Miners move a couple of veterans to make room for youth.

CANADIAN PRESS (Sudbury, ON):

It’s no secret that Sudbury General Manager Terry James is fully committed to a youth movement in the Nickel City. He was at it again on Monday afternoon, making a deal involving two veteran players in order to create room for younger players this year and beyond.

The deal breaks down as follows:

The Miners traded forward Wayne Simmonds, defenceman Sami Vatanen, prospect Giovanni Villati, along with a 10th round pick, 11th round pick and a 12th round pick (all 2019) to Fort Erie in exchange for Christian Dvorak, Kevin Bieksa, highly touted prospects Joel Farabee and K’Andre Miller, two 2020 draft picks (2nd  and 6th round respectively).

The key to the deal from a Miners perspective is the addition of a young, talented player in Dvorak. He is expected to slot into the top line with Vincent Trocheck and Sam Reinhart in time for Wednesday’s game versus Springfield.

“I think this is a good trade for both teams. Dvorak is a solid, developing center. We think he will do well for us. It’s never easy to part with players of Simmonds and Vatanen’s talent and character. They are proven players and will help Fort Erie a lot” stated James. “But, in taking a good look at our club, there comes a time where we have to start giving our young players opportunity to prove themselves and take on bigger roles at the CCHL level.  We are comfortable enough in our progress that we are prepared to do that”.

In prospects Farabee and Miller, the Miners are receiving two, highly touted players both of whom were 1st round picks in this past summer’s CCHL Entry Draft.

Farabee, a former USNTDP player, is in his freshman season at Boston University.  He is seen as a highly skilled player with a great motor and the ability to score goals while still remaining defensively responsible enough to be trusted to kill penalties.

Miller, who is also a USNTDP graduate, is having a standout first year at the University of Wisconsin.  A converted forward and physical specimen, Miller has outstanding two-way potential thanks to his athleticism and mobility on the back end.   

A Weekly Look at the 2018-19 Sudbury Miners: Volume 2

A Weekly Look at the 2018-19 Sudbury Miners:  Volume 2

CANADIAN PRESS (Sudbury, ON):

Miners Weekly Record: 1 wins, 0 losses.
Miners League Standing:  5 wins, 5 losses, 1 OT Loss = 11 points total.  Currently sit in 8th place in the Canosa Conference, 14th overall in the CCHL.
Miners Special Teams:  Power Play – 29.8% (6th); Penalty Kill – 76.3% (13th)
Miners Scoring Leader:  Winger Sam Reinhart (8G – 6A = 14pts; 18th Overall in the CCHL)

The Miners had a relatively light week in the CCHL last week, with only one game – a 2-1 shootout victory over the Hamilton Tigers.  With the win, the Miners were able to climb back to .500 and remain in the thick of the playoff race in the Canosa Conference. 
 “Getting back to .500 is a good step, and with the schedule last week, we were able to work on some things defensively in practice”, stated defenceman Brandon Montour.   “We seem to generate a lot of shots and chances at both ends of the ice, and while that makes for entertaining hockey, it doesn’t always translate to wins”.
The Miners make up for the light schedule from last week with three important conference games this week versus Springfield, Minnesota and Siberia.  Needless to say, it is a big week and good results are needed if the Miners want to remain in the playoff conversation.

MINERS PLAYER PROFILE OF THE WEEK:  Zack Hyman
Hyman is best described as a determined, competitive and mobile winger, with improving hands and a healthy example of intelligent physicality.  His skating stride is compact and quick, powering his way as an engaging forechecker.  He is not going to “wow” anyone with his puck skills, but they have improved year over year.  He is no longer just the first contact forward, the bloodhound flushing out puck for skilled teammates and is starting to contribute with more individual skilled maneuvers, such as getting above the puck for better shooting, heading to the net with quicker releases without sacrificing his trademark physicality.  With the ability to play an penalty killing role as well, he is a versatile player which every team in the CCHL needs to be successful.


MINERS PROSPECT NEED TO KNOW:  Jake Oettinger
Oettinger was the first goaltender taken in the 2017 CCHL draft and has backstopping a loaded, prestigious Boston University program over the past two seasons.  Oettinger has been one of college hockey’s best in the crease, going 21-13-4 with a .915 save percentage and 2.45 goals against average last season, earning Boston University an NCAA tournament appearance. The goaltender of the future for the Miners, has a massive physical frame (6-4”, 212 lbs), excellent play-reading abilities, and his technique allows him to make all the easy saves and rarely get beaten on inside scoring chances. His lateral movement is very refined and intelligent.  His biggest issue right now is transitioning from a standing position to a low butterfly, but he is athletic enough to make that adjustment over time.  He projects to be an upper-to-mid-tier starter in the CCHL.  Expected CCHL arrival:  2022-23.

Dayton Musicmen 1st Ten Games Exceed Expectations...

(We'll be tracking the performance of this year's team in ten game increments. Today, our first assessment of the young season...)

DAYTON MUSICMEN

W/L RECORD: 7-3-0 (4th in the Corfield Conference)
LEADING SCORER: Alexander Radulov (9-5-14 pts.) 14th overall in the league.

Top Performer so far: Devan Dubnyck (7 wins (T1st), 3 losses, .907 save percentage (5th), 2.63 GAA (4th).

With 7 wins out of their first ten games, the Musicmen are already halfway to their total number of wins last season. Their success seems to be built on great goaltending, a stingy defense and a modest offense that could really use an upgrade.

"It's still really early and we've warned the kids, stay focused. It's a long season and a few teams are getting off to an unexpectedly slow start," said GM Bill Corfield.

The 'men are playing well defensively with just 29 goals allowed in the first ten games of the season. "We HAVE to play our systems and Devan HAS to be good for us to hang in there with the other teams in the league," said Corfield.

Captain Mike DelZotto gives credit to the coaches and Dubnyck.

"Without Dubie, there's no telling where we'd be in the standings. The coaches have come up with a simple but effective strategy for us to compete and that's what we're doing."

A Weekly Look at the 2018-19 Sudbury Miners: Volume 1

A Weekly Look at the 2018-19 Sudbury Miners:  Volume 1

CANADIAN PRESS (Sudbury, ON):

Miners Weekly Record: 2 wins, 1 loss, 1 OT Loss.

