Matt Karash: Ron Hainsey by the numbers + Is Rutherford done?

123 blocked shots per game! wowzers! Obviously this should be per season.

123 blocked shots per game! wowzers! Obviously this should be per season.
- Peterg

Hey, I just fired my editor/proofreader. Do you want the job? It pays...well...nothing actually.

Thanks for the head up! I fixed it.

Hey, I just fired my editor/proofreader. Do you want the job? It pays...well...nothing actually.

Thanks for the head up! I fixed it.
- CarolinaMatt63

Haha, no worries. I wasn't trying to be a hater, just giving you a heads up.

Matt Karash: Ron Hainsey by the numbers + Is Rutherford done?
- CarolinaMatt63

No

He wants to take Liles

No

He wants to take Liles
- jnwood2517

Teams want Liles as bad as they want Volchenkov.

Hey Matt, I am in a keeper league and have been offered R. Murphy for H. Shinkaruk. I need dmen. Hunter is impressive and Torts has already said he would like a couple youngsters to make the Canucks. My question is what do you see in Murphy for points this year and in the future. Is he a sure thing nhl scoring machine down the road or will he have to do that in the AHL? Anyone got any input on him? Thanks.

Hey, I just fired my editor/proofreader. Do you want the job? It pays...well...nothing actually.

Thanks for the head up! I fixed it.
- CarolinaMatt63

peterg what a tool

Haha, no worries. I wasn't trying to be a hater, just giving you a heads up.
- Peterg

It was so obvious Peter, no need for a heads up. Get a life.

I'd give Mason Raymond a long look if he is not signed by the Leafs via his tryout. Still young, and despite his past injury should have plenty left in the tank and ready to prove himself.

Still high on Morrow, but not sure if he is on the Canes'.

I'd give Mason Raymond a long look if he is not signed by the Leafs via his tryout. Still young, and despite his past injury should have plenty left in the tank and ready to prove himself.
- CappyJr.

Finally another canes fan has the same idea as me! I have been high on Raymond with the canes ever since grabo signed!

I'd give Mason Raymond a long look if he is not signed by the Leafs via his tryout. Still young, and despite his past injury should have plenty left in the tank and ready to prove himself.

Still high on Morrow, but not sure if he is on the Canes'.
- CappyJr.

To be honest, I am surprised that the Canes have not managed to pull an extra forward or 2 into camp. The Canes did get Palushaj and Gerbe on 2-way contracts and have since added Dvorak on a tryout. For someone without a contract/job who needs to be visible and working out anyway, it seems like the Canes with the volume of openings at forward would be 1 of the top non-contract destinations.

Boyes is in Florida. Raymond in Toronto. Latendresse in Pho I believe. Morrow, Gagne, Brunner, etc. are still nowhere.

With Kirk Muller's ties to Morrow, it would seem like a good workout/tryout fit. His agent can still keep talking to whoever, but it gives him a place to start working up to game speed, and also to see the Canes situation firsthand and see if it could work for him.

Hey Matt, I am in a keeper league and have been offered R. Murphy for H. Shinkaruk. I need dmen. Hunter is impressive and Torts has already said he would like a couple youngsters to make the Canucks. My question is what do you see in Murphy for points this year and in the future. Is he a sure thing nhl scoring machine down the road or will he have to do that in the AHL? Anyone got any input on him? Thanks.
- flyerdude17

So I know only what I read on Shinkaruk, so I will not offer my non-qualified who is better than who opinion.

Here is the skinny on Murphy:
--He is an elite skater. Think Brian Campbell especially the version with Buffalo when he had skating talent that could play his pace.
--In a very short tryout on emergency call-up last season, he looked like he was in way over his head physically and also in terms of playing without the puck on his stick. This defense thing tends to be important for defenseman.
--Based on my 2nd comment I am not that high on Murphy short-term. Others are though. I think he has a couple years of work in the AHL to round out the defensive part of his game. Long-term, I think he tracks toward being a decent 3rd pairing defenseman who is a key component on the power play. Think Marc Andre Bergeron when younger. If he can round out defensively then his upside looks more like Dan Boyle or Brian Campbell.
--But 2 things: The Canes are not real deep on defense, so if he progresses quickly on defense or even just if the Canes hit a batch of injuries, he is near the top of the callup list. IF he does make the NHL level, I think he will be at least a reasonable point producer fairly quickly.

Unless injuries or a "blow the doors off" camp change things, for 2013-14, I would predict that he sees about 20-25 games in the NHL on a fill in basis. In those games, he does get power play time and therefore scores some, so I call it 25 games 10 points. But in fantasy hockey with players way down your depth chart, you are usually looking for potential upside not "projected", and I think Murphy does have a high ceiling if a couple things fall into place.

So I know only what I read on Shinkaruk, so I will not offer my non-qualified who is better than who opinion.

Here is the skinny on Murphy:
--He is an elite skater. Think Brian Campbell especially the version with Buffalo when he had skating talent that could play his pace.
--In a very short tryout on emergency call-up last season, he looked like he was in way over his head physically and also in terms of playing without the puck on his stick. This defense thing tends to be important for defenseman.
--Based on my 2nd comment I am not that high on Murphy short-term. Others are though. I think he has a couple years of work in the AHL to round out the defensive part of his game. Long-term, I think he tracks toward being a decent 3rd pairing defenseman who is a key component on the power play. Think Marc Andre Bergeron when younger. If he can round out defensively then his upside looks more like Dan Boyle or Brian Campbell.
--But 2 things: The Canes are not real deep on defense, so if he progresses quickly on defense or even just if the Canes hit a batch of injuries, he is near the top of the callup list. IF he does make the NHL level, I think he will be at least a reasonable point producer fairly quickly.

