Lots of Options

It’s plain and simple. The Carolina Hurricanes have to make the play-offs this year. And, the good news is …they are knocking on the door.

So, with the trade deadline fast approaching, it is not surprising to hear that Jim Rutherford, the Canes GM, is busy trying to make some moves. Reports suggest the Canes were among three teams that had a real shot at Ottawa’s Mike Fisher, moved to Nashville this week. He is exactly what the doctor ordered, a skilled two-way center with size. Rutherford has historically tried to make his major moves well before the deadline, in order to get the players assimilated into the Canes organization as early as possible. You just need to consider the Doug Weight deal, the year the Canes went on to win the Cup. Timing is even more acute this year. If JR plans to take a serious run at the play-offs, he needs to strengthen the team now to improve his play-off chances.

Making the play-offs won’t be easy. The New York Rangers, Atlanta Thrashers, and Buffalo Sabres are in a virtual dead heat for the final two play-off positions. Buffalo has been on a tear lately and is peaking at just the right time. Based on their current play, you have to think they will take one of the spots. The Rangers, Thrashers, and Canes have been inconsistent, thus creating the opportunity for the others to take the advantage. But, to-date, none of the teams have been able to make a real statement. Rick Dudley, The Thrashers GM, and Glen Sather, the Rangers boss-man, have both been very active trying to land the key pieces they need to make the post-season. As a result, you can expect they will be stronger at the deadline.

So, the Canes will need to make some serious moves to stay in the hunt. Historically, JR has pulled off some real coups at the trade deadline. In 2008, he got Tuomo Ruutu for Andrew Ladd. In 2009, he got Erik Cole back, for oft-injured Justin Williams, and Jussi Jokinen, from Tampa Bay, for spare parts. Last year, he made seven trades and picked up seven draft picks along with a few prospects, clearing out most of the pending UFAs. He lobbied some of those picks into deals at the draft, for Bobby Sanguinetti, a highly regarded D-man in the Ranger organization, and Riley Nash, a former first-rounder of the Edmonton Oilers. Both are expected to fill roster spots on the Hurricanes in the future. So, if history is any indication, expect something major to happen before the deadline.

How is JR approaching the deadline? He gave this indication recently. ““We have two goals,” he said. “One is to make the playoffs and the other is to build this team going forward. Regardless of what we do and how it looks, we’re not going to give up on this year.”

Their needs are clear. They are desperately in need of a quality shutdown D-man. The Canes have quietly assembled a solid defence corps, the only problem being that most are offence first types, like Joe Corvo, Joni Pitkanen, Ian White, and Jamie McBain. This need has been particularly noticeable with the penalty kill unit, currently one of the worst in the league. The lack of a proficient face-off guy has also hurt but a more pressing problem is a top 6 winger. They have not been able to find a winger to join Eric Staal and Erik Cole on the top line, trying a host of players unsuccessfully. They could also use a winger to complement the Ruutu/Skinner combo. It will depend on who is available as to which spot is filled first.

Based on JR’s comment, you might extrapolate that he is trying to move impending UFAs Joni Pitkanen, Chad Larose, and Sergei Samsonov. Of those, Pitkanen would fetch the biggest return and given the likelihood that the Canes do not plan to re-sign him in the off-season and last year’s debacle with Ray Whitney at the deadline, look to the Canes to try and move him now. There is clearly lots of interest for a big minute-munching, offensive D-man, like Joni.
Patrick Dwyer is a lower-cost, more versatile Larose clone, so he is expendable. Samsonov is a clearly a spare part but no one seems interested in him. Rutherford may throw in some draft picks, even a 1^st rounder, and some prospects, such as Rodney, Samson, Bowman, Osala, or even Boychuk, in Charlotte, for the right deal.

Based on history, likely trade partners are Edmonton, Boston, San Jose, Ottawa, Florida, and Toronto, all of which have players of interest to the Canes. Of those, San Jose, Columbus and Boston are all looking for an offensive-minded D-man, like Pitkanen. Edmonton, Ottawa, Florida, and Toronto are looking for prospects to support their rebuilding process. If they move Pitkanen, expect them to acquire a solid replacement in their wheeling and dealing. Recognizing the fiscal challenges of the Hurricanes, and JR’s tendency to try to match cap dollars, who might the Canes be targeting?

For draft picks/prospects:

• Vandermeer/Brule/Penner – Edmonton, although JR denies interest in Penner,
• Komisarek/Kadri – Toronto, not likely due to high cost of Komisarek and injury problems,
• Allen/Weiss/Booth – Florida, has potential as rumors suggest Canes are talking to Florida.

Including Pitkanen/Larose/others:

• M. Stuart/Wheeler – Boston, a package deal would help both teams,
• Setoguchi - San Jose, makes a lot of sense for the Canes, who continue to look closely at the Sharks,
• Tyutin/Filatov/Brassard – Columbus, intriguing depending on the package.

Or might JR surprise us and bring back former’ Canes, as he is want to do, like Kings’ Justin Williams, Florida’s Corey Stillman, or Columbus’ Mike Commodore, who would cost less and could potentially fill the major weaknesses of the team for this year. Only time will tell. No matter what, expect JR to make a splash at the trade deadline.

He always does.

Making their Move!

