Thanks For The Memories, "Nicky" Wallin
by Bob Wage 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."
The defenseman will probably be missed the most in practices. Nik was the guy wrestling with someone in the corner. He was the one who would give an injured player a couple of jolts along the boards, to see if they were ready to compete in a game. He was the one with a big smile when a teammate needed it.
But that's not to say he couldn't bring the intensity when it was needed. The Swede was a consistent, physical presence on the blueline and was a top performer when he was healthy. He did suffer from his fair share of injuries though, and missed a lot of games over the past few years.
Never known for his offensive prowess, some of Wallin's goals will be remembered as being among the most dramatic in franchise playoff history as he earned the nickname, "The Secret Weapon".
In the 2002 playoffs, he scored two game winning goals in overtime, one against Montreal in game four of the conference semifinals and one against Toronto in game two of the Eastern Conference Finals.
In the 2006 playoffs, he scored the game winning goal in overtime against New Jersey in game two of the conference semifinals.
He presently holds the franchise record for most playoff goals scored in overtime, (3).
Never one to complain, Nik is down to earth and is one of league's good guys. He and his family reside in a modest neighborhood in Apex and were just as likely to be found grabbing a bite to eat in a close by fast food place, than anyplace else. He was also very active in youth hockey and will be missed being seen at the local rinks.
What will happen in the future? Will he stay in San Jose, come back for an encore in Raleigh, or move back home to Sweden? Even Wallin does not know at this point, but wherever he ends up, most Caniacs will be in his corner just like he's been in theirs' for the past 10 years.
Good Luck Nik!
_____
Wallin and Tim Conboy jousting at practice. (photo by LTD)
Wallin toughening up Brandon Sutter. (photo by LTD)
Nik posing after practice in 2003. (photo by Hyena)
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Best of luck to the Big Swede. I, for one, will miss him.
"This guy is as meat and potatoes as there is of a man."
Gleason for Emperor!
well written Bob!
As saddening as this is for a lot of us, I can only imagine how hard this is on the guys in the locker room. They knew of the expectations on them this year, and they know what they are capable of when playing to their potential. To know that their failures resulted in an early summer is one thing. To know that their failures cost them a beloved friend and key cog in the locker room is another. This has gotta be sad times for a team of friends.
It is sad to see Nic go, but its time for a new era of Hurricane hockey. I hope San Jose does real well in the playoffs (our draft pick from them doesn’t depend on their performance, suck it up Buffalo) and Nic can get a new contract out of them.
My lasting memory of Nic will be “the kick” OT goal against the Devils in the 06 playoffs. Maybe San Jose will meet New Jersey in the Finals and “The Secret Weapon” will spoil Marty’s playoffs again.
by PackPride17 on Feb 7, 2010 11:38 PM EST via mobile reply actions
I’ll always remember “The Secret Weapon” mainly for his OT goal against the Devils in the ‘06 playoffs. That was one of the best games I’ve ever seen. Sad to see him go, but I know we have to make some changes in our roster. Maybe he can have some clutch goals for San Jose this postseason, and help them to a Stanley Cup.
Nice guy, great memories…but let’s keep in mind his play this year was one of the reasons our defense has been so up-and-down. Was he the only one stinking up the joint? Nope. Does that fact mean we shouldn’t trade him to secure a strong future of the club? Again, nope. I agree with this move 100%, and it’s nice to see a nice guy get rewarded with another shot at the cup.
Even though I agree the trade was the right decision. I don’t agree that Wallin was part of the problem. Nic was suppose to be a part of our third defensive pair. His role is to be a stay at home physical defensemen. Throughout his career with the canes he has been a model of consistency. His role on the team this year wasn’t to play big minutes or to be paired with Pitkanen. This team would be a lot better off if we had more “secret weapons”.
Nick Wallin has always been a consistent player for our team… He was far FAR from the problem w/ our defense this season.
by Mateos_Canes_Lamp on Feb 8, 2010 8:09 PM EST up reply actions
I think Wallin will be remembered for being one of the true success stories for this organization.
Drafted in the fourth round, then becomes a staple on the blue line for nearly ten years. Good player, Great person. This is a hard one for the guys in the room. When the dust, or tears, settle a second round pick for Nicky at this stage of his career is a great deal. Kudos to JR on this one.
"He has all the virtues I dislike, and none of the vices I admire." -Sir Winston Churchill
I agree. Wallin is a great person and teammate; but the reality is that Wallin’s unacceptable play during the first half of the season substantially contributed to the Hurricanes’ dismal season. Wallin got himself back in gear over the past twenty or twenty-five games; and I think and hope Wallin will fit in well at San Jose. Jim Rutherford did a great job getting a second round draft choice for Wallin.
I will miss Wallin in the community and has a role model for the younger players. I will not miss at all Wallin as a defenseman within the Maurice/Francis/Rowe system. My guess is that at San Jose Wallin will be asked to play within the confines of his skill sets as a player and will do well there.
