Zach Boychuk Recalled from Charlotte Checkers
by Jamie Kellner on Dec 17, 2010 1:03 PM EST
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PrintZach Boychuk will get his chance in the Hurricanes lineup this weekend. Paul Branecky reported the following on twitter just a few moments ago:
Zach Boychuk will be recalled to replace Jiri Tlusty, who is expected to miss 1-2 weeks with an upper-body injury, says Rutherford.
I will edit this post to add the official press release once it is published. In the meantime, Paul has posted some additional information in his Tracking the Storm blog.
On a related note, the Charlotte Checkers are reporting that they have called up Jared Staal from the Florida Everblades to replace Boychuk.
More details will be posted as they become available.
Edit 12/17 5:30 pm: Following is the official press release from the Hurricanes:
RALEIGH, NC – Jim Rutherford, President and General Manager of the National Hockey League’s Carolina Hurricanes, today announced that the team has recalled forward Zach Boychuk from the Charlotte Checkers of the American Hockey League (AHL). Boychuk is being recalled on emergency conditions for forward Jiri Tlusty (YIH-ree T’LOO-stee), who suffered an upper-body injury in the team’s game at Atlanta on Thursday.
Boychuk, 21, leads the Checkers and is tied for second among all AHL skaters with 32 points this season, while skating in all 28 of Charlotte’s games. His 22 assists also lead the team and rank sixth in the AHL. The Airdrie, Alb., native is in his second full professional season, and has yet to play a game this year with the Hurricanes. Boychuk (5’10”, 185 lbs.) has played in 33 career NHL regular-season games with Carolina, scoring three goals and earning six assists (9 points). The Hurricanes drafted Boychuk in the first round, 14th overall, in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft.
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What kind of chance will he get?
Does he replace Tlusty on the fourth line, or does he get something more primetime? MO should put him with Sutter or Staal or Skinner, let him have a chance to be playmaker with some goal scorers around him.
Tlusty was playing on the third line before he was hurt. Given the continued line shuffling, I’d say nothing is set in stone.
by Cory Lavalette on Dec 17, 2010 1:41 PM EST up reply actions
true but Tlusty is one of Mo’s pet players, and I don’t mean that in a condescending way. Mo just has certain guys he seems to want to excel, Harrison being another.
We all know that, with the exception of the phenom Skinner, he just isn’t comfortable giving big minutes to youngsters….
Since it’s Boychuk, I would hope he’s not on the fourth line. That said, I don’t know how well his skill set will compliment LaRose and Dwyer. I like the role both are in right now, but Boychuk is more of a top 6 passer than a third liner defender/checker/grinder.
That said, maybe that’s what management wants to see out of him for the next few games. Maybe if he shows he can be an energy type player the path to the top 6 will open up for him.
Don't trust me. I have psychological issues.
I think he’ll do well with those 2, he’s a good fit with their style. Boychuk’s best below the hashmarks and I expect they’ll be a going conern against Anaheim.
expect they’ll be a going conern against Anaheim.
What were you eating when you wrote this, was there a hot tub involved, did you play the position, is this a watershed moment………….
Sorry you started it!
...and Sutter, and Staal, and Jokinen, and Ruutu...
If you’re good enough, you’ll play.
Advance apologies if the contents of this sports-based post offended you. I'm just aiming to educate the masses. My law professor says they're asses.
Panthers '010: Save the Richardson family coffers! We'll take the winning if we stumble into it.
by MichaelProcton on Dec 17, 2010 11:54 PM EST up reply actions
I would believe Maurice sees him as a better fit for the top nine than Dwyer, and Dwyer better for the fourth.
Time, though, will tell.
Advance apologies if the contents of this sports-based post offended you. I'm just aiming to educate the masses. My law professor says they're asses.
Panthers '010: Save the Richardson family coffers! We'll take the winning if we stumble into it.
by MichaelProcton on Dec 17, 2010 11:51 PM EST up reply actions
Thank you! I was just getting ready to do that. Also added the link to Paul Brancky’s article in TTS, since it appears the press release may be coming later in the day.
Phoblographer and Finn Aficionado
SISU
by Jamie Kellner on Dec 17, 2010 1:46 PM EST up reply actions
Boychuk
If you were Paul Maurice what lines would you play tomorrow?
I am very happy Boychuk was called up; and I’m hoping he is given a long run of games to prove himself as a top six player. At some point this season, I’d really like to see what happens with a Skinner/Sutter/Boychuk line.
Paul Branecky's Lines
Paul has the lines as follows:
Skinner/Staal/Cole
Jokinen/Sutter/Ruutu
Samsonov/Dwyer/LaRose
Boychuk/Carter/Bodie
http://hurricanes.nhl.com/club/depthchart.htm?dcid=12
The irony to me is that with the size of Bodie and Carter and their ability to drive the net, that line could be a really good line; but I can’t envision Maurice and Francis playing the fourth line more than eight minutes. It’s hard to be a scoring line in that short amount of time.
