Toronto Marlies: Games to Gun for

Games to gun for will go over specific games and opponents fans might want to see. Criteria are based upon AHL rivalries, fun teams to watch in the AHL and regional rivalries between the local NHL teams. Consider it a guide for casual fans to know how to get the biggest bang for their buck.

Creative Commons: James DiBianco

Toronto Marlies are a rare situation in that big bro operates in the same town. This helps feed some local rivalries, and such, helps make all the players more recognizable in the community, but as I said before, I wish they spread that love a little more. But then again, Toronto is pretty hockey hungry, so it isn't like it's a weak market. Plus little brother did what big brother didn't do last year in that they saw the playoffs. Knocked out in the first round, yes, but they at least made it. 

Full disclosure, the Marlies are the only team to follow me back on Twitter. Does that mean they get more favorable coverage? Yes. Because I'm petty like that. If that bugs you, grow a pair or get your team to follow me. I also accept bribes
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Home Opener: 10/9Opponent: Manitoba Moose

Analysis: Toronto starts off with back to back against Manitoba, so if you miss Friday, you can always catch an encore Saturday. It's a situation that pops up repeatedly throughout the schedule, opponents getting stacked so for a while you see one opponent and move on to the next. It's an interesting strategy. Rivalries aren't as passionate in the AHL, so thought process seems to be, save on travel, and let the regulars grow to hate them over short time. That said, Manitoba is non-division so opening weekend is inconsequential to a point, a good chance to focus on the home team and see their skills in a game that matters less.

1. Utica Comets

This rivalry is all about last year and the road to the Calder Cup. The Comets are a tough team with a rabid fan base that stand directly in the path of the Marlies. Last year the two teams ended up with even records against each other and both made the playoffs. If the Marlies want to get a cup, they have to halt the meteoric rise of the Comets. It works out well that these two will face off eight times since the time they spend on the ice together will go a long way in determining this divisions standings.

2. St. John's Icecaps

The new look Icecaps seek to be a serious new rival to the Marlies, which is perfect because that new look is from one of big brothers biggest rivals: the Canadiens. This is where the geographic conditions can help a rivalry because ice caps have a chance to distill that hatred and pour it on top of the AHL rivalry. I anticipate lot of bad blood during these match ups. These two teams face off twelve times, six of which will be at home so there will be plenty of time for tensions to rise between these two.

3. Binghamton Senators

Another AHL rivalry made better by the bitterness of the NHL rivalry. It certainly helps Binghamton isn't a slouch, having made the playoffs three of the past five years. Sure, last year they weren't as hot, but they have always seemed to bounce back... They will play three times at home, six times total.

4. Rochester Americans

It's a historic season for the Americans, so expect a lot of fight from them. And then some fight from the Marlies. Then some fight among the rival big brothers of the two. They also face off a total of eight times, four at home.

5. Albany Devils

The Albany Devils are not what I call the best of the best, but they are a decent NHL rivalry in Toronto. Some of that carries down, and like Bridgeport, Albany is the team most likely to let itself get beat up in this division, so its a good shot at a win. They play six times, three at home

Utica Comets: Games to Gun For

Games to gun for will go over specific games and opponents fans might want to see. Criteria are based upon AHL rivalries, fun teams to watch in the AHL and regional rivalries between the local NHL teams. Consider it a guide for casual fans to know how to get the biggest bang for their buck.

Creative Commons: Doug Kerr

The Utica Comets are another one of those historical teams I would designate part of the AHL "original six." They started off in Quebec as the Beavers in the 30s but spent most of their years in Springfield MA, helping make the region home to the AHL, building its rivalry with Providence and subsequently Hartford, while winning seven Calder Cups. Of course, that was in Springfield, and the Comets have only been in Utica the past two years, where they haven't won anything. Last year Utica got close but stumbled against Manchester and lost in the finals in five games. However, with a new conference, and a pretty passionate fan base, Utica should be a fun team to watch this year.

Home Opener: October 27

Opponent: Rochester Americans

Analysis: Opening against a historical and divisional opponent like the Americans is a great way to open at home, even if it is a delayed home opener. But if you don't already have your tickets, don't bother. First two games at home are already sold out. It's a passionate fan base up there I guess and they are eager for a Calder Cup. It kinda makes me nervous about trying to figure out who the biggest rivals to this team are, but I think I can make some pretty good guesses...

Opponents

1. Binghamton Senators

Last year Binghamton ended the year against Utica 3-3 with all the losses coming in overtime. That says to me that they're pretty evenly matched and should lead to some good games this year. It also should help that Binghamton leads the top of Utica's fight charts. While Utica is far from Syracuse in regards to fight totals, its a good sign that these games will have a little extra heat. They play each other eight times total.