Miners League Standing:  4 wins, 5 losses, 1 OT Loss = 9 points total.  Currently sit in 8th place in the Canosa Conference, 15th overall in the CCHL.

Miners Special Teams:  Power Play - 31.1% (6th); Penalty Kill – 76.32% (11th)

Miners Scoring Leader:  Winger Sam Reinhart (8G – 6A = 14pts; 13th Overall in the CCHL)

The weather is quickly becoming a little more like true hockey weather as October is quickly wrapping up.   And with it, the CCHL season is now in full swing.

The Miners were extremely busy over the past week having played in four games in seven days, which saw them sport a record of 2 wins, 1 loss, and 1 OT loss.   The team opened the week with a 5-1 loss to the Victoria Ronin, in a contest that they were never really in. The Miners would extend their losing streak with a hard-fought 3-2 shootout loss to the Las Vegas Aces before closing out the week with wins over Georgetown and Long Island.

“We just need to continue to work hard and set realistic goals for us to achieve”, stated veteran forward Mike Fisher.   “It’s a process. Our first step is getting back to .500 and we are almost there. After that, given the group we have, I don’t see why we can’t make a push for a playoff spot?  It’s what our fans deserve”.

MINERS PLAYER PROFILE OF THE WEEK:  Sami Vatanen

Defenceman Sami Vatanen is an undersized sparkplug, who has a reputation as a wild and adventurous puck mover.  He is a talented skater with powerful quick, nimble feet. He skates light and fluid with exceptional lateral agility and quickness accelerating through each stride.  He excels on breakouts, making solid outlet passes and uses his quick feet and dexterity to open lanes. At times, he is an effortless puck carrier executing in top gear and does possess a good, accurate right-handed shot.  He is aggressive and courageous for his size and is proactive in blocking shots and throwing hits, despite just bouncing off bigger opponents. Given his smaller stature, he will need to refine his coverage skills and defensive postures.

MINERS PROSPECT NEED TO KNOW:  Isac Lundestrom

A creative two-way player with pro-level rink discipline, Lundestrom was selected in the first round of this June’s entry draft (18th overall).  Having already played two seasons in the SHL, the 18-year-old is very responsible with the puck and has great timing down already.  Lundestrom has a knack for finding open passing lanes and exposing poor positional play from the opposition and has a strong frame that makes his play on the puck better. He isn’t a forceful offensive player, and his issue with compiling points is due to a lack of assertiveness; he’s imaginative with the puck and has soft hands but is too concerned with defensive efforts to give it his all in the o-zone.  Expected CCHL arrival: 2021-22.

State of the Loons; First 10 Games...

The Loons are out to a fast start and unfortunately, the fans here in Capeside have yet to notice. As the new team on the block here in Massachusetts it seems that the fans are too caught up in the Red Sox World Series run along with the Patriots and Celtics. Or maybe the savvy hockey fans here have yet to buy into this rebuilding team's success.

Through the first 10 games of the season, the Loons are sitting at 7-3 to the surprise of many around the league. In those first 10 we have seen it all from the Loons: a huge upset win over the Fort Erie Falcons, a disappointing home loss to the struggling Dartmouth Lakers and a blowout loss to the surging Seattle Reign. But last night's win might be just what Capeside needed in order to force these spoiled sports fans here in Massachusetts to take notice. Over the course of the summer league and preseason, we saw emotional physical play between the Portland Owls and Loons. The back and forth by the two teams through social media has further fueled the fire and created a rivalry between the two franchises that should lead to must-see hockey for years to come.

The win over Portland wasn't the only good news yesterday for Capeside. Last year, as the Ottawa Barracudas, the team lost over 50 million dollars mainly due to an out of control payroll filled with players well past their primes. The one bright spot to Czepiel's excessive amount of roster moves is that as of right now, barring any further trades -  (unlikely), Capeside stands to make close to 10 million dollars if they hit all their bonuses. After this season close to 40 million in bad contracts comes off the books and the Loons will enter free agency with a payroll of close to only $33 million.

Ten games is a small sample size, and we would be crazy not to expect the cream of the CCHL not to eventually rise to the top, but for now, it is exciting times in Capeside and time for these fans to take notice.

Around the CCHL: (Week of 10/22/18) Donuts Dancing, who really loves home cooking and the finances are here!!!

A look at who's hot, who's not, player movement and other news across the league

Who's Hot: Wisborg - 4 wins in a row and Siberia - 3 wins in a row are the two hottest teams in the CCHL. The Donuts sit tied with two other teams (SEA & MIN) for 1st place with 14 points. The Icecats, after a bit of a wobbly start, seems to have made some lineup adjustments and look more like the team we all expected them to be this season. Siberia sits tied for 13th overall with the Niagara Falls Thunder.

Who's Not: Parry Sound continues to look for their first victory on the young season. Also struggling so far are Springfield and Gillam. The Homers have some work to do but their core group is solid. Gillam is in a bit of a rebuild, so they should bounce around the bottom of the overall standings most of the season.

These teams LOVE home cooking: DAY (5-0-0), WIS (4-0-0) and the Icecats (4-1-0)...

These teams DON'T like to be at home: PAR (0-3-1) and DRT (1-3-0)...

These teams enjoy the road so far: SEA: (4-1-0), VIC (4-1-0) and POR (3-1-1)...

These teams don't so far: SPR: (0-4-0), GIL (0-4-0) and PAR (0-5-1)...

Finances are updated! In what has to be a miserable job, Bobby Nicol and Chris (call me Champ) Kash have the 2018-19 finances up on the website. All teams should be checking their team payrolls for errors and reporting any to Bobby ASAP. 18 of our 22 teams are considered financially healthy. The remaining 4 should be taking steps to stabilize their situation asap. (More info about CCHL Team financial health and requirement can be found in the rules Section K, subsections 2-3.)

"This ain't APBA anymore, Toto!" - Look for the standings to be much tighter in Simon than in the old APBA. One reason is the point awarded for OT and Shootout losses.

From an anonymous GM on Dayton's acquiring Derek Stepan from the Norsemen: "DAY has several high caliber players arriving over the next few seasons. Stepan helps the team they have this season and will show veteran leadership going forward. He's still a solid defensive player with very good faceoff skills. He didn't pay much for him so it should work out. Nice cash savings by Minny, too..."

