2008-09 - Kings Manchester Monarchs (AHL) Update Thread
Is anyone going to training camp this weekend? The roster is stacked with D men, and goalies. so the competition should be fierce for those spots. The forwards are pretty young and small. I don't know if I've ever seen a forward corps with eight players 5'11" and smaller vying for spots (5 of those 8 are 5'9" or shorter). This team could really use Simmonds and Westgarth to add a little "jam" to the lineup.
There are six free agents in camp hoping to land jobs with the Monarchs at some point in the season, if not the start of the season. They are right wing Jon Rheault, of Deering, and Providence College teammate defenseman Dinos Stamoulis, Canadian college grads right wing Denny Johnston (UNew Brunswick) and defenseman Ryan Card (St. Thomas), defenseman Andrew Martens (Bemidji State), and Michael Cohen (Canisius). Both Martens and Cohen have ECHL experience.
"There's a great opportunity here for these guys," said Monarchs director of hockey development Hubie McDonough. "Not since our first season has a free agent in camp had a better chance to play for us."
NONE of the free agents in camp have any AHL experience...
From McDonough's comments it certainly doesn't appear that the roster is stocked and the only competitive nature at camp is how many of the FA invitees will be on the Monarchs opening night roster. Look for Jon Rheault to be one of them. He definitely has the "inside" track with the Monarchs organization...
There are six free agents in camp hoping to land jobs with the Monarchs at some point in the season, if not the start of the season. They are right wing Jon Rheault, of Deering, and Providence College teammate defenseman Dinos Stamoulis, Canadian college grads right wing Denny Johnston (UNew Brunswick) and defenseman Ryan Card (St. Thomas), defenseman Andrew Martens (Bemidji State), and Michael Cohen (Canisius). Both Martens and Cohen have ECHL experience.
"There's a great opportunity here for these guys," said Monarchs director of hockey development Hubie McDonough. "Not since our first season has a free agent in camp had a better chance to play for us."
NONE of the free agents in camp have any AHL experience...
From McDonough's comments it certainly doesn't appear that the roster is stocked and the only competitive nature at camp is how many of the FA invitees will be on the Monarchs opening night roster. Look for Jon Rheault to be one of them. He definitely has the "inside" track with the Monarchs organization...
Drewiske, Kidd, Martinez, Campbell, Piskula, and Voinov have all had a solid camp so far (in LA). Werner is a good AHL defenseman that can contribute points, leaving Bagnall and the invitees fighting to stay in the AHL. I'd call that pretty stacked. Bernier, Zatkoff, Taylor, and one of Quick or Ersberg is also pretty stacked. That's a lot of talent fighting for a few spots. The defense is going to have to carry this team for a bit, until the offense can find their identity.
Hey KB, are you going to be heading out to see any training camp action? Also, is this the first year the Monarchs have opened training camp up to the public? I seem to remember them always being behind closed doors.
Drewiske, Kidd, Martinez, Campbell, Piskula, and Voinov have all had a solid camp so far (in LA). Werner is a good AHL defenseman that can contribute points, leaving Bagnall and the invitees fighting to stay in the AHL. I'd call that pretty stacked. Bernier, Zatkoff, Taylor, and one of Quick or Ersberg is also pretty stacked. That's a lot of talent fighting for a few spots. The defense is going to have to carry this team for a bit, until the offense can find their identity.
Hey KB, are you going to be heading out to see any training camp action? Also, is this the first year the Monarchs have opened training camp up to the public? I seem to remember them always being behind closed doors.
I'm meeting up with some friends there this afternoon. We'll spend some time watching them do drills. That gets pretty boring after a while though. I'll give you a quick recap of today's camp even though it hasn't happened yet. All of the forwards and most of the defensemen can stop and start facing in both directions. Looks to be a decent crop of players this season. None are NHL ready and that's why they've been assigned to the AHL. More than one will be called up to the Kings at some point. Some sooner than others...
No, this isn't the first time practice or camp is open to the public. It happens on occasion. For example, during the lockout season camp was open to the public as well. It depends on if the circus (really) is in town or not. If the Monarchs are practicing at the VWA, public no can go. If the elephants are taking huge steaming dumps at center ice of the VWA, the Narchs are elsewhere and public is good to go. The elephants are here...
I realize there is a long list of prospects at camp. A few years ago the names were Rullier, Seeley, Clark, Petiot, etc. Not much difference in this group than any previous seasons EXCEPT for during the lockout season. The names change but the level remains relatively the same. Somewhat younger in recent years...
LOL about Werner. The guy signed for a case of Keystone and a carton of Basic butts...
Taylor was within about 20-mins of setting the Monarchs all time shutout streak for a goalie last season and Lombardi and Hextall had him banished to the press box before he could absolutely embarrass them both. He is not in any competition for anything Kings related...