I am not certain. Although I have not looked at the numbers, I could swear Mo has been running the 4th line considerably more than the earlier games of the season. Data may prove me wrong but it seems like i have seen them on the ice quite a bit lately.
I’ve been thinking that too. I just checked the stats…last game, Bodie had 6:20 TOI, Carter had 9:03 (6:50 EV). Florida game, Bodie had 8:24, Carter had 9:52. I don’t know who to consider the other winger though. Then I picked some random games in October. The 4th liners were getting 6-7 minutes. So yeah, they’ve had more ice time than the 4th liners at the beginning of the season.
At some point this season, I’d really like to see what happens with a Skinner/Sutter/Boychuk line.
This is about the umpteenth time you’ve mentioned this desire, but at the moment, both Skinner and Boychuk are playing the left side. So, someone would have to move over to the right to make this fantasy happen.
Here we are now...entertain us.
Ha...I'll choose not to be offended in that my FanShot was first.
Advance apologies if the contents of this sports-based post offended you. I'm just aiming to educate the masses. My law professor says they're asses.
Panthers '010: Save the Richardson family coffers! We'll take the winning if we stumble into it.
by MichaelProcton on Dec 17, 2010 11:56 PM EST up reply actions
This I like..
..and I hope Trusty heals up well and good.
"It was the best of times, it was the blurst of times..."
by Gramm Matthew Esq. on Dec 17, 2010 2:37 PM EST reply actions
I don’t think Boychuk should be on the 3rd line. He is a playmaker, and neither LaRose nor Dwyer are finishers, so his talents will effectively be useless. Plus that line will then have 3 small players, which could possibly be a problem, but maybe not. Not to mention he already has NHL experience, so he is not exactly a rookie that should be stuck on the lower lines.
I would really like to see him up with Staal at least for a few shifts. Boychuk is one of the potential wingers for him, so we should see how that works out.
I hope they put him on the top line and sit that skinner kid. I mean he has had his chance to prove he belongs and so far he has blown it big time!
disagree
The top line of #12, #26 and #53 is a good line and should stay together. Gives the opposing team someone besides Staal to trap
Never attribute to maliciousness what can be adequately explained by ignorance and never attribute to ignorance what can be adequately explained by unbridled sarcasm.
I wouldn’t worry about where Boychuk starts b/c he could end up anywhere. As it is, Skinner was with Ruutu and Sutter to start the third, and Jussi with Staal and Cole.
by Cory Lavalette on Dec 17, 2010 3:55 PM EST up reply actions
I like the kid/guy
and all i do know is that you can’t improve in the big show if you don’t play…and you can’t get better by NOT playing…that is why he is and was assigned to the Checkers…where the guy is and has vastly improved…just any other topic anyone cares to name…we are all of different thoughts,ideas and opinions…but still over all i sence that some wished Boychuk wasn’t allowed up just yet…so i ask this..If not now…when ? And as for the idea of sitting or parking Skinner on his but or as a healthy scratch…again that’s your opinion…and like back pockets on jeans or slacks most everybody has one or two of them huh ?? I’d hate to see what many here would say if the Canes were second in the standings of the Eastern Conference….inclosing i as grateful and Happy as a clam that the canes are at .500 and NOT where Toronto or the Islanders are…it seems many here have forgotten that small fact…but heck…I’m a fan what would i know ?/
The moment you write off the Hurricanes,
they make you look bad !!
Hopefully things will go well for Boychuk. What about trying these lines out with the injury to Tlusty?
Skinner-Staal-Cole
Boychuk-Sutter-Ruutu
Dwyer-Jokinen-LaRose
Samsonov-Carter-Bodie
This allows Boychuk to play with some scoring players; testing out that playmaking ability he’s shown in the AHL this season. It also puts Dwyer out of the faceoff circle, where he has been horrible and replaces him with our top faceoff man. Jussi’s passing ability might also work with the 2 midget wings and their aggressive attack the net style.
Staal, Skinner, and ?; almost a NHL level 1st line!
"Midget Wings"
Damn, as I’m about 1 or 2 inches shorter than one of them………
Never attribute to maliciousness what can be adequately explained by ignorance and never attribute to ignorance what can be adequately explained by unbridled sarcasm.
Come over and tell that to my face
er, the top of my head and I’ll bite your knees off!
Never attribute to maliciousness what can be adequately explained by ignorance and never attribute to ignorance what can be adequately explained by unbridled sarcasm.
Now you don’t want me to come “DOWN” there, do ya? :)
Staal, Skinner, and ?; almost a NHL level 1st line!
by PackPride17 on Dec 17, 2010 6:14 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
I don't care who you go "down" on
sorry, but while I think everyone should sail the seas they are destined for, I don’ think it would be wise to float your dingy around me! ;-D
Never attribute to maliciousness what can be adequately explained by ignorance and never attribute to ignorance what can be adequately explained by unbridled sarcasm.
