Charlotte Checkers, via LTD

Greetings fellow Caniacs. Bob and I collaborated recently concerning an idea for keeping all of the Canes Country Readers updated on how our Charlotte affiliate is doing. Expect the "Road To Raleigh" series to be updated every Sunday as the season goes on. Want to know who's hot? Want to know how far from the NHL Bowman might be? Where are the Checkers in the standings? Allow The Road To Raleigh to answer these and more.

The week that was for the Checkers after the jump.

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The Checkers returned to Time Warner Cable Arena with confidence after taking 3 of 4 points on their most recent road series. Returning in front of their home fans, the Checkers were eager to give Atlantic Division leader Portland a run for their money on Tuesday night.

Mike Murphy went the distance for the Checkers and was tested early by the Portland Pirates forwards. Early in the game, Pirates center Luke Adam slipped a wrist shot by Murphy to give the Pirates an early lead.

After falling behind, Checkers forward Nicolas Blanchard showed toughness when he dropped the gloves with former Albany River Rat teammate, Tim Conboy. The fight occurred a little over 2 minutes into the game, and got the Charlotte crowd energized.

The Checkers got the equalizer shortly after Blanchard dropped the gloves. On the powerplay, winger Chris Terry hit post. The bounce was a friendly one this time however, and the puck found twine behind Pirates goaltender David Leggio.

The tying goal was answered by a couple of physical shifts for Portland. Checkers defenseman Zack Fitzgerald kept the momentum on the Checkers side when he dropped the gloves for the second fight of the first period.

Special teams turned out to be a key factor late in the first period. Portland was put on the powerplay twice, and failed to capitalize. The Checkers forced Portland into a conga line to the penalty box when newly assigned center Zac Dalpe rushed into the Portland zone on a breakaway and drew a penalty. The first penalty was followed by a goaltender interference penalty which gave the Checkers 56 agonizing seconds of 2 man advantage time. Failing to score, the Checkers kept at it, and drew a slashing penalty, which rewarded them with 29 more seconds of 5 on 3 time. The Checkers however failed to score, and the period came to a close.

Coming out of the gate quickly in the second period, Oskar Osala flew in on a breakaway about six minutes into the period. The puck glanced off of Leggio, and center Nick Dodge was there as the trailer to put the puck home and give the Checkers the lead.

The lead was a short lived one however, as Portland followed the bouncing puck en route to a flukey looking goal that knotted things back up at 2.

Late in the period, Portland defenseman Dennis Persson pinched and spun into the zone in front of Mike Murphy. The puck came off his stick and deflected off of winger Derek Whitmore to give the Pirates a 3-2 lead; a lead they would hold until much later.

The Checkers, who desperately needed an equalizing goal, thought they had the game tied up thanks to Jared Staal. The large framed Staal was parked out in front of Leggio, and deflected an Oskar Osala shot into the net. The goal was quickly waved off by the officials, and ruled to be batted in with a high stick.

The Checkers showed great resolve late in the period however.

After being put on a timely powerplay, the Checkers began to smell a tied hockey game. Mike Murphy was forced to make a sparkling shorthanded save, but seconds after, he was pulled to give the Checkers a two man advantage with the powerplay. The puck was cleared out with around 20 seconds left, and the Checkers started the breakout. Newly assigned Checkers forward Drayson Bowman glided into the zone, hit Jerome Samson with a pass, and Samson took care of the rest. Samson found Chris Terry between the faceoff circles, and Terry tied the game with less than one second remaining.

The clock at Time Warner Cable Arena read .5 seconds after the goal. There would be overtime hockey at home for the Checkers for the first time all season.

The teams traded shots for the entire overtime period. With about a minute remaining, offsetting penalties were called. A hooking penalty was called against Portland, but a diving penalty was the equalizer against the Checkers. The 3 on 3 scenario raged on, and Dalpe found himself on another breakaway, only to shoot the puck just high.

The game rolled on to a shootout. Drayson Bowman shot first fo the homestanding Checkers and was stopped by Leggio. Portland’s Luke Adam answered with a successful shot on Murphy. After stopping Chris Terry, Leggio was beaten by Zac Dalpe to tie the shootout at 1 a piece. Pirates forward Corey Tropp scored on Murphy, and Brian Rodney was stopped by Leggio to end the game.

The Checkers walked away with a point for their efforts to force overtime, and showed great resolve and character in this rough loss.


Plus/Minus-

+ Zac Dalpe was an explosive offensive force. Dalpe was reassigned to Charlotte by the NHL Carolina Hurricanes. In his first AHL game of the year, he created 2 breakaways (one in overtime), drew a big time penalty, and even got a shootout call. Although he did not score.

+Jerome Samson worked hard, got a big assist on the late tying goal.

+Chris Terry- a consensus first star. His two powerplay tallies helped fuel the Checkers, including his late game heroics.

- Jacob Micfliker struggled defensively.

- On the Staal goal that was waved off, the stick appeared to be well below the crossbar.


Three Stars-

1. Chris Terry  2 g
2. Corey Trott 1 g 1 A
3. Mike Murphy 36 saves on 39 shots

Final Thoughts-
The Checkers showed team toughness early, and resolve and character the entire game. Battling back to tie the game and insure a point against a Pirates team that is tied with Wilkes Barre Scranton for first in the conference, is a good feather in the cap of the Checkers.

What’s Next?

CHA vs. POR  Wed. 11/3 7pm
POR @ CHA Wed 11/3 7 pm

The Checkers certainly had a following for their preseason home opener on Sunday. Inside of the Extreme Ice Center in Indian Trail, fans packed the bleachers until it was standing room only. Fans proudly displayed their Hurricanes red, black, and white. Some fans already had their new Checkers AHL gear, while others settled on the classic, but sentimental ECHL Checkers gear. Either way, the crowd in this exhibition was lively, and behind the Checkers one hundred percent. 

Charlotte got rolling early, after being put on the powerplay about two minutes into the game. The Checkers whipped the puck around the offensive zone, and Kyle Lawson found Jerome Samson on the side boards to set up a pretty scoring play. Samson fired a pass into the slot, right in front of Norfolk goaltender Dustin Tokarski. John Matsumoto, who you may recall being acquired in the trade with Philadelphia, floated a beautiful backhander to the top shelf to net the games first goal. After that point though, it was all Admirals. 