2. Toronto Marlies

Are they a New York team? No, but like Binghamton Toronto is pretty evenly matched. They also went .500 for wins/losses last year and made the play-offs. They will be the team the Comets might most have to contend with for a play-off spot so in terms of AHL parity, these match ups will be pretty even and fun to watch. They also play each other eight times total, four times at home.

3. Rochester Americans

Another historical team, and the Rochester Americans will be hungry for ways to make their 60th year special. I think Rochester is also very aware that the road to the Cup will probably go through Utica and so expect these games to have a lot of heat and passion The fact that the first of the eight times they played are sold out is a good sign that there will be a lot of energy during these match ups.

4. Albany Devils

Albany is kinda like that bad team that knocks mediocre teams out of the play-offs late in a season. In the past they kinda have ruined a lot of things. They beat Utica in their first ever home opener, when Gordie Howe dropped the puck and the won every game against Utica last year. Hell, Utica has never beaten the Albany Devils, and that is saying something. It's like how the Canadiens could be absolute garbage and still win against a top seeded Bruins team. They're just in the heads of the team. Luckily this year Utica gets more chances than ever to beat the Devils with eight match ups, four at home.

5. (Tie) Springfield Falcons/Hartford Wolf Pack

This one is all about history. They face off against the teams they once called a rival and a team from where they once called home. Granted is there any real history or rivalry? No, but if you're a hockey history buff, these games should be fun. You can pretend its the 1930s and drive up in a Ford Model T before seeing formerly Springfield take on Formerly Providence. They face off against both Springfield and Hartford four times each, for a grand total of eight times. (Utica might have the most balanced schedule in all of the AHL.)

@TheFalconsAHL @WolfPackAHL @DMeczywor But wait... Is that...THAT'S THE @UTICACOMETS' MUSIC! pic.twitter.com/TWY5oG4f6K

— Seth D (@The_Hockey_Prof) September 15, 2015

Utica Fans doing their thing, inserting themselves into every conversation... #CometsArmy

Syracuse Crunch and Donald Trump

What the hell did I just watch...

Some sites are calling this a challenge or fighting words, in which case the Crunch are looking to get an early start on their season. Frankly, I would rather call it what this is: Lame. It's amateur showboating to challenge the guy who's such a master showboater the only way he could up his game was to run for president. This whole thing reeks of Jackie Moon wrestling a bear. The worst part is it could have been so much better.

The AHL is spending so much time retreading old Will Farrell bits, and making jokes that are landing way too early and way too late. Come on AHL, you can do better. I know the worst  advice I can give is to say "Be funny" but dammit, be funny AHL. The challenge wasn't nearly bold enough, not outrageous enough.

Take a lesson from 50 Cent on how to do it right, or better yet, take a lesson from me...

Unrelated: Self-Conscious Computers

Yeah, this kind of blog series...
Creative Commons Bill Alldredge

Unrelated is series of posts I run on the weekends that are unrelated to the AHL, the NHL or hockey. Consider it the weekend work I put in to help entertain. It could be humorous, personal, opinionated, political, related to other sports or anything. More or less these are my "Andy Rooney" moments.

This week, at the zero hour of a long weekend, here's an opinion you've never heard before: ratings on the internet are hollow and meaningless.

There are two types of ratings on the internet. 5 stars and 1/no stars. Everything else in between doesn't exist. You have to either love a movie on Netflix or scorn it so it burns into the ground. The real rating sometimes comes somewhere in the between because the more people that five star it will become averaged with the no stars and so forth.

All the ratings options that exist on the 5 pt scale

But why does it have to be so binary? Are we so in love with the 1/5 scale that we can't think things are average? It takes the concept of quality, the real question and makes what we see as either great! or terrible. While all feedback in general comes in two flavors, good or bad, there are degrees that such extremes can't validate.

I've always been of the opinion of scaled ranking. Was it average? 3 stars. was it good? Maybe a 4. I try to reserve only the life changing good or bad for the 5s or the 1s. If you can find a flaw, don't give it a five. If you still enjoy the app in the littlest bit, give it more than a 1 when a bug crashes it.

This is at the point where the ratings are devalued as computer programs and companies are looking for more numbers, more fives when they should be looking for more feedback. They get self conscious about 4s when all it means was good but not the revolution. I've been asked why I thought the service wasn't good enough over a 4. Called at home and at work over those rankings for local services.

 You can't hop into an app without a daily ask for a rating. It devalues the system because its enforced feedback is set to the extremes and the livelihood is based upon perfect scores when there should be room for good, bad, great, terrible and mediocre.  I'm ok with not being impressed all the time, and honestly, those fives probably aren't all impressed either. I'm not impressed nearly as much by them as you think I should be.

