Wasn't planning on a blog today, but had a few things to share before heading to Minnesota until Saturday:
- Thanks for all the messages and comments on my Mark Duarte story. Those long form stories are a labor of love, but take a lot of time from the upfront research, the interview, and all the post interview research and writing. I feel like Mark should be listed as a co-author with all of the time he gave me for this story. From the one hour we talked about his family and career after practice to the numerous text messages I sent him the last few days asking him to clarify or expand on something we talked about. Even though he was dealing with an injury and wasn't feeling the best, he was very responsive and helpful. Allen fans know what a great player Mark is, but as I say in the story he is even a better person. If you haven't had a chance to read his story here is the link: https://allenamericansblog.blogspot.com/2025/03/the-mark-duarte-story-success-is-not.html
- The live auction after the game on Saturday is a rarity these days. Years ago live auctions were the primary way of selling jerseys. Here are the results of the military specialty jersey auction in 2014. $1200 for the Bootland jersey and $1000 for the Schaafsma jersey would be unheard of in Allen today.
McMillin - $600
Rouleau - $400
Lukin - $500
Klotz - $600
Pitton - $600
Maiani - $800
Berube - $900
Kerbashian - $700
Tyler Ludwig - $800
Ehrhardt - $600
Trevor Ludwig - $700
Schaafsma - $1000
Hanson - $700
Hendrikx - $600
Lessard - $600
Asuchak - $700
Fox - $500
Graham - $700
Barnes - $400
Levine - $400
Bootland - $1200
Zion - $700
Matvichuk - $500
Lavoie - $800
Here are the results of the Texas jersey auction on Saturday. Thanks to my friend Kristi for staying late on turn your clocks ahead night to capture the results:
- $700 - Duarte
- $600 - Watts
- $600 - Wells
- $500 - Kulakov
- $475 - Richardson
- $475 - Fraser
- $400 - Crnkovic
- $400 - Thornton
- $400 - Brassard
- $400 - Wilson
- $400 - Kane
- $375 - Gavin
- $375 - Powell
- $375 - Polino
- $350 - Matikka
- $350 - Nault
- $350 -Jacobs
- $350 - Gorman
- $325 - Blaisdell
- $325 - LeDonne
- $325 - Isaacson
- $300 - Perepeluk
- $275 - Johnson
- $250 - Westcott
- $250 - Van Unen
- $250 - Warmuth
- Yesterday Allen traded the rights to Kyle Crnkovic to Fort Wayne for forwards Michael Gildon and Brad Morrison. Allen is short on forwards with so many injured, so a 2-for-1 trade at this point will be helpful. Crnkovic led Allen in assists (33) and was second in points (44), but had struggled over the last month. In his last 16 games he had four points (0G, 4A). A fresh start, with a playoff bound team maybe just what Kyle needs to get going. I am sure he will be missed in the Allen locker room. He is one of the most popular and funny guys on the team.
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| Plano native Michael Gildon |
- Michael Gildon is a 23 year old, 196 pound, 6'2" left shot forward from Plano, TX. He is a rookie who played for Ohio State University last season. He played five seasons for Ohio State and had 38 points (12G, 26A) in 118 games. Gildon played in 23 games for Fort Wayne and tallied eight points (5G, 3A). He earned a bachelor's degree in sports industry (2023) and master's degree in sport coaching (2024) from Ohio States. He was a four-time Academic All-Big Ten selection.
Michael was on the US National Development team from 2017-2019. In his last year with the team he 45 points (18G, 27A) in 61 points.
Here is the only YouTube video I could find of Gildon's. It is from the time he was on the National Development team. He is the guy on the right. His teammate on the left in the video is the 2019 NHL draft #1 overall pick, Jack Hughes, who now plays for the New Jersey Devils
- Brad Morrison is a 28 year old, 170 pound 6'0" left shot forward from Prince George, BC. he is in his seventh pro season, but by my count he is still under 260 games played (247), so he is not a veteran.
