State of the Loons; Pre Deadling Edition

The CCHL season is now 2/3 of the way through for Capeside, and remarkably the Loons are still on top in the Corfield division. Capeside is lucky, they entered into the CCHL while the league was going through changes and all the teams are trying to adapt. Capeside has been able to find the right combination of players. The Loons lack the superstars that other CCHL teams have but they are winning with depth and chemistry. However, that does not mean that GM Czepiel isn't always looking at ways to improve the roster.

The trade deadline is now 7 games away for most teams, somehow 11 for the Musicmen. Over the past few days Czepiel has made a flurry of deals. Rick Nash, Jake Debrusk and Viktor Arvidsson were acquired to strengthen the Loon's offense this year and for the future. Cam Fowler was dealt away to Springfield in order to bring in Arvidsson and has left a hole on the blueline for the Loons. Czepiel will no doubt be searching for a replacement in the next few days. Rumors are that Czepiel will also be looking for a a goaltender that will be under contract beyond this year. Both Rask and Halak are both UFA and Capeside will have to outbid 21 other teams in order to bring either back next year as Czepiel has already committed to resigning Matt Niskanen.

Arvidsson will see his first action for the Loons tonight in the marquee matchup against the Norsemen. Arvidsson is the second star that Czepiel has traded for this year. The Claude Giroux trade did not work out and Giroux was traded away to Hamilton soon after. Arvidsson being only 25 year old will be given more of a leash to fit in. Czepiel's philosophy has been to improve the roster not just for this year but for the future, but that may change with the deadline approaching and Capeside still on top of the Corfield conference. It may be time for Capeside to go all in.

A Weekly Look at the 2018-19 Sudbury Miners: Volume 14

CANADIAN PRESS (Sudbury, ON):

Miners Weekly Record: 3 wins, 0 losses, 0 OT loss.
Miners League Standing: 28 wins, 19 losses, 6 OT Loss = 62 points total. Currently sit in 5th place in
the Canosa Conference, 10th overall in the CCHL.
Miners Special Teams: Power Play – 21.2% (14th); Penalty Kill – 79.9% (9th)
Miners Scoring Leader: Center Vincent Trocheck (18G – 44A = 62 pts; 13th Overall in the CCHL)

It was a good week in the Nickel City.
With a perfect 3-0-0 record this past week, the Miners continue their push for a playoff spot and now
sit in 5 th spot in the Canosa Conference, 3 points ahead of 7 th place Springfield.
“I wish every week could be like last”, stated Miners winger Wayne Simmonds. “But, I’ve been
around this game for too long and the CCHL is just too strong to even remotely expect that. We just have
to try and bring our best each game and lets the chips fall where they may”.
And now, with just a little under a month to the trade deadline, trade talk around the CCHL is
beginning to heat up, as many teams are looking to make that one acquisition that can put them over the
top. The Miners are expected to be active, but the smart money is that any deals will be of the minor variety,
given their activity earlier in the year.

MINERS PLAYER PROFILE OF THE WEEK: Josh Morrissey
A highly touted prospect, Morrissey has blossomed into a mobile, offensively-skilled defenceman.
He is a natural puck mover and his smooth and rhythmic skating allow him to rapidly start up and
accelerate quickly. He has good instincts on when to jump into the rush and is solid in making good,
quick breakout passes. He packs a powerful and compact slap shot and a deceptive snapshot which he
can get through traffic. He is abrasive and cocky at times, and often trash talks and gets chippy after the
whistle. Because of his demeanor, he sometimes struggles to control his emotions which can result in
untimely penalties. If there is one area lacking in his game, is that he can be soft defending the crease
area and will get outmuscled in one-on-one battles along the boards.

MINERS PROSPECT NEED TO KNOW: Calen Addison
Addison is a fantastic offensive talent from the blueline, and fits right into what is meant by
today’s term of the “modern defenseman.” He is an exceptional skater, very skilled carrying the puck and
packs a strong shot from the point. Unfortunately, he can sometimes give it all back through his game
away from the puck. He is small and does not play a style of game that allows you to forget how small he
is. He should have two more full years in the WHL to round out his game before the Miners will need to
worry about him. Even then some minor league seasoning will most likely be needed. Expected CCHL
arrival: 2022-23.