Albany Devils: Games to Gun for

Games to gun for will go over specific games and opponents fans might want to see. Criteria are based upon AHL rivalries, fun teams to watch in the AHL and regional rivalries between the local NHL teams. Consider it a guide for casual fans to know how to get the biggest bang for their buck.

Creative Commons: James DiBianco

Since moving from Lowell, the Albany Devils have only made the play-offs once. And they got knocked out in the first round. So if you're in Albany, the Devils might not be the biggest rally-horn for you. You might be more interested in the other teams around you. Seriously, Bridgeport has more playoff appearances since the move. If Bridgeport is the Cleaveland Browns of the AHL, Albany would be the Jaguars. Which means they should try to be hungry to compete, though in the words of Homer Simpson, "Trying is the first step towards failure."

Home Opener: 10/24
Opponent: Portland Pirates
Albany might have the roughest of the rough in terms of schedules this year. Not necessarily because of opponents, though there should be plenty of good competition, but because their home opener is a non-divisional opponent two weeks into the season. It's as though they decided, "Well, we don't play at home the ninth or tenth, let's just not play at home. This may help them later down the stretch but it doesn't feel like a home opener, and shouldn't be treated as such.

Opponents:
As I said in my Bridgeport Sound Tigers Games to Gun For Everyone. Everyone is a rival because you need to take that first step and over take one person to have a rivalry. Albany won't be showing up on anybody else's list in this division (outside of recommendations to see an easy win) mostly because they haven't been competitive, so they have to prove me wrong and make it worth it.

1. Bridgeport Sound Tigers
Am I reading the schedule right? Do the Albany Devils face the Sound Tigers, a non-divisional opponent eight times? Eight? The reason you want to see these games, its a comedy of errors. Two teams perennially ranked last in their divisions facing off. If there ever was a race for last place in the league, these two are top competitors. It's the toilet bowl, eight times. It almost makes me want to re-rank the Sound Tigers Opponents.

2. Syracuse Crunch
This team is the only divisional hold over from last year for the Albany Devils. Plus its a play off team, so its always good to unseat a team you know to be competitive. As a bonus, both the Sound Tigers and the Crunch led the league in fights last year. There is a good chance you will see one by targeting any of these match ups. They see each other eight times.

3. Utica Comets
They face off eight times, and of all the divisional rivals, they are the most highly skilled, placing second in the league in points last year. If there is anyone you want to take out, its the guy at the top and a Pyrrhic victory is still a form of victory.

4. St. Johns Ice Caps
I may be ragging on the Devils for being perrenial losers, but in the conference standings they had ten game points over the Ice caps. Granted that was the old Ice Caps, but if nothing ever really changes, then these eight games might be the best chance to see a win. Some how I doubt it, the new Ice Caps affiliate tends to be pretty good.

5. Binghamton Senators
They face off an odd nine(?) times and haven't changed dramatically since last year. When I talk about how comparable hockey means entertaining and watchable hockey, this is what I mean. These two teams are probably the best match up as far as comparability goes and your best chance at seeing a nice pair of evenly matched teams go at it.

AHL Twitter Wars: Celebrities, Smackdown and NHL 16 ratings

Figured I would check in with AHL Twitter to see how things were going. Any new chirps, or beefs? Anything of interest? Ok, so the Hamilton Bulldogs keep talking up something. They've been scorned by the AHL and re-aligned with the OHL, lets see how they're handling the transistion...

Are you excited for the Bulldogs' Home Opener? These fans are! Get Your Tickets: http://t.co/SvSVMxD4US #NewBreed pic.twitter.com/sn0UAl8arE

— Hamilton Bulldogs (@BulldogsOHL) September 15, 2015

Yup, that is a burn and  half. That's the equivalent of breaking up with someone and then the next day they have new arm candy that happens to be a model / astrophysicist. "Fine, you don't want us in the AHL? Whatever, we still got Tom Hanks and Martin short doing promotional bits for us."

Wait... You mean the Bulldogs are really St. Johns now, and the Ontario Team is just some old OHL team renamed? Why is this all so complicated!?!

Anyway, obligatory Hartford Wolf Pack / Springfield Falcons.

.@TheFalconsAHL @DMeczywor Don't feel bad, the @TheFalconsAHL "let us" beat them all the time.

— Hartford Wolf Pack (@WolfPackAHL) September 15, 2015

Admittedly, I had a hand in this one, but they took the ball and ran with it. But Springfield, what are you doing? You have a video saying vs Hartford games don't sell as well as vs Providence! That's when you chirp back with  something like "It's cute how Hartford thinks its a rival when they don't sell as well. #irrelevant" or something like that. Instead your response is...

