he has the most feminine voice of any hockey "insider" i have ever heard, Its like getting your scoop from Clay Aiken

3/28/2006 9:19:38 AM

Quote :

"I know I am biased but Babchuk has been one of our best defenders since the Olympic Break and should have a spot even when everyone is healthy, he seemed to work well with Leng Slewey last night. On a side note, the hockey "insider" Eklund has heard from his "inside" sources here in Carolina that Lavi might be a front runner for the GM job in Boston, why he would quit coaching for a GM position job is what makes this only dumb enough for Eklund to dream up"

Ok Babchuck has been pretty good (a big step up from Richmond, what were the Blackhawks thinking) but he is definatly not one of our best defenders. That would have to go to Kaberle and Hedican when he is healthy. Keep in mind Babchuk usually isn't going against the top lines of the
other team. Kaberle has been ridiculous for us. He is very underratted.

I think Lavi needs to take Babchuck off the PP too. Yes he has a cannon but we move it better when hes not out there. Either keep him on it and have that unit just shoot and crash, or put someone else out there and run the high motion PP we normally try and run.

Babchuck should get the nod over Commodore though when we are healthy.

3/28/2006 9:22:17 AM

All due respect, I completely disagree, Babchuk does in fact have a cannon but that doesn't not relate to why I think he should stay on the PP and actually get more PP time, of all our men at the point, Babchuk is the most tenacious about holding the zone and has a the shot that i expected from Tverdovsky but never really got, save the Recchi goal last night. He is a great open ice checker, whenever I have seen him make rookie turnovers, he chased the guy down and canceled out the breakaway. He cycles well on offense and his back skating is superb.

3/28/2006 9:29:22 AM

clutchadj. informal - 2.Tending to be successful in tense or critical situations

3/28/2006 9:36:59 AM

He may be tenacious about keeping the puck in but so is everyone else (except Staal last night). I have a few problems with Babchuk on the PP.
(1) Watch him bring the puck up the ice. He will skate into the middle of the zone and turn it over. He hasn't done it as much recently (which is why Lavi keeps him out there). He is by no means a PP quarterback. He'll learn that though. Look at a Kaberle on the point. He is not flashy but he makes everyone else better by organizing the play.
(2)When Babchuk is out there and we need to shoot and crash. But every Pker plays Babchuk tight because they know the only way he can hurt them is with a shot and he cant get one off.

Its good to actually talk hockey though.

3/28/2006 9:42:16 AM

^^That was sweet. I almost fell out of my chair on that one.

PS I thought that was BS penalty on Staal. Yeah he might of interfered but St Louis went down very easy. Should of been a dive.

3/28/2006 9:43:42 AM

Quote :

"Ok Babchuck has been pretty good but he is definatly not one of our best defenders. Babchuck should get the nod over Commodore though when we are healthy."

Have you been watching the games? Babchuk and Commodore have been the best defenders on the team for a week. You don't get ALL the 3-man kill time if you're not playing solid D. Babchuk and Commie are playing with the consistency of Steady Leng Slewey these days.

3/28/2006 9:49:35 AM

Quote :

"He will skate into the middle of the zone and turn it over. He hasn't done it as much recently (which is why Lavi keeps him out there). "

my point exactly, the jury is still out whether he can anchor a PP unit but that isn't why we traded for him, he is going to be the PP supplement to Jack Johnson. Babchuk has no business pinching too deep especially when we are trying to hold a lead like last night, he can't catch St Louis on a breakaway on a PP, his size and wingspan let him hold the zone better than most, I agree Frank Kaberle is a better PP QB and I think they should be on a unit together, he brings a whole other element to our PP

3/28/2006 9:50:18 AM

Quote :

"dweedle All American 30094 Posts user info edit post ticket woulda been mine weeeees had it not been for intramural softball, and a test tomorrow"

actually not. puck had 3 tickets, so we all could have gone.

3/28/2006 11:08:11 AM

Quote :

"Babchuk and Commodore have been the best defenders on the team for a week. You don't get ALL the 3-man kill time if you're not playing solid D."

