Milwaukee Admirals News and Notes

MLN Newswire - www.mlntherawfeed.com -Don’t I know you…At the beginning of any season, the Admirals are lucky if they can retain more than 50% of the players that were on the team the season before.  However, this year the Admirals currently have 15 players on their roster who saw action with the team last season, including leading scorer Mike Santorelli and team captain Nolan Yonkman.  One of the biggest challenges a team faces at the beginning of each season is their ability to play like a team, as opposed to 20 individual players.  Having so many returners this year could give the Admirals a leg up over the first quarter of the season while other teams are still getting used to their line mates. 

Back-and-Forth…While the return of 15 players from last season points to early cohesion on the ice, the current rate at which players are being recalled and returned from Nashville may act as a counter to it.  So far this season the Admirals have had five players recalled to the parent club, while three others have been returned to Milwaukee since the season started.  To put that into perspective, six players skated for both Milwaukee and Nashville all of last season. Plus, when a player earns to call-up to the NHL, the Admirals must replace him with a player, usually from Cincinnati of the ECHL, throwing another new face into the mix.  How Lane Lambert manages this aspect will be an important factor as the Admirals attempt to take advantage of that early season cohesion.    

Net Men…On paper the Admirals look to have a very impressive goaltending duo.  Starter Mark Dekanich is in his second year with the Admirals, after setting team records in goals against average (2.03) and save percentage (.923) during his rookie campaign.  His back-up is Chet Pickard, the Predators first round draft pick in 2008, who was selected as the WHL Goaltender of the Year last season with the Tri-City Americans.  However, between the two of them they have a combined 30 games of professional experience.  This will be a key item to watch, especially at the end of the regular season and the playoffs when consistent goaltending is even more important and the drain of the longer professional season takes its toll. 

Surf’s Up, Dude…Admirals rookie defenseman Jon Blum has the distinction of being the first person born in California to be selected in the NHL’s first round.  The Rancho Santa Margarita (a LA suburb) native was the Predators top selection in the 2007 draft and was selected as the Canadian Juniors’ Defenseman of the Year last season with the Vancouver Giants.  He finished his junior career as the franchise’s third all-time leading scorer (204 points) in spite of the fact that he is a d-man.  Blum, who skated in five post-season games with the Admirals last year, has proven a quick study at the pro game, posting three goals and an assist in his first five games.

Family Matters…For the last two seasons Ben Eaves has been playing in Finland, making it very difficult for his dad to see him play in person.  However, now that Eaves is in Milwaukee it might make that visit a little easier.  The reason is that Ben’s dad is Mike Eaves, the head coach of the University of Wisconsin Men’s Hockey Team, just 75 miles down the road.  In addition, Ben’s brother Patrick is just a state away, playing in his first season for the Detroit Red Wings.  Last year in Finland Ben set league records by compiling 24 points in the post-season with the Espoo Blues.   

Ivy League Material…For most professional sports teams, having one Ivy League alumni on the team would be impressive.  The Admirals currently sport three players who got their higher education at an Ivy League Institution.  Right wing Ryan Maki was an economics major while attending Harvard from 2003-07 and skated for four seasons with the Crimson.  This will be the third season with the Ads for the Detroit native, after posting 25 points for Milwaukee last year.  Fellow forward Hugh Jessiman played for three seasons at Dartmouth, averaging over a point a game with the Big Green.  Last year Jessiman was second on the Admirals with 20 goals after coming over in a trade in early November.  Defenseman Scott Ford graduated from Brown University in 2004 with a degree in History.  An alternate captain with the Ads, Ford had a career high ten points with in his first year in Milwaukee last season.

O Captain, My Captain…In the nomadic world of the American Hockey League, it isn’t unusual for a player to suit up for three teams in three consecutive years.  So the fact that Admirals defenseman and team captain Nolan Yonkman is in his fourth season with Milwaukee is not only remarkable, but says a lot about his value as a leader and veteran presence on the team.  Since the Admirals joined the AHL in 2001, Yonkman has played in the ninth most games for the team and could end up with the second most by the end of the season.  This is the second consecutive year that the Punnichy, SK native will wear the captain’s “C” after serving as an alternate captain his first two seasons.  

Commissioner Bud Selig shaved drug suspensions of players and broke the rules of MLB. Will Manny Ramirez and three others do a year? What will happen to dozens of minor league players whose records, teams, and leagues are affected? Read the whole story at SZ ( www.mlnsports.com).

Comments

[Rio]

Hugh Jessiman is DA MAN !!! Go Admirals...