baie-Comeau (QMJHL). And, despite never captaining a league team, Vladislav Kamenev has served as team captain for his national team at the Under-18 and Under-20 levels.

So, why then should any of us be all that surprised that ten games into the 2016-17 season that the Admirals find themselves with the best record in the Central Division by claiming 15 points out of a possible 20 points and all while not yet truly playing their best hockey? It is because the team is comprised of a solid and grounded group of people. All that flash and all that offensive skill will come in time if the team continues to provide detail oriented hockey with an emphasis on not only minimizing mistakes but learning from the ones made.

There is still so much to come yet this season. There will be games when the Admirals manage to fall 6-1. There will be rough patches and stretches when players get recalled and swapped around. That’s AHL hockey. The importance is having precisely what the Admirals have which is high level leadership and character from a wide range of individuals in their locker room. It’s what takes those heavy defeats or stretches and turns them into something the likes of which the Admirals are on right now – a four-game winning streak. The Admirals a season ago had a special group that achieved pretty much everything but winning a Calder Cup as the team exited the BMO Harris Bradley Center. Much like the building they’ve returned to this year’s team has a character and a charm about it that might just see them take that extra step.

News November 10, 2016

Jonathan Diaby Recalled to Milwaukee

According to today’s ECHL Transactions the Milwaukee Admirals have recalled defenseman Jonathan Diaby from their ECHL affiliate the Cincinnati Cyclones.

Diaby was reassigned by the Admirals to the ECHL last Tuesday. He has since played in four games for the Cyclones and registered 3 assists, 3 shots on goal, and a plus/minus rating of +2. The Cyclones won all four games during the time Diaby was involved. So far this season Diaby has only logged a single appearance for the Admirals which came during the food poisoning chaos topside for the Nashville Predators. Diaby was dressed as the seventh choice defenseman for the Admirals in that contest and saw minimal action.

The Admirals next game is on Saturday night at 6 PM CST when they face the Grand Rapids Griffins for the first time in the 2016-17 season. The Griffins swept the Admirals out of the 2016 Calder Cup Playoffs last season. Hopefully the game taking place at the UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena will mean the nets will actually do what they’re supposed to do.

Chatterbox November 9, 2016

Chatterbox, Vol. 151

How about this Alex Carrier kid, eh? (Photo Credit: Sara Stathas)

It was great. It was not so great. And then there were back and forth exchanges that spiked suspense for a chaotic finish. No, we’re not talking about the 2016 Election around these parts but the latest installment of the Amtrak Rivalry. It has had its moments in the past but this season it has been delivering intensity and nail-biting moments. Three games so far between the Milwaukee Admirals and Chicago Wolves. Three games decided by a single goal. One in regulation. One in a shootout. And now one in overtime.

The Admirals 5-4 overtime win today can probably be best summed up by two specific moments late in the game. In fact, it probably sums up the way the Admirals are starting the 2016-17 season on a microscopic level. (1) The Admirals allowed the Chicago Wolves to score a power-play goal with 4:07 remaining in regulation. They responded by scoring 25 seconds later. (2) The Admirals earn a power-play with 1:47 remaining in regulation only to take a penalty of their own, a poor one, with 38 seconds remaining of regulation. The penalty kill survives the four-on-three overtime kill, regroup at four-on-four, and score on the rush to earn a win in a game they could have lost on two separate occasions (3-2, and 4-3) after having held a 2-0 lead out of the blocks.

It’s early. It’s very -very- early still into the season. And I’m 100% convinced that the Admirals haven’t played close to their potential. Yet, here we are now 10 games into the season and the Admirals have a record of 7-2-0-1 (15 points, 0.750 points percentage). That’s startling. So, is this the Admirals team we will sit back and watch all season or will the speed and skill fully manifest offensively and defensively to push them into the stratosphere? It’s early. So we’re just going to have to wait and find out. Either way this start has become something special in its own right. The Admirals are on a four game winning streak and really only have the first game on this current run as a game you could say was stress free or made to look easy. The character of this year’s team is shining far brighter than any highlight reel goals we may have been anticipating. And that’s awesome to see this fast.

