Jiri Tlusty Assigned to Charlotte For Conditioning

by Bob Wage on Oct 12, 2010 4:27 PM EDT

The Carolina Hurricanes announced today that forward Jiri Tlusty will be assigned to the Charlotte Checkers for a two week conditioning stint. Tlusty sat out the first two games of the regular season in Finland and missed most of training camp because he was still recovering from April knee surgery. The Czech native suffered a torn ACL and MCL in the AHL playoffs last season.

Tlusty is waiver eligible, but will bypass the waiver process because this is a conditioning assignment. He will most likely play in the Checkers home opener on Friday night. (more about that soon).

The team still has one extra forward now that Sergei Samsonov looks ready to return, but coach Paul Maurice will make a decison about the lineup after practice tomorrow. Regardless, it looks like Zac Dalpe and Drayson Bowman both will remain with the Hurricanes, at least for the coming road trip. The Canes next face the Senators in Ottawa on Thursday night.

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Good move

I can’t remember exactly when he had the ACL recon but I think it was not more than 5 months ago, which even by today’s medical standards is not a lot of time for an ACL, especially if they harvested the new ligament from his patella tendon. I think they could have likely just waived him straight up and he would not have been plucked because of the recent knee injury. I am personally not as high on him as others in general, and would have wished for a 2-way contract for him. Maybe he hasn’t been given a good situation yet, but his time with the Canes last year before going down wasn’t that impressive. A late bloomer?

by Hockeydog on Oct 12, 2010 5:28 PM EDT reply actions

Conditioning loan

The CBA actually refers to this as being a “conditioning loan”, in that the player (who must agree to the assignment) remains on the NHL team’s roster, counts against the team’s cap, and collects NHL pay if on a two-way contract (moot in this instance since Tlusty has a one-way contract).

Hence, no waiver exposure, regardless of waiver status, since the player is not actually being “demoted”.

Here we are now...entertain us.

by Elsker on Oct 12, 2010 5:39 PM EDT reply actions

Who's going down

Who’s it going to be?

by JohnnymcQ on Oct 12, 2010 6:38 PM EDT via mobile reply actions

Who's going down

Who’s it going to be?

by JohnnymcQ on Oct 12, 2010 6:38 PM EDT via mobile reply actions

Staal

by Hockeydog on Oct 12, 2010 7:01 PM EDT up reply actions

It’s got to be O’Sullivan if Dalpe and Bowman are both staying. Huge mistake but somehow he’s fallen out of favor going from line 1 to 4. He’s got a two way but as one of the most offensively talented guys I think he should stay with the Canes.

by JohnnymcQ on Oct 12, 2010 7:43 PM EDT via mobile reply actions

I would hope

POS has not fallen from favor….it’s a mtter of how the lines have played with thosw who are currently there…it’s all about the numbers….nothing more…

Everytime you write off the Hurricanes,
They make You Look Bad!!

by CaniacSteve on Oct 12, 2010 8:48 PM EDT reply actions

O'Sullivan

Scorers have to score; but it is clear Jim Rutherford knows O’Sullivan can put pucks in the net and won’t write off O’Sullivan. I think Bowman and Dalpe add size and physicality, so as CaniacSteve notes, it is a numbers game. Somebody has to be sent down. Whoever is skating best and adding points will stay. I would not be surprised if O’Sullivan goes on a scoring tear on this road trip because he has all the offensive skill you could want.

Sent via Ipad

by abramsdoug on Oct 12, 2010 9:09 PM EDT reply actions

I sure POS would love to put up some points against 2 of his 3 former employers. I could see him getting a goal against LA or Phoenix. Its always extra motivation playing against a team that traded or waived you.

Please Mo, take those POS's off Staal's line and put the more skilled POS with Staal!

by PackPride17 on Oct 12, 2010 10:25 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

Yes PackPride17 it would be a blast to see such a thing!!

and from watching Tlusty play with the rats & the canes last season…this 2 week stint will be a blessing for him…

Everytime you write off the Hurricanes,
They make You Look Bad!!

by CaniacSteve on Oct 13, 2010 7:45 AM EDT up reply actions

Just like any new player on our team, the ice time issue will probably get to ridiculous lows until JR is forced to personally smack Mo across the head and demand POS gets more ice time. After that, he will be good.

by JussiJuice on Oct 13, 2010 8:29 AM EDT up reply actions

There’s something about that pattern that does seem familiar. :-D

Here we are now...entertain us.

by Elsker on Oct 13, 2010 8:31 AM EDT up reply actions

Somebody has to be sent down.