In general, there is NO competition between the prospects at the Monarchs camp. They all have contracts, they're all going to play plenty of minutes. They practice all week and play on weekends all season. That's the drill and the players that have been through a season know how it works. They've all already "made" the team...
Last edited by King Blazer: 10-04-2008 at 01:28 PM.
I'm meeting up with some friends there this afternoon. We'll spend some time watching them do drills. That gets pretty boring after a while though. I'll give you a quick recap of today's camp even though it hasn't happened yet. All of the forwards and most of the defensemen can stop and start facing in both directions. Looks to be a decent crop of players this season. None are NHL ready and that's why they've been assigned to the AHL. More than one will be called up to the Kings at some point. Some sooner than others...
No, this isn't the first time practice or camp is open to the public. It happens on occasion. For example, during the lockout season camp was open to the public as well. It depends on if the circus (really) is in town or not. If the Monarchs are practicing at the VWA, public no can go. If the elephants are taking huge steaming dumps at center ice of the VWA, the Narchs are elsewhere and public is good to go. The elephants are here...
I realize there is a long list of prospects at camp. A few years ago the names were Rullier, Seeley, Clark, Petiot, etc. Not much difference in this group than any previous seasons EXCEPT for during the lockout season. The names change but the level remains relatively the same. Somewhat younger in recent years...
LOL about Werner. The guy signed for a case of Keystone and a carton of Basic butts...
Taylor was within about 20-mins of setting the Monarchs all time shutout streak for a goalie last season and Lombardi and Hextall had him banished to the press box before he could absolutely embarrass them both. He is not in any competition for anything Kings related...
In general, there is NO competition between the prospects at the Monarchs camp. They all have contracts, they're all going to play plenty of minutes. They practice all week and play on weekends all season. That's the drill and the players that have been through a season know how it works. They've all already "made" the team...
Yeah, some of the guys have made the team already, and the team is a bit thin at forward with Cliche, Clune, and Zeiler all injured. As far as the defense you have mentioned previously, I'm not sure I want to categorize them in the same drawer as DL's picks. You can be jaded about the team, but I like this years defense better than last years defense. Actually better than the past two years. Kidd, Drewiske, Martinez and Voinov are all better than what we had the majority of last year. Campbell has looked good in camp, and hopefully this will mean the end to Bagnall who I think is an average AHL defenseman.
talked briefly with coach morris after practice today.
he'll be happy when "all our guys" get sent back from LA. it's tough integrating the 6 or 7 guys who haven't spent the last 2 weeks in LA learning the system. he said he's got 2 lines pretty well set, the rest are just too new & unfamiliar with what they're trying to do.
It was great to catch up with you today nutz! Strange that the Kings don't have a goaltending coach out here for camp. Stranger that the Monarchs GM isn't even in town for camp? Probably out getting that Monarchs tattoo on his butt...
It was great to catch up with you today nutz! Strange that the Kings don't have a goaltending coach out here for camp. Stranger that the Monarchs GM isn't even in town for camp? Probably out getting that Monarchs tattoo on his butt...
great to see you too, KB!!
the goaltending coach must be in LA working with Barbs on his lateral movement.
and the M's GM must be busy ignoring people in other venues.
danny taylor sure looked like the best of the 3 both today & yesterday. must mean he'll get shuffled off somewhere. you'd think that someone would have figured out that he should be #2 behind bernier - so that the goaltender-of-the future gets the bulk of the playing time, with zatkoff & whoever-gets-shipped from LA evenly splitting time wherever.
My schedule is nuts, but I might be making a trip up to switch out some stuff I'm storing at home, so I'm going to try and stop in, but it won't be until tuesday.
But I'll keep you guys posted on anything I hear. We all know how I love the Narchs.
the goaltending coach must be in LA working with Barbs on his lateral movement.
and the M's GM must be busy ignoring people in other venues.
danny taylor sure looked like the best of the 3 both today & yesterday. must mean he'll get shuffled off somewhere. you'd think that someone would have figured out that he should be #2 behind bernier - so that the goaltender-of-the future gets the bulk of the playing time, with zatkoff & whoever-gets-shipped from LA evenly splitting time wherever.
I agree with you on Taylor. He really turned it around last year and is as deserving as any of them to compete for a spot. Good to hear that he's still improving.
So of the crop in Monarchs camp, who is likely ECHL bound? I realize most of the tryout players are ECHL contracted, so they will likely head down, but of the Kings players who will go?
So of the crop in Monarchs camp, who is likely ECHL bound? I realize most of the tryout players are ECHL contracted, so they will likely head down, but of the Kings players who will go?
