"Finn Brotherhood" Too Much For Cats: Hurricanes 4, Panthers 1
by Bob Harwood Waeghe on Feb 10, 2010 1:42 AM EST
1 comment
It was an interesting Tuesday for the Carolina Hurricanes. Earlier in the day, the league announced that the Canes would open their season next year in Helsinki, Finland. Later that evening, the Finns on the team celebrated with a "Finn Hat Trick", as Joni Pitkanen, Jussi Jokinen, and Tuomo Ruutu each scored while leading the Hurricanes to a 4-1 win over the Florida Panthers.
Jokinen's goal was his 21st of the season, making him the leading goal scorer on the team. The hot winger currently has a seven game scoring streak and has 20 points in his last 16 games.
While the Finns all contributed, Matt Cullen was first star of the game and had a goal and two assists to lead all scorers. Cullen is also on a roll and now has 11 points in his last 13 games.
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Panthers @ Canes: Open Game Thread
by Bob Harwood Waeghe on Feb 9, 2010 6:30 PM EST
586 comments
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Ruutu Returns, Panthers at Hurricanes: Game Day Preview
by Bob Harwood Waeghe on Feb 9, 2010 4:52 PM EST
20 comments
(Sorry for the delay in posting this, it's been a crazy one today.)
The Florida Panthers, (24-25-9) are in town tonight to meet the Carolina Hurricanes, (21-30-7) for a match at the RBC. The Canes have won two games in a row and six of their last eight. The team just finished a four game road trip and will play their next three contests at home before shutting down for the Olympic break.
The Panthers have lost three in a row and four of their last five.
Tuomo Ruutu will make a return tonight after missing 15 games because of an upper body injury. He will start out on the Brandon Sutter line. (Zach Boychuk was reassigned to Albany a couple of days ago.)
- Staal, Whitney, Jokinen
- Cullen, Samsonov, Kostopoulos
- Sutter, Ruutu, Dwyer
- Yelle, Brind'Amour, Goertzen
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Carolina Hurricanes Owner Peter Karmanos "Meets The Press"
by Bob Harwood Waeghe on Feb 9, 2010 2:41 PM EST
37 comments
Carolina Hurricanes Owner and CEO Peter Karmanos met with the local media today at the RBC and officially announced that the team would be opening the season in Finland next year.
(first portion of address)
The owner was proud to say that his company, Compuware, was sponsoring the upcoming games. He also said that the team would be playing a preseason game in Finland, or possibly even Moscow.
Karmanos was asked about the upcoming announcement to be made in Charlotte tomorrow, but would not elaborate, obviously not wanting to steal from their thunder. But he did say that having an in-state affiliate made a lot of sense in many ways.
"This is a case when 1+1 equals more than two" the owner quipped.
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Finland Here We Come: Hurricanes Will Open 2010-11 Season Overseas
by Cory Lavalette on Feb 9, 2010 1:21 PM EST
140 comments
If there were ever two teams destined to play in Eastern Scandinavia, it was the Finn-stocked Carolina Hurricanes and Minnesota Wild. Turns out that's exactly where they'll be kicking off the 2010-11 season.
The NHL announced this season’s lineup for the Compuware/NHL Premiere and Faceoff, and the Canes will meet the Wild in Helsinki Oct. 7 and 8. The Hurricanes are holding a 2 p.m. press conference where Carolina owner Peter Karmanos will presumably speak about the event. Compuware, the main sponsor for the overseas games, is also owned by Karmanos.
The Blue Jackets and Sharks will meet (Oct. 8 & 9) in Stockholm, Sweden, while Boston and Phoenix are set to faceoff (Oct. 9 & 10) in Prague, Czech Republic.
Bob will be at the RBC Center and will have more details following the press conference.
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Next Season Could Be Special One For Caniacs
by Bob Harwood Waeghe on Feb 9, 2010 7:00 AM EST
103 comments
While this season has been mostly full of bad news and disappointment, next year could very well be one for the ages for fans of the Carolina Hurricanes.