Unless injuries or a "blow the doors off" camp change things, for 2013-14, I would predict that he sees about 20-25 games in the NHL on a fill in basis. In those games, he does get power play time and therefore scores some, so I call it 25 games 10 points. But in fantasy hockey with players way down your depth chart, you are usually looking for potential upside not "projected", and I think Murphy does have a high ceiling if a couple things fall into place.
- CarolinaMatt63

Thanks for your reply Matt. Our league is a 12 team keeper league that is now starting it's 34th season. (Started in 1979) Still not sure I will do the Shinkaruk for Murphy deal at this point. Shinkaruk reminds me so much of Pavel Bure, speed to burn, sniper, oozing confidence, about the same size and he is only 18 years old. I once traded Luc Robitaille for Jan Ludvig before Robitaille played his first game and you know how that ended, lol. I drafted Luc in the last round and he was a sensation from his first training camp on. Hunter is flying in camp and has already been singled out by Torts as a player who has already got his attention. The addition of Hainsey really could keep Murphy out of the picture for this year. Faulk and Sekera probably the top two offesive guys. Thanks again Matt, keep up the great work.

Matt, per Murphy...last year's version of Murphy is pretty much what you were describing, but this year (i think) is different...i'll explain! I saw him in the prospect camp, and thought he looked very good... but his opponents were ALSO prospects, but today i saw him in camp (against veteran NHL/ AHL players) and he looked smooth, confident, and VERY EFFECTIVE defensively!!! Time will tell, but i believe it's just a matter of time before he's being compared to the other complete ELITE d-men in the league! If i was in a fantasy league...i'd definitely want to have him on my roster, because we all know his offensive ability and upside!

Matt, per Murphy...last year's version of Murphy is pretty much what you were describing, but this year (i think) is different...i'll explain! I saw him in the prospect camp, and thought he looked very good... but his opponents were ALSO prospects, but today i saw him in camp (against veteran NHL/ AHL players) and he looked smooth, confident, and VERY EFFECTIVE defensively!!! Time will tell, but i believe it's just a matter of time before he's being compared to the other complete ELITE d-men in the league! If i was in a fantasy league...i'd definitely want to have him on my roster, because we all know his offensive ability and upside!
- randycane

So I think an important starting point is to make sure you understand that I probably rate way on the low end of optimism for 2013-14 at the NHL level for Ryan Murphy. I guess I just have trouble getting past the growing pains he had in his very short audition last season. Note that he was parachuted in mid-season in a season where he did not have the benefit of a training camp and probably got his initial training on the system and such in a 1 1/2 hour session on a white board before his first NHL game which is obviously unfair.

His skating ability is truly elite (today not in the future). That is a great starting point to make an NHL player.

And over the next couple weeks, we will get a better read on where exactly he is in terms of development measured by on-ice performance against semi-real competition instead of random projections by myself and other people who cover the team.

On Murphy, my concern is his size. I hope I'm proven wrong, but good, strong and sizeable D really help wins games. Murphy has a lot upside, but probably a few years away from making a consistent, contribution to any top 6.

On Murphy, my concern is his size. I hope I'm proven wrong, but good, strong and sizeable D really help wins games. Murphy has a lot upside, but probably a few years away from making a consistent, contribution to any top 6.
- CappyJr.

This canard about size is really overblown! I saw him yesterday within five feet, playing against 6 foot+ 200lb + guys and he didn't look small to me...he's 185lbs and strong! Erik Karlsson (Ott.) is 175lbs and you see what he has done!

Fair enough, only time will time. I hope I'm totally wrong.

This canard about size is really overblown! I saw him yesterday within five feet, playing against 6 foot+ 200lb + guys and he didn't look small to me...he's 185lbs and strong! Erik Karlsson (Ott.) is 175lbs and you see what he has done!
- randycane

Nicklas Lidström was 6'1" 190 & he was pretty good ,Murphy is probably the Canes fastest skater ,and when he turn's on the jet's he's on another level ,or switch him to forward ala Scott Walker he was pretty good too. I believe when Murphy gets more confident at the NHL level he will be a very good player after all Brian Campbell has had a great career.

As a Jets fan, I saw a lot of Hainsey and can offer this:

Good:

He skates very well, has decent speed and won't get roasted one on one by some kid trying to use a Junior B move on him.

He is good positionaly when he's upright. He has a good stick and does read and react effectively. He will break up a lot of plays and seems to have a knack for picking off cross-ice passes in the defensive zone.

He usually comes out with the puck in one on one battles and can make a decent first pass out of the zone.

He is durable and won't miss many games.

Bad:

He is durable because he never hits. He is not a small guy but he will drive you crazy with his lack of physical play. He makes Pitkanen look like Chris Pronger. He does block a ton of shots though, and some of them will get blocked right into the net.

He showed absolutely no offensive upside with the Jets. He rarely took the shot and when he did, he looked like dudes who play in my rec league. Not a lot of mustard on his clapper and I won't even evaluate his wrister.

He will go down a lot. More often than not, the gamble pays off and he breaks up a play. When the gamble fails, it will fail into your net and you will be face-palming.