(May 23, 2009 - Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images North America)

This morning the Carolina Hurricanes announced the firing of head coach Paul Maurice for the second time. Through 25 games, the long-time Cane was en route to his third straight season without a playoff berth. Something needed to give and GM Jim Rutherford was not willing to blow up an entire team in order to spare his friend.

On paper, the Canes are an awful team. Their 60 goals forced rank dead-middle at 15th in the League while their 81 goals allowed are worst in the League. The goals allowed can’t even be blamed on luck as their even-strength save percentage is right in the middle as well. Their time of possession ranked a below-average 21st mainly due to a poor, but somehow improved 49.5 faceoff percentage. On paper, this team needed to be fixed.

Nevertheless, Rutherford chose not to make a single personnel move with regards to his players. Instead, he told Maurice to make good with the parts given to him. To employ 5-goal scorer Alexei Ponikarovsky on the top two lines, rely on grinder Chad LaRose to score goals (which he actually did) and to shuffle Anthony Stewart — whose scored all of 22 goals in 206 NHL games — around the lineup.

Last season, LaRose was able to help the shutdown process with Patrick Dwyer and Brandon Sutter. This season he was forced to step up due to the inconsistency of Stewart, Ponikarovsky and prospects Zac Dalpe and Zach Boychuk. When questioned, Rutherford acknowledging that he would need at least another two forwards to slot into the top nine in order to get back into the mix. “We look at it a lot harder when things aren’t going good. In an ideal world we would like to have one top-six forward and one top-nine forward. If we can trade a defenseman for a top-9 forward, we will do that.”

So why was all of the onus put on arguably the best coach in franchise history? Likely because budget constraints simply would not allow Rutherford to make the necessary changes.

Photo Credit: PuckPress.com

One of the bigger problems was letting go Erik Cole this past offseason. As one of the top producers over the last couple of seasons he no longer slotted into their budget. While he may seem like nothing more than a gritty and speedy winger who tops out at 25-30 goals, his chemistry with captain Eric Staal is clearly missed. Playing in the South with a constrained payroll, Rutherford could not offer his unrestricted free agent the money he needed, keeping the Canes at the bottom of the salary cap standings.

When Maurice took the reigns back from Peter Laviolette, he coached a much more skilled team. While current Canes like Ruutu, Staal, LaRose, Joni Pitkanen, Tim Gleason and Cam Ward remain on the roster, skilled players like Rod Brind’Amour, Ray Whitney, Sergei Samsonov, Dennis Seidenberg, Joe Corvo, Anton Babchuk and Matt Cullen have all left or retired. The departure of these players left a gaping wound, one that Maurice or any other coach simply could not put a bandage over.

Rutherford thought he filled a reasonable amount of holes with his offseason moves. “The new guys for the most part have filled the roles that we wanted them to. Adding the backup goalie [Brian Boucher] and fourth line center [Tim Brent] and Ponikarovsky. [Tomas] Kaberle started slow but his game has been better the last three weeks or so.” At this point, he can’t be happy with the veteran players the team has lost. Due to budgetary constraints and inability to get quality players at a discount rate this team would have a problem winning with any coach.

Firing Paul Maurice is the first step for Rutherford to assess exactly what he has. Hiring Kirk Muller is all about a change in culture. The Canes have won in the past and they certainly are a team that wants to win as soon as this season. And nobody wants to win more than Rutherford. “From a team concept point of few even in years where we haven’t made the playoffs and some of those years we’ve been close and we’ve been real very fortunate with real character guys who want to win at all costs.” As currently constructed, they simply don’t have the team they want.

“Can Kirk pull these guys together and get them to step their game up? If he can thats good for this group. if that doesn’t happen, we have a lot more work to do,” Rutherford later explained. That question is apropos: If Muller can instill a winning environment, there will be some changes made. If he can’t there will be some wholesale changes.

Unfortunately, a good hockey guy in Paul Maurice falls victim to a poorly constructed team whose top guns could not step up this season. He will surely catch on with some team very soon as coaches with his track record don’t last too long on free agency.

Photo Credit: Ranger Rick / Flickr

Earlier in the week, top free agent center Brad Richards formally announced he would not be re-signing with the Dallas Stars. Despite enjoying his time in Big D, the playmaking center simply felt uncomfortable playing for a team whose ownership situation remains muddled and whose budget still remains undeclared. Too much uncertainty forces Richards to test the open market and forces GM Joe Nieuwendyk to explore the option of trading his rights away, if Richards allows him to do so.

“Obviously I have to move on,” Richards told ESPN.com’s Pierre LeBrun. “I had fun in Dallas and I like the city. But the (ownership) situation is unclear so I really didn’t have a chance to stay there. I will move on and look forward to the opportunity to being a free agent. I’ve never had that chance in my career. It’s a real big moment in my life to say the least.’”

According to Kevin McGran of The Star, it seems like the frontrunners are the Toronto Maple Leafs, New York Rangers, Los Angeles Kings and the Detroit Red Wings. The most popular writer in the blogosphere, Greg Wyshynski, also mentions the Buffalo Sabres and the Tampa Bay Lightning as two solid options. However, all 29 teams would likely want a crack at grabbing Richards, especially if he does not waive his NTC to a likely suitor; even if his rights are traded it seems like Richards would love to explore free agency for the first time in his career.

And why not, Richards has played 772 games in the NHL without controlling his destiny. He re-signed with the Lightning right after winning the Stanley Cup and then was traded to Dallas while on that same deal. He likes to win and liked Tampa Bay but his loyalty forced his way into Texas.

Back in February, Steve Simmons of The Toronto Sun alluded to Richards wanting to play in Carolina, yet the Hurricanes look far off everyone’s radar. But why? There are several reasons why he would work on the Canes, let us discuss.