As we start the new year and hit the midway point in the NHL season, the Carolina Hurricanes find themselves only five points out of a play-off spot in the Eastern Conference. Not bad considering the tough schedule the Canes have faced thus far. However, the Canes now have three games-in-hand on Montreal, in eighth place, and five games-in-hand on Atlanta, in seventh place, who they trail by eight points. So, the play-offs are very clearly in sight.

For most of the season, the Canes have been inconsistent, but recently they have shown signs that they are starting to round into form. This is consistent with past seasons. The Hurricanes always seem to step it up in the second half. With road wins in Toronto (4-3) and Ottawa (4-0), along with a resounding 6-3 shellacking of the New Jersey Devils at home, the Canes moved to 7-3-0 in their last 10 games, second only to Tampa Bay in the Conference, during that period. Cam Ward has been the catalyst, brilliant between the pipes on many nights. His .926 save percentage ranks third overall in the NHL. Of course, Eric Staal has played a key role as you would expect. Nothing new there. The captain is averaging a point-a-game, with 37 points in 37 games. Several others have been instrumental in the Canes surge, including Tuomo Ruutu, Jussi Jokinen, Joe Corvo, Patrick Dwyer, Jamie McBain, and Canes rookie phenom, Jeff Skinner, who continues to surprise. Skinner now leads all NHL rookies in scoring with 28 points in 37 games, and is showing no signs of letting up. In fact, a recent switch to center has him on a current tear. Just check out some of his video highlights and watch this young man, just 18 years-old, in action.

Recent additions, defenceman Ian White (Calgary), along with role players, Troy Bodie and Ryan Carter (Anaheim), have been significant upgrades from their predecessors. Add to that the pending return of Jiri Tlusty, and the emergence of prize rookies, Zach Boychuk and Zac Dalpe, and it starts to get interesting. And, it doesn't end there. The Hurricanes have plenty of depth in the farm with talented youngsters Drayson Bowman, Oscar Osala, Jon Matsumoto, and Bryan Rodney, all chomping at the bit to get their chance.

However, despite a more favorable second half schedule, the Canes are still missing a few key pieces needed to assure a play-off berth in the tough Eastern Conference. With Pitkanen, Corvo, McBain and White, the Canes can create lots of offence from the backline. Keeping pucks out of the net is another matter. They desperately need a veteran shutdown defenceman to take the heat off Tim Gleason. Jay Harrison has been an acceptable fill-in, but he isn't the man. And, the Canes never did fill their need for an elite forward, a go-to guy for Eric Staal. Currently, Staal is the only legitimate first liner on the Canes. Jussi Jokinen has had success at times but other than Jussi, it has been slim pickins'.

If the Hurricanes continue to climb back into the fray in January, expect some moves from Jim Rutherford, the Canes GM, as we approach the trade deadline. Historically, JR has been very active when the Canes are close and a few moves can make the difference. So, if JR can once again weave some of his magic and is able to parlay the likes of Samsonov, Cole, Larose, and Harrison, into meaningful assets, this could be a very interesting season for Canes fans, indeed.

So, the question is...who should JR try to acquire at the deadline? The floor is open.

A Fresh Start! - Canes Preview 2010-2011

As we fast approach the start of the 2010-2011 season, I wanted to take a look ahead at what we might expect this year from our Carolina Hurricanes. If you are a die-hard Carolina Hurricanes fan like me, last year is clearly a year you want to put behind you. The Canes were 2-8-3 in October and never recovered. Ouch! A decision had been made by Jim Rutherford (JR), the Canes' President and GM, to stick primarily with the veteran-laden team that took the Canes to the division finals in 2008-2009. He felt the only missing link was more toughness on the blueline and to that end, added Aaron Ward in a trade with Boston and Andrew Alberts, a UFA from the Philadelphia Flyers. The team moved away from the attack style that Peter Laviolette had initiated and which had resulted in much success, led by an aggressive, offensive-minded defence corps, to a team with a "D" which had trouble getting out of their own zone, let alone drive the attack.

The good news is that JR got the message loud-and-clear. It was time this team had a major re-work. Add to this the current financial situation and Peter Karmanos' interest to sell-off a major portion of the team, and it was clear that austerity measures were needed. He commenced the work of cleaning house at the trade deadline, moving defencemen Aaron Ward, an unmitigated disaster, Niclas Wallin, tough but slow afoot, Andrew Alberts, average at-best, and Joe Corvo, a decent defenseman but pending UFA. In return, he acquired youngsters Justin Pogge, a former Canadian Junior Goalie-of-the-Year, and Oscar Osala, a talented Finn, plus a couple of 2nd round draft picks. He also moved out forwards Stephane Yelle, a spare part, Matt Cullen, a strong contributor but pending UFA, and Scott Walker, a likeable guy but a player who didn't figure in the Canes' future plans. All good moves. Unfortunately, he was unable to succesfully move Ray Whitney to LA, where he had a deal in the works for a 1st rounder plus. Whitney subsequently signed with Phoenix.

So, JR had some significant rebuilding to do. First order of business was to deal with Rod Brind'Amour, who had slipped to the 4th line and was a shadow of his former self last year. Mission accomplished when Rod retired from active duty and accepted a coaching position with the Canes. Next was the draft, where JR surprised many by picking Jeff Skinner, a 70-goal scorer in the OHL last year, including 20 goals in 20 play-off games. Early returns on Skinner have been very positive. He has a spot to lose, with the Canes needing more offence up-front. JR also made a couple of shrewd deals on the draft floor, acquiring former first rounders, Bobby Sanguinetti from the Rangers, who is enjoying a strong camp and oozes offence, and Riley Nash, from the Oilers, a Ron Francis favorite with plenty of upside, both for 2nd round picks acquired at the trade deadline. JR loves to acquire former first rounders and has been successful a number of times in the past, including current stalwarts Ruutu and Gleason.

