The Carolina Hurricanes made nine selections on draft day 2016 and added six forwards, three defensemen, and a goalie. It would be a surprise if any of those draft picks made the Carolina Hurricanes roster to open the 2016 season. Defenseman Jake Bean from the Calgary Hitmen of the Western Hockey League was the first selection in the first round, #13 overall, by the Carolina Hurricanes. He is added to the stable of young defenseman on the Hurricanes roster and in their system.
Right Wing Julien Gauthier from the Val-d'Or Foreurs of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League was the Carolina Hurricanes second pick of the first round at #21. He has the size at 6'4" and 225 pounds that the Carolina Hurricanes lack. Gauthier will make the Carolina Hurricanes roster sooner rather than later.
Wednesday, June 29, 2016
Friday, June 24, 2016
NHL Draft 2016
The Carolina Hurricanes stockpiled draft picks for the 2016 National Hockey League Draft to the tune of ten picks in the seven round draft with seven of those picks in the first three rounds, three picks in the first 43 and two of those being in the first round. The Hurricanes do not make their first selection until pick #13. An NHL ready player will not be available at that draft position. The Hurricanes could go in any direction.
The Carolina Hurricanes have a "draft the best player available" philosophy but I believe the Hurricanes need offense. The Hurricanes have ranked near the bottom of the league in goals scored for the past couple of seasons and after trading franchise player Eric Staal this season, the Hurricanes need offense. Most NHL experts agree as all of the mock drafts I have seen have the Hurricanes drafting forwards in the first round. The Hurricanes were on the cusp of making the Stanley Cup playoffs last season.
The Carolina Hurricanes have a "draft the best player available" philosophy but I believe the Hurricanes need offense. The Hurricanes have ranked near the bottom of the league in goals scored for the past couple of seasons and after trading franchise player Eric Staal this season, the Hurricanes need offense. Most NHL experts agree as all of the mock drafts I have seen have the Hurricanes drafting forwards in the first round. The Hurricanes were on the cusp of making the Stanley Cup playoffs last season.
Wednesday, March 2, 2016
Derek Ryan
The flurry of trades by the Carolina Hurricanes at the trade deadline necessitated some call ups from the Hurricanes American Hockey league affiliate, the Charlotte Checkers. One of those call ups was 29 year old center Derek Ryan. Ryan made his National Hockey League debut against the New Jersey Devils. Ryan has toured the globe playing hockey from Spokane, Washington to Canada, Austria, and Sweden before getting into his first NHL game. He has been a scorer at every stop he has made and was the leading scorer (17 goals and 25 assists) with the Checkers when he was recalled.
You do not hear of too many professional athletes making their professional debuts in any sport at 29 years old. It is probably more common in baseball than in any other sport and even then, it is a rarity. Derek Ryan scored a power play goal in his first NHL game and is the oldest player to score a goal in his debut in Hartford Whalers/Carolina Hurricanes franchise history according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
I do not know if hockey has a fictional equivalent like the Natural in baseball but Derek Ryan would have to come very close. The Hurricanes could use a feel good story about now especially after trading long time Hurricane and captain Eric Staal and Ryan is off to an excellent start.
You do not hear of too many professional athletes making their professional debuts in any sport at 29 years old. It is probably more common in baseball than in any other sport and even then, it is a rarity. Derek Ryan scored a power play goal in his first NHL game and is the oldest player to score a goal in his debut in Hartford Whalers/Carolina Hurricanes franchise history according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
I do not know if hockey has a fictional equivalent like the Natural in baseball but Derek Ryan would have to come very close. The Hurricanes could use a feel good story about now especially after trading long time Hurricane and captain Eric Staal and Ryan is off to an excellent start.
Tuesday, March 1, 2016
The Smoke Has Cleared
The smoke has cleared on the NHL trade deadline and the Carolina Hurricanes were one of the most active teams out there. Hopes for the playoffs this season began to slip away as the Hurricanes have lost four out of five and economic circumstances dictated that the Hurricanes trade a few of their high priced veterans including Captain Eric Staal. Staal, Kris Versteeg, and John-Michael Liles were all unrestricted free agents at the end of the season. Staal was traded to the New York Rangers for Finnish prospect Aleksi Saarela and two draft picks, Versteeg was traded to the Los Angeles Kings for prospect Valentin Zykov and two draft picks, and Liles was traded to the Boston Bruins for prospect Anthony Camara and two draft picks.