...particularly for an NHLer.
Advance apologies if the contents of this sports-based post offended you. I'm just aiming to educate the masses. My law professor says they're asses.
Panthers '010: Save the Richardson family coffers! We'll take the winning if we stumble into it.
by MichaelProcton on Dec 18, 2010 12:03 AM EST up reply actions
I also like thoselines, I think that 2nd line would have an opportunity to be very successful. Sutter has really stepped up his game lately and could use someone who could get the puck to him in the scoring areas.
Puttin Boychuck on line 4 is equivalent to when Mo put POS there…not going to work although at least Boychuck will bang a bit. Its wasting his strengths to play him 8 minutes a night with guys who aren’t scoring threats.
The one good thing about putting Boychuk on the 4th line with Bodie and Carter is that he’ll be playing with two good-sized players. It will be a great shame if this Boychuk call up is just a repeat of what happened last year when he got very little TOI, often with Brind’Amour and Kostopoulos. The Canes need to give Boychuk an extended run on a scoring line and see what he can do. The time is past for burying him on the 4th line. Here’s hoping that either Branecky is wrong about those lines or the assignments don’t last.
by curiouscanesfan on Dec 18, 2010 8:49 AM EST up reply actions
Boychuk's NHL scoring: where he'd rank on the Canes this year
He’s played 33 NHL games with 3 goals and 6 assists for 9 pts. The Canes have played 30 games so it’s not outlandish to think Boychuk will score somewhere in LaRose-Sutter-Dwyer territory assuming no improvement from last season. They’ve scored 12, 12 and 8 pts in 30 games.
Boychuk seems to have improved a lot. Last year he had 36 pts in 52 AHL games. This year he’s got 32 pts in 28 games, a rate more than 50% higher. Fingers crossed. The Canes could use another scorer.
by curiouscanesfan on Dec 17, 2010 6:15 PM EST reply actions
...and he did that in significantly less TOI than they're getting.
Still, there was a lot more offense going on at the end of last year in general, so one might imagine there would be an adjustment leader.
Advance apologies if the contents of this sports-based post offended you. I'm just aiming to educate the masses. My law professor says they're asses.
Panthers '010: Save the Richardson family coffers! We'll take the winning if we stumble into it.
by MichaelProcton on Dec 18, 2010 12:04 AM EST up reply actions
*adjustment NEEDED.
Advance apologies if the contents of this sports-based post offended you. I'm just aiming to educate the masses. My law professor says they're asses.
Panthers '010: Save the Richardson family coffers! We'll take the winning if we stumble into it.
by MichaelProcton on Dec 18, 2010 12:05 AM EST up reply actions
Boychuk and the Fourth Line
Even if the Hurricanes put Boychuk on the fourth line, if they’d add some additional shifts with Boychuk/Staal/Bodie it would add some shifts both for Boychuk and Staal. I can’t see much downside to that approach.
I was listening to the Checkers game (they won 6-2 over Providence Bruins). Jason Shaya had a taped interview w/ Boychuk during the 2nd intermission, discussing the call up before he headed here to Raleigh.
He was excited/nervous. He doesn’t know what role he’ll have (4th line, scoring line, etc) but very committed to working and doing his best for whatever’s asked of him. He did say the only difference between Charlotte and Raleigh’s systems was that Mo ran a more aggressive forecheck (2-1-2) compared to Daniels’ more passive 1-2-2. I’m thinking he’s gonna be thrilled to meet Troy Bodie and even on the 4th line feel good. He knows Sutter, Dwyer, Peters and Rodney very well too, so it’s not like he’ll feel as out of place among strangers.
Twitter @HMof2
by Carolyn Christians on Dec 17, 2010 9:39 PM EST reply actions
Just out of curiosity...
Do you think that’s a reasonable approach?
Advance apologies if the contents of this sports-based post offended you. I'm just aiming to educate the masses. My law professor says they're asses.
Panthers '010: Save the Richardson family coffers! We'll take the winning if we stumble into it.
by MichaelProcton on Dec 18, 2010 12:06 AM EST up reply actions
Are you referring to the aggressive forecheck 2-1-2 being reasonable?
Twitter @HMof2
by Carolyn Christians on Dec 18, 2010 8:31 AM EST up reply actions
Whoops.
I guess I was referring to Elsker’s post below.
Advance apologies if the contents of this sports-based post offended you. I'm just aiming to educate the masses. My law professor says they're asses.
Panthers '010: Save the Richardson family coffers! We'll take the winning if we stumble into it.
by MichaelProcton on Dec 18, 2010 7:53 PM EST up reply actions
Left wingers
At the moment, we have Skinner, Jokinen, and Samsonov on the left side.
It’s not difficult for me to understand why they might elect to start Zach Boychuk, who hasn’t been with the team for the past two months, on the fourth line.