Around The CCHL (#1): New Season Underway with Simon!

A look at who's hot, who's not, player movement and other news across the league...

For the week of 10/15/18...

(Hey guys, going to strive to post a weekly overview of all things CCHL each Monday throughout the season and at various times during the offseason. Everything is fair game from on-ice performance to transactions and Simon stuff...)

*New Season/New Simulator: After five months of training and planning the CCHL transitioned to a different simulator for the 2018-19 season. Having spent our first sixteen seasons with the old DOS based and long unsupported APBA Hockey Sim software, the move was made to the Simon T Hockey Simulator product. Windows-based and far more user-friendly than APBA, we see a much broader array of statistical reports available to us, dramatically easier Commissioner interphase for the actual simming of games and a robust set of options for enhanced league play going into the future. 

*Scoring is almost identical to APBA: I compared the GF and GA on a per game basis from last year to our numbers so far this season, through last night's games inclusive. I reviewed the top and the bottom five teams in both seasons.

APBA - 2017-18   -   Top 5 Goals for per game - 4.2 gpg

APBA - 2017-18   -   Bottom 5 Goals against per game - 2.2 gpg

SIMON - 2018-19 - Top 5 Goals for per game - 4.1 gpg

SIMON - 2018-19   - Bottom 5 Goals against per game - 2.2 gpg

So far, it seems almost identical to what we saw the best and worst teams do in terms of scoring when we compare the two sims head to head on this metric. I can't think of any reason it would change dramatically going forward, but we'll keep an eye on how Simon compares to APBA for sure...

*Who's Hot: Team of the Week - Seattle Reign - With a perfect 5-0-0 record, the Reign sit atop the CCHL standings. Portland (4-0-3) and Georgetown (4-0-1) are the only two teams to yet suffer a defeat this season.

*Who's Not: Parry Sound Orrsmen - (0-6-1) The Orrsmen are just too good to continue on this way, look for a correction to arrive in the next week or so. Dartmouth and Gillam (both 1-5-1) are also off to a cold start and collectively share a -41 in goal differential on the young season.

*Owls this possible? Who thought Mikael Granlund and Mikko Rantanen of Portland would be leading the CCHL scoring race after the first couple weeks? 

*Finances are on the way!!! I was alerted by Bobby Nicol yesterday that we should look for the new financials to be uploaded to the CCHL website sometime Monday evening. Yes!

*Simon Stuff #1: To my knowledge, every team is now on board with the creation, saving and sending of lines into the league office. The inflow of lines into the league office seems normal for this time of year. Usually, I'll receive between 4-6 files a day from teams wanting to update their lines.

*Simon Stuff #2: A reminder that we track GM performance in several different categories throughout the season. We track how many lines a team sends in, how many illegal lineups that require correction occur, how many trade blocks are sent out and a misc. tracking of "other" type things like "I'll be out of town on such and such a date..." or "My computer just died, I may need help for a couple days until I get it fixed" are essential to keep good communication in place throughout the league's members and the league office. We also track complaints we get from GM's about other GM's not responding to trade offers. The expectation is to acknowledge the inquiry within 48 hours. Don't be that guy that doesn't respond, ok?

*Simon Stuff #3: I've been asked if there's a different way to handle trade blocks and my short answer is, no, there isn't. If I created a webpage on the site just for trade wishes, yes, the info would be in one central location, but unless a team actually went to the page, they wouldn't see the info. By keeping it on an email basis, the thought is that at least a GM will see the trade block in their inbox and (hopefully) give it a quick read.

*Try this: There is an additional way to communicate to the league who is available and who isn't within your line editor software. Open up your line software, go to your roster page. As you select a player, you'll see an area on the right side of that screen above the EXIT icon that says "AVAILABLE FOR TRADE" and "NO TRADE." Choose a player you want to highlight, and then click on the applicable option. This info will be saved along with your line combinations when you send it into the league office. Teams are able to review other team's info as to who's available and who isn't. This doesn't replace the trade block nor do you receive credit for it like sending out a trade block, but it may be a fairly easy way to passively communicate with other teams on this issue.

Have a good week!

Inconsistent effort leads to Miners loss.

GAME STORY

Inconsistent effort leads to Miners loss.

CANADIAN PRESS (Sudbury, ON)
Led by Keith Yandle’s four-assist night, the Las Vegas Aces skated to a 5-2 victory over the Sudbury Miners on Saturday night.

Four different Aces players would contribute offensively with a goal and an assist, and Aces goaltender Carter Hutton made 29 saves to get the win. Zack Hyman and Aaron Ekblad each scored in the losing effort for the Miners, while goalie Darcy Kuemper stopped 33 of 38 shots faced. He remains winless on the season.

The inability for the Miners to play a full 60 minutes has been a troubling concern the past two games. The Aces led 3-2 after two periods, before blowing the game open in the third with a pair of goals. We're horrible in the third period right now, and thats myself included, thats everybody," Ekblad said. "We got to be better. We got to fix it."

Las Vegas opened the scoring early in the first when David Perron's shot from the circle beat Kuemper cleanly to give the Aces a 1-0 lead. The Miners would respond a few minutes later when Zack Hyman tipped a Chris Tierney feed past a screened Hutton to tie the game at 1. However, that lead was short-lived, as Thomas Vanek’s power playmaker late in the first would allow the Aces to take a 2-1 lead after the first.

The two teams would trade goals in the second, but the inconsistent play that has crept into the Miners game as of late, reared its head in the third as the Aces iced the game in the third. We have to have more tenacity offensively and defensively for the full 60 minutes," Miners forward Vincent Trocheck said. "And we have to shoot more. Shooting creates opportunities."

MINERS NUGGETS
- For the first time this season, the Miners power play failed to produce. They were held scoreless in their two attempts.

- Sam Reinhart currently sits as the Miners scoring leader with 8 points through 6 games but was held
pointless for the second straight game.

- The loss drops the Miners home record to 2 wins and a loss, in three games. They finish up this mini, 3-game homestand on Monday night versus the Victoria Ronin.

Wheelin’ and Dealin’ – the Miners make a couple of moves.

Wheelin’ and Dealin’ – the Miners make a couple of moves.

