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.