Binghamton Devils

Binghamton Devils 4th Quarter Grades & Player Evaluations

The final quarter of the BDevils’ season wasn’t a kind one as the team sunk to new lows over the course of the last 19 games

By Jeff Ulmer@Ski931 Apr 16, 2019, 9:00am EDT

Another season of Binghamton Devils’ hockey has come to an end with the BDevils in last place in the league. The fourth quarter was perhaps the worst with just four wins in 19 contests to finish with a 4-13-2-0 record.

Overall the team ended the season at 28-41-7-0 for a 0.414% and 63 points, the same results as last season. At home, the Devils held a steady 17-17-4-0 record, but on the road a different story going 11-24-3-0.

For the last quarter the team endured a league high 10 game losing streak during the span of Feb 26th thru Mar 23rd, including eight straight losses on the road.

There was plenty of player movements including call-ups that at one point numbered 12 players which absolutely destroyed whatever what was going on in Binghamton.

Also including Player Awards that were presented so let’s kick this off!

The Panel

There are nine members of ‘The Panel’ including myself, and in no particular order they are the following; @AliciaS20, @enker1700, @RogieVachon30, @crazybazookajoe, @EmilyRose474, @ChrisWasselDFS, @DuncanMRF, @swislosky and @Ski931.

Voting by the committee and player evaluations were based on the following five factors; Adaptability, Potential, Consistency, Production, & Vision.

Grades are calculated as a group and divided by the sum of its members. Season statistics will be shown collectively for each player for an ongoing comparison throughout the season in each quarter. Grading is also included by each individual member in their evaluations.

Grade Format

A+....96% - 100%

A......93% - 95.99%

A-.....90% - 92.99%

B+....87% - 89.99%

B......83% - 86.99%

B-.....80% - 82.99%

C+....77% - 79.99%

C......73% - 76.99%

C-.....70% - 72.99%

D+....67% - 69.99%

D......65.99% - 66.99%

F.......65%

Feb 25 - Apr 14

Defense - 77.7 / C+, 75.82 / C, 78.62 / C+, 75.4 / C

We begin with the defense as they allowed an average of 29.86 shots per game putting them in 20th place while giving up 3.66 goals (allowing 278) on average for a ranking at 29th. The PK is down three notches to 28th at 78.3% out of 31 teams.

#2 Eric Gryba - 80.8 / B-, 73.8 / C, Inc., 66 / D

(7 gms 0g 1a) (18 gms 1g 1a) (7 gms 1g 1a) (15 gms 0g 2a) Gryba plays now like he played as a rookie here in Binghamton: slow and unimpressive. A 76-game season left me absolutely baffled that he’s not only a veteran with substantial NHL games but that he was making solid money this season. He offered nothing but a name and a body on the ice. He’s a great guy, but it’s time for him to focus on his cooking show and call it a career. I think I speak for everyone when I say it would be shocking to see any team offering him a contract next year. @crazybazookajoe (83, 72, 65)

**#3 *Tariq Hammond - 73.2 / C, 72.6 / C-, 73.9 / C, 68.7 / D+ (**Man of the Year Award)

(8 gms 0g, 0a) (8 gms 0g 1a) (13 gms 1g 0a) (14 gms 0g 1a) Tariq Hammond ends his first professional season with a surprising honor: team-elected Man of the Year. For an AHL/ECHL defenseman on a rather lousy defense, Tariq was honestly the most inoffensive blueliner. Nothing special but nothing detrimental. He played every game as up to standard as possible. He won’t be NHL material, but he played the good kind of average. I’d have no qualms with him coming back. @crazybazookajoe (72, 74, 81, 74)

#4 Ryan Murphy - 72.2 / C-, 67.8 / D+

(7 gms 0g, 4a) (16 gms 0g 6a) Ryan Murphy has been an immediate upgrade from Michael Kapla. As a veteran defenseman he brings experience to a team that needs it. The Devils’ defense continues to struggle, however, and I would not be surprised to see Murphy replaced by next season. @AliciaS20 (73, 70)

#5 *Colby Sissons - 78.5 / C+, 71.7 / C-, 69.8 / D+, 67.5 / D+

(9 gms 0g, 2a) (14 gms 0g, 5a) (11 gms 2g 1a) (4 gms 0g 1a) Sissons spent some much needed time in the ECHL this quarter and continued to work on the pace of his game and his decision making. These should be the biggest focus of his off-season regime, as we’ve seen some of his offensive tools at points, but he has so far lacked the quick and reliable response that would allow him to make the right plays at the faster professional level. The first year pro had some big growing pains, but will have the opportunity to build on this season in the future with a better supporting cast. @DuncanMRF (80, 75, 70, 69)

#6 Colton White - 82.1 / B-, 75 / C, 79.5 / C+, 83.5 / B (Top Defenseman Award)

(17 gms 2g 3a) (19 gms 3g 7a) (19 gms 1g 9a) (16 gms 1g 4a) Has shown steady improvement throughout the year that included the 4th Quarter. Even got a cup of coffee with the big club as he is on his way someday soon as a fixture on the blueline up top. Even though his offensive production was down, the defensive play has started to emerge. @Ski931 (84, 73, 79, 81 )

#7 Brian Strait - 69.5 / D+, Inc., Inc., Inc.