WHERE ARE THE DAYTON MUSICMEN???

You wouldn't think a team with such stars as Sidney Crosby, Jamie Benn, Alexander Radulov, Ryan Suter and Devan Dubnyk would be the coldest team in the CCHL over the last ten games...

But we are!!!

Simon is certainly having its way with the 'Men over the last month or so. Dayton is the coldest team over the last ten games with a 2-7-1 record. Just 4-15-0- in our last 19 games, what looked to be a promising season has hit a major roadblock.  From sitting within striking distance of 1st place in Mid November, Dayton has fallen to 7th place in the Corfield Conference, 3 points out of a playoff spot.

A once top four team based on winning percentage six weeks ago now sits 12th overall with a .541 winning percentage on the season.

"We've got 33 games left to play and if we get this thing turned around, we'll be ok", said Dayton GM Bill Corfield. "We have games in hand on everyone in the league - which can work to our advantage if we can start putting up points again."

Corfield has tried many different line combinations and a mix of pure offense, pure defense, and a balanced strategy.

None seems to work.

"We're not getting run out of games. We've lost 8 of our last 15 losses by a single goal."

Dayton, always unafraid to make roster moves and trades to improve its team, on paper appears as strong as any team in the NHL, but if they don't start winning soon, this may all be academic.

"The trade deadline is coming up pretty fast. We've got 11 games before the deadline comes. If we're not seeing any better results don't be surprised if some guys are sent elsewhere."

The Musicmen currently have ten UFA's on their roster, with Sidney Crosby thought to be the obvious UFA resign...

Dayton's UFA's...

Paul Byron
Sidney Crosby
Trevor Daley
Brandon Dubinsky
Valtteri Filppula
Dan Girardi
Johnny Oduya
Jeff Petry
Alexander Radulov
Alex Steen

Are the Springfield Isotopes the Rodney Dangerfield of the CCHL?

‘We get no respect I tell you, no respect!’ was the statement from Isotopes GM Aaron Stacey after a 5-4 OT win over Victoria on Thursday night.  “I mean I am glad for the win but we have been plugging away for the last couple of months and can’t seem to make any ‘Guess who is hot’ list at all!”, he continued.

Springfield may be on to something.  On Jan 14th the Who’s hot list featured some viable teams (CAP, HAM, and DRT) but noticeably absent were the Isotopes.  Ever since the 8 game losing streak that very nearly blew up the roster the ‘Topes have been on quite a tear.  Strictly looking at W/L the Isotopes are 18-6 in the last 24 games, it clearly shows how poorly they were performing beforehand that they are still outside of the playoffs in the Canosa Conference but they must be one of the ‘Hot’ teams now right? Does the team need to make it into the playoffs to make the list or is it a giant plot by those high up in the CCHL to prevent good news out of Springfield?

Time will tell if the great CCHL conspiracy to downplay Springfield continues, the team gets their deserved press, or worst case scenario the Isotopes start losing before the next ‘HOT/NOT’ list is produced.

The radioactive word (Updates on what is going on in Springfield)….

GM Stacey to be looking for a Top D to shore up the backend for a hopeful playoff run….Turris and Arvidsson, seem to be on the outs and getting limited to no minutes in SPR…Baby Isotope appears to be a blessing for Springfield…An improvement in backup goalie might be the top priority for SPR.                         

