The Admirals are on a 17-game win run. Yes, you read that correctly—17 games in a row. Here are a few reasons to pay attention to Wisconsin’s boys.
Jussi Pärssinen and Phil Tomasino, two young star forwards, are presently allocated to Milwaukee. Many of Nashville’s youthful stars, including Fedor Svechkov (who is presently injured), Zach L’Heureaux, Joakim Kemell, and Egor Afanasyev (who is currently with Nashville), are playing for the Admirals. Guys like “Happy” L’Heureaux bring the spit and fire every game, and it appears that Kemell can score almost at will on the power play.
Tomasino and Pärssinen would benefit from playing time with Milwaukee, particularly on defense and special teams. We realize the AHL is a developmental league, but it’s also a professional league, and an increasing number of elite players are playing in the “A” because there isn’t enough room in the NHL. Nashville has a bunch of those guys hidden away in Milwaukee, and they’re extremely dynamic players that are entertaining to watch.
Our pals at Penalty Box Radio interviewed “Happy” before the holidays, and he’s been working hard to improve his game in Milwaukee so that he can play in the NHL soon. Check out the interview here.
Hot Goalkeepers
Yaroslav Askarov and Troy Grosenick are perhaps the AHL’s top goaltender combo. Both goaltenders have NHL experience. Milwaukee’s remarkable win record is a result of their excellent play. In 27 games, Askarov has a 2.12 GAA and.920 Sv%. Grosenick has played fewer games (19), but he has a.919 save percentage and a 2.34 GAA. Those are some impressive figures for these goalies.
Askarov’s game continues to improve in the AHL. Following his first AHL All-Star Game (his second nomination), he has been his typical wild and brilliant form, with four shutouts this season. For pure entertainment value, Askarov alone is worth watching Admirals hockey.
Impressive blue line.
The Predators have traditionally taken pleasure in their ability to draft top blueliners. Ryan Ellis, Shea Weber, Kevin Klein, and Roman Josi have established the benchmark. A significant quantity of defensive skill in Milwaukee remains in the AHL because to an NHL backlog.
Nobody knows what GM Barry Trotz will do at the trade deadline, but it appears that there is a d-man backlog almost every season that stops players from getting into the NHL–think Alexandre Carrier a few seasons ago. Spencer Stastney, Marc Del Gaizo, Jordan Gross, Adam Wilsby, Jake Livingstone, and Kevin Gravel, who is presently donning the C for Milwaukee, all hold down the blue line.
Del Gaizo is overlooked in the AHL, with some fantastic fancy metrics that someone like Bryan Bastin would have to look into. [Edit: We are working on it!] Stastney was Milwaukee’s other representative at last month’s AHL All-Star Game in San Jose, and he deserved the award. Stastney has some NHL experience, and I believe he is simply marinating in Milwaukee before making the transition.
Wilsby and Livingstone have been dependable players for the Admirals, but they do not participate in every game.
There is a lot of development going on in Wisconsin for Nashville’s current blueline crop, and I expect a few others to make the move to Milwaukee after their NCAA seasons are up. Milwaukee will need a strong defense entering the spring season.
Impressive times in Milwaukee.
This is a Calder Cup-caliber squad, and AHL playoff games are critical to the development of young players. Again, the AHL is not simply “the minors.” Last season, we saw Milwaukee advance through two rounds of the Calder Cup playoffs before being defeated in the Western Conference Final by the Coachella Valley Firebirds.
Is this Milwaukee’s year to make the Finals, with perhaps a better lineup and goaltending? There are a lot of variables at play because AHL lines change so regularly, but I strongly advise you to tune in and check out the boys in Milwaukee. They’re a lot of fun to see, and it’s always good to be able to say you witnessed some great future talent “back when.”
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