Late in the first period, after Matsumoto's goal, Norfolk's Matt Fornataro put home a rebound goal to knot the score up at one. 

Throughout the second and third period, the Checkers seemed to struggle with their offensive zone passing. Dustin Tokarski played a solid game in net, but his cause was certainly helped by the fact that the Checkers forwards couldn't seem to make many crisp passes when they gained the zone. Also, multiple times, Checkers forwards got bodied off the puck as they attempted to take it in to the zone. This could be a testament to how well the Admirals defense played, or to the struggles of the passing game forcing forwards to try to be a one man show. 

Checkers defense was a rollercoaster ride as well for most of the game, as Admiral forwards seemed to have an extra step on them on every rush. One such instance involved Admirals forward Mitch Fadden putting Checkers defenseman Kyle Lawson through the spin cycle as he blew by and got in alone on goaltender Mike Murphy, scoring the goal that gave Norfolk their first lead of the game. 

The defense had it's moments though, and they seemed to get better as the game progressed. This could be a testament to the nerves involved in playing in Charlotte for the first time and trying too hard to impress. Either way, Mike Murphy sparkled in net, despite the four goals against. Murphy brought about applause from the crowd of one thousand plus with several key saves, including a sequence in which he made two point blank saves to keep the game tied at one. 

Chances for the Checkers offense came more abundantly in the third period, but it seemed as though the defense and goaltending of Norfolk was having a day where they simply weren't going to back down. 

All in all, the Checkers did some good things, which I will highlight in my quick hits.

Quick Hits:

The Good:

* Jermone Samson had fancy stickwork all game. He made some nice passes, and it seemed as though he was always trying to start up the rush. I was encouraged by his game today

* Zack Fitzgerald played a noticeably physical game. He finished seemingly every check, and laid out a few big hits on Norfolk forwards as they crossed the neutral zone.

* As previously discussed, Mike Murphy made great saves at key moments of the game. He had 35 saves on 39 shots, and seemed very, very composed in net all game. If Murphy looks this good in the regular season, the Checkers are in good shape in net. 

* John Matsumoto was probably the Checkers best forward in this game. I noted that he was the last guy off the ice during warmups (he spent extra time practicing one timers with Casey Borer), he scored the lone goal, and seemed to have an extra jump in his step

* Casey Borer ate up minutes. It felt like every time I looked on the ice, Borer was on the blueline. It should be noted that he played very sound defensively and took a couple good shots. 

The Bad:

* It was only preseason, but the home town fans would have loved this one to be a win, obviously.

* Oskar Osala was invisible. He was on the first power play unit, and had several chances to make big plays, and ended up losing the handle on the puck, or being too slow to get there. He only used his big frame to his advantage on one occasion, to lay a big hit on a Norfolk forward by the boards.

* The defense had its shaky moments. As stated before, this could be a result of nerves, I wouldn't worry about it too terribly much.

The So-So:

* Face off percentage seemed to dip very low in the defensive zone, and increase in the offensive

* Jared Staal had the right idea. He saw the seas part for him up ice a couple of times, only to have it close. He skated well though and was defensively responsible. He was held pointless though.

* Shania Twain's "That Don't Impress Me Much"  was played after Kyle Lawson got corkscrewed into the ice, and Murphy got scored on. This caused me to facepalm. I'm more of a fan of Say It Ain't So, or It's All That I've Got myself. 

The Verdict: Hey, its preseason for players, refs, and... stadium staff. Some good things happened in this game, with preparation, the Checkers have a chance to be a top tier team in the AHL this year. Fans who got disappointed in this game, should certainly show up for the W/B Scranton home opener. I have a sneaky suspicion the tune will go a bit differently in that one. 

Take Care all, Canes Country is awesome. Lets have an awesome season for the Checkers and Canes, thanks for reading. 

(Both photos are courtesy of me. Please do however excuse the very poor quality. I don't often shoot pictures, and these were taken on my cell phone, as it was all I had. Better than nothing though right?) EDIT- I had problems posting the pictures. I will be trying again tomorrow. If you really want to see them, I can give you my photobucket link to view them! 

Well it's Monday, and I spent the entire Sunday afternoon, and today steaming over the atrocity that was Sunday's game. There are just some things that I have to say, in some form of outlet so here I go. 

Let me first start off pessimistically by saying that yesterday's game was one of the hottest that I've ever attended, or at least it felt like it. It could have just been the fact that the Panthers mediocrity made me think more about how hot I was, but with the sun beaming down on my back for three hours, I was in a miserable state of affairs. Covered in sweat for the majority of the game, I pondered some things. How can the same things continue to happen to this team? Have John Fox, Hurney, and Richardson become so egotistical, that they are incapable of admitting that what they have put together this year simply isn't working? My thoughts made me angrier, and brought me no form of relief. By the end of the third quarter, my anger had reached critical mass, as I joined the masses in violently and passionately booing Matt Moore and the rest of the offense upon their jog onto the field. 

I was excited by Clausen's entrance. I waved my "Growl Towel" above my head, feeling hope for the first time.. really all season. It was though, as I expected, too late to save the game. Clausen moved the offense well, completed just as many passes in one series, as Moore did the whole game. Down at the goal line with 4th down, the run went off tackle. In a 4th and maybe a yard situation, would common sense not dictate that the run should go right up the gut? Apparently not.. 

Thankfully the Panthers didn't throw too many curveballs our way. In fact, the vanilla playcalling that we have seen all season and preseason continued. From the seats of BoA stadium, I was able to accurately predict every play call before it happened, and if I can do that, then WE KNOW Raheem Morris and every other NFL coach can do that as well. 

As I sulked in my seat, sweating through my white Steve Smith jersey, I watched some guy in a Carnell Williams jersey get up and celebrate. How it must feel I thought. How it must feel to be able to feel confidence.. even if both of your wins came against lower tier NFL teams. 