CANADIAN PRESS (Sudbury, ON):

Even this early into the CCHL season, General Manager Terry James was again working the phones and
as a result was able to announce two separate trades on Saturday evening.
The first deal was made late Friday night with the Capeside Loons, and the deal breaks down as follows:

The Miners traded forward Anthony Beauvillier, along with a 4th round pick, 9th round pick, 10th
round pick, 11th round pick and a 12th round pick (all 2019) to Capeside in exchange for Cedric
Paquette, prospect Jonny Tychonnick, a 2019 2nd and 3rd round picks and a 2nd round pick in 2020.

"(Beauvillier) is a real good person, he competes, he wants to win," James said. "He has some real
upside but as we move forward, we felt he might get caught in a bit of a numbers game here with what
we are trying to do. He knew that. But he can still be good value to a team in the right situation and I
think heading to Capeside will be good for him.”

The second deal was made with the Niagara Falls Thunder and was confirmed on Saturday afternoon.
The deal breaks down as follows:

The Miners traded forward Colin White and prospect Brandon Hagel to Niagara Falls in exchange
for Niagara’s 1st and 6th round picks in 2020. With this latest transaction, Sudbury will pick 3
times in the 2020 first round.

“I think this is a good trade for both teams. White is a solid, developing center. We think he will do well
in the Falls. But, taking a good look at our club, we have a good pipeline of players who can play the
position coming in Sudbury. It’s that depth that has allowed us to add a couple of good picks for later
down the road and keep our pipeline flowing”, stated James.

After the two deals on the weekend, the Miners are armed with 31 picks for the 2019 draft, along with
another 17 for the 2020 draft.

“We don’t want to be a one and done kind of a team. We want to build a champion here in Sudbury and
have the ability to contend for many years”.

Miners Fall to Isotopes...

GAME STORY

Gallagher’s hat trick leads Isotopes to victory over the Miners

CANADIAN PRESS (Springfield, IN)

Brendan Gallagher knew he had it in him.  

Gallagher scored a hat trick and Justin Braun had a pair of assists, as the Springfield Isotopes beat the Sudbury Miners 5-3 on Thursday night.

Evgeni Malkin and Patric Hornqvist also scored as the Isotopes won for the first time this season.  Sergei Bobrovsky made 24 saves in the win.

Before the game, the Isotopes juggled lines and put Gallagher on a line with Kyle Turris and Mathieu Perrault and for one night, it paid immediate dividends.   "It's quite different for sure," Turris said. "It wasn’t what I was expecting but it's great. I thought Gally really gave us some energy, too. It was good."

Charlie Coyle, Chris Tierney and Wayne Simmonds scored for the Miners.  Fredrik Andersen stopped 20 shots in the loss. He made some big stops early and didn't have a lot of defensive support.  "There were some good things and obviously some bad," Andersen said. "I can watch a video and learn from what happened."

The Isotopes started quickly and jumped out to a 3-0 lead after the first period, and were up 4-0 after two.  The Miners pulled a couple of quick one back early in the third to make it 4-2, but hopes for a Sudbury rally in the third were quickly dashed when Malkin scored mid-way through the period to ice the victory.  

"It felt like they had six or seven guys out there," Miners defenceman Andy Greene said. "They were skating on ice. We were skating through mud. Give them some credit because they played really well, and we were not very good."

MINERS NUGGETS

- In a battle of “heavy-weights”, Springfield forward Evgeni Malkin bested Miners defenceman Sami Vatanen in a spirited tilt, late in the second period.

- Coach Derek Sutton announced that goalie Darcy Kuemper would make his home debut on Sunday night when the Las Vegas Aces visit the Vale Centre.

Miners - Norsemen Game Story

Reinhart’s hat trick leads Miners to victory.

CANADIAN PRESS (Sudbury, ON)

Led by Sam Reinhart’s hat trick, the Sudbury Miners got back in the win column on Tuesday night, with a 5-3 victory over the Minnesota Norsemen.

"When you play with the players I play with, it makes it easy," said Reinhart, who now leads the Miners with three goals. "When you get looks I get, obviously it's pretty lucky."

Brayden Point and Sami Vatanen also scored for the Miners, who had leads of 2-1 and 3-2 during the game before they iced it with a pair in the third.  Goalie Fredrik Andersen, making his third start in four games, made 26 saves in the win.

The Miners power play continues to produce, as they scored twice in six chances, including Reinhart’s winner early in the third.

"What I like about the power play is we're not trying to make any highlight-reel plays," Reinhart said. "I think we're just kind of sticking with our structure and what we believe is going to work for us."

Andres Lee had a pair of goals to pace the Minnesota attack.  William Karlsson and Phil Kessel each finished with a pair of assists.  Pekka Rinne, who had been in goal to help the Norsemen to a 3-0 start, made 36 saves in the loss.

"Their speed and their creativity forced those mistakes,"  Kessel said. "Our execution wasn't where it needed to be against an up and coming hockey club."

With the win, the Miners now sit at .500 on early in the season with a 2-2-0 record.


MINERS NUGGETS

- While much has been said about the Miners red hot Power Play recently, the Penalty Kill has been often overlooked.  It was perfect on the night killing off both Norsemen chances.

- The Miners head back out on the road when they travel to Springfield to take on the winless Isotopes.  Game time on Thursday is 7:30pm.

Sloppy play leads to Miners loss in Victoria

Sloppy play leads to Miners loss in Victoria

CANADIAN PRESS (Victoria, BC)

Jamie Benn and Evgeni Kuznetsov scored just six seconds apart to break a 3-3 tie late in the third period, as the Victoria Ronin downed the visiting Sudbury Miners, 5-3 on Sunday night.  

Brandon Saad, Mika Zibanejed and Chris Kreider would score the other goals for the Ronin and goaltender Cory Schneider would make 34 saves in the victory.  The win was the Ronin’s first of the season.

Chris Tierney, Wayne Simmonds and Brayden Point would score for the Miners, who actually outshot the Ronin in this contest, 37-33.  Miners goalie Darcy Kuemper, who was making his Miners debut, was spectacular at times, turning away numerous Ronin scoring chances but in the end, it was not enough.

"I felt OK, but I take this loss on my shoulders," Kuemper said. "I thought we played a really good game. We gave up a couple of things, but we played solid. I've got to make better plays and make the saves at the right time to give us a chance to win."