Springfield Times

A Weekly Look at the 2018-19 Sudbury Miners: Volume 12

A Weekly Look at the 2018-19 Sudbury Miners:  Volume 12

CANADIAN PRESS (Sudbury, ON):

Miners Weekly Record:  1 wins, 2 losses, 1 OT loss.
Miners League Standing:  25 wins, 19 losses, 6 OT Loss = 56 points total.  Currently sit in 6th place in the Canosa Conference, 11th overall in the CCHL.
Miners Special Teams:  Power Play – 21.6% (13th); Penalty Kill – 79.7% (11th)
Miners Scoring Leader:  Center Vincent Trocheck (18G – 41A = 59pts; 11th Overall in the CCHL)

It was not the best of weeks for the Sudbury Miners in terms of trying to further solidify their playoff position.  With losses to both Long Island and Fort Erie - both of whom are below the Miners in the current CCHL standings – have now dropped the Miners into the 6th and final playoff spot in the Canosa Conference.  They remain only a mere 3 points ahead of a surging Springfield club, in what will be a true fight to the finish.

But the Miners on-ice results, were trumped by the blockbuster trade that happened.  The trade breaks down as follows:

Sudbury trades Brayden Point, Brandon Montour, prospect Mattias Samuelsson and a 2019 4th round pick to Fort Erie for Sean Monahan, Rasmus Ristolainen, prospect Filip Hronek-p and a 2020 3rd round pick.

From the Miners perspective, they upgrade their defence, along with getting a top center in the deal.  The other point is the cost certainty moving forward.  Both Ristolainen and Monahan are signed to salary friendly deals, and as the Miners young players move out of entry level deals, they will need that financial flexibility to keep the necessary assets in the Nickel City. 
However, the cost was high.  In trading Point, the Miners give up a top player in the league but is due for a significant raise on his entry level deal next year.  The cost may be upwards of 8-9 million per year and given this, the Miners opted for cost certainty. It was a good deal for both clubs.

MINERS PLAYER PROFILE OF THE WEEK:  Kevin Fiala
Fiala is a slick, yet undersized and versatile forward that can play all three forward spots.  He has exceptional puck control and is looks very comfortable when in possession of the puck.  He has a natural elusiveness, and slithers or sidesteps pressure.  His skating is good, as he has deceiving speed and a separation gear that allows him to break away from traffic quickly.  Attacks all areas of the ice and is fast becoming a net front presence.  Being a young player, his decision making and risk assessment need improvement but that is expected.  He should continue to develop into a solid top-6 forward.

MINERS PROSPECT NEED TO KNOW:  Mathieu Joseph
Joseph had a stellar rookie pro season, where he led the Syracuse Crunch in scoring with 53 points, a total that was good for third in scoring among all 21 and under players in the AHL.  Joseph has demonstrated that his near elite speed is good enough for the pro game.  He has proven to be an offensive contributor, but it’s his two-way game makes him more valuable than his point totals.  He is a frequent penalty killer, strong in the neutral zone, and finishes his checks.  A good story, Joseph has gone from an unheralded fourth round pick, to a reasonable second line upside and might be ready for a CCHL role earlier than expected.  Expected CCHL arrival:  2020-21.

Around the CCHL (1/14/19)

We have passed the halfway mark for the regular season and the results thus far are nothing short of fascinating.

Last year's champs, the Calgary Chinook sit in 7th place in the Corfield Conference, 7 points out of a playoff spot and currently on a 1-9-0 streak.

Meanwhile, the upstart Capeside Loons sit first overall in the league with what most people would say is an inferior roster to that of the Champs.

Other teams that started slowly have clearly heated up, the best example being the Georgetown Millers. The Millers were out of a playoff spot a few weeks ago but have climbed into 4th place in the Canosa with games in hand on everybody ahead of them in the standings.

A frustrating year for some teams, to be sure...

As Dayton has her own troubles right now, I can't profess to know exactly how to set Simon up for optimal performance. When I had a modest roster, I seemed to shut teams down and win a lot of 1 goal games. My offense was putrid. I then reshaped the team, adding some bonafide top gun offensive talent like Crosby, Kuznetsov, Benn, etc...only to see the team flounder around .500 or slightly worse since then.

In APBA, this wouldn't have happened, but we'd certainly be having other issues...At least Simon is more realistic. By a lot, I'd say...