#8 Josh Jacobs - 85.7 / B, 83.7 / B, 83.2 / B, 87.6 / B+

(18 gms 1g 3a) (18 gms 2g 3a) (16 gms 0g 3a) (17 gms 0g 1a) All though he slowed a bit toward the end of the season, he was still our best and most solid defenseman. He was consistently asked to play top pairing minutes and excelled. Even though he is my favorite player, I hope we never see him in Binghamton ever again; whether that means he sticks in Newark or moves on to another team that will utilize him at the NHL level as I think he’s at least a 2nd pairing NHL talent. @enker1700 (90, 88, 88, 90)

#38 *Jeremy Groleau - Inc.

(5 gms 1g 1a)

#55 John Ramage - 84.1 / B, 84.6 / B, 85.3 / B, 88.7 / B+ (7th Player Award)

(19 gms 2g 3a) (17 gms 4g 5a) (19 gms 1g 9a) (19 gms 5g 2a) He was the unquestioned anchor of this defensive core and did an admirable job. He more than earned his ‘A’ and could even have been the captain. He’s another guy that would be welcomed back with open arms to anchor this defense again. @enker1700 (88, 88, 84, 90)

Offense - 79.3 / C+, 79.94 / C+, 77.12 / C+, 74 / C

BDevils’ PP is also up five notches to 20th at 17.7%, while the offense scored at an average of 2.64 per game (201) and in 27th position. Shots placed the club down in the 30th slot at an average of 26.95 per outing out of 31 clubs in the league.

#9 *Michael McLeod - 84.8 / B , 89.3 / B+, 80.4 / B-, Inc. (Team Rookie Award)

(18 gms 3g 5a) (17 gms 2g 11a) (17 gms 1g 9a) (3 gms 0g 2a)

#10 *Ryan Schmelzer - 80.3 / B-, 82.5 / B-, 77.1 / C+, 80.8 / B- (7th Player Award)

(12 gms 2g 3a) (16 gms 4g 0a) (19 gms 3g 0a) (19 gms 5g 7a) Yes. Sign him to a NHL contract during the off season as his current AHL deal has served the purpose of exposing himself as an adequate player for the future. I’m not talking superstar, but enough that he has been a pleasant addition while serving his time as a top 6 forward throughout the season. @Ski931 (86, 82, 77, 81)

#11 *Brett Seney - Inc., 82.3 / B-

(12 gms 1g 1a) (14 gms 2g 15a) What an incredible rookie season it has been for the 5’ 9” forward. Served more time than expected for the big club, but reality is he’ll likely start the season in Bingo after camp ends in the Fall with several draft picks up top. It’s going to be crowded and he might be squeezed out serving his time as a top playmaker for Bingo. Not a bad thing at all. @Ski931 (82)

#13 Brandon Baddock - 75.2 / C, 71.8 / C-, 68.9 / D+, 67.4 / D+

(12 gms 1g 1a) (17 gms 0g 1a) (19 gms 1g 4a) (19 gms 1g 1a) Baddock did more of the same over the final quarter and ended up with nine points on the season. He racks up more than two penalty minutes a game while providing a spark for Binghamton. Baddock still seems incapable of putting two coherent offensive or defensive thoughts together sometimes. Again, he is who he is. There is no changing the forward as far as his skill-set. Nor will there be very much as far as evolving. @ChrisWasselDFS (70, 70, 65, 65)

#14 *Joey Anderson - Inc.