After today’s game I caught up with Milwaukee Admirals head coach Dean Evason as well as Alex Carrier, Marek Mazanec, and Matt White to hear their comments on the wild win over the Amtrak Rivals. This is what they had to say.

Thoughts on the current form of the Milwaukee Admirals? Is the best still yet to come or will this year’s team be winning ugly like this all season long?

Game Recaps November 9, 2016November 9, 2016

Ads Win Thrill Ride in OT, 5-4

The Milwaukee Admirals 5-4 in overtime against the Chicago Wolves Wednesday morning at the UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena.

This game was nothing short of a thrill ride in front of the Admirals second ever school day crowd. The atmosphere was actually matched by the entertainment on the ice as a tightly played game pushed into overtime and saw one more piece of brilliance out of the first-year pro defenseman Alex Carrier to net the game-winner and stretch the Admirals winning streak to four games.

“It was all over the place,” said Milwaukee Admirals head coach Dean Evason of today’s contest. “We thought we started real well. First period was as good a period as we’ve played. No penalties. Everything was flowing. We were able to play four lines, rolling. And then we turned the pucks over in the second period. Mistakes on our PP. Mistakes on our PK. Breakdowns. Turnovers. It turned into an ugly game and then we corralled it in again at the end.”

The Admirals appeared to have the much more alert and awake start from the opening puck drop. Their pace was giving the Wolves problems and keeping them pinned on defense. The Admirals were able to capitalize off of this energy as a quick turnaround in and out of the offensive zone spearheaded a play that saw a returning Harry Zolnierczyk bat a puck toward the net that trickled free for Adam Payerl to lift past Jordan Binnington to score his third goal of the season.

At the final horn of the first period a tussle broke out between Matt White and Morgan Ellis. It was determined, somehow, that the lone penalty to assess on the play would be a roughing minor against the Wolves’ Ellis. The Admirals started the second period on the power-play and managed to score twenty-four seconds in through Frédérick Gaudreau’s first goal of the season. Gaudreau was working the high left point, moved in low while measuring his shot, and wired a wrister to the blocker side of Binnington to make it a 2-0 Admirals lead.

The Wolves would answer back shortly after the Admirals power-play goal and did so after their first power-play of the contest expired. Brad Hunt whipped a backhander to the net that alluded the pads of Marek Mazanec and fell to a redirect to the right wing for Ivan Barbashyov. The quick tip beat Mazanec and Barbashyov had his sixth goal of the season to cut the Admirals lead in half at 2-1.

The second period momentum would stick with the Wolves to see them level things after a successful penalty kill. A great individual effort by Andrew Agozzino saw him cut through with pace and in on Mazanec with a very short run to the net. He was able to stickhandle and get a shot up and over the glove of the Czech goalie to record his first goal on the season and make it a 2-2 game.

Heading towards the midway point in the third period the Wolves run continued. After a trip against Conner Bleackley the Admirals power-play group passed themselves into trouble which triggered a two-on-one shorthanded rush. Agozzino kept the puck in a shooting position and snapped a wrister to the low glove of Mazanec to score his second of the game and season to give the Wolves a 3-2 lead.

With under eight minutes left to play in regulation the Admirals were treated to the skills of Kevin Fiala. The Switzerland native took a hard wrist shot from the left wing that spanked off the end-boards with pace and worked back out in front of the net and back to Fiala’s path for a follow up shot that he threw above the glove of Binnington to score a goal a day after being reassigned to the Admirals from the Nashville Predators to make it a 3-3 game.

The Admirals penalty kill was motoring along strongly right until their fourth kill of the game which came in the closing stages of the third period. Magnus Pääjärvi unloaded a wrister from the high left circle that sawed through traffic and flew in high over the blocker of Mazanec and in for a power-play goal and Pääjärvi’s third tally of the season. Thankfully, just twenty-five seconds later, the Admirals answered right back. Matt White put used traffic to his advantage to put a shot on goal from the slot that found a way past bodies and Binnington for his fifth goal of the season to quickly make it 4-4.

“Matt White has been great,” stated Evason. “He’s a pro. He conducts himself that way. He’s got skill in all areas of the game. If we didn’t have as many penalty killers than we have he’d play even more. Plays on the power-play. He’s just a real good good player.”

