Clicks and Clippings: Sunrise, Sunset

Quickly go the years. And apparently the media likes to talk to them while they're young. Here are a few nifty (and lengthy) interviews with a couple of the Carolina Hurricanes younger standout players.

Take a listen to Brandon Sutter on the phone with the hockey heads at NHL Live yesterday. It runs about 9 minutes and covers subjects new and old.

Or here, Jeff Skinner talking to Sports Radio in Toronto yesterday before heading to Florida. One of the more dynamic rookies in the NHL this year... on @Fan590's HockeyCentral

This is "must see": The six-minute full length video interview with Jeff Skinner prior to the home opener last week from WRAL's Jeff Gravely. Extended Interview: Jeff Skinner - WRALSportsFan.com. 

More News on the Canes 

 

HockeyBuzz.com - Matt Karash - Fact: GM Jim Rutherford intelligently frugal   Jim Rutherford has been a master at making ho-hum acquisitions via trade or free agency often in bulk to build out a pretty good hockey team. 

I've linked this before, but I have a hunch you're more interested now than you were then. Meet the Checkers: Jon Matsumoto | Checkers Chatter Matsumoto has been described as a creative, playmaking center with great passing skills and vision. He also has a quick and accurate shot, as evidenced by his last three AHL seasons of 20, 29 and 30 goals. 

Another moment of in the limelight for Matsy: Four players make victories a bit more memorable with first goals - NHL.com - NHL Insider Matsumoto became the fourth rookie to have a multi-goal game this season, joining the Rangers' Derek Stepan, the Flames' Mikael Backlund, and Carolina teammate Jeff Skinner. 

Finally, I found this clip of a big hit on Joni Pitkanen in the game versus the Islanders, which happened 14 minutes into the game. Matt Martin, who delivered the hit, is a 6-3 210-pound emergency call up from the AHL, who was playing in his fourth NHL game. (Note the irony of emergency call up causing another emergency call up.) According to the TOI report, Pitkanen only took one :02 shift after "this" happened:

 

 

Teams going head to head - on the ice and the box office

 

Aggregated NHL Power Rankings: Week 4 - From The Rink There's a new best team in the NHL but everyone agrees on the worst team. The Canes seen drifting down after back-to back losses to the Pens and the Flyers.

The 10 Teams That Have Gained The Most Fans Since The NHL Lockout With the Hurricanes' average attendance pre-lockout at 12,330 jumping to an average post-lockout of 16,286, we see that only the Pittsburgh Penguins and Chicago Blackhawks have done better. (Or: maybe Winning is the key to success)

And on the subject of attendance, check out the latest ticket promotion from our opponent in Sunrise tonight, the Florida Panthers. Just enter code "Original 6"? Wow. Hey South Florida: Evidently you're not doing enough - Litter Box Cats

 

Keeping up with the Checkers

 

Checkers update: Boychuk on Fox Sports Radio | Checkers Chatter has a 10 minute interview with Zach Boychuk that gives us a bit more insight to this young player who finds himself on the outside looking in.

The Checkers, like the Canes have a home-and-home this weekend, except theirs goes for three games, with the matinee on Sunday vs the Hershey Bears. They are playing the Tampa Bay Lightning affiliate Norfolk Admirals tonight at home (and in Norfolk Saturday), and I found this blog post from one of the Admiral players which I enjoyed. Apparently he and Nick Dodge go back aways. Weekend Round-up from the Admirals' Tim Marks

Now we put that weekend behind us and look forward toward the weekend with Charlotte. It will be one of our shortest trips of the season and one of theirs as well - a quick six hours. Both teams need the points, so it should be the ingredients for an exciting weekend of hockey and the beginning of a rivalry. Although Charlotte is not high in the standings, it is still early in the season and they are talented enough to turn things around at any moment. One of my former teammates from Clarkson plays on Charlotte. It's always fun playing ex-teammates and good friends. It increases the intensity of the game for me. You never want to lose to a friend. 

 

Other teams woes

 

Oilers hire sports psychologist to help solve their problems The Oilers have hired Amirault, the NHL's only woman sports psychologist and a highly sought-after motivational speaker for companies, to help them think the game as well as they hope to play it.

Sullivan: Devils on thin ice is a strange sight - NorthJersey.com Except her premise: "Martin Brodeur is expected to start in goal tonight for the Devils, which, given the black cloud hovering around the franchise so far this season, feels like the first bit of good news they’ve received in forever," turns out to be wrong. Brodeur is out, Johan Hedberg is in, and the press is guessing whether it will be Mike McKenna from the Albany farm team getting the call to be back up.

Coyote question: Is Phoenix an NHL market? - Yahoo! Sports with some controversial observations from Ray Whitney: 

"I’m not sure if you had an owner or not if that was going to change the fact that you had 6,700 people (at that game)," said winger Ray Whitney, a 19-season NHL veteran who signed with the Coyotes in the offseason. "I don’t know what could be the cure or the fix for it. Winning? They won last year, and this year they had 6,700 at a game the other night. It’s just the way it is, I think."

By the way, this story yesterday contains a small blurb regarding Whitney's recent upper body injury: 

One reason Ray Whitney has yet to score for the Coyotes: He is recovering from hand surgery and can't shoot as hard as he usually does.

 

 

Better late than never:

 

This was on the air when Tim Gleason was the guest on Canes Corner a couple weeks ago, but I only just spotted it buried at the WRAL audio links. Tim Gleason recaps Finland trip on Canes Corner - WRALSportsFan.com The defenseman joined Mike Maniscalco. About 15 minutes in length.