Preseason Wrap Up

For the Carolina Hurricanes, the last preseason game seemed more like a minor league contest instead of a NHL game. A half dozen fights, more then 40 penalties and a shoot out that went nine rounds. The best thing out of the contest might have been the performance of goalie Cam Ward who stopped 38 of 39 shots in regulation and another four in overtime. He then stepped it up even more with stoning all nine of the Blue Jackets shooters in the shootout. Or the best thing could have been how the Canes stood up for each other from Ryan Bayda who is all of 5’10” standing up to Columbus enforcer Tommy Sestito who stands a mere 6’4” to Ray Whitney who took exception on a hit suffered by team captain Rod Brind'Amour.
For this preseason, the Canes went 4-1-1. The bright spots for Carolina in the preseason in my opinion:
Two of the four wins were in either overtime or a shootout
Two of the Canes wins were shutouts
Cam Ward against Nashville Predators
John Grahame against Columbus Blue Jackets

Canes go 4-1-1 in six games
Defensive prospects – Carolina’s defense should be a lot better with the prospects that are now working out in Albany of the AHL
Carolina went roughly 98% on the Penalty Kill during the preseason

With all the positives, there are still a few concerns for me with this 2007-08 Hurricane team:
Carolina out shooting opponents and coming up on the wrong side of the win column
Hurricanes out shoot Nashville 40-30, only get one goal and lose 4-1
Carolina out shoots Washington and loses in overtime to divisional foes from up North

Power play is still a major concern for me. In the Nashville game from point 1, the only Carolina was with the man advantage, but they also gave up a shorty as well. Carolina went 0-3 in the first period of their final preseason game and something like 6 for 35.

Other than those two concerns, I cannot see how the “hockey experts” and “hockey bloggers” are picking Carolina to miss the playoffs for the second straight year. I can see that Carolina might not win the Southeast divisional title, but I do see this squad making the playoffs and going deep this season. Here is my prediction for the Southeast:
Florida Panthers – goaltending should be greatly improved
Carolina Hurricanes – shoot performance will be better; Cam Ward will be better between the pipes
Tampa Bay – with Richards, St. Louis and Lecavalier this team is always in the hunt
Washington Capitals – time for Ovechkin and Semin to step up
Atlanta Thrashers – the whoring out of GM Don Waddell for Keith Tkachuk for a playoff run then not resigning him I see the team really lacking the umph. I would not be surprised if Waddell does not make it through the 07-08 season as Atlanta GM

Canes out shoot - can't out score

For the second straight preseason game, Carolina out shot their opponent but could not outscore them. This time it was divisional foe Washington. Carolina put the puck on net 31 time but was able to get it past Capitals starting goaltender Olaf Kolzig two times in the second period. Meanwhile, the Canes crease was split between number one goaltender Cam Ward and Michael Leighton who is attempting to push John Grahame out of the number two position.
Scoring for the Canes was again number 11 Justin Williams 36 seconds into the third period to prevent Carolina from being shutout (something that hasn’t happened this preseason). Erik Cole tipped in a shot from team captain Rod Brind'Amour to even the score. The Caps put the game away on the only power play goal scored in the game.
Speaking of the power play, the Canes were zero for six in the fourth preseason game. This is a trend that seems to stem from a squad that was horrible with the man advantage last season.
Next up for Carolina is a road game against Columbus and then Carolina hosts the Blue Jackets to finish up the Canes preseason schedule.
One thing that Carolina is having an issue with when attempting to trim their roster to the final 22 players, is placing goaltender Michael Leighton and forward Ryan Bayda on waivers to be sent down to AHL Albany. With the way these two players have played, I would not be surprised if a team picked up Leighton since it seems that goaltending could be an issue this season. Bayda not clearing waivers either is not something that is far fetched. Last season, he spent time with the big club and if sent to Albany, he probably (again in my opinion) won’t clear waivers.

Canes Weekend Wrap-up

For the Carolina Hurricanes, the weekend started off stellar with an 18 save shutout performance from goaltender Cam Ward against the visiting Nashville Predators. 2004 draftee Casey Borer had a goal and an assist as well as former Predator and current Cane Scott “bulldog” Walker. After the game, Carolina assigned Jakub Petruzalek to Albany of the AHL.
The second part of the home and home with Nashville did not go well. Nashville jumped on top one to nothing. Hurricane Justin Williams scored the loan goal for the Canes. On a good note, it was a powerplay goal; however, the Canes went downhill from there giving up a short handed goal and falling to Nashville 4-1. Johnny Grahame “cracker” stopped 26 of 30 shots while Chris Mason stoned the Canes on 39 of 40 shots.
Carolina has sent four more players from their training camp roster to Albany:

Forwards:
Keith Aucoin
Patrick Dwyer

Defencemen:
J.D. Forrest
Noah Babin

With the newly trimmed roster (down to 28 players), Carolina travels to take on the Washington Capitals tomorrow night at the Verizon Center and then it is off the Ohio and a preseason match-up against the Bluejackets of Columbus on Thursday. Columbus and Carolina wrap up the Hurricanes preseason schedule on Friday 9/28 at the RBC Center.

