Starting September 13, the Carolina Hurricanes will participate in skating drills, shooting skills, and weight room regimens to get ready for the upcoming 2007-2008 NHL season. Here now is a position-by-position training camp preview. I will outline who has the most to prove, who needs to play well to get a certain spot, and a player to watch.
Centers
NHLers: Jeff Hamilton, Rod Brind’Amour, Eric Staal, Trevor Letowski, Matt Cullen
Others: Jakub Petrazulek, Justin McCrae, Drayson Bowman, Stephen Chaput, Brandon Nolan, Bobby Hughes, Brandon Sutter
Most to Prove: Jeff Hamilton
Signed to a 2 year, $1.6 million contract this off-season, Hamilton comes to the Hurricanes from the second-worst team, the Chicago Blackhawks. He was undrafted, but after getting a jump-start in New York (with the Islanders), he scored 18 goals and 39 points last year. Hamilton will fight with Matt Cullen for the third line center spot. The reason Hamilton has the most to prove is because of that battle. Cullen has already proven himself with his great season in 2005-2006. Hamilton, as a newcomer, must play well to impress the coaching staff.
Needs to Play Well: Jakub Petrazulek
Jakub Petrazulek is making his training camp debut with the Hurricanes also. The Hurricanes acquired him early last year for Brad Isbister. He played well for seven games with the Charlotte-based Checkers before he was traded to Carolina. Petrazulek had 28 points in 54 games with Albany and appears to be ready. He needs to play well because he could be the primary call-up option in case of injury at center. He will probably battle talented center Bobby Hughes (96 pts. in 59 games in OHL last year) for that spot.
Player to Watch: Brandon Sutter
This year’s first round draft pick for the ‘Canes, Brandon Sutter will probably not play in the NHL or AHL this year. By the time camp rolls around, he will have come fresh off the Canada-Russia Super Series. Sutter is 18, so he is young. I don’t expect him to play professionally at all this year unless he plays extremely well. Ex-Cane David Tanabe was 19 when he played his first NHL game (and scored in it) but the Hurricanes are so deep at center that he probably won’t have a chance. But it will be interesting how he does in his first professional training camp.
Wingers
NHLers: Scott Walker, Craig Adams, Cory Stillman, Justin Williams, Ray Whitney, Erik Cole, Chad LaRose, Andrew Ladd
Others: Ryan Bayda, Jerome Samson, Dave Gove, Keith Aucoin, Patrick Dwyer, Mike Angelidis, Chris Terry, Harrison Reed, Nicolas Blanchard, Trevor Gilles
Most to Prove: Chad LaRose
Also undrafted, Chad LaRose needs to show the coaching staff exactly what he wants to do. He has been everywhere except the top two lines. He has played wing and center on the fourth line, and center on the third line. Although his primary objective in the NHL is defense, he was a spectacular scorer in junior hockey, scoring 117 points in 67 games in 2002-2003 (if only we had that scoring that year). The reason he has the most to prove, well, the reasons, is because it’s a contract year for him and he needs to find his niche. At the end of the Cup run in 2006, he signed a two-year contract. To keep him in the organization (which I hope happens), the coaching staff and front office need to see another productive season like the one he had last year (6 goals, 18 points).
Need to Play Well: Ryan Bayda/Keith Aucoin/Dave Gove
Yes, I’m breaking the rules, but this needs to be done. These three players are all among those who are primary call-ups for the ‘Canes. Again, there is a lot of depth for the ‘Canes at this position, but mostly inexperienced. All three of these players have at least one NHL point, Bayda the most because he played with the ‘Canes during Carolina’s injury-riddled season in 2003-2004. If form follows (and this is another injury-filled year), then these three will play important parts in keeping the ‘Canes up. At this point, Bayda probably should be the primary call-up, followed by Aucoin, and then Gove.
Players to Watch: Andrew Ladd/Trevor Letowski
There are two very different situations in Ladd and Letowski.
Ladd is beginning his second full NHL season. Last year, he was expected to compliment Scottie Walker on the third line, but only scored 11 goals in 65 games. In contrast, in the Cup year, he scored 6 goals in 25 games. That’s not an equal proportion. Ladd needs to play well in camp to give reason for the coaches to give him more playing time to fulfill the tremendous potential he has.
There have been some calls for Letowski to be traded (mine among those calls) and this year he needs to silence those critics (me among them). A good training camp will make me more comfortable about having him on the ‘Canes.
Defense
NHLers: Glen Wesley, Dennis Seidenberg, Frantisek Kaberle, Bret Hedican, Niclas Wallin, Tim Gleason, Mike Commodore
Others: Wade Brookbank, Joey Mormina, Brett Carson, Tim Conboy, Noah Babin, Mark Flood, Casey Borer, Steve Ward, JD Forrest
Most to Prove: Dennis Seidenberg
Traded from Phoenix for grinder Kevyn Adams (now a Chicago Blackhawk, imagine that), Seidenberg is a German who is trying to get into that seventh defenseman position coveted by all the players not in the “NHLers” list. He played spotty last year, both lineup-wise and production-wise. Players like Brookbank, Conboy, and Babin, who had a great rookie camp, will fight with Seidenberg for that spot.Needs to Play Well: Wade Brookbank
Oh, boy, we have an enforcer.
Wade Brookbank comes to Carolina with 37 NHL fights under his belt and 229 PIM in 68 games. The first true enforcer with a chance to play for Carolina since Jesse Boulerice left in the Doug Weight trade, Brookbank doubles as a left wing. With skill defensemen like Noah Babin, Casey Borer, and Brett Carson pushing for playing time, Brookbank needs to play well on both sides of the ice to get some playing time. Remember, Brookbank has NHL experience, unlike Babin, Borer, and Carson.
Player to Watch: Glen Wesley
Glen Wesley has come a long way from when he was 20 and a member of the All-Rookie Team in 1988. 38 now, but 39 when the season starts, Wesley contemplated retirement this off-season but came back for his 19th year. He is the grizzled veteran of the defense that is in to teach guys like Mormina, Babin, and Conboy. This, most likely being his last season, is the one where Wesley says goodbye. His last camp will be interesting. Maybe he could follow in the path of Jeff Daniels and become assistant coach when Kevin McCarthy retires or is lured away by another team. Hmmm…
Goalies
NHLers: Cam Ward, John Grahame
Others: Michael Leighton, Justin Peters, Daniel Manzato, Kevin Nastiuk
Most to Prