St. John's Ice Caps 2015-16

[NWTHabsFan]

The Berg continues to show his love of having defensive depth throughout the organization by signing Development Camp attendee and former Chicago draft pick Travis Brown to an AHL/ECHL contract. Brown put up good offensive numbers from the blue line in his overager year with Victoria in the Dub last season.

www.stjohnsicecaps.com/article/icecaps-sign-defenceman-travis-brown/

Brown now joins a few others who have agreed to an AHL contract: Josiah Didier (ex-Hab draft pick), Eddie Pasquale (goalie who has played with the Ice Caps), and Brandon McNally (forward who played 11 games with the Dogs last season when his NCAA career was over). With a new ECHL affiliation in Brampton this upcoming season, I expect this will be individuals who likely get the start in the ECHL and serve as additional AHL depth when injuries occur (or if their games take off this season).

[NWTHabsFan]

Here is an article on Scherbak. I will put it under the Ice Caps thread since that is Nikita's most likely destination this fall.

www.allaboutthehabs.ca/scherbak-habs-offense/

[NWTHabsFan]

The Ice Caps start their training camp today, with the following players participating (there are still a few left in Montreal's main camp):

Goaltenders
Ben Goss
Zachary Fucale
Edward Pasquale

Forwards
Nicolas Blanchard
Jeff Brown
Tim Bozon
Daniel Carr
Connor Crisp
Gabriel Dumont
Markus Eisenschmid
Stefan Fournier
Jeremy Gregoire
Bud Holloway
Michael McCarron
Brandon McNally (*)
Angelo Miceli
Christian Thomas
Jamal Watson
Calin Wild

Defencemen
Mac Bennett
Travis Brown
Josiah Didier (*)
Darren Dietz
Morgan Ellis
Joel Hanley
Ryan Johnston
Brett Lernout
Dalton Thrower

(*) – injured player

The Ice Caps also signed forward Angelo Miceli (who was at the Habs' development and rookie camps) to an AHL contract. The 21 year old Montrealer was fifth in the QMJHL scoring last season.

www.stjohnsicecaps.com/article/icecaps-sign-centre-angelo-miceli/

[seventeen]

Awfully young team, coached by a guy with a lot of question marks hanging over him. Not a good combination.

[NWTHabsFan]

Sept 28, 2015 11:29:01 GMT -5 seventeen said:

Awfully young team, coached by a guy with a lot of question marks hanging over him. Not a good combination.

Agree on both fronts. Really hope this team can finally make the post season after three years of suckage under Lefebvre.

Edit: I read on another site some analysis about success and average age of teams in the AHL. There were five teams that made the AHL playoffs that had a younger average age than the Bulldogs. So although veteran and experienced players can make a difference (and guys who are used to the league and not just fresh faced rookies just out of juniors and college), coaching can get young lineups to the playoffs in the AHL.

[NWTHabsFan]

This team has some potential on paper though, although the trend of relying on young or first year players will continue this season.

Here is a possible lineup:

Carr - Hudon - Thomas
Andrighetto - McCarron - Scherbak
Bozon - Dumont - Holloway
Crisp - Bournival - Gregoire
MacMillan, Fournier, Miceli, McNally (two to ECHL)

Barberio - Dietz
Bennett - Ellis
Hanley - Johnston
Lernout, Thrower, Didier, Brown (three to ECHL)

Condon/Tokarski
Fucale, Pasquale (one to ECHL)

If Fleischmann is signed, then the Ice Caps get another forward as well. That could be one of DLR, Flynn or Smith-Pelly as the most likely candidates.

[blny]

I take it Scherbak can play in the AHL, despite his age, because he's European.

There's potential for some offense from that group, at least.

[NWTHabsFan]

Sept 29, 2015 8:50:06 GMT -5 blny said:

I take it Scherbak can play in the AHL, despite his age, because he's European.

There's potential for some offense from that group, at least.

Actually he was drafted from the CHL, so he is eligible because he turns 20 before December 31st (just like Lernout and a few others in the recent past). He was born on December 30th. Had he been born two days later, it would have been back to juniors for him.