Canes Cut 15 - ready for second preseason game

After two days of cuts, the Carolina Hurricanes have trimmed their roster to 33 players before heading into their second preseason game tonight. Yesterday, the Canes sent 15 players to Albany of the AHL. The players are listed below:

Goaltenders:
Kevin Nastiuk
Justin Peters
Daniel Manzato

Defensemen:
Wade Brookbank
Tim Conboy
Mark Flood
Joey Mormina
Steve Ward

Forwards:
Mike Angelidis
Nicolas Blanchard
David Gove
Bobby Hughes
Kirk MacDonald
Brandon Nolan
Jerome Samson

The players will report to River Rats training camp on September 26.

On Wednesday, the Hurricanes sent four players back to their respective junior hockey teams. The players and weblink to their respective junior teams are below:

Drayson Bowman – http://www.spokanechiefs.com/
Justin McCrae – http://www.saskatoonblades.com/
Harrison Reed – http://www.sarniasting.com/
Chris Terry - http://www.plymouthwhalers.com/

The Hurricanes play host to Nashville tonight then travel to Tennessee to take on the Preds to complete a home and home series.

Random Notes and thoughts

If you haven't read or heard already, one of the old time Whalers is gone to retirement. Sean Burke announced his retirement yesterday. He is the only goalie that I remember wearing the old Green, Blue and White of the Whalers - this because I didn't get into hockey until late into my teen years, some 13 or 14 years ago. While it is always sad to see a player hang'em up, if the player can go out on their own terms then there is nothing that fans can or should do other than appluade their careers and I do that of Burke. He hangs'em up after twenty years of backstopping in the NHL.

It looks like the NHL is starting to listen to its fans even if they state that "it is just time to look at changing the way scheduling is done". I for one am not a fan of being able to see teams like Dallas, Chicago, Detroit or even the "Used" Oil just once every two years or so. There are numerous ways that a schedule can be done. If I had it my way, I would schedule 30 games against the West - 15 games on the road and 15 of those games at your respective teams venue. I know that sounds like a long road trip, but that:

a.) can be split up into 3 trips
b.) can accompany the road trips that are already scheduled for teams in your respective teams division
c.) can be scheduled for when there are other events - circus, college basketball, fair - are scheduled at your respective teams venue. (note: some teams don't have to worry about this kind of venue sharing)

Not being at the scrimmage yesterday, I am not going to be able to comment on it. I have read the notes/story from the News and Observer and if there were only 5 penalites called in a scrimmage, one would think that the Canes should stay out of the penalty box. Again, this comes off the heals of the Canes having to kill off a couple of 5 on 3 penalties this past Sunday. So either the coaches/refs at the scimmage aren't calling it tight or the refs from Sunday's exhibition were calling it a little to close to the vest. We shall have to see!

First impression - not impressed

Okay, so I have been as dormant as the Carolina power play was last season. Let’s hope that both are corrected now that a new season has started. I was able to get to the arena this past Sunday to check out the action on the ice for the first time since the Canes played there earlier in 2007. Truly I was not impressed.

Johnny Grahame “Cracker” – who I did cheer for and support for the half a period that I was able to see him play – was still himself. He gave up two goals on 11 shots. Maybe this season that he has some competition against him his game will rise, if not send him down to Albany – technically Albany is up geographically but I am talking about in terms of the ranking of the leagues .

I am like most persons I presume in the fact that I was impressed with Noah Babin. I am not sure if I would bring him to the big club yet as I only saw the 2nd and 3rd periods on Sunday. Some more seasoning down in Albany and the big defenseman should do fine.

I was more impressed with the Caps on Sunday. Their big guns weren’t out there; however, their two goaltenders held the Canes at bay. Only in the 3rd period, when coach P put the Staal – Stillman – Cole line together did Carolina flip a switch and they played like the should. The line shuffling didn’t stop there as coach P put Bayda and Aucion together. These two have chemistry as they were 2/3rds of the top line in Albany last season.

I presume we must wait until Friday to see what happens. Now according to the News and Observer – the Canes are working on the PP tonight before the scrimmage that is scheduled for 6PM at the RBC.