Fortunately for fans, the Panthers and Bank of America were gracious enough to hand out "banners" upon admission to Sunday's game. "Banners!", the stadium staff at the entrance yelled as they handed them out to all that passed. Banner I thought? Interesting give-a-way.. Thanks Bank of America, thanks Panthers, for providing me free toilet paper upon my entrance to the game. The stupid scroll like banner ended up torn to shreds, mutilated, and tossed into the row in front of me upon conclusion of the game. Why not give away something that WON'T end up in trashcans next time? Or is Jerry Richardson trying to cut costs there too? 

If you're thinking, "Is this guy finished?" The answer is no. The weights that are being released off of my chest at this point in time, are providing me amazing amounts of relief. Of course, after the game I had something to look forward to. Hearing the Panther Post game show on 1110 AM! I must say, listening to Ethan Horton and Mick Mickson, or whoever still is on the show, babble on about how the team has things to work on comes second on my list of favorite things to hear after a loss. My favorite of course is listening to John Fox, in typical fashion of sounding like he spent all night performing taxing karaoke at a local bar, tells me, "We obviously have somethings to work on. There are a lot of great teams that will be 0-2 after today. We were 0-2 at the start of last season too."

I let those comments sink in for a few long minutes. Rational? I asked myself, and concluded, absolutely not. Yes, coach Fox, yes, we do have some things to work on. By some things, I mean essentially everything. Are there great teams that are 0-2? If you are considering greatness from the previous season, then perhaps. The Cowboys were a good team last year, but got beat by Washington and Chicago. The Vikings were "great" last year, but have offensive numbers even lower than ours this year. Finally, yes Coach Fox, we were 0-2 at the beginning of last season, and look how that turned out. We missed the playoffs again, and finished 8-8. So average is acceptable now? I don't care what they say, listening to Coach Raspy regurgitate the same excuses week after week is getting old. It's time someone else comes in, his presence has become luke warm, in that no one is shocked anymore by anything he says.

How about the wide receiver core? Smith played well again. Scored another touchdown and looked motivated for most of the game. How about Dwayne Jarret? DNP. Armanti? DNP. LaFell? Nope. Gettis? I don't feel compelled to look, but I know he didn't make more than a couple of catches in the game. Before the game when asked about the receiving situation, good ol' Fox said, ".. we are still looking for the guy." When talking about the second receiver. Are we Fox? Still? Here in week 2 of the regular season? That's not encouraging. Management certainly scored with the offseason moves at WR. For a team whose "top need" was wide receiver, the Panthers lacked motivation. Youth movement is one thing, drafting a receiver with a reputation for dropped passes at LSU, and a division 1AA quarterback to play beside Smith is simply not impressive. Dwayne Jarrett has continued to prove me right. From the moment they drafted him, I deemed him to be a bust. And week in and week out, Jarrett is either inactive, or doing nothing but catching passes late in the game underneath prevent defense. 

But our defense played well in the preseason, surely they held Tampa down effectively... right? Although the Panthers outgained the Buccs by 5 yards, Freeman scrambled all over the place, and the pass rush couldn't bring him down in the backfield, repeatedly missing tackles and chances for sacks. I really don't care how big and fast he is. You're a professional athlete who makes a good deal of money in bringing down quarterbacks. The secondary was unimpressive again. I suppose Dan Connor played a good game... but that's all my optimism for now.

As far as the choice between Clausen and Moore, I honestly don't think it matters very much. Neither of them give you a very good chance to win, but for the sake of the future of the franchise, I think Clausen is the most logical choice for the rest of the year. With the cast of characters on offense, this is not a playoff contending team. Why not run Clausen through the paces for the remainder of the year. Allow him to face the defenses of Atlanta, New Orleans, Pittsburgh, and Baltimore. There is a distinct difference between being optimistic and being blind. Would I love for the Panthers to run the table and make a superbowl run? Of course, as much as anyone. But being as big of a fan as I am, I can see that this simply isn't likely to happen. 

Getting upset with your team doesn't make you a bandwagon fan, a fairweather fan or any other similar adjective. I will stand by this team until my dying day, but the chief reason that BoA stadium isn't filled to capacity with crazy Panther maniacs, is that in trying times, passion for the game and team disappears. So here's my passion, this is a bad football team, that needs changes in key areas. As a PSL owner, it's just too sickening watching this team lay eggs at every home game. I've been through much worse, but when you pump money into a team in jersey sales, PSL's, and memorabilia, sometimes you just have to speak your mind. A major wakeup is needed, perhaps Sunday marks the beginning of the "Clausen era" or perhaps not. Either way, I'll be there again, and to be honest, I would rather not make the drive home livid, as I did Sunday. If you're going to the game on Sunday, try to have fun, and remember... we're all day to day.. right?

Go Panthers.

Okay.. so after watching last night's game against the Marlins, I felt like hanging myself, but we can still win the series. But.. I looked at the boxscore and noticed that Nate McLouth went 0-3 and his average tumbled to .173. I noticed (I didn't see any of his AB's because I had run to the store) that Melky came in at some point and went 0-2. His average is at .260. I feel, and I'm not sure about you other guys here, but I feel that the Braves would do well to try and acquire a veteran outfielder for the pennant push... or do you think we already have the answer in Melky/McLouth? Just wanted to get thoughts on it because I feel like we have a reliable bat at every position EXCEPT for centerfield, but maybe I'm being overly critical... I'll attach a poll.. I'm interested to see what the rest of you guys think.

Most successful major league ball teams have some sort of veteran presence. Whether it is the know-how of a manager like Charlie Manuel of the Phillies, or the pitching of the 47 year old Jamie Moyer, also of the Phillies, there are veterans all around the league. Our very own Atlanta Braves have a few notable names who have played their share of games in the majors, but the question that begs to be asked is: Just how important have these elder statesmen been to the first place success of the Braves in the first half of the year. Let's take a look at four of them, one at a time.

Derek Lowe- 

You've got to go back a long way to find where Derek Lowe was drafted, 19 years in fact. Lowe was the 8th overall pick by the Seattle Mariners in 1991, and ever since, Derek has pitched in 586 career games. A starter in 386 games, Lowe has a career record of 150-125, coupled with 85 career saves in his days as a reliever/closer.

