Sudbury Miners Weekly Report Vol. 6

A Weekly Look at the 2018-19 Sudbury Miners:  Volume 6

CANADIAN PRESS (Sudbury, ON):

Miners Weekly Record: 2 wins, 1 loss, 0 OT loss.

Miners League Standing:  11 wins, 10 losses, 2 OT Loss = 24 points total.  Currently sit in 9th place in the Canosa Conference, 16th overall in the CCHL.

Miners Special Teams:  Power Play – 24.2% (9th); Penalty Kill – 79.2% (8th)

Miners Scoring Leader:  Center Vincent Trocheck (7G – 21A = 28pts; 27th Overall in the CCHL)

The Sudbury Miners kept status quo this week, and continue to remain in the thick of the playoff race in the Canosa Conference.  Despite posting a 2-1-0 record this week including wins over conference rivals Springfield and Hamilton, the Miners were unable to gain any ground and still remain two points back of Victoria for 6th place and the final playoff spot.

“Our goal at the start of the season was to be in contention for a playoff spot”, stated Miner's winger Travis Konecny.  “But now that we are here, we want more. We want to make the playoffs. We want that for the guys in this room and for our hard-working fans back home in Sudbury.  It’s going to be a battle every game for us if we want to remain in this thing”.

The Miners have a chance to make up some ground this week with four, very important games this week  - all with teams they are battling with for the final playoff spot in the Canosa Conference. They open up the week versus Fonthill on Monday, followed by a big game versus Victoria on Wednesday night.  They close the week with a home and home series with Reykjavik. Anything less than a .500 record could spell disaster for the Miners.

MINERS PLAYER PROFILE OF THE WEEK:  Andy Greene

Signed as a free agent in the summer, Greene is a skilled, heads-up puck mover with quick, soft hands and a good passing range.  He does lacks elite startup speed but is balanced, compensates with efficient footwork both forwards and backward, with solid lateral agility.  He has skilled stick work as a defender and does have a physical element, using his short, stocky frame to close gaps and finish checks. He is strong in 1-on-1 battles and absorbs forecheck pressure and creates space for outlets.  He has brought that veteran savvy and stability to a young Miners blueline so far this season.

MINERS PROSPECT NEED TO KNOW:  Jusso Valimaki

Drafted 14th overall by the Miners in the CCHL Entry Draft, Valimaki was taken primarily because of his size and defensive-zone play.  After his last two seasons in the WHL, the point-per-game two-way defender has rounded his game out to new heights. Possessing top-notch skills and a CCHL-ready hockey sense, it was only a matter of time before this top prospect reached his potential.  He’s a strong skater who doesn’t shy away from physicality at every opportunity and has already proven that he’s ready to take the next step. He will be a welcome addition when he arrives in Sudbury. Expected CCHL arrival: 2019-20.

Trader Sam breaks down the latest trades/signings in the CCHL!!!

Good day everyone - Trader Sam is back again!

I hope you are all giving Thanks on this American long weekend and I for one am thankful a few more trades were made this week!  Let's review the transactions of the week, shall we? 

(11/24/18) NIA awarded Z. Girgensons via waiver claim... 

Niagara loves Girgensons (for some reason) but the mighty Z has seen his stock drop a lot over the years and now the former first rounder is a waiver pickup in the CCHL.  It's a nice depth addition but Girgensons likely shouldn't play on a playoff team in the CCHL. 

(11/23/18) GEO trades D. Ryan to VIC for VIC 3rd-19...  

Victoria pays a decent price to acquire the veteran Ryan.  Ryan is a useful player but a third might be a touch high for him.  GM Canosa must see something ol' Trader Sam doesn't in Ryan but Georgetown should be happy with the return. 

(11/20/18) CGY trades S. Crosby & R. Suter to DAY for Travis Sanheim, Gabriel Vilardi-p, Olli Juolevi-p, Ukka Pekka Luukkonnen-p, DAY 1st-19, DAY 2nd-19 & 5M in cash... 

Trader Sam saw this deal and couldn't believe it at first.  It's a bit of a head-scratcher until you look further into the move. 

Calgary acquires a player with massive back issues in Vilardi, a video game addict in Juolevli and a quality goaltender in Lukkonnen who is enjoying a great season in Sudbury. The picks also help a lot, along with the five million in cold hard CCHL dollars. 

The bigger picture here is that Calgary's payroll was draining the bank account in a large manner and something had to be done.  GM Eugene Yip decided that he'd move his two UFA players but you can't help but wonder if he could have got more had he let the league know they were available. 

At the end of the day, Dayton should get a lot better and Calgary have the depth to sustain the loss of these two studs while also helping restock for the future. 

(11/19/18) NIA signs J. Jagr to a 1 yr, $525K contract...

Trader Sam was just a kid when Jagr started playing professional hockey and when I saw this transaction I couldn't believe it.  Niagara signs the Crown Prince of the Mullett for his leadership ability and to teach the others how to do it the right way but I'm not sure that Jagr will be able to contribute offensively at all in the fast-paced CCHL given he's competing like Fred Flintstone in a Nascar race with his wheels. 

(11/18/18) FOR signs D. Seidenberg to a 1 yr, $525K contract... 

Trader Sam sees Fort Erie make a desperation signing by trying to change the chemistry on the blueline and add some leadership quality to his really young lineup. Seidenberg will help but I'm not sure how much he'll help given his known durability issues. 

 That's it for Sam this week folks!  Enjoy the rest of your turkey leftovers and keep trading so I can make another triumphant return next week! 

Victoria Ronin Prospect Review: The Forwards...

