Harrison Reassigned - Canadiens at Hurricanes, Game Day Preview
by Bob Wage on Dec 23, 2009 2:13 PM EST
24 comments
Defenseman Niclas Wallin will return to the lineup for the 7 p.m. matchup between the Carolina Hurricanes, (9-21-6) and the Montreal Canadiens, (17-18-3) tonight at the RBC. Jay Harrison will be the odd man out. (UPDATE: The Hurricanes just announced that they reassigned the defenseman to Albany today).
The blueline is still a bit of a patchwork as Brett Carson remains in the lineup. Tim Gleason continues to be bothered by the injury to his face suffered in Washington a couple of weeks ago. He tried wearing a cage at the morning skate, but hated it and will go back to a visor tonight. On Monday night he started out wearing a visor, but had it removed during the first intermission.
In the meantime, Joni Pitkanen continues to garner major minutes of TOI. As Cory reported yesterday, he has over 700 minutes logged so far this season, more than any other Carolina player, even though he has missed 10 games due to various injuries.
I asked the defenseman today if there was a limit as to how many minutes he could, or should play? "It varies from game to game," Pitkanen said. "Some nights 26 minutes seems like a lot if I do a lot of skating. Other nights, I can do more. It depends on each game."
I asked him how he felt about going over 30 minutes, like has has done at least a couple of times this season. "Oh no, that is too much," Pitkanen shook his head as he answered. "I am not at my best when that happens, it is too tiring."
Other than the change on the blueline, the Canes will ice the same lineup they had on Monday against the Rangers. Carolina goalie Cam Ward will be facing Jaroslav Halak in net for the Habs. Ward is 9-2-2 in 13 career starts against Montreal.
While Eric Staal and Sergei Samsonov missed yesterday's practice, both will play tonight. Ray Whitney took this morning off and missed the morning skate. Paul Maurice joked that he felt the winger had probably attended enough morning skates during the course of his career. Whitney will play tonight as well.
This is the third contest in a four game homestand for the Canes. They are 1-1 so far and have an overall record of 8-8-2 at home. They finish the homestand on Saturday night against the Philadelphia Flyers. That one should be interesting.
Montreal is coming off an overtime win in Atlanta on Monday night. They shut out the Islanders, 3-0 just before that, but were riding a five game losing streak prior to facing the Islanders. For more information about the Habs, check out Habs Eyes on the Prize and Habs Inside/Out.
Interestingly enough, the Canadiens have not won a game on December 23 since 1945. When told of that little tidbit during the press conference, Paul Maurice quipped, "Let's hope the streak continues."
The Canes lost in a shootout in their only previous meeting with the Habs this season.
Undecided about going to the game? Erik Cole bobbleheads will be given out to the first 10,000 fans. Also, there is a holiday "two-for-one" ticket promotion for those who bring in can goods for the poor. Don't miss this game, Caniacs.
FS Carolinas will have the television broadcast and even though John Forslund worked in Chicago last night and flew into town at 6 a.m. this morning, he will be fresh and ready to go with his partner in crime, Tripp Tracy. Mike Maniscalco will host the Stormfront and Aftermath on 99.9 The Fan.
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Well, carrying on the tradition from the previous game-day previews, I’ll post Tim Gleason‘s headgear du jour. He says he’s not wearing this one either.
And, Erik Cole bobbleheads are in the house!
SISU
Wallin and Aaron Ward -- Solidifying the Hold on the Taylor Hall Pick
Other than working to ensure that the Hurricanes solidify their hold on the Taylor Hall pick, it really makes no sense to play both Aaron Ward and Wallin. The odds are virtually zero that either one will be re-signed. Neither Aaron Ward nor Wallin have any offensive ability and neither have speed or quickness.
If the purpose of the remaining games is to (1) try to build on systems for next season and (2) give some young players NHL experience when the playoffs don’t hang in the balance, then no purpose is served by sending Harrison back to Albany — other than saving some money in salary.
Isn’t Wallin the secret weapon? So secret we don’t even know what he is capable of…speed, puck handling.. shhhh its a secret :)
Secret Weapon and Aaron (hand me the microphone) Ward -- keys to Taylor Hall draft pick
It’s the ideal pairing, Secret Weapon and Aaron (hand me the microphone) Ward. Together they can sink tall buildings in a single bound. Notice how working in concert they can drain all the energy out of the RBC in one play; and can grab defeat from the jaws of victory. It’s an art form that is underappreciated. Any team that needs a first pick in the NHL entry draft just needs to hire them. They produce.