Morrison has played in 185 ECHL games for Fort Wayne, Indy, Reading, Florida and Kalamazoo. He has averaged 0.82 goals per game in those 85 games (52G, 100A). He has also played 57 AHL games and scored 26 points (13G, 13A).
Here are a couple Morrison videos from the archives. The first is his 2017-18 highlight reel when he was playing in the WHL. The second is a 10 year old NHL Entry Draft Preview video on Morrison. He was drafted in the 4th round of the 2015 NHL draft by the New York Rangers
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| Trevor LeDonne |
- Last week Allen signed 25 year old, 6'1" right shot defenseman Trevor LaDonne who just completed his college career at Robert Morris University. LaDonne is from Stoney Creek, Ontario and trains with Mark Duarte and a bunch of other pro athletes in the summer. LaDonne had quite a pro game debut on Friday night. He didn't score because Allen was shutout 4-0, but Trevor was even on plus/minus and led the team in shots with five. Saturday night he assisted on Allen's only goal of the game. His totals after two games is one assist, seven shots and +1.
OTHER COMMENTS
- I get asked about Allen's affiliation for next season all the time. It is pure speculation at this point. I have heard from what I would say is a reliable source, not in the Allen organization, that Tucson will be affiliated again next season with Utah HC. If I was a betting man I would bet Allen will be affiliated with Utah/Tucson again in 2025-26, but that is based on nothing more than a hunch.
While you always want more help from the affiliate, it has been a step up this year compared to last season with Belleville. Last season Allen got 19 games from skaters assigned by Belleville. This year the number is already 87 and Will Gavin only has 17 games played even though he has been in Allen all season. Last season Allen got 42 games played by affiliate goalies. This season it is at 48. That number will grow, but you may have seen Dylan Wells was recalled to Tucson. Utah HC goalie Connor Ingram has entered the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program and will be out indefinitely according to the press release. Wells could be in Tucson the remainder of Allen's season.
The second year of an affiliation is always better than the first after relationships are established. I do predict if Allen does affiliate with Utah/Tucson again the Americans will get more help next season.
- I have also been talking to a lot of long time, loyal Allen fans that are thinking about not renewing their season tickets for next season. I certainly understand that, but my advice, especially if you like your seats is to hang on until you find out the plans for 2025-26, which should happen shortly after this season ends. I know for a fact team owner Myles Jack wants to have a winning team in Allen, it is #1 priority, even more than finances. He is also well aware he needs to make a decision on a coach right after this season ends. If all goes quickly, you may know in April who will be coaching the team in 2025-26. If you wait until a new coach is named you just might be surprised.
- Here is the Allen Americans Weekly with recaps, stat leaders and more: https://allenamericans.com/news/2025/03/news-americans-weekly
- 12 - 2024-25
- 19 - 2023-24
- 27 - 2022-23
- 38 - 2021-22
- 41 - 2020-21
Brandon Mashinter.
ReplyDeleteChad Costello to a 3 year deal with watertight g’tees. 💪🏻🤞🏻🎯
ReplyDeleteOh, and 5% ownership in the club.
You heard it here first!
Myles and Chad are in agreement.
Chad still pursuing Zawyer hence no defense filed by Allen Americans/Myles Jack.
✅
Does that bring the boys back to Allen as well? The group playing under Chad was solid and only going to get better assuming defensive adjustments would have been made. So if what you are saying isn’t a troll post and is true, welcome back Chad, make sure to bring a little defense and toughness with you this time.
DeleteBarry sounding like a White House press secretary over here lol. Stay invested folks, great things are coming… maybe.
ReplyDeleteThanks Barry. Fantastic as always.
ReplyDeleteFirst: Chad isn't coming back. If you are "in the know" then you are lying. I would bet my season tickets he won't be back next year. So, you truly need to shut up about it. It was funny at first, now it is just becoming a drag and shows you have no sports knowledge at all because you are constantly hung up on one issue. if you want to see Chad coach, move to Rapid City. I love and have great respect for Chad but he is NOT coming back and I don't blame him at all.
