Not only are the Carolina Hurricanes wallowing in last place in the NHL, but many of the team's players have put out less than acceptable individual statistics. For instance, Rod Brind`Amour has 8 points and is -19 in 31 games, Chad LaRose has 6 points and is -14 in 28 games, Tom Kostopoulos has 5 points and is -3 in 32 games, Scott Walker has 4 points and is -1 in 22 games, and Stephane Yelle has 3 points and is -1 in 30 games.
On the other hand, there are some familiar faces no longer on the Canes doing all right for themselves and for their new teams.
Last night, Patrick Eaves scored a shorthanded goal for Detroit and was given first star honors for the game as the Red Wings defeated the Coyotes, 3-2. Eaves has battled injuries this year as he always seems to, but he has scored more goals (3) and has more points (9) than any of the players listed above and has done so in fewer games, (22).
Remarkably, he is also +7 on a Detroit team that has struggled this year. In comparison, Todd Bertuzzi is -6, Dan Cleary is -8, Jason Williams is -5, and Valtteri Filppula is -6. The Hurricanes do not have a single player in the plus column at this point in this season.
Eaves was a throw-away in the Aaron Ward deal during the summer. After the trade, Boston immediately bought the forward out, making him a free agent. He signed with Detroit and looks to be making a name for himself again.
Of course the Hurricanes just put Ward on waivers Monday, but the defenseman who he replaced, Dennis Seidenberg, is having a great year so far in Florida.
Seidenberg is second in the NHL with 96 blocked shots, something he also excelled at when he was with the Hurricanes. His 84 hits lead Florida and he is third on the team averaging more than 21 minutes a game on the ice.
The German native has scored one goal, has 12 assists for 13 points, and is a +4. He has played in all 34 games for the Panthers and presently has better stats than any of the Hurricanes' defensemen.
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Fans were pretty happy last March when the Hurricanes re-acquired Erik Cole from Edmonton and the winger was certainly instrumental in the team's successful run to the post season. But Justin Williams was sacrificed in the process.
Both of these forwards have had plenty of injury issues in the past, but let's compare how they are doing so far this season.
Williams has a better supporting cast to play with, but he has been the healthier of the two so far this year. One thing for sure, Cole needs to shoot more.
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Anton Babchuk decided to play in the KHL, but he's also having a good year. He leads all Avangard defensemen in scoring with 5 goals, 9 assists, 14 points and a +12 rating in 27 games.
Will the ex-Hurricanes continue to do better than their counterparts who were retained by the team?