 Lowe's numbers this year have not been all-star numbers by any account, but his easy-going presence and decent numbers have made Lowe a great addition to the Braves. Lowe's track record speaks for itself if questions of his realiability come in to play, just look at his career 3.86 ERA, and his 150 wins that we talked about in the open. The Braves surely knew what they were getting with Lowe, and his 15-10 record last season was decent though the Braves missed the playoffs. Lowe's 9-8 record and 4.35 ERA pre-allstar break aren't super impressive numbers, however, Lowe has faced some tough competition including a complete game shutout by Jamie Moyer, in which Moyer fanned 5 and the Phillies won 7-0. Lowe was thrust in to a pitcher's duel with rightie Gavin Floyd, in June. Lowe and Floyd both went 7 innings, and the Braves offense couldn't provide firepower against Whitesox reliever J.J Putz, and Lowe was stuck with a no decision in a game where he pitched brilliantly against a potent Chicago lineup.

 In July, offensive support continued to be at a premium for Lowe, who has lost both of his appearances 1-3, and 0-3 to the Phillies and Mets respectively. In Lowe's last 3 appearances, against division rivals Washington, Philadelphia, and the New York Mets, Lowe has had 3 runs scored for him by the Braves bats. I'm no math major, but that's a run per game of run support for his last 3 starts, that's a tough hand to be dealt.

 Lowe is a big man, at 6'6, 230 lbs, but as it turns out, the 37 year old is an important part of the rotation for our Braves. Look for a less than stellar record for the first half of the year to be improved in the second half, and continue to watch Lowe's free spirited personality guide the Braves down a road that has so far, kept them in first place in the division.

Billy Wagner-

There are some sounds that major league ball players just don't enjoy hearing. For any pitcher, it may be the crack of a bat, which signals that one of their pitches has been hit hard. For managers, it could be cries of agony coming from an injured superstar, which signals that the player is down for the count, and could miss significant time. For hitters, late in a ballgame at Turner field, it's Metallica's "Enter Sandman," coming from the stadium loudspeakers, which signals the coming of 39 year old closer, Billy Wagner.

Wagner was drafted shortly after Lowe, in 1993 by the Astros. It took Billy a couple of years to reach a defined role as a major league closer, but after he did, opponents of the Houston Astros were filled with fear if trailing late in a ballgame. Wagner was on again off again to a certain extent for a few years with the Astros, pitching only 1/3 of an inning in 1995, and gathering 9 saves with 3 blown in 1996, complete with an 0-2 record. After 1997 though, it all turned around. In 3 seasons with Houston, 1997, 1998, and 1999, Wagner threw flames, capturing a very impressive 92 saves, with only 14 blown... in 3 seasons. After a handful of impressive years with Houston, Billy tried his hand in the National League East, hey that's us! Wagner pitched for 2 years with the Phillies, 2004-2005, and he pitched very well. As a closer, Billy gathered 59 saves and 7 blown saves in his short stint in Philly. After 4 seasons with the Mets, and an abbreviated year with the Red Sox, Wagner was back to the NL East, with the Braves in what he announced to be his farewell tour in the majors.

Final year or not, Wagner has been a big part of the Braves first place season so far. He has appeared in 38 games so far, and is a perfect 5-0 record-wise. Obviously, record doesn't always tell the whole story when talking about a closer, so check out his other numbers with Atlanta this year: 20 saves, only 3 blown, with an eye popping 1.21 ERA. In 37.1 innings, Billy has fanned 56 batters. Wow. Batters are also only batting .156 against Wagner, just in case you needed more convincing before saluting this guy.

Wagner is a little guy. Stature wise that is. 5'10, 180 lbs, he doesnt exactly have intimidating size, but he does have intimidating stuff on the mound. Wagner carries a 3 pitch arsenal, a 4-seam fastball that he slings at the mid to high 90's on a good day, a slow moving change-up to get hitters out in front, and a wicked slider that gets Billy groundout's on a regular basis.

This season, if the Braves have a small lead, after the starter departs, you can count on a stellar bullpen to hold the lead for a few innings at least, and you can count on Billy Wagner to slam the door in the 9th. Billy hasn't played here before this year, but you wouldn't know it. Atlanta fans love seeing number 13 stride confidently to the mound, and hitters hate it. Rafael Soriano and Mike Gonzales were good during their time in Atlanta, but dare I say, Wagner has been just as good, if not better.

Chipper Jones-

Perhaps no player in baseball is as synonymous to an organization as Chipper Jones is to the Atlanta Braves. Chipper has been in the league for 16 years, and has spent every single one of them with Atlanta, and has been managed by only one man, our beloved Bobby Cox.

Chipper has a career .306 average, with 432 homeruns, and 1.478 RBI's. The future hall of famer entered this year with speculation surrounding his potential retirement. Jones has been plagued with injuries this season,  but thanks to a very deep Atlanta bench, the team hasn't missed a beat because of it. Brooks Conrad has gotten extended looks, and chances to be a hero not only pinch hitting, but filling in for Chipper. Injuries have been bad, but how about his numbers?

At the halfway point, we take a look at Chipper's year so far. Despite injuries, he has managed to play in 72 games, and his average sits at .252. The 38 year old brings 6 homeruns and 33 RBI's. Not the kind of year to write home about, but not one to beat yourself up over, as an aging veteran.. right? From what I hear, Chipper isn't satisfied with his performance, and that tells you what kind of player Chipper has been for all of these years. As ESPN asked, "When was the last time you saw Chipper with less than 10 HR's and under 50 RBI's at the All-Star break?" Good point ESPN, Chipper's career best put him at 45 HR's and 110 RBI's for the 1999 campaign.

Although Chipper has apparently been down on himself, and isn't on pace for another 1999, he has been an important piece of a 1st place Braves team. Chipper couldn't add another allstar game apperance to the six he has played in during his career, but Chipper's timely hitting and dugout presence could be one of the reasons the Braves have had the kind of year that they have enjoyed so far.

 We're almost done here, but there's one more veteran you should remember this season.

Bobby Cox-

Pitchers are important to a ball club, and so are hitters. A good bullpen is a great thing to have, and so is a closer. Fans fuel a team significantly, and TV and radio commentators help make a team a media hit. What's more important than all that? A great manager.

Luckily for the Braves, they have been blessed with one of the finest managers the game of baseball has ever seen: the one and only, Bobby Cox. The 69 year old manager has won quite a few games with the Braves... 2,110 to be exact. Along with wins, Bobby brought 5 NL penants and a world series championship in 1995.