Plenty of months and years for him to work himself higher on the depth chart, but right now, he’s still very much the rookie. And Mo’s going to go with who and what he knows.
Here we are now...entertain us.
But the Canes need scoring now and Boychuk might be able to provide it, given a decent opportunity now.
by curiouscanesfan on Dec 18, 2010 8:51 AM EST up reply actions
You used the correct word there: “might”.
Yes, he might be able to provide some scoring. But right now, there’s no evidence of him being able to produce at the NHL level at a greater rate than Skinner, Jokinen, or even Samsonov. And, it’s one of those three that he replaces if he moves to the top nine, with Samsonov the likely target.
The big difference in fourth line experiences that we have now is that we actually have a functional fourth line, instead of a storage locker for players we don’t want in our top nine.
He’ll have a chance to strut his stuff with Bodie and Carter as wingmates. In my mind, he has his opportunity…and it’s a decent one, just as you desire.
Here we are now...entertain us.
Might not, but the Canes would know.
there’s no evidence of him being able to produce at the NHL level at a greater rate than Skinner, Jokinen, or even Samsonov.
True, but there can’t be any such evidence unless Boychuk gets a chance. The Canes know about the other guys. In my view, they need to know about Boychuk.
To me, the lines below would make sense. You would have all 4th liners (Dwyer included) on the 4th line. The 3rd line wouldn’t be too small, which it would be with Samsonov-Dwyer-LaRose. The object wouldn’t be to demote Jokinen permanently, but to let Jokinen provide some size on the tiny third line until Tlusty gets back. At that point, the Canes would have a full understanding of their options going forward.
Skinner-Staal-Cole
Boychuk-Sutter-Ruutu
Samsonov-Jokinen-LaRose
Dwyer-Carter-Bodie
Samsonov and Skinner would stay where Branecky lists them. You might end up with three lines that can score. You might prove that Boychuk isn’t ready and the status quo is the best the Canes can do.
We’ll see how Mo chooses to handle it and whether this is an opportunity for the AHL’s second leading scorer to do anything more than temporarily plug a hole on the 4th line. I guess I should resign myself to Mo’s likely course and not get my hopes up. Odds seem prohibitive, but maybe, despite everything, Boychuk will make a big impression by scoring some goals in a few minutes a night on the 4th line.
by curiouscanesfan on Dec 18, 2010 1:04 PM EST up reply actions
I honestly believe you will be pleased with how this eventually plays out.
Boychuk will not get stuck on the fourth line forever. In fact, it wouldn’t surprise me a bit to see him get a field promotion to the third sometime tonight, with Samsonov being shifted back to feed Bodie and Carter attempts to score on their former teammates.
Until that happens, Zach will have that same opportunity to practice his new-found assist machine skills with that motivated pair of big bodies.
Balancing player development and team success is a delicate balance. However, Tlusty’s injury status being more than mere day-to-day will afford time for several controlled experiments to occur.
Here we are now...entertain us.
Boychuk-Sutter-Ruutu
Samsonov-Jokinen-LaRose
This line combination could indeed happen at some point during this stint, if Boychuk shows promise on the third line (after displacing Samsonov to the fourth).
But, for him to displace Jokinen and push him to the third line center role, it would probably be an away game against a less formidable opponent that you will see that experiment conducted.
Reason being that as long as we’re on home ice and have last change, I haven’t seen Mo, et al. choosing to go with straight-up first line match-ups. I believe they’re still sending Sutter’s line, with their solid two-way game, out against the opponent’s first line.
If this is indeed still Mo’s pattern on home ice, then I’m not sure Boychuk is ready just yet for test-to-failure mode by asking him to go up against the Crosby, Ovechkin, Pronger’s of the NHL stratosphere.
However, on the road, most coaches are loving sending their first out against our under-manned first line, so matching Boychuk against opposing second-line talent might be a less risky test of ability.
Here we are now...entertain us.
Finally grasped the gist of our difference on this issue
You see giving Boychuk a big tryout as gambling two points, possibly harming the Canes. I see such a tryout as a chance—just a chance—to upgrade the Canes roster in a way I think necessary. For me, this is a low risk and potentially high-reward chance to upgrade from Dwyer to Boychuk and win more games.
I don’t see a big risk of losing a game in this 4-6 game stretch because of having Boychuk on the second line instead of Jokinen, though I acknowledge there is a risk. It’s just that it’s smaller than the risk of seeing the tiny third line overpowered and costing the Canes a game.
by curiouscanesfan on Dec 18, 2010 1:44 PM EST up reply actions
I am willing to let the Boychuk saga play out in as many games as it takes to play out, knowing there’s bound to be other LW injuries and the post-deadline (Samsonov?) portion of this season to transition him to the NHL, if nothing else.
However, during this stint alone, if not during this very game, I think he’ll see third line time, at a minimum. But, I like the idea of those decisions being made in a controlled manner that doesn’t risk losing a couple of points, which I believe kerplunking him on Sutter’s line right now brings into play.
Points right now are super-critical. We’re on the move upward at a time when many teams sink. It’s important to maintain that momentum with the least disruption to the order of things as possible, in my opinion.
Here we are now...entertain us.
Mo’s going to go with who and what he knows.
This is precisely the issue with Mo as coach of the Canes when the system is loaded with talented prospects. A lot of coaches go with their system’s best players and are willing to get to know some new players if they look like they’re among the best. Mo seems to bend heaven and earth to stick with familiar faces, including those with known limitations. That applies to everybody Branecky lists on the current third line: LaRose, Samsonov and Dwyer.
A coach who bends heaven and earth to go with what he knows instead of playing prospects is a roadblock for a team in the Canes’ current mode. Mo has done a great job with the roster he’s had this year. The question is whether he postpones the day when the Canes have their best and most competitive roster because he, personally, is not comfortable with new players for the simple reason that they are not the players he knows best.
If he continues restricting prospects to the 4th line as he did last year with Boychuk and Bowman and early this year with Dalpe and Bowman, he seems to be at odds with the Canes’ public commitment to getting younger. You wonder if JR will have to trade away all alternatives to force Mo to give the prospects more time in appropriate roles. JR says Boychuk will be a top 6 forward. That’s been his role in Charlotte. He’s been great at it. He’s worked hard. He’s set up lots of goals and scored more. The Canes need scoring. Boychuk has earned a chance at a scoring role with the Canes. It will be totally exasperating if Mo denies Boychuk a decent shot at this point. I hope that doesn’t come to pass.
And no, this does not mean that I hate Mo. It does not deny he’s gotten good results with the current roster. It means that he shows this penchant for sticking with vets and familiar faces and there’s a question whether 1) Mo can function any other way and 2) Mo is acting in the Canes’ best interest when he continues this pattern at this moment in Canes’ history with a restricted budget and a strategy of drafting and developing prospects.
by curiouscanesfan on Dec 18, 2010 9:21 AM EST up reply actions
Mo values familiarity and friendship perhaps a bit too much. The Canes though seem to have a team that actually likes each other.
The other side of that are the Steinbrenner-esque coaches/owners that trade based on star talent instead of team chemistry.
There has to be a happy middle ground somewhere.
Never attribute to maliciousness what can be adequately explained by ignorance and never attribute to ignorance what can be adequately explained by unbridled sarcasm.
Four scenarios for Mo's handling of Boychuk
Consider what the Canes have to gain and lose in Mo’s handling of Boychuk based on these four scenarios.
Disclaimer: No hatred was used in the composition of this post. Fear of future exasperation played a role.
Scenario 1
1. Mo uses Tlusty’s injury as a chance to give Boychuk substantial top 6 minutes, using PackPride17’s lines:
Skinner-Staal-Cole
Boychuk-Sutter-Ruutu
Dwyer-Jokinen-LaRose
Samsonov-Carter-Bodie
2. Boychuk bombs after playing 12+ minutes in 6-8 games.
3. Tlusty gets well.
4. Boychuk goes back to Charlotte.
Or
Scenario 2
Same as above, but
2. Boychuk flourishes playing 12+ minutes a night on the second line, sparks the offense, plays well and hard in both ends, and his energy, speed, tenacity around the net and passing are a boon. Say he gets 2 goals and 5 assists, close to a point a game.
3. Tlusty gets well.
4. Dwyer goes to Charlotte.
Dwyer is on a two-way contract. He’s a valuable penalty killer and there’s a lot to like about him, but he seems to have a ceiling much lower than Boychuk’s. As Sittler has pointed out, Dwyer and LaRose are similar players. The Canes still have LaRose. If someone claims Dwyer on waivers, it is not impossible to find a similar player. If no one claims him, the Canes have depth in the system.
The Canes now have a roster that includes both Boychuk and Tlusty along with their other skilled players. The lines look like this:
Skinner-Staal-Cole
Boychuk-Sutter-Ruutu
Tlusty-Jokinen-LaRose
Samsonov-Carter-Bodie
With the possibility of this talent upgrade—based on the assumption that Boychuk shows he is an upgrade—it seems to me worth seizing the opportunity to see what Boychuk can do. A boost in early January wouldn’t hurt the Canes a bit.
Scenario 3
Boychuk plays 6 minutes a night as a grinder on the 4th line, Tlusty gets well, Boychuk goes back to Charlotte. The Canes know little more about Boychuk—maybe that he’s an OK 4th liner who can score now and then.
Scenario 4
Boychuk plays great for four games, commits a turnover at center ice early in the fifth game, and Mo benches him until Tlusty returns. Other forwards play more minutes until Tlusty comes back. Boychuk goes back to Charlotte.
All the prospects know that they have no margin for error if they ever get a chance with the Canes. The Canes barely miss the playoffs and are in wait-til-next year mode, drafting 14th.