This is the second part of the Ronin coverage of forwards in the system. This time we review the winger eligible players who hope to skate for Victoria in the future. With the recent major move sending original draft pick Evgeni Kuznetsov to Dayton the prospect depth at wing has improved significantly. Not to be overlooked is the deal with Minnesota involving Carl Soderberg. So the pro club has taken a hit in the talent level and hopes to somehow muddle through the balance of the season and make the playoffs. However, as dim as the current season for the top club looks, the kids appear to be coming and in a big way.

Starting with Dylan Sikura who was a somewhat surprising cut by the Hawks to start this NHL season. He has not lost focus and is a top scorer in the AHL so far this year. With the change of coach in Chicago perhaps we will see Dylan in Chicago sooner rather than later. He is projected to play on the RW which is a major team need.

Left-wing Keiffer Bellows is currently a rookie in the AHL for the Islanders farm team. There appeared to be a bit of an adjustment to start the season for him, but as of late he has found the back of the net which is exactly what the Ronin are hoping for him. His game should continue to improve as he becomes more familiar with the competition at the minor league level before making the jump to the big leagues with Victoria on the west coast of Canada.

Next up is Filip Chytil who seems to have found his game with the NYR with goals in 5 straight games. Having watched most of his games I can tell you that this kid looks to be blossoming into a special player. He is still only 19 years old and now that NY has put him into a top 6 spot, better things should be coming. Drafted as a center, he is currently playing on both wings.

Jonah Gadjovich might not have the name recognition as some of the others on the list but he is a 2nd round pick with Canucks in 2017. Described as a team-first player he is currently a rookie in the AHL and is clearly having some adjustment issues with the club. With good size and speed h,e adds more depth to the LW cupboard for the Ronin.

Maxime Comtois is another promising young left winger who was just sent back to juniors by the Anaheim Ducks. The hope is that he will get a chance to play in the world juniors for Team Canada. He did put up some decent numbers in his short stint with his NHL club. The left winger plays a strong pro game and should be back in the NHL as soon as next season.

Taylor Raddysh projects to right wing or center in the NHL. He is currently playing in the AHL for the Syracuse Crunch where he has 7 goals in 15 games played. Like Gadjovich he is also a 2nd round pick by Tampa in 2016. With luck, he might make the big club before the end of the season and Victoria is hoping to see both Taylor and Dylan skating on the right side for them in the near future.

Another 2 right wingers are also in the system both drafted by Edmonton in Ostap Safin and Kirill Maksimov. Safin is probably the lessor known of the two but he is a big body who skates very well and in fact played with Zadina and Chytil in the 2018 worlds for the Czechs. He could surprise to the upside and Victoria would love to plug him onto the 3rd line. Kirill Maksimov can score and is having a fine season for Niagara in the OHL with some luck he could push one of Raddysh or Sikura down the depth chart if the Oilers can actually find a way to properly develop prospects. Until then both of these kids have more of an outside shot at the NHL, but there is always hope.

The last kid on the list is Andrei Svechnikov currently playing for the Hurricanes in the NHL. A left shooting right wing he currently has 5 goals and 11 points in 22 games played. He has boatloads of talent and barring a trade or injury will get some big minutes for the Ronin next season.

So the future looks bright for the team in Victoria. Next up will be a review of the defense.

AROUND THE CCHL (What we know and don't know at the 20 game mark...)

As team reach the 20 game mark, the CCHL finds itself at roughly the 25% mark of the regular season. It's been a challenge for all of us to figure out Simon. Quite different from APBA, for sure.


Some teams like Capeside, Minnesota and Dayton started pretty strong and have had good success early on. Other teams like Springfield, Fort Erie and Georgetown have had a frustrating start. Are teams like the Loons, Musicmen, Falcons and Isotopes where they because of small sample size madness or are they for real?

I don't know....anymore than anyone else does.

I continue to see and fear frustrations from a handful of GM's.

Each week I try and impart something useful in terms of the new Simulator.

I'm the kind of guy that when I get a new piece of musical equipment or home electronics, computer, etc... I unbox it, throw the plastic bag with the instructions across the room (because what red-blooded adult male needs INSTRUCTIONS????) and set about setting up my new toy.

Without fail, I will run into some roadblock where I can't figure out what the hell to do. Usually, my wife then hands me the instruction booklet/owners manual, turned to the correct page and then I see what I need to do.

Sound familiar, gang?

If you haven't read the Simon Manual, do so. More than once.

Dig around the Simon User Forum and if you find something helpful, share it with the rest of us.

Other news:

We've relocated the Reserve Player info away from Simon and added a dedicated link on the left side of the CCHL homepage. It's also viewable on our team payroll pages.

A reminder that if your player becomes fatigued, Simon will automatically pull him from your lineup for the next game until his endurance is back above 95. I see some teams letting players who aren't tired any more sitting on the bench sometimes. Another reason to stay on top of things.

New habits, for sure...

A little birdie tells me they are expecting a new baby in their family! I won't disclose who, but hopefully Dad will share a proud picture of himself and the newborn over the next week or so!

(It's not me!!!)

Till next week!

Someone took the ‘Spring’ out of Springfield

The 2018/19 season has not been kind to the Isotopes.  They currently in 11th in the Canosa Conference and 20th overall in the league and have no spring in their step.  Do you remember when GM Stacey predicted a run at the finals this year? Do you remember a time when that seemed possible? Do you even remember having dreams that weren’t nightmares?

The team is stacked with NHL talent that is clearly not ready for the rigours of the CCHL season.  The team overall rating is 73, tied for highest in the league, at some point the finger has to be pointed not at the players but at the GM/Coach who can’t seem to put those players in a winning position.