Bobby cox is no stranger to ejections, being tossed a major league leading 132 times. This isn't due to the fact that Bobby runs around the field and dugout steaming and screaming at whoever will listen, but rather to the fact that he defends his players to such a high degree, or so they say. Bobby Cox and Chipper Jones just seem like a package deal, and as it would seem Bobby would run through walls to defend Chipper, he would do it for any player on his team... which may explain the ejection totals.

Perhaps it's more than just win totals, awards, and accolades that make Bobby Cox legendary. Perhaps it's more than just ejections and great decisions, perhaps it's that special bond that Braves players seem to develop with Cox. Atlanta's rotation, bullpen, and lineup has been great, but their manager has been stellar.

It's Bobby's farewell tour, or so he says, and he would love nothing more than to cap off his career with a second world series championship. The talent is there, the great managing is there, and Bobby has a heart as big as his vast baseball knowledge.

And there they are. Four of Atlanta's most important veterans. After a stellar first half of the year, these four can pat themselves on the back for doing their share, and if the train that is the Braves great year keeps rolling, veterans will surely fuel the locomotion. Salute the veterans and let's have a great 2nd half Braves Country.

Go Braves.

Hey guys, Truheelzfan44, trying my hand at some montage making. Since I, and all of us here at CC love Brindy, I decided to make a tribute video to him. Watch and enjoy, but please keep in mind this is the first time i've ever designed a video of this kind. Some things could be better.

Watch, enjoy, and remember all the great times Brindy gave us all:

Rod Brind'Amour Tribute (via truheelzfan44)

Check out my Youtube channel, same username that I use here: Truheelzfan44 if you want to rate the vid and what not. Here's a link, favorite the video if you like it: http://www.youtube.com/user/truheelzfan44   

Have a good one,

-Cory

. 

Let's face it: we're all really excited for the upcoming season. Many of us have had some built up tension in our posts, which can be understood. After a season that didn't live up to expectations, having to endure a seemingly endless off-season can be difficult. To lighten the mood, I decided to break down the specifics of the top two goalies for Charlotte this coming year. Who should start? You decide!

Meet- Mike Murphy

The 21 year-old Mike Murphy is likely the favorite to start for Charlotte this coming year. Murphy was born on January 15, 1989, in Ontario. Just under six feet tall at 5'11, Murphy weights in at 165 lbs, and played for Albany behind Justin Peters last year. He appeared in 20 games in a River Rats uniform in the regular season, posting a 2.81 goals against average, and a respectable 0.917 save percentage. Murphy's desperate style has drawn comparisons to Dominik Hasek. Being compared to Hasek for any reason is pretty respectable, but both goaltenders share the style of desperation by which they make saves. Murphy has many OHL accolades including 2008 and 2009 goaltender of the year awards. He was also a first team OHL allstar in 2008, and in the CHL, won another goaltender of the year award in 2009. The sixth round draft pick was signed to a 3 year deal by the Canes in March of 2009. Murphy was picked 165th overall in the draft, but he may just be called upon to lead the newly formed Charlotte Checkers this coming season. 

The Checkers will not only have the undersized, desperado of desperation Mike Murphy, but also, somewhat newly acquired, Justin Pogge. Let's have a look at Pogge.

Take A Look At- Justin Pogge

Justin Pogge was acquired at the trade deadline last season from the Anaheim Ducks. The deal sent Justin Pogge and a 4th round pick in either 2010 or 2011 to the Canes, and Aaron Ward to the Ducks in return. What the Canes got, is a somewhat raw prospect, with a deceptively large amount of potential. In juniors, Pogge had a 4 year career in the WHL spending time with the Prince George Cougars, and the Calgary Hitmen. HIs 79-49-13 record speaks for itself in terms of measuring his success in the WHL. Add the impressive record to a 2.29 goals against average, and a 0.911 save percentage, and you can understand why Toronto was excited to nab him 90th overall in the 2004 entry draft. Pogge's numbers with Toronto's AHL team, the Marlies, were solid, but unimpressive. His regular season save percentage was only above .900 one year (2007-2008), and his goals against average was over 3.0 in 2006. Needless to say, he was dealt to Anaheim and played for the AHL, San Antonio Rampage for 23 games before coming to Carolina and posting impressive numbers in a short season with the Albany River Rats. Pogge allowed eight goals in four games for Albany, posting a 0.928 save percentage through those games. 

In terms of acquiring Pogge, the Canes may have gotten the better end of this deal. Trading Aaron Ward, who sadly is inevitably at the end of his rope in terms of skill, and getting a young goaltender in Pogge, who has a prime chance to mature in Charlotte. Although based on his accolades and track record, one would assume Mike Murphy is the obvious choice for Charlotte's starter, but a look at Pogge reveals that he may have not yet shown his full potential, could he be the future of the Checkers? Or will it be Murphy, the Desperation Desperado that takes the reigns?

And keep your eyes peeled for- Frederik Andersen

In a year or possibly more, considering Murphy and Pogge are still around, the competition should become a little stiffer with the arrival of Frederik Andersen. A 7th round pick, Andersen is formidable from a size stand point, 6'4, and 200+ pounds. The only European player taken by the Canes in the draft should be playing another year overseas, and then may be joining the battle with Pogge and Murphy for an AHL spot.

I'll attach a poll here, if it were your decision, who would you name the Charlotte Checkers starter? 

Ryan Miller, National hero for team USA for his heroic performance against Canada en-route to a silver medal. A goaltender who was a favorite for the Vezina Trophy for best goaltending performance in a season. 

Sidney Crosby- Canadian superstar, 1st overall pick of the 2005 entry draft. The face of the Penguins franchise. 

Alexander Ovechkin- 2004 first overall pick, considered by some to be the NHL's most prolific scorer. 

These three players are recognized by hockey fans as some of the best in the game today. Henrik Lundqvist, Anze Kopitar, Marian Gaborik, and Martin Brodeur are also seen as elite NHL superstars. Knowing this, one who was clueless about hockey would assume that one of these players would be represented in the Stanley Cup Finals, but they would have assumed wrong. 