But, Rutherford wasn't done there. Seeing the need to bolster the defence and bring in more offence, he re-signed Anton Babchuk, a player who should have been here all along, and signed Joe Corvo, to a two-year hometown discount deal, around 2.0M per season. You have to like the Corvo deal - traded to Washington for a 2nd round pick and Oscar Osala at the deadline, and then brought back for less money. JR, you are one shrewd horse trader! All the more impressive given the financial constraints levied on him by Karmanos. He took a while, but finally closed the deal with Brett Carson, a promising blueliner with size and moxy, who ended the season plus five in 54 games played with the Canes. With Carson, it was a two-way contract adding to the Canes flexibility this season. And, then, the piece de resistance! When local boy Patrick O'Sullivan, a former consensus first-rounder and 22-goal scorer with the Kings a a few years ago, showed interest, Rutherford pounced on him, and got his name on the dotted line for a paltry 500K, a two-way contract at that! Sure, he had a tough season in Edmonton last year, but who didn't. He can play, make no mistake about it, and as so many others like O'Sullivan have done with the Canes, he will thrive in North Carolina.

Any way you shake it, you have to like where this team is going. I can't remember the closet being this full of young talent since I started following the Canes several years ago. Led by elite players, Eric Staal, and Cam Ward, the Canes will compete every night. Add to them the supporting cast of D-men Joni Pitkanen, a horse and the league leader in on-ice time per game last season, and Tim Gleason, who impressed all with his gutsy Olympics performance and just gets better each time out, as well as forwards Jussi Jokinen, a versatile forward and 30-goal scorer, Tuomo Ruutu, a workhorse with huge potential, and Brandon Sutter, who topped 20 goals in only his second season, and there's reason for optimism. Other veterans who could play a key role are Erik Cole, Chad Larose, and Sergie Samsonov. All stumbled badly last year, but have the talent to contribute much-needed offence. Cole could surprise. What about Jiri Tlusty, another former first-rounder, who Paul Maurice has high praise for? He earned a one-way contract and could be a factor. He's big and skilled. Expect big things this season from Jamie McBain, the Wisconsin phenom, who had an impressive 10 points in just fourteen games last year (+6), and Drayson Bowman, a slick offensive winger, who impressed in a Canes uniform in his nine game audition last year and has shown strong defensive acumen in camp. Another player to watch is Zac Dalpe, an Ohio State grad, who has the size and skills to make the move to the Canes now and scored six goals in only nine games with Albany in the AHL. He's all but assured a spot on the roster. Bryan Rodney, Jay Harrison, Zach Boychuk, Osala, Riley, and Jared Staal, a virtual steal from Phoenix, all provide depth.

So, what should we expect to see opening day? Sure, there are still questions to be answered on the starting line-up, but it will probably look something like this.

Forwards

O'Sullivan/Staal/Cole

Bowman/Sutter/Ruutu

Skinner/Jokinen/Larose

Tlusty/Dalpe/Kostopoulos

Dwyer, Samsonov (injured)

Defence

Gleason/McBain

Pitkanen/Corvo

Carson/Babchuk

Sanguinetti

Goalies

Ward, Peters

My Prediction: The Canes will be the surprise team in the NHL this year. Get ready!

Decisions, Decisions!

As we fast approach the trade deadline, Jim Rutherford (JR) is being very tight-lipped about his plans. But, then again, that's his normal style, isn't it? Things are really starting to heat up. "I'm getting inquiries on more players than I expected," he was recently quoted as saying. The big question is "Will the Canes still be sellers?" After all, they have rattled off five straight wins and have won nine of their last eleven. They now find themselves only nine points out of a play-off berth.

So, what would you do, knowing that the rebuild process is well underway, but a play-off berth is still possible?

The changes started earlier this year, with the Canes elevating Brandon Sutter, Patrick Dwyer, and Brett Carson, to the big team from the Albany River Rats. They have all contributed and will be regulars going forward. Sutter has been a revelation, with fourteen goals already this year. Then, the Canes traded 2009 first round pick, Phillipe Paradis, to Toronto for former first rounder, Jiri Tlusty. Niclas Wallin, the "secret weapon", a huge favorite of the Caniac nation, was shipped to San Jose for a 2nd round pick in 2010, and Matt Cullen, another fan favorite, was sent to Ottawa for D-man Alexandre Picard and another 2nd round pick in 2010. So, that's where we are right now.

Based on these moves, you have to figure that JR will stick to his re-tooling plan, to change fully half of the team prior to next season as he has previously gone on record as saying. At the top of the list will be dealing with the UFAs. He has to move them now, if he wants any return, as he did with Cullen and Wallin. The Canes have some outstanding building blocks in Eric Staal, Cam Ward, Brandon Sutter, Tuomo Ruutu, Joni Pitkanen, Jussi Jokinen. and Tim Gleason. They also have some talented prospects in the aforementioned Brett Carson, Patrick Dwyer and Jiri Tlusty, as well as Albany farmhands Zack Boychuk, Justin Peters, and Drayson Bowman, not to mention Ohio State star, Zac Dalpe, and, my personal favorite, former Wisconson phenom, Jamie McBain. You might want to include Alexandre Picard, if he can recapture his game in Carolina as so many others have. Add to that veterans Erik Cole, Sergei Samsonov, Tom Kostopoulos, and Andrew Alberts, who has quietly had a solid season, (leads the team with +6) and you're well on your way. You can expect Rod Bind'Amour to retire at season's end, clearing much-needed cash and a center spot on next year's roster.