1. 2nd line center. Most of last season, the Canes struggled to find their second line center. Jussi Jokinen, Tuomo Ruutu and Jeff Skinner all alternated in that position throughout the season.  Ruutu, who took the third-most faceoffs on the team with 643, finished with a faceoff percentage of 41.2. Clearly Richards, who finished with a 50.6 percent success rate, would greatly improve their faceoffs.
2. Snipers. Skinner could easily be the best young sniper in the League. If you look at Richards’ career, he typically needed a sniper and was previously excellent while pivoting Loui Eriksson or Martin St. Louis. He also struggled to produce while toiling on the second line in Tampa Bay, which once gave him a supporting cast of Jan Hlavac and Michel Ouellet– neither of which is still in the NHL. For Richards to succeed he needs linemates who have a killer instinct. Skinner has that, top prospects Zach Boychuk and Zac Dalpe could do the same.
3. Location. We know Richards loved Tampa Bay and he alluded to liking Carolina as a location to play. If he was a member of the Canes he would a not only face his former team more than he would outside the Southeast Division, he would also enjoy the quiet ability to stay under the radar in the streets — something that would simply not happen in Toronto or New York. Carolina and Tampa Bay are relatively similar cities with regards to temperature and how their teams are regarded when they are winning.
4. Cap Space. With only five forwards actually signed for next season, the Canes hold the third-most cap space with over $29 million to spend. Yes, they need to spend some on that in retaining alternate captain Brandon Sutter and probably try to re-sign Chad LaRose, Erik Cole and Jokinen but none of their free agents are more talented than Richards. Which leads us to our next point…
5. Two Elite Centers. Adding Richards down the middle would give Eric Staal the perfect compliment. Considering the team opts to play Sutter in a defensive role, he would stay on the third line giving the team a perfect 1-2-3 in the faceoff circle. Aside from the Anaheim Ducks, every post-lockout Stanley Cup Champion had two excellent options at center which helped propel them. These two would rival Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk, Ryan Kesler and Henrik Sedin, Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, or even Vincent Lecavalier and Steven Stamkos.

Of course, things change quickly in hockey and the Canes have never really made a splash this big. Considering they are in the middle of their rebuild-on-the-fly they could opt to promote more youth. Or, they could take an aggressive look ahead at the team who forced them out of the playoff picture by taking the one that got away.

So, of course, I’m going down the same road this year. Yes, probably insane (you know, doing the same thing twice, expecting different results, and so forth) but hey, it’s decent water-cooler material if nothing else. This year, though, I’m restricting it to three sentences per player, max. (Not that I’m lazy; just trying to consolidate as much as possible.) As with last year, the numbers are pro-rated to 82 games, so that there’s some consistency while eliminating the problem of predicting who will miss how many games.

Here goes nothing, in order by projected points…again:

Forwards
Eric Staal: Last year was an injury-riddled aberration, if you can call only missing 12 games “injury-riddled” — but Staal wasn’t at full strength for most of the year, and still managed a point-per-game pace. No reason he can’t do the same again this season, with added incentives coming in the form of starting the season as captain and having the All-Star Game in his home arena. The only truly-dangerous offensive player on the Canes’ roster (to start the season, anyway) will continue to answer the bell. Projection: 36/47/83

Jussi Jokinen: Will he score 30 again? Probably not, but Jokinen showed no signs of slowing down last season and 50 points is almost a given. Jokinen isn’t as streaky as some other potential one-hit wonders, so while he won’t hit 30 he’ll put up respectable numbers. Projection: 24/31/55

Brandon Sutter: As opposed to last year, when Sutter was inexplicably sent to the AHL and Stephane Yelle, of all people, won a roster spot instead, Sutter will be on the roster from opening night this year. While it was assumed he would become a 20-goal scorer at some point, next to nobody thought it would happen in his second NHL season. He’ll have better linemates this season than he’s ever had, so he’ll be in the 20-goal club again. Projection: 23/32/55

Sergei Samsonov: Really? Yes, really. Samsonov is in a contract year, and he’ll use that to his great advantage. That is, if he isn’t buried on the fourth line all season, a realistic possibility given the logjam of forwards in front of him on the depth chart. It wouldn’t be surprising if he becomes trade bait at some point, but in the meantime he’ll at least hold his own. Projection: 19/26/45

Jeff Skinner: I’ll be honest: I have absolutely no idea what Skinner will do. I’m reasonably sure he will stay on the roster all year and not be returned to Kitchener, but to expect world-beating numbers from a rookie is somewhat unreasonable; that said, he has the goods to make a real splash. In the end, I expect Skinner to be more like Stamkos (46 points his rookie year) than Crosby (103). Projection: 23/18/41

Chad LaRose: I had him pegged for 20 last year, and an injury kept him from hitting the milestone number for the first time; he was on pace for 16 goals last season. He’ll get regular top-six minutes this year, so while I’m not too confident he’ll pot 20 he should come close again. Projection: 18/23/41

Patrick O’Sullivan: The revelation of training camp, O’Sullivan was frequently the best player on the ice during the preseason and his ascendance relegated Zach Boychuk to Charlotte. Will he be able to keep up that sterling play all year? Probably not, but considering he had 34 points in a lost year in Edmonton last season it’s not too much to expect him to put a few streaks together this year. Projection: 17/23/40

Erik Cole: At this point it’s a truism that Cole’s power-forward pedigree has hit a wall since his broken neck in 2006. He has good chemistry with Staal, which will account for more than a few goals, but it wouldn’t surprise anyone if this is another rough offensive season. One caveat: like Samsonov, Cole is in a contract year, so he might have a mild bump because of that. Projection: 16/20/36