And with their faithful sidekick, Rod (No Mas) Brind’Amour, it is a fierce threesome of fail or really more accurately reverse success.
don’t look now but brindamour has quietly had a good past three games. The 4th line is really doing a good job of creating energy and chaos. Roddy has been a big part of that. Also, there has been a marked improvement in the play of A Ward as well.
It is all relative. Would any team take Brind’Amour to be on the team, much less the fourth line? Here’s the test for me: take the name Rod Brind’Amour off the sweater and make it Rod Smitherson. Would any sane person say Rod Smitherson at age 39 with a +/- of 19 and last year a +/ around -22 or so, who hasn’t scored a goal since October 10th, and who has a $3,000,000 salary, and who has the present skating skills and puck-handling skills ought to be on the fourth line of any NHL team. Add to the fact that Rod Smitherson has hands of lead and can’t get the puck to net, and won’t make devastating hits, then Rod Smitherson’s presence on a fourth line is even more dubious.
On the other hand, it is true, Rod Brind’Amour is playing his best hockey this season. Yelle is playing his best hockey this season. Walker is the ultimate team player and is giving 100%. If one ignores the $6,500,000 price tag for the fourth line and the total lack of scoring on the fourth line, the Brind’Amour/Yelle/Walker line has improved over earlier play this season.
Wonder if this is the oldest fourth line in the NHL right now…or ever? :-D
Also, wonder if this is the highest paid fourth line in the league right now?
Anyway, bravo on the org for at least getting everyone in their right role, regardless of what they cost. Trying to correlate salary to line position earlier in the season didn’t work out so well.
To answer my own question, I tested the only possible candidate for an older fourth line I could think of right off hand, which was the Detroit Red Wing fourth line that beat us in the third game of the Stanley Cup Finals in the third overtime early in the morning of June 9th, 2002.
That fourth line also contained a future HOF’er (now installed), in the person of Igor Larionov, who scored the winning goal on Arturs Irbe at the age of 42. His linemates were Luc Robitaille (36) and Tomas Holstrom (29), for an average age of 35.67. By the way, is it any wonder they beat us with the likes of a fourth line like this (outspending us 2.5 to 1)?!?
Our current fourth line averages 36.67 in age, so is collectively a year older than that venerable Detroit line. So, maybe it is the oldest fourth line ever.
Can anyone think of any other candidates?
The Canes can’t do anything now about the deals they signed Roddy and Walker to. Sitting 17 doesn’t accomplish anything, other than leaking more money from PK’s wallet. Mo has to do what he can with what he’s got. If there are trades made later, Brind’Amour will still be on the 4th line. Just accept it.
I, too, wish there were a solution but there’s not. Banging on a future HOFer at the end of his career is like complaining about the drunk uncle that always shows up for the holidays. You may wish he wasn’t around, but he’s family and he’s gonna be here a while.
Compare Wesley and Brind'Amour End of Career
When Wesley retired at 40, I was not alone in thinking he had more one year left in him. I feel badly for Brind’Amour because the contract he signed for the good of the team and the team’s finances leaves him as that guy you describe above.
After Canadiens Game Review
Well, indeed it was a classic case of Aaron Ward, Wallin, and Brind’Amour totally destroying any chance the Hurricanes had of winning the game. They were absurdly effective in their role of ensuring the Taylor Hall pick. Other than Sutter, Cullen, and Ruutu, there wasn’t much resistance to the Taylor Hall race to bottom by the other Hurricanes. Still, it has to be entirely disheartening to be teammates of A.Ward, Wallin, and Brind’Amour and have them master the art of fail.
Gonna be fun to watch TKO do some body slammin’ on his old line mates tonight, his play has been in line with expectations this season, a season with alot of dissapointments as far as expectations.
He had a great game and I think 2nd line minutes when we played in Montreal. Hope he gets to enjoy such opportunities again.
Gleason for the "C" :
Just what do we need to do to make this happen?
by hockeymomof2 on Dec 23, 2009 3:27 PM EST up reply actions
Took from Canned Goods and Got Additional Tickets
FYI:
It was very simple to take the canned goods and get additional tickets for tonight. I had wondered if it was going to be a hassle; but it was very easy and fast. I asked at the ticket booth whether the game was nearly sold out and got a vague answer to the effect that it as going to be a good crowd. Quite politically correct answer, I suppose.
Buttons
I’ve got one Gleason for Emperor button for LCD & the rest are for LTD. LTD – where do you want to meet at the game tonight?
by Raccoon Fink on Dec 23, 2009 6:04 PM EST via mobile reply actions
any chance?????
any chance you could send/mail one to Wilmington, I wear a gleason jersey and have been on board for him wearing the C since last season. PLEASE
This season would be really tough if I didn't drink the misery away.
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