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Posts Tagged Carolina Hurricanes

NHL Photo of the Day

Jan 31

Posted by EB in NHL Photo of the Day | No Comments

Grant Halverson/Getty Images

Trade rumors are starting to heat up with the trade deadline close approaching. The deadline, Monday, February 27 2012, will be an interesting one as in all years. Teams like the Carolina Hurricanes are nearly out of the playoff contention and are rumored to be looking to deal forward Tuomo Ruutu pictured above. The skilled winger has 14 goals and 21 assists 35 points in his 54 game splayed this season. A concern for teams may be that of his health, only finishing a full season in two of his eight years as a professional. It is rumored that the Detroit Red Wings, Vancouver Canucks and Chicago Blackhawks are all interested.

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Fantasy Hockey Friday

Jan 20

Posted by Chris in Fantasy | No Comments

Two weeks ago, we brought you an in depth breakdown of team stats around the NHL that could help give a better indication on how your goalie may fare on any given night against any given opponent. This week we turn the tables a bit to analyze more team stats, but this time focus on the impact of these stats for forwards and defenseman.

A good Fantasy Hockey league setup has roster positions and bench positions so that on some nights, when most everyone on your team is playing, you have to make the tough decisions regarding who to bench and who to play. So as a Manager, how do you decide which players to play and which to sit?

Sometimes it comes down to a “hunch” or intuition. Obviously your star players will likely get spots because they are more likely to put points on the board. Players on hot streaks may also get the nod over someone that is slumping. Or you may choose to go by which team any given player is playing against that night.

For instance, if you’re trying to decide between two players, and one is playing against the New York Rangers while the other is playing against the Tampa Bay Lightning, you may want to consider playing your guy against Tampa Bay. Why? Because Tampa Bay averages 3.47 goals against per game while the Rangers average 1.98 goals against per game, meaning there is a greater probability that your player will score against Tampa Bay.

Here is a breakdown of the top five teams in the league with the lowest goals against averages per game:

New York Rangers (1.98)

St. Louis Blues (1.98)

Boston Bruins (2.02)

Los Angeles Kings (2.13)

San Jose Sharks (2.28)

Similarly, here are the worst five teams in the NHL with the highest goals against averages per game:

Tampa Bay Lightning (3.47)

Columbus Blue Jackets (3.22)

Carolina Hurricanes (3.17)

Ottawa Senators (3.08)

Toronto Maple Leafs (3.07)

The Anaheim Ducks, Buffalo Sabres and New York Islanders also have averages of 3.00 goals against per game or better as well.

You can also get a good idea of how your players will fare by looking at which goalie he will face that night. And these numbers don’t always correlate with the team average.

Boston has a low enough team goals against per game average, but backup netminder Tuukka Rask actually has a lower goals against average than starter Tim Thomas. This means that your player is more likely to score on Thomas than on Rask, but the likelihood that he will score against Boston at all is slim.

Consider the Colorado Avalanche as well. As a whole, the team averages 2.85 goals allowed per game. However, goaltenders Semyon Varlamov and J.S. Giguere have basically split time, but Varlamov’s goals against average is much higher at 3.00 goals against per game than Giguere’s 2.12 goals against per game. So if Varlamov gets the start, play against him with confidence.

The Philadelphia Flyers have a similar issue with Ilya Bryzgalov (3.00) and Sergei Bobrovsky (2.42). Thankfully for Fantasy Managers, Bryzgalov gets the majority of the starts with 30 this season compared to Bobrovsky’s 14.

It doesn’t happen often when you have a full slate of games and have to make the tough choices as a manager on whom to bench and whom to play, but knowing the odds can help you make the right decision in the future. It’s not fool-proof by any means, but it’s a step in the right direction.

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Carolina Hurricanes’ Jeff Skinner Returns

Jan 19

Posted by EB in Fantasy, News, Soap Box | No Comments

AP Photo/Richard Lipski

Carolina Hurricanes’ fans gave a collective sigh of relief last night as young forward Jeff Skinner has returned. Skinner, who has missed 16 games, was out because of a concussion.