@WolfPackAHL @DMeczywor we'll let the Undertaker pick up on this one... #creepylaugh pic.twitter.com/rSr0coFRZP

— Springfield Falcons (@TheFalconsAHL) September 15, 2015

But that's fine, it works. It basically says "We'll do our talking on the ice. We're coming for you."  Which is good. Certainly better than how the Checkers and Ice Caps "Smack talk"

.@IceCapsAHL This is nothing sending us a big case of maple syrup wouldn't smooth over...

— Charlotte Checkers (@CheckersHockey) September 17, 2015

What I left out was all the talk about who had better fried chicken. No. Seriously.

Clean it up guys.

I know I talk about how much the Crunch fight, but it seems like most of the Phantoms countdown images involve fights...

We're getting there Phantoms fans...#RiseUp #IsItOctoberYet pic.twitter.com/uV0DfYrYQw

— LehighValleyPhantoms (@LVPhantoms) September 11, 2015

We're getting even closer Phantoms fans. Just 4 weeks to go... #RiseUp #IsItOctoberYet pic.twitter.com/OUikeb071W

— LehighValleyPhantoms (@LVPhantoms) September 12, 2015

Oh, and #isitoctoberyet memes and gifs keep flying in.

This is how we felt when we realized there was exactly one month until the home opener! pic.twitter.com/Aida6hZeEZ

— Milwaukee Admirals (@mkeadmirals) September 16, 2015

And with the release of NHL 16, there were a lot of tweets going out about that. The best is the following exchange:

.@Condors @EASPORTSNHL We don't see a problem there.

— GrandRapids Griffins (@griffinshockey) September 15, 2015

I'm sure there were more highlights I'm missing but they got drowned out in a lot of rookie tournament action going

Rochester Americans: Games to Gun for

Games to gun for will go over specific games and opponents fans might want to see. Criteria are based upon AHL rivalries, fun teams to watch in the AHL and regional rivalries between the local NHL teams. Consider it a guide for casual fans to know how to get the biggest bang for their buck.

Non-commercial / Fair use,
  Amerks Hockey twitter

As I have mentioned before, the Rochester Americans are a historical AHL team. This year they are celebrating their 60th anniversary as a franchise. They have six Calder Cups, one for every decade the franchise has been around, however its been exactly a decade since they've seen more than one opponent in the post season. This is certainly a trend the Sabres Affiliate would hope to amend. Making the playoffs is nice and all, but its also nice to make it past your first round. Fun fact, Rochester, Utica, Hershey, Milwaukee, Iowa, Binghamton, Portland, Manitoba and San Antonio are all older than their NHL counterparts. Hartford Wolf Pack was founded the same year as the Rangers, along with a few other expansion teams that formed the same year as their affiliate. That means greater than 1/3 of the AHL is as old, if not older than their NHL team. For a league as volatile as the AHL, that says a lot about both the NHL and the AHL...

Home opener: October 9

Opponent: Lake Erie Monsters

Analysis: The Amerks open up their historic season at home against a non-divisional opponent. This is what eats me up on the inside. I think the opening game of the season, one where the team will be celebrating opening its 60th year would be so important and should be a game you go to. However...

Opponents.

1. Utica Comets

This is by far the superior match up. Utica is one of the teams I consider to be an original six team, and the salt in the wound is that they play the next night. It's such a huge oversight and a flaw in the schedule that it actually upsets me. I'm sad that the Americans don't get to open against the best opponent, a historical AHL match up, for their historical season. I'm very tempted to say, no, that game against the Monsters is just an exhibition match and this is the true home opener. Blow off game one, and make Game 2 the true start to your season. Then watch as the comets face off eleven more times (five at home for the Americans). Help make the season special by watching two teams who have been around for a long time face off.

2.  St. Johns Ice Caps

Follow up that history with more History. St. Johns has been around for a while too you know. And to make that sweeter, they are the Canadiens affiliate. Even more history, and an NHL rival of the Sabres. History, passion, and competition are the three magic words that make hockey be beautiful. See them at home up to four times, or travel to see them all eight.

3. Syracuse Crunch

Another one of my AHL original six opponents makes the list! They meet ten times, five of those will be at home. As I talked about on the Crunch games to gun for blog, expect fights.

4. 5. 6. Hershey Bears, Hartford Wolf Pack, Springfield Falcons

I'm going off the beaten path a bit here, and for the rest of the blog. Normally I would say, make it about the division rivalries, but I think in a historic season, getting to see historic opponents outweigh that true blue rivalry. Sure, you can have a good time watching them go up against Albany, ect, but as I mentioned before and could rehash my original six blog, make these games a priority. They face the Bears once at home, Hartford twice at home, Falcons once at home.