Jiri Tlusty: Like Samsonov, a tweener that doesn’t fit on checking lines but doesn’t have enough consistent production to earn a regular spot in the top six. Unlike Samsonov, Tlusty is coming off a serious injury which will probably hinder him through the first part of the season. He’ll likely be in the press box for at least a few games early in the season, so he will probably take a while to get up to speed given his injury and rehab. Projection: 12/19/31

Patrick Dwyer: He’s not on the roster for his offensive exploits, but Dwyer is an integral part of the Canes’ penalty kill and that will likely keep him in Raleigh all year. Any offense he chips in will be a bonus. Projection: 9/18/27

Zac Dalpe: It’s a long way from the NCAA to the NHL in less than a year. He likely won’t spend the entire season with the Canes, but it is worth noting that he had 7 points in 9 regular-season AHL games last year, followed by 6 points in 8 playoff games. That offensive production won’t be in the NHL this year though. Projection: 8/15/23

Tom Kostopoulos: All you really need to know about Kostopoulos is his yearly point totals since breaking into the NHL in 2003-04: 22, 22, 22, 13, 22, 21. Why mess with success? Projection: 8/14/22

Drayson Bowman: Somewhat surprisingly, Bowman has carved out a niche as a defensive specialist even though he was a prolific scorer in junior hockey, much like LaRose. He’ll be riding the Charlotte shuttle with Dalpe most of the season, so it’s doubtful he’ll make much of an offensive impact in the NHL this year. Projection: 7/9/16

Defensemen
Jamie McBain: Just about everyone is expecting a strong year from McBain, who will essentially serve as a clone of Joni Pitkanen. Don’t expect him to contribute much on the defensive end, where he’ll probably take a little while to adjust to the speed of the NHL, but he should be effective in the offensive zone, and he gives the Canes their first competent power-play quarterback since the days of Sandis Ozolinsh. Projection: 13/41/54

Joni Pitkanen: Just about everyone is expecting a strong year from Pitkanen, who will essentially serve as a clone of Jamie McBain. (Notice a trend here?) Pitkanen is the Canes’ best all-around defenseman and he’ll quietly put numbers up as he always does. Pitkanen will likely have more of an impact at even strength, while McBain will earn most of his points on the power play, so despite the fact I have them pegged for the same number of points they’ll be earned in much different ways. Projection: 8/46/54

Joe Corvo: A poor man’s Pitkanen, Corvo doesn’t make the same split-second decisions that Pitkanen is brilliant with and his defensive zone coverage, while not in Ozolinsh territory, is fair at best. But you know what you’re getting with Corvo, which is why he’s back with the Canes after being traded to Washington at the trade deadline last year. He may be squeezed out of power play time with the ascendance of McBain, but he’s still good for high-30 point potential, which is about where he’s consistently been over the past five years. Projection: 11/28/39

Anton Babchuk: He’s continually improved, no matter where he’s played. That said, he is still prone to some serious defensive gaffes and it’s entirely possible the coaching staff could sit him for the likes of Brett Carson or Bobby Sanguinetti depending on how effective his defensive-zone play is. But no one can deny the potent cannon that Babchuk possesses, and he should at least come close to his career high of 35 points if not pass it by a couple. Projection: 14/23/37

Tim Gleason: Despite the fact that he’s down this low on the totem pole, Gleason is the Canes’ most important defenseman and, especially this year, the one guy that will throw the entire defense out of whack if he misses time. While there’s no shortage of Jim Rutherford’s adored puck-moving defensemen on the roster, Gleason is the beginning and the end of the list of tough-to-play-against Hurricanes defensemen. His offense is ancillary to his leadership and defensive-zone play, so the projections are almost irrelevant…but we’re doing them anyway. Projection: 7/22/29

Bobby Sanguinetti: Look, another puck-mover! Sanguinetti was decent in the preseason, but not a standout by any stretch, and while he’ll start the season in the NHL it’s likely he’ll be on the Charlotte shuttle as well although he needs to clear waivers to be sent down. Since he’s only played five games in the NHL, this projection is a bit of a shot in the dark, but that’s not stopping us. Projection: 3/18/21

Brett Carson: A 54-game stint with the Canes last year seems to have given Carson the inside shot at being the sixth defenseman this season, but the organization’s infatuation with Jay Harrison might block Carson out. Carson’s no great shakes offensively, but like Gleason he’s rarely caught out of position and he’ll likely see extensive PK time while with the Canes. Offensively, though, there probably won’t be much there. Projection: 5/16/21

Jay Harrison: It’s rather ridiculous that he’s even on this list, given his indifferent play last year and his less-than-stellar preseason. But he has a one-way contract for some reason, and a budget team won’t pay anyone NHL money to ride buses in the AHL. So here he is, even though Casey Borer and Bryan Rodney probably have better claims to this spot; expecting more than pedestrian numbers from Harrison on either end will probably result in disappointment. Projection: 2/10/12

Goaltenders
Cam Ward: The conventional wisdom is that Ward had a down year last season, but his 2.75 GAA was an indictment of a defense that allowed him to see 1409 shots in just 47 games; prorated to 70 games, that’s nearly 2100 shots, which would have ranked him fourth in the NHL. The .916 save percentage was more indicative of his play, even while spending nearly half the season nursing various injuries, and given the fact that the Canes have gotten younger this season the discrepancy will likely be in place again this year. Projection: 2.68/.919

Justin Peters: His first season as Ward’s caddy will probably see him in 25 or so games, starting around 15 depending on injuries. Peters looked good at times last year, and playing his introductory games in the NHL for a team going nowhere last season will probably serve him well, since when the games count he’ll have some experience under his belt. He’s very clearly the second banana in net, though. Projection: 2.85/.902

Justin Pogge: In the Canes’ quest to acquire as many goaltenders named Justin, Pogge will probably spend most of the season in Charlotte. He’s only on the roster as the third goalie in Finland, and when the Canes return to North America he’ll head down I-85. In the event of an injury to Peters or Ward, he’ll get the call, but it’s pointless to make a projection for a guy who might very well not play an NHL game this season.