The Canes need more size and scoring in the forward ranks and will probably need another D-man, assuming both A. Ward and Corvo go this week, unless of course, Anton Babchuk (remember him?) returns from the KHL, where he is having a break-out season. Stranger things have happened!

So, what deals should we look for prior to the deadline? JR has made it clear that he is looking for high draft picks and prospects who can contribute now, so don't expect any household names to be heading our way. Here's my wish list.

Ray Whitney - LA - Deal is on the table, but fading - 1st rounder in 2010 & prospect (Moller,Elkins?)

Pittsburgh - 1st rounder & prospect or Tyler Kennedy & 2nd rounder

Buffalo - 1st rounder & prospect (Justin Jokinen?)

Boston - (with A. Ward) - Blake Wheeler is available

Joe Corvo - Phoenix - 2nd rounder or top prospect (Boedker, Jared Staal?)

Phoenix (with Larose) - Wouldn't Peter Mueller look good in a Canes jersey?

Aaron Ward - Boston - 2nd round pick

Vancouver - 2nd round pick

Chad Larose - Philadelphia - Ville Leino is interesting

Stephane Yelle - late round pick

Scott Walker - Nashville - 4th or 5th round pick in 2010 draft

Manny Legace - late round pick

Bryan Rodney, Jay Harrison - Both have slipped in the eyes of Canes management and could be packaged in a deal.

This is an exciting time to be a Carolina Hurricanes fan. A new era is being ushered in. The Canes don't plan to sit on the outside looking-in for long. One thing's for sure. There is nobody more astute than Jim Rutherford at wheeling and dealing. You can bet he'll get maximum return for his assets. he's made a habit of it. Look at some of his past deadline deals:

Andrew Ladd to Chicago for Tuomo Ruutu (A win for the Canes)

Josef Melichar and Wade Brookbank to Tampa for Jussi Jokinen (Are you kidding me?)

Danny Richmond to Chicago for Anton Babchuk (Danny who?)

Kevyn Adams to Phoenix for Dennis Seidenberg (Love to the the"berg" back next year!)

And who knows, we may even see Matt Cullen back next year!

This will be very interesting! Join me as I follow all of the Canes trade activity at http://twitter.com/CanesTR.

RIP Brendan Burke

The world of hockey was devastated to hear the news about the tragic death of Brendan Burke, son of Toronto Maple Leafs GM Brian Burke. It was Friday night, and I was just finishing up a crisis call I was dispatched to. I had to tend to a family that just lost a love one to a heart attack, and witnesses their heartache for about two hours. As I sat there, holding back my own tears, I then saw a message sent to my phone breaking the news of Brendan’s death. In an instant, I felt complete sadness. To say I was shocked was an understatement. The article that was written about Brandon was still fresh in my mind, and I was just talking about how proud Brian Burke must be to walk in the opening ceremonies as the proud American he’s always professed to be. I then started wondering, why is it people have huge highs in life, only to then have complete and utter lows.
I could not help it but to think of my father who died over 10 years ago, and like a fresh cut, I could feel my wound open up. I thought back to the days when Burke was in Anaheim and how he made it known he had to leave to be with his family. I thought Burke was a great father for making that his main priority. I thought about how close I was with my father, and how he always worried about my safety. Details of Brendan’s death were still sketchy and there was not much information until the next morning. Apparently Brendan died in an auto accident when the car he was driving slid into oncoming traffic due to snowy conditions. I remembered one time when I crashed in high school. I called my father to the scene to pick me up, and when he got there all I could think of was how mad he was going to be. When he arrived on scene, he walked right up to me, and as I formed the words to say I was sorry, he grabbed me and hugged me and said he was scared something bad had happened to me. I realized then and there, that my father actually got scared for the first time. I cannot begin to imagine Brian Burke’s reaction to the news of his son’s passing. It is a parent’s worse nightmare, and one that Brian Burke and his family are experiencing.
This weekend, the world of hockey stood together in solidarity for a family member. And forgive me for forgetting where I read this, but someone else came up with this and said that today, every team removes their logos from their chests, and puts down the hockey sticks in honor of Brendan Burke. I could not agree more. I would like to dedicate this Sunday’s column to Brendan Burke and his bravery as a human being, and as a loving son. May you rest in peace forever.

Most Memorable Jiggy Moments.

Everyone seems to be doing tributes for J.S. ever since being traded to Toronto. There are many moments that make up who Jiggy is today. I could list the 2007 Cup championship as one, but that's too easy. Instead I'll chime in with mine. I have quite a few but I think I'll just highlight five of them for the sake of time.

5. Jiggy's Father passes away- As having gone through this, I know how hard it is when someone dies, to have the spirit to want to do things right away. A person hits a low when a parent dies, and the human heart almost feels weakened by the loss. This is Jiggy's 5th most memorable moment because even though the Ducks did not achieve success by NHL standards, the mere fact that he could finish the season with respectable numbers is huge.