I think that you… like many people on here… have pinned a lot of the blame on a guy like Nick Wallin because he is not a super star and he is not a vocal player… he’s not as fast as some of the other guys…. So let’s blame it on him.
He always played exactly the way he was expected to play…. And I do not have a problem saying that.
To say that
Wallin’s unacceptable play during the first half of the season substantially contributed to the Hurricanes’ dismal seasonis a far cry from the actual truth…
by Mateos_Canes_Lamp on Feb 8, 2010 8:12 PM EST up reply actions
Wallin's Performance
Reasonable minds can disagree. I followed Wallin from the day he arrrived at Carolina. It is entirely possible that I am mistaken; but I am convinced that in fact Wallin’s and Aaron Ward’s play was dismal for approximately half the season. In my opinion, they were both far too slow to play the style required of them and both took ridiculous penalties far too often. I think both Wallin and Aaron Ward are fine people; but I am thrilled neither one will be playing for Carolina next year.
Gotta agree with Mateos_Canes_Lamp on this one.
Wallin was NOT our problem this season. He’s pretty much the same player he’s always been, just had a rule change post-lockout that made every D-man’s life miserable and was played a notch or two above his third pairing position way too much of the time.
The stink ran through the entire team from the start of the season and it came from the top leadership lollygagging its way through the first couple of months. The problem was far greater than three vets suddenly not being able to play and dragging down the entire team.
To keep beating that Wallin/Ward/Brind’Amour drum in every post is getting a bit tiresome. Would that it were that simple. It’s not.
Thanks for the memories "Nicky"
San Jose gets a Secret Weapon, Caniacs get a reason to pull for San Jose in the playoffs!
Ho hum. It’s a good trade, but I would have actually preferred Wallin stay a Cane. I hate to pull for San Jose – turquoise strikes me as a snooty color.
I actually kind of like San Jose (depsite the snooty colors). There’s really not a lot of negative things you can say about the players….and when we went there for the game last year, the fans were pretty nice. All in all, it was a good experience and I’m glad he went there over a lot of other teams he could have gone to. That is, if he had to be traded. Definitely not saying I wanted him to go. Love that guy :)
So the degree that you root for a team is partly based on the Snootiness of their team colors ?
by drifterscape on Feb 8, 2010 10:14 AM EST up reply actions
We have twice the motivation to beat Buffalo Thursday – the lower they finish, the better our new pick in the 2nd round.
GM and soothsayer of the Unofficial Hurricanes' fishtank.
Up this week: Introducing Sutter-fish.
Speaking of finishing...
Chip just "tweeted that Cole & Walker will NOT be returning after the Olympic break…hmmm the question is or ought to be will it be because of injuries or trades ??? the plot like my 10 alarm chili thickens !! Go Canes !!
If you think you can't, you won't !
Before we get panicky, his exact words were these:
Cole, Walker won’t return after Olympic break, Maurice says.
Which I honestly believe is just a typo, since his tweets are frequently filled with them and he never seems to read them or correct them.
What my guess is that he meant to say is:
“Cole, Walker won’t return until after Olympic break, Maurice says.”, which certainly would not be surprising.
Wallin is a class act all the way, and I have always thought he accomplished what was expected of him. I tend to graviate toward those players that who might not have the super talent, but work hard and give you everything they have every time out and Nic resembles that type of player. You always hope the good ones know how much fans appreciate them so I hope he knows, and I wish him the best.
"Last season we couldn't win at home and we were losing on the road. My failure was that I couldn't think of any place else to play." - Harry Neale
Thanks Nik!! You will always be a Cane to all of us! Truly a class act, and wil never be forgotten!
Let the new era of Hurricanes hockey.... begin!
by 3yrsnoplayoffs? on Feb 8, 2010 11:16 AM EST reply actions
mixed bag
Wallin was one of those players that from a personal standpoint you would have loved to have seen only ever wear our sweater. A good guy, with a lot of character and just a player you really wanted to see do great things. But on the business side of the coin, this was a good return for the secret weapon, and a wonderful opportunity for him to hoist the hardware again. Good luck, Nicky, your contributions will forever be in part of Canes lore.
Good Luck Nic! Hope you go deep in the playoffs.
by wolfpack caniac on Feb 8, 2010 12:03 PM EST reply actions
Thanks for the memories!
How can anybody forget the one who scored in their own EMPTY net?…………
Gook luck in the first round of the playoffs, the Sharks usually need it.
Staal + Jussi = GOAL
That is funny…. But it should be noted that we won that bame by a score of 6-2 (or something like that)… and we went on to win the Stanley Cup that season….
I just hate that I was not present for that game (I was in Florida for GIA)…..
by Mateos_Canes_Lamp on Feb 8, 2010 8:16 PM EST up reply actions
Cam?
Off topic for sure…but Cam was supposed to meet with that Raleigh back specialist today, anyone hear any murmering about that?
Here’s to hoping for the best
no news yet, but legace to start tuesday...
Peters is also a definite for thursday and maybe friday:
Also…Ruutuu is back tuesday!!! :)
http://hurricanes.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=516784
If Ray Whitney does not retire a Carolina Hurricane, I'll go egg Jim Rutherfords car and TP his house.
