Canes sign d-man

Proving that I really should check Twitter before I push the "publish" button, the Canes just signed Andrew Alberts, a 28 year-old defenseman, to a two-year/~1mil contract.

And, what I think is the best news, the dude is 6'5". And he led the Flyers in hits last season. Finally (F-I-N-A-L-L-Y-!), the Canes are signing big physical players!

I'm not entirely sure what this could signify in Seidenberg or Babchuk's situations, but at this point I don't care too much. I mean, seriously, the Canes have signed two physical players in two days. When was the last time that happened?

Maybe tomorrow the signing of Ruutu would make it a hat trick...

Free agency as I see it

Well, the season's over for the Canes (if the Red Wings keep at it, it'll be the end of the season for everyone in about two more games...), and now it's time to turn away from that painful last series to look to... the future!

(That sentence is a lot cooler if you imagine cymbals crashing and sparks flying as "the future" is spoken in one of those movie trailer voices. Seriously, read it again and try it.)

Yes, now is the time to focus on the upcoming season, and more importantly the upcoming free agency period. The Canes have seven players up for some kind of free agency and the topics range from performance to salary cap.

But the topic I'm going to cover is the most important of all:

Do I really want to watch you play in a Canes uniform next season?

In order of importance:

Leaving is not an option

Chad LaRose
Explanation: Chad LaRose is the heart and soul of this team. You can't just let the heart and soul walk away from the team. Us Caniacs would be left with a pathetic, soul-less team - a zombie team destined to wander the ice rinks hopelessly searching for a spark of life. And I think we've had enough of that nonsense.

I like you a lot. Please stay!

Jussi Jokinen
Explanation: Our playoff hero. Do we really want him to go? Heck no! I know that he wasn't the most significant player in the regular season, but he certainly made up for that in the playoffs, pulling the Canes' butts through several games (and to think that Tampa wanted to waive him?). Not to mention his shootout prowess doesn't hurt either.

Tuomo Ruutu
Explanation: Take away Tuomo, take away our physical presence. It's as simple as that. He didn't score as much in the playoffs as he did in the regular season, but I think he made up for it in the fact that he often went through people to go after the puck. Not to mention - we just can't lose a guy with a name as awesome as that.

Erik Cole
Explanation: Yeah, okay, I probably have Cole ranked a little higher than he should be - but I don't think I can stand losing my favorite player again. He didn't do that great in the playoffs, but the Canes started to turn around their season when he was added to the team. Coincidence? I beg to differ.

Sure, come back. Whatever.

Ryan Bayda
Explanation: He filled in on the lower lines when he was needed. Not the greatest, not too shabby though. He's been with the Canes organization for a while (finally cracked the big leagues!), so sure he can come back.

I'm not sold on this whole "You playing for us again" thing. Why don't you run it by me again?

Dennis Seidenberg
Explanation: I said to my dad before the beginning of Game 4 that "We have a plethora of useless defensemen." I wouldn't say that Seidenberg is useless (it's called hyperbole), but he just seems to be a part of a nameless defensive corps the Canes put on the ice every year. Not that bad, although the mistakes can be miserable to watch.

Anton Babchuk
Explanation: Unlike Seidenberg, Babchuk certainly has made a name for himself. His killer slapshot makes him nothing like a cookie cutter player. But (and maybe this is a case of "what have you done for me lately?") he completely tanked in the playoffs. It was like he was a traffic cone that the opposing team skated circles around - and we saw absolutely none of his miraculous slapshot. I mean, seriously, the guy was replaced with Frank Kaberle. That's pretty bad.

So, there you go. My analysis of the Canes' upcoming free agents (quite possibly the longest thing I've ever written for this blog). And probably the only Canes stuff that we'll be talking about for a long time.

That could have gone better

Well, crap.

Canes are down 2-0 in the series after losing 7-4 in Game 2. Definitely territory we haven't been in this playoff season. (However, for you optimists out there, don't forget Round 1 against Montreal in 2006).

The first period was a good one. I think. I didn't actually see it due to an awards ceremony running 40 minutes over. But the score was 3-2 in favor of the Canes (5 goals in a period! Of course I miss the most offense intensive period of the whole playoffs) with goals by LaRose, Jokinen, and Seidenberg.

Then came the second period, where the Canes didn't play as well. They looked to be going in the third with only a tied game, but they allowed the Pens to score with only eight seconds left in the period.

The third period just went downhill from there. Evgeni Malkin got a hat trick (Memo to Versus - nobody actually cares about his parents celebrating. Just FYI.) and the Canes let the game get away from them with sloppy play. The interesting part of the period was what happened with less than two minutes left. There was a huge scrum at the end boards, Bayda got a match penalty for high-sticking (I think?) and then was consequently fined $2,500. I don't really know what happened - I don't think Versus really went over it and if they did I didn't listen because I was just ready for the stupid game to be over.

The Canes certainly need to put out a better quality of game if they hope to beat the Penguins. The Pens driving offense (along with poor defense and effort on the Canes part) killed us in this game. We need to take it back to Raleigh and set the pace in our own building.

The Canes can do this. It'll be tough, but it can be just another comeback for them.

Chad LaRose stats: 1 goal
Playoffs: 4 goals, 7 assists

Canes beat the snot out of Calgary

Canes won 6-1 last night against Calgary.

If this is the result we get with Cole in the lineup - why did we trade him away in the first place?

While Cole looked absolutely, completely spectactular with a goal in his first game back, Ray Whitney was the true star of the night. Whitney notched a hat trick and his 300th career goal.

