Monday NHL Morning Papers (Eastern Conference)
In NHL Morning Papers we break down the stories published in newspapers around the country. By reading our synopsis the average hockey fan can catch up to all the happenings around the National Hockey League.
Categories: Eastern Conference, Morning Papers, NHLHS Features Tags: Antero Niittymaki, Brandon Sutter, Dainius Zubrus, Dustin Tokarksi, Eric Fehr, Gregory Campbell, Jason Spezza, Jonas Gustavsson, Kenndal McArdle, Matt Cooke, Matt D'Agostini, Max Pacioretty, Mike Komisarek, Mike Smith, Mikhail Grabovski, Niklas Hagman, Nikolai Kulemin, Phil Kessel, Ray Whitney, Sergei Gonchar, Slava Kozlov, Tomas Kaberle, Toni Lydman
Ushering in a New Generation: Carolina Hurricanes
In our newest feature, Ushering in a New Generation, our talented writer Katlyn Gambill takes a deeper look into team success based on a player’s age. Today, she looks at the Carolina Hurricanes, the second oldest team in the league.
As the second oldest team in the league, the Carolina Hurricanes fell from their Stanley Cup victory in 2005-2006 to rock bottom in the current standings. Currently in last place in their conference and league, the team carries twelve players over 30 years old — in contrast, the Detroit Red Wings feature thirteen players over 30.
Categories: 30 Team Series, NHLHS Features, Ushering in a New Generation Tags: Aaron Ward, Brandon Sutter, Brett Carson, Eric Staal, Jiri Tlusty, Ray Whitney, Rod Brind’Amour
Thursday Morning Papers (Eastern Conference)
(hat tip to the boys at IllegalCurve. Thanks to their amazing class and their blessing to take over this feature here at NHL Hot Stove. We hope you enjoy the latest daily series.)
Categories: Eastern Conference, Morning Papers, NHLHS Features Tags: Ales Kotalik, Alexander Ovechkin, Andy Greene, Brandon Sutter, Brian Boucher, Craig Rivet, Dwayne Roloson, Erik Christensen, Ilya Kovalchuk, Jerome Samson, Jiri Tlusty, Marc-Anre Fleury, Martin Biron, Martin St.Louis, Rick DiPietro, Sergei Kostitsyn, Tomas Kaberle, Zach Boychuk
Here’s to a New Year Without Head Shots
I am certain that an opinion piece of this nature will upset each team’s fans but these head shots have got to stop. Of course, we are all hockey fans and love the big hit, some live for it but there needs to be a line drawn with the increasing speed to the game. These hits need to stop or else hockey becomes a survival of the fittest in which young players stand little chance of establishing a career due to playing scared due to footage from the last gruesome head shot.
While the League’s general managers mull over a rule change, I would like to propose a rule change of my own. Repeat dirty hits will lead to a permanent suspension from the League. The OHL instilled a similar rule when they banned Michael Liambas, a notoriously dirty player, from playing in their League following a career ending hit against Ben Fanelli. This instance marked just another time Liambas made a questionable hit, you cam see another one on first overall pick John Tavares here. The NHL made a similar move with former NHL pugilist Ryan Hollweg, essentially calling any hit remotely borderline until he played his way out of the league.
The moral of my rant will be that these types of players simply do not deserve a paycheck in the National Hockey League. A League where the rest of the world comes to play and play for the sport’s greatest trophies. What kind of message does it send when careers start to end due to these injuries? Do we need Sidney Crosby or Alexander Ovechkin seriously injured before we start to see lifetime bans?
My nominees for a lifetime ban…
Categories: 30 Team Series, Around the League Tags: Alexei Cherepanov, Andrew Peters, Anze Kopitar, Brandon Sutter, Brent Sutter, Chris Drury, Chris Pronger, clar, Clarke MacArthur, Curtis Glencross, David Booth, Dion Phaneuf, Jarkko Ruutu, Jaromir Jagr, Michael Liambas, Mike Richards, Patrick Kaleta, Paul Mara, Petr Prucha
Trade Rumors: Busy Day in Carolina
TSN’s Bob MacKenzie reported a trade of former first rounders. The last place Carolina Hurricanes moved their most recent first round selection, Phillipe Paradis, to the Toronto Maple Leafs for Jiri Tlusty.
The Hurricanes get an NHL ready player who can be inserted in their lineup immediately. Similar to their deals last year for Jussi Jokinen and Eric Cole the team gets a player who has shown flashes of offensive ability but fallen out of favor with their teams. Considering that Tlusty is only three years removed from his 13th overall selection giving up a young prospect like Paradis does not hurt as much.
Held scoreless in his two games with the Leafs, the 21-year-old put up 15 points in 18 games with their AHL affiliate. In 66 games last year in the A, the Czech native averaged a point per game with the Marlies. At his age, his production at the AHL level translates to the ability to hold a regular shift. Partner that with familiarity with coach Paul Maurice and the youngster should make a seamless transition to the Canes
Categories: By Teams, Carolina Hurricanes, Eastern Conference, Northeast, Southeast, Toronto Maple Leafs Tags: Aaron Ward, Anton Stralman, Bob MacKenzie, Brandon Sutter, Bruce Garrioch, Cam Ward, Carolina Hurricanes, Columbus Blue Jackets, Eric Cole, Eric Staal, Jiri Tlusty, Jussi Jokinen, Kris Russel, Paul Maurice, Philippe Paradis, Toronto Maple Leafs, TSN
Restoring the Rosters: Carolina Hurricanes
Based on Matthew Pouliot’s series on Circling the Bases, I have decided restore the rosters for every NHL team. Like Pouliot, I have established some ground rules for my selections.
- Each team contains players they originally drafted or signed before any other NHL team. This includes players drafted and not signed, as well as European free agents coming over at an older age.
- I have chosen to leave retired players off the list, and lean toward players in the AHL rather than those deported (KHL, SEL, DEL, etc.).
Essentially I am choosing the best available players for a team to succeed in the current NHL season. All 30 teams will be covered, with grades assigned to forwards, defense and goaltending. After all 30 articles are written, they will be ranked in order. This series’ intent is to reward or shame NHL scouts.
Looking at the roster, there are a few names most casual fans would know, and then a few only Hurricanes fans and prospect enthusiasts have knowledge of. Despite carrying a few superstar players the Canes have to rely on a plethora of young and unproven players.
The lineup for the Carolina Hurricanes is as follows.
Categories: 30 Team Series, Restoring the Rosters Tags: Andrew Ladd, Brandon Sutter, Brett Carson, Bryan Rodney, Cam Ward, Casey Borer, Chad LaRose, Chris Pronger, Craig Adams, Craig MacDonald, Danny Richmond, Drayson Bowman, Eric Cole, Eric Staal, Jack Johnson, Jean-Sebastien Giguere, Justin Peters, Manny Legace, Michael Nylander, Niclas Wallin, Ryan Bayda, Tyson Strachan, Zach Boychuk