(13 gms 2g 4a, Total)

#15 Nick Saracino - Inc., 67.6 / D+, 68.6 / D+

(22 gms 3g 3a - Total Through Two Quarters) (16 gms 3g 1a) I dunno, but another player that needs to be cut loose, one of many on this last place team. Not overly impressed, could shine in the ECHL some day. Perhaps harsh, and maybe I’m being too cynical as a result of another disappointing season. Regardless, we need to improve and Saracino should not be part of it. @Ski931 (67, 69)

#17 John Quenneville - 89 / B+, 88.9 / B+, 87.5 / B+, 78.7 / C+

(12 gms 4g 6a) (7 gms 5g 4a) (13 gms 7g 4a) (6 gms 2g 7a) Quenneville continued to make strides with Binghamton – averaging right around a point a game. On the season, he finished with 37 points in 36 games. He scored a goal almost every other contest. The problem with Quenneville is that when it comes to the NHL, none of those skills executed in the AHL never quite translated. The question becomes then, what happens for next season and where does Quenneville fit into that scheme? @ChrisWasselDFS (79, 92, 90, 75)

#18 Blake Speers - 75.4 / C, 66.8 / D, 66.4 / D, Inc.

(15 gms 1g 0a) (17 gms 1g 2a) (11 gms 1g 3a) Injured

#19 Blake Pietila - 71.5 / C-, 77.2 / C+, 84.3 / B, 79.6 / C+

(18 gms 5g 5a) (16 gms 7g 5a) (9 gms 4g 9a) (7 gms 4g 7a) For whatever reason this season became somewhat a transformation for the soon to be veteran forward. But before he reaches that status, I think he has some time left to make it to the NHL, but not with the Devils. He’s come along ways in his two years I’ve witnessed, but time to move on. @Ski931 (72, 76, 68, 80)

**#22 *Egor Sharangovich - 79.6 / C+, 81.9 / B-, 76.1 / C, 75.4 / C**

(15 gms 2g 3a) (18 gms 4g 1a) (17 gms 2g 2a) (18 gms 1g 2a) Sharangovich finished this season as a bottom 6 player with potential. His production nearly stopped in the final quarter of the season, and like much of this Binghamton team, the pieces didn’t come together. His biggest needs for this offseason need to be on improving his strength and willingness to use his body in the corners and in front of the net, developing his acceleration and first steps, and working on his shot. I continue to be impressed by his ability to be active physically without causing penalties (14 PIM), but next season I want to see him be meaner, faster, and more willing to shoot. With few shooting options on this team, he is one player who can help pick up the slack. His first season on North American ice had mixed to poor results, but I believe the tools are there for him to develop. @DuncanMRF (82, 88, 80, 79)

**#23 *JD Dudek - Inc.**

(5 gms 0g 0a)

**#24 *Ludvig Larsson - Inc.**

(7 gms 1g 1a)

#25 Nick Lappin - 83.3 / B, 80.9 / B-, 71.8 / C-, 71.4 / C-

(19 gms 9g 2a) (12 gms 1g 3a) (14 gms 6g 6a) (11 gms 3g 4a) Nick was starting to heat up with 4 goals in his last 2 games including a hat trick the night before his call up as he played 11 games in NJ. During that time he had 0g 0a for 0 points and a -6+/-. Since his return from NJ, he has 4 goals for 2 assists 8 games. But, I believe it’s the last time we will see him a Devils’ uniform. @swislosky (82, 79, 72, 71)

#26 Eric Tangradi - 81.5 / B-, Inc., 77.1 / C+, 72.4 / C-

(9 gms 2g 5a) (5 gms 2g 2a) (16 gms 3g 3a) (11 gms 3g 4a) He was signed to be a veteran leader on this team and while he filled that role admirably in the locker room and in the community, I’m sure he’d be the first to agree that his performance on the ice was way under par. We was derailed by nagging injuries and a suspension, but never really hit his offensive stride. All that said, he would be a welcome addition back next year amongst what is sure to be a pretty young group next year. @enker1700 (82, 84, 75, 73)

#27 *Marian Studenic - 86.2 / B, 85.6 / B, 82.6 / B-, 72.7 / C-

(18 gms 7g 5a) (12 gms 2g 6a) (18 gms 3g 3a) (16 gms 1g 1a) An awful final quarter taints an otherwise good rookie season for a young kid making the transition to North America. Tweaked a knee in practice at the beginning of the quarter, missed a game, and not sure how lingering that was to his game. Still, when in the lineup, his ice team diminished this quarter. We’ve learned in two years as a Devil affiliate that the development mantra from the coaching staff isn’t “Walk before you run”, but more “Crawl before you walk”. But in my opinion, a kid like this is wasted on the third or fourth line. Hoping he sees regular time next on the PP next year (only 1 PPG out of 13G total) because of his quick release. @RogieVachon30 (91, 82, 82, 70)

#28 Brandon Gignac - 77.3 / C+, 82.5 / B-, 75.2 / C, 73.1 / C (Most Stars of the Game)

(15 gms 2g 4a) (18 gms 4g 8a) (18 gms 3g 7a) (15 gms 3g 5a) Last season, the sample size we got out of Ginny before his torn ACL lead me to believe he was the kind of player who would grow into an AHL playmaker. Fully recovered this season, he didn’t skip a beat and became just that. An eye for the pass and excellent speed, Brandon will be a force to be reckoned with next year. This quarter he slowed down but so did the whole team, to be fair. All he has to do is gain some muscle to throw off defensive pressure, but I see him falling in line with AHL greats like Martin St. Pierre in time. @crazybazookajoe (77, 80, 91, 74)

#32 *Nikita Popugaev - Inc., Inc.