4.Mighty Ducks Sweep The Wild - 02/03 Playoffs R3 GM4
Once more, Jiggy helps the Mighty Ducks sweep a strong Minnesota team, and as you watch the video, look how exhausted Jiggy was at the end of the game. They always say sometimes you have to fight until you can't fight any more, and sometimes when you fight that hard, something breaks. 2003 may have been the year that broke Jiggy. It may be the year he left it all on the ice for the team. In 2007 he has an incredibly talented team in from of him, making the cup win inevitable, but in '03, it was Jiggy all by himself. I'll never forget being at this game and cheering like it was the Cup final! Nothing compared to the feeling I had on this night. Nothing would make up for it, except for the Cup winning game in 2007. And yes, you heard correctly...the announcer says Jiggy stops 122 out of 123 shots in the series.

3. Mighty Ducks 5-OT Goal vs. Stars - 02/03 Playoffs - R2 GM1
This game went to five over times! think about it. That's 2 and half games!! More amazing is the fact that in order for the team to get to that point, it took quite a performance from its goalie. In this game, you had two greats battling one another. On one side, Marty Turco, and on the other, J.S. Giguere. Watch the video as the stunned crowed quietly makes its way out of the Dallas arena!

2. Jiggy Melt Down- this game took place in 2006, when the Oilers were taking on the Ducks at home. The Ducks were frustrated by the antics of goal tender Dwayne Roloson and then Oiler Chris Pronger. In fact Pronger got under Jiggy's skin so much, that he finally cracked and was assessed a slashing penalty, and then got into a scrum with Pronger. As the whistle blew, Jiggy continued to mouth of at Pronger and then began punching Pronger in the kisser! Jiggy was received a double minor, which allowed the Oilers to score and add insult to injury. The Oilers that year eliminated the Ducks from the Western Conference Final, but it was worth it to see such raw emotion come from Jiggy. I don't have video of this, but I've attached a video having a melt down on the bench recently.

1. Triple Over Time- when the Ducks faced off against the Detroit Red Wings in the opening round of the 2003 playoffs, many felt it was merely a warm up for the defending champion Wings. Since 1952, history was on the side of the defending champions, as there has not been a first round elimination of a returning champion since that year. What transpired what a goalie clinic, in which J.S. stopped 63 shots in one game (or technically 2, depending how you look at things.) The game was loaded with drama and excitement as David took on Goliath, with the Ducks coming out on top in a memorable game.

Finally, here is a video tribute, one of many, that hit the net once Jiggy was traded. Its by Roochfan20 on YouTube, and I thought it summed up Jiggy nicely.

Good luck Jiggy. Toronto is embracing you with open arms. The move is going to be good for you to shake off some old skeletons, so you can give Canada a little taste of what it was like in Anaheim the last 10 years.

"I would give that one up to get the other one. The other one is much nicer and much bigger," he said. "My thought goes to all my teammates. They worked so hard in front of me and I couldn't do anything without them. This is something we'll hopefully share as a team." -J.S. Giguere 2003 after winning the Con Smyth Trophy in a loss to New Jersey Devils.

Thanks for the memories.......now let's play hockey.

It was just a matter of time, and could not come any sooner. J.S. Giguere, long time goal tender and most popular member of the Ducks, has been traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs in return for Vessa Toskala and Jason Blake. Toronto awoke to Brian Burke shaking the foundations of the Leafs organization. In true Burke fashion, he made moves that has sparked new hope into the Toronto franchise, while causing some Anaheim fans to shed bitter sweet tears. It comes with the territory of being a professional athlete. There were reports that as recent as the last morning skate the Ducks had on the road, Giggy was told to go back to the hotel because he was being traded to the Leafs. He apparently hugged some of the coaches goodbye, and left. It was obvious that Giggy was headed north after the Ducks re-signed Hiller to a four year deal cementing him as the number one goalie in Anaheim. As a fan of the Ducks, I also hope this move breaths in new life to the Ducks organization. It was probably a good thing all of this occurs right before the Olympic break, so there is enough time for the dust to settle. The Ducks made headlines last season when they traded half the team in a move that had some experts shaking their heads. In the end, the moves were enough for the Ducks to make it to the playoffs and upset the number one team in the NHL, San Jose Sharks.

Kings too much for Ducks

Not too shabby! After racking up a five game winning streak the Ducks got toasted by the Kings 4-0 last night at the Staples Center. One thing that was obvious about last nights game was that it was indeed physical, and already there is talk about some of the Ducks players getting fines or suspensions. Plus Koivu left the game injured with a lower body injury on top of the news that Teemu would be out 2- 4 weeks. When it rains it pours. That being said, the Ducks are still looking good in the rankings, being tied with Dallas, and still 6 points out the 8th spot. I suppose it could be worse. At least the Olympics are coming up to give the team 4 weeks off, and so that some of the guys can rest their injuries (although who knows about Koivu now?) Just like every other season (including the cup winning year), the Ducks somehow get it together even if it doesn't look pretty. For now, the Ducks look to start up a new streak Sunday against the Flames, and hopefully go into the break gaining some ground.
Go Ducks!!!

Ducks win again!