I can say that generally speaking, the teams that grind through it and continue to send in line adjustments seem to do better than teams that stay with a set of lines for weeks at a time. Your mileage may vary.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Who's hot: 

CAP - 8-1-1
HAM - 8-0-2
DRT - 7-2-1

Who's not:

CGY - 1-9-0
ISL - 2-4-2
GIL - 3-7-0

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

"You see a hockey player, you'd never know he's a professional athlete. But you put the skates on him, and he becomes a beast."

Junior Seau

A Weekly Look at the 2018-19 Sudbury Miners: Volume 12

CANADIAN PRESS (Sudbury, ON):

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

Miners League Standing: 24 wins, 17 losses, 5 OT Loss = 53 points total. Currently, sitting in 5th place in the Canosa Conference, 9th overall in the CCHL.

Miners Special Teams: Power Play – 22.3% (12th); Penalty Kill – 79.6% (9th)

Miners Scoring Leader: Center Vincent Trocheck (17G – 39A = 56pts; 10th Overall in the CCHL)

Consistency is the hallmark for any top club, and this edition of the Sudbury Miners is beginning

to realize that. The young club won 2 out of 3 games last week and saw them remain in 5th spot in the Canosa Conference, 3 points up on Siberia for the final playoff spot.

With upcoming games this week versus lower division opponents, Reykjavik, and Long Island, the

Miners can ill afford to lack concentration or they could quickly find themselves on the outside of the

playoff bubble, just past the halfway point of the season.

“Good teams…..playoff teams that is, always find a way to be at or better than .500 on a weekly

basis”, stated Miners Coach Derek Sutton. “It hasn't come easy and this is the time that the teams

really make that playoff push and separate themselves. So all you can do is just work hard and

just keep working and with a little luck, good results will follow”.

MINERS PLAYER PROFILE OF THE WEEK: Wayne Simmonds

Simmonds is an intense, solidly built power forward. He is deceptively a speedy and shifty

skater, with good quickness and agility. As a gym rat, he uses his body effectively to drive the forecheck and cause numerous turnovers. He has deceptively quick hands and surprises with slick 1-on-1 stickhandling moves. He is a solid net-front presence on the power play or even strength. He possesses a quick, hard shot but can be somewhat erratic at times. He does lack that natural finishing touch, and scores more from effort and tenacity, not innate ability. He also no stranger to the odd tussle and willingly drops the gloves to protect teammates.

MINERS PROSPECT NEED TO KNOW: Alex Formenton

One of the fastest skaters in the OHL, Formenton started this season in Ottawa before being sent

back to London after 9 NHL games. Despite his near-elite speed, Formenton is not a great offensive

threat. That is not to say that he is not a contributor to the attack, but that offense is generally not the

focus of his game. He is a defensive specialist and fights a lot harder than his lean figure might suggest. A PK weapon, he also began to show a creative side with the puck last year and may have more to offer offensively if given time. Expected CCHL arrival: 2021-22.

Trader Sam 2K19

Good day Y'all and welcome to another edition of Trader Sam's bodacious CCHL trade reviews; the first one of 2019!

I hope that you have had a great holiday season and an excellent start to the new year.  I know for one that I brought it in hard and just woke up yesterday for the first time since the Trader Sam ball drop in the bayou attended by my entire family and 200 alligators! It was a great party and nobody lost any limbs to the gators! 

Alright, enough of my crazy rambling, let's get to what you are here for - my takes on the trades! 

(01/02/19) VIC trades J. Benn, T. Daley & R. Reaves to DAY for Aleksi Heponiemi-p, Rasmus Kupari-p, Michael McLeod-p, Nick Henry-p & NIA 2nd-19...

I  think it's safe to say that VIC is in a complete and utter rebuild mode with the trading of Jamie Franchise to Dayton.  In exchange, VIC gets back four prospects and a second-round pick. 

The deal makes perfect sense for Dayton but even at Sam at his drunkest can't help but wonder if VIC could have got more if he let it be known that Benn was available. 

We'll never know but the concern is that there doesn't appear to be a high-end offensive option coming back in return.  They are some nice players but will they be top six guys or just top nine guys?  VIC needs to hope that one of them turns into a top-six guy for this deal to work out well. 

