dlbalr Posted September 20, 2012 Author Share Posted September 20, 2012 There are a couple of invites to Hamilton's camp, F Stephan McAulay and D Kevin Gagne. Both have spent the last 4 years in Saint John of the QMJHL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueKross Posted September 20, 2012 Share Posted September 20, 2012 There are a couple of invites to Hamilton's camp, F Stephan McAulay and D Kevin Gagne. Both have spent the last 4 years in Saint John of the QMJHL. Another site has a Spencer Bennett on that list as well, which I am not here to confirm or deny. However I wonder with the numbers and the signings yesterday if this puts to rest the speculation about Darche, Palushaj, St. Denis and Desjardin coming to Hamilton? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dlbalr Posted September 20, 2012 Author Share Posted September 20, 2012 Another site has a Spencer Bennett on that list as well, which I am not here to confirm or deny. However I wonder with the numbers and the signings yesterday if this puts to rest the speculation about Darche, Palushaj, St. Denis and Desjardin coming to Hamilton? St-Denis, Palushaj, and Desjardins will be in Hamilton, that's a given. Even with the numbers, I still say they need a Darche-like veteran scorer but that's just me. As for Bennett, I've seen that out there too, haven't found anything to substantiate it but I imagine it's legit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueKross Posted September 21, 2012 Share Posted September 21, 2012 Read the prospect rankings on main page. You do a good job. I want to comment on the goaltending. I agree than if Mayer doesn't stand on his head, this will be his last season. Many of us had Delmas going to Hamilton last year ahead of Mayer. That never took place, but I believe a concussion factored in there. It appears that Delmas has put some weight on so I am hopeful that he will not be quite so fragile. I live in Knight's country. I would recommend one Michael Houser who was a huge part of the Knights success if he ever became available. I was surprised he wasn't drafted, I expect his age had something to do with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dlbalr Posted September 21, 2012 Author Share Posted September 21, 2012 Read the prospect rankings on main page. You do a good job. I want to comment on the goaltending. I agree than if Mayer doesn't stand on his head, this will be his last season. Many of us had Delmas going to Hamilton last year ahead of Mayer. That never took place, but I believe a concussion factored in there. It appears that Delmas has put some weight on so I am hopeful that he will not be quite so fragile. I live in Knight's country. I would recommend one Michael Houser who was a huge part of the Knights success if he ever became available. I was surprised he wasn't drafted, I expect his age had something to do with it. Thanks for the kind words on the prospect rankings. As for Houser, he signed with Florida over the offseason. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dlbalr Posted September 21, 2012 Author Share Posted September 21, 2012 Hamilton signs Zack Stortini to a minor league deal. The battle to simply make the lineup just got a bit tougher. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbp Posted September 21, 2012 Share Posted September 21, 2012 Hamilton signs Zack Stortini to a minor league deal. The battle to simply make the lineup just got a bit tougher. What was the objective of this signing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dlbalr Posted September 21, 2012 Author Share Posted September 21, 2012 What was the objective of this signing? To add some more grit. Hamilton lost FitzGerald ( ), Henry, and Conboy, all of who were capable pugilists. They did sign Kyle Hagel but asking him to shoulder that much of the fighting load is asking too much. Plus, he's from close to the area and was a fan favourite when he was there years ago when Edmonton was a split affiliate with Hamilton. I'm sure they'll spin it as veteran leadership too as I believe he is now the oldest forward on the team (Hagel is a few months older, both are 27). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbp Posted September 21, 2012 Share Posted September 21, 2012 To add some more grit. Hamilton lost FitzGerald ( ), Henry, and Conboy, all of who were capable pugilists. They did sign Kyle Hagel but asking him to shoulder that much of the fighting load is asking too much. Plus, he's from close to the area and was a fan favourite when he was there years ago when Edmonton was a split affiliate with Hamilton. I'm sure they'll spin it as veteran leadership too as I believe he is now the oldest forward on the team (Hagel is a few months older, both are 27). Right. I forget that the AHL is a much more physical league fighty league. Also... we let Conboy go for sure? I knew Henry went to Germany and that Fitz was just useless haha. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Commandant Posted September 21, 2012 Share Posted September 21, 2012 Right. I forget that the AHL is a much more physical league fighty league. Also... we let Conboy go for sure? I knew Henry went to Germany and that Fitz was just useless haha. Conboy signed somewhere recently, sorry I can't remember where. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbp Posted September 21, 2012 Share Posted September 21, 2012 Conboy signed somewhere recently, sorry I can't remember where. ECHL Trenton. Saw it on the main page haha. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dlbalr Posted September 21, 2012 Author Share Posted September 21, 2012 ECHL Trenton. Saw it on the main page haha. I also keep track in the first post of this thread, that also covers the players who are AHL UFA's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueKross Posted September 22, 2012 Share Posted September 22, 2012 I have 29 guys coming to Hamilton with contracts, plus the tryouts which would be just wrong to to ask them to tryout and not have an opening. This would make 7-8 guys available for Wheeling. Historically the most we ever sent was five. I wonder if this is part of the thinking of the new regime, or is Hamilton and Montreal not working in concert, which we have seen before? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dlbalr Posted September 22, 2012 Author Share Posted September 22, 2012 I have 29 guys coming to Hamilton with contracts, plus the tryouts which would be just wrong to to ask them to tryout and not have an opening. This would make 7-8 guys available for Wheeling. Historically the most we ever sent was five. I wonder if this is part of the thinking of the new regime, or is Hamilton and Montreal not working in concert, which we have seen before? Bergevin, as far as I know, holds the dual role of GM with Hamilton and Montreal so I'm pretty confident there's not a disconnect there. As last year showed, you need extra bodies and lots of them. In a year like this, you probably even need more than usual with the likelihood that several players who start in the minors won't finish the year there if the NHL ends the lockout. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueKross Posted September 22, 2012 Share Posted September 22, 2012 Bergevin, as far as I know, holds the dual role of GM with Hamilton and Montreal so I'm pretty confident there's not a disconnect there. As last year showed, you need extra bodies and lots of them. In a year like this, you probably even need more than usual with the likelihood that several players who start in the minors won't finish the year there if the NHL ends the lockout. I would point out that there is only one player, assuming that we sign Subban, that would have room on the opening day roster in Montreal. You do bring up an interesting point about injuries. I believe that there are two reasons largely responsible for the amount of injuries. First is the amount of shot blocking going on in the recent NHL. The second would be the amount of young players who may or maynot be out of teenage body development. I am wondering whether there is an appetite for increasing the 23 man roster limit? I have a proposal which would include a waiver draft for 24 and 25 and a two man waiver exempt for those players and keeping roster at 23. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dlbalr Posted September 22, 2012 Author Share Posted September 22, 2012 I would point out that there is only one player, assuming that we sign Subban, that would have room on the opening day roster in Montreal. You do bring up an interesting point about injuries. I believe that there are two reasons largely responsible for the amount of injuries. First is the amount of shot blocking going on in the recent NHL. The second would be the amount of young players who may or maynot be out of teenage body development. I am wondering whether there is an appetite for increasing the 23 man roster limit? I have a proposal which would include a waiver draft for 24 and 25 and a two man waiver exempt for those players and keeping roster at 23. With the Bourque injury, there is an opening up front as well and if the amnesty buyout comes into play, there's a good chance another of the Hamilton forwards would stick on the roster. As for increasing the roster limit, that's something the NHLPA would love and the owners/teams would be against I would imagine. I always liked the waiver draft (we brought it back in HWL, our sim league, as we feel the draft has some merits in terms of re-distribution of talent) but one of the two sides wanted it eliminated in the last CBA. I can't imagine it would be brought back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueKross Posted September 23, 2012 Share Posted September 23, 2012 With the Bourque injury, there is an opening up front as well and if the amnesty buyout comes into play, there's a good chance another of the Hamilton forwards would stick on the roster. As for increasing the roster limit, that's something the NHLPA would love and the owners/teams would be against I would imagine. I always liked the waiver draft (we brought it back in HWL, our sim league, as we feel the draft has some merits in terms of re-distribution of talent) but one of the two sides wanted it eliminated in the last CBA. I can't imagine it would be brought back. I am not looking to increase NHL roster size. I am trying to find way to add players when injuries occur free moving from the group that is sent packing when their entry level contracts are done. Sort of designating some how a couple of extras. In the old waiver system you were actually completing your roster . Here I am suggesting something along the line of a 23 man roster plus two designates who can be moved at will, back and forth from AHL when their is a roster vacancy. I am suggesting a couple of suspect that you pre waiver and make the waiver good for the year. Just an idea! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dlbalr Posted September 25, 2012 Author Share Posted September 25, 2012 Two more confirmed invites for training camp. One (Brendan Ranford) we knew about from the Habs' planned camp, the other is Prince Albert blueliner Antoine Corbin. Corbin evidently was on the Habs' list of invites for their rookie camp as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Commandant Posted September 25, 2012 Share Posted September 25, 2012 I really liked Ranford as a training camp invite. I liked him last season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Machine of Loving Grace Posted September 25, 2012 Share Posted September 25, 2012 As for increasing the roster limit, that's something the NHLPA would love and the owners/teams would be against I would imagine. I always liked the waiver draft (we brought it back in HWL, our sim league, as we feel the draft has some merits in terms of re-distribution of talent) but one of the two sides wanted it eliminated in the last CBA. I can't imagine it would be brought back. I loved the waiver draft. Well, sort of. Montreal, like every other team, would skip the expensive guys that would sometimes be available. It's like Pavel Bure is right there, come on, let me see him in a Habs uniform Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dlbalr Posted September 26, 2012 Author Share Posted September 26, 2012 There are a whopping 42 players on the camp invite list, my goodness. The invites: Ones we knew: Spencer Bennett, Antoine Corbin, Kevin Gagne, Stephen MacAulay, Brendan Ranford Ones we didn't know: F- Bobby Farnham (Brown, ECAC), Michel Ouellet (Norfolk, AHL, 190 career NHL GP), Kyle Rank (last played in 2010, 2 games in Rochester), Zack Torquato (Wheeling, ECHL) D- Sebastian-Lance Owuya (Stockton, ECHL), Cody Wild (Wilkes-Barre Scranton, AHL) G- Scott Darling (Mississippi, SPHL, I believe he dressed for a game or two with Hamilton as well), Cody Reichard (Miami University, CCHA) Some real interesting names on there. Ouellet, as long as he's healthy, would be a good veteran addition. He wouldn't be a top line forward but could help with some secondary scoring. Wild looks like he could be a decent call up-type player from the ECHL in a TJ Fast-type role. If Pittsburgh isn't sending any goalies down, Reichard could be worth a look as well. Roster: http://www.habsworld.net/out.php?15626 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dlbalr Posted September 27, 2012 Author Share Posted September 27, 2012 I did a bit of a write-up on the site looking at the invites and who could have a shot at signing with Hamilton from the group: http://www.habsworld.net/article.php?id=2908 Also, as the roster has Hagel listed as a forward (he has played D before), I'm going to move him to forward in the projected depth chart in the first post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeLassister Posted September 27, 2012 Share Posted September 27, 2012 There are a whopping 42 players on the camp invite list, my goodness. The invites: Ones we knew: Spencer Bennett, Antoine Corbin, Kevin Gagne, Stephen MacAulay, Brendan Ranford Ones we didn't know: F- Bobby Farnham (Brown, ECAC), Michel Ouellet (Norfolk, AHL, 190 career NHL GP), Kyle Rank (last played in 2010, 2 games in Rochester), Zack Torquato (Wheeling, ECHL) D- Sebastian-Lance Owuya (Stockton, ECHL), Cody Wild (Wilkes-Barre Scranton, AHL) G- Scott Darling (Mississippi, SPHL, I believe he dressed for a game or two with Hamilton as well), Cody Reichard (Miami University, CCHA) Some real interesting names on there. Ouellet, as long as he's healthy, would be a good veteran addition. He wouldn't be a top line forward but could help with some secondary scoring. Wild looks like he could be a decent call up-type player from the ECHL in a TJ Fast-type role. If Pittsburgh isn't sending any goalies down, Reichard could be worth a look as well. Roster: http://www.habsworld.net/out.php?15626 Badass AHLer for my Ice-O-Topes !!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueKross Posted September 27, 2012 Share Posted September 27, 2012 I did a bit of a write-up on the site looking at the invites and who could have a shot at signing with Hamilton from the group: http://www.habsworld...cle.php?id=2908 Also, as the roster has Hagel listed as a forward (he has played D before), I'm going to move him to forward in the projected depth chart in the first post. Interesting group to say the least. I doubt if they sign anymore forwards unless they are dropdead good. Just no room. They could use another defenseman to start in Wheeling. I agree Wild is the man if anybody is signed. There are going to be plenty of players available, so it may be wise to wait until a need comes up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dlbalr Posted September 27, 2012 Author Share Posted September 27, 2012 Interesting group to say the least. I doubt if they sign anymore forwards unless they are dropdead good. Just no room. They could use another defenseman to start in Wheeling. I agree Wild is the man if anybody is signed. There are going to be plenty of players available, so it may be wise to wait until a need comes up. There could be room for a forward. I'm starting to think there's a decent chance that Holland winds up getting sent back to junior for the season. He'd be the go-to guy in Tri-City, a role he really hasn't held there before so there is another development step of sorts that he can get there. Berger, Lefebvre, and Leveille will likely all go to Wheeling, that takes them to 15. Quailer also could go down as he's more of a top-6 player than a grinder, that's 14 and Hagel can play D or F; if moves to D, there are 13 forwards on the roster. There would only be room for one but I think they could squeeze one more forward (Ouellet) in. Hamilton has also added D Etienne Boutet to their camp roster, I've added a blurb about him to the article on the main site. He was a hard player to find info about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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