[blny]

Sept 29, 2015 10:06:36 GMT -5 NWTHabsFan said:

Sept 29, 2015 8:50:06 GMT -5 blny said:

I take it Scherbak can play in the AHL, despite his age, because he's European.

There's potential for some offense from that group, at least.

Actually he was drafted from the CHL, so he is eligible because he turns 20 before December 31st (just like Lernout and a few others in the recent past). He was born on December 30th. Had he been born two days later, it would have been back to juniors for him.

I knew he played CHL, but I thought the rule carried over regardless. Didn't know the cut off date scenario. tks

[NWTHabsFan]

Players drafted out of the European leagues are exempt from this restriction. This came to a head last season with Swift Current Broncos defender Julius Honka, whom the Stars picked in the first round in June 2014 (he was a team mate of Lernout). Normally the CHL rule would apply, and he would have no option but to play last season in the CHL as an 18 year old; however, he had only been "loaned" from his Finnish team to the Broncos, so the NHL determined that his rights were still in Europe and he could join the AHL before the year in which he turns 20.

As a result Honka started last season in the AHL as an 18 year old. Quite rare.

[NWTHabsFan]

The Ice Caps start their three game NL series against the Marlies tonight.

Here are the lineups.

www.stjohnsicecaps.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/Lineup-Oct.-11-e1443718690341.jpg

Keeping a number of key roster players out: Carr, Holloway, Johnston, Dietz, etc. along with the guys still up in Montreal (Condon, Hudon, Andrighetto, Barberio, DLR).

Good to see Eisenschmid back on the ice and playing on the top line after his injury through most of the Habs camp. He is on a tryout and had a good development camp with the Habs in July. A German born player who played in the Dub.

[NWTHabsFan]

Lineup for tonight's second exhibition game. A little more potent offense it would appear.

pbs.twimg.com/media/CQV27H3WgAA4JCp.jpg

[blny]

I'm really hoping Fournier can have a good year. Skating was an issue when he left junior, but he's got size and very good hands.

[NWTHabsFan]

After losing the first of three preseason games against the Marlies, the Ice Caps bounced back with wins on Friday and Sunday to take the bragging rights of the Colemans Cup.

Friday was a convincing 5-2 win (five goals from a Lefebvre coached team is gold!!) with Carr (x2), Fournier, Crisp and try-out Eisenschmid scoring the goals. Pasquale was in net for the win with 25 saves.

Yesterday, the Ice Caps edged the Marlies 5-4 in a shootout. Hanley, Scherbak, Holloway, and Dumont scored in regulation and Carr won it with the only goal in the shootout. Scherbak, Holloway and Dumont both had three point games with 1g 2a (although I have seen one report that Scherbak had three assists - in either case, good game for the teenager). Fucale was in net for the win.

[seventeen]

Here's a report from a poster on habfans about the game last night. Keep in mind it's also still pre-season in the AHL.

I didn't see the game but I'm copying and pasting a report from another site:

-Scherbak is going to be really good. He played with Holloway and Dumont on the first line, which scored all four goals, including they tying goal with 1.9 seconds to go in the third. Scherbak figured in all of them, and he looked like a threat every time he was on the ice. He won most of his battles and was quick and creative.

-McCarron is a beast. He's going to make a big difference when he's ready for a full-time NHL job. He fought, and downed the guy with two punches. He won his draws frequently and used his massive reach to break up plays. He's just so strong, he goes through people to get to the net.

-Dumont is the captain this year, and he's playing first-line centre. He killed penalties and played on the PP. He's very smart defensively, but size is an issue.

-Thomas is never going to be a full time NHLer. He has speed, but doesn't make great decisions and is pushed off the puck extremely easily.

-Lernout IS going to be a full time NHLer. He was poised, in great position and made smart decisions all day. His outlet passing is fine, and he can move well.

-Holloway was surprisingly strong. Perhaps it's because he was playing with Scherbak, but he contributed with some good offensive sense. At 27, he'd be a real Cinderella story if he ever made the Habs, which he probably won't.

