Since my last post Ottawa beat Curtis McElhinney (again!), lost to Scott Darling (again!), lost to Boston, then beat Detroit and Minnesota before losing to Winnipeg and Toronto. If there’s a trend to be spotted here I don’t see it and I expect the entire season to yoyo along like this. I’m still puzzling over Paul MacLean’s decision to scratch Mark Stone awhile ago (hell, sitting Mike Hoffman doesn’t make much sense when you’re sending Chris Neil over the boards every game). It’s a little early for any surprise performances, but I will eat some crow for doubting that Cody Ceci would be solid this season–so far, so good.
Nichols looked at Mika Zibanejad‘s rough start to the season and concludes a major problem are his linemates. He also looked at the pros and cons of keeping Curtis Lazar in the NHL–I was on the side of sending him back to the WHL, but I don’t think it’s that bad a decision to keep him here.
Binghamton briefly stopped starting Andrew Hammond every game two Friday’s ago to let back-up Scott Greenham face 40+ shots (for the win). Hammond was then between the pipes to get annihilated by Syracuse; he proceeded to lose to Utica, beat Rochester, and then lose to Wilkes-Barre. Either Richardson has no faith in Greenham or too much in Hammond. In other news also-ran Brad Mills was suspended for testing positive for violating the AHL’s drug policy. With his suspension, Jakub Culek and Danny Hobbs were recalled from Evansville, although Culek was returned soon after.
Speaking of Binghamton, here’s my look at the team ten-games into the season.
In ECHL news: Evansville traded Nathan Moon to the Colorado Eagles for defenseman Daniel Johnston (an undrafted player from the WHL who turned pro with the Eagles last season). It was something of an odd choice just two games into the season, as Moon is a former ECHL all-star and Johnston‘s start to the season hasn’t been overwhelming. Since my last post Troy Rutkowski picked up an assist in Chris Driedger‘s first start of the season (a loss), while Culek has been held pointless since returning from Binghamton. Speaking of Driedger, with Cal Heeter signing a KHL tryout deal, he becomes Evansville de facto starter and has now earned his first win (along with another loss).
Prospect update
SHL (Sweden)
Mikael Wikstrand (Frolunda) 13-2-2-4
Has not played since my last update due to injury
Andreas Englund (Djurgarden) 18-1-2-3
No points in his last three games
Marcus Hogberg (Linkoping) 3.01 .900
Has not played since the last update
CHL
Francis Perron (QMJHL, Rouyn-Noranda) 18-12-13-25
Eleven points in his last five games
Tobias Lindberg (OHL, Oshawa) 17-9-13-22
Five points in his last four games
Nick Paul (OHL, North Bay) 16-14-5-18
Five points in his last five games
Vincent Dunn (QMJHL, Rimouski) 20-8-5-13
Two points in his last four games
Ben Harpur (OHL, Guelph) 10-3-7-10
Continues on his point-per-game pace
Miles Gendron (BCHL, Penticton) 21-2-4-6
These are unremarkable numbers
NCAA
Quentin Shore (U Denver) 7-1-4-5
One point in his last five games
Shane Eiserman (U New Hampshire) 7-2-1-3
Two points in his last four games
Robbie Baillargeon (Boston U) 7-1-1-2
One point in his last six games
Kelly Summers (Clarkson) 7-0-1-1
One point in the last five games
Chris Leblanc (Merrimack) 1-0-0-0
Presumably coming back from injury
NCAA-III
Tim Boyle (Endicott) 7-2-2-4
This article is written by Peter Levi (@eyeonthesens)
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