Whew…made it before the season starts. Back before noon Thursday with predicted conference standings, playoffs and your Stanley Cup champion.

Brian LeBlanc
NHLHS Hurricanes writer
bleblanc@nhlhotstove.com
Twitter: @puckdrops

When training camp started, there were more open slots on the Canes’ roster than at any point since the lockout.  Not to say that six open spots are anything to write home about, but for a franchise that has for years assigned lines and roster spots in June rather than September this qualifies as news.  With four open spaces at forward and two defensive spots open, the competition was expected to be fierce. However, as we’ve gone through the preseason there have been some surprises, both good and bad, so with a week left in camp we look at the chances of the players on the bubble to stick on the roster when the regular season begins next Friday.

Note that the NHL allows teams beginning the season overseas to have an expanded 25-man roster until they return from Europe.  One of those extra slots will undoubtedly go to Justin Pogge, who will serve as the third goaltender, and the second will likely go to a defenseman.  For purposes of this discussion, we will limit it to a normal 23-man roster and assess the odds from that benchmark.

Already on the team, barring catastrophe
F (8): Eric Staal, Sergei Samsonov, Tuomo Ruutu, Brandon Sutter, Erik Cole, Tom Kostopoulos, Jussi Jokinen, Chad LaRose
D (4): Tim Gleason, Joni Pitkanen, Anton Babchuk, Joe Corvo
G (2): Cam Ward, Justin Peters (plus Justin Pogge, who will go to Europe but will almost certainly be sent to Charlotte after the team returns)

Competition for Forward Spots
Patrick O’Sullivan: Signed the day camp opened, O’Sullivan has been a revelation in camp and a spot is almost certainly his to lose.  He has been productive in all facets of the game, including a turn as a penalty killer that resulted in a shorthanded goal in the first preseason game against Florida.  O’Sullivan is a historically streaky player, so to expect this great play to continue through the season is unrealistic, but he’s more than earned a spot on the roster as he’s been the best player on the ice for two of the Canes’ four preseason games. Chance of making the team: 95%

Zach Boychuk: No one on the roster has seen his stock fall faster in the first two weeks of camp than Boychuk, who had by all accounts been given every opportunity to make the team but has looked increasingly lost as camp has progressed.  He has been tentative on the puck, ineffective off it and has been by far the most disappointing player relative to his potential to this point.  The emergence of O’Sullivan has been directly at Boychuk’s expense, and while he may make the flight to Europe it will take a remarkable turnaround for him to stay on the 23-man roster.  There’s probably a decent (maybe 35%) chance of Boychuk being traded for defensive help in the next couple of weeks, although the team will never admit this, because his perceived ceiling (and therefore, his value on the trade market) is higher than anyone else on the bubble. Chance of making the team: 30%

Jiri Tlusty: A torn ACL in the AHL playoffs last year has prevented Tlusty from playing in any preseason games, but he may be cleared in time to play one of the final two games before the Canes leave for Russia.  There were never any promises for Tlusty this season, but the fact that he must clear waivers to be sent down (plus the one-way deal he signed this offseason, ensuring he will make NHL money even if sent down) will likely result in a roster spot. Chance of making the team: 70%

Drayson Bowman: Unusually for such a small player, if Bowman makes the team it will be as a defensive specialist.  Bowman has earned raves from the coaching staff with his attention to defensive detail.  He could use another season in the AHL to bulk up, and with the number of defensive forwards already on the roster (Sutter, Staal, Kostopoulos, LaRose, etc.) he will likely be squeezed to Charlotte.  It hasn’t been for a lack of effort, though, and he will probably be the first callup if he does head to the minors out of camp. Chance of making the team: 40%

Zac Dalpe: Dalpe’s chances of making the team took a serious hit Sunday when the team announced Jussi Jokinen would likely play center on the third line.  If Dalpe were to make the team, that’s where he would settle, so while he remains on the training camp roster it’s likely that he will not be headed to Europe.  While looking solid on the puck and generally making good decisions on both ends, Dalpe has made the predictable rookie mistakes, to no one’s surprise, and it wouldn’t hurt him to play top-six minutes in Charlotte rather than having a ceiling of 15 minutes per game with the Canes. Remember, he only signed his professional contract with nine games remaining in Albany’s season last year, so there’s still development that needs to occur. Chance of making the team: 15%

Patrick Dwyer: Dwyer is a known quantity, having played 58 games with Carolina last season, and while he would likely clear waivers (and has a minors-friendly two-way deal) it would take an other-worldly performance from either Bowman or Dalpe to knock Dwyer down to Charlotte.  Much like Chad LaRose years ago, who always seemed from the outside to have a shakier roster spot than the inside believed, Dwyer is a known quantity in an organization that values the known highly.  He’s virtually guaranteed a spot on the 23-man roster. Chance of making the team: 95%

Jeff Skinner: Even the franchise that valued him so highly that only the top two draft picks were above him on their board didn’t think the decision on whether Skinner would make the team was going to be this easy. If not for O’Sullivan, Skinner would be the story of camp.  He’s flown all over the ice, creating scoring chances out of nothing, and perhaps most importantly he teamed with Jokinen and LaRose on Friday night as part of the most effective line on the ice for either team.  That line is likely to remain intact when the season begins, and not only will Skinner make the opening-night roster, he will be on the roster for ten games, and his contract will be activated.  There’s no guarantee he will stay up for the entire season, but if he can play at this level all year, why wouldn’t the Canes keep him up? Chance of making the team: 90%

