timleone: Hershey cuts: Phil Aucoin, Labelle, Rizk, Machesney, Pope, Grubauer, de Kastrozza, Paquette, Lacroix, Oreskovic.
timleone: Phil Aucoin and Labelle to Reading. Rizk to Fort Wayne. Everybody else to SC.
As to the last preseason game tonight against Binghamton, normal places for coverage including Leone's recap; but also, here's the Bing. Sens beat writer's game recap... link
Brouilette is signed to an AHL contract - he played for Lake Erie (Colorado's AHL affiliate) last season; he has played for Hershey's asst. coach Troy Mann in the past in the ECHL.
Leone with Hershey/SC updates:
Kane named Hershey Captain (no surprise) and the As go to Aucoin plus Mink (home)/Bourque (road)
Mitchell sent to SC along with Stevenson and Baier
So NHL (N) and AHL (A) contracts assigned to SC/ECHL to start the season:
G: Machesney (A), Grubauer (N)
D: Baier (A), Oreskovic (A), Stevenson (N)
F: de Kastrozza (A), Lacroix (A), Mitchell (N); Paquette (N)*
A little curious about Orlov's pairing. Was hoping he'd be seeing top pairing minutes in Hershey, but with Brouillette as his partner...
More importantly, WTF Paquette? I was skeptical of him being the return for Fehr at first, but then he won me over at dev camp, rookie camp, and the rookie game. Was actually mildly excited about him. Now this bull burns what good will he had established. Oh well.
From Leone's report today, the part that's interesting to me is that they appear to want Orlov to play on the left side. From my memory of his time with Hershey last season, he was playing on the right side. From what I've seen and read, he's more comfortable on the right side, but can play both.
Wasn't thrilled Paquette was the prospect coming back as part of that deal, although the prospect wasn't the reason the deal was made. Didn't expect to see him in Hershey to start the season, but obviously he has a different perspective.
Maybe its just me but does anyone else think that hershey might not to be the best place to develop prospects? Sure they do fine with the blue chipper, but to me its very concerning to look at there roster and see 2 or 3 caps prospects just feels a but crazy to me. When prospects like Mitchell and Flemming don't make the team somethings wrong. And paquitte doesn't either. It just feels like the caps would develop a lot more late round steals if a lot of these kids wernt stuck playing in the echl which is basically prospect death. Again I hardly give a **** if hershey wins or not so its a bit aggravating seeing them bring in ten million vets every off season
Maybe its just me but does anyone else think that hershey might not to be the best place to develop prospects? Sure they do fine with the blue chipper, but to me its very concerning to look at there roster and see 2 or 3 caps prospects just feels a but crazy to me. When prospects like Mitchell and Flemming don't make the team somethings wrong. And paquitte doesn't either. It just feels like the caps would develop a lot more late round steals if a lot of these kids wernt stuck playing in the echl which is basically prospect death. Again I hardly give a **** if hershey wins or not so its a bit aggravating seeing them bring in ten million vets every off season
I always felt the same way. Doug Yingst wants to win no matter what. He runs that entire program, French has very little input on the roster. That's why only the brass of Caps prospects gets to play in Hershey, everyone else gets moved elsewhere contract status permitting of course. But the fish rots from its head meaning - GMGM signs a bunch of players never destined for Caps, just in case of injuries. They get moved down to Hershey on two way NHL contracts and can't be moved anywhere else.
I'd rather our higher tier prospects get immersed in a culture of winning and get a proven, strong development than cater to our lower round picks. It means a lot more than guys like Green, Alzner, Neuvirth, Holtby, Orlov, and Eakin are brought along successfully than guys like Paquette or Mitchell.
What makes sense is the change in Washington's drafting and development strategy. NCAA draft picks provide prospects and opportunity to grow outside of the AHL. Similarly, letting Euros play professionally in Europe until they're close to NHL ready.
I'd rather our higher tier prospects get immersed in a culture of winning and get a proven, strong development than cater to our lower round picks. It means a lot more than guys like Green, Alzner, Neuvirth, Holtby, Orlov, and Eakin are brought along successfully than guys like Paquette or Mitchell.
What makes sense is the change in Washington's drafting and development strategy. NCAA draft picks provide prospects and opportunity to grow outside of the AHL. Similarly, letting Euros play professionally in Europe until they're close to NHL ready.
I suppose I agree. Still, players like Mitchell and Flemming, who could have NHL futures, which could very well be determined by their development in the next several years, should have the opportunity to develop in the best possible way. There's always a balance to be struck, and that balance in Hershey may always be tilted towards winning in the AHL, but I think this off-season in particular saw a couple more signings of AHL vets than were really necessary.