One of the biggest areas of concern is the powerplay. I want you to look at these numbers, if you are an Isotopes fan please look away as the stats may make you vomit:

Powerplay Opportunities / Powerplay Goals

4   /  0

3   /   0

5   /   0

8   /   1

2   /    0

2   /    1

2   /    0

5   /    0

No, this is not fake; the Isotopes have scored 2 powerplay goals in the last 8 games.  For those keeping score, that is a rate of 6%.  When the top teams are scoring on more than 30% of their powerplay chances it makes you wonder what is going on.  The rest of the season isn’t much better with Springfield sitting in second last place for powerplay percentage at 13.3% while below the league average of 23%.

The Isotopes are expecting to field a different look for the powerplay tonight against the Puffin but it is starting to seem like the team is missing more than a spring and is looking like a team that may need to blow up a theoretically championship caliber team that can’t seem to score any goals when it is supposed to be the easiest time.

Spring(less)field Times reporter, name without out of embarrassment.

--------------------------

Spring(less)field ;)

State of the Loons; Claude Giroux

In our last article we mentioned that GM Czepiel owed it to the team and to the fans to try and win now. Well... He did it.

This past Friday, the Loons were in Fort Erie to play the Falcons. It seemed odd that Czepiel joined the team on a mini one game road trip, and the rumors increased when Czepiel was seen at the local Happy Jacks with Falcon's GM Matt Young. Later that night Czepiel watched from the owner's suite as the Loons pulled off an impressive 6-4 with over the Falcons. Normally the press is allowed into the locker rooms 30 minutes after the game, however on Friday night both locker rooms remained locked and word began to circulate that the Loon's flight back to Capeside had been delayed. At 10:27pm Czepiel emerged from the visiting locker room and announced that he and Young had agreed on a trade. "We have agreed to send Anthony (Beauvillier), Quinn Hughes and the rights to Vegas' 2019 first round pick to Erie for Claude Giroux" Czepiel announced. Czepiel went on -  "Matt and I have been having ongoing discussions over the past few days and I think tonight's result sped those talks up. With both Claude and Wheeler being unrestricted free agents at the end of the year, I had hoped that we might have a slim chance at getting our hands on a superstar like Giroux which our roster was missing. And luckily for us it worked out. Though, I would be lying if I said I am not having second thoughts already. Quinn will be a dynamic player in the league and Anthony is already having success at 21 years old, not to mention we now will not pick until the 5th round in this years draft and not til the 3rd in 2020. Coach Janney and these players have forced me to change our philosophy and we need to try and take advantage of what we have going here because you can't take winning for granted."

As exciting as this trade is for the Loons and their fans, it does create a lot of question marks for the future. With the current CCHL rules, a team is only able to resign one UFA . Capeside will likely risk losing both of their goaltenders along with top defenseman Matt Niskanen. Czepiel has emphasized the need for young talent, Giroux is already 30. When Hopkins was dealt away it was said to be because 25 was past this team's window. Has this first 20 games really changed things that drastically? How will Czepiel restock his prospect pool after losing Hughes, Beauvillier,  Tychonick, McKeown and Dipietro with no draft picks? Will Vrana, Puljujarvi, Donato and Carlo be able to take the next step in order to continue Capeside's winning culture? All these questions will not matter if the Loons can continue to win and make a serious bid at the Kehler Cup, but will the additions of Giroux, Sedin and Neal be enough to compete with the likes of Minnesota, Siberia and Calgary? Time will tell.

A Weekly Look at the 2018-19 Sudbury Miners: Volume 5

A Weekly Look at the 2018-19 Sudbury Miners:  Volume 5

CANADIAN PRESS (Sudbury, ON):

Miners Weekly Record: 2 wins, 1 loss, 0 OT loss.
Miners League Standing:  9 wins, 9 losses, 2 OT Loss = 20 points total.  Currently sit in 8th place in the Canosa Conference, 15th overall in the CCHL.
Miners Special Teams:  Power Play – 25.0% (8th); Penalty Kill – 79.2% (8th)
Miners Scoring Leader:  Center Vincent Trocheck (6G – 19A = 25pts; 20th Overall in the CCHL)

For the Sudbury Miners to remain in the thick of the playoff race in the Canosa Conference, it goes without saying that they need to win those important intra-conference games.  After sporting a 2-1-0 record this week including wins over conference rivals Minnesota and Siberia, the Miners have jumped up to 8th spot in the Canosa Conference.  They now sit just two points back of Victoria for 6th place and more importantly, the final playoff spot.

“It’s fun actually playing meaningful games in November”, stated Miners winger Sam Reinhart.  “Most of the pundits didn’t give us much of a shot going into the season, but we have always had a belief in this room that we could compete for a playoff spot”.

Some of the Miners success this season can be attributed to their much improved Special Teams play.  Both the Power Play and Penalty Killing units are currently sitting in the Top 10 of the CCHL, and that trend will need to continue if the Miners have any hope of claiming a playoff spot.
“We made a strong effort to address some system issues with our Special Teams, and so far the results have been positive”, stated Miners Coach Derek Sutton.   “We are trying to use players in certain roles that will maximize their contributions and so far, the results have been positive.  It is something that we can continue to build on”.

MINERS PLAYER PROFILE OF THE WEEK: Chris Tierney

In his short time in the CCHL, Tierney has developed into a multi-dimensional forward that is reliable in all situations.  He is creative with good hockey sense in every zone and his anticipation and adherence to system structure set him apart as a forechecker.  While he does battle physically along the boards, he is not a punishing player but is slowly learning how to use his size to his advantage.  His skating is one of his best assets, as his first step explosiveness translates into high-end top speed.  Along with his playmaking capabilities, his wrist shot has solid velocity and torque and appears to “jump off the blade”.  In his short time, he has matured into a steadfast penalty killer and his ceiling is viewed as a depth, but skilled and dangerous pivot.