The defence pairing of Aaron Ekblad and Sami Vatanen had a night they would like to forget, as they ended up a combined -5 on the evening.  

“At the end, there was a couple of costly mistakes and turnovers that they capitalized on," Ekblad said. "But we had a great start. We neutralized their heavy game by moving the puck quick in the offensive zone, and we had a ton of shots. If we play like that, I think we're going to be a hard team to play against."

The Miners will look to get back in the win column as the Minnesota Norsemen travel to Sudbury on Tuesday night.  Game time at the Vale Centre is 7:00pm.

MINERS NUGGETS

- The Power Play unit continues to roll early in the season.  They went 2-for-4 on the night and are cruising at a rate of 37.5%, good for 4th place in the league.

- Coach Derek Sutton stated that he will juggle some lines for Tuesday’s game, so one would expect to see defenceman Shea Theodore return to the line-up.  

Conversation with Dayton GM, BIll Corfield (Part Three)

(We continue our at-length discussion with Musicmen GM, Bill Corfield...)

Q: Dayton holds 39 picks in the 2019 CCHL Entry Draft, what's the plan? We'll assess everything as we go along like we always do. We currently have our 1st and three 2nd's which will give us four of the top 36 picks overall. We'll be able to add quality with those picks. After that, who knows? Deals could be made between now and that may add or subtract how many picks we wind up with. If we move some of our top-end veteran talent, we'd expect to bring in a few more high end picks that will improve the incoming quality in its own right. We really like how we've positioned ourselves for building through youth. The scouts have done a brilliant job. 

Q: If you can add one or two elements to this year's squad, what areas would you be most interested in acquiring? I'd be interested to bring on a legit #2 Center. Frankly, it's a #1 I'd like to add because the guys we have in our system who project to be a #1 Center - guys like Villardi, Chytil, Kupari, Suzuki and Batherson - won't be here for 2-3 years. Another area might be an upgrade defensively anywhere. If we are going to compete this season, adding defensive is usually less expensive than adding offense is.

Q: One final question. Of the seven players currently assigned to the farm roster and the two guys on the reserve squad who do you think can make a contribution this year and who should we be watching for next year? Christian Fischer is the first name that comes to mind. he had a strong rookie year but is pretty blocked by several guys who can play a top-six role for us. If injuries or trades leave us short, he'd be our first player to promote.

Q: What about next year? A few guys come to mind like Danny Sprong and Travis Sanheim. Will Butcher's path will be cleared out for him to join the top 8 Dmen in the 2019-20 season...

---

Conversation with Dayton Musicmen Bill Corfield (Part Two)

Dayton Musicmen GM Bill Corfield

(We continue our at-length discussion with Musicmen GM, Bill Corfield...) 

Q: What were your goals coming into training camp? To put a competitive team on the ice and contend for a playoff birth. The talent level is better than it was last year, we're going to win more than 14 games and end up with more than the 35 points we did last season. I think that we can finish in the point range of 60-75 pts. with the talent we have. With few top line players, Radulov, Nurse, Dubnyck are our highest profile guys, we can't compete with the better teams over a full season. But, we'll do better, I'm sure...

Q: Are you shooting for the playoffs this season? We're taking the season in ten games increments. The first 5 stages are to assess what we have to work with and what line combinations work best. If we're sitting firmly in a playoff position after the 40-45 game mark - we'll review everything from the team on the ice, how the top prospects are doing, what rookies we can expect to be here next season and make a decision. We may look to acquire a few older players if the price is right to make a push for the playoffs and earn some additional playoff revenue. If after 40-45 games, we're not in a serious position to do anything in the post-season, we'll sell off the older and talented guys like Radulov, Girardi, Dubnyck, Dadonov, etc... and get ready for the FA bidding and then our Entry Draft. 

Q: How does that affect the overall goal of building a deep and successful organization overall? We really want to build a deep foundation of players here so that we're not forced to leave ourselves short if we need to add a few pieces. Our overall goal last year - that continues right now - is to build the best team in the CCHL and have the deepest prospect system in the league. Not just quantity, but more importantly, quality. 

Q. Would you explain the trading of Rasmus Dahlin? When you have an asset like Dahlin, you have to decide if the asset serves your overall goals best as an asset within the organization or outside the organization in terms of bringing some different assets of value into the team. In Dahlin's case, we agree that he's going to be fantastic. As advertised. Looking at our depth on Defense, we're sitting in a good situation, that will only get better by this time next year. being a defenseman, we don't think Dahlin will separate himself over the next 5-7 years in the CCHL from other very good dmen. We will have more than a couple of those very few dmen without him. By adding Chytil, we get a kid we project to be on the Rangers top two lines by the end of his rookie season and will stay there for a long time. In Ville Husso, a goalie we've long wanted to bring in from Siberia, we're getting the next #1 goaltender for the Blues who should take over the nets just about the time the other young talent in St. Louis is maturing as well. In Will Butcher, a rookie who scored over 40 points for a weak NJ Devil team, his upside is impressive as well. Plus, we get our 1st rounder next draft back, which should yield us a top ten draftee. If Dahlin was a forward, we probably don't make the deal as his impact would be greater than that of a dman. He'll be great - but for someone else, lol...

Up Next: The 3rd and final part of our discussion with Dayton's GM...

Conversation with Dayton Musicmen GM, Bill Corfield... (Part One)

"Around the CCHL" sat down with Musicmen General Manager Bill Corfield on a day off this week to get his thoughts on his team, the state of the organization and his goals for the 2018-19 CCHL regular season.

Corfield is the only GM the franchise has ever known, winning four championships since the team came into existence back in 2001. Making the playoffs in 11 of the league's 16 seasons, DAY has finished 1st over-all 7 times in the league's 16-year history.

Q: Before we look at the upcoming season, any final thoughts on last season's team? It was a difficult year for everyone. Coming off the Championship, to assess the terrain of the team, the finances, the league, etc. we had to make a hard decision to break it all down and look to the future. It had to be done and we're very excited about what the future holds.

Q: How were the off-season for the team and you personally? We said goodbye to a lot of players. Only 9 guys on this year's team were with us last season. That was kind of by design and we'll see a good bit of turnover next off-season as well. We know guys like Steen, Radulov, Oduya, Radulov or Dubnyck will be moving on as our younger kids step into the picture. Personally, it was great.. time with the family, traveled, relaxed...