The Ducks played tonight and last night the way they were destined to play at the start of the season. Tonight Hiller stood on his head blocking 42 shots on goals, and shutting down the "hottest team in the NHL." I like what I continue to see in Koivu, Ryan, Getz, Brown, Sexton....heck even Teemu looks like he's 10 years younger! It's amazing what happens to a player when their job is threatened by hungry, younger players. The Ducks played exceptionally well tonight and have managed to win their first four game win streak in a long time! The Ducks express train continues to roll into Anaheim next week to play the eastern giants, Boston Bruins.
Go Ducks!!

Preds who?? Oh yea, the Olympics!

After tonight's horrible loss to the Preds, I would like to just focus on a positive here for a second and say congrats to all the Duck players that are representing their respective countries in the 2010 Olympic games!
Go Ducks!!!

Sharks sink the Ducks.....again

I've stopped keeping track of each individual game and reporting back after four or five games have been played because that's how I feel about the Ducks this season. Instead of being consistent with reports, I feel slightly unorganized, and noticing only glimpse of seasonal play. The last two games are worth mentioning because I went to one of them in Phoenix, and also because the Ducks were pummeled to just one point in both games combined. I'm not sure where who to blame anymore. I've been saying all along that if the Ducks are going to trade someone big like Scotty, well then do it. Coach Randy is going no where, and will most likely be replaced during the off season, rather than being unceremoniously dumped in the middle. So why doesn't Murray do something? One theory is that he is waiting to see what the options once the official mid season break occurs. Maybe he wants to give the Ducks a chance to make a second surge as they've done in the past. The team currently sits nine points out of the 8th playoff spot, but at one point were only three. Then again, a nine point lead can be the most difficult nowadays especially with the parity that exists in the NHL. The next thing I've been wondering is how big of an impact a goalie coach can make. I guess when your team loses one of the greats, its bound to reflect how you play. I had no idea it would render Jiggy and Hiller virtually invisible in goal! It's like a bad joke played on the Ducks, when all off season, everyone kept wondering who would start, or who would be number one.....and now the answer is "what difference does it make?" Goal tending has been such a big pain in the behind for the Ducks that now no lead (albeit rare) is safe!!

So whats on the horizon for these Ducks? Well I hope everyone that's injured gets healed. I then hope everyone else in the NHL gets injured during the Olympics. I am looking forward to the Vancouver games. I hope the Ducks make a smart move that not only does not gut the team, but something we can cash in on immediately. I hope Selanne scores more, Whitney keeps his feet moving, Sexton scores more, we trade Bobby Ryan or Scott Neidermayer for something BIG, and finally that the second half of the season is one all the hockey papers will be talking about with regard to the Ducks!
Go Ducks!

All I want for X-mas......less Teemu

Since last I wrote the Ducks have played 5 games and have managed a winning record of going 3 and 2. Currently they sit 12th in the west, 6 points out of the 8th spot (3 wins), but more importantly they are playing like a team with identity. The 4th line of Parros, Brown, and Noki have been playing beautifully. The top line is on fire and it seems like ever since Sexton joined the club the team has been excited about playing. So with all the positives, I have a few fears that I want to impress upon you the reader. I am scared of the fact that Teemu Selanne will return and take back his spot that Sexton took over and ruin the team chemistry. I know Teemu is the love of the town with novice fans, but this guy kills us with soft passes, and little to no puck control. The only way Teemu is great is if he gets to skate from one end to another with no one on the ice, and no whistles for offsides, and no team mates around to share the puck. In fact if the NHL ever goes to 1-1 games, Teemu will shine!!! For now, Teemu, maybe you can slam your finger on the car door, or hyper extended it at home, so you can give Sexton more playing time....what do you say?

Look on the bright side............

I have not blogged in the last three games because I was hoping I could help change the teams luck a bit, but alas to no avale! Since the Kings game, we've lost Selanne for over a month, but gained a new comer in Sexton, who single handed beat Dallas the other night by bringing the Ducks within one point of tying the game, then tying it so Saku Koivu could win it in OT! So what can be said about this team that I have not already said? Well, this is the ugliest start to season in a long while. Changes are coming, and they will be big, but the one thing that can be said is that this team has the talent to come back and win. The problem is taking alead and maintaining it. It's like the team is not motivated to play hard from the get go and need some adversity in order to get "up" for the game. This is not a good thing as it creates more work and leads to unnecessary injuries, as we have seen. So I'm trying to move past the previous four losses and focusing on the incredible come back last night, and hoping it motivates the team to get it in gear. We'll see what changes occur between now and the Olympic break, but one thing is for sure....they will be big changes.

Go Ducks!

Baby Steps!

Remember the 1991 movie, "What about Bob?" It's a hilarious comedy starring Richard Dreyfuss and Bill Murray. Murray plays a nutcase and Dreyfuss his psychiatrist. Anyway, the story is about Dreyfuss trying to rehabilitate Murray, before he drives him crazy, and the technique he used was called "baby steps".

Well, that's what I think JR (Jim Rutherford) and the Canes need to do right now, take baby steps.

First step was to stop the bleeding. After five straight losses, the Canes finally hit the win column yesterday afternoon with a 5-3 home win against the visiting Vancouver Canucks. The game was not the best effort by the Canes this year by any stretch, but they got it done. Perhaps most noteworthy was the success of the Canes #1 line; Eric Staal, Ray Whitney & Erik Cole. Cole potted three goals (doubled his season's output to six) and was effective throughout the game. Ray Whitney played one of his best games of the season, with a 3-point effort, including the tying goal, just 20 seconds after Vancouver had taken an early 1-0 lead. And, Eric Staal looked like he is starting to round into form, playing with energy and determination. If this line can start to produce on a regular basis, as it has in the past, the Canes fortunes will most assuredly improve.