Correct me if I’m wrong, but no one has to be sent down. The Canes right now have 20 players on the roster. Sergei and Jiri bring that up to 22, which is below the 23 man limit. They can carry 22 players and be okay. They may try to go with only 20 players to save money, but that’s a front office decision, not a requirement.

Don't trust me. I have psychological issues.

by C-Leaguer on Oct 13, 2010 11:03 AM EDT up reply actions

Correct on both counts. It’s a budget thing, coupled with a desire to see the prospects skate, not sit.

But they’re already fine as far as the league is concerned.

Also, for those that are counting, Tlusty is still officially on our roster, just on a “conditioning loan” to the Checkers, so he counts toward our total.

Here we are now...entertain us.

by Elsker on Oct 13, 2010 11:42 AM EDT up reply actions

So are they at 21 on the roster now with Sergei on the IR? I’ve been gone the last week, so I’m not sure how things are standing officially.

Don't trust me. I have psychological issues.

by C-Leaguer on Oct 13, 2010 12:19 PM EDT up reply actions

Sergei is still on IR according to TSN’s injury list. Not sure how current they keep that list.

So, yes, they’re at 21 healthy, including Tlusty on a conditioning loan, with one ~~in the box~~ on IR for a total of 22.

Here we are now...entertain us.

by Elsker on Oct 13, 2010 1:26 PM EDT up reply actions

I thought they announced this on Sunday?

by hotchipsnsalsa on Oct 13, 2010 8:40 AM EDT reply actions

Chip tweeted that it was going to happen a couple of days ago, then tweeted again yesterday patting himself on the back for knowing it, but the official transaction and notification from the team didn’t happen until yesterday.

Phoblographer and Finn Aficionado
SISU

by Jamie Kellner on Oct 13, 2010 1:04 PM EDT up reply actions

Thanks. That’s where I must have seen it, but I am not a big fan of Chips, but I evidently read his tweets that day. I thought I was going crazy when I saw this article or I was having a bad case of deja vu.

by hotchipsnsalsa on Oct 13, 2010 3:22 PM EDT up reply actions

I hope this is not a case of Mo wanting one type of player and JR giving him another. Maurice likes guys that will bang along the boards but O’Sully is not that type of player. So Mo ends up not giving him the TOI and doesn’t play him with linemates that can maximize Sully’s strengths. He was brought here because he has offensive skills, so he should be given a shot to showcase them. Stick him with Cole and Staal and give him a chance already.

by Hockeydog on Oct 13, 2010 10:39 AM EDT reply actions

Staal, Cole, and O'Sullivan

I like the tandem of Staal and Cole, even though I would be elated if Cole were suddenly to develop better hands and timing to finish when he crashes the net. The issue for me is who should be playing with Staal and Cole. O’Sullivan has an abundance of offensive talent and somebody has to replace the goals lost when Whitney signed with Phoenix. I would like to see O’Sullivan given a reasonable and fair opportunity to show if he is a first line wing. Similarly, I’d like to see the Hurricanes brain trust try Dalpe, Bowman, Skinner, and Tlusty there as well. The truth is I would like to see Boychuk also given a chance to show he is ready for first line duty with Staal and Cole. I think LaRose has so many intangibles for the team and has become a core player for the team; but I don’t believe he ought to be on the first line.

In my view, the Hurricanes need 35 to 40 goals from Staal and at least 25 goals from Cole. Whoever is going to take over as first line wing needs to be able to produce at least 20 goals at a minimum. O’Sullivan has proven he can score 20 goals in the NHL, so it seems logical to me to give him a chance to prove he can regain his goal scoring touch.

by abramsdoug on Oct 13, 2010 10:48 AM EDT up reply actions

I personally believe that Cole’s days of 25 goals are long gone. He only had two seasons above that level ever.

In fact, other than his ability to keep up with Staal moving down the ice (the rare times that Staal gets the jersey flapping, as Whitney used to say) and his abilty to thread passes to center ice from the wall area on the fly, it’s hard for me to see him as first line talent at this stage of his career.

Second or third line would be where he could contribute the most with his two-way game, but it’s hard to make an argument that we have a better right-wing candidate waiting right now to replace him, other than Ruutu.