Dreaming a Little
Tlusty and Boychuk come through, contribute increased secondary scoring, and Dalpe lights it up in Charlotte. JR trades Samsonov later in the season. Dalpe takes LaRose’s spot on the third line, so now it’s Tlusty-Jokinen-Dalpe. There’s a lot of firepower on the 1st line and a fair amount on the 2nd and 3rd lines too. LaRose is a great 4th liner joining Carter and Bodie, who have also been great on the 4th line. Every line has at least one forward with reasonable size and three lines have two good-sized forwards (Staal Cole, Tlusty Dalpe, Carter Bodie). There’s excitement in RBC and lots of fans turn out to see the prospects as the Canes try to mount a playoff run by a suddenly more talented team that may not be ready yet, but is fast, skilled, exciting and on its way.
In Charlotte, the remaining prospects like Nash, Samson, Osala, Terry and Jared Staal all get lots of ice time and accelerate their development. Going into the 2011 draft, the Canes know exactly what they have and what they don’t. They have a basis for deciding on LaRose’s and Cole’s next contracts, including perhaps the option of spending that salary on a single top-level power forward or a center like Mike Richards to play with Skinner and Staal (as Sittler proposes).
Those possibilities seem far better to me than limiting Boychuk, sending him back to Charlotte untried, and playing out the year with LaRose, Dwyer and Samsonov. What’s the downside? Not winning the Stanley Cup this year? Well, guess what. The extremely remote possibilities are probably a smidge better with the prospects than without. And there’s a lot to be said for going into the 2011-12 season with Skinner, Boychuk, Dalpe and Tlusty already having substantial NHL experience and with the Canes having a very good idea of what they can do, whether Tlusty is worth keeping, which other vets they need to keep, and where the team needs upgrades.
What are the odds?
As for probabilities on the four scenarios, Mo’s history says we’re going to see Scenario 3 or 4. I hope Mo chooses to give Boychuk big minutes on a scoring line and let his performance decide what comes next.
by curiouscanesfan on Dec 18, 2010 10:42 AM EST up reply actions
Well thought out
good work
Never attribute to maliciousness what can be adequately explained by ignorance and never attribute to ignorance what can be adequately explained by unbridled sarcasm.
Good possibilites ...BUT...
1. Staal is on call up from the everblades to fill in…while he has been doing well there in the ECHL level of play…Not sure if he has seasoned enought to play at AHL level…yet…
2. In my opinion: Boychuk is happy as a clam to even be there and will work his booty off even if it is a 4th line spot…but i feel and from his stats in Charlotte thus far a 3rd line spot will better use his current skill set
3. And finally seeing we are all nothing but die hard fans…all we can do is hope,and pray that the Canes win tonite and do so convincingly and i laugh if both former duck players score a goal on them!!
but hey…I’m just a fan..yada,yada,yada
The moment you write off the Hurricanes,
they make you look bad !!
If the Canes just barely missed the Playoffs (9th-12th in the East) then they will in all likelihood still have a top-10 pick. The West is just Overall better vs. East teams and their points race is much more competitive. Even now as the 9th seeded team in the East, the Canes would have the 10th Overall pick.
Splash, swim vs. letting the clutch out nice and easy
Who’s to say that Boychuk won’t be flipped with Samsonov, for starters, if he’s showing something that the coaches like, perhaps before tonight’s game is even over, but certainly somewhere or another during this stint?
However, I see nothing wrong whatsoever in starting a player who has seen no NHL action for a couple of months on a line that’s going to see some quality shifts during the game and let him get his skates wet.
Where it all goes from there remains to be seen. But I’m not of the “splash, swim” philosophy on player development, so this seems reasonable to me.
Here we are now...entertain us.
Then why was Skinner up from day one?
Advance apologies if the contents of this sports-based post offended you. I'm just aiming to educate the masses. My law professor says they're asses.
Panthers '010: Save the Richardson family coffers! We'll take the winning if we stumble into it.
by MichaelProcton on Dec 18, 2010 7:55 PM EST up reply actions
Developing Top Six Forwards
I don’t think it is the best use of the talent the Hurricanes have to put Boychuk on the fourth line and then use the fourth line as a grinding line for 6 to 8 minutes a game. If I were concerned that Boychuk wasn’t ready to immediately fit in the first nine, I would very much want to find out how he works with Staal and Sutter by giving Staal and Sutter some more shifts on the ice with Boychuk and Bodie. Part of my thinking is based on seeing how dominating the Boychuk/Dalpe/Osala line has been last year and this year.
Boychuk seems to work great with a fast scoring center (Dalpe) and a big, fast forward who can get to the net and scoop up rebounds (Osala). I am also convinced that Bodie is a player who can score goals in the crease if he’s on a line that can get him the puck – either through direct passes or indirectly through rebounds.