ReplyDeleteSecond: I admit I was on the fence about my tickets. I had fallen to the side of not renewing, then I heard a promising rumor, and that pushed me back to the top of the fence. The only problem is the money people don't want you to wait until you have more information, they want your money now before you have any clue if any positive actions will occur.
In this case, silence is not golden. Someone show me positives are on the horizon, THEN ask for my money.
The last week has said Chad will remain in RC, come to the Americans, and Brandon Mashinter (who had a falling out with Zawyer, and resigned on the spot when Zawyer tried reprimanding him at the ECHL's request, over throwing a water bottle at a game and confronting the refs after the game).
DeleteMartinson? There's 4!
I don't think anyone is claiming to be in the know. Some could be calculated guesses.
DeleteI do however wonder why Allen/Myles has not filed a defense to Chad's lawsuit.
Maybe they filed a joint defense
DeleteNope.
DeleteSo, either Myles is ignorant, or there's a deal in place with Chad.
When was the deadline for him to file a defense?
DeleteWhat was Zawyer's defense?
DeleteNo defense filed by Myles/Allen Americans.
DeleteNo representation for Myles/Allen Americans.
Lawyers defense is "sealed" from public view, but if you're in the know like the original poster then you're in the know....
Your claim people are lying is erroneous unless you know what Myles will do and who he will hire. The comments from Barry to me indicate something is brewing or may already be agreed to in principle based on the timelines suggested.
DeleteCostello, Mashinter, Martinson and Ferguson all seem to be in play. The mention of "finances" leads me to either Costello or Martinson.
Myles is smart enough to see the damage done this season.
It all started with firing Costello.
WRONG.
DeleteMyles and Zawyer are represented by the same attorney/firm.
Jack Gulati is also being sued as the entity that signed Costello to his initial contract. Gulati has not filed a defense.
Costello will NEVER have anything to do with the Jacks. PERIOD.
Chad will be the next HC/GM of Rapid City.
Narrows the list down to 3....
🦞🦞🦞🦞🦞
DeleteI understand Affiliations but when they force you to play bad goalies and not play your best goalie in Costantini (granted we don’t know how he would have done with a porous defense), it’s hard to get behind the pro’s of an affiliation when only cons’s are felt. Just an average observation from a fan.
ReplyDeleteValid observation Richard M
DeleteCrnkovic was Tucson assigned.
DeleteWill Gavin is Tucson assigned.
Wells is Tucson assigned.
Thornton is Tucson assigned.
Matikka is Tucson assigned.
That's not bad considering the train wreck Belleville was.
Thank for proving Affiliations blow.
DeleteCrnkovic solid player and possible upside. Too bad he’s gone.
Thornton? Really? 2-16. Porous defense isn’t helping him but 2–16 l, a 4.28 GAA and 0.890 save% is horrible. Surprised he’s still with any team. To be fair, He did have a decent gam last home game, so kudos for having only given up 3 goals and 0.906 sv %
Wells … upside but not better than Costantini
Matikka….6 pts in 12 game. Definitely upside but not great yet if they sent him down for a confidence builder…not there yet.
Gavin 2pts in 17 games. 😳
Not saying Belleville was great at all, but at least we had Merilainen for a stint and at least he’s played some solid time while Ullmark was out for Ottawa. Others? Can’t even remember, FWTW.
Or was it BJ not playing Costantini intentionally, vs Utah forcing him to play the affiliation goalies?
Delete1. All we got was Merilainen from Belleville.
Delete2. BJ didn't like Costantini and got sideways over his demeanor. Truth be told, BJ got sideways with more than just Marco.
3. Both, Utah wanted development done with Goalies, and BJ wanted to appease them, and got sideways with Marco. Also hear BJ may have misrepresented some things, but don't have proof of that.
Bj….Buffoon. Nothing would surprise me with that clown. Good luck to his future but he was horrible here.
ReplyDelete