AHL players could bolster roster
AHL season’s demise means players will be available, but pandemic adds a twist
The unfamiliar hockey landscape continues to change.
The novel coronavirus pandemic and ensuing economic hardships have forced the American Hockey League to cancel the remainder of the 2019-20 regular season and playoffs and the trickle-down effect could be felt by the Vancouver Canucks.
Under normal circumstances, their playoff roster would be bolstered by six to 10 players from the AHL affiliate Utica Comets after manoeuvring to remain salary-cap compliant. It would provide insurance against post-season injuries and allow prospects to train and practise and soak up the NHL playoff atmosphere as those who look and listen and probably won’t play.
“They’re still talking about how that would look because we’d have a training camp and there are no decisive conclusions about how many people we’d have at camp — or how many players from the AHL who would take part if we start up again,” Canucks general manager Jim Benning said Monday.
“If we’re playing a lot of games in a short span, you’re going to have injuries and you need guys who are ready to step in and take those spots.”
Outgoing AHL president Dave Andrew did indicate later in the day that he believes approximately 12 players will get called up to their respective NHL clubs if the season resumes. For the Canucks, they would obviously want those who have some NHL experience if called upon and played significant roles in helping the Comets finish this season with a 34-22-3-2 North Division record.
Left winger Reid Boucher wound up second in AHL scoring with 67 points (34-33) in 53 games. He has 42 points (20-22) in 133 career NHL games, but hasn’t been in the post-season. Right winger Justin Bailey had 47 points (2819) in 53 games and had logged 65 NHL games between Buffalo, Philadelphia and Vancouver.
Brogan Rafferty finished third in league scoring by defencemen with 45 points (7-38) in 57 games, but the college free agent played just two NHL games last spring. Blue-liners Ashton Sautner and Guilliaume Brisebois have appeared in 23 and eight NHL games respectively.
Olli Juolevi was dealing with hip soreness this AHL season and managed 25 points (2-23) in 45 games. But the fifth overall pick in the 2015 draft, who has also had back and knee surgeries the past two years to stunt his development, has yet to play an NHL regular-season game.
Then again, this could all be moot.
Amid a worldwide health crisis and without rapid testing or prospect of a COVID-19 vaccine in the next 12 to 18 months, ongoing talk about expanded rosters and salvaging the NHL season seems strange. There has to be planning, but there also has to be caution.
The prospect of more players in any training or practising environment during distancing protocols wouldn’t be prudent without proper protection.
The Return to Play committee will meet again this week for a fifth time to address player concerns about health, safety, training, playing and lodging. And if completion of the regular season in some form comes to fruition, or the league goes directly to a 24-team playoff format, players need assurances that the dollars and sense argument makes sense.
On Monday, B.C. health officials reported 23 new positive COVID-19 test cases — nine on Saturday and 14 from Sunday to Monday — to bring the total number of provincial cases to 2,353, including 873 in the Vancouver Coastal Health Authority. There has been one additional death to bring that total to 130.
With the NHL season paused March 12, and players still in the latest 14-day period of self-isolation that’s scheduled to end Friday, the waiting game reality could be trumped by serious trouble for the AHL.
The minor-league feeder system relies heavily on walk-up crowds and restrictive budgets to make ends meet. The Comets, who benefit from short bus rides to and from many divisional games, also have the smallest operational budget. If COVID-19 persists well into next year, franchises could be at risk and the league could look much different.
The Canucks have a year left in their affiliation agreement with Utica and team president Robert Esche. “It’s too early to comment what that (AHL future) would look like and what’s going to happen to the league next year,” added Benning. “We’re trying to get back to normal and to say anything right know would just be guessing.
“Utica is a good development city and the fan support is excellent.”
Esche tried to be optimistic. “It is frustrating and it hurts whenever you take away the ability to compete,” he told the Utica Observer-Dispatch. “I also think it was the right decision. Right now, you’re kind of almost relieved, too, because there’s no more pause in there.
“Now we can go out and address the season-ticket holders, fans and sponsors. We can just move forward. Whereas before, you’re kind of sitting there, you’re in limbo and you don’t know what to do.”