-Fucale has some work to do. Of the four goals he gave up, two were stoppable. He looked like he was out of position frequently, and his lateral movement was slow.

-Dietz had a strong game. He was in good position all day and has a nice shot. Good movement on the PP too.

-Bennett is being passed by Dietz and Ellis and Thrower probably won't make it to the show full time.

-Angelo Miceli is like a less-talented Gallagher. He's super pesky and aggressive, but so, so small.

-Carr looked good in flashes, but invisible at other times. He was money in the SO though.

And, that's what was happening with the guys cut from camp in the last few days!

[NWTHabsFan]

The Ice Caps kick off their new season as the Habs' farm team tomorrow night in Hartford. It will be interesting to see if this young, but talented group can have a better season than the last three in Hamilton.

Here are a few interviews with some of the new Caps (McCarron and Hudon):

www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXkoV8mShWo

www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsBpraacXhg

[NWTHabsFan]

The Caps signed try out Markus Eisenschmid to an AHL deal. The 20 year old German forward played for Medicine Hat in the Dub last season and was Germany's captain at the WJC last year.

Quite a productive year for the Habs and the players they invited to their development camp in July. They signed defender Ryan Johnston out of the NCAA to a two year entry level deal, undrafted 17 year old goalie Michael McNiven to an entry level deal, and Travis Brown (D from the WHL), Angelo Miceli (C from the QMJHL), and now Eisenscmid to AHL deals.

In a year when the team only had five draft picks, they found other ways to add some prospect depth without giving any assets up. These guys may never amount to more than minor league depth, but it is a pretty low risk move.

[NWTHabsFan]

A very fair season preview assessment of the 2015-16 Ice Caps.

www.habsworld.net/2015/10/icecaps-season-preview-key-questions/

[NWTHabsFan]

Gregoire, Holloway and Hudon with the goals. Tokarski with the win. 3-1 good guys. Fire Lefebvre!!

[seventeen]

Recap of the game:

www.thetelegram.com/Sports/2015-10-11/article-4306605/IceCaps-PK-clamps-down-on-Wolf-Pack/1


IceCaps' PK clamps down on Wolf Pack


Robin Short

St. John's wins first game of AHL season, 3-1 over Hartford

Jeremy Gregoire was one of the top snipers in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League last season, with 20 goals in an injury-shortened 32-game regular season campaign. Mike McCarron had a brilliant year in 2014-15, winning a Memorial Cup ring with the Oshawa Generals and copping tournament all-star honours along the way.
These two St. John’s IceCaps rookies, in other words, can find the net.

What folks may not be aware, however, is there is more to their game than offence, and that was on display Saturday night in the IceCaps’ first game of the American Hockey League season. Gregoire and McCarron played key roles on the IceCaps’ penalty kill which keyed a 3-1 win over the Hartford Wolf Pack at the XL Centre in downtown Hartford.

St. John’s killed off all five Hartford power plays, and Gregoire potted the game-winning goal with a short-handed effort as the IceCaps won not only their first game of the season, but their first under the Montreal Canadiens’ banner.

Maybe the best penalty killer on the night, however, was Dustin Tokarski, who stopped 30 shots for the win in front of 6,518 customers at the one-time home of the former Hartford Whalers.

Bud Holloway, to open scoring, and Charles Hudon, into an open net, also scored for the winners. Chad Nehring broke Tokarski’s shutout bid with a third-period goal.

After Holloway opened scoring 4:34 into the game, Gregoire busted through the Wolf Pack defence and raced down the left side before wristing a shot over a surprised Hartford goaltender Magnus Hellberg at 17:34 of the second period.

For Gregoire, it was his first shortie in a long time. During his four years of junior hockey in Chicoutimi and Baie-Comeau, his special teams work was primarily on the power play.

“I’m a two-way player, so I’m not surprised that I got my first one like this,” said the quiet but confident Sherbrooke, Que. native. “The organization knows I can do it. I’m a smart player and I play a good two-way game. The PK was less of my game in junior, but I can do it now.