Q: You had 40 draft picks in the last Entry Draft. Talk about the big names you selected and some of the not so big names you were pleased to get... Well, obviously Dahlin & Svechnikov were the big fish right off the top. After those two, we were very pleased to get two highly ranked netminders in Rodrguez & Skarek as well as NHL veteran Evgeny Dadonov, a guy who will step in and help right away. We had targeted Dadanov because he's going to likely play in the top line on vastly improved Florida team with Barkov and Mike Hoffman. The potential for a strong year offensively is high and can either benefit us directly or bring in another attractive asset before the trade deadline.

Other draftees that come to mind include Aaron Luchuk of OTT, Mac Hollowell - who almost made the Leafs in his first camp - CJ Smith of the Sabres, Skylar McKenzie a nice LW who almost made the Jets in his first try, Paul Cotter of Vegas is going to be a good one someday and Pavel Francouz, a netminder who projects to be a #1 guy for the Avs someday. Two other pros we drafted was a KHL all-star defenseman in Bogdan Kiselvich of the Panthers who's going to play in the NHL this season because he signed a 1-way contract. It's either the NHL or back to Russia for him. Finally, Joakim Ryan of the Sharks, who was voted their "Rookie of the Year" last season. He's also a dman who can eat minutes for us at a reasonable salary.

Miners win Home Opener, defeat Squirrels 4-3.

GAME STORY

Miners win Home Opener, defeat Squirrels 4-3.

CANADIAN PRESS (Sudbury, ON)

After a lackluster performance versus the Long Island Express in the Season Opener, the Sudbury Miners were back at it again, seeking their first win of the 2018-19 CCHL season.

Being back in Sudbury for the Home Opener, the Miners would score late the third period and hold on for a 4-3 win over the visiting Fonthill Flying Squirrels, much to the delight of the sold-out crowd at the Vale Centre on Wednesday Night.

Aaron Ekblad led the way offensively for the Miners with a goal and two assists, while Vincent Trocheck and Sam Reinhart would each notch a couple of points. Fredrick Andersen, making his second consecutive start made 33 saves in the win.

Special teams were definitely a factor in this game. While the Squirrels were 1-for-2 on the power play, the Miners were a sizzling 3-for-8 with the man-advantage. "Not the prettiest win but we found a way," Ekblad said. "We stuck to our game, kept pushing and found a way. Special teams came up big for us and Freddie came up big for us to and kept us in it, especially the last two periods.

Alex Ovechkin and Richard Panik, each with a pair, scored for Fonthill. Defenceman Alex Edler would chip in a pair of assists and former Miner goaltender Ben Bishop would make 31 saves in the loss. Despite the win, Miners head coach Derek Sutton still knows there is work to be done to get his team to the upper levels of the CCHL.

“We got a little sloppy with the puck. That was not a Picasso by any means,” he said. “You’re never going to complain about a win, but we’re going to go over every game and continue to teach these guys.”

MINERS NUGGETS

- Gustav Forsling made his Miners debut versus the Flying Squirrels. While he did not record a point, he played solidly in his 15 minutes of ice time.

- Next game for the Miners is on Saturday night as they go on the road to Victoria to take on the Ronin.

Season Preview: Dayton Musicmen - The Defensemen....

The 2018-19 season preview continues with a look at the defensemen on our roster as we start the season:

Dayton Pro Roster:

1) Michael Del Zotto - The #1 blueliner on the team, Del Zotto will see the most minutes of all Dayton Dmen. An RFA after this season, Del Zotto will continue to play a major role until Butcher, Ryan, Sanheim, Nutivaara, Cholowski, Juolevi, Hague, etc. push him out of the way. "DZ" will also serve as the captain of this year's team.

2) Darnell Nurse - Taken 7th overall in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft, the 23 yr. old Nurse showed signs of maturing last season in Edmonton and should again this year. He's already among DAY's top 4 dmen with a skill set that posses great skating ability, good physicality and the upside befitting the 2nd defenseman chosen in the '13 Entry Draft.

3) Dan Girardi - The 34-year-old NHL veteran will bring experience, shot blocking and leadership to the Musicmen this season. A UFA after this season is it virtually guaranteed that Girardi will play elsewhere in the CCHL's 2019-20 season.

4) Mike Stone - Recently acquired from the Express, the 28 yr. old Stone moves from Long Island's bench to Dayton's top four. Recently signed to a multi-yr. contract, Stone is a solid 2-way defender, who will serve the team in a variety of roles.

5) Johnny Oduya -The 37-year-old defenseman will likely finish his CCHL career with Dayton this season. He will be a capable 3rd pairing player and with no current NHL contract and his CCHL deal expiring after this season, Oduya will be someplace else this time next season.

6) Jamie Oleksiak - One of two alternate captains this season for the Musicmen, Oleksiak blossomed after being traded from Dallas to Pittsburgh last NHL season. Just 25, the 6'7, 255 lb. dman brings a lot of oomph to the party. Not just a defensive type, Oleksiak, with more ice time than ever before, the offense followed. Oleksiak was the 14th player taken in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft and seems to be fulfilling the promise scouts saw in him.

7) Erik Gustafsson - The 26-yr.-old dmen for the Blackhawks, Gustafsson is primarily an offensive defenseman. Counted on to be a top 4 guy for CHI this season, 30-35 points isn't out of the question. Gustafsson should see time this season for DAY as a power play specialist unless injuries dictate otherwise.

8) Michael Kempny - Time is running out for Kempny as he's hit the 28-year-old mark. At worst, he's a 3rd pairing guy who does everything pretty good, but not great at all. A bit of a bridge player, DAY expects him to cover some minutes over the next two season after which it remains to be seen what his role, if any, may be in Dayton given all the defensive young blood on the way.

9) Marcus Nutivaara - A top 4 dman for the Bluejackets, Nutivaara is another solid 2-way performer who will grow into a full-time spot next season for the 'Men. 30 points are well within reach for the 3rd year defender.