Wasn't Wesley out there? I was at the game and I thought i remember seeing him.

First of all I'd like to say Commodore is playing the best hockey I've ever seen him play. But he still takes too many penalties and makes too many ill advised passes with the puck. Both he and Babchuk were killing the 5-3 because (1) Ward was in the box, (2) Wallin wasn't playing. They are both big strong guys that can block shots and clear the net. Which is what's needed on a PK. There is a lot more to overall defense than that. Such as starting the breakout (very few better than hedican and kaberle).

I love it when the only thing we can argue about is which D-man is playing well. GO CANES

[Edited on March 28, 2006 at 12:53 PM. Reason : whoops]

3/28/2006 12:51:33 PM

Quote :

"love it when the only thing we can argue about is which D-man is playing well. "

True.

3/28/2006 1:11:35 PM

Babchuk wasn't on the 3-man, Commodore was (Adams/Wes/Commie). My point is just that Commodore is playing positional defense as well as anyone in the league right now. Yes, he still takes dumb penalties here and there (usually cross-checks), but they're few and far between.

Babchuk's positional play last night was outstanding, up to and including the perfect shot block on the break. He does look a little unsure on the breakout sometimes, but that's always been the knock on him (decision-making) and I think KMac is really working hard to get him out of it. There's also the matter of him being ginormous that doesn't make bringing the puck up through a forecheck any easier.

3/28/2006 1:55:39 PM

yeah next game im bringing chicks.

3/28/2006 2:33:26 PM

did anyone else notice in the period interview with Recchi that he seemed a little pissed? I think it's due to the flak he has been getting about not scoring.

I can't wait til we are a healthy team, meaning: Weight, Wallin, Cole??, and the Condor. Having Vasicek back may help out where Cole is missing, assuming healthy means that Vasicek plays like he did in the 03-04 campaign. I also hope if he comes back, that the rest of the team decides to die.

Id also like to see Staal get 50, although I dont know how likely it is at this point

3/28/2006 2:57:58 PM

^I'd be pissed too if I was brought in and hadn't scored for like 8 games. I just hope the monkey is off his back.

Liked the line of Brindy Williams & Recchi. They dominated down low last night.

3/28/2006 3:15:45 PM

not saying they weren't good down low but Tampa only had 4 dmen

3/28/2006 3:52:12 PM

i like how people all think Vasicek is going to fill the void Cole left. "OH HE'LL BE PERFECT WITH STAAL AND STILLMAN" Well honestly, you cant fuck up being on that line. However, Joe lacks the speed and the agression Cole had. Vinyl and I ahd a discussion before Joe was injured about how Joe needed to take a class to point out his size and to start using it.

3/28/2006 4:08:41 PM

people remember preseason Joe better than 2 goals in 15 games Joe

3/28/2006 5:31:35 PM

Quote :

"not saying they weren't good down low but Tampa only had 4 dmen"

They had 5 if I'm not mistaken. Kubina left, but Sydor came back and played after the 1st intermission. I remember seeing him leave the tunnel.

3/28/2006 6:06:23 PM

Sydor logged half the ice time he usually gets they have relied on him for up to 36 minutes one night, so 16 minutes is really low for the time Sydor usually logs

3/28/2006 6:37:42 PM

http://tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=160414&hubname=nhl

Jack Johnson decided to stay at Michigan at least one more year.

3/28/2006 7:24:34 PM

this is what I expected,but it good to know we tried, this guy is going to a great one

3/28/2006 7:43:04 PM

http://www.newsobserver.com/796/story/422971.html

Vasicek set to return Monday night in Raleigh against the Capitals.

3/29/2006 11:38:49 AM

Damn, I was hoping for Jack Johnson to turn pro. Don't we only have his rights for 3 years or so?

3/29/2006 12:38:05 PM

Yes, three years. For players in junior it's only two.

3/29/2006 12:42:06 PM

oh well, we still got Babchuk

3/29/2006 1:09:35 PM

Babchuk is all like "I'll have the roast duck with the mango salsa."

