And so the Erik Cole era ends in North Carolina.
Cole signed with the Montreal Canadiens today for a four year contract at $4.5 mil per year. Considering the length of the contract, it's probably unlikely that the best power forward evah! will be back with the Canes.
Now, this isn't the first time that Cole has left the Canes, but I doubt that Rutherford will trade for him again - the contract is a little unwieldy, and I'm not surprised that the Canes weren't willing to shell out that much.
I seem to be taking the loss of my favorite player a bit better than I did last time. Yeah, last time, when I was a crazy psychotic high schooler, I got all upset and did crazy stuff like change the background of the blog to black. Oh, you all can see I've changed the background again? Guess I turned into a crazy psychotic college student...
Anyways, I wish Erik the best in Montreal - he always played extremely well in their arena, so hopefully that trend will continue - as long as he's not playing the Canes, that is.
Beyond that, the Canes were relatively active today, signing four free agents. They resigned Jiri Tlusty to a one year, minimum amount contract. They signed center Tim Brent, previously of the Toronto Maple Leafs, to a two-year contract. They signed Brian Boucher, rescuing him from Philadelphia goalie hell, to a two year contract for just under a million per. And, finally, they signed Alexei Ponikarovsky to a one year contract for $1.5 mil.
I like Tlusty's contract, if he doesn't pan out, the Canes didn't lose much in the process - maybe he will finally come into his own. I don't know much about Tim Brent, but he sounds like he could be a good fourth-liner with penalty killing ability. Brian Boucher will hopefully be a consistent backup to take some of the obnoxious load that the Canes always put on Cam Ward. And Ponikarovsky seems like a good winger addition. I also can't wait to hear Chuck Kaiton to say that name.
In the article on the Canes site summarizing the day, it sounds like the Canes still want to add another winger to replace Cole's loss (and a big loss that is, considering how he played last season and his chemistry with Eric Staal), but that the Canes are probably going to wait for a trade to make that happen. That probably means that the rest of the immediate summer will be rather uneventful, unless said trade occurs.
All in all, not too bad of a signing day... except of course for the gaping hole left in my heart for Erik Cole. No, I'm not being overdramatic at all.
Showing posts with label Jiri Tlusty. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jiri Tlusty. Show all posts
Friday, July 01, 2011
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Tim Gleason deserves a medal of awesomeness
Canes lost in overtime last night to the C[r]apitals 4-3.
Before this game was played, the absolutely horrid news came out that both Erik Cole and Chad LaRose would be placed on injured reserve for lingering injuries. Much wailing and sobbing was heard from this particular blogger because that means she will likely go the whole winter break without seeing both of her favorite players in action.
But, considering that Erik Cole was playing his best hockey while fighting off a lingering injury, I can't help but be hopeful for later on.
Patrick Dwyer and Jiri Tlusty were called up to replace them, and Tlusty was effective in his first game, scoring a goal in the first period. Further continuing the trend of "interesting things happening when I am missing hockey during class", Tim Gleason blocked a puck with his face in the first as well, requiring something like 30 stitches. Being the beast that he is, he came back in the game and tied it up on a breakaway shorthanded goal for the Canes in the third period.
Unfortunately, Gleason's pure bad-assery could not stop the C[r]apitals increasingly good play and the Canes lost in overtime. But we got a point out of the whole thing, so it's not too bad.
Bad news for Michael Leighton, the goalie issues were figured out, and he was sent down to the minors, leaving Manny Legace as Cam Ward's backup.
Canes play again tonight against Ottawa. Maybe they can continue this slight upswing in play that we've seen recently?
Before this game was played, the absolutely horrid news came out that both Erik Cole and Chad LaRose would be placed on injured reserve for lingering injuries. Much wailing and sobbing was heard from this particular blogger because that means she will likely go the whole winter break without seeing both of her favorite players in action.
But, considering that Erik Cole was playing his best hockey while fighting off a lingering injury, I can't help but be hopeful for later on.
Patrick Dwyer and Jiri Tlusty were called up to replace them, and Tlusty was effective in his first game, scoring a goal in the first period. Further continuing the trend of "interesting things happening when I am missing hockey during class", Tim Gleason blocked a puck with his face in the first as well, requiring something like 30 stitches. Being the beast that he is, he came back in the game and tied it up on a breakaway shorthanded goal for the Canes in the third period.
Unfortunately, Gleason's pure bad-assery could not stop the C[r]apitals increasingly good play and the Canes lost in overtime. But we got a point out of the whole thing, so it's not too bad.
Bad news for Michael Leighton, the goalie issues were figured out, and he was sent down to the minors, leaving Manny Legace as Cam Ward's backup.
Canes play again tonight against Ottawa. Maybe they can continue this slight upswing in play that we've seen recently?
Sunday, December 06, 2009
Erik Cole is so AWESOME!
Canes win! Canes win! Canes win!
The Canes won 5-3 over the Canucks yesterday, largely thanks to an Erik Cole hat trick.
The Canucks opened up the scoring, but for once the Canes didn't give up immediately. Ray Whitney had a nice backhand goal to tie up the game 20 seconds later. Then in the second period, the Canes scored three goals to make it 4-1, including a strange goal that was credited to Cole, but looked like it was knocked in by one of Vancouver's own players.
Of course, then came the third period, which had been ill-fated for the Canes of late. And, they did allow the Canucks to come within one goal, which I'm sure had every Caniac just waiting for the inevitable tying goal and then loss. But, luckily for us, it didn't happen, thanks to an Erik Cole empty net goal!
Erik Cole had a hat trick! He is playing amazing right now - tearing up the wings like the Erik Cole of old. Obviously, I am thrilled about this upswing in play.
Canes had an interesting trade this week. They traded their first-round pick of this past draft Philippe Paradis for Toronto's Jiri Tlusty, a first-round draft pick back in '06. It doesn't affect either team right away, but I find it interesting that we would trade a first-rounder so soon in development.
Next game is tomorrow at Penguins. Too soon to hope for a win streak?
Erik Cole stats: 3 goals
On the season: 6 goals, 2 assists
The Canes won 5-3 over the Canucks yesterday, largely thanks to an Erik Cole hat trick.
The Canucks opened up the scoring, but for once the Canes didn't give up immediately. Ray Whitney had a nice backhand goal to tie up the game 20 seconds later. Then in the second period, the Canes scored three goals to make it 4-1, including a strange goal that was credited to Cole, but looked like it was knocked in by one of Vancouver's own players.
Of course, then came the third period, which had been ill-fated for the Canes of late. And, they did allow the Canucks to come within one goal, which I'm sure had every Caniac just waiting for the inevitable tying goal and then loss. But, luckily for us, it didn't happen, thanks to an Erik Cole empty net goal!
Erik Cole had a hat trick! He is playing amazing right now - tearing up the wings like the Erik Cole of old. Obviously, I am thrilled about this upswing in play.
Canes had an interesting trade this week. They traded their first-round pick of this past draft Philippe Paradis for Toronto's Jiri Tlusty, a first-round draft pick back in '06. It doesn't affect either team right away, but I find it interesting that we would trade a first-rounder so soon in development.
Next game is tomorrow at Penguins. Too soon to hope for a win streak?
Erik Cole stats: 3 goals
On the season: 6 goals, 2 assists
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