The game would need overtime and it started with two players in the penalty box, Kevin Tansey for elbowing and Fiala for cross-checking. The Admirals penalty kill would manage to work out of the Fiala penalty and at four-on-four in overtime Gaudreau hit Alex Carrier on a stretch pass that saw the first-year pro score a dazzling game-winning goal. Carrier won a footrace down the right side of the slot and label a shot top shelf before the Wolves defense could close him down. The game-winning goal for Carrier goes down as his third goal scored this season and all of those have come in back-to-back games.

“I didn’t even see the puck go in,” smiled Alex Carrier. “But I saw the fans screaming. So I was happy.”

While I’m certain he would have to have a few goals allowed back it was a rather nice outing in net from Mazanec. The Czech goalie, making his debut with the Admirals this season after starting the year with the Predators, stopped 21/25 shots on goal and came up big a number of times from the second period to the finish.

The Admirals next play on Saturday night when they get to seek out a slight bit of 2016 Calder Cup Playoffs revenge when the Grand Rapids Griffins turn up for the first time on the calendar this season. That game has a 6:00 PM CST puck drop and will be the fourth game of this five game homestand which concludes next Tuesday night when the red hot Charlotte Checkers come into town.

Ramblings: Since the Milwaukee Admirals last played on Saturday there have been quite a few roster moves made. The Nashville Predators recalled Pontus Åberg and Juuse Saros from the Milwaukee Admirals. The returning move saw the Predators reassign Kevin Fiala, Marek Mazanec, and -later in the day- Harry Zolnierczyk. The Predators won last night 3-1 and in the contest Åberg logged 14:20 of ice time from nineteen shifts in his NHL regular season debut. Åberg’s NHL debut came during last season’s Stanley Cup Playoffs. With thirteen forwards now in camp the Admirals actually had to make a scratch this morning. The odd man out today was Anthony Richard who was a healthy scratch. Today’s attendance was 8,631.

Thoughts on today’s game? How impressive has Alex Carrier been to start his pro career? What was your assessment of Marek Mazanec and Kevin Fiala’s Admirals debuts for this season?

Scouting November 8, 2016November 8, 2016

Wolves: Scouting the Enemy

Wednesday morning will be Pardy Time! … Well, I laughed. (Photo Credit: Jeff Hanisch)

The Milwaukee Admirals will be playing their second ever school day game on Wednesday with puck drop coming in at around 10:30 AM CST. Typically I enjoy publishing your pre-game scout at around 7 AM CST. Considering how little time that actually is to get your locked in I feel compelled to publish this tonight so you’re ready right out of bed and en route to the rink in the morning.

Last season’s inaugural event was a really big success I felt. And by that I’m not even simply talking about the Admirals 6-3 win on the day. The official attendance at that game was 12,972. Of that total there were 11,047 students on-hand. The game was incredibly loud. Kids who may not yet have experienced a hockey game either in-person or ever before were introduced to the game. It was a real blast to experience. Now take that same level of students and the noise they’ll be making and place it in a smaller venue with the roof lowered? Hot diggity! All that is needed next is a similar nasty and snarling level of game on the ice that last season provided. …this is when the Amtrak rolls up to station and the Chicago Wolves exit to their usual music.

The Wolves enter this game with a record of 5-4-0-1 (11 points, 0.550 points percentage). They have played the Admirals twice so far this season and have lost both games by a narrow margin. They faced-off against the Admirals last Friday for their first trip into the UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena. In that contest they lost 3-2 in a shootout after the Admirals climbed back from a 2-0 Wolves lead.

After the Wolves lost to the Admirals they then had the pleasure of a lengthy bus ride over to face the Grand Rapids Griffins the next night. The Wolves vented a bit of frustration from the night before and beat the Griffins 4-2. The man on fire that night was Ivan Barbashyov who scored twice to elevate his season total to 9 points (5 goals, 4 assists) from 10 games.

