GM: David Bell
Coach: Jay Woodcroft
Last season: 19th overall. Did not make the playoffs
Ins and Outs
(Season 14 to Season 15)
In: Robin Lehner (trade), Matt Benning (trade), J.J. Peterka (trade), Bobby Brink (trade), Morgan Frost (trade), Brandon Pirri (free agent), Dominic Canic (draft)
Out: Par Arlbrandt (trade), Artem Zub (trade), Jaden Schwartz (trade), Logan Thompson (trade), Mathis Olimb (free agent), Anthony DeAngelo (free agent), Luke Kunin (free agent), Michal Kristoff (trade), Andrew Copp (free agent)
Potential Lineup
Matthew Tkachuk/Aapeli Rasanen/Alex Tuch
Jason Robertson/Tyler Johnson/Robby Fabbri
Drake Caggiula/Dominic Canic/Seth Jarvis
Jesper Boqvist/Ryan McLeod/Brandon Pirri
Ryan Pulock/Justin Schultz
Evan Bouchard/Josh Morrissey
Matt Benning/Marcus Pettersson
Robin Lehner/Keith Petruzzelli
Three Questions
1. What’s that buzz in Milan? General Manager David “Don Campana” Bell and the Milan fans went with two young goalies last season and the team missed the playoffs. That was all they could take of that experiment. So like the First Communion scene in “The Godfather,” longtime Guerriero players started, umm … disappearing. Par Arlbrandt and Jaden Schwartz made the Rochelle, Rochelle journey from Milan to Minsk (that’s a Seinfeld reference, btw) while goalie Logan Thompson and others were shipped out of town. It was mainly younger talent that came back in the rebuilding-type trades. But one acquisition has the fans really buzzing. Robin Lehner, the big 33-year-old, who was Madrid’s main goalie from Season 4 to Season 12, and who was the man in Minsk the last two seasons, will be between the pipes for Milan this season. He has a stellar 90.3 career save percentage and 2.79 goals against average. Milan has a few wrinkles to iron out in their play, but this acquisition could be a game-changer in Italy.
2. What has to go right this season? Milan has a great chance to move up the standings now that they have Robin Lehner in goal. But he’s not Superman. They have to limit the work he’s got to do. The Guerriero should be able to apply offense at the other end of the rink pretty effectively; the question is how will they handle traffic in front of Lehner. A lot of the answer to that question is Ryan Pulock and the players who take his position when he scampers back to the bench to rest after his shifts. The veteran has been durable (missed just 2 games in 6 seasons) and his plus/minus rating has always been good. His defense partner Justin Schultz is a driver of the offense and he tends to wander out of position as a result of that style. Together last season, they were good; just a little into the minus category in plus/minus. Then, while they are on the bench, Josh Morrissey will shoulder a lot of the defensive burden, as his young offensive-minded partner Evan Bouchard gets to hunt around for seams in the other team’s forecheck. Put succinctly, the more-defensive defensemen could be the key to the Guerrieros’ season.
3. What part of the Guerriero attack should we look out for? For sure, the opposition’s defenseman on the right side will have to be very vigilant while Milan’s top two lines are on the ice. Left wing Matthew Tkachuk has become the team’s most dangerous weapon. In the last four seasons, Tkachuk has averaged more than 30 goals and about 75 points. His abrasive style sends him to the penalty box a lot and unfortunately for Milan, they had the worst penalty killing units in the league last season. But somehow, Tkachuk still manages to dictate the pace and mood of games he’s playing in. His replacement on the second line is 23-year-old Jason Robertson who just keeps getting better and better. He’s not as aggressive or noticeable as Tkachuk, but he just suddenly shows up in the right place and he often generates good scoring chances. Robertson seems to have the tools to challenge for the league lead in scoring some day. Last year, in his second season, he scored 25 goals and added 34 assists. Both Tkachuk and Robertson are superb passers. If they can draw the attention of the opposition, their centers and right wings should think of only one thing: find a good spot to shoot from and keep the stick on the ice.
Rose’s Focus
“There are a few age-old questions I’d like answered. Like: Which came first, the Smurf or the egg? And How much beer can Eigel Tennes drink? It seems there is no limit. Also, I have always wanted to know how important it is to have depth throughout your forward lines. How Milan does this season could help answer that last mystery because they will play with two strong lines followed by a pair of lines that should struggle against the competition. Dom Canic, the Croat picked fifth overall in the most recent draft, should start as the center of the third Milan forward line and it appears he will have talented youngster Seth Jarvis and veteran Drake Caggiula on his wings. There is not much experience on that line. On the fourth line, another rookie – Ryan McLeod – looks like he will take the draws with Jesper Boqvist and the old man of the bottom six, Brandon Pirri, on his wings. Caggiula didn’t play last season and Pirri didn’t play the last two seasons, so young and hungry will be the look Coach Jay Woodcroft seems to be going for on those lines.”