The down side to these trades is that the Hurricanes are on the outside looking in at the playoffs for one more season and their fans are waiting for next year one more season. It has been a long playoff drought for the Hurricanes and their fans. The Hurricanes have stockpiled draft picks and payroll so it should make for an interesting next several months.
The down side to these trades is that the Hurricanes are on the outside looking in at the playoffs for one more season and their fans are waiting for next year one more season. It has been a long playoff drought for the Hurricanes and their fans. The Hurricanes have stockpiled draft picks and payroll so it should make for an interesting next several months.
Sunday, February 7, 2016
Make Or Break February
The Hurricanes are in a familiar position as they regroup after the All-Star break. They are on the outside looking in at the playoffs, sitting in tenth position in the standings with 58 points in the Eastern Conference, two points out of a playoff berth. The Hurricanes are close enough to where they could leap frog a couple of teams into sixth place.
The month of February will decide whether the Hurricanes are contenders or pretenders in the race to the Stanley Cup playoffs. They have 13 games in the month of February, eight of those at home. The Hurricanes lost the first game in of the second half to the Calgary Flames 4-1 and rode a four goal first period to a 5-3 win over the Winnipeg Jets in the second game. The Hurricanes face the Montreal Canadiens this afternoon in the final game of a three game road trip.
If the Hurricanes fall out of the playoff picture, will they be willing to deal at the trade deadline? The most marketable players they have are Eric Staal, who is in a contract year, Jordan Staal, and Kris Versteeg. If it comes to that point, hopefully the Hurricanes would not be willing to deal Justin Faulk or any of their other young talent.
The month of February will decide whether the Hurricanes are contenders or pretenders in the race to the Stanley Cup playoffs. They have 13 games in the month of February, eight of those at home. The Hurricanes lost the first game in of the second half to the Calgary Flames 4-1 and rode a four goal first period to a 5-3 win over the Winnipeg Jets in the second game. The Hurricanes face the Montreal Canadiens this afternoon in the final game of a three game road trip.
If the Hurricanes fall out of the playoff picture, will they be willing to deal at the trade deadline? The most marketable players they have are Eric Staal, who is in a contract year, Jordan Staal, and Kris Versteeg. If it comes to that point, hopefully the Hurricanes would not be willing to deal Justin Faulk or any of their other young talent.
Friday, January 1, 2016
Coming Together
Things seem to be finally coming together for the Carolina Hurricanes under Coach Bill Peters. They finished a solid December with a 4-2 win over the team with the best record in the NHL, the Washington Capitals. The Hurricanes went 8-5-1 in December. The once floundering offense that was only averaging 1.8 goals per game has come to life and scored 41 goals in December bringing their average up to 2.4 goals per games, good for 24th in the league.
Winger Jeff Skinner has rediscovered his scoring touch with a team leading 15 goals, Defenseman Justin Faulk has scored 12 of his 14 goals as the quarterback of the Power Play and leads the team with 30 points, and Victor Rask, Kris Versteeg, and Captain Eric Staal have all been scoring consistently. Goalies Cam Ward and Eddie Lack have been consistent in the net and the Hurricanes have a 16-17-5 record and seventh place in the Metropolitan Division.
The season has not quite reached the halfway point and the playoffs are still a possibility for the Hurricanes. The Hurricanes need to continue their offensive improvement and consistency in their goal tending.
Winger Jeff Skinner has rediscovered his scoring touch with a team leading 15 goals, Defenseman Justin Faulk has scored 12 of his 14 goals as the quarterback of the Power Play and leads the team with 30 points, and Victor Rask, Kris Versteeg, and Captain Eric Staal have all been scoring consistently. Goalies Cam Ward and Eddie Lack have been consistent in the net and the Hurricanes have a 16-17-5 record and seventh place in the Metropolitan Division.
The season has not quite reached the halfway point and the playoffs are still a possibility for the Hurricanes. The Hurricanes need to continue their offensive improvement and consistency in their goal tending.
Sunday, November 1, 2015
A Winning Streak
The Carolina Hurricanes returned to Raleigh, NC to face the Colorado Avalanche and came away with their third win in a row and they have a winning streak. The Hurricanes only put three goals on the board but I see hope for their offense. They are starting to crash the net and are getting several good scoring chances a game now. Jeff Skinner scored his second goal, Justin Faulk scored his fourth goal on the power play, and Kris Versteeg had two assists, one on a beauty to Victor Rask.
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