Likely to make the team: O’Sullivan, Dwyer, Skinner, Tlusty

Competition for Defense Spots
Jamie McBain: A spot on the 2010-11 roster has been McBain’s to lose since last year’s trade deadline, and he’s done nothing to relinquish that spot.   McBain has been solid if unspectacular in the preseason, but unspectacular in his case is a good thing.  He’s been smart with the puck and he doesn’t give up odd-man rushes often, so he is a solid defender in addition to being a valuable weapon on offense.  No question there will be some growing pains as he goes through his first full NHL season, but it would take a remarkable regression combined with someone else stepping up for McBain to play anywhere other than Carolina this season. Chance of making the team: 99%

Bobby Sanguinetti: It’s no surprise that the Canes are giving Sanguinetti an extended audition while sending potential roster-spot competitors Casey Borer and Bryan Rodney to Charlotte.  While the Canes know what they’re getting with the likes of Borer and Rodney, Sanguinetti is still something of an unknown quantity.  Unfortunately for him, Sanguinetti’s play has been shaky in the preseason.  He has been caught out of position somewhat regularly, and his offensive exploits have been pretty much nonexistent.  Even though Sanguinetti will be in camp for longer than most other hopefuls, he probably won’t even be the first option as a callup, especially when considering that Sanguinetti is exempt from waivers and has a two-way deal. Like Bowman, Sanguinetti will likely head to Europe but will be in Charlotte after the Canes return. Chance of making the team: 30%

Brett Carson: A non-factor to the point of being invisible thus far, Carson is nonetheless a known quantity which increases his chances of sticking on the roster. The Canes know what they have with Carson, who proved last year that he can handle regular shifts, and he’s probably going to be in a rotation with Jay Harrison (see below) as the sixth or seventh defenseman on any given night.  Note that Carson’s chance of staying put on the NHL roster will drop quickly if the Canes pull the trigger on a deal for more defensive depth. Chance of making the team: 60%

Jay Harrison: By any reasonable account Harrison has done nothing to deserve a roster spot.  So why is only McBain listed with a higher probability of seeing the roster? Simple: Harrison has a one-way deal, and the Canes are in no mood to pay him NHL money to play for Charlotte while paying a two-way player like Carson or Sanguinetti to play NHL minutes.  Harrison has been frighteningly bad, and the ill-fated pairing with Anton Babchuk in Friday’s game was a logistical nightmare.  After Bryan Rodney left with an injury, Harrison was mercifully moved from Babchuk’s pairing onto a unit with Tim Gleason, which only proved that Gleason can compensate for Harrison’s shortcomings.  There is no reasonable hockey reason Harrison should have a roster spot, but the budget being what it is you can safely expect Harrison to hold down a roster spot. Chance of making the team: 80%

Likely to make the team: McBain, Harrison, Carson (unless a trade is pulled off)

We’ll know by Wednesday who makes the team. The Canes have one more cut to get down to 25, but since the budget is a consideration there’s a decent chance the Canes will cut more players and only take 23 or 24 to Europe.  In any case, by the time the team comes back to the USA after the games in Helsinki the roster will almost certainly have no more than 21 players.

Who will they be? We’ll find out soon enough.

Brian LeBlanc
NHLHS Hurricanes Writer
bleblanc@nhlhotstove.com
Twitter: @puckdrops

Atlantic Division

• Original recipe served the Penguins well on Sunday. Winger Matt Cooke‘s deflection off a point-shot by defenseman Sergei Gonchar provided the Penguins a second power-play goal and a 2-1 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers at Wachovia Center.
• The Flyers’ nationally televised 2-1 loss to the visiting Pittsburgh Penguins Sunday can be explained in two words: special teams. The Flyers were just 1 for 9 on the power play, while Pittsburgh was 2 for 6, including Matt Cooke’s winning goal with 1:47 left. With the loss, the Flyers are 3-1 on the six-game homestand, which also has meetings with Atlanta and the Islanders.
• Sweep away the tumbleweed; Nassau Coliseum isn’t wasteland anymore. It finally is fertile ground again, a space where careers can blossom. Not to get hasty or anything. The Islanders still are not guaranteed a spot in the playoffs and they still have not won a postseason series since 1993. But they have succeeded in allowing players at least to get a foothold.
• The Rangers have 30 games to go in the season and there is a total disconnect within the team itself and between the players and the coaching staff. There is no better way to explain what became yet another blowout and yet another shutout, last night in an embarrassing 6-0 defeat to the Canadiens in which the Rangers competed only sporadically for one another and for head coach John Tortorella.
• Nothing is set in stone, but there is a possibility that the Devils could have center Dainius Zubrus back when they face the Ottawa Senators Tuesday night at Scotiabank Place. Zubrus said he will find out Monday, when his right knee is examined and he speaks with general manager Lou Lamoriello.