I am not suggesting that Carter’s time be reduced off the fourth line from where it is now. In fact, I would not be the least bit surprised to see a Boychuk/Carter/Bodie line become a line that provides secondary scoring. On the other hand, the Hurricanes would be prudent to use Boychuk’s time with Carolina as a golden opportunity to see how he has developed.
I think Jim Rutherford said exactly what he meant when he said that Boychuk is projected by the Hurricanes as a top six forward and that one area he in which he improved dramatically this year in Charlotte was consistency. To be clear, Boychuk has never been a player who floats around the periphery waiting avoiding the dirty ice. Boychuk is the opposite of a lazy hockey player. In the past on occasion, Boychuk would have a tendency to occasionally become a spectator rather than keeping his feet moving. In part, it was a style of lulling defenders to sleep – such as “don’t mind little ole me, I am not going anywhere,” and then he’d take off. In the NHL, it’s not effective because defenders have too much sophistication for that and it also doesn’t work with the aggressive skating of Hurricanes hockey. In any event, Boychuk has been a man on a mission this year while at Charlotte. He has improved dramatically in the area of fore-checking and has learned how to explode his shoulders through the defenders to separate them from the puck.
All of which is a way of saying, top six forwards don’t suddenly blossom if all they get is five minutes on a grinding fourth line. On the other hand, it is possible to think outside the box and see what the chemistry is between Boychuk/Staal and Boychuk/Sutter. It also would give the coaching staff a chance to see how Bodie fares with Boychuk/Staal and Boychuk/Sutter; and that information would be good to know.
My prediction is that by the end of this season, Boychuk will be a roster player and will be in the top nine, if not the top six. By 2011-2012, Boychuk/Sutter will be playing together with regularity. I also predict that by 2011-2012, we’ll see many shifts of Boychuk/Sutter/Dalpe.
You guys act like this is some kind of a prison sentence that he’s starting on the fourth line tonight…sentenced to a term only to be reduced by good behavior (although there’s a ring of truth to that :-D).
It’s merely a starting lineup and a good starting point for an AHL’er that hasn’t seen any NHL action for a while.
What happens from there depends on a lot of things…some of which are even under Boychuk’s control.
Here we are now...entertain us.
If you think a team with Dwyer, LaRose, Samsonov, Bodie and Carter has too high a proportion of forwards with limited scoring potential, then you feel a sense of urgency about getting the most talented offensive prospects into action in scoring roles, not on the 4th line. This pay-your-dues-on-the-4th-line approach is like a business hiring an MBA who’s done well as a product manager at a smaller company and sending him to the mail room. If the guy needs humbling for some misdeed, fine. But otherwise, what’s the point?
Boychuk isn’t coming straight out of junior. He’s played 33 NHL games and 54 AHL games. That’s more than a full season of high-level pro hockey. He’s the second leading scorer in the AHL and doing far better in his second pro season than in his first. To me, the most reasonable course is to plug him into a role on the Canes comparable to his role on the Checkers and to let him get used to the two linemates that he’ll play with every night until Tlusty comes back. The line shuffling complicates adjustment to the NHL. He not only has to adjust to different individuals but also to different roles with every shuffle.
This is even more about the Canes’ development than Boychuk’s development. The Canes’ development will go faster and better if the Canes give Boychuk a substantial chance and see what he can do in the NHL. If he disappoints, the Canes will be wiser for it. The next callup will be a different prospect. They may know they have to hang on to Samsonov at the trade deadline because they don’t have a replacement.
What I remember about Boychuk on the Canes last year is not his floating around the periphery. Memory is selective, and mine selects highlights: 1) Boychuk digging out the puck behind the net and making good passes to Bowman or Brind’Amour for goals, and basically bringing that Brind’Amour-Kostopoulos line to life; 2) Boychuk catching Ovechkin from behind as Ovechkin skated into the Canes’ zone thinking he had a breakaway; 3) a couple of impressive shots, especially the one where Boychuk was cutting across the ice from left to right and put the puck in the net from about 30 or 40 feet before the defender or the goalie could react. I’ve never seen a shot like that from LaRose or Dwyer.
The lowlight was Boychuk getting yanked off the ice when on balance he was playing well and doing things that his replacement couldn’t.
by curiouscanesfan on Dec 18, 2010 12:09 PM EST up reply actions
He’s played 33 NHL games…
Yes, for which he is 3-6-9. Not exactly our most prolific left wing at the moment.
For instance, compare that production with the person he needs to beat out for third line time, Sergei Samsonov, who is 5-8-13 in 26 games so far this season. We really have no data points that support the theory that plugging Boychuk into that line would necessarily help our scoring.
We can’t just take his AHL points (10-22-32 in 28 GP), and translate them to the NHL without a bit of field verification. And I, for one, am not willing to gamble two points in the standings for uncontrolled experimentation.
If he’s ready for more, it will soon be apparent and undoubtedly he’ll be given the chance. If not tonight, before the season ends.