Barbashyov is the top scoring forward on the Wolves roster but not the team’s leading scorer. That title current goes to defenseman Brad Hunt who has scored 11 points (3 goals, 8 assists) in 10 games. Out of all the players on the ice for the Wolves in the Amtrak Rivalry game on Saturday I felt that Hunt was easily their best player. He was everywhere. He nearly reminded me of the often roaming from the blueline T.J. Brennan. What’s funny to me is that I never recall Hunt being as active in movement as he was when a member of the Edmonton Oilers organization. He produced amazing offensive numbers with the Oklahoma City Barons and Bakersfield Condors: 142 points (43 goals, 99 assists) in 185 games. He just seems even more polished this season than memory serves. It’s just hard to not notice “#39 Hunt” when he is on the ice.

The goaltender of choice for the Wolves in the first two games against the Admirals this season has been Pheonix Copley. It’s slightly weird that he has only made 3 starts, has a record of 1-1-0-1 on the season, and his single win wasn’t his best outing. It’s actually his starts against the Admirals that have been his best work so far. In the pair of Amtrak Rivalry games Copley has a 1.95 goals against average and 0.934 save percentage. While I can just as easily see Jordan Binnington get tabbed for the 10:30 AM start. I would expect Copley’s hot hand against the Admirals to get a run until it cools.

What might be the biggest storyline for this game doesn’t so much as come from the Wolves as it does the Admirals. Juuse Saros and Pontus Åberg were recalled. Marek Mazanec and Kevin Fiala were reassigned and take their place. It’s not the most drastic of changes by any means but it is a shakeup to an Admirals team that has a three-game winning streak at the moment. How does Mazanec respond in net after little action and poor results with the Nashville Predators? How does Fiala look in his reintroduction to the AHL and will he flip off another team’s bench during an AM Admirals game? So many variables! Yet, the changes aren’t huge. They just add a fresh layer of mystery as to what happens in a game that starts while most of us aren’t all that awake yet – much less playing a hockey game.

~UPDATE~

The Nashville Predators have officially reassigned Harry Zolnierczyk to the Milwaukee Admirals. Zolnierczyk was brought up to help the Predators during their food poisoning incident but only played the single game in his time up with the team. He had played the opening three games of the season for the Admirals prior.

~Pre-Game Skate Tunes~

I meant to place this in -yesterday’s- fan requested edition of Chatterbox but flat out forgot. Today’s edition of Chatterbox was just too busy with the roster move news. So, for fun, here is a fan requested item. What songs play during the Admirals pre-game skate?

Often I read or hear people saying that the tunes are a bit “out there” or rave party inspired but the reality is that this is what the players are asking for to get hyped up prior to puck drop. Is this the accurate playlist order? Nope. It’s just the way I plopped them all down via the Admirals DJ’s list. If you hit shuffle it may run just as nicely.

Thoughts on the third meeting between the Admirals and Wolves? How will Mazanec and Fiala perform in their first AHL game of the 2016-17 season? Will you be attending the AM game?

Chatterbox November 8, 2016

Chatterbox, Vol. 150

This morning when I rolled into the UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena I did so early enough that the skaters weren’t even on the ice yet. It’s because I left early to vote before morning skate to (1) get it out of the way and (2) do it in case there was a bit of a procession. There was. But I still made it rinkside before the first skater took to the ice. It was then to my shock that a goaltender wearing a highly visible yellow Nashville Predators mask with a catching glove on the wrong hand made his way to the ice. As it so happens there was a roster move officially made as I was kicked back.

This morning the Nashville Predators made a forward and goaltending swap that sees Pontus Åberg and Juuse Saros head up to the NHL while Kevin Fiala and Marek Mazanec make their way to the Milwaukee Admirals in the AHL.

Press Release via Nashville Predators:

Nashville, Tenn. (November 8, 2016) – Nashville Predators President of Hockey Operations/General Manager David Poile announced Tuesday that the club has recalled forward Pontus Aberg and goalie Juuse Saros from Milwaukee (AHL), and assigned forward Kevin Fiala and goalie Marek Mazanec to Milwaukee.

Aberg, 23 (9/23/93), leads the Admirals in points (9), goals (5) and shots on goal (28) this season, and has added four assists in nine games. In his last game on Saturday, Aberg tallied two goals and recorded an assist to extend his point streak to three games (10/30-11/5: 4g-3a). The Stockholm, Sweden, native played in two Stanley Cup Playoff games with the Predators last season.