Northeast Division

• Despite web traffic that had him getting named as a substitute for the Russian Olympic team, winger Nikolai Kulemin had not heard anything as of Saturday. Tomas Kaberle (Czech Republic), Jonas Gustavsson (Sweden), Niklas Hagman (Finland), Mike Komisarek, (USA) and Phil Kessel (USA) are going. Mikhail Grabovski (Belarus) might not play due to a wrist injury.
• There are benefits to playing against — and losing to — the top team in the NHL. “Yeah, it shows we’ve got to learn,” Buffalo Sabres defenseman Toni Lydman said. The Sabres practiced in Vancouver on Sunday and tried to shake off Saturday’s 5-2 loss to San Jose. Buffalo held down the league’s best for long stretches while dictating play. It didn’t matter. The Sabres made several costly mistakes while the Sharks committed only one.
• Once again Saturday, the Ottawa Senators received the magic touch from the return of a long lost player. This time it was Jason Spezza who stepped off the injury list and into the starring role, scoring the winning goal as the Senators extended their winning streak to six games — their longest since December 2007 — in a sound 2-1 victory over the slumping Boston Bruins.
• The Canadiens appear to have grown tired of waiting for some of their young forwards to turn their season around and took action on Sunday. Early in the day, the team announced that Max Pacioretty had been assigned to the Hamilton Bulldogs of the American Hockey League. The team also assigned Matt D’Agostini on a conditioning assignment.
• If it turns out that yesterday’s game was not rock-bottom for the Bruins this season, it’s frightening to imagine what a worse performance might look like. Facing the last-place team in the NHL entering the game, the B’s accomplished little offensively and were even worse on the defensive side, absorbing a 5-1 thumping at the hands of the Carolina Hurricanes.

Southeast Division

• All Brandon Sutter could do was smile, shake his head and say, “Wow.” Sutter was on the bench, admiring a replay of a nifty move by Ray Whitney that set him up for a goal, but he could just as well have been talking about the Carolina Hurricanes’ play Sunday against the Boston Bruins.
• There’s a clear presumption of excellence, immediate or otherwise, attached to being a first-round pick, and that has been Eric Fehr‘s burden since the Washington Capitals selected him 18th overall in the 2003 draft. From virtually the first time the right wing began skating with the club, Fehr has fielded questions about when he would fulfill that promise and when Washington would be able to look to him as confidently as it does some of its more established players.
• Slava Kozlov‘s franchise record for consecutive games played ended Saturday. It was not a health issue that snapped the Thrashers veteran forward’s streak at 251. Kozlov was a healthy scratch against Tampa Bay.
• Speaking of Tampa Bay, Mike Smith will at least be on the bench Wednesday against the Canadiens after the Lightning on Sunday sent Dustin Tokarksi back to AHL Norfolk. Tokarski backed up Antero Niittymaki while Smith recovered from a neck strain that kept him out of six games. “I’m getting close,” Smith said. “The goal is to be ready for Wednesday.”
• It was the goal Kenndal McArdle had waited for since the Panthers drafted him five years ago. Gregory Campbell grabbed the puck after a Toronto turnover near center ice, streaked toward the net with it on a 3-on-1 rush and slid it over to McArdle, who fired a shot from the inner edge of the right circle into the top right corner. McArdle scored his first NHL goal with 6:55 left in Saturday’s 2-0 win against the Maple Leafs, and he did so against his hometown team.

Hat tip to the now defunct Illegal Curve for their permission in taking over this daily series.

Anthony Curatolo
NHLHS Senior Writer
acuratolo@nhlhotstove.com
Twitter: @HockeyGuy_AC

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.

Carolina’s oldest player, Rod Brind’Amour (age 39), is on pace for a career low in goals, assists, and points; not exactly ideal for a captain, who’s responsibility is to lead by example and, oftentimes, by production. The Hurricanes decided his age affected his game too much — the time arrived for the passing of the captaincy to Eric Staal. The oldest Staal now takes over the head leadership duties.

Staal became the fifth captain of the Carolina Hurricanes, and the youngest captain for Carolina. Carolina personnel hopes Staal’s youth will push the team out of last spot in the conference. Staal also switched back to his natural center spot today during practice, another sign of the changing tides in Carolina. Brind’Amour admitted Staal deserved the captaincy as Carolina drafted and groomed him as the face of the Carolina franchise in order to prepare him for this day and opportunity.

His leadership will help the future of the Hurricanes, but this season’s problems do not appear fixable.

With an average age of 28.92, the Hurricanes sprinkle both youth and wisdom throughout their roster. Below are two charts, the first one depicts the three oldest players, their age, games played this season with point productions from this season and last. The second chart compares the same traits with the three youngest players.

The younger players sit relatively on pace for the same production numbers as the previous season. Carolina’s youth does not appear to strengthen the team—their production underachieves compares to the numbers youths produce on other teams. As opposed to the stagnant numbers of the younger players, the older players’ production dropped significantly from last season to the present one. Brind’Amour’s numbers fell the most, while Whitney’s and Ward’s remained close to their previous point production.

The Hurricanes came a long way the Eastern Conference Finals last season, without much change to their basic lineup. The players that normally produce for the team, fail to do so this year.  Players like Brind’Amour, Staal (albeit he missed ten games), and Whitney are on pace to score less points this year than last.

The Hurricanes reside in last place in the “goals for” category, with 117 goals scored; they are twenty-eighth in the league for goals against with 161 goals. That is a minus 44 in the goals for/against section of statistics, a scary number for any team wanting to make the playoffs.

Their problems are more than just the offense and the goaltending.

Cam Ward, who played in thirty-three games thus far and won only nine, holds a save percentage of .907. Oddly enough, his save percentage this season is his second highest percentage in his five-season NHL career. The goaltending cannot take the brunt of the criticism for the team’s shortcomings. The goaltender remains the backbone of the team, however the offense and defense need to provide results for the goaltender to defend.

Carolina’s hockey team traveled far from the success of their 2005-2006 Stanley Cup Championship even though they still hold nine players from their championship team. Unfortunately, their wisdom, experience, and success does not help their current predicament.

As the season is more than half over, it seems impossible for the Hurricanes to climb their way back into a playoff contending spot. They remain seventeen points out of the eighth and final playoff spot, with thirty-four games remaining. That is one mountain too tall for them to climb at this point in the season. Their problems are unanswerable as every aspect of their roster that used to succeed is failing. This will be one season no Carolina Hurricanes fan wants to remember.

With the announcement of Staal as the new captain, the Hurricanes also announced the plans to rebuild the franchise. For now, the Hurricanes look to finish this season strong, and start fresh next season.