I was impressed again with Matt Cullen, who has been one of the few Canes to bring it every night this year, and extended his personal point scoring streak to five games, with an assist. Brandon Sutter also continued to impress, playing over fifteen minutes and ending at 55% in the face-off circle, another solid, if unspectacular, performance by him. Unfortunately, his linemates, Chad Larose and Tom Kotsopoulos, are better suited to the fourth line and limit the offensive contribution for this line. Not sure what's happened to Larose, but his lack of confidence is obvious right now. Nonetheless, they work hard every shift. Although Sergei Samsonov scored a pretty goal in the 2nd period, I don't see a longterm future for him as a Cane. He plays too much on the periphery.

The fourth line, comprising Rod Brind'Amour, Stephan Yelle and Scott Walker, (nicknamed the "geritol" line) is long on experience and effort, but at $6.0M plus, is clearly the biggest ticket fourth line in the league and frankly, can't be justified given the Canes woeful performance to-date. The defensive corps got it done by committee. Nothing spectacular, but good enough for the win. This is an area the Canes will have to overhaul before next season. Manny Legace was solid in net again for the Canes, but the good news is that Cam Ward is set to return this week. 'Nuff said!

Jussi Jokinen, one of the more effective Canes this year, was a late scratch, but when he returns to the line-up, the Canes will be able to re-jig their lines. And, hopefully, we'll see newly-acquired Jiri Tlusty in a Canes uniform soon. The challenge remains for JR to shed the team of some of the "tired" veterans to make way for the new wave. I have to wonder if he has another deal, like the Tlusty deal, looming to strengthen the D. That would help immensely, particularly with Joe Corvo on the shelf for most of the season. Tlusty figures to be part of the re-build along with River Rats' Zach Boychuk, Drayson Bowman, Jamie McBain, and Brett Carson. We will probably see all of them at some point this year.

So, some of the pieces are coming together. Both Brandon Sutter and Bryan Rodney have shown they are ready for the "show". Although Rodney was returned to Albany after the game for more seasoning, he has impressed me with his on-ice demeanor. And, you can expect JR to grab another young stud or two at the trade deadline.

Like I said before, it's all about "baby steps."

Ducks Lose: The Dunce Trick

I don't know who to be more upset at? Randy Carlyle, or Art-uken? First of all I think Randy should have let Jiggy start in tonight's game due to his recent performance on the ice. Jiggy brings a desire to win right now that the team needs to gain some ground. Even though the team posted a 4-1-1 record over the home stand, tonight's loss was a major bump in the road.

Art-uken (Don't bother me about the spelling) was just standing around like a sack of garbage. He was a spectator in tonight's game and should have been given a striped shirt to wear, since he looked more like one of the officials. That being said, why all the penalties from this guy tonight? Something must have been eating the Russian nightmare (in a bad way) because he kept getting penalized left and right. Infact he scored another form of a hat trick tonight, 3 penalties by one player, or what I now refer to as the DUNCE TRICK!!

Well, it seems the verdict came in faster than it took me to write this blog....tonight's blame is the Dunce Trick Russian. Thanks Dunce-tuken!

Go Ducks!

3 out of 4 points ain't bad.

Well after a fantastic game against a red hot Chicago team where the Ducks shut them out 3-0, the Phoenix Yotes came to town and stole one in over time from the Anaheim crew. Although the team can not afford to give up points to Pacific Division rivals, I always say that 1 point is better than no points. I must be honest that when I heard Kyle Calder was going to be out due to an eye injury, I did not expect to win tonight. It has taken so long for this team to click, and then all of the sudden....BAM! eye injury to Calder. The good news, is that we've managed to get a point in a all of our games except 1 in the last six games. The next game continues to be just as important as the Ducks take on the freeway rivals, Los Angeles Kings. Every point is as crucial as the last one, and it is definitely better not to let the other team get one. I will say I am happy with the way Jiggy is playing as of late (trade news might have gotten back to him), and I do like the Russian Monster, Koivu, Seleane line. Perry continues to mystify with his point streak which is now up to 18, and I still can not help it but to rave about Brown, Marchant, Getz, Calder and the Wiz. I hope things only get better as soon as Lupul can get rid of his back spasm (what a sissy), and Calder heals up his eye ball. We'll have to wait and see.

Go DUCKS!!!

Ducks win 2!!!

wow, it sure feels nice to write about two Duck wins in a row! Unfortunately, the wins have not come easy as we Duck fans are getting accustomed to "scary wins." That being said, the Ducks were able to hold on for a shootout victory against Calgary, and a regulation win over Carolina. The Carolina game may not have been such an impressive win, given their luck as of late, but the Calgary game was nothing to be ashamed of. The Ducks seemed to be getting somewhat of a groove as of late, albeit a messy one, but for now the slow and steady climb has been a long time coming. With the other Pacific teams losing as of late, the Ducks are slowly closing the gap between last place and anything that comes next! It does not get any easier, as the Ducks face Chicago the day after Thanksgiving, so hopefully the team does not stuff themselves too much!