MINERS PROSPECT NEED TO KNOW:  Jared McIssac

McIssac is a fantastic skater who does everything at an above average level.  He has already represented Canada at the WU18 tournament twice. It was not too long ago that McIsaac was considered the best offensive defenseman in the QMJHL (even ahead of Noah Dobson) in scouting circles.  With Halifax expected to ramp up as they prepare to host this year’s Memorial Cup, expect McIsaac to put up plenty of points and gain even more experience in the spotlight.  If his development continues, he has a realistic shot at becoming a future first pairing defender.  Expected CCHL arrival:  2021-22.

THE RETURN OF TRADER SAM!!!

Good day CCHL fans!

Trader Sam has returned after a very long hiatus.  I know you are probably wondering where your favorite (and only) trade reviewer has been for almost a year and it's a long story. 

I've actually spent the last year trying to acquire the materials to make President Trump's wall along the Mexican border.  Then he sent me to acquire a book called NAFTA Negotiations for Dummies, and lastly the last few weeks I've been searching for an umbrella so our faithful leader can actually attend events when it rains.  He's kept me pretty darn busy!

With that being said, I'm finally on a bit of a presidential hiatus and I'm back digging into the latest and greatest trade activity in the CCHL. 

Let's review a few, shall we? 

(11/17/18) VIC trades E. Kuznetsov to DAY for Andrei Svechnikov-p, Filip Chytil-p, Max Comtois-p, & Dennis Cholowski-p... 

Look at this deal folks!  Sam's first deal to review is a massive blockbuster between a surprising Dayton team and Victoria. 

Dayton continues to find itself ahead of their own timeline which has GM Bill Corfield making moves to try to win now.  He could have had a great future with the likes of Dahlin and Svechnikov but the team finds themselves in a window to win now suddenly.

Kuznetsov is still in his mid-20's and will contribute for years while Victoria finds themselves receiving 4 great young players that will help, starting next year and for the next decade. 

Sam likes this deal a lot for both teams though he does feel perhaps Corfield may have slightly overpaid for the dirty bird in Kuznetsov. 

(11/17/18) FOR trades C. Giroux to CAP for A. Beauvillier, Quinn Hughes-P & LAS 1st-19...

Giroux moves to the upstart Loons in a deal that is predicated all on Fort Erie's month-long struggle and the Loons surprising start to the year. 

Giroux has been great for Fort Erie but dealing him allows Young to change the culture on his hockey club in order to have others step up without the big 100 point man around. 

Beauvillier is a solid young player that should score 20 goals or more for a decade while Hughes is another piece to add to the solid future on the blueline. 

It's a good deal for both teams at this point given where each has been headed in the standings.  Time will tell how it works out in Fort Erie while Capeside gets a bonafide top player to help them in their surprising quest for a cup this season. 

(11/17/18) MIN trades T. Wilson & MIN 8th-19 to DRT for N. Bjugstad...

Does anyone like Tom Wilson more than Dartmouth?  Wilson heads back to the East Coast of Canada in a deal that sees Bjugstad return to Minnesota.

This deal is actually the complete return of the deal they made back on September 19th and both parties must have realized the earlier deal was a bit of a mistake and have corrected their errors.

Either that or they both like the guys they dealt too much for their own good.  It's an interesting deal in that you don't see teams move players back to each other just two months later very often.

(11/04/18) CAP trades FOR 3rd-20 & CAP 6th-20 to SIB for D. Sedin & SIB 5th-20...

CAP continues to improve adding the legendary Daniel Sedin for his run this season in what is Sedin's last CCHL season. 

Sedin is still a top-six forward in the league and playing on a cheap contract of fewer than one million dollars. 

The cost of draft picks isn't significant in that you can always replace a 3rd and a 6th rounder but you can't always add a player of Sedin's pedigree at that cost.

The deal makes sense for Siberia as Sedin was the odd man out and at his advanced age, he just wasn't able to play at the pace that the McDavid-led IceCats typically like to play at. 

Well, there's my first four deals of the year reviewed.  I hope I've knocked the rust off now and that the president can stay out of some Stormy (Daniels) trouble so I can continue to review the CCHL trade activity in a more frequent manner. 

Thanks for reading everyone and remember to keep trading because without the trades I'm just Sam, not Trader Sam. 

Have a good one! 

Fort Erie Shakes Up Roster Dealing Giroux

The Fort Erie Falcons have decided that enough is enough and it is time for a change!  With respect to the late Owen Hart, this phrase is one that Falcons GM Matt Young has adopted after a dreadful three week run with a group that was expected to have a long CCHL season.

The Falcons sent star forward Claude Giroux to the surprising Capeside Loons in exchange for young forward Anthony Beauvillier, prospect Quinn Hughes and Las Vegas' first-round pick in 2017.  

Young met with the media for the first time since the trade on Sunday morning, having returned from a scouting trip.  

"Listen, things need to change.  This group is too expensive to play how we have and the Loons came in with a strong offer for Giroux.  We're excited to see what Beauvillier can do for us and it means others need to step up. It seemed like there were a lot of nights where we were waiting for Claude to provide all of the offence rather than create ourselves," said the savvy Young.  

While trading your leading scorer may not always be in the better interests of the team, Young is hoping that this is addition by subtraction.  

"We still have a good group here capable of so much more.  If these guys can figure it out, we can be really dangerous in the final 60 games of the season."  

Although Young believes the team can still be ultra-competitive this season, he won't rule out more changes if the team continues to struggle.  