The NHL continues its ongoing effort to curb head-shots, ultimately trying to remove concussions from the game. The charge to change the game for the better began last season as superstar Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins suffered a concussion, sidelining him for the last quarter of last season and out for the majority of this season.

Skinner’s return was a positive boost to the lineup of the Hurricanes as he continued where he left off. Playing two games so far, Skinner averaged 17:39 of ice time and picked up an assist in his second game. In time he will jump back up to his nearly 19 minutes a game norm.

Although Skinner’s return is a positive for the Hurricanes, the harsh reality is the team is in last place of the Eastern Conference. Last season the Hurricanes fell two points short of 8th place for the playoffs. This season the team will not make the playoffs even if a miracle happens. Very sad considering the team has such talent in Captain Eric Staal, Jussi Jokinen, Jeff Skinner, Joni Pitkanen and netminder Cam Ward. Major overhaul is in store for the team in the off-season, maybe even come trade deadline. From a fantasy perspective though, Skinner will still put up points to help out your team.

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Pittsburgh Penguins Plagued with Injuries

Jan 11

Posted by EB in News, Soap Box | No Comments

The currently falling in the standings Pittsburgh Penguins look to be at a fork in the road. The team, who have gone 4-6-0 in their last 10, needs to muster up some confidence and chemistry if they wish to make the playoffs.

The Penguins entered the season with one of the best teams on paper. Evgeni Malkin, James Neal, Kris Letang, Marc-Andre Fleury and team Captain and leader Sidney Crosby. Well, they still look good on paper, and even good on the ice, yet injuries have hit the team hard. To date, Jordan Staal sustained a knee injury and will be out 4-6 weeks. Kris Letang has been diagnosed with a concussion and his return date is unknown. And Sidney Crosby is out indefinitely with concussion-like symptoms. Will the injuries ever stop?

The team has faced such adversity before as last season the team went without Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin for lengthy period of time. The team responded to the pressure, ending second in their division and fourth place overall within the Eastern Conference with a 106 point count. This season however, the team seems to be folding under the pressure.

Defenseman Brent Orpik, a voice of the locker room emphasizes the team’s need for accountability. ”The accountability in this room has to be a lot better. We aren’t reacting to adversity very well right now. You can’t feel sorry for yourselves.”

The team will look to rebound in the coming month of January but with a tough schedule ahead of them. The month brings games against unexpectedly good Florida Panthers, St. Louis Blues and the Toronto Maple Leafs; all teams who are currently in playoff spots. Surprisingly “easier” match-ups will be against the struggling Tampa Bay Lightning, Carolina Hurricanes and the still undecided Washington Capitals.

If the Penguins end this month out of a playoff spot, the long climb back might be too much for this team to handle.

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Ottawa Senators Playoff Caliber?

Dec 23

Posted by EB in News, Soap Box | No Comments

The unlikely Ottawa Senators are making a push for the playoffs after winning three straight games. Playing tonight against the struggling Carolina Hurricanes, the Senators have a chance to go into the holiday break with winning four in a row and in a playoff spot.

The Senators had an overhaul in the off-season by hiring new Head Coach Paul Maclean. Maclean came from a much talented Detroit Red Wings to a rather depth deprived, lacking intensity Ottawa Senators. His intentions were to bring a Detroit style of play with an increased grit and toughness. So far, the change seems to be helping.

Jumping out of the gate this season the Senators won one game our of their first six. Bouncing back, the team won six in a row to close out October. November turned into be a little of a struggle, only winning five games of the twelve which the losing ways carried into December. The team seems to be righting the ship though with a possibility of winning their fourth game in a row, and close out three remaining games in December with wins.

Like every team in the NHL, the team’s success is directly tied to the play of the veterans. Captain Daniel Alfredsson is currently on a roll with 7 points in his last three games. Assistant Captain Jason Spezza still continues to be the backbone of the team with 37 points in 35 games and leading all forwards on the Senators with an average of 19:47 minutes of ice time a game. Young, but now considered a veteran, defender Erik Karlsson has an impressive 33 points in 35 games and a plus minus of zero with his team leading 25 minutes and 22 seconds average per game. That ice time happens to be 11th most in the league.

