Talked with David Franke and Al Sims today. Here's some of the highlights.
* The Komets haven't talked to Frankie DeAngelis yet this week, but it would not shock them if DeAngelis is out for at least the rest of the regular season with a concussion. ``He can't even go for a walk without getting a headache,'' Sims said. "I'd be very surprised if he's playing this week.''
* Dan Lapointe has a deep bruise on his leg, and Artem Podshendyalov had a cap fall off his tooth and that got infected so both are day-to-day.
* If the Komets play either Colorado or Rapid City in the playoffs, they'll be taking a sleeper bus on that trip(s).
* The Komets have not talked to Justin Hodgman since the start of the season and he will not be returning to Fort Wayne for the playoffs unless it is as a spectator.
* The lines are all going to change up this week in an effort to get more scoring.
* CHL teams can bring in two amateurs for the playoffs and they do not count against the salary cap or 19-man roster.
Comments
A sleeper bus? So they fly during the regular season, but when it matters they're getting crammed on a bus for a 20+ hour trip?
Frankie got pretty messed up from that elbow from Jeff Christian, its a shame that nobody in Orange or at the CHL office seen fit to do anything about it.
Did anyone think Hodgman was coming back? Or is it just assumed that FW always brings in a "playoff ringer"?
Didn't figure Hodgman would be back this year. Might as well stay a perfect 3 for 3 on titles, hate to see him mess up the streak with the way things look this year.
Really? Taking a sleeper bus out west during the PLAYOFFS but fly during the regular season?
That's very nice of Mr. Franke to work so hard to save season ticket holders money off of next years tickets.
Jungle Monkey says it all.. When it matters cram them in a bus!! Must want to hit the links early this year!!
If there is one team that needs to bring in amateur help, it is the Komets. However, my confidence in them scouting and bringing in players to help is shaken (see training camp roster).
I don't see what good it is to shake up the lines at this time. We'll just see new lines that have little timing as these guys aren't used to playing together. Still, with the season ending and a playoff position secured, it probably can't hurt.
CHANGE UP THE POWER PLAY!! Put someone down low for a change. What they are doing now isn't working. Why so stubborn? Try it.
They have guys down low all the time, Alan. For a while there they had two, and it still wasn't working.
The reason they are saying take the bus is not because of finances, but because of timing. They got picked up at their hotel at 5:30 a.m. Sunday and didn't get home until 12:30 a.m. this morning. They spent six hours sitting in airports. I haven't figured it out, but is it possible it might actually be quicker to drive to Rapid City than fly? It's eight hours to Minneapolis, how far is RC from there? It's 17 hours to Colorado. I've done that one before. Either way, the travel sucks.
Maybe they should sell some jerseys to get a direct flight.
Have you ever tried to get a direct flight from anywhere to and from Fort Wayne?
That would be great if they could find two good amateurs to come in. Would help out with all these injuries komets got. sure could'nt hurt any.
What will the playoff format be? First 2 games here then 3 there?
Blake,
Sad to say, you really cannot get a direct flight to most destinations out of Fort Wayne.
My friend Rob, had to take a flight to Atlanta awhile back, but had to fly into Detroit before heading south.
I would guess 2 there, 2 here, then 1
The only way to get direct flight is to charter a flight and I would say that is going to cost abbot 30k
By the time you pay extra to get the equipment there, it's a pretty good chunk of money. Shannon, just as a guestimate, what's it cost you guys to fly to a game? Any ideas?
When I was at BSU our charters were 60k for a 727 which did not include buses or equipment truck for when we arrived at game site. If you have time I can tell some good charter stories. Champion air was always a fun one...Sun Country was the best. If the playoff dates are set up right travel by bus would not be all that bad, it all depends how those dates are structured and I am sure the K's have a good idea.
Hmmmmmm after reading about the travel problems either on bus or by air i can see why some teams are looking at dropping down to single A or juniors. CHL is going to look thinner next season i think.
Well they may be driving out west during their severe weather season so the bus might fly...just might not land in the right direction.
I can't imagine a 2-2-1 format with the travel involved.all minor league hockey needs to get on the same page and regionalize. Much like baseball. I think the survival in the future depends upon it.
Is it me or am i not watching the same games???? There are hardly ANYONE ever in front of the net during the powerplays! 5 guys in a circle around the net, nobody wanting to take the abuse that comes from being in front of the net. Only person you will see there on a regular basis is schrock. Game after game same conversations happen around me talking about how komets never get in front of the net and it couldnt be a more true statement
I've driven to Colorado.. It took me 17 hours driving 75 mph... I wasn't in a giant sardine can.
Isn't Image Air Charter a corporate sponsor of the Komets?
http://darkbluejacket.blogspot.com/2011/02/search-is-over-my-mirasty-jersey.html
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/eticket/story?page=goons
Thanks, KometsFan, for backing me up. "Down low" isn't the same thing as having someones butt directly in front of the goaltender. The Komets usually have two up top at the points, the quarterback by the boards to one side, and one player by the net and the other on the weakside. Hardly ever is there a guy stationed right in front of the goal.
I have been on record for two years saying that regionalization of minor league hockey will be a reality sooner than later. It will be nice to be able to make a road trip to Kzoo or Toledo soon. How many Komet fans were in Colorado this past weekend? It makes zero sense economically or fan interest wise to have these leagues spread out across 3 time zones.
I really want to take a road trip to see Martinson and the Chicago Xpress when they start playing next season. Sure would be nice to be in the ECHL with the rest of the midwest teams. (Well the ones that don't play in front of 1600 people... Evansville, Dayton, QC)
How are those 3 teams even surviving? I dont really think the new arena in Evansville is going to give them the butts in seats they need to break even. The number that has been tossed around for the CHL is 3500 fans/nt.. THAT PAY in order to break even. I can't imagine the losses being absorbed by owners in those markets.
Evansville's owner could buy the entire league with spare change. I don't know about the other two. Part of it is probably because the building in QC has to have something there to take up dates. Dayton, I don't understand how it stays alive.
I think the Komets would probably consider the ECHL if they didn't have to pay the expansion fee. Maybe not. I don't know, but pretty soon you'd think everyone would have no choice but to start talking.
Rumor has it that the K's only choice may be the ECHL or nothing as far as AA hockey goes...and sooner than anyone thinks...
I applauded when the K's went to the CHL; but it looks as if they have the knack for joining dying leagues. With several close teams geographically, the ECHL makes the most sense at this point. The ECHL would be wise to relax one or a couple of thier new franchise stipulations and absorb the stronger franchises from whats left of the CHL after this season. If rumors are true 3-5 teams are gone, looking to juniors or the SPHL (and the lower budgets that come with them) and more are rumored to be seriously looking at options. Hit touched on this in another thread, the chatter is out there. Some will scoff at these rumors; but they also scoffed at the K-zoo, Muskegon, and IHL2 rumors and we saw how those went.
Gonna be ANOTHER interesting summer......
Does the word "amateur" include college players? I'm sure the NCAA has the final say but I was just wondering.
Yeah, JR, that might make sense if the ECHL was any stronger than any of the other leagues, but they are not. They're all in this mess together and they all are in trouble. They are almost ALL losing money.