“I feel like I can play in this league.”

Certainly, St. John’s coach Sylvain Lefebvre wasn’t surprised with Gregoire’s performance. After all, this is a kid who’s been dropping down and blocking shots in practice with regularity.

“He’s a warrior type of player, who wears his heart on his sleeve,” Lefebvre said. “The fact he’s blocking shots in practice tells you a lot about his character.

“He’s actually a guy that you sometimes have to slow down. He wants to do so much. He wants to block shots, he wants to get in the shooting lanes. He’s a good kid and fun to work with.”

As for McCarron, Montreal’s 2013 first-round draft pick (25th overall), he was a force all night, winning face-offs, throwing his 6-6 frame around and helping anchor the PK unit.

“He’s a smart player, too,” said Lefebvre, whose Hamilton Bulldogs had the second-best penalty killing unit in the AHL last season, just a shade behind the Hershey Bears. “We know he can win faceoffs, and we know he can kill penalties. Because he’s so big, he’s going to get in the way.

“And we know he can do the job on the power play, too, in front of the net.”

As for Tokarski, if there were any concerns of a festering wound after losing his backup job in Montreal to Mike Condon, they were eased with a performance that should have been worthy of three-star honors (they went to Gregoire, Holloway and Nehring).

Tokarski was especially good in the third when Hartford launched an assault following Nehring’s goal to cut the lead in half.

“He’s an NHL goalie,” Lefebvre said. “We’re happy to have him. Our goal is to get him back in the NHL, and If he plays like that, he’s going to do that.

“He’s a gamer… he wants to win. When you want to win that badly, it usually takes over everything.”

It’s the first weekend for the AHL, which celebrates its 80th year this season. As for St. John’s, this marks the 19th season of AHL hockey, which started with the Maple Leafs and lasted 14 years. The IceCaps were on the scene four years as the Winnipeg Jets farm club prior to the partnership with the Canadiens.

St. John’s is back in action today with a game against the Bridgeport Sound Tigers 6:30 p.m. NL time (930 AM Radio Newfoundland, http://www.stjohnsicecaps.com). The IceCaps have their season-opener scheduled for next weekend against the Rochester Americans at Mile One Centre.

[e-mail]

[NWTHabsFan]

The honeymoon is over. Bridgeport smoked them 6-1 last night. Miceli with the only goal. Tikker with the loss.

[seventeen]

I think Bridgeport is the Islanders farm team. Their lineup has a lot of 24-32 year old guys. A veteran team of minor leaguers. Here I am, defending Lefebvre. What's the world coming to? Well, giving him the benefit of the doubt. The game was 1-1 until early in the 3rd so it looks worse than it was. Tokarski's luck ran out I guess.

[NWTHabsFan]

The St. John's Ice Caps have trimmed their roster a bit with their first player assignments to the Brampton Beast of the ECHL. Eddie Pasquale (G) and Travis Brown (D) have been assigned to the ECHL. I expect that a few forwards will be on the move when some of the injured guys are cleared for action (current players injured include forwards Bournival, Tim Bozon, Mark MacMillan, and Brandon McNally, along with defenders Josiah Didier and Ryan Johnston).

This means that Zach Fucale does get the nod as the backup in the AHL, ahead of AHL free agent signee Pasquale.

www.stjohnsicecaps.com/article/icecaps-assign-pasquale-brown-to-brampton/

[Willie Dog]

Nice to see Crisp stick up for Micelli. Micelli was attacked right after the puck drop in the faceoff circle

[NWTHabsFan]

Pretty punk move by Kearns. Miceli is small guy and not a likely fighter. Good to see Crisp stand up for his guy.

[seventeen]

Really good to see Crisp get involved. I also liked that he wasn't showing any mercy. A jerk like that doesn't deserve any mercy. A well deserved pummelling. Just wondering what Kearns was thinking and why he went after Miceli.

