** Block’s Picks **
Hartford Wolf Pack vs. Worcester Sharks -- Hartford in 5
Providence Bruins vs. Portland Pirates -- Providence in 7
Hershey Bears vs. Philadelphia Phantoms – Hershey in 5
Bridgeport Sound Tigers vs. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton – Bridgeport in 7
Manitoba Moose vs. Toronto Marlies – Toronto in 6
Hamilton Bulldogs vs. Grand Rapids Griffins – Grand Rapids in 6
Milwaukee Admirals vs. Rockford IceHogs – Milwaukee in 5
Peoria Rivermen vs. Houston Aeros – Peoria in 7
Division Finals
Hartford vs. Providence – Providence in 5
Hershey vs. Bridgeport – Hershey in 5
Grand Rapids vs. Toronto Marlies – Toronto in 6
Milwaukee vs. Peoria – Milwaukee in 5
AHL Conference Finals
East: Hershey vs. Providence – Providence in 6
West: Milwaukee vs. Toronto – Milwaukee in 6
AHL Calder Cup Final
Milwaukee Admirals vs. Providence Bruins – Milwaukee in 5
Block’s AHL 2009 Calder Cup Champion prediction: Milwaukee Admirals
There aren’t many teams in the AHL as balanced and defensively-sound as the Milwaukee Admirals. Manitoba, yes. But Toronto is a team that’s underachieved all year long and Justin Pogge, with his future in the Maple Leafs’ organization possibly on the line, is poised for a strong run coming off up and down abbreviated NHL stints this year. Providence will be led by Tuukka Rask, quite possibly the best goaltender not in the NHL right now. He’ll be Tim Thomas’s back up next season, but not before he leads Providence on a march to the Calder Cup Finals.
However, Milwaukee is stacked with size and speed up and down their lineup. Cody Franson and Alexander Sulzer are just steps away from patrolling the Predators’ blue line. The addition of Jed Ortmeyer will aid Geoff Peters in leading this group deep into the playoffs. Look for Mike Santorelli and Nick Spaling to have strong postseasons. This should also serve as Ryan Jones and Patric Hornqvist’s coming-out parties. Hugh Jessiman is a giant American-born forward who’ll score some big goals as well.
Peoria is an interesting team to watch out for. They’re unbeaten regulation in their last ten (7-0-0-3) and have NHL veteran Manny Legace and 23-year old Chris Holt (6-3, 221), both very good netminders playing well down the stretch. The addition of 2008 1st rounder Alex Pietrangelo will strengthen a capable, but offensively-lacking defense core.
In the AHL, you also have to factor in the parent clubs having advanced, and still competing in the NHL playoffs. In particular this will affect Grand Rapids early as both Ville Leino and Darren Helm, two of Grand Rapids’ top forwards, are both traveling with the Red Wings at least as of Wednesday. The Griffins are deep, but neither of their goaltenders, Jimmy Howard or Daniel Larsson, is overwhelming between the pipes.
Of the sixteen Calder Cup contenders, only five (Bridgeport, Houston, Milwaukee, Portland and Toronto) are affiliates of NHL teams eliminated from post season play.
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Below are each team’s projected starting netminders and key players….
--Bridgeport Sound Tigers
Goalie: Peter Mannino, 17-12-2, 2.94, .900 …. Nathan Lawson 19-9-2, 2.16, .927
Top Scorer: Mike Iggulden 72gp, 25g, 40a, 65pts, +3
Key Players: RW-Jon Sim, LW-Jesse Joensuu, C-Jeremy Colliton, D-Joe Callahan, D-Jack Hillen, *Kyle Okposo has been optioned to Bridgeport for this weekend’s game, but will then depart to join Team USA at the World Championships in Switzerland… Bridgeport also recently signed North Dakota graduating senior Ryan Duncan (C, 5-6, 165) to an amateur try-out contract. Duncan was awarded the Hobey Baker Trophy as the NCAA’s top player in his sophomore season at ND….
--Grand Rapids Griffins
Goalie: Jimmy Howard, 21-18-4, 2.54, .916 … Daniel Larsson 22-12-2, 2.76, .907
Top Scorer: Darren Haydar 79gp, 31g, 49a, 80pts, -22
Key Players: LW-Ville Leino, C-Justin Abdelkader, C-Evan McGrath, RW-Francis Pare, C/W-Darren Helm, D-Jakub Kindl, D-Garrett Stafford, D-Jonathan Ericsson, *Darren McCarty and Aaron Downey are also on this roster. ** Leino, Helm and Ericsson are all currently up with the Red Wings….
--Hamilton Bulldogs
Goalie: Marc Denis, 27-18-0, 2.46, .920 … Cedrick Desjardins 16-12-0, 2.55, .919
Top Scorer: Yanick Lehoux 80gp, 19g, 41a, 60pts, +6
Key Players: LW-Max Pacioretty, C-Kyle Chipchura, RW-Mike Glumac, D-Yannick Weber, D-Mathieu Carle, D-Doug Janik, C-Ben Maxwell, *Weber is currently on recall with Montreal….
--Hartford WolfPack
Goalie: Matt Zaba, 25-10-0, 2.33, .920
Top Scorer: Artem Anisimov 80gp, 37g, 44a, 81pts, +12
Key Players: RW-Pierre-Alexandre Parenteau, LW-Mark Bell, D-Bobby Sanguinetti, LW-Patrick Rissmiller, D-Corey Potter, D-Brian Fahey, LW-Brodie Dupont….