Hey, I heard from a close friend that he was supposed to be having surgery and will likely be out for the rest of the season.
Here’s a little more info on Cam:
ice_chip Canes GM Jim Rutherford said doctors will observe Cam Ward for a couple of weeks before making a decision on how to move forward.
I guess that’s better than him needing immediate surgery.
"This guy is as meat and potatoes as there is of a man."
Gleason for Emperor!
It’s not much, but it’s something.
"This guy is as meat and potatoes as there is of a man."
Gleason for Emperor!
I see that as they need time to decide which surgery is necessary. Once you have back surgery your back is never the same and definitely not 100% . I say he’ll try to come back next year.
Staal + Jussi = GOAL
I’m not an expert by any means, but they normally don’t do surgery unless there is nerve compression. And that’s only once they have tried everything else they possibly can.
I’m also not entirely sure they don’t already know which type of surgery is necessary. I doubt the team would accept “oh yeah he may need surgery, but we don’t know what kind” as a response from the specialist.
That being said, the way they guard injury information in that place, they’ll probably take him in under the cover of darkness under an assumed name.
"This guy is as meat and potatoes as there is of a man."
Gleason for Emperor!
I also don’t believe this to be entirely ‘NEW’ back problems. I don’t think they would tell us one way or the other. He’s been playing through back pain all season, Tripp ( I know) said during one game that Cam gets special back massages for each game. I just think they know more than what their telling. If surgery is needed ( yes thats the last resort) better to rush it, do it now, then dragg it out and screw up next season too.
Staal + Jussi = GOAL
Rushing to do surgery may screw up next season too if his body isn’t ready for it. I’m ok with them being more cautious if it will help his recovery time. For example, if there is inflammation, you can wait for some of it to go down so the actually surgery goes easier.
And of course they know more than they are telling, it’s the NHL way now.
"This guy is as meat and potatoes as there is of a man."
Gleason for Emperor!
I agree, my mom and Jen both have had back surgery. It’s not something you typically rush or have much control over. It’s a LONG drawn out process and takes a while, if ever, to get over it.
Staal + Jussi = GOAL
Yeah members of my family have been in the same boat.
"This guy is as meat and potatoes as there is of a man."
Gleason for Emperor!
I agree w/ CanesCup… if-or-when they do resort to surgery this could be a MAJOR setback for this team…. Let’s hope that he can get by without surgery… or else we may be looking a new #1 goaltender for the next season or two…..
by Mateos_Canes_Lamp on Feb 8, 2010 8:21 PM EST up reply actions
‘couple of weeks’ = yikes. Thank goodness for the Olympic break, I guess. Doesn’t sound good though. Sounds like the team is breaking the news very softly.
we have probably seen Cam Ward for the last time this season….
by Mateos_Canes_Lamp on Feb 8, 2010 8:22 PM EST up reply actions
Herniated discs: a potentially painful problem in which the hard outer coating of the discs, which are the circular pieces of connective tissue that cushion the bones of the spine, are damaged, allowing the discs’ jelly-like center to leak, irritating nearby nerves. This causes severe sciatica and nerve pain down the leg. A herniated disc is sometimes called a ruptured disc.
Spondylolisthesis: a condition in which a vertebra of the lumbar spine slips out of place. As the spine tries to stabilize itself, the joints between the slipped vertebra and adjacent vertebrae can become enlarged, pinching nerves as they exit the spinal column. Spondylolisthesis may cause not only low back pain but severe sciatica leg pain
Staal + Jussi = GOAL
Cam Ward update of sorts
http://hurricanes.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=516824
Here is the latest from the Carolina Hurricanes. The potential good news is that this situation may influence Maurice to play Peters more in upcoming seasons and to give Cam more time to rest. Peters has very significant potential and it helps that he is a big, quick, athletic person with a great work ethic. Peters apparently is very coachable and he has access to some excellent coaches.
Is anybody else really concerned about next season and Cam’s back problems? Cam’s big contract kicks in and back injuried never really go away. Peters’ had a good game, but he’s only had one game. Can he be relied upon to carry the load if Cam goes down for an extended period time? I’m not saying we should or shouldn’t, but could we maybe look into signing Biron or somebody as a backup solution.
by PackPride17 on Feb 8, 2010 6:02 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
I agree… If I were the GM of this hockey team… as of today…. my #1 priority just became goaltending….
Which totally sucks because that is the one area where we (supposedly) had everything under “control.”
by Mateos_Canes_Lamp on Feb 8, 2010 8:27 PM EST up reply actions
Lugging around the heavy goaltending equipment and being hunched over and crouched down most of the game is not very good for an already bad back…. If Cam Ward has back surgery this could be absolutely disastrous…..
Would it be weird to have John, Tripp, Aaron Ward, and Cam Ward all on the broadcast team…???
by Mateos_Canes_Lamp on Feb 8, 2010 8:30 PM EST reply actions
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