The Senators are on a roll and hope to continue that into the holiday and into the new year. Whether or not they are capable of doing so is another thing. The team continues to have injury problems from star players like Alfredsson and Milan Michalek, as well as a shaky 3.32 goals against average netminder in Craig Anderson. Will the Senators make playoffs? Not quite sure. Is it possible? Considering the Eastern Conference is all out of sorts with the Washington Capitals and the Tampa Bay Lightning both out of a playoff spot currently, you never quite know what can happen.

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Eric Staal trade could benefit slumping Hurricanes

Dec 17

Posted by Chris in Rumors, Soap Box | No Comments

In case you haven’t noticed, the Carolina Hurricanes aren’t doing too hot this season.

The team is 2-7-1 over their last 10 games and lingers near the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings. The team fired their head coach last week and then followed up that move by trading defenseman Tomas Kaberle to the Montreal Canadiens, a player they signed as a free agent over the summer to a three-year deal. With all this going on, it appears more and more likely that the Hurricane’s are gearing up for something big.

That something big could be an implosion.

The team traded away Kaberle to the Montreal Canadiens for Jaroslav Spacek in return. Carolina arguably got the short end of the stick as Spacek is older (37 as opposed to 33) and offers less offensively than Kaberle is capable of producing.  So why would Carolina want to take him on?

Trade bait.

Spacek is an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season. Despite his advanced age, he remains a proven NHL veteran and could add depth to the blue line of a team looking to make a deep playoff run. If a trade occurs, Carolina could stock up on draft picks and prospects in exchange for Spacek.

The Kaberle/Spacek trade could have signaled the beginning of a rebuilding process in Carolina. Spacek could be the first piece, and players like Alex Panikarovski, Tim Gleason and Tuomo Ruutu could also be trade bait come trade deadline time.

The real issue, however, is how far the Hurricanes are willing to go in their rebuilding process. Mainly, will they shop current captain Eric Staal?

Staal was drafted second overall in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft by the Hurricanes and has basically been the face of the franchise since. He has scored 30 or more goals in five of his seven NHL seasons, and twice tallied 40 or more. Not to mention that Staal, at 27-years-old, is right in the prime of his career and will be for several more seasons.

What could make Staal expandable is another young star on the Carolina roster. Jeff Skinner came into the league last season as an 18-year-old rookie and not only won a roster spot, but went on to contribute 31 goals and 63 points en route to winning the Calder Trophy as the NHL Rookie of the Year. This season, Skinner basically picked up where he left off and currently leads the Hurricanes in goals (12) and points (24).

Could the success of Skinner prompt the Hurricanes to trade away Eric Staal? After all, Staal makes $8.25 million a season while Skinner is only in his second season of an entry-level contract that pays him $1.4 million per year. After next season, Skinner will become a restricted free agent and Carolina could try to lock him up long term for a cap-friendly figure. A player of Staal’s caliber could warrant a significant return and help speed up the rebuilding process for Carolina.

Still, Staal trade speculation remains far-fetched. But the general likelihood that Carolina enters a rebuilding phase appears more probable with each loss this season. The team has two legitimate stars in Staal and Skinner and is set in goal with Cam Ward. The team needs to find a way to surround their stars with capable secondary scoring and a legitimate blue line. Carolina is second worst in the NHL in goals allowed per game with 3.38 and 20th in the league in goals scored per game with 2.5. It’s becoming clear that Carolina just doesn’t have the pieces of the puzzle to be a legitimate contender.

The Spacek trade may have been the first step, but it likely will not be the last move for Carolina this season. An implosion and a move toward rebuilding may be a necessary step now if Carolina intends to build a winner for the future.