(5 gms 0g 0a) (12 gms 3g 2a) Injured

#37 Alex Krushelnyski - 66.2 / D

(12 gms 2g 0a) Meh. There was a reason why he was playing in the ECHL before the trade went down as the club was searching for warm bodies with all the injuries that occurred. Good guy but in moving forward he should not be part of the equation. @Ski931 (65)

#42 Nathan Bastian - 73.1 / C, 81 / B-, 87.6 / B+, Inc. (Top Forward Award, Team MVP)

(18 gms 4g 1a) (19 gms 4g 3a) (19 gms 9g 2a) (2 gms 1g 0a)

Emily’s Goalie Clinic

Goalies - 82.7 / B-, 86.9 / B, 85.3 / B, 82.3 / B-

With complete inconsistency in net this year, it is hard to fault any of the goaltenders with the season’s downfalls. Ranging from seasoned vets to young netminders, the season saw a wide variety of goalies this year. A bit more consistency in the fourth quarter still didn’t lead to team wide success but the growth in net continues to shine through.

#1 Evan Cormier - 84.2 / B, 80.8 / B-

(15 gms 5-8-0-1, 2.96 GAA 0.902 SV%) This year was a good learning opportunity for Evan Cormier. Getting a handful of games in, he is clearly still developing and learning. At times he gets caught letting in soft goals. That said, I think he’s got a bright future ahead of him. Being able to play in Adirondack and with additional playing time in the coming years, he will only grow into his own and become a better goaltender. @EmilyRose474 (85, 82)

#31 Eddie Lack - 80.3 / B-, Inc, Inc., Inc.

#33 Cam Johnson - 83.7 / B, 81.4 / B-, 83.7 / B

(29 gms, 11-15-3-1, 3.79 GAA 0.872 SV%) Saddled with the starting position for the majority of the fourth quarter, the netminder continued to show the poise he’s been known for all season long. Seemingly unrattled by giving up a goal, he never seemed to lose his cool or be set off by the little things. Playing behind a team that was inconsistent at best, he played solidly. The opportunity to play in so many games ought to prove a strong motivator for Cam. He will continue to develop into a strong presence in net. @EmilyRose474 (85, 80, 85)

As said before, it’s hard to find fault in goalies when the team in front of them isn’t playing at their best. Despite the variety of goalies we saw get playing time this year, none were what I would call disappointing. Building a team that can complement a goalie like some of the ones we saw this season should help the Devils become more competitive at the AHL level.

Coach’s Corner with Dave

Coaching Staff - 82.6 / B-, 79 / C+, 72.6 / C-, 76.4 / C

“Even Scotty Bowman couldn’t have done much better this quarter with just 4 wins.”

Mark Dennehy, Sergei Brylin & Ryan Parent

The amount of injuries that plagued both teams down the stretch was something I’d never seen before. Still, I gave the staff a lower ranking than previous quarters mostly because special teams continued to languish in the bottom tier of the league, and the same mistakes kept being made and seemingly not corrected.

B-Devs were second in the league in times shorthanded, but to me they were first, as the team who was short most (Syracuse), probably took 50 minors for penalties after the whistle. The positives include the development of Nathan Bastian, who should graduate to full-time Newark duty in the Fall, & Colton White, who went from overmatched rookie last year to a competent Top 4 guy at this level this year.

I’m sure Dennehy learned a lot in his rookie pro campaign, and the jury is still out. He “should” have better players next year as some of the guys who didn’t work out from the previous regime (Lappin, Pietila etc.) could be moving on. (GM) Tom Fitzgerald needs to plug the gaping hole down the middle at the minor league level. A veteran goalie is also a must to work with either Cormier, Johnson (if re-qualified), and/or Schmid or Senn should they be ready for the next level.

After back to back 63 point seasons, an effort to show winning is part of development would be appreciated. @RogieVachon30 (84, 79, 70, 73)

Thanks for reading this season and it’s been fun interacting with members of The Panel! Hope all you readers enjoyed it!

* = Rookie status

Inc. = Incomplete