[NWTHabsFan]

A piece on Mac Bennett, including his clothing business venture and life in St. John's. I have always been a bit of a fan cheering for him as an underdog to succeed, but a growing number of the team's defensive prospects seem to be moving up the depth chart a little better and faster.

www.phpa.com/news/story/516

[Disgruntled70sHab]

Oct 13, 2015 12:08:11 GMT -5 Willie Dog said:

Nice to see Crisp stick up for Micelli. Micelli was attacked right after the puck drop in the faceoff circle

I think the commentator should try to know more of the players by name ... the fight was pretty one-sided, but the commentary sucked huge ... didn't know Crisp could throw them like that, at that level ... wouldn't want to piss him off ... I'm hoping he can score a few goals, too ... Chris Murray type? ...

Cheers.

[Skilly]

Oct 14, 2015 14:03:45 GMT -5 NWTHabsFan said:

A piece on Mac Bennett, including his clothing business venture and life in St. John's. I have always been a bit of a fan cheering for him as an underdog to succeed, but a growing number of the team's defensive prospects seem to be moving up the depth chart a little better and faster.

www.phpa.com/news/story/516

We will treat Mac pretty darn well ...

[Skilly]

IceCaps played their home opener tonight.

The pre game ceremony featured a laser light show as the team was being introduced. The first player introduced was Team Captain, Gabriel Dumont, who started to Center ice holding the torch, and then in a symbolic gesture handed the torch to a young local hockey player, who held it high for the remaining introductions - To you from failing hands we pass the torch, be it yours to hold high The biggest ovation during the introductions, was reserved for Dustin Tokarski.

The ceremonial first face-off at the Habs farm team's new home was dropped by The Roadrunner, Yvon Cournoyer.

The starting goalie was Zach Fucale.

The game started with Dumont centering Christian Thomas and Jacob Delarose, the second line was Holloway, McCarron, Scherbak. In an "interesting" move, 4minutes into the game, the lines were shuffled with Scherbak moving up to the top line and Thomas going to the second line. Holloway was more back down to what appeared the fourth line with Andrighetto and Hudon. I say interesting, cause Shcerbak's first shift was not very good, with a few defensive lapses.

Sven Andrighetto opened the scoring, on his first shift some 5 minutes into the game, with a tic-tac-toe goal where Holloway passed it to Hudon who quickly zipped it across to Andrighetto for the bang bang goal. Andrighetto also scored the second IceCap goal with a nifty individual outside-in move around the defender and a high backhander under the cross bar.

Rochester scored on a defensive lapse where Fucale had no chance with a guy left alone in the slot.

Christian Thomas then pretty much took over the game. He scored a really nifty goal where he was sprung on a partial breakaway by Barberio. But the nifty part was Barberio's pass was from the IceCap zone and Thomas received the pass while skating backwards at the Rochester blue line and touch passed it to himself between his legs and stayed onside. Then roofed a laser under the bar while flying down the wing. Thomas also scored to make in 4-1 on an in tight rebound where he deftly went backhand to forehand.

The Rochester second goal came with a bit of controversy. A hard shot struck Fucale in the mask and as he went down he found the puck which fell behind him and covered it up, the Rochester player poked at Fucale's glove and the puck went over the line.

Holloway iced the game with an empty netter with about 2 minutes to play.

Rochester had a powerplay with over 4 minutes to play, and pulled there goalie for the extra attacker. Fucale made some nice saves square to the puck, and McCarron was dominate along the boards during the penalty kill.

One sweet play during the game was made by Hudon. While he was forechecking, at the top of the left faceoff circle, he deflected an attempted pass out of mid air. The puck went straight upwards, Hudon spun around with his back to the defenseman, found the puck in the air, waited for the puck to fall below his shoulders, tipped the puck from just below his shoulders back over his shoulder as his spun around to face the net and the puck landed in front of him to give him a good look for a scoring chance that he just missed.

I thought Dietz looked lost all night. He had three passes up the middle in his own zone get picked off, or batted down, in one shift in the first period. I got the feeling that this was by design though, which is scary in its own right. He seems awful weak on the puck, especially defensively.

IceCaps 5 - Americans 2