Last night I was surfing different blogs and articles of the Canes like most of us do in the summer to pass the non-existent  hockey time by and I left the denial world and came to reality world that Ray Whitney is really gone.  I understood the dynamics of why we could not resign him with his age and the contract that he demanded, but the reality is our Wizard is gone.  Not only do we not have one of our leading point’s scorer, but we no longer have that veteran with his wit and humor to look forward to in interviews and most of all behind the camera man during Tripp Tracey’s interviews of the players down on the ice prior to the games.  I will miss him making faces at the camera behind the players being interviewed by Tripp, constantly non-saliently skating by behind the player being interviewed, stretching right beside the interviewed player, tapping the player’s leg trying to make them stumble with their words or not laugh while Tripp Tracey’s interviews them, and especially those oh so subtle remarks directed to Tripp while being interviewed by him (“ugh Tripp I hope you’re not planning on sitting down on the ice beside the bench tonight, because we always lose when you do”).  Those days are gone.  Rosey has his own style of humor that is ‘out there’, but Whitney’s was unique and special which I will miss.

This makes me wonder that with very little >30 yr old veteran presence in the locker room for our new young players, the fact that Whitney was still a dynamic player even at 37, did we make a mistake and not resign him?  Phoenix is a young team too, but was smart enough to snatch a veteran like Whitney up for their young locker room.  When he played for the Canada in the World Tournament  this past spring/summer I saw an interview of one of the coaches taking about how important Whitney was to the young players and that is why they made him the Captain of that team.  How many times in the playoffs  do we hear the hockey analyst say the young players can’t hang through three playoff rounds and the SC round without some key veterans around to get them through it?   I don’t consider <30 years old players as key veterans for the new young players. 

I’m just sad I guess that the Wizard is really gone and grasping at straws as to the reality of what we have done.   I hope that hind-site doesn’t bite us in the bee-hind.  Just Saying...

Oh well what is done is done, I will just put my little tribute to him here and know that we must go on without him.

My very favorite interview with Whitney was with NBC.17 sports back in the summer of 2008…

http://wake.mync.com/site/Wake/news/story/8889/sports-penn-holderness-has-humorous-interview-with-ray-whitney/

One of my favorite assists that I witnessed in person by ‘The Wizard’…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAGEjNtZAKU&feature=related

One of my favorite goals that I witnessed in person by ‘The Wizard’…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESHcjZq4fzg&feature=fvsr

C

http://ahl.neulion.com/team/console.jsp

http://www.albanyriverrats.com/news/latest/index.html?article_id=2125

On Friday night our Rats did it again and won game 2 of their playoff series.  Jamie McBain scores the winning goal late in the 3rd period with Chris Terry and Nick Dodge netting goals. Nick Dodge adds to his stats with 3 goals, one assist tallying 4 points so far and led all players in the AHL after game 2.  This AHL playoff series is the most exciting for me with so many players so familar from our Cane line-up.   I don't know if so many players have played at the NHL level for the Canes as these did and then are back for their AHL playoff series.  I'm proud of our players, hopefully we will see them next season in a Cane's playoff series.

Game 3 will be today (Sunday) at 3:00pm.  If anyone can find a live feed, please post info. 

So far we have 2 shining stars in Jamie McBain and Nick Dodge.   I had hopes Jerome Sansom would shine in the playoff series and make a run for the Cane lineup next season, but so far has been disappointing.  Of course it is early in the series and things can change.  Here's the stats after game 2,,,

Positive Rant...

This probably will be the most exciting and most anticipated preseason games for the Canes to date.  With most of the players this Friday playing being winners of the Prospect Tournment and being so familiar to Cane fans from last season, I see it being very exciting.  It almost feels like these young players are already part of the Canes NHL team instead of the AHL Rat's team, and knowing that a few of them are desperately fighting for roster spots is going to make it even more exciting to watch. I really don't even care if I see most of the veteran players this week, I have all season to see them.  I watched the start of the Cannucks & Islander's preseason game last night (turned it off-see negative rant...) and the Islanders had a player named 'Sutton' who was 6'6" & weighed 245lbs standing next to a player who was about the size of LaRose and he looked like a BEAST.  Well we have one of those beast's too---Albert's except he is 6'5'.  I can't wait to see him on the ice!  I was just wondering from you veteran fans from the beginning of the organization, was there another preseason that was more exciting, or is it just me?

Negative Rant...

I'm very disappointed in the Canes organization or who ever made the decision to not give the partial season ticket holders any tickets to the preseason games.  I love this organization and appreciate my tickets for being a full season ticket holder, but to me it is a kick in the teeth to the 26 game plan and 12 game plan ticket holders not to receive free tickets.    They also should have sold the tickets for half price instead of full price being preseason games to all fans.    I think our going far into the playoffs swelled their heads, leaving out all the STH and charging full price to all the other fans who want to go.   We have 4 Friday night games in a row and not everyone can afford to pay full price to all these games.  I may be wrong, but I don't see these 2 preseason games being sell outs to knock out other STH and fans from participating in this preseason event.  It looks like if they charged half price it would possible get fans excited about going and maybe they would love it enough to sign up for season tickets, IMO.

I understand the marketing strategy of networks not picking up some of our games being a small market team with smaller ratings for their advertisers, BUT...the NHL Network not showing any preseason games on Friday, large or small market, it looks like they could have picked up our game.  I don't know if any of you watched any of the Cannucks & Islander's preseason game last night,  it was played in a practice arena that seated 1100 people.  I felt like I was watching a low budget no name hockey teams play last night.  I turned it off, I hope most others for their ratings did the same.  Our game Friday night will be in the RBC with our new HD screen and the winners of the Prospect Tournament, ugh what the heck (being nice) are they thinking?