 

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Alexander Semin Trade Rumors Growing

Dec 6

Posted by Matt in News | 1 Comment

Alexander Semin and the Washington Capitals

Alexander Semin has been scrutinized a lot by the coaches in Washington this season, now the trade rumors are getting hot

As it turns out, Washington Capitals winger Alexander Semin does not have a shoulder injury. Instead, new coach Dale Hunter has told media sources that Semin has been a healthy scratch the past two games. Semin has been practicing with the team, so news of his scratches has put fuel on the Alexander Semin trade rumor fire that has existed for a while now.

One possible suitor for Alex Semin would be the Detroit Red Wings. Rumors have swirled in the past with Jiri Hudler or Dan Cleary being involved in a deal for Semin. Hudler has not been the same since his return from the KHL. His off-season training program this past summer has gotten him off to a better start than last year, but he’s still not quite the 60 point player the Wings had before he left. Cleary has been struggling this season as well, and could potentially need a change of scenery. His grit and work ethic would be a good addition to a Capitals club looking to build for the playoffs. This trade would suit the Red Wings nicely as it would give them a scoring threat with huge potential, in addition to being surrounded by a mature team with plenty of Stanley Cup experience. Semin could thrive playing alongside fellow countryman Pavel Datsyuk, and all he would have to do is find open ice and wait for the pass. Beyond this season, the Red Wings would have additional salary cap space free to either re-sign Semin, or pursue a bigger free agent such as Shea Weber or Zach Parise.

Another rumored landing spot is Los Angeles. The Kings, however, have much less cap space available currently. They would be forced to make a pretty bold trade in order to acquire Semin. Nashville has been included in rumors as well, and would add a great scoring threat to the team. They have plenty of cap space available. The New York Islanders and Carolina Hurricanes are being thrown into the mix too. The Islanders have a lot of young talent they could offer to the Capitals, but Washington is probably looking for players who can contribute to a long playoff run. The Hurricanes are in a similar spot with plenty of cap space, but not a lot in terms of trade bait.

While it seems the Caps would love to unload Semin sooner rather than later, his $6.7 million per season salary will make him difficult to trade. However, it is possible that the team could waive Semin in an attempt to remove his salary. If no other teams claim him, Semin would join the Hershey Bears in the AHL where his salary would not count against the big club.

Where do you think Semin will land? Leave us a note in the comments with your thoughts on his future.

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Jarome Iginla trade makes sense for Flames

Dec 2

Posted by Chris in News | No Comments

In 14 years with the Calgary Flames, Jarome Iginla has only been to the Stanley Cup Finals once. That was also the only time he has been a part of a Flames team that advanced beyond the Conference Semi-Finals. Despite being a consistent scorer, the Flames have continually failed to provide Iginla with the proper supporting cast to make a legitimate run at the Stanley Cup. At 34-years-old, Iginla is on pace for one of his worst statistical seasons and the Flames will likely miss the playoffs for a third straight year. It’s time that the Flames do their star player a favor and trade him to a contender.

The problem with trading a player like Iginla involves how that move will impact his legacy in Calgary. Although not drafted by the Flames, Iginla played his first NHL game in a Flames sweater and has been with the club ever since. The fans adore Iginla thanks to his hard work ethic, his on-ice production and his humble nature. It probably doesn’t hurt that he will throw down the gloves for a good scrap every once in a while either. Needless to say, the thought of trading Iginla is viewed as a sacrileges act among the Calgary faithful.

But at some point, as a fan or as a general manager, you need to weigh the importance of building a winner versus keeping your star athlete. The payback on Iginla should certainly help the Flames begin building a winning franchise. After so many seasons where they just weren’t good enough, the Flames need to make the necessary moves to get themselves over the hump and begin seriously competing with the big guns in the West.

Besides, the Flames will have 12 free agents at the end of this season including Olli Jokinen, Scott Hannan, David Moss, Lee Stempniak and Cory Sarich. This season may provide the best time for Calgary to begin the rebuilding process as they can trade away a good number of players for draft picks and prospects and begin building for the future. Unfortunately, if that does happen, Calgary may be looking at a rebuilding process that could take a few seasons before they are truly a contender. Iginla is only signed through next season, but does he really want to go waste a valuable season at the end of his career with a rebuilding franchise?