Here we are now...entertain us.

by Elsker on Oct 13, 2010 10:56 AM EDT up reply actions

Agreed that Cole’s 25 goal days are done. If he scores that many, someone should test him for HGH.

I personally think a Jussi-Staal-Dalpe line would be very interesting. I think Dalpe plays a little more physical than he is gets credit for. A Skinner-Jussi-Staal line would also be very exciting to watch. Potential our 3 best offensive players on the same line should result in many scoring chances.

Cole just is not even fill-in 1st line material anymore. He needs to be slotted on the 3rd line, play a sound two-way game, and help/play with one of the kids on that 3rd line. He seemed to play well last season when teamed with Boychuk. I also see Bowman’s game as similar, not exact, to Cole’s former game.

Please Mo, take those POS's off Staal's line and put the more skilled POS with Staal!

by PackPride17 on Oct 13, 2010 11:13 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions

I think Cole could be extremely dangerous on a third line, teamed with youth that can match his speed and benefit from his passes.

Heck, with second-tier D-men and forwards defending his move, he might even be able to pull it off once in a while. He’s faster and stronger than most that are at that level.

Wingman/mentor to a couple of hot prospects is a great team role for him, as well. Gives him something to do other than just TOI.

Here we are now...entertain us.

by Elsker on Oct 13, 2010 11:33 AM EDT up reply actions

And, at least for situational opportunities where the headhunter count is low on the opposing side, I’d love to see some experiments made with prospects on Staal’s wing.

Realistically, unless he’s behind the net (and not trying a wraparound), he’s shooting. So opportunistic rebounds are to be had for any wingers that care to crash the net and collect them.

It’s as good of a strategy as any. We really just need better hands than Chad’s and Erik’s in front of the net to collect them…as long as Mo’s defensively-responsible two-way game is played, of course…yeah, yeah, we get that.

Here we are now...entertain us.

by Elsker on Oct 13, 2010 11:38 AM EDT up reply actions

Roster moves

From Mo’s audio interview today comes hints of a roster move.

Saw chatter on Twitter that Mo had an extended chat with Bowman at center ice yesterday at practice and thought this was the “you’re doing good, so don’t take this badly…” speech.

From today’s question “any roster moves?”, Mo replies “21 (Bowman) to start, with Sammy back in there, and then we’re thinking about adding a defenseman as we go”.

No real surprises…at least for me.

Here we are now...entertain us.

by Elsker on Oct 13, 2010 1:44 PM EDT reply actions

Oh, yeah, listen for yourself.

The roster move question is about the second question in, after the initial question about Ruutu’s absence at practice today (“He should be fine for the game tomorrow. He has a minor…er…malfunction…”). :-D

Here we are now...entertain us.

by Elsker on Oct 13, 2010 1:48 PM EDT up reply actions

Okay, after reading Chip’s take on the interview, maybe I heard the question incorrectly, and it was a question about “how many on the roster?” instead of “any roster moves?”. The question is a bit indistinct on the recording.

If so, and the answer was “21 (players) to start” (not “#21 to start”), then Bowman’s going with them on the road, since the roster count is indeed at 21, if Mo’s not counting Tlusty (even though he’s technically on the NHL roster).

We’ll see. Carrying a spare forward and a defenseman (Carson? Sanguinnetti?) would make sense on that West Coast swing, in particular.

Here we are now...entertain us.

by Elsker on Oct 13, 2010 3:42 PM EDT up reply actions

They definitely need to take an extra defenseman. And Samsonov was skating with Jokinen and Staal today according to Branecky.

by hotchipsnsalsa on Oct 13, 2010 3:46 PM EDT up reply actions

The way I interpreted it was that the three of them would be the first power play unit, not necessarily an even strength line.

From what I can tell, they have no intention of breaking up Jokinen/Ruutu/Skinner (aka SFCD). At least I hope not. That line is chock full of fun to watch.

Phoblographer and Finn Aficionado
SISU

by Jamie Kellner on Oct 13, 2010 6:21 PM EDT up reply actions

Not to mention the fact that it may have one of the best line names of all time.

"What Carolina really has going for them is Brandon Sutter. When that kid first showed up, he looked like a skinny little thing that wouldn’t last two weeks. But he’s turned into a real star."

by caniacgirl on Oct 13, 2010 9:36 PM EDT up reply actions