Saros, 21 (4/19/95), is 6-1-0 with a 1.99 goals-against average and .929 save percentage in seven games with the Admirals this season. Recalled on an emergency basis to the Preds on Oct. 22, Saros started and earned the win in a 5-1 victory against Pittsburgh. He stopped 34 of the 35 shots he faced, allowing just one goal in 59:22 of ice time. It was Saros’ first career NHL victory and second NHL game.

Fiala has appeared in 10 games for the Predators this season, and earned his first career multi-goal game on Oct. 22 vs. Pittsburgh (2g-0a). Mazanec has played in two games for the Preds in 2016-17, starting one, and stopping 29 of 36 shots faced.

The Preds return to action tonight against the Ottawa Senators at 7:00 p.m. CT at Bridgestone Arena. The game will be televised on FOX Sports Tennessee, beginning with the Predators Live! pregame show at 6:30 p.m. The contest can also be heard on the Preds flagship radio station, 102.5 The Game.

It is a bit of a shake-up for the organization but one that makes sense. Åberg has been outstanding to start the season for the Admirals and has earned a look topside for the Predators. Meanwhile, the Predators would like to lean on Mazanec at some point to give some relief to Pekka Rinne but would rather he fine tune his sharpness in game action rather than daily practice. By doing that in Milwaukee it can bring Saros up and give him a look up with the NHL squad and get a further feeling out process as to the pace and responsibilities on and off the ice that come with being an NHL level talent.

It might not be the longest of moves for all parties involved here. The plan to get Mazanec playing time in net at the AHL level can be worked around the Predators and Admirals schedules easily enough: Predators tonight (home), Admirals tomorrow (home), Predators Thursday and Saturday (home), Admirals Saturday and next Tuesday (home), and then Predators next Tuesday (in Toronto).

If needed that overlap a week from now could see Saros and Mazanec flip after the Admirals play three games and Mazanec could join the Predators once again by their Ottawa game on Thursday. If he just needed the two starts, Wednesday and Saturday in Milwaukee, he could join the Predators in Toronto while Saros returns before the Admirals finish off the five-game homestand on Tuesday. That or we could all be in for a swerve and this is just life now and Mazanec is an Admiral while Saros is in the NHL backing up Rinne. The Predators have plenty of options. It’s just on them to chose how they want to play it.

At forward the Åberg move is an exciting one given just how well he has played to start the season for the Admirals. Åberg has produced 9 points (5 goals, 4 assists) in 9 games while playing strong enough defensively that he’s been comfortably double-shifted often this season. Fiala had a great Summer and Pre-Season Camp but, like the Predators in general to start this season, isn’t 100% what was expected. Limited ice time can only hinder progress so why not give him a jump-start with double the amount of ice time he is seeing in Nashville by playing him in Milwaukee? He will essentially plug right in where Åberg left off – same line and all.

Florek-Smith-Fiala
Liambas-Girard-Payerl
White-Kamenev-Gaudreau
Richard-Kirkland-Görtz

Oligny-Granberg
Pardy-Carrier
Murphy-Dougherty

Mazanec
Gunnarsson

This all adds a wrinkle to the games ahead for both the Predators and Admirals. Something ever so slightly different for Nashville. Something ever so slightly different for Milwaukee. The biggest difference being that the goaltending swap rotates the starters in Milwaukee. When Mazanec does take the net tomorrow morning it will be the first time since the 2013-14 season that the Admirals will have had four different goalies log a start in a season.

~Chatterbox~

To preview tomorrow’s second school day game for the Admirals I had a chat with President Jon Greenberg this morning. I then spoke with Admirals head coach Dean Evason, the two newly reassigned players from Nashville, and the “gem” himself – defenseman Trevor Murphy. Here were today’s interviews from the UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena.

Thoughts on today’s roster moves? How long do you think this goaltending situation will play out? Could this be the first of a few occasions in which Saros and Mazanec rotate in the organization this season? How long do you feel Fiala will remain with the Admirals?

Chatterbox November 7, 2016

Chatterbox, Vol. 149

This morning I ventured in to catch the Milwaukee Admirals practice at the UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena to get a look at the team after yesterday’s off-day. The next game for the Admirals will be at 10:30 AM CST for the second ever school day game for the organization. They will be matching up against the Chicago Wolves who they have narrowly beaten twice this season – once on the road (2-1) and once at home (3-2, SO).