(01/01/19) DRT trades J. Guentzel to DAY for Drake Batherson-p & D. Stepan...

I  like this trade a lot for both teams.  In my humble opinion, Guentzel will be the best player in the deal but Batherson and Stepan offer top-six minutes for a number of years for DRT so it's not a bad deal. 

I actually think this is a good hockey trade in an era where you don't see a ton of them.

(01/04/19) SUD trades C. Coyle to GEO for Calen Addison-p & GEO 3rd-19… 

I  like this trade for both parties as well.  GEO gets a player in Coyle that can contribute in their top six and if he's on the third line, it's an even better spot for Coyle. 

Sudbury gets Addison who will be a good player and a 3rd round pick.  The asking price was reasonable for Coyle and I think it's a trade both teams should be happy with. 

(01/07/19) MIN trades J. Brodin & C. McAvoy to REK for V. Hedman & X. Ouellet...

In a shocking turn of events, MIN trades Brodin yet again.  I sure hope he was renting in Minnesota as Brodin can never plan for a long term future with the organization whenever he is there! 

The shocking part of this deal is McAvoy but in the world of hockey you have to give to get and boy did Minnesota get in this trade! 

Victor Hedman arrives and really helps the defence in Minny.  It's a great addition that helps Minnesota continue its quest for a CCHL title with a great team.  There's no doubt Hedman will thrive in his new home. 

It's a good deal for REK as they needed to get younger and deeper while Minnesota gets better now! 

(01/05/19) SIB trades S. Weber & $2.5M to CAP for J. Gorges, Albin Eriksson-p, Blade Jenkins-p, Veini Vehvilainen-p & CAP 1-19...  

It's incredible what the Loons have done this year and they go out and get Weber a few good prospects and a first. 

Weber would have solidified their defence but then Trevor answered the phone call from Fort Erie GM Matt Young......and well the best-laid plans changed! 

(01/05/19) FOR trades C. Fowler & J. Vrana to CAP for S. Weber, J. Virtanen, Matt Strome-p & $2M...

I think Capeside was correcting an error made trading two players that the team liked more than they initially thought in reacquiring both Fowler and Vrana.  The Loons get younger and don't sacrifice a ton of defence in the process. 

Fort Erie gets Weber who the franchise has missed since he departed several years ago prior to being a $14 million dollar free agent.  At the current salary, the Falcons have to be happy to have him back. 

Virtanen is finally starting to come into his own and could score 20 goals next season in the CCHL while providing a much needed physical presence in Fort Erie. 

That will do it for Trader Sam 2K19's first trade review blog.  On behalf of Trader Sam, I'd like to thank you for reading Trader Sam's first set of takes in the new year! 

Miners Weekly Report Vol. 11

A Weekly Look at the 2018-19 Sudbury Miners:  Volume 11

CANADIAN PRESS (Sudbury, ON):

Miners Weekly Record: 3 wins, 1 losses, 0 OT loss.

Miners League Standing:  22 wins, 16 losses, 5 OT Loss = 49 points total.  Currently sit in 5th place in the Canosa Conference, 10th overall in the CCHL.

Miners Special Teams:  Power Play – 23.5% (9th); Penalty Kill – 79.2% (8th)

Miners Scoring Leader:  Center Vincent Trocheck (15G – 37A = 52pts; 11th Overall in the CCHL)

With the short Christmas Break done, the Sudbury Miners were looking continue their push for a playoff spot in the Canosa Conference.  And the results from this past week indicate that there has been no “turkey hangover”, as they Miners sported a 3-1-0 record, which saw them vault to 5th place in Canosa Conference and currently in the playoffs.     

"We just passed the halfway point, so now is where the rubber hits the road” said Miners Coach Derek Sutton.  "I expect the second half to be much tougher, as teams will make moves in order to better position themselves for a playoff push.  We are in for a fun ride.”