Go Ducks!!

Sharks Devour The Ducks

Well, I'd like to say that I am angry at the Ducks for not playing to their potential, but something strange happened tonight. They actually played a really good game. Sure there were things here and there that could have been done a little better, but there comes a point when you start playing the way you're suppose to an you still can not win. That's what happened to the Ducks on this night. They played well, and scored goals and Perry even continued his scoring streak, but the Ducks still lost. The Sharks are a tough team and are in first place of a challenging division (who knew the Kings and Phoenix would be contenders the same year?). So now enters Bob Murray into the picture. Something will change; you can bet good money on it. Players will be moved, and it will be someone big for a huge return. I am even considering buying up the Scott Niedermayer souvenirs as he is most definitely the one I think Murray will trade away for the biggest return. Am I giving up on this season? No way! Things happen all the time that change the face of the game with a snap of a finger. I think something big happens before the Olympic break and then we'll see a second half surge reminiscent of last year....or maybe not. Whatever the case may be, the Ducks will be a different looking team come the Olympic break.

Go Ducks!!!!

Things are looking up!

If you have followed the last couple of games for the Hurricanes, you have to be cautiously optimistic that the Canes are finally over the early season jitters that led to fourteen games without a win.

There have been a number of things to feel good about. Clearly, their confidence is returning and it shows in their overall play. The offence has finally started to come-to-life and Manny Legace has been a calming influence in goal.

What a game against the Leafs! The Canes showed their resiliency, much like the play-offs last year, and pulled out some last minute heroics to earn the two points in a must-win game. It was great to see the Canes tough it out and not give-up when the Leafs' Ian White scored with less than thirty seconds remaining. It would have been easy to close up the tent. But, they didn't. And it was great to see Erik Cole finally contribute offensively. Many nights this season, Cole has been persona non grata. Absolutely invisible. With Eric Staal still on-the-shelf, it is up to players like Cole and Ray Whitney, to step-up and fill the void. Tuomo Ruutu certainly did his part. How about this performance - four assists, seven hits, the game winning goal in the shoot-out, and a plus-three on the night. Not a bad night's work, wouldn't you say? Jussi Jokinen also played a solid game for the Canes, scoring yet another shoot-out goal. Both he and linemate Matt Cullen were plus-two, giving that line a composite plus-seven in this game.

And how about Tim Gleason! This was Tim's first two-goal game in the bigs as he was effective at both ends of the rink, loggong almost five minutes of powerplay time, and ending at a plus-one in over 24 minutes total playing time. Defence partner Joe Corvo logged over thirty-three minutes and also ended at a plus-one. These guys are really starting to come around.

A couple of other things caught my attention. Manny Legace, although somewhat inconsistent in regulation time, was outstanding in the shoot-out when he had to be. And Brandon Sutter just continues to do it all, playing a solid twenty three minutes in this one. I don't think anyone would have expected the level of improvement he's shown thus far. The Canes game with Southeast conference rival Tampa Bay was perhaps their best outing of the year. They outperformed the Lightning in virtually all aspects of the game and came out with a well-deserved 3-1 victory. Manny Legace had a strong outing, continues to fill in admirably for injured Cam Ward and has given the rest of the Canes the confidence to play their game.

The line of Cullen-Ruutu-Jokinen is clearly the Canes best right now. Both Ruutu and Jokinen scored key goals for the Canes and Cullen played a solid sixteen minutes of plus hockey. It was also encouraging to see Chad Larose finally get the monkey off his back with his first goal this season, scoring the insurance goal with just over four minutes remaining to seal-the-deal.

But, this night belonged to Joni Pitkanen. He played an outstanding game, leading countless rushes for the Canes, firing six shots, while playing over 23 minutes of plus-one hockey. His impact on the offence is huge and changes the dynamic of this team in a major way. Interestingly, he was partnered with Niclas Wallin, who I thought played his best game of the season. The Pitkanen-Wallin pair along with the resurgent Corvo-Gleason tandem gives the Canes two solid defence pairs. Improvement is still needed on the third pairing and hopefully, the Canes will have some more options when Staal returns. Bryan Rodney's return would help.

Speaking of Staal. He has returned to practise and should be ready in about a week. That will make things interesting for the Canes. With Brandon Sutter improving every game and with Matt Cullen starting to hit stride, the Canes should be set a center. You have to believe that Staal will be re-united with Ray Whitney and Erik Cole to form the top trio and the Cullen-Ruutu-Jokinen troika will line-up number two. That will leave Sutter to head the third unit, most likely with Sergei Samsonov manning the left side. Chad Larose probably earned the right wing following his strong showing against Tampa.

I guess the million-dollar question these days is what to do with Rod Brind'amour. He is a shadow of his former self and, other than his solid face-off contribution (56%), he has been largely ineffective with a team-high minus 18 on the season and a meagre two goals. His ice-time continues to decline and his role diminish. So, what are the Canes options? Continue to play him on the fourth line, move him to the wing on the third line, trade him (no way that will happen), or simply ask him to hang them up. This is a tough one for sure. There's no question that when Brindy is playing his game, he is a key cog in this Canes machine. But how long can the Canes wait? This situation will be an interesting one to watch in the days and weeks to come.

Next up for the Canes, a brief two-game western tour, with Dallas kicking-it-off tomorrow night.

Scott Niedermayer causes a riot at Honda Center!!!