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Tailing the Komets

Roster debate

The Komets have some very difficult decisions to make by 1 p.m. Monday when their final roster must be submitted to the league.

Here's the deal: They are limited to 19 players, including goaltenders, and two amateur players who do not count against the 19 or the salary cap. One of those will be Tom Mele. Anyone on injured reserve must be counted on the 19-man roster or they are out. There is no injured reserve list, so even if a guy gets put on before Saturday's game, he would be eligible to play in a Monday playoff game if there was one as long as he is included on the 19-man roster.

The Komets currently have 21 men on their roster, not counting Mele. That means two players are going to be left off the roster. Someone also may get hurt over the final two games and get left off the roster. They are, wisely, holding their other amateur spot open in case they need to go out and get an emergency signee later.

Teams must also still limit themselves to five veterans (goaltenders don't count) and must dress at least five developmental players with less than 128 pro games of experience before the current season started.

Posted in: Komets

Comments

GameMisconduct
Thu, 03/24/2011 - 10:37am

As much as I hate to say it, I wouldn't be surprised to see Mirasty left off the roster. Possibly Patrosso

RunningKomet
Thu, 03/24/2011 - 10:51am

I was thinking the same, GM. Fighters just arent used in the playoffs, and I dont see the Ks really needing one for the 3-game playoff run theyll have.

As far as the defenseman, we all know he wont be the one to go, so now the question is which one they will REALLY let go?

Mr Snufflupugus
Thu, 03/24/2011 - 11:08am

I would be shocked if Warner was left off. He can play defense or wing and that flexibility would come in handy in case of injury during a series.
Phillips and Mirasty.... I'd like to see Curadeau left off because the way he has played this year he hasn't earned it but they need whatever scoring he can bring.

JR1
Thu, 03/24/2011 - 11:22am

Great topic, Blake. Should have some stimulating debate/discussion in this thread...

I think as a fan I have to ask myself a couple questions and based on the answers, come up with the most logical players to be left off the playoff roster...

#1 How far do I realistically think the K's will go in the playoffs this season? My answer to that would be not too far and my guess would be out in the first round in 4. With that in mind you could go with several different scenario's... Leave Dupuis and Drouin off the playoff roster and protect the rights of your younger players for the offseason. Honor them in the first intermission of the first home playoff game and thank them for years of good play... Or leave Reiter and Mirasty off the playoff roster. I doubt either of these guys will be back next season, so why not sign an amatuer goalie to back up Boucher (who is a playoff dynamo) and get an early look at someone potentially for next season. Those would be just a couple examples...

Question #2: How much is loyalty going to play in this descision? Probably alot... With that in mind, I dont see Drouin, Dupuis, Warner, etc... getting left off. Most likely be Mirasty and another forward getting the boot. I see the K's playing 7 D-men in the playoffs with Warner getting more forward minutes than D minutes...

Question #3: Who has been the worst Forward/D-man? My answer would be Curadeau and Warner. Curadeau has yet to live up the offseason hype and play anywhere close to what we saw in the past. If what we've heard is true, he's making alot of money and travel costs are gonna be steep in the playoffs. Warner is a 6th or 7th D-man on most teams at best. D-men who make that many mistakes in the playoffs will kill your chances. I doubt that they leave Curadeau off the roster and leave Mirasty on... so I would delete Warner and Mirasty from the playoff roster. With Cescon, Schrock, and now Krug the Komets have plenty of toughness for the playoff and you just cant afford 1 player only getting 3-5 shifts a game in the playoffs...

For a 7th place team, this is a difficult descision for them to make. Hopefully they will leave thier hearts at the door and make the best and most logical choices for this team going into the playoffs...

jc
Thu, 03/24/2011 - 11:44am

I think Mirasty and Warner get left off the playoff roster. Although I would like to see Mirasty stay on the roster because he is the type of the player that change momentum with a fight but the problem with that is no one will fight him. I see him getting left off because of that. Personally, I would keep Patrosso off the roster. He's not a very smart player and he is extremely lazy. I remember him being a very solid gritty player in Port Huron and he stood in front of the net a lot but for whatever reason he hasn't done that in Fort Wayne. With that said here is what I would do with the expectation of Mirasty and Warner not on the playoff roster.

Chaulk, Lardner, and Ratchuk
Drouin, O'Conner, and Thomas
LaPointe, Schrock, and Curadeau
Podshedlanov

Cescon and Krug
DeAngelis and Molle
Phillips and Dupuis

Patrosso would be the healthy scratch and I would move Ratchuk to forward.

InTheBlue
Thu, 03/24/2011 - 11:49am

Too much negativity about how deep the Komets will go in the playoffs, on this and other threads. For quite awhile Fort Wayne was the hottest team in the league. I see them getting hot, and hanging in (especially if we don't schedule home games on Friday night.)

