8 replies to this topic

[Mr Ricochet]

Ran across some good reading in the Goalie Guild. They were talking about Colorado's goaltending and talked about the need for a AA affiliate and FW was mentioned. Also an interesting note on how the CHL can't develop goalies like they do in the ECHL. This info is in the middle of the article. Link

Quote

Secondly, I think it is extremely crucial for the Avalanche to secure an ECHL affiliate. Without one, they severely hinder (and borderline damage) their ability to develop goalie prospects effectively. This is no slight against the Central Hockey League (the Avs held an affiliation with the Allen Americans this past season), but it is not a league where goalies develop in a manner that aids their long-term success. The talent they face isn’t good enough, and the overall style of play is not conducive to the ECHL or the AHL.

To further this point, I received a few tweets from Colorado Eagles (once a CHL team, now an ECHL team) goaltender Andrew Penner. He had replied to one of my tweets mentioning the fact that the Avs now desperately need an ECHL affiliate to make room for these goalies:

“I completely agree. After playing 3 yrs in the CHL and then last year back to the ECHL, definitely a difference…more NHL contracted players to play against and lots more exposure in ECHL.” -Andrew Penner

[Avsrule_2002]

It would make so much sense if the Av's affilliated with the Eagles, but I don't see that happening. Chris Stewart likes the control he has with the Eagles personnel, and he wouln't take 2 goalies assigned to him from a parent club unless he was forced to. Then you have Stan Kronke who isn't interested in having anything to do with minor pro hockey anywhere near Denver.
Ft. Wayne makes sense due to the proximity of the Lake Erie team, but will they want 2 young goalies assigned to them right off the bat of joining the E?
Great article!

[Maddog]

Avsrule_2002, on 21 May 2012 - 11:45 AM, said:

It would make so much sense if the Av's affilliated with the Eagles, but I don't see that happening. Chris Stewart likes the control he has with the Eagles personnel, and he wouln't take 2 goalies assigned to him from a parent club unless he was forced to. Then you have Stan Kronke who isn't interested in having anything to do with minor pro hockey anywhere near Denver.
Ft. Wayne makes sense due to the proximity of the Lake Erie team, but will they want 2 young goalies assigned to them right off the bat of joining the E?
Great article!

I can only speak about Pickard, after watching the past four seasons with him in the net in Seattle. Pickard would be a good fit with the Komets, if he doesn't make the AAA squad, He could learn a lot from a veteran goalie. Due to a sub par WHL team, for those four seasons....damn you Thunderbirds!, where he was left on his own defensively more than once and too many times to count. He made some great saves and in the end regardless of the lack of team play, Pickard excels while the defense collapses in the open ice but can battle back with a crowd in front of him. There were more than a few times that Pickard was stellar while still letting soft goals in (one time, his bobble head night in Seattle, when he threw the puck into his own net...fans were ready to throw the 'heads onto the ice.) Those soft goals will kill him. The experience with Seattle has hurt him In the end, Pickard, if he doesn't make the Monster's squad, could learn from the Komet organization.

[Kmtshcky17]

I never saw FW mentioned in this article. But, being an Avs fan I'd welcome them as an affiliate.

[Kmtshcky17]

Nevermind, I didn't read the comments. So are the Avs really rumored to affilate with the Komets?

[Mr Ricochet]

Kmtshcky17, on 24 May 2012 - 10:12 AM, said:

Nevermind, I didn't read the comments. So are the Avs really rumored to affilate with the Komets?

No, just speculation it would be a good fit, especially from a goalie perspective on the Avs part.

[Y2K]

It would make perfect sense from a developement stand point especially with Lake Erie so close. The K's have contacted some teams so I guess we'll see what happens from here on out.

[Y2K]

Avsrule_2002, on 21 May 2012 - 11:45 AM, said:

It would make so much sense if the Av's affilliated with the Eagles, but I don't see that happening. Chris Stewart likes the control he has with the Eagles personnel, and he wouln't take 2 goalies assigned to him from a parent club unless he was forced to. Then you have Stan Kronke who isn't interested in having anything to do with minor pro hockey anywhere near Denver.
Ft. Wayne makes sense due to the proximity of the Lake Erie team, but will they want 2 young goalies assigned to them right off the bat of joining the E?
Great article!

If some type of affiliation was to happen maybe they could send us just one and then loan the other goalie to another team who doesn't already have goalie spots filled with affiliated goalie.

[Lucher]

I think the one thing we will see with the move to the ECHL is some sort of affiliation and at least one goalie. I've been to a few Toledo games and they have had at least one if not two partial affiliations. One with Detroit and one with Chicago if memory serves. Although I think they only have one now. At the start I know they had one goalie from Chicago and one from Detroit. At this level I dn't think any affiation is a bad thing.