The Canes were amazing in this game - exploding with a three goal flurry towards the end of the first period, and Calgary was never able to recover. The Canes got 34 shots, and most of them were solid chances, not the far away flinging the puck at the net like they can be prone to do.

And there were fights! Dennis Seidenberg got in one, of all people, after he postively crunched Eric Nystorm in a check. And then there was the Tim Conboy one, of which I got a picture:
An awesome picture, if I do say so myself.

Anyways, I was completely blown away by the quality of the thrashing the Canes put on Calgary, and I certainly hope it carries over to Tampa Bay tonight.

Erik Cole stats: 1 goal
With the Canes: 1 goal

Chad LaRose stats: 1 assist
On the season: 14 goals, 10 assists

Seidenberg signed

Canes locked up another defenseman today, with Dennis Seidenberg signing a one-year, $1.2 mil contract.

This is in addition to Joni Pitakenen (*mumbles something about Cole*), Anton Babchuk, and Josef Melichar.

Now, the Babchuk thing really surprised me when I first heard about it. I didn't expect him to be coming back to play for the Canes if he ever came back - and I didn't think we'd give him a million dollars to do so.

But, looking at some of the other defensive contracts given out this year, I guess a million dollars is pretty cheap.

I wish I would get a job where a million dollars was a low salary. But I digress.

Anyways... Chad LaRose filed for arbitration. I hope whatever wrinkle they hit in those contract negotiations will be ironed out by the arbitrator. I can barely imagine a team without Cole, but without Cole AND LaRose? That would just be too cruel.

Canes play like crap

Wow, that game was crap.

Canes lost to the Islanders 4-1 yesterday. Here are my notes from the game:

- Refs were absolutely horrible. I swear the Islanders must've paid them off, because all the calls certainly seemed to go in one direction.
- The penalty kill was horrible. Which did not bode well, considering all the penalties the Canes took.
- Ice looked pretty bad in the second, Canes and Islanders slipping everywhere.
- Cullen started the game, but left early because he was "feeling ill".
- Cole needs to drink more coffee or something - it looks like he's missing a little of the jump in his step.
- Grahame didn't look good in goal, but I blame the guys in front of him. A little defense would help your goaltender, guys...
- Seidenberg needs a different hockey stick. I think I counted three sticks broken last night.

Hopefully the Canes got all of their lameness out of their system in 2007...

And in 2008, the first hockey game I watched was the "Winter Classic", which actually sort of lived up to the billing that the NHL gave it. The game was a close game (won in a SO by Sid Crosby) and actually had some offense to it, despite the steady amount of snow falling in Buffalo. I did not envy the players playing in that weather...

First Canes game of '08 is tomorrow against the Thrashers. Hoping for a win in the new year!

Canes hand Ottawa first loss

Canes won 5-3 over Ottawa last night.

Due to the massive cold/cough that I have, I didn't really pay that close attention. But, I watched close enough to gather the following:
- Erik Cole scored two goals! YaY!
- Chad LaRose looks like he's coming into his own. 3 assists last night!
- Dennis Seidenberg shattered a pane of glass with 43.7 left in the second. Refs called the period and played the remaining time after the intermission. (Never would have thought Seidenberg could do that... Dude does not look like a Happy Gilmore, if you know what I mean. (I love that movie))
- Canes let Ottawa score two goals to pull within one waaay too close to the end of the period. Thank goodness Ottawa didn't tie it up.

And, the Canes handed Ottawa their first loss last night. An interesting correlation is that, in 2005-2006 the Canes handed Ottawa their first loss of the year in a 3-2 victory. And guess what the Canes went on to do in that season? Exactly.

I know I just wowed you all with my uncanny ability to remember random stats.

Erik Cole stats: 2 goals
On the season: 2 goals, 2 assists

Canes lost

Canes lost in a shootout 4-3 against the Atlanta Thrashers last night.

A game the Canes should have won. They were leading 3-2 in the third, but Cam let in a soft shot from near the blueline, letting the Thrashers tie it up. Game went into a shootout, and the Canes haven't won one yet this year. (In a way, it makes you miss Matt Cullen...)

Cole was given a 10:00 misconduct at the end of the game for "jawing" at the refs because the refs missed a blatant tripping call, but then they called a penalty on the Canes. (The reason I put jawing in quotations is because someone told me that Cole actually checked one of the refs as he was going off the ice. No article confirms this, but itwould explain how Cole got 10 minutes instead of just 2.)

Dennis Seidenberg got his first goal as a Hurricane. Makes the trade look good.

Staal and Williams were named to the All-Star squad.

That's about it for now. Writing about this loss got me all sad...

Erik Cole stats: 2 assists
On the season: 19 goals, 23 assists

Game tonight

Canes play Toronto tonight.

The Canes new acquisition, Dennis Seidenberg, is supposed to join the Canes for this game, but he has to fly from Dallas to Phoenix to pick up his passport, and then hop on another plane to Toronto and then play a hockey game.

Apparently Toronto is missing some players due to injury. Hopefully the Canes will use that to their advantage.

That's about it for today. The game isn't on TV, so I may or may not have a good recap.

We have a trade...

Today the Canes traded center Kevyn Adams to Phoenix for defenseman Dennis Seidenberg.

Well, I can't say I'm really surprised by this. The Canes played the Islanders game with only five defensemen, and Adams' TOI has been diminishing all year, plus he only has four points

It looks to be a decent trade. Seidenberg has 2 points on the year, so he doesn't appear to be a scoring defenseman. In fact, looking at the stats, he just looks to be a defenseman. Which is what we need.

I'll reserve any real judgement for later, when I actually see Seidenberg play with the team.

It is a shame that it's Kevyn, though. I personally liked Adams, and he was a fan favorite.