I'd rather our higher tier prospects get immersed in a culture of winning and get a proven, strong development than cater to our lower round picks. It means a lot more than guys like Green, Alzner, Neuvirth, Holtby, Orlov, and Eakin are brought along successfully than guys like Paquette or Mitchell.
What makes sense is the change in Washington's drafting and development strategy. NCAA draft picks provide prospects and opportunity to grow outside of the AHL. Similarly, letting Euros play professionally in Europe until they're close to NHL ready.
"a culture of winning" is a fancy fairy tale for kids, unfortunately, it does very little in preparing prospects for the show. Ice time, ice time and more ice time=player development.
Caps arent creating any winning culture with their playoff performances in the last few years. Bears lost last year as well with solid veteran players. Younger guys are hungrier and compete harder sometimes.
I'd rather our higher tier prospects get immersed in a culture of winning and get a proven, strong development than cater to our lower round picks. It means a lot more than guys like Green, Alzner, Neuvirth, Holtby, Orlov, and Eakin are brought along successfully than guys like Paquette or Mitchell.
What makes sense is the change in Washington's drafting and development strategy. NCAA draft picks provide prospects and opportunity to grow outside of the AHL. Similarly, letting Euros play professionally in Europe until they're close to NHL ready.
I could not agree more. When you look at a kid like Wey, at Boston College entering his third year, he should develop faster in mental and physical by virtue of his larger role and responsibility then had he signed and languishing in ECHL. Boston College opens up this weekend in North Dakota playing NCAA nationally ranked competition and Wey's role will be significant.
Just one opinion but prospects seem to develop faster when in top roles in a highly competitive enviroment. Not to mention the off ice regiment these college kids go through from highly developed weight training and diet inconjunction with classroom requirements. In Wey's case a much more solid looking prospect at 210lbs at Washington's recent development camp.
I could not agree more. When you look at a kid like Wey, at Boston College entering his third year, he should develop faster in mental and physical by virtue of his larger role and responsibility then had he signed and languishing in ECHL. Boston College opens up this weekend in North Dakota playing NCAA nationally ranked competition and Wey's role will be significant.
Just one opinion but prospects seem to develop faster when in top roles in a highly competitive enviroment. Not to mention the off ice regiment these college kids go through from highly developed weight training and diet inconjunction with classroom requirements. In Wey's case a much more solid looking prospect at 210lbs at Washington's recent development camp.
Dude, as far as Wey - I'd say it's a safe bet he's destined to grind it out in the minors at least for a year or two after college.
Dude, as far as Wey - I'd say it's a safe bet he's destined to grind it out in the minors at least for a year or two after college.
If flemmings is hardly going to be playing in hershey this year, wey will probably waste away in the echl. How many other nhl teams have two legitimate prospects on there ahl affiliate beyond stupid
Orlov, Sjogren, Eakin and Flemming should be regulars. All rookies. Holtby will get a season to work on consistency/polish. Mitchell should hopefully get a look due to injuries. That's way more of a youthful presence than last season. Wey, at his age, will not be in the ECHL if he's signed to an NHL deal at his age/experience level.
Hershey has certain noted expectations but an insufficient supply of quality prospects, be it via draft or undrafted FAs, hasn't helped when it comes to how recent teams were built. Some prospects flaking out or not progressing has made that more pronounced but it's generally been a short-sighted approach that doesn't really highly value building up long-term organizational depth.
If ice-time is so essential doesn't that make a case for certain prospects playing a lot in the ECHL to begin with vs. a fringe AHL role? Young players have to earn their time, even pretty early picks, and it will definitely test their resiliency and mental toughness. That has to be taken into more consideration in their evaluation process.
Flemming will get ice time. He's not good enough to be a featured player in the AHL at this point, so I'm not sure why people are offended that he isn't. Orlov, Eakin, Sjogren, and Holtby will all get plenty of time as well.
Would you prefer we had an AHL team loaded up with nothing but prospects? That clearly worked so well for Phoenix/San Antonio...
How many middle of the road prospects that could go either way has Washington actually had recently? Bouch, MP and who else? SDR imo, was probably a good one in the category, but he was shipped out quick. Kugurshev didn't get time because even in the very little time he did get was bad. Stick trick here or there, but utterly folded on any type of pressure. There hasn't been a lot of prospects to use hence Doug loading up this past couple seasons.
Just a quick glance at this year's roster Rechlicz is probably going to be seeing a lot of press box time so there is only one other scratch among the forwards. Should be plenty of games seeing both Eakin and Sjogren playing. I could be wrong but wouldn't be surprised to see Richmond being the odd vet out most nights considering the other 5 vets. Only one other D scratch each night and probably many nights of Orlov and Flemming both playing. Maybe Flemming and Brouillette share that last scratch spot?
It all boils down to if you're good enough they are going to play you.
although, prolly still better than Hershey or Stingrays. More money and higher level of hockey.