What you’ve seen out of the Admirals for awhile now, roster-wise, is pretty much what you’ll see for at least the next little bit I suspect. Once again the Admirals line combinations looked exactly as they have been for the past two weeks. It’s made all the more solidified by the fact that (1) there aren’t even players to healthy scratch in camp and (2) the team has been earning a good chunk of points with this lineup.

Florek-Smith-Åberg
Liambas-Girard-Payerl
White-Kamenev-Gaudreau
Richard-Kirkland-Görtz

Oligny-Granberg
Pardy-Carrier
Murphy-Dougherty

Saros
Gunnarsson

That all looked familiar enough so, for a bit of fun and insight, I decided to try and test out the Admirals new Ice Box seating area between the two benches and on the glass. When I heard the concept I loved the idea of it but wasn’t sure how obstructed the view might be with curved glass and then the benches jumbled up on the side panels. Honestly, it was really a cool spot. It’s a fish bowl but one that surrounds you with the full playing environment. I’d imagine that would be a blast to experience during a game.

After practice wrapped up I gather up interviews with the players that today weren’t just chosen by fans but had some of the questions actually asked by fans. In the past, I’ve always enjoyed throwing it out on Twitter to check who you would like to hear from but I wanted to expand on that even more by getting your questions as well. It was a lot of fun doing that today and I encourage following up with suggestions and your own questions for the coaches or players more often. For a first crack at it today? Not too shabby.

Today’s fan selected interviews feature: Jack Dougherty, Pontus Åberg, and Jimmy Oligny.

As a preface to the interviews: I might want to have a re-think about wearing the Finland World Cup of Hockey pullover when they are the minority of the Euro contingent this season. Dougherty states that his WHL pal and roommate Justin Kirkland had his secondary assist, therefore first career pro point, changed on the scoresheet. To this point the AHL still lists Kirkland as the secondary assist – so – oops. Then there were a pair of interview bombs during Oligny’s interview which included your first proper Kam-eo of one Vladislav Kamenev and then his roomie from last season Trevor Murphy. Here are today’s fan requested interviews:

I should be due back for practice tomorrow and will likely speak with Milwaukee Admirals head coach Dean Evason as prep for Wednesday morning’s school day game. Have any players in particular you would like to hear from or have questions for them? Do comment down below. Note. Kamenev’s English is still not what I’d call interview friendly yet – but he’s slowly getting there. Until he’s comfortable to do it I’d prefer to not put someone with a language barrier problem on the spot as I relate to the social anxiety of the situation a bit too much.

Chatterbox November 6, 2016

Chatterbox, Vol. 148

In Chatterbox prior to yesterday’s game I probably overused the word “character” to describe how the Milwaukee Admirals have been achieving success despite less than desirable play to open up the season. I feel as if I could go that route once again except the play last night was pretty darn good from the Admirals. The second period of last night’s 5-3 win was pretty dominant from the Iowa Wild up until a Pontus Åberg goal put the Admirals back into a lead that they’d never relinquish.

Other than the second period, where the Admirals were outshot 15-8 and had the ice tilted against them, the game was really solid. I can’t express enough how impressed I was watching the Admirals play so defensively in the third period, practically playing keep away, and how little that same Wild team that posted 15 shots in the period prior managed to take advantage of a defensively minded Admirals group. The Wild only registered 5 shots on goal in the third period. And that’s with an Admirals team that was comfortable enough cycling the puck around in their attacking zone not really doing much of anything else. They worked that cycle into a penalty and, BOOM, they get a power-play goal. How about that? The Admirals power-play, which was trending near 8% prior to the weekend, has gone 50% this weekend at a 4/8 clip between Friday and Saturday.

Patience might really be the word needed for the Admirals start to the season. Just as I started to wonder if some of the younger prospects within the Admirals ranks could start gripping the sticks a little tighter awaiting their offensive abilities to shine – they do. Max Görtz did so well a season ago but didn’t score a goal until Friday. Alex Carrier, Jack Dougherty, Justin Kirkland, and Anthony Richard are all first year pros that came with great junior playing careers prior to this season. Most of names, sorry Richard but your time will come, scored their first goals or points last night. The ability and talent is there. It just takes games such as, say, last weekend in Rockford to ignite a real burst within the group. This five game homestand is the longest the Admirals have all season and that too has an impact on the team being able to settle in, learn, and grow. It simply takes time.