Dayton Farm Roster:

Will Butcher -  44 pts. in 81 games as a rookie with the surprising Devils, Butcher is locked in as a top 4 dman going forward. Running the Devils PP and his regular shifts should put the sophomore close to 19 minutes this NHL season. Currently, on the Farm team, Butcher projects to be a top six guy on Dayton's blueline next season.

Travis Sanheim - The 17th player taken overall in the 2017 NHL Draft, Sanheim cut his teeth last season splitting time between the NHL Flyers and the AHL Phantoms. Struggling out of the gate as a 21-year-old didn't surprise most and his play was noticeably improved after a stint in the AHL. Loads of talent in this young kid, Sanheim will continue to develop as a full-timer in Philly this season and we expect him to battle for top 4 minutes in Dayton in the 2019-20 season.

Joakim Ryan - The reigning "rookie of the year" in San Jose, Ryan will see bottom six minutes for the Sharks this season. A 12th round steal during the CCHL Draft this past Summer, Ryan should be a contributing member of the Musicmen blueline for the next several years. Should be a solid 3rd pairing type going forward.

Ian McCoshen - Expected to make the Panthers this season, McCoshen, despite being an early 2nd rounder in the 2013 Entry Draft, he has yet to claim a spot on the big league roster. Recently sent down to the AHL, McCoshen will still get an opportunity to claim an NHL job at some point, but there's stiff competition working against him.

MINERS CAN’T DE-RAIL THE EXPRESS

MINERS CAN’T DE-RAIL THE EXPRESS
CANADIAN PRESS (Long Island, NY)

A new season filled with controlled optimism and hope opened in Long Island on Tuesday night for the Sudbury Miners.

Unfortunately, though, the problems that the Miners had last year putting the puck in the back of the net, reared their ugly head again, as the Long Island Express handed the Sudbury Miners a season-opening 2-1 loss on Tuesday night.

Express forward Matt Barzal led the way with a goal and an assist, including the game-winner early in the third period. Henrik Lundqvist made 32 saves in the Express net to take the win. Wayne Simmonds had the lone marker for the Miners, while goalie Fredrick Andersen, who was making his
Miners debut made 27 saves in the loss.

The Miners controlled most of the opening period, outshooting the Express 15-10, but the teams would go to the dressing room on goals by Simmonds and Express forward Jordan Eberle.
In the second, both teams would trade a number of top-notch scoring chances, but neither team could put one past Lundqvist or Andersen, who were both excellent on the night.

In the third, the Express would jump out to an early lead, as Barzal’s wrist shot would find the top corner just 1:25 into the final frame. Gabriel Landeskog and John Klingberg would draw the assists.
That would be all the scoring for the remainder of the contest.

“Not how we wanted to start the season, but it is not all bad”, stated Miners coach Derek Sutton. “They (Long Island) are a much-improved team. We did a better job at generating some chances but just couldn’t put one past Lundqvist. We have some things to work on but going forward, I feel that we are going to make some strides this year.”

The two teams would finish the third period tied with 8 shots on net each, but the Miners would end the contest with a 33-28 advantage overall.

MINERS NUGGETS

- Special Teams were solid last night. The penalty kill was perfect in six chances, while the power play was 1- for-4 on the night.
- Next game for the Miners is the Home Opener on Thursday night versus the Fonthill Flying Squirrels.

Millers season preview Part 3

Georgetown Millers Season Preview

(Goaltenders)

1. James Reimer - Starting his 3rd season in net, Reimer is expected to play around 50 games, barring any long-term injuries. A save percentage around .915 is a must if he wants to avoid losing time to Ryan Miller.

2. Ryan Miller - Signed in the off-season to a 2-year deal, Miller is expected to start 30 games, 40 at the most. He may be the best backup G in the league.

3. Steve Mason - Acquired recently for Scott Wilson, Mason is in the last year of his contract. Unless an unexpected trade or a long-term injury hits the top 2, Mason will be lucky to see the ice unless absolutely necessary. Rumor has it once Christopher Gibson was acquired Mason was being shopped.

4. Christopher Gibson - Recent waiver pickup will be the man in net for the Millers minor league affiliate, NKY Chinstraps. A longshot to see action this year, the club hopes Gibson can ascend to the big club next season.

5. Peter Budaj - Last season’s co-starter with Reimer has seen his stock plummet, going to the bottom of the depth chart. Medical concerns will prevent Budaj from seeing any game time this season barring an injury crisis.

Loons Prospect Review

IT WAS reported the night before the entry draft that GM Czepiel had last-minute meetings with Oliver Wahlstrom, Filip Zadina, and Quinn Hughes. Zadina went to Parry Sound at 3 leaving Czepiel to seemingly choose between Wahlstrom and Hughes. Czepiel went with Wahlstrom with the 4th pick and now 3 months later Czepiel was able to add Quinn Hughes as well. It appears that Czepiel is building a core around 20-year-old Dubois, 20-year-old Puljujarvi and 22-year-old Donato. Only on Capeside would the 25-year-old Nugent-Hopkins be considered as being older than the core. However, that must be what Czepiel believed when he dealt away former number 1 overall pick to Siberia for 18-year-old Hughes, a 2nd round pick and Johansson. This trade most likely kills any hopes of the Loons making the playoffs this year, but the hope must be that Hughes, Wahlstrom, and Lauko are better suited to Capeside's 5-year plan.

With Quinn Hughes now a future Loon, it seems a good time to take a look at Capeside's top prospects.

10.  Petrus Palmu - LW/RW  (acquired via trade with Portland)

Former 9th round pick of the Owls is only 5'7'' but high skill level more then makes up for it. Palmu destroyed the OHL 2 years ago with 98 points (40/58) in 62 games and last year put up fantastic numbers with TPS in the Finnish Elite League: 17/19 in 59 games. Palmu will play in the AHL this year and could join the Loons as early as 2020-21.  Projection - 3rd Line Wing 35-40 pts

9. Zach Senyshyn - RW   (acquired via trade with Fonthill)

Senyshyn was taken much higher than expected in 2015 and his poor production has backed those opinions. However, a strong finish last year in the AHL and a great training camp this year is giving the Loons optimism. Senyshyn is an extremely fast skater with high offensive upside if he can only find a way to put it together. If Zach can take the next step at the AHL level this year he could make the Loons in 2020-21. Projection - 3rd Line Wing 40 pts