Exactly correct that Warner gives too much flexibility to be left off.

Patrosso has 42 points, why would we leave him off?

I leave off Mirasty and Philips.

JungleMonkey
Thu, 03/24/2011 - 12:00pm

Warner is the obvious odd man out on defense. This nonsense about him being special because he can play forward doesn't matter anymore. Ratchuk and DeAngelis could both do the same if needed.

Does the first round opponent dictate who gets left off at forward? If we play Colorado do you keep Mirasty? If we play Bloomy does he get left off? Does he need to be back to Syracuse for his bobblehead night on April 1st?

I think people have made good cases for leaving Curdy, Patrasso, and Mirasty off the roster. Curadeau hasn't played well all season, that isn't going to change...but I can't say that Mirasty brings enough to the table in the way of fighting to take that spot. If he skated the way MacMillan did it would be a no brainer. Mac was able to skate hard on a regular shift and contribute offensively during the playoffs. I guess if I had to make the call I'd leave Mirasty off the roster, but do we know if thats a possiblility? What are the stipulations of the deal that brought him hear. Maybe the Komets agreed that he played out the season here including the playoffs?

Leaving Reiter off and bringing in an amatuer backup is a thought... I think Reiter has earned a playoff roster spot and with 4 rounds the potential for stupid scheduling could have Boucher playing 3 nights in a row. I don't know that I want to count on an unproven backup. Then again, the way Nick is lights out in the playoffs, Reiter may never see the ice anyway.

InTheBlue
Thu, 03/24/2011 - 12:05pm

Leaving Reiter off and bringing in an amatuer backup...

The guy is rated 9th in the league with a 2.81 GAA, in a year when the defense has at times been less than stellar. What does the guy need to do to get some respect?

Sgriffith
Thu, 03/24/2011 - 12:09pm

If a player is left of the roster does the CHL hold a waiver draft?

Blake Sebring
Thu, 03/24/2011 - 12:39pm

Good question. It does not.

I'm not sure this is the best possible set-up for a playoff roster. As fans, don't you want to see the best possible players? I'm not sure this allows that to happen. There's no way a team will go through four rounds, or even two rounds, of the playoffs without significant injuries, yet your only option would be a completely unknown player. How's that the best for your fans? I know, Justin Hodgman, but no one will have seen any of these amateurs play before their first game is in the playoffs? That doesn't make sense to me.

JungleMonkey
Thu, 03/24/2011 - 1:07pm

This also makes teams that play games with the IR all season pay for it in the end. If you rotate guys in and out all season, you still have to cut 2 at the end. By then fans will have come to know and respect the player.

Mike in Toronto
Thu, 03/24/2011 - 1:09pm

You are right Blake. This is certainly constrictive. What would happen if Frankie for example was almost ready with the concussion but not really close. A big decision to make for sure.

I am going on record to say the K's do a little better in the play offs. It has been a rough ride but no one was giving them much of a chance to make the post season at Christmas. That is one reason why I think they should not do a lot with the line up. (Blow it up) A few moves have been made that appear to be positive. So even though it has been a disappointing year, let them finish the best they can. I believe the management team knows what has to be done for next year. And it has been documented they normally come back from sub par years much improved.

In every league in every year there are upsets. I say the Komets are going to get it going for the post season.
As long as the wheels on the bus keep going round.LOL

Alan
Thu, 03/24/2011 - 2:00pm

First off, no way do they leave a goaltender off the playoff roster.

Which two players would I drop? Mirasty and Warner.

It's tough to make decisions like this but I think common sense dictates it. With the addition of Krug we gain some toughness and a good defenseman. While the Warner supporters will argue that he can play up front also, I would counter that Ratchuk can do it, too.

I'm not sure you can gamble and leave off the other forwards mentioned above and leave Mirasty on the roster. He plays a role but not a regular shift. Warner's spot is easily made up by the addition of Krug along with the versatility of Ratchuk.

Jeff
Thu, 03/24/2011 - 2:10pm

This is waaay too eerily similar to the way the rosters were set up in the latter UHL/ early IHL2 years, where you had 1-2 players who had been with you all year and then had to say adios (don't let the door hit you on the way out).

Question - are the rosters set for the entire playoffs or can teams add players (injuries/call-ups) after each round?

IMO, you leave Warner/Drouin off the playoff roster. Watching Drouin play the last few games I've been to tells me he's been hurt for awhile. If you keep Drouin on the roster, then you part with Mirasty. Whichever one you keep though, likely would be the scratched player.

Nothing personal against these guys, but having seen everyone else play, these are the moves the K's should make.