To that end, the Miners made a deal late last week, sending veteran forward Charlie Coyle to Georgetown, in exchange for prospect Calen Addison and Georgetown’s 3rd round pick in 2019.   With the recent acquistions of Anthony Mantha and Kevin Fiala, Coyle was pushed down to the line-up to a 4th line role.  Clearly, General Manager Terry James made the move while Coyle still had some perceived value around the league.

MINERS PLAYER PROFILE OF THE WEEK:  Vincent Trocheck

Trocheck is a shifty and creative pivot.  His great skating and slick hands allow his to his  offensive vision with precision. He angles opposing puck carriers off in the neutral zone and battles along the wall and is tenacious in puck pursuit.  He is not afraid to drive the net for rebounds and is able to manufacture plays off the cycle or get above the puck and curl off the half-boards. He is a smooth and clever puck mover and has shown the ability to be able to spot vulnerable holes and step into seams.  He makes quick, subtle plays in traffic thanks to strong in-close puck control and is equally talented as a passer or shooter. He is an underrated star.

MINERS PROSPECT NEED TO KNOW:  Martin Necas

Necas is a tremendously exciting talent, with exceptional quickness and high-end vision. He has a selection of subtle fakes that make him very hard to read, and that allows him to cut through the offensive zone, leaving defenders in his wake. Despite his obvious offensive gifts, he has also demonstrated a willingness and ability to take care of his own end. He is still filling out his immature frame, but he is ready for the CCHL now, and he has first line upside within a few years.  Expected CCHL arrival: 2019-20.

State of the Loons

Well, we are now half way through the regular season and the Loons are still hanging tough at the top of the Corfield Conference. Capeside was the first team to hit 20 wins and yesterday became the first to 30. The Loons are currently leading the CCHL in points with 61. Capeside watched as Seattle went on a remarkable 10 game win streak to jump into first place while the Loons went on their first slide of the season by dropping 3 straight after a questionable decision to give Niemi his first action against Georgetown. Many across the league, and to be honest, many inside of the Capeside organization, were questioning if our luck had run out. However, since dropping three straight Coach Janney has righted the ship and led the Loons to a 7-1 record. Capeside and Seattle are now in a dogfight at the top of the Corfield Conference as both teams are winning night after night. And as great as Seattle and Capeside are playing, so are Wisborg, Portland and Dayton - all within 10 points of the division lead. There appears to be a lot of parity in the CCHL this year and it makes every roster move and line up decision even more important.

Over the last 10 games GM Czepiel made a blockbuster trade with Hamilton. 100 point superstar Claude Giroux was sent to Hamilton in return for three young, talented players in Kevin Hayes, Ryan Murray and Jake Virtanen. "We take complete responsibility for Claude not working out in Capeside. We were unable to find the correct role and or linemates that would allow Claude to succeed" commented Czepiel. Where the organization failed with Claude, they are succeeding with David Krejci. David has carried this team on his back for much of the year. He leads the team and is 8th in the CCHL with 53 points in 43 games. Also over the past 10 games Czepiel was able to reclaim their 2019 1st rounder along with Shane Bowers who has the potential to replace Krejci as the second line center if he continues to develop at the NCAA level.

World Juniors has begun and Capeside is proud to have 5 players participating. Jay O'Brien, Oliver Wahlstrom and Quinn Hughes were selected by team USA, Shane Bowers by team Canada and Jakub Lauko by the Czech Republic. Quinn Hughes has been exceeding the high expectations that we had for him this year and expect to see him in a Loons jersey next year, however Wahlstrom and O'Brien have struggled to take off like we thought they would in their college careers.

It is starting to set in that Capeside will be in the playoffs this year. "We set that as our goal for this year even if we didn't really expect it to happen" Czepiel admitted. The trade deadline is quickly approaching and GM Czepiel may still have some work ahead of him. The Loons expect to lose Neal, Sedin, Barberio, Ryan, Russell and both of the Loons' goalies in Rask and Halak to free agency. The only upside is that Capeside and Czepiel should have a lot of money to throw around in free agency. Hopefully Czepiel can get lucky like he did this past year with Krejci, Niskanen and Halak.