--Hershey Bears
Goalie: Daren Machesney, 19-12-1, 3.24, .876 … Michal Neuvirth, 9-5-2, 2.70, .913
Top Scorer: Alexandre Giroux 69gp, 60g, 37a, 97pts, +23
Key Players: C-Keith Aucoin, LW-Chris Bourque, RW-Graham Mink, D-Sami Lepisto, D-Staffan Kronwall, D-Karl Alzner….
--Houston Aeros
Goalie: Nolan Schaefer, 26-17-5, 2.52, .903
Top Scorer: Corey Locke 77gp, 25g, 54a, 79pts, -16
Key Players: RW-Jesse Schultz, LW-Benoit Pouliot, C/W-Krys Kolanos, D-Tomas Mojzis, D-Maxim Noreau, D-Clayton Stoner, also Chicagoan Robbie Earl and former Blackhawks’ center and recently un-retired Tony Hrkac skate with the Aeros….
--Manitoba Moose
Goalie: Cory Schneider, 28-10-1, 2.04, .928 … Curtis Sanford, 7-3-3, 1.73, .936
Top Scorer: Jason Krog, 74gp, 30g, 56a, 86pts, +25
Key Players: RW-Michael Grabner, RW-Guillaume Desbiens, LW-Michel Oullet, LW-Jason Jaffray, D-Mark Fistric, D-Nolan Baumgartner, D-Shaun Heshka and veteran captain RW-Mike Keane….
--Milwaukee Admirals
Goalie: Drew MacIntryre, 34-15-4, 2.30. .921 … Mark Dekanich, 15-10-2, 2.09, .923
Top Scorer: Mike Santorelli 70gp, 27g, 43a, 70pts, -1
Key Players: LW-Ryan Jones, RW-Patric Hornqvist, C-Cal O’Reilly, RW-Ryan Maki, RW-Jed Ortmeyer, D-Cody Franson, D-Alexander Sulzer….
--Peoria Rivermen
Goalie: Manny Legace, 14-7-1, 2.00, .935 … Chris Holt, 10-6-2, 1.73, .931
Top Scorer: Steve Regier 73gp, 22g, 28a, 50pts, +18
Trent Whitfield 69gp, 20g, 30a, 50pts
Key Players: C/W-Yan Stastny, D-Jonas Junland, D-Alex Pietrangelo, D-Steve Wagner, D-Justin Fletcher, D-Danny Richmond, C-Julian Talbot, LW-Chris Porter, C-Jori Lehtera, RW-Aaron Palushaj, RW-Carl Corazzini….
--Philadelphia Phantoms
Goalie: Scott Munroe, 31-19-4, 2.46, .926
Top Scorer: Jared Ross 64gp, 29g, 40a, 69pts, +17
Key Players: LW-James van Riemsdyk, RW-David Laliberte, RW-Andreas Nodl, C-Jonathan Matsumoto, LW-Boyd Kane, D-Danny Syvret, D-Lasse Kukkonen, D-Sean Curry…. ** Jared Ross is currently on recall with the Philadelphia Flyers….
--Portland Pirates
Goalie: Jhonas Enroth, 26-23-6, 2.75, .914
Top Scorer: Mark Mancari 73gp, 29g, 38a, 67pts, +9
Tim Kennedy 73gp, 18g, 49a, 67pts, -2
Key Players: LW-Mathieu Darche, C-Nathan Gerbe, RW-Colin Fretter, D-Chris Butler, D-Mike Kostka, D-Cliff Loya…..
--Providence Bruins
Goalie: Tuukka Rask, 33-20-4, 2.50, .915
Top Scorer: Martin St. Pierre 61gp, 15g, 51a, 66pts, +10
Key Players: RW-Brad Marchand, C-Vladimir Sobotka, C-Zach Hamill, C/W-Jeremy Reich, LW-Peter Schaefer, RW-Mikko Lehtonen, D-Johnny Boychuk, D-Ryan Stokes, D-Andrew Bodnarchuk….
--Rockford IceHogs
Goalie: Corey Crawford, 22-20-3, 2.59, .917 … Antti Niemi, 18-14-3, 2.43, .913
Top Scorer: Tim Brent 64gp, 20g, 42a, 62pts, -5
Key Players: LW-Pascal Pelletier, RW-Jack Skille, C-Evan Brophey, LW-Bryan Bickell, W-Pete MacArthur, W-Rob Klinkhammer, D-Jordan Hendry, D-Logan Stephenson, D-Tim Hambly, LW-Kyle Beach, RW-Akim Aliu….
--Toronto Marlies
Goalie: Justin Pogge, 26-21-5, 2.70, .895 … Adam Munro, 12-11-2, 2.42, .913
Top Scorer: Tim Stapleton 70gp, 28g, 51a, 79pts, +9
Key Players: RW-Jeremy Williams, LW-Bates Battaglia, LW-Jiri Tlusty, LW-Ryan Hollweg, D-Anton Stralman, D-Jaime Sifers…..
--Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
Goalie: John Curry, 33-15-1, 2.38, .916
Top Scorer: Janne Pesonen 70gp, 32g, 50a, 82pts, +13
Key Players: C-Jeff Taffe, LW-Luca Caputi, RW-Bill Thomas, LW-Tim Wallace, C-Connor James, D-Ben Lovejoy, D-Alex Goligoski, D-Andy Wozniewski…..
--Worcester Sharks
Goalie: Thomas Greiss, 30-24-2, 2.47, .907
Top Scorer: Ryan Vesce 67gp, 24g, 47a, 71pts, +4
Key Players: LW-Lukas Kaspar, C-Cory Larose, RW-Riley Armstrong, C-Logan Couture, D-Patrick Traverse, D-Kyle McLaren, D-Brett Westgarth, D-Derek Joslin….
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