"Absolutely, we'll look at anything.  The results have not been good enough to date and we're open for business.  If another GM wants to discuss any of our players, we're open for discussion.  I'm not sure we'd discuss Mitch or Sebastian but otherwise sure why not?  We have to be better," concluded Young.   

It should be an interesting couple of weeks in Fort Erie should these struggles continue. 

State of the Loons ; 20 Games In

Almost a quarter of the way through the season Capeside is sitting atop of the Corfield Conference at 14-6. It would be an understatement to say that the Loons are exceeding expectations. Are the Loons going to be the CCHL version of the Vegas Golden Knights or will the Loons fall back to Earth?

Over the past week, GM Czepiel has added two veteran rentals in Daniel Sedin and James Neal. Sedin plans to retire at the end of the year and Neal is an unrestricted free agent that is not expected to be resigned by the Loons. Czepiel faces a tough decision on whether to stay the course and continue his rebuild or to try and capitalize on the Loons' unexpected success. Since adding Sedin and Neal, Capeside's winning percentage has actually decreased and has seen the Loons drop 2 of their last 3 games. Has by adding scoring, in turn, upset the team's winning chemistry or is the lack of top talent finally catching up with the Loons?

Based on his history, expect Czepiel to continue to tinker with the roster. Hey, it has worked so far. Rumors suggest that the center position is the top priority for Capeside along with adding draft picks. The next 10-20 games should show if the Loons are for real or not, especially with inter-conference play scheduled to start in the next few games. I believe Czepiel owes it to the team and the fans to keep trying to improve the team and take advantage of the strong start, but any further additions should be players that can help the team beyond this year. If it does not work, Czepiel should not hesitate to move veterans like Krejci or Neal to contenders for draft picks and continue the seemingly successful rebuild.

Victoria Ronin Prospect Update #1

The winds of change have been blowing in British Columbia. Over the last season or two, the club has moved towards a younger lineup. The Ronin has also not been active in free agency for quite some time. One of the main reasons for that was a somewhat unhealthy financial situation. So with the latest trade, I thought I would provide a brief article discussing some of the better center prospects for Victoria.

Starting with Brett Howden who is having a surprisingly successful year for a retooling NYR squad, he has played in all situations and scored enough points to be part of the rookie of the year discussion. The Ronin have him penciled in as a checking line center, either 3rd or 4th line. He should fit nicely in a rotation that includes Kuznetsov & Zibanejad.

Quality hockey clubs are built down the middle so the Ronin squeezed Morgan Frost as the major return in the Radulov deal. Frost is having an outstanding season in the OHL so far in 2018. With the NHL Flyers patient rebuilding program, Morgan will most likely see at least 1 season in the AHL before making the jump to the NHL. Fortunately for Victoria, they are in no rush for him to play major minutes for at least a couple of seasons.

Another interesting prospect is Kevin Stenlund now playing as a rookie in the AHL in 2018. Good size and a quality skater the team is viewing this kid as gravy should he make the Blue Jackets at some point in the next season or two. With the aforementioned Kuznetsov, Zibanejad, Victor Rask, Howden & Frost, Kevin Stenlund will have his work cut out for him to be more than a role player for the Ronin.

Team management is also high on Calgary Flames prospect Milos Roman who is currently playing in Nanaimo right across the strait from Vancouver. With good size and skating, he needs more work on his defensive game but was viewed as a top 100 pick in last years NHL draft. The Ronin considered themselves fortunate to be able to draft him considering their poor draft position. Drafted as a center by Calgary his ceiling projects to as high as a 2nd line center, thus adding more powder to the Ronin arsenal.

The last name on this list is Dylan Sikura but he most likely projects as a winger in the NHL so he will be covered in the 2nd part of this series about the Ronin prospects.

Thanks for reading!

A Weekly Look at the 2018-19 Sudbury Miners:  Volume 4

CANADIAN PRESS (Sudbury, ON):

Miners Weekly Record: 1 win, 2 losses, 0 OT loss.
Miners League Standing:  7 wins, 8 losses, 2 OT Loss = 16 points total.  Currently sit in 9th place in the Canosa Conference, 18th overall in the CCHL.
Miners Special Teams:  Power Play – 28.7% (6th); Penalty Kill – 80.3% (3rd)
Miners Scoring Leader:  Winger Sam Reinhart (12G – 9A = 21pts; 20th Overall in the CCHL)

Even after losing record for the week, the Sudbury Miners continue to remain in the thick of the playoff race in the Canosa Conference.  To still be competing for a playoff spot after almost a quarter of the season has to be viewed as progress for this young club.

The Miners started the week with their most complete game of the season -  a 4-0 shutout win versus Siberia.  However, the Miners would peak early in the week and would go on to drop the next two games versus Fonthill and Springfield – two teams that they are battling with for the final playoff spot in the Canosa Conference.  If the Miners are to make the playoffs, they need winning records in weeks like this, in order to distance themselves from other teams chasing the same playoff spot. 

The Miners schedule doesn’t get any less important this week.  They will have a chance to climb in the standings as they have are important conference games versus Siberia, Hamilton, and Minnesota. Anything short of a .500 record would most certainly drop the Miners out of the playoff race at this point in the CCHL season.

MINERS PLAYER PROFILE OF THE WEEK: Charlie Coyle

Coyle, is a strong, sizable and skilled playmaker with excellent work habits, powered like a battery.  He can mix up styles, finesse or toughness, and even blending the two.  He moves adequately on a broad base and his skating has greatly improved from earlier in his career.  He can be crafty and poised with soft, skilled hands which enables him to be a crafty distributor.  He is intelligent and mature which allows him to shift positions and support battles when not in the trenches.  He is a diligent and responsible defender, which allows him to play in a Top 9 role, in any capacity.  His versatility to play all three forward positions is a luxury that most coaches covet.  In 17 games this year, Coyle has a goal and two assists. 