The problem, as with almost any trade of a significant player, is finding a competitive team who can absorb his salary. And Iginla’s $7 million cap hit certainly doesn’t make that easy. Perhaps a team like the Nashville Predators could make a run at Iginla. The team needs more offense and a move of that caliber would be telling that the team is serious about building a winner, possibly providing incentive for free agents Shea Weber and Ryan Suter to stick around for longer. The Carolina Hurricanes have roughly $13 million in available cap space and would probably love to get their hands on a veteran scorer like Iginla.

Don’t count out a team like the Detroit Red Wings either. The Wings have roughly $5.5 million in available cap space and it’s been rumored that they would love to bring another scorer into their top-six. If Iginla becomes available, he could be a target for the Wings.

According to reports from Hockey Night in Canada, Iginla hasn’t outright asked for a trade, but he has stated that he is beginning to think about life with a team besides the Calgary Flames. That’s a huge step for someone who has been with the team for the better part of 14 years. With the amount of pending free agents in Calgary at season’s end, the Flames need to seriously consider selling assets and moving into rebuilding mode. Although Iginla’s contract doesn’t expire until the end of next season, moving him this year makes sense for the club and for Iginla himself.

What do you think? Should the Flames trade Iginla this season? Share your thoughts with us by leaving a comment or by visiting our Facebook page to join the discussion!

 

 

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Carolina Hurricanes fire head coach Paul Maurice

Nov 28

Posted by Chris in News | No Comments

Apparently the Washington Capitals aren’t the only team doing a little bit of housekeeping today as the Carolina Hurricanes have also fired their head coach.

This marks the end of the second stint with the team for Paul Maurice, who coached the Carolina/Hartford franchise from 1995-2003 and then was rehired to coach the Hurricanes during the 2007-08 season. Maurice led the team to the Eastern Conference Finals that season, but failed to make a playoff appearance since. His combined record with the team during both stints is 384-391-145.

Carolina currently sits last in the Southeast Division and 14th in the Eastern Conference. The team remains only five points out from a playoff spot in a tightly contested Eastern Conference race. However, Carolina has lost 10 of its last 13 games.

Former Montreal Canadiens assistant coach Kirk Muller will replace Maurice as the head coach. Muller spent five seasons with the Canadiens as an assistant coach under Guy Carbonneau. He left his post there to join the Nashville Predators organization as the head coach of their AHL affiliate, the Milwaukee Admirals. In his first season with the Admirals, Muller guided the team to a 10-6-1 record so far in 2011.  

 

 

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Justin Beiber and Selena Gomez Share Smooches in Box

Oct 25

Posted by Eddie in Media | No Comments

Taking in a hockey game just isn’t for country music stars and reality stars anymore. The biggest kid pop star on Earth and his main squeeze took in a Winnipeg Jets game Saturday night. 17 year-old Justin Beiber and actress girlfriend Selena Gomez each wore Jets jerseys as they were in town to watch the team formerly known as the Atlanta Thrashers take on the Carolina Hurricanes.

Once it became known the two were in the building in a suite, cameras were constantly panned on them. They even caught pictures of Gomez hanging all over Beiber like Tomas Holmstrom does the opposing goalie. The couple also got to skate at the MTS Centre after to the game.

Unlike the aforementioned at the beginning, Beiber actually has a hockey background. Growing up in the Stratford, Ontario area, Beiber played hockey until he realized a singing career might make him a few dollars much sooner than the long road of junior and professional hockey. One thing him and I have in common is we both have the same favorite player: Steve Yzerman. I once saw one of those Behind the Music specials when he talked about his hockey career and he was pretty good. Let’s hope he can put the biscuit in the basket off the ice as the couple were shown leaving in his and her’s 6-9 jerseys.

For those wondering, Winnipeg won the game 5-3.

Don't blame us for Justin Beiber and Selena Gomez each having a jersey that reads 69 when they stand together.

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