Among the players still playing in the finals, include a waiver claim who we all know well here in Caniac nation, Michael Leighton. Leighton was drafted in the 6th round of the 1999 entry draft, going 165th overall. The ex-Hurricane came in to the playoffs in relief of the injured Brian Boucher, and led the flyers to a series victory over the red hot Montreal Canadiens. For the Western Conference, the Chicago Blackhawks long ago put their season hopes into Finnish goalie, Antti Niemi's hands. Niemi was a free agent pick up in 2008 for the Blackhawks. It doesn't stop there. Daniel Carcillo, role player for the Flyers was a late 3rd round pick for the Penguins a few years back. Arron Asham of the Flyers, was also a former 3rd round pick claimed in free agency in 2008. 

The point? Even a team loaded with world class talent isn't guaranteed to succeed where it counts: the post-season. Many foresaw an Ovechkin vs. Crosby Eastern Conference final, hockey experts everywhere thought Roberto Luongo's great resume would pave the way to a deep Vancouver playoff run. These assumptions were wrong, and instead, we have a fantastic matchup in which the most publicized player is probably Jonathan Toews, or perhaps Mike Richards. 

This is not to say that having star caliber players means nothing, but rather to emphasize that it's not about who you have playing, but rather how they play together. Ilya Kovalchuk, acquired in the much publicized trade from Atlanta, was supposed to be the missing link in New Jersey's quest to return to cup glory, and he wasn't. He has a reputation as a puck hog who likes to create things on his own. Coincidence that this first line winger and his team were eliminated in the quarterfinals? I think not. Marian Gaborik who accounted for nearly 25 percent of the Ranger's goals during the regular season ended up on the outside looking-in of the playoffs this year. 

This isn't your typical 21st century professional sports league. This is the National Hockey League. One swing of the stick, no matter who's it is, can ignite a crowd of 20,000, or crush the hopes of a fan base. This is no NBA. Kobe Bryant can single handedly down a team by dropping 60 points, but the Ovechkin's of the league only have so many multiple goal games. This isn't the NFL, where Peyton Manning can force a team to the brink of an offensive gun show by throwing for 400 yards. This is the NHL, where crunch-time, means team time. 

When the Stanley Cup is presented, the captains will hoist the cup, and pass it to the rest of the team in time. The team's names are to be inscribed on the side of the cup for eternity. Why? Because star power doesn't count for a darn thing when an undrafted free agent crushes the hearts of a President's Trophy winning team. 

(Martin St. Louis, above, prolific playmaker/scorer for the Tampa Bay Lightning. Brian Rafalski, defenseman of the Detroit Red Wings, below, two solid undrafted players who won cups)

This season, and for seasons to come, power to the unexpected! Heroes don't have to be recruited for years, and paid huge contracts. If there's one thing the National Hockey League can teach, it is that in this league, it's about chemistry above all else.

I'm extremely excited for the draft in June, and today I got to thinking about making some assumptions about the team in the offseason in order to get a better idea of what we might look like next season. I'm going to go out on a limb here and make several predictions about some things that may happen this offseason. Feel free to agree/disagree as you see fit and post your own as well.

I think...

Brind'amour Retires- I've thought about it for a long time, and I just can't see Rod coming back again. In a perfect world for both parties, Rod would come back next year and be a 20 goal scorer, and continue to win faceoffs, but I just can't see him returning. Even if by his own choice he decides to play another year, I see the Canes buying him out because I think, and correct me if I'm wrong, he's making somewhere around 3 mil. He's too pricey to be a 3rd/4th line faceoff specialist. I love Rod to death, but his future is NOT brightest on the ice, it's brightest in management.

Whitney Returns- I'm admittedly biased on this one. Since Ray is my favorite Cane, I was eager to write this one. But all love for Ray aside, I don't see him being able to walk away. Will he be dealt at the deadline next year? Possibly, if his stock is still as high as it was this year, but he can't walk away after the kind of season he had. I don't have any numbers in front of me, but I know he scored 20+ goals and I'm almost certain he was second to Staalsie in total points. Not bad for 38 years young.

Manny Gets Resigned- I commented on this in another post somewhere, but I see the Canes resigning Manny to a one or two year deal. Let's face it, Cam's back is still a question mark going into this season, as much as we hope he will be fine. You can't just hand the reigns to Pete Dawg next year if Cam goes down again, having a verteran who started a lot of games for you last year makes a lot of sense.

JR Blows Minds on Draft Day- Everyone in Caniac nation knows JR is not the type to show his cards. And he certainly hasn't. Look back at the deadline this previous year, EVERYONE in the hockey world saw Whitney moving, and JR moved around a lot more players than most expected. A. Ward, Alberts, Yelle, Cullen, Corvo, Walker, many of which weren't speculated to be moving. I see JR doing something bold on draft day. I'm not sure what, but it excites me to think about. With multiple 2nd rounders under our belt, I see JR moving around in the draft order. Besides.. i've heard that roughly picks 6-10 will be of similar value so I'm predicting a wild draft day for the Canes. 

The Trading Block Gets a Little Bigger- I see a few players being moved towards the dog house this off-season. I think many of which could either be draft day casualties or more likely, 10-11 trade deadline casualties. I think Sergei Samsonov, Erik Cole, and possibly other veterans whose numbers are on the decline could be on the list. Especially with the talented youth we have within the organization. 

Camp is Entertaining- Pre-season camp should be one of the best if not the best the Canes have ever had. None of the young AHL prospects have truly secured a spot on the Hurricanes next year. With Zach Boychuk as a favorite to make the club, the pressure is turned up for Osala, Bowman, Samson, Dodge, Terry, and even Dwyer and Tlusty. A great battle it should be between the top forwards within the organization. For defensemen, McBain should highlight the group, with Carson and Rodney also in the mix. And don't forget goaltenders, if Legace is not resigned over the offseason, but I suspect he will be, Peters, Pogge, and Murphy will have an interesting battle for backup. 

The Offseason Heals Body and Mind- I think the offseason brings a healthy body, and thus a better performance next season for several key players. I think Cole, Staal, and Gleason all have better years thanks to rest. Don't forget, Cole started the year off with a broken leg against the Bruins in the second game of the year. Staal I think wasn't 100 percent at any point of the year except maybe the final week or so. Gleason who was nagged by the foot issue at the end of the year, I think has a bounce back year. 