I'm not sure if any of the tryout players are are ECHL contracted. At least one of the King goalies will go to to Ontario. If you want to do this so that your goalies get a lot of games and retain the "pecking order" you send Zatkoff and Quick to Ontario and they split games evenly. You keep Taylor in Manchester with Bernier and get Bernier about 60-65 starts...
Lombardi has stated in the past that he's reluctant to send skaters to the ECHL because of the level of play there. As it is, they're looking at keeping some of the try-out players and yesterday Hubie flat out stated that this was a good year for try-out to make the team. You're probably looking at maybe Werner or Crosty as the AHL contracted guys that they send to the ECHL...
In summary, as to the Kings players headed to the ECHL, I think it will be limited pretty much to goalies. Lombardi has stated on several occasions that the level of play in the ECHL is good for goalies but not so much for skaters. They will sign a few guys to Monarchs contractes and send them to Ontario. They are required to do this as part of their affiliation agreement...
Last edited by King Blazer: 10-05-2008 at 03:01 PM.
I agree with you on Taylor. He really turned it around last year and is as deserving as any of them to compete for a spot. Good to hear that he's still improving.
Of the three goalies at practice yesterday, Taylor seemed to have the most fun with it, Zatkoff seemed a bit nervous or tight. Bernier appeared to be just going through the motions and nothing extra. He skated to the bench area for short breaks more than the other two guys did. Maybe he's still got a lingering injury.
Apparently the Kings have signed NH native Jon Rheault. No details given in the article and my guess is that it's to an AHL or perhaps ECHL contract:
The Kings have signed Rheault and guaranteed he will be able to start the season in the ECHL in Ontario, Calif., with the new Ontario Reign. He would love to stay at home with the hometown team.
Good article on Jon and his connections to the Monarchs here:
Apparently the Kings have signed NH native Jon Rheault. No details given in the article and my guess is that it's to an AHL or perhaps ECHL contract:
The Kings have signed Rheault and guaranteed he will be able to start the season in the ECHL in Ontario, Calif., with the new Ontario Reign. He would love to stay at home with the hometown team.
Good article on Jon and his connections to the Monarchs here:
According to press release from the Reign, he was signed to a deal with them a few weeks ago. I believe all of the tryout players in Monarchs camps are ECHL contracted, in fact I believe all of them are either Royals or Reign players.
Monarchs Coach Mark Morris began his season long Monday morning interviews on the radio this morning. During the interview Morris indicated that he and Hextall spoke last night, the Kings will be sending five (5) players to Manchester today and he expects the names to be announced sometime today. He pretty much hinted that Simmonds is an exciting young player from the Kings that Monarchs fans "might" get a look at but whether he is going to be assigned to Manchester remains to be seen...
Morris also indicated that Reading remains an ECHL affiliate of the Monarchs and that players are likely to be sent there. With that news, it might be possible that Reading and Ontario each will be getting a goalie from the Kings organization...
Other than that, they're a young team, currently only one "veteran" (Marty Murray) in the lineup. Didn't want to speculate on the five guys that are coming or if a player or two more will be added to the Monarchs roster...
Spoke about the compete level being high in their late 3rd period loss yesterday. They played with a short bench. Jon Rheault played well, scored a goal and was going to the net all night. Very involved in the offense...
Paul Crosty saw more ice time at left wing than he has in a very long time and he had a good time with it. Got in a scrap and thrown out late in the 3rd...(To Reaper and Johnny U. it was against McLaren, I have no idea how he did.)
Glad to have all the tryout guys in town and in the lineup. They all played well...
That was about it...
Last edited by King Blazer: 10-06-2008 at 07:34 AM.
Nope. He's only got like... 100ish pro games in the combined leagues, I believe. Closer to 170 if you count ECHL, which I don't think contributes to it.
Which puts him well under the 260 game mark.
Murray is at 261, just squeaking by as one of Manch's 5 vets that can be dressed.
Thanks for the update King Blazer...Good to see Crosty fighting again.....He took that bad beating from McIntyre last year....Crosty is game....He and Westgarth remind me of Brennan and Flinn a few years back.
Nope. He's only got like... 100ish pro games in the combined leagues, I believe. Closer to 170 if you count ECHL, which I don't think contributes to it.
Which puts him well under the 260 game mark.
Murray is at 261, just squeaking by as one of Manch's 5 vets that can be dressed.
i'm pretty sure your math is wrong on murray - according to hockeydb.com, he's played over 500 ahl/nhl games. i didn't count european league games.
as i understand it, the veteran rule defines a veteran player as one who has played 260 games total in the following leagues...NHL, AHL & European Premier League. Any combination of those leagues' games add up to 260, makes him a veteran. perhaps someone can correct me if i'm wrong.