3/29/2006 3:02:11 PM

?

maybe Sean Hill

3/29/2006 3:35:36 PM

Has any top 5 pick ever not signed with the team that drafted him originally?

3/29/2006 3:37:56 PM

i can't think of an example where a top 5 pick reenters the draft, usually if a team doesn't like their odds, they will package his ass up and ship him off for good value

3/29/2006 3:42:57 PM

NHL players may look like cave men, but they speak more clearly and intelligently then any other proffesional type of player

[Edited on March 29, 2006 at 3:53 PM. Reason : -]

3/29/2006 3:51:34 PM

here here

3/29/2006 4:44:23 PM

Tim Peel tonight.

3/29/2006 5:24:18 PM

4-1

3/29/2006 8:19:38 PM

I don't get why we can't fucking win games that we're supposed to win.

3/29/2006 8:33:38 PM

50 shots on goal, which is the most the team has taken in a game since moving to North Carolina. I think they hit the post about 10 times.

3/29/2006 9:39:15 PM

making trades for the offense and not the defense is looking like a serious mistake

3/29/2006 9:41:35 PM

which is what i have been saying the whole time


but all you canes fans were giving me shit

3/29/2006 9:43:54 PM

^no, you were being far more negative

3/29/2006 9:46:06 PM

i was negative after you guys gave me shit

and you guys were all like "o you probably never heard of babchuk or johnson hurr hurr" when i was like there need to be defensive acquisitions made

[Edited on March 29, 2006 at 9:50 PM. Reason : .]

3/29/2006 9:47:48 PM

we will be fine in the playoffs, just have a mental block when it comes to the Caps lately!

50 SOG though, that is savage!

3/29/2006 9:51:22 PM

are you serious

the canes have some problems

i mean ive watched hockey for like 22 years and you can tell when shit isnt right, th0 i was saying this b4 the 5-1 loss

[Edited on March 29, 2006 at 9:53 PM. Reason : .]

3/29/2006 9:52:06 PM

Yeah, this team is in a rut right now, no doubt. The good news is they have a few weeks to get things sorted out and get everyone back healthy. Their chances of getting #1 in the East (or even overall) are fading very fast (if not gone), but there's little chance of the Rangers or Flyers catching them, so there isn't too much pressure I guess to turn things around immediately.

3/29/2006 9:54:09 PM

Quote :

"so there isn't too much pressure I guess to turn things around immediately"

exactly, ruts are all relative

are we playing our best hockey now, no....are we going into the playoffs with a solid chance to do some damage, possibly franchise's best team ever, yes

and i know we were in the cup finals a few years back, i was in the stands, but this team is much better than that one ever was

3/29/2006 9:56:26 PM

they better get their shit right for Brodeur in the playoffs

^ I disagree, the team you guys had in 2002 was a team built for the playoffs. The team now is so weak defensively, I seriously dont think they will make it past rd 1

[Edited on March 29, 2006 at 9:57 PM. Reason : .]

3/29/2006 9:56:35 PM

Quote :

"hurr hurr"

3/29/2006 9:57:11 PM

Quote :

"hurr"

3/29/2006 9:58:26 PM

Quote :

"disagree, the team you guys had in 2002 was a team built for the playoffs. The team now is so weak defensively, I seriously dont think they will make it past rd 1"

could not disagree with you more

we were a cindarella story that year, 16th ranked team to make the playoffs, you are making that call in hindsight, which is easy, because we were successful in the playoffs....had you made that call before the playoffs that year, I would be watching you doing commentary on OLN

3/29/2006 10:00:19 PM

no, in hindsight, the 2002 team was lucky to make it to play for the cup, but they had a series of favorable matchups, and then played their asses off in the conference finals

I dont make the call by the team rankings

I say that because of the team's strengths, because of the way the 2002 canes were built, they were a better playoff type team

where is vinylbandit when you need him, mebbe one of your own agreeing with me will convince you

[Edited on March 29, 2006 at 10:05 PM. Reason : .]

3/29/2006 10:04:11 PM

Gerber just needs to play in the playoffs like he did against team C-EH-N-EH-D-EH. then it'll be all good.

3/29/2006 10:05:59 PM