http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?blogger_id=56Wed, 02 Jul 2008 20:35:37 -0400 http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?post_id=16053 As much as anything, I think the Pitkanen for Cole deal was GM Jim Rutherford's caving in to the realities of the market for defensemen. Personally, I think anyone who can even skate and claims to be a defenseman has been mostly overpriced the past 3 summers. Guys who were decent top 4 defensemen but not even close to the Niedermayer/Lidstrom category regularly claimed $4-5M/season. Though I th Wed, 02 Jul 2008 20:35:37 -0400 http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?post_id=15999 First, as a Canes fan let me wish the best to Erik Cole in next stop in his NHL career. Erik Cole is a class act who was a significant part of both (2002 finals run and 2006 Stanley Cup) Carolina Hurricanes postseason runs of magic. (Yes. I realize that he saw minimal action in the playoffs in 2006 due to the neck injury, but I argue that his play early played a huge part in our regular season r Tue, 01 Jul 2008 16:57:21 -0400Erik Cole Joni Pitkanen Cole http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?post_id=14831 At a very simple level, I am glad to see Sergei Samsonov resigned. 1) He played extremely well as a Cane first excelling with BrindAmour and then adjusting to other linemates when BrindAmour was injured. Who can argue with his 30-goal/69-point pace in a Canes uniform? 2) He fills the "skilled playmaking from the wing" role of Stillman (and Whitney) but in a 29-year-old body. But the pess Wed, 16 Apr 2008 23:35:36 -0400Hurricanes http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?post_id=14633 The realization that there will be no playoff hockey in North Carolina again this Spring has gradually set in. For some reason Monday morning was actually the worst of it for me. Given that the Canes loss was Friday and the official elimination was Saturday night that seems way late. I think Friday was mostly the numb kind of shock with a tiny bit of hope of a Caps loss to temper things. I did Tue, 08 Apr 2008 23:49:28 -0400Hurricanes http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?post_id=14534 On February 17 after the first full game minus Rod BrindAmour (ironically against Florida) after a gutty, hard-fought Canes win I said: "But if this team can bring the effort, grit and determination that we have seen for a couple games now, I have a team that I can love and I can live with wherever we end up." Regardless of what happens tomorrow in Washington, I stand by that. This team c Fri, 04 Apr 2008 22:21:25 -0400Hurricanes http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?post_id=14518 As expected, Washington did nothing last night to help the Canes playoff chances, and I would not expect any help Saturday night either. The Canes need to win tonight to get in. I think this game lines up much like the Tampa game. The Hurricanes are the better team right now and have more to play for. If they do 2 things, I think they win. 1) Play like the team with more at stake. The Ca Fri, 04 Apr 2008 10:43:48 -0400Hurricanes http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?post_id=14486 After 2 consecutive road losses that narrowed the Canes division lead to just the tiebreaker, Canes fans had to be a little concerned about what Canes team would show up on Wednesday night? Was there as much dramatic uncertainty as when the Canes returned from New Jersey after turning their 2-0 series lead in 01-02 into a 2-2 tie that was going horribly in the wrong direction? No. Was there as Wed, 02 Apr 2008 23:28:55 -0400Hurricanes http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?post_id=14474 It would obviously be preferred that the Canes got a day off physically before their next game, but mentally I think bouncing back only 24 hours later is actually a blessing. This is a team with enough veteran leadership that they should be hungry but not scared after last night's loss. For me, I think the Tampa game is the tougher of the 2. The back-to-back has something to do with and just Wed, 02 Apr 2008 13:59:20 -0400Hurricanes http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?post_id=14459 Had you told me in early October that the Canes would enter the last 2 games of the season needing just the 2 wins and no help to win the Southeast Division and a #3 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs, I would have been ecstatic. Had you told me that during some of the darker days during the winter when the team was struggling, I would have been even happier. So while the road we have trave Tue, 01 Apr 2008 23:57:52 -0400Hurricanes http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?post_id=14427 I obviously way late on this blog, but there really is not that much to say anyway. The Canes let an opportunity slip away and made Tuesday's matchup in DC against the Caps a truly HUGE game (not in the usual overstatement variety that gets pulled out every other week). With Boston and Philadelphia playing pretty well, Tuesday's game is likely the last shot for Washington. Even with a loss, the Mon, 31 Mar 2008 17:43:51 -0400Hurricanes