I'm thinking since I'm partial "It's a Caniac Thing'.  Go Canes!

Rant done!

C

I know they will post a story on the Canes Country  Home Page, but I just got home and found the score. 

I almost feel like it's one of my kids in the tournament, I'm beaming with Canes Pride!  

We are a Hurricane force to be reckoned with. 

Congratulations Carolina Young Prospects, you have made this Caniac fan very proud!!!

Here's the link to the details...

http://www.pointstreak.com/prostats/boxscore.html?gameid=1093190

C

Next week we can see our Canes go 7 games again in the Boston series on the NHL Network beginning on Monday night 8-31-09 at 7:00pm and various other times throughout the night and early am for late night watchers.   

After our 2nd game shown on Tuesday, September 1st  they are going to broadcast on their "Classic Series"  show at 9:00pm the Canes & Red Wings in 2002.   I'm not sure if it's highlights of the whole series or just one game.  I was not a hockey fan in 2002, so this will be a treat for me.  Especially seeing Cole as a rookie and seeing the legendary BBC guys along with Ron Francis playing.

Again I need someone to please tell me the games we won in the Boston series.  I know we lost the 1st game and won the 7th game (duh again), but I'm not quite sure of the games in between that we won.  I think we won games 2 & 3 & 5, but not sure.  I'm too lazy to go to my DVR and find it on my games taped guide.  It seems so long ago now.

Ugh I won't be watching the Canes/Pens series when it's broadcasted, it ends with Boston for me.  I'm still bitter.

C

JR announced today they are moving the home game with the Pens From Thursday, Oct. 15th to Wed. Oct. 14th due to the NC State Fair starting on the Thursday, Oct. 15th.  My hockey crowd at dinner last night was already planning the 15th.  We will now have to put in different dates at work to get off early for the tailgate, so knowing about the change now is critical!

http://hurricanes.nhl.com/team/app/?service=page&page=NewsPage&articleid=442940

C

http://hurricanes.nhl.com/team/app/?service=page&page=NewsPage&articleid=442527

I  won't be sad to see Kaberle bought out if it happens.  Well after reading this article it sounds like JR may be saying "See-ya" to Babs & Seids and get us a couple of good defensemen in their place.  I wish we could keep them both, but I know JR will work his magic and get us some good players. 

I have a feeling if Seids and Babs get signed in the East we may get egg on our face when we play them like Ottawa did when Corvo played against them in our 1st home game with him and got a hat-trick.  I'm sure Ottawa's GM & coach wanted to crawl under a rock when that happened.  I still have that game on my DVR, it was priceless.

C

OK it sounds like we have a good roster set with some depth on forwards, now it's time for some defense.  In JR's interview on '99.9 The Fan' he never even mentioned Kaberle's name with the discussion on the defense unless I missed it.  He did say if Babchuck and Seidenberg are gone then he will have to go out and sign a "top four defense man for the team".  The only free agency list I can find on NHL.com is for all free agents and it doesn't list if their forwards or defense.  Does anyone have a good link on which defense men are still left out there?  Are there some good ones left that we can afford? 

My greatest wish would be for JR to trade Eaves and Kaberle away with some money and get a big top defense man and move up a couple of the Rats to our line-up for some experience as well as depth.  I really don't see anyone knocking on our door for Eaves or Kaberle.  I'm not dissing them, but they just don't bring anything to this team that we need IMO.

C

http://hurricanes.nhl.com/team/app/?service=page&page=NHLPage&id=33869

I'm sure Bubba will be posting a blog about this in the coming days, but I just wanted to blog about my experience last summer at the "Caniac Summer Fun Fest".  It's a promotion for season ticket sales to get the public out to the RBC like a Time-Share event-lol.  It's a great marketing idea and even better for Cane addicts to get some kind of hockey experience out of it even if you already have season seats.

My family and I  went last summer and had a fabulous. wonderful time.  Just being around Cane fans, going into the RBC (I already had my seats by then) and walking around, seeing the kids playing outside was pretty awesome.  Not to mention seeing Forslund, Barraso, Wesley, LaRose, Justin Williams talking on the stage and being silly---(oh no not Rosie) was cool. 

We were not Cane fans in 2002 and had never seen them play during that Stanley Cup playoffs and championship series.  We have always heard about the veteran favorites of the fans like the BBC (BBC together)  , Francis, Irbe, Weeks, O'Neill, etc. and always wished we could have actually see them play together in a game.  Well to our surprise we were sitting on the lawn waiting for the game to start on the outdoor big screen assuming it was going to be a game in the 2006 SC series that would be played and low and behold it was the "Molson game" (I think that's what they called it) against Montreal in 2002 playoffs.  At first I was so disappointed because I was really expecting a game like game 7 against Buffalo in 2006, but then saw our line-up with our old veteran players and realized OMG I'm actually going to see these guys that I have heard so much about from that season play.  Irbe and Weeks even played in that game and Cole was a rookie.   I was a little weary not knowing anything about that game when at the beginning of the 3rd period we were losing 3-0 and thought "oh crap to be sure they haven't made a mistake and are playing a game that we lost".  I leaned over to a couple beside me and asked them if they were sure we actually won that game, they assured me to stay tuned because it was getting ready to get interesting.   Well, yes it did wathing that comeback and seeing Cole win the game in overtime.   I was as excited as if I was watching our Canes play in a out-of-town playoff game live.  I was in what we say in the south "Hog Heaven" (no pun intended Stormy).

It was a great game, a great night and a great event.  I hope everyone that has hockey withdrawl like I do can go this summer fest and do it all again.  They are going to play another "classic" game outside on the lawn and I wonder which "classic game"  this one will be and from what season.  Any predictions?

C