If nothing else, there’s a major role waiting once heads begin to roll prior to the trading deadline. There’s 20+ games of top-nine time waiting for some lucky left winger then.
Here we are now...entertain us.
Boychuk and Dirty Areas
I have never once seen Boychuk back off from getting into the dark areas of the ice. I also never saw Boychuk float around looking to cherry pick. If there has been such a time, I’d appreciate somebody referencing the game and time on the clock so I can see it. Last year on occasions he would stop moving his feet and that slowed him down half a step as he reacted to the play. Boychuk this season is much improved in every facet of his game. Hopefully tonight he’ll show how far he’s come to those fans who don’t watch AHL games.
To be clear, Boychuk has never been a player who floats around the periphery waiting avoiding the dirty ice.
I’m sorry, but you’re very wrong about this. This is exactly the behavior they are working on in Charlotte, as you yourself note later in the post:
In the past on occasion, Boychuk would have a tendency to occasionally become a spectator rather than keeping his feet moving.
And it was not a “lull them to sleep” move, as you go on to paint it. He was truly spectating and floating off the action looking for a breakaway pass (Whitney-esque).
Yes, he’s dramatically improved that behavior, by all accounts. But, it’s still a work in progress, and he’s up for oral exams over the next few games.
Here we are now...entertain us.
When Boychuck
played with Lethbridge he did both…he played the dirty areas as well as did some floating…as he scored 2 goals during one of his last games before the draft against Spokane and one was the dirty zone and the outer was off to the side half way out from the blue line…So and while many players don’t like getting in there and getting roughed up as a rule…he has and will …even if the coach “suggests” he do so…:-}
The moment you write off the Hurricanes,
they make you look bad !!
Boychuk/Skinner/Dalpe
It isn’t at all far-fetched to envision at some point in the relatively near future that the Hurricanes coaches will put together a line of Boychuk/Skinner/Dalpe and let Skinner have some time at center. Dalpe can play all three forward positions. Skinner has played more center than wing in his career; and I wouldn’t rule out his getting some time at center this season.
Triple S
I hadn’t floated that Skinner-as-center concept out in public yet because there’s such a fascination with Skinner, the winger, finally making it to Staal’s left side.
But, I do agree that it’s an interesting option to consider separating Staal and Skinner in order to spread opposing defenses thinner and move him back to his junior center position on ice flanked with complementary wingers.
This further allows Sutter to then center what coule be a very strong traditional two-way third line, flanked by complementary wingers for that defensive/offensive two-way role as they face the league’s best (at least on home ice with last change, anyway). Think Jordan Staal’s role for the Penguins.
Talk about strong down the middle. Staal, Skinner, Sutter. Triple S.
Here we are now...entertain us.
Fourth line time
Game circumstances may dictate otherwise, but I’m willing to bet that Mo will be more than willing to put his fourth line out tonight every time there’s a chance for an even strength shift rotation, and perhaps even following events like power plays.
For one reason, he gets to dictate the match-up terms on home ice, having a chance with last change to eyeball the other team’s line choice before sending them over the wall.
Plus, with both Bodie and Carter having a chance to rub pads with former teammates, I would be surprised if the coaches don’t reach for that extra incentive factor tonight.
Add “let’s take a look at what we got” factor, with the Boychuk component of that line, at least until he’s shifted upward to the third, my guess is that we may see more than the average amount of fourth line even strength shifts tonight.
Here we are now...entertain us.
NIce observation about Bodie and Carter’s motivation going against former teammates and how that might shake things up.
by curiouscanesfan on Dec 18, 2010 1:07 PM EST up reply actions
Boychuk's Interview With Tripp
Tripp interviewed Boychuk and it was shown on the jumbotron during one of the intermissions. Boychuk was candid about the fact that last season both at Carolina and at Albany where he stopped moving his feet and found himself watching the game as it progressed. Boychuk used almost the same words that Sutter used last season and said he wanted to make it impossible for the Hurricanes to send him down to Charlotte. Boychuk’s comments reflect what the coaches at Carolina and Albany have been saying; and according to Daniels, Boychuk has consistently been the best player on the ice for either team. In five minutes of TOI on the fourth line, I couldn’t see much other than the fact that he is faster and stronger this year than last year. He also came close to scoring or having Bodie score on a rebound.
+1
It was an excellent interview that shows the maturity level Boychuk has achieved. Clearly he knows why he is positioned where he is in the depth chart, and that he is doing something about it. I also sensed a confidence in him that I haven’t seen before. I think that interview is evidence that the organization did make the correct move in starting Zach at the AHL level this year. A little cold, hard truth, followed by a great attitude and work ethic really looks good on young Zach. I really would like to see Mo put him in the top 6 and see what he can do.
As a suggestion:
Staal/Cole/Skinner
Sutter/Ruutu/Boychuk
Jokinen/LaRose/Dwyer
Carter/Bodie/Samsonov
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