The Admirals ended last season with their first 100 point season since the 80-game regular season era of the AHL in 2010-11. This season the Admirals have claimed 13 points in their first 9 games of the season. It took last year’s group 11 games to accomplish that. So, despite the slower offensive start, this year’s group is grinding out the wins and building for more. That’s an exciting prospect to think about knowing we’ve really not seen all players yet at their maximum. It’ll come. And, for now, this is pretty good.

~The Ol’ Arena~

In -settling into the new venue land- I do want to touch on my experience from last night. I didn’t quite get the opportunity to roam much the first two home games but I made a point last night to do a lap or two around the concourse to see what it is like in game ops mode. I read some comments that said it was narrower and congested. I knew the first part of that was true, it is a smaller concourse than the BMO Harris Bradley Center, but the lone area where a small bite point was felt in the congestion area was around the new Pro Shop and a concession area right outside of it.. and even then it was easy enough to zip through. The new Pro Shop looks fantastic and there are a ton of different Admirals items that I don’t recall seeing across the street. The concessions seemed full in the times I jogged about and I did give a go at “The Coop” and enjoyed their cheese curds. I’d honestly love to hear more feedback from people as to what they do think of the concessions, better – the same – or lesser than the Bradley Center? It’s busy enough so I’m hopeful there is a good reason for that beyond people are just hungry.

My parking experience isn’t quite the same as fans, being media, but even on my end it is a slow building process to get used to. Lots and lots of “new” being experienced or re-learning areas that I’ve not parked or driven around in a bit to get where I need to be. It’s a change but it’ll get way better the more used to it I get. I’d hope the same can be said on the fan side of things, as well. There’s plenty of parking options. The cheaper option just isn’t the old Bradley Center parking structure is all. Some walking is to be expected -but- some walking can save some money as well. It’s all a process. From the fan end to those folks working the microphones that cut out the last two nights… it will all be a challenge at first. But, hey, we learn and improve, right? The team on the ice adapts to situations on a near shift to shift basis. I’m looking to settle into the new barn in much the same way.

~Chatterbox~

After last night’s game I spoke with Milwaukee Admirals head coach Dean Evason. I also caught up with the defensemen that claimed their first career pro goals last night, Carrier and Dougherty. This is what everyone had to say following last night’s 5-3 win over the Iowa Wild.

Thoughts from last night? Is this year’s Milwaukee Admirals group better suited to use their skill defensively rather than be a flashy offensive unit? How impressed are you with first year pro defensemen Alex Carrier and Jack Dougherty?

Game Recaps November 5, 2016November 6, 2016

Home Opener Avenged; Ads Beat Wild 5-3

The Milwaukee Admirals won 5-3 against the Iowa Wild Saturday night at the UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena.

The Admirals have now beaten every team that they have faced in the 2016-17 season after avenging last weekend’s defeats to the Wild. Tonight it was the young guns breaking out with career firsts to go along with two two-goal nights from Pontus Åberg and Alex Carrier. The Ads have claimed the first two games of their season long five game homestand and now have a record of 6-2-0-1 (13 points, 0.722 points percentage).

“Iowa they play hard, heavy. I don’t know They’ve changed coaches. They’ve changed personnel,” smirked Milwaukee Admirals head coach Dean Evason after the game. “But whenever they play us it’s a battle. They’re physical. They’re fast. They work. They compete. And it’s a grind for us every time we play them.”

The Admirals were able to get off to a quick start after a Pat Cannone slashing minor put them on the power-play three-minutes into the contest. Alex Carrier was working the right point and snapped a low shot through traffic and rebounded off Wild goaltender Alex Stalock into the low left wing. Pontus Åberg raced to win the rebound and recorded his third power-play goal of the season and fourth overall to make it 1-0 Ads inside four-minutes.