MINERS PROSPECT NEED TO KNOW:  Joel Farabee

Recently acquired in a trade with Fort Erie, Farabee has the tools and temperament to be a force at both ends of the ice. He gets very high grades for his skating ability, puckhandling skills, and the hockey IQ needed to make it all work.  Scouts say that if Farabee were two inches taller and/or 20 pounds heavier, he would not have been available to Fort Erie at 12th overall.  A stronger playmaker than a goal scorer, he has nevertheless showed a promising finishing touch at every level and every setting at which he has played.  He is currently playing in his freshman season at Boston University but given his talent and upside, he may be “one and done” player.  Expected CCHL arrival:  2021-22.

AROUND THE CCHL: Looking at Fatigue & Roster Implications in Simon (As of 11/12/18)

Five weeks into the 2018-19 CCHL season and we may be starting to see some trends in our young season...

1) The Capeside Loons have been the hottest team in the CCHL over the last ten games, going 8-2-0. Right behind them with a 7-2-1 record is the Chinook and the Norsemen.

2) The coldest team(s) in the league over the same time span are the Parry Sound Orrsmen and the Fort Erie Falcons with 2-7-1 records.

3) Let's talk about FATIGUE, shall we?  A stat we all need to understand is the CONDITIONING or CON rating. This can be found in the Line Editor and/or on the Pro Team Roster page.

The more fatigued a player is, the more points are deducted from his CON rating. If a player CON rating falls below 95 (I think) then he will show as exhausted and will be unavailable for at least a day. As days go by, his CON will improve. Also, if a player is injured, that too will reduce his CON number.

IMPORTANT:  If a player gets fatigued and his CON Rating falls below 95, SIMON automatically moves him to your Pro Bench, which results in your "PRO PLAYERS" list being short a man. Remember, you MUST have 20 players dressed. No more, no less. If you don't send in a new set of lines to replace your fatigued and unavailable player, SIMON will send me an error message that a team's roster and/or line-up are illegal. Simon will then automatically "fix" the issue by "dressing" a player from your pro bench.

BTW, I log all the errors for illegal lineups on the GM tracking spreadsheet...

I have no control over who SIMON dresses. It's not like APBA where I entered two teams for every single game. In SIMON, I open my software, I click on "simulate" I see the daily matchup screen then click on SIMULATE and voila! All games scheduled for that day are simmed.

I've heard GM's complaining that "Simon is changing my lines." Like you, I'm learning something new as well. As far as I can tell, fatigue and outright injuries are the most common explanation for this.

You can avoid illegal lineups by checking your Pro Team Roster page on a daily basis. If you see a player with a CON rating of 95 or lower after you've downloaded the most current and updated league files, see if he's still showing as in your lines in your line editor software. If he's missing, you'll need to redo your lines and then send me the new/updated ones.

Any questions? Holler at me...

Captain Sedin, gone but not forgotten

The Icecats parted ways with former captain and future hall of famer, Daniel Sedin. Sedin was one of the few original Icecats after GM Saouaf took over the former Murfreesboro team 5 years ago. Sedin was part of a failing Murfreesboro franchise wallowing in mediocrity. Although the team struggled, Sedin led the team by example and toughed through the tough times. "It was tough the first few years in Siberia. I had a lot of close teammates traded as GM Saouaf tore down the team. The biggest loss was losing Patrik Elias. He and I were close friends and roommates on the road. From that point forward, I did not know what the future held for me, but I knew I wanted to be part of the solution", said Sedin. Sedin indeed suffered through more player losses and losses in the standings.

The 2013/14 and 2014/15 seasons were especially painful as the Lizards/Icecats finished dead last in the league. "I knew we were going to keep losing but I had many meetings with GM Saouaf and he assured me that he had a plan. I trusted him and he was right. It was tough, but I saw a brighter future".

As the Icecats started to turn things around, there was Sedin to captain the team. He took young Connor McDavid under his belt and taught him what it meant to be a professional hockey player. "Daniel was such a huge influence on me in my first couple of seasons, especially after my injury in the first season. He taught me how to work through challenges and hardships and that has made a world of difference with me", said current coach McDavid.

Sedin's leadership continued to help the young Cats grow into the team they are now. "It was sad to trade Daniel but with our current team, he was sitting on the bench and we owed it to Daniel to let him go out on the ice, not the bench," said GM Saouaf. Sedin is now lending his leadership and talents to another rebuilding team who has shown some winning abilities this year, the Loons. Can Sedin help Dubois, who he played with briefly, flourish into a #1 center as he did with McDavid? My gut tells me he can.

Rumors persist that the Icecats will retire Sedin's jersey later this year. Stay tuned sports fans!

CCHL Simon vs. NHL: How do they compare head to head so far?

I've had several GM's comment to me via emails and private messages, that Simon doesn't react the same way APBA did and that the techniques/strategies that were successful in APBA don't seem very effective in Simon so far. As maddening as Simon is for us, we're pretty early in the learning curve, even with most of us participating in the Summer League.  Keep in mind we're just 15 games or so into our 82 game schedule, which gives us a rather small sample size.

Let's dig into some numbers and see how things compare between Simon and the NHL...(Stats were compiled with data from CCHL.com, NHL.com, Hockey-reference.com...)

1) Overall Team Standings: Q: Looking at the CCHL standings after 15 games or so this year, versus at the same time last year with APBA, which simulator has produced a more NHL-like result so far?

In the NHL, the spread between the 1st place and last place team is 14 points. In the CCHL, the spread is 20...Removing the one team at the bottom of the standings, our spread is 15 points...

2) Team Winning Percentage: Q: How do the groupings compare at various levels?