I attached some pics to add a little excitement to the piece. =D 

So what do ya'll think about the offseason?

Inside of the Cary Ice House on May 15, 2010, Willie O'Ree led the "Hockey is for everyone" clinic. The event was sponsored by our own Hurricanes and the National Hockey League. The clinic brought many area youth hockey players together for a day of fundamental hockey drills and practice. Dave Smith, NHL Director of Fitness and Medical, led scrimmages and drills that honed particpant's puck handling, skating, and shooting skills.

The event started off with the numerous eager participants getting suited up with equipment. The kids found sticks of appropriate lengths, and made the final adjustments to their skates and pads. They then took the ice with several great hockey teachers. The previously mentioned Dave Smith skated, as well as Al Bloomer, USA Hockey National Coach in Chief, and Al MacCormack, a former NCAA Division III coach.

After taking the ice and skating a couple of warm-up laps, the coaches whistled for the team to gather, and soon after, Willie shared a few words of wisdom before the drills started.

Willie explained the roots of his hockey career. Speaking of his early days in junior hockey, and his decision to become a pro hockey player at the age of 14, Willie successfully captivated the young audience before him. Willie explained his eye injury, which occured after taking a puck to the face early in his career. He explained that doctors told him that he would lose all sight in his right eye, and he would never play hockey again. "Well he was right about one thing," Willie said with a grin. "I could never see with my right eye, but I did play hockey again." This quote exemplified one of the central messages of the clinic: If you can dream it, you can do it.

"Did you ever score any goals when you played with one eye?" A shy child participating in the clinic asked during Willie's brief Q&A session at the end of his speech. Smiling a little bit, he explained that he had scored a few goals with one eye. Over 300 to be exact..

The event for me was highlighted not only by seeing the kids having fun playing a fantastic sport, but rather my chance to sit down and talk to Mr. O'Ree about the event.

"So Willie, out here, what's the best part about watching these kids on the ice?" I started the interview with this simple question, wanting to get his view of how much fun these kids seemed to be having. "Well first of all, I was amazed that these boys and girls have only been on the ice for about a year and it's amazing how theyve developed their skills. The program works and it's great to see these kids having so much fun. When i found out that I was coming, I was thrilled to be here, and talking to these boys and girls, hockey has been great for them and they've just enjoyed playing," Willie explained to me. The other two questions I asked are as follows:

Q: You talk a lot about following your dreams, about doing what you want to do and dreaming about it, what's the most important message when telling somebody to follow their dreams?

Willie: "Well like I said just set goals for yourself, work towards your goals and work hard if you believe you can do something. There's no substitute for hard work. So just set goals for yourself, work hard, and make things happen."

Q: Some of these kids that are here, they're in a non-traditional hockey market. Maybe some of the kids here, their parents might not have the money to get them ice time, what's the most important message for kids that maybe have the dream to play hockey but don't have financial means?

Willie: "Well the nice thing about our program is: hockey is for everyone. We wont turn anybody away. I just had a talk with one of the coaches and took a look in the pro shop, everything is just so expensive. Skates, helmets, elbow pads, if these kids want to play hockey, we will make it affordable for them, we wont turn any boy or girl away."

There you have it. In an age where many children of all colors, shapes and sizes want to play hockey, it can feel overwhelming for themselves and their parents. As it turns out, there are people like Mr. O'Ree, who are tenaciously pursuing diversity and equal opportunity in hockey. Above all, as Willie stated many times throughout the day: Follow your dreams.

Oh, and one more thing: Hockey Is For Everyone!

All photos courtesy of (Gregg Forwerck)

Hey guys... Truheelzfan44 emerging from a bit of a shell that i've been in of late. As you may or may not know, my uncle is a professional photographer, Gregg Forwerck if you have heard the name. Anyway, he works for the Canes/Checkers, and he invited me to the hockey is for everyone clinic on Saturday. He is really pumped about my dreams to be a sports writer, so he wants to fix me up blogging with the Checkers next season. So, he invited me to head up to the clinic Saturday, he wants to fix me up with some sweet pictures that he'll take, and ill give you guys a little insight about how everything goes down. So keep your eyes peeled, ill let you all know how it goes. 

Absolutely nothing to do with the Canes, and im not sure how many of you are EA Sports NHl series players, but I got to thinking about the soundtrack for NHL 11, and what songs are great hockey songs, anybody have any songs that just get them pumped up for hockey?

Heres a few of mine:

Burn it Down  - Avenged Sevenfold

Poem   - Taproot

Monster  - Skillet

Riot   - Three Days Grace

Devour   -Shinedown

Smack Down  - Thousand Foot Krutch

Fuel   -Metallica

Fever   -Bullet for my Valentine

Duality  -Slipknot

Higher Power  -Boston

How bout' you guys?  =D

With the season over for our boys, I thought I'd reminisce about some of the greatest moments of our season. My casual countdown is based off of my memory, so if I missed something cool, I'm sorry!

10. The streak is over.

The "Juice" was loose in the RBC Center, after the dismal 14 game losing streak, the Canes finally gave the fans something to cheer about at home. Despite surrendering a 2 goal lead, the Canes drove the struggling Wild to the brink in the shootout. The only shoot-out tally was scored by none other than Jussi Jokinen, always deadly in shoot-outs.

9. Leaf Bagging

Another early season bout in the RBC Center, The Maple Leafs were in town, and the Canes still sat in the NHL cellar. A Cane comeback from down 4-2 ensued.  Ruutu notched 4 assits, Gleason had an offensive spark with 2 goals, and Erik Cole sent the game to overtime with 2.9 seconds remaining in regulation. (where the Canes would eventually win in a shootout)

8. Aye Aye Captain

It was mid-January in the triad. The Canes had stumbled farther into the NHL cellar. After a 3 game skid, Rutherford surprised many by naming Eric Staal Hurricanes captain. In his first game as captain, Eric roared through Atlanta and posted a hat trick against the Thrashers. One thing that should be noted is the class with which Rod Brind'amour took the captaincy change. A true class act who finished this year's campaign with a 2 goal night against Tampa bay in the third from last game of the year against Tampa. 