First of all, the team is expected to start the season off in Europe, most likely Helsinki, Finland. The news has not been 100% confirmed yet, but the Finns on the team are certainly looking forward to the possibility. I asked Jussi Jokinen about the opportunity and he said that he was very happy about it.
"This would be a once in a lifetime opportunity, we are very happy it looks like this might happen." When asked if he thought many friends or family would be in attendance, he laughed and replied, "Oh yes, as a matter of fact my mother has already gotten calls about getting tickets."
While playing a couple of games in Europe would be an exciting franchise first, there is also a good chance that the Hurricanes could be awarded the All Star Game. This would be a huge boon for the local area as well as for fans.
Last month, Jim Rutherford personally delivered a proposal to host the event at the league's office. Gary Bettman has said repeatedly that Carolina was due the classic, it was just a matter of the area having the infrastructure to support it. That time has come.
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Clicks and Clippings: Checking in with the Big Swede
by hockeymomof2 on Feb 8, 2010 5:38 PM EST
21 comments
When news came yesterday that the Niclas Wallin trade to the San Jose Sharks was officially a "done deal", apparently ending his career with your Carolina Hurricanes, I was actually delighted to hear he was moving to such a highly talented organization. While I will surely miss seeing his impressive yet humble presence on the ice and around the local RYHA games, it sounds to me like he has very successully turned a difficult situation into a promising opportunity. Is this all because his parents back in the Old Country taught him to "work hard, don't complain"? Check it out, Caniacs: Nic Wallin, San Jose Shark.
LATEST: Wallin joined his new teammates in Toronto, where they take on the Maple Leafs tonight. Jame Mirtle caught up with him after practice and just posted this piece. Wallin pumped to be a Shark - The Globe and Mail Weekend deal shuffles defenceman from the Eastern Conference basement to the West's penthouse. He will skate in his first game as a Shark tonight against the Leafs alongside new D partner Dan Boyle.
Also this, from the San Jose Mercury News: Wallin paired with Boyle, Helminen gets call-up | Working the Corners Wallin connected with his new teammates around 9 p.m. last night and headed out for steaks with Douglas Murray. It’s the first time in a while that either have had a Swedish teammates, so the conversation was not in English.
UPDATE: Looking at the Center Ice TV Listings, you can watch Wallin in action in Toronto on TWC-Raleigh Channel 733 at 7pm tonight.
More links to bring you up to date, before the Canes take on the Panthers tomorrow night as they begin these last 3 games leading up to the Olympic Break, after the jump.
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Thanks For The Memories, "Nicky" Wallin
by Bob Harwood Waeghe on Feb 7, 2010 10:26 PM EST
70 comments
The Carolina Hurricanes are now in a position not many thought they would be in at the beginning of the season. While making the playoffs is not mathematically impossible, it's pretty much a pipe dream at this point. When a team has spent more time in last place, than out of last place, it leaves a general manager little choice but to start a rebuild.
And so it begins for Carolina.
Niclas Wallin is the first casualty and many fans are sad to see him go. The player, also known as the "Big Swede", will be remembered for his fun-loving times at practice, his intensity during games, and the clutch, game-winning goals he scored in the playoffs.
Wallin was drafted by the Canes in the 2000 Entry Draft in the fourth round and has never played for another NHL franchise. He signed a four year contract with a no trade clause back in 2006 because reportedly, he loved the area very much and he did not want to move his family.
There were questions about his intentions at the end of this season, as word had it that he wanted to move back to Sweden and finish his career back home. That seemed to be the sticking point behind the negotiations of this trade as the Sharks wanted to extend Wallin's contract longer than he wanted.
But all's well that ends well for the Swede as he gets a good chance to go deep into the playoffs with this San Jose team. If this indeed is his final year in the NHL, it might be a great way to go.
"It’s like winning the lottery," Wallin said to the media earlier today. "This is a team that obviously has a chance to go all the way."
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| GP | W | L | OTL | PT | |
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