In the NHL, there are 2 teams with winning % over .700, in the CCHL, there are 3...
In the NHL, there are 9 teams with winning % over .600, (but less than .700) in the CCHL, there are 3...
In the NHL, there are 14 teams with winning % over .500, (but less than .600) in the CCHL, there are 11...
In the NHL, there are 5 teams with winning % over .400, (but less than .500) in the CCHL, there are 3...
In the NHL, there is 1 team with winning % less than .400, in the CCHL, there are 2...

3) Team +/- Performance: Q: How do the groupings compare at various levels?

In the NHL, there are 2 teams with a +/- of >+15, in the CCHL, there is 1...
In the NHL, there are 3 teams with a +/- of +10 - +14, in the CCHL, there are 3...
In the NHL, there are 2 teams with a +/- of +8 - +10, in the CCHL, there is 1...
In the NHL, there are 8 teams with a +/- of +0 - +7, in the CCHL, there are 7...
In the NHL, there are 9 teams with a +/- of -7 - 0, in the CCHL, there are 6...
In the NHL, there are 5 teams with a +/- of -8 - 13, in the CCHL, there are 2...
In the NHL, there are 2 teams with a +/- of > - 14, in the CCHL, there are 2... 

While allowing for the different number of teams in each league, it does seem that the graphs of each of the last two comparisons would be similar in shape...

4) Total goals scored per game by both teams combined: 

In the NHL, 6.18 goals scored per game...
In the CCHL, 6.23 goals scored per game...

(Now let's look at individual performance leaders....)

5) Player's points scored...

NHL has 6 players with 20 or more points...
CCHL has 20 players with 20 or more points...

NHL has 36 players with 16 - 19 points scored...
CCHL has 26 players with 16 - 19  points scored...

6) Players Goals Scored...

NHL has 11 players with 10 or more goals...
CCHL has 13 players with 10 or more goals...

7) PIMS...

NHL has 4 players with 30 or more PIMS...
CCHL has 10 players with 30 or more PIMS...

NHL has 23 players with 20 - 30 or more PIMS...
CCHL has 25 players with 20 - 30 or more PIMS... 

8) Goaltending save %...(Min 9 games played...)

NHL has 5 Goalies with .930% or higher...
CCHL has 1 Goalie with .930% of higher...

NHL has 4 Goalies with a save % between .920% & .929%...
CCHL has 5 Goalies with .a save % between .920% & .929%...

9) Goaltending GAA ...(Min 9 games played...)

NHL has 2 Goalies with GAA < 2.00...
CCHL has 1 Goalie with .GAA < 2.00...

NHL has 15 Goalies with a GAA between 2.00 & .3.00...
CCHL has 7 Goalies with .a GAA between 2.00 & .3.00...

Summary: 

If one of the inherent appeals of a sports sim is its realism, it appears that Simon may be far more realistic than APBA was. It may not even be close.

Simon seems to mimic the NHL stats a bit more than I recall APBA doing so. (Ahhh, the benefits of a modern day Sim, eh?)

I think, if this continues, it may foster greater parity and a result, more general interest across the 22 teams and certainly seems to smash to bits the old way of building a monster team and posting unrealistic W/L and individual scoring numbers.

Besides small sample size madness, the strategy component in Simon seems to be the only explanation why some teams with "lesser" talent are out-performing teams with "superior" talent so far...

The best advice I can give anyone who is struggling is to spend more time with the Sim, trying different strategies for the offense/defense/physicality mix and how much time on the ice you're assigning each line and D pairing. Obviously trying different player combinations is always worth exploring.

Also, it's critical to understand the best you can what each rating means. If you haven't spent time with the Simon Manual, I'd urge you to do so asap. You can find it here... Simon Manual

Have fun!

A Weekly Look at the 2018-19 Sudbury Miners: Volume 3

A Weekly Look at the 2018-19 Sudbury Miners:  Volume 3

CANADIAN PRESS (Sudbury, ON):

Miners Weekly Record: 1 wins, 1 loss, 1 OT loss.
Miners League Standing:  6 wins, 6 losses, 2 OT Loss = 14 points total.  Currently sit in 8th place in the Canosa Conference, 17th overall in the CCHL.
Miners Special Teams:  Power Play – 27.1% (7th); Penalty Kill – 79.2% (7th)
Miners Scoring Leader:  Winger Sam Reinhart (9G – 7A = 16pts; 27th Overall in the CCHL)

The Miners had the kind of week you would expect from a .500 hockey club – a win, a loss and an OT loss.  After the week, the Miners remain at .500 and are still in the thick of the playoff race in the Canosa Conference.  
The Miners have a heavy but very important schedule this week.  All four of their contests are important conference games versus Siberia, Fonthill, Springfield and Hamilton.  It is a big week for sure and anything short of a .500 records could potentially drop the Miners out of the playoff race, early in the CCHL season. 
“It’s a big week for us, no question”, stated defenceman Andy Greene.   “There are some tough games in there, but they are winnable.  It’s a real character test for our room and good teams get good results in this kind of stretch”.

MINERS PLAYER PROFILE OF THE WEEK:  J.T. Compher
Compher is a smart, tenacious forward who is versatile and reliable to play in all situations.  His strong vision allows him to create plays and tends to be in the right place at the right time.  His skating has improved substantially since his draft year and has shown the ability to change gears, injecting bursts of speed.  He is adept at getting to the front of goal and has shown outstanding defensive awareness and diligence.  Coaches love his character and highly competitive nature.  He tends to lay it all on the line and can also get quite mean and prickly at times.