8. Dan Vladar - G   (acquired via trade with Dayton)

Vladar is a monster in size at 6'5'' but moves well in net. Vladar was drafted as a project and is now showing that he is putting it together. Darth Vladar had a tremendous training camp and appears ready to be the number 1 goalie in the AHL this year. Projection - Loons starting goalie 2021-22

7. Roland McKeown - D   (acquired via trade with Ft. Erie)

McKeown is a solid two-way defenseman which put up outstanding +/- numbers ( +34 ) in the AHL last year. McKeown was not able to make the team out of training camp but figures to see time in the NHL this year. Should be a full-time contributor to the Loons in 2020-21   Projection - bottom pair defenseman with time on both PP & PK

6. Jonathan Tychonick - D   (Loons draft pick 2018)

Tychonick is puck moving defenseman. He will play for N. Dakota in the NCAA where he will need to prove he can play against tougher competition after his time in the Junior A level. Figures to see time with the Loons around the 2022-23 season. Projection - 2nd D pairing with time on the Power Play

5. Bode Wilde - D   (Loons draft pick 2018)

Wilde has all the tools and just needs to put them all together. Wilde slipped in the draft due to concerns about if decision making in his own zone. His offensive skills and rocket shot make him a potential steal as a second-round pick. Wilde passed up the NCAA route in order to play in juniors this year. Capeside would have much rather he played in college where he could have worked more on his defensive game. Looks to be a Loon as early as 2021-22   Projection - Top D pairing and first PP unit

4. Jay O'Brien - C/RW  (Loons draft pick 2018)

O'Brien dominated the lower level competition in MA prep school with an elite shot that has translated well for team USA. O'Brien was drafted higher than expected because of the prep school route but he proved that he can more the hold his own when he had success with team USA at the World Junior Showcase this past summer. O'Brien will continue his development at Providence College this year. Full-time Loon 2021-22 Projection - top 6 forward and PP 55-60 pts

3. Jakub Lauko - LW  (Loons draft pick 2018)

After a tremendous training camp where Lauko showed his amazing speed and compete level, he appears to be the steal of the 2018 draft for Capeside. There were rumblings that Lauko had a chance at making the NHL as an 18 year old until a friendly fire collision in practice derailed him. Lauko will work on getting stronger and maturing In Juniors this year and could possibly be a Loon is 2020-21  Projection - top 6 forward 50-55 pts

2. Quinn Hughes - D  (acquired via trade with Siberia)

Quinn was perhaps the best skater in the entire draft, and if it wasn't for Dahlin the top defenseman in the 2018 draft. Hughes is the exact type of player that hockey is built for now with elite skating, puck handling and a rocket shot from the point. Hughes was dominant at times as a freshman at Michigan last year and will look to add some muscle and work on the defensive part of his game as a sophomore. Hughes will likely make the jump to the NHL at the conclusion of the NCAA schedule and could see time as a Loon in 2019-2020. Projection - top pair D & leading the first unit PP 50+ points is realistic

1. Oliver Wahlstrom - RW  (Loons first ever draft pick 2018)

Wahlstrom has elite offensive skills. He has a lethal shot to go along with his creative puck handling that caught GM Czepiel's attention as a participant on Mini 1 on 1 during the intermission of a Bruins game a decade ago. Wahlstrom dominated while playing for the US developmental program. Last year putting up 94 pts in 62 games and then was a goal per game during the under 18s. After a slightly disappointing showing during the world junior showcase this past summer, Wahlstrom with most likely be a 1 and done at Boston College this year. Wahlstrom will likely join the NHL after the NCAA season and will be a part of the Loon's core as early as 2019-20. Projection -  First line RW and top PP unit 40 goals / 80 pts

Season Preview: Dayton Musicmen - The Prospects...

After a mammoth draft over the Summer, the 'Men added another 38 prospects to our list which took us over the 100 mark.

I won't discuss all of our prospects but instead, focus on the ten prospects most likely to see time in the NHL this season.


1) Dennis Cholowski - DET - D - Cholowski has made the team in Detroit and should see significant time in all situations. He's part of the core group of youngsters the Wings want to build around.

2) Daniel Sprong - PIT - RW - There's a spot for Sprong on the Pens, despite an underwhelming training camp. He may be sent to Wilkes-Barre in the AHL to start the year, but the plan is for him to see significant minutes this year in the 'Burgh.

3) Filip Chytil - NYR - C/W - The Rangers are rebuilding a bit and Chytil is one of their biggest guns in the system. He didn't look out of place late last season and will be given every chance to be given a major slot in the Rangers lineup as the season starts.

4) Andrei Svechnikov - CAR - RW - This may be the kind of guy who never plays a minute in the minors. Yes, he's that good...

5) Ville Husso - STL - G - Jake Allen and Chad Johnson, the Blues current goalies, can hear Husso getting closer and closer for the starting job in St. Louis. Talented, decent size and had a monster year in the AHL last year in San Antonio. He's coming...

6) Joe Hicketts - DET - D - Similar to Cholowski, Hicketts will remain with the big club until some of the veteran dmen in Detroit heal up from a variety of injuries.

7) Maxime Comtois - ANA - LW - Another young player who stands to benefit from veteran injuries with the Ducks in the early going. If after ten games are played Comtois looks like he belongs, look for him to stay with the big club all season.

8) Nick Hague - VEG - D - A strong offensive blueliner with reasonably good defensive skills, Hague will wait for the call-up at some point this season. The call will come, trust me.

9) Olle Juolevi - VAN - D - Starting the season in Utica in the AHL won't be the worst thing that could happen to the 5th player taken overall in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft.

10 ) Juho Lammikko - FLA - C/LW - Think of Lammikko as a Jeri Lehtinen without the scoring touch. A solid 3rd liner with above average pk skills...

11) Bogdan Kisselvich - FLA - D - The 28 yr. old vet of the KHL signed a one year, one-way contract with the Panthers and is expected to make an impact immediately. The KHL All-Star plays an effective, well-rounded game.  Look for him in Dayton next season.

Keep an eye on these guys too:

Pavel Francouz (COL-G), Danick Martel (TB-C), Gabe Villardi (LAK-C), Dominik Kahun (CHI-C/RW), Drake Batherson (OTT-C) and Micheal McLeod (NJ-C)...