Forward lines I would suggest:
Chaulk-Lardner-Patrosso
Thomas-O

JR1
Thu, 03/24/2011 - 2:24pm

If you truly believe that this team will make it past the first round, then no, you dont leave one of the goalies off the playoff roster... I was just pointing out one option if you believe that this will be a short playoff appearance. Just one angle for protecting as many young players who may have a chance at playing for the K's next season or as trade options... I like Reiter's game and am one of the few K's fans who has zero problem with his wandering style...lol

mightbite
Thu, 03/24/2011 - 2:28pm

Drouin & Warner off

Harley
Thu, 03/24/2011 - 2:40pm

Mirasty and Warner.. How many fights do you really see in the playoffs and why waste a forward spot on someone who gets one or two shifts a period? Warner-enough said!!

thatguy
Thu, 03/24/2011 - 2:47pm

Drouin and Mirasty

Blake Sebring
Thu, 03/24/2011 - 3:04pm

One roster and that's it. That's why you keep the other amateur spot open.

Scarecrow
Thu, 03/24/2011 - 3:12pm

I agree that Drouin hasn't been doing much lately. I also remember that he did the same exactly thing in previous seasons and then saved our rear end in the playoffs. I would not vote to get rid of PC at this time of the season.

salvucci
Thu, 03/24/2011 - 3:43pm

I've been a critic of PC for many years, but you can't leave him off a playoff roster unless he's really, really hurt. These will be the games he gives 100% and he's a smart veteran.

I have no idea what Mirasty has done for this team....get a few hard core fans excited and sell a few t-shirts. I know many will talk about the cheap shots decreasing, but that has been way down this year in the CHL compared to the old and recent I. I don't even think twice about cutting him free.

I've also been a Warner critic, but he really showed up last postseason as well and has been doing lots of little things in spite of his "regular" mistakes.

I probably cut Philips and his -17. (not that +/- is entirely helpful) I hate that because I appreciate him, but with Krug he's probably the one to go.

Like others have said, this is the natural result of the IR, flu, hangnail dance the Ks have done all season. I think they were creative with it, but it makes it harder now.

Great topic Blake...

salvucci
Thu, 03/24/2011 - 3:45pm

Got to root for Dayton to win both games at home in regulation and somehow get three points ourselves this weekend in order to get to the 6 seed in the playoffs.

mightbite
Thu, 03/24/2011 - 4:03pm

Mirasty in the line up has the other players play bigger, remember a few years ago Rockford ran us over in the playoffs. I can see Colorado doing the same thing.

markyb
Thu, 03/24/2011 - 4:50pm

My thoughts are Warner and Drouin

Warner commets to many turnovers in our own zone that could cost the team.

Drouin-is just lazy and slow

but we all know it will be Mirasty and one defensemen

KometsFan
Thu, 03/24/2011 - 4:58pm

who will it be???? it will be mirasty and most likely warner....who should it be???? Warner and Drouin......thought last night was the best played defensively game we have played all year....dont think it was a coicidence with who was out of the lineup that we played well...

On the Glass
Thu, 03/24/2011 - 5:49pm

ok, this team has had trouble scoring ALL year against the more active skaters in this league..... SHOULDN"T OUR D-MEN be MORE active....attacking....... REALLY, people this is VERY minor league hockey. Family owned team, family managed, family focused.... Komets are NOT THE BIG DOGS ANY MORE.....

zanderson84
Thu, 03/24/2011 - 5:50pm

Who should it be....Mirasty and Warner

Who it will be....Podshendalov and Molle

Who will be angry....The entire internet

mightbite
Thu, 03/24/2011 - 6:17pm

I change to A-pod & Warner :)

Hoss
Thu, 03/24/2011 - 6:43pm

Apod really? He has been playing so much better while on the top line. IMO

I say Nasty and Warner, but prob won't be.

I also say to everyone who thinks we will be only using one of our playoff tickets, just stay home that night! We have one of the best teams that can hold there own on any given night, if they can get on the same page. I have a feeling once the playoffs start, everyone will turn to the page they have bookmarked and flip the switch. I know they should have done this awhile ago, but really all you need to do is make the playoffs and everyone record goes back to 0-0. We will make a run at the cup!!!

Grip it and rip it
Thu, 03/24/2011 - 6:46pm

For all of you great hockey minds who want to cut Philips because of his plus minus think about this. If he is that low why then would he play most of the time against the other teams top scoring line? What about putting a very defensive player out with a very offensive player to cover for him when he rushes the puck and leave his partner hanging? Why do the coaches always have him out on the penalty kill and at the end of a game to protect a win? Do you know anything about blocked shots, take aways, hits, turn overs, clearing and break out passes you know the little things that "don't matter". Just my thoughts Mirasty and Warner should go.

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