Katlyn Gambill
NHLHS Writer
kgambill@nhlhotstove.com
Twitter: @freezethepuck

*All statistics based on the Carolina Hurricanes playing in the first 48 games of the 2009-2010 season.

Atlantic Division:

• Andy Greene did not take part in Wednesday afternoon’s practice at Jobing.com Arena in Glendale, Ariz., because of a lower body injury, but the defenseman is expected to be in the lineup Thursday night when the Devils face the Phoenix Coyotes.
• The Rangers entered the season with an overall 34-24 shootout record despite the lack of a certifiable offensive weapon. So now that they have added Ales Kotalik and Erik Christensen, two of the best in the five years the NHL has been running the skills competition, the Blueshirts have lost both in which the shootout snipers have participated. Go figure.
• To the surprise of no one, Islanders coach Scott Gordon said yesterday that Dwayne Roloson and Rick DiPietro would split time in net “for the short term, anyway.” That leaves goalie Martin Biron on the outside looking in and likely as trade bait.
• Flyers goalie coach Jeff Reese walked a mile in the shoes of third-string goalie Brian Boucher.  Boucher – who largely has been cast aside since Michael Leighton started his current 8-0-1 tear in 10 straight starts and former No. 1 Ray Emery returned from abdominal surgery – was a healthy scratch Tuesday night against Dallas.
• The Penguins rarely lose when goalie Marc-Andre Fleury is on his game — and “Flower” was in full bloom Wednesday night at Pengrowth Saddledome, writes Rob Rossi.

Northeast Division:

• Craig Rivet clearly believes this road trip, the Buffalo Sabres’ longest of the season, is about more than length. It’s also about winning. It’s about showing the NHL that the surprising Sabres can conquer challenges.
• Probably more than in any other game this season, there was widespread anger in the Bruins dressing room last night. Not that the B’s players or coaches were mad about any specific aspect of their 4-3 loss to the Anaheim Ducks, just the frustration that such a strong effort produced nothing.
• The Canadiens had hoped that a few extra days of rest would hasten Sergei Kostitsyn’s return to the lineup, but head coach Jacques Martin said the younger Kostitsyn brother won’t be ready to play against Dallas Thursday night nor will he be available for games Saturday against Ottawa or Sunday against the Rangers in New York.”
• Ottawa Senators goalie coach Eli Wilson paid the price for the team’s poor goaltending. He was fired Wednesday morning. A replacement is expected to be named within 24 hours.  Interestingly enough the Sens goalie tandem sport a SV% below .900, a feat only they managed this season.
• If Tomas Kaberle were involved in as many scoring plays as trade rumours, he would have won the Art Ross Trophy by now. Leafs’ Kaberle says trade rumours are false, writes Mike Zeisberger.

Southeast Division:

• It wasn’t easy, and it wasn’t pretty, and it was in no way relaxing. But the Washington Capitals overcame a three-goal deficit and eventually beat the Florida Panthers 5-4.
• Thrashers star Ilya Kovalchuk told the AJC on Wednesday that he is not frustrated by ongoing contract negotiations. Kovalchuk, who will become an unrestricted free agent after the season, also said he remains confident a deal will get done.
• The Hurricanes practiced Wednesday at Compuware Arena, the home of the Plymouth Whalers of the Ontario Hockey League. On the ice were forwards Brandon Sutter, Zach Boychuk, Jiri Tlusty and Jerome Samson – Samson the oldest at 22 – and all four will again be in the Canes’ lineup tonight against the Detroit Red Wings.
• The Capitals came here embarrassed and angry and armed with Alexander Ovechkin, who didn’t play in their three wins against the Panthers. Not an ideal scenario for the home team. The Panthers fell to the Capitals, after blowing a lead, 5-4 in a shoot out.
• Tampa Bay Lightning right wing Marty St. Louis keeps quiet about his stellar play, writes Damian Cristodero. Quietly, St. Louis is having an amazing season.

Anthony Curatolo
NHLHS Senior Writer
acuratolo@nhlhotstove.com
Twitter: @ACHockeyGuys

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…

Patrick Kaleta - Kaleta first comes to mind after a brutal blindside hit to Paul Mara.  The hit came well after the blue liner moved the puck up ice however the right winger committed to a late hit in which he left his feet and subsequently broke Mara’s orbital bone.  This blatant hitting however did not stop with Mara as in the beginning of the year he left his feet to make shoulder-to-head contact with Phoenix Coyote Petr Prucha in October.  Due to a non-call or perhaps just the player’s tendency to skim the line, he delivered another brutal board to Jared Ross of the Flyers.

The 23-year-old recently received a head shot of his own, delivered by the equally dirty Jarkko Ruutu.  The entire city of Buffalo seemed to uproar at the notion of a dirty player allowed to take out one of their own, but in all honesty this instance was a case of a player receiving his just deserts.

One would think getting his proverbial bell rung would stifle his headhunting ways, but it seems like the lesson fell on deaf ears.  Last week, Kaleta comes out of the penalty box to immediately deliver a blind-side head shot to veteran Paul Kariya, a true travesty.  How can the NHL truly allow a player of this caliber to take out a great like Kariya.  The Blues list the veteran as day-to-day with concussion-related symptoms but one has to wonder if this would be the end of a great career due to some punk’s antics.

Jarkko Ruutu – Don’t you worry Sabres fans, Ruutu makes the list as well.  Just four short years ago the Finnish forward drilled Jaromir Jagr with a brutal looking hit during the Olympics.  The hit went unpunished by NHL officials as it took place off of their ice, but he should have been kept on a short leash.

Instead, the 34-year-old continued to play in the League with no punishment.  The veteran not only laid that dirty hit on an unsuspecting Kaleta, but also bit Andrew Peters last year.  I repeat, he bit a guy!  While the Helsinki native continues to antagonize opponents in hopes of instigating a fight or a penalty, he should be sitting at home watching the Senators game.  A player of this caliber with this track record shows no remorse for his actions and his play should not be welcomed in the best League in the world.

Brent Sutter – Sutter has given a lot to this great game of hockey, but his time has come and gone.  The style of play which he deploys dates back to the late seventies with an eye-for-an-eye style where specific players get taken out others in order to benefit your team.  This new NHL where the speed increased dramatically holds little value for head hunting and generally dirty play.

Even if we cannot prove that some of these hits are Sutter’s doing, I find the coincidences baffling.  Sending his own son, Brandon Sutter, to take out Russian star Alexei Cherepanov comes to mind, a blatant charge in which the younger Sutter clearly left his fee in order to commit a head shot not to mention skated the length of the ice to make the hit.  Notice another less than typical hit came from the shoulder of Sutter mercenary Curtis Glencross, where the winger delivered a blind-side head shot to Rangers captain Chris Drury, giving him another concussion.  The puck never even touched Drury’s stick yet Glencross has been trained to hit without attempting to retrieve the puck.

Perhaps the most daunting an thank god not most damaging hit came recently at the hands of Dion Phaneuf.  Similarly, the Flames defenseman took the body instead of looking for the puck when he drilled star center Anze Kopitar into the boards following a rush for the puck. A hit of this caliber warranted a game misconduct but no suspension from the league.  What would happen if this incident crippled Kopitar?

Here is a quote from Anze Kopitar, courtesy of LA Kings Insider with Rich Hammond:

“We’re going down for the puck. I’m reaching around, trying to get the puck. He doesn’t even think about the puck. You be the judge if that’s a dirty hit.”

Think of the last time that was said about a hit.  It involved Liambas, who similarly went straight for the hit instead of even attempting to play the pucks.  At this rate repeat offenders need permanent suspensions.  Harsh but true.  Mike Richards, Clarke MacArthur, Chris Pronger be warned, these attempts to injure should not stand.

Now I will take off my commisioner suit and enjoy the rest of this weekend’s hockey.  As always I hope you enjoyed our latest feature. You can help NHLHS stay alive by visiting our sponsors to the right or clicking on our donate tab at the top.

Follow me on Twitter for up-to-the-minute updates

-Alexander Monaghan
NHLHS Founder
thehotstove@gmail.com

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

Currently playing on the Shawnigan Cataractes of the QMJHL, the Hurricanes clearly saw Paradis as a project a few years away from the NHL.  Drafted with the 27th overall pick this past June, he is a top prospect in their system but expendable with Eric Staal and Brandon Sutter already on the roster.  See his full scouting report here.

The move should also show that Carolina thinks they can still contend and thus temporarily alleviating speculation over who they will trade away.  With Cam Ward expected back soon the team would still be two defensemen short of last year’s cup contenders.

Bruce “Malkin to Kings” Garrioch reported yesterday Aaron Ward is on the block with the Blue Jackets interested. If this proves correct it would be entirely contrary to the move made today.  In response to some rumors, Aaron Portzline stated yesterday GM Scott Howson did not make any calls and is not actively pursuing a deal leading us to believe this is simply a bunk rumor from someone with a reputation to do so.  Although the Blue Jackets remain in need of a defender they seem willing to wait out their injuries and see how kids like Kris Russel and Anton Stralman will adapt to added playing time.

Hope you enjoyed the article. You can help NHLHS stay alive by visiting our sponsors to the left.

Follow me on Twitter for up-to-the-minute updates

-Alexander Monaghan
NHLHS Founder
thehotstove@gmail.com

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.

1. 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.
2. 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.

Forwards:

The forward core is a bit top-heavy, but features some good young talent.  A few years down the road, these lines may not be as embarrassing.

Andrew Ladd – Eric Staal – Chad LaRose

Eric Cole – Michael Nylander – Craig Adams

Drayson Bowman – Brandon Sutter – Zach Boychuk

Ryan Bayda – Craig MacDonald

Despite a decent first line, the Canes lack the depth of NHL regulars.  Putting a now in exported Nylander and a fourth liner in Adams on the second line is a bit of a stretch.  Similarly playing Bowman or Boychuk on a regular shift this early in their development also is a stretch.  Certainly not a strength to their team, they are essentially forced to dress seven defensemen as well as several AHL forwards.

Grade: D+

Defense:

Of the players drafted, only four of the seven defensemen are still in the system.  While there is undoubtedly some talent in there, not all these players are NHL regulars yet.

Chris Pronger – Jack Johnson

Niclas Wallin – Tyson Strachan

Brett Carson – Bryan Rodney

Casey Borer

Whether in Hartford or Carolina, management sure has a knack for trading away young, mean franchise defensemen.  Wallin can play a solid #3 but the rest of the defense is questionable.  Now a member of the Blues, Strachan has seen some NHL time while the other three had cups of coffee with the Canes this year or last.

Grade: C-

Goaltenders:

Definitely the strength in their drafting, the Canes drafted two all-star goalies as well as another serviceable starter.

Cam Ward

Jean-Sebastien Giguere

Extra: Justin Peters, Manny Legace

Ward is already a young all-star and Stanley Cup Champion while the same can be said for Giguere.  Legace enjoyed years as an NHL starter and currently returned to his roots, filling in for the injured Ward.  There are no question marks in goal for this team.

Grade: A

Hope you enjoyed the article. You can help NHLHS stay alive by visiting our sponsors to the left.

Follow me on Twitter for up-to-the-minute updates

-Alexander Monaghan
NHLHS Founder
thehotstove@gmail.com