MINERS PROSPECT NEED TO KNOW:  Kole Lind
The Miners have been very pleased to with Lind’s development after his draft season. He has shown the ability to play with greater pace and has been more assertive all around.  Already an accomplished offensive player, he has shown those flashes during his rookie season for Utica of the American Hockey League this year.  He is a gifted puck player who couples finishing skills with the instincts of a playmaker. He does not play a soft game, although he could stand to put on a few pounds.  If his development continues on the same path, he could be knocking on the CCHL door sooner rather than later.  Expected CCHL arrival:  2022-23.

Dayton Musicmen Prospect Update (November Ranking)

The pro and amateur leagues are all up and running, and in some cases, we've a good bit of data to assess the future Musicmen's performance so far this season.

With this issue, we'll look at our overall system and try and come up with the top ten ranking each month...

1) Dennis Cholowski DET - D -  The young blueliner remains atop of our prospect rankings and he's has handled himself well in the Wings first few weeks of play this season. Tied for 3rd among rookie scorers, DC is averaging over 20 minutes per game for a weak Wings team.

2) Maxime Comtois ANA - LW -  Despite missing a week due to an injury, Comtois is tied for 6th in rookie scoring with 7 pts. in just 10 games. Second only to Vancouver's Elias Pettersson in rookie shooting percentage, Comtois will have a place in the Ducks top six as long as he produces...

3) Aleksi Heponiemi - FLA - C - After a monster year in the WHL, the Panthers felt a year playing against men in the Finnish Liiga, would be good for the small but very slick play-maker. With 19 games under his belt, Heponiemi leads his team in scoring and sits tied for 7th overall in the league. 17 pts. in 19 games...against men. Wow...

4) Drake Batherson - OTT - C - Polishing his tools in the AHL in his first year of pro hockey, Batherson has posted 13 points in his first 12 games for Belleville. Not much blocking his way to the bigs for the Sens, look for him to taste the NHL within a year...

5) Ville Husso - G - STL - With the Blues twosome in nets this year averaging something close to a combined .877 save percentage and a 3.75 GAA so far this NHL season, how long will it be before Husso gets the call from San Antonio in the AHL? San Antonio is terrible this season, but Husso's still the future for the Blue's in net. Stay tuned...

6) Andrei Svechnikov - CAR - RW - 'Canes are being patient with the kid, biding his time on the 3rd line and the 2nd pp unit.  Veteran Justin Williams won't block him for long...

7) Olle Juolevi - VAN - D - Quietly, as seems to be his style, Juolevi has been steady playing for Utica in the AHL. Leading the Comets on scoring for dmen, the future Canuck needs to tighten his defensive coverage but seems on track so far...

8) Gabe Villardi - LAK - C - About to return form his training camp back issue, the future pivot for the Kings will probably return to the Kingston Frontenacs of the OHL for this season. Had he remained healthy during camp, who knows where he might've been playing for the last few weeks?

9) Ukka Pekka Luukkonnen - BUF - G - After 12 games for Sudbury in the AHL, "UPL" sits 5th with 8 wins, tied for 3rd in save % of G's with 10 or more games and 6th in GAA for the same group. With the Sabres future bright, UPL stands to be in the right place at the right time in a year or so...

10) Daniel Sprong - PIT - RW - With a modest 4 pts. in his first few weeks of the season, Sprong has played on the 1st, 4th and now the 3rd line. Defensively challenged, PIT MGT seems determined to help the talented sniper develop his defensive awareness by learning how to play responsibly ion the Pen's checking line. He doesn't look all that out of place so far. Once his understanding of the pro game catches up to his skill set, he should be fun to watch.

Around the CCHL: As of 11/1/18...Loons loving life!

The CCHL sees most teams now having played 13 games and we certainly have some surprises, don't we? If you had the Loons as the top team in the league standings as of November 1st, good job!

Let's look at the numbers!

Who's Hot: CAP, LAS & MIN...

Who's Not: PAR, SPR & HAM...

Top Goal Scorers: Giroux (FOR), Radulov (DAY) 13 each, Zucker (SEA) 12 goals...

Top Assists: Duchene (SEA) 18, Granlund (POR) & T. Hall (MIN) 15 each...

Top Points: Duchene (SEA) 24, Tarasenko (REK) & Kessel (MIN) 23 each...

Top Hits: Wheeler (FOR) 30, Oshie (FNT) & Rackell (WIS) 29 each...

Top Shots Blocked: Hedman (REK) 26, Ekblad (SUD), Yandle (LAS) & Subban (REK) 27 each...

Goalies - Most Wins: Rinne (MIN) 9, Gibson (FOR), Dubnyk (DAY) & Allen (DRT) 8 each...

Goalies - Best Save Percentage: Rinne (MIN), .917, Bishop (FNT), .912 Allen (DRT), .911...


Random Thoughts:

*It's still very early in the season but - based on goal differential - the Canosa Conference may be shaping up in this way. The team with the best differential (+15) - MIN seems to be the class of the Conference and should remain at or near the top all season. VIC has the 2nd best "GD" with a (+9). Now it gets interesting as NO other team in the conference has a GD better than (+2). Six teams (LAS, REK, SIB, ISL, FNT & GEO) all sit between +2 and -2... In the Corfield Conference, four teams, (CAP, WIS, SEA & FOR) are each +11 or better, with only CGY & DAY posting a + on the year so far...

*A reminder that players with a "-R" at the end of their names may NOT be used in any CCHL games. These reserve players did not play in enough NHL games - (10 for skaters and 5 for goalies) - to qualify for use in the CCHL this season.

*Fun fact: Calgary's Sidney Crosby has already been involved in two fights this season. He's tied for 2nd in the entire league. I suspect GM Yip would strongly prefer that Sid leave the fisticuffs to someone else...

See you next week!