In the Admirals second trip to the power-play moments later things weren’t so sparkling. The Admirals allowed a shorthanded two-on-one between Colton Beck and Pat Cannone which forced a huge stop out of Juuse Saros. Unfortunately the Wild would zip right back with a shorthanded breakaway with Kurtis Gabriel scoring on a backhander to level the contest up 1-1.

If the first four minutes of the first period was a bit crazy the final four minutes was even more so. The Admirals youngsters had some firsts. Jack Dougherty was able to hammer a slap shot from the right wing circle against the grain of Stalock for his first career pro goal. A secondary assist on his goal went to his pal and WHL rival last season Justin Kirkland who, by doing so, earned his first career pro point.

1:04 of ice time after Dougherty scored his first pro goal another first year pro on the Admirals blueline followed. Alex Carrier unleashed a slap shot from the high right point that flew top shelf over the blocker side of Stalock to make it a 3-1 Admirals lead on the Québec native’s first career pro goal.

The hype surrounding the situation may have had the Admirals mentally check-out for the final minute of the period. Following Carrier’s goal it took the Wild thirty-two seconds to answer back. The Wild had a quick rush through the Admirals zone that had three crashing towards the net. Mike Weber leapt up from defense to take a lead pass from Grayson Downing. Weber’s initial shot was stopped by the right pad of Saros but Weber was able to get his own rebound before he sailed wide of the net to make it a 3-2 game on his first goal of the season.

It would take until the midway point of the second period before the next tally took place. Nick Saracino went for a wrap-around shot swooping from the left wing to the right wing but his shot flew across Saros and out to Marc Hagel. Saros was committed to the shot by Saracino and it was an easy enough finish on the back post for Hagel to make it level at 3-3 from his first goal of the season.

Despite a lackluster second period the Admirals were able to find a dagger of their own during a run of nonstop Wild offense. An outlet pass from Trevor Murphy sent Åberg on his merry way. It looked like a line change was going to happen behind the play but Åberg kept pushing down the right wing, double pumped his wrister, and wired a low shot past Stalock’s blocker-side and in for his second goal of the game and fifth of the season.

“Pontus Åberg was so good tonight,” said Evason. “So good we doubled him up in the third period to try to get him out there a little bit more. Not only because he was doing things right offensively. His speed, tenaciousness on the puck defensively. His forecheck. He is doing everything to not be in the American Hockey League. I can tell you that.”

The entirety of the third period felt like a “keep away” drill by the Admirals. Late in the last frame of regulation they earned a power-play and capitalized. Justin Florek had broken his stick trying to set a pass up in the high slot. Rather than get a new stick Vladislav Kamenev came on in his place to bail the Admirals out of a brief four-on-four. The pressure sustained and a puck fell back to the point for a howitzer shot by Carrier for his second goal of the night to make it 5-3 Admirals.

“I think the second one was better than the first one actually,” smiled Alex Carrier when speaking about his two-goal performance. “Because the first one I wasn’t sure it was me. I thought it was [Frédérick Gaudreau] that tipped it. So, I wasn’t sure. And then right away they score another goal. So that was not as good as I thought but then the second one was a lot of fun. Nice pass by [Trevor Smith]. It wasn’t the greatest shot, not the hardest shot, but I’ll take it.”

Despite an empty net extra attacker push for the Wild, which also saw a power-play come with an Åberg tripping minor, nothing came of it. The Admirals defense in the third period played lights out and it was quite impressive to see them cruise through full-strength hockey and shut the door.

The Admirals are back on home ice Wednesday at the top of the morning, 10:30 AM CST, for the organization’s second ever school day game. They’ll face the Chicago Wolves on that day. The came back from 2-0 to beat the Wolves in yesterday’s 3-2 shootout.

Ramblings: Since the Milwaukee Admirals played last night there were no roster moves made within the Nashville Predators organization. Pontus Åberg has produced 9 points (5 goals, 4 assists) in the Admirals opening nine games of the season. Juuse Saros improved his individual record to 6-1-0-0 from seven starts this season to go along with a 1.99 goals against average and 0.929 save percentage.

Chatterbox: You can listen to tonight’s post-game interviews ASAP right here.

Thoughts on tonight’s game? Is the Admirals offense starting to pick up the pace? Are you more impressed by the Admirals defensively than offensively?

News & Discussion Site For Your Milwaukee Admirals