7. Cole Crazy

An early December meeting with the Vancouver Canucks was on the slate for the Canes. Inside of the RBC Center, Whitney and Samsonov scored but were overshadowed by Erik Cole who played like a man possessed. After scoring his first 2 goals (both 2nd period tallies), Cole hit the post on his hat trick bid with about 8 minutes remaining in the third. However, Cole's monstrous efforts were rewarded with an empty cage in which to register the trick in a      5-3 Hurricanes victory. 

6. Welcome to the big time kid.

Although he now is spending time in Albany, the young goaltender Justin Peters got off to a quick start just before the Olympic break last season. With Cam Ward down with a back injury, and Legace playing in succession for a few games, Peters was called up to start against the New York Islanders on hostile ice for a Saturday night affair. Peters made sparkling saves and out-dueled veteran Rick Dipietro for a 3-1 win, the first of his young career. Truly a special moment to hear him talk about winning his first game, with his family in attendance. Peters was close to tears while being interviewed by Trip and John. Goal support provided by Jokinen, Pitkanen, and Dwyer. 

5. Open road

The Canes knew that if they were to make a playoff push, they'd have to find a way to win games on the road. This was one of the chief catalysts in them eventually climbing into 11th in the East, but the humble beginning was inside of Mellon Arena in early December. Against the team that swept them out of the Eastern Conference finals last year, the Canes put on a great team performance. Legace shut the door on the high octane Pens, while Alberts, Jokinen, and Whitney provided biscuits in the basket. One of the few displays of exceptional effort was seen when Joni Pitkanen laid out in front of a 6 skater onslaught by the Pens late in the game, Joni blocked multiple shots, including a goal saving block on Pittsburgh's Bill Guerin. 

4. Tough as nails

In a December bout against the division rival Washington Capitals, Tim Gleason manned up on the lethal Alexander Ovechkin. Ovechkin's shot caught the face shield-less Gleason square in the face. After leaving the game, heading to the locker room, he appeared to be done for the night. But he wasn't. Gleason received stitches and came back onto the ice for the third period, with a full face shield. He charged shorthanded, obtaining a break away that netted him a game tying goal that eventually sent the game into overtime. Although the Canes lost in overtime, Gleason's attitude exemplify the truth that this Canes team never had any quit in it. Even when down the Canes kept swining, this kind of character is one bright spot from the year. 

3. Raining Hats on Hat Night

After Canes fans had stuck with the team through this tough season, they deserved a proper send off. In the fan appreciation night, and final home game, Staal made sure that the final memory this year in the RBC Center was a sweet one. Fresh off of scoring 2 goals in Tampa, Staal went wild again on Montreal and notched 2 assists and 3 goals for a 5 point night. The free giveaway hats for fan appreciation found a return to sender after Staal's empty net hat trick goal. 

2. Smelling like Roses

In possibly one of the most exciting games of the second half of the year, the Canes showed tremendous effort in a late March game against Washington. Taking fans for a wild ride, Chad Larose ( a week removed from scoring a breakaway goal to take Washington to overtime, where Ray Whitney would score the winner) was picked to take the a shootout opportunity with the game on the line. Larose's move ignited the RBC Center, and won the season series vs. Washington. Chances to cheer were few and far between earlier in the year, but this effort against President's trophy winner Washington stands out as one of their best complete team games. 

1. McBain beats the buzzer

One of the Canes most promising prospects picked an exciting time to tally his first career goal. On the road against defending Cup champs, the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Canes drove the Pens to the brink in Mellon Arena. With less than 10 seconds left in the overtime period, Cole scanned the ice, McBain was seen alone at the point, and unleashed his howitzer of a shot to score with less than a second remaining. 0.9 to be exact. It reminded me of Jokinen's goal against Jersey in the playoffs, and as part of the youth movement for the Canes, and probably the most excited they got me throughout the course of the year, the former Wisconsin Badger wins moment of the year honors, for a moment he'll remember the rest of his life. 

Hope you guys enjoyed this, there were so many different choices for a top 10, so it was tough for me to make. Feel free to add your own via comments. 

Thanks for the memories Canes! Until next year, so long!

It may be a little early to discuss the draft. Who knows what the final order of the draft will be, but I wanted to put my
persepctive on what I think will be the top 10 picks (assuming the Canes end up in the top 10, which it would be a mircale if they didn't) Just wanted to get a perspective on where you think the Canes will be positioned in the draft, but also who which top 10 prospect YOU think would be most beneficial to the Canes.

My projected top 10 is as follows:

1. Taylor Hall    LW  OHL

2. Tyler Seguin   C   OHL

3. Cam Fowler   D  OHL

4. Nino Niederreiter  RW  WHL

5. Erik Gudbranson   D  OHL

6. Vladimir Tarasenko    RW   KHL

7. Brett Connolly        LW    WHL

8. Brandon Gormley   D  QMJHL

9.  John McFarland   C  OHL

10. Emerson Etem    C   WHL

Obviously, i'm a big fan of the character and talent that comes out of the OHL. Its hard to ignore Hall's numbers, also convincing to see that they have progressed better and better for all 3 of his years with the Spitfires. Ive seen/heard Seguin and Fowler thrown around between 2 and 3, but I think their order will depend on who picks. Should the Canes drop as low as 2 or 3, i'd much rather take Seguin, considering were rather deep at D already with the likes of Gleason, Pitkanen, Rodney, Harrison, Carson, McBain.. etc. Niederreiter is a guy that I wasn't too terribly familiar with, but his obvious potential was hard for me to ignore and keep him out of the top 5. Rest of my picks are mostly forwards, with the exception of some OHL blueliners, and Gormley from the QMJHL. Seems like the first round won't be big on goalies this year. Anyway, just wanted to put my thoughts out there, so what do your top 10's look like? Who out of your top 10 would you LOVE to see the Canes draft?

(Only my second post, hopeful sports journalist someday, let me know if you're finding my posts meaningful.)

After another atrocious on ice performance by our boys, I figured id put the question out there, out of the prospects that played tonight against Atlanta, which do you think has the brightest future with the team? I think most of the boys got their tee times booked, so they can focus on finishing out the year now. (The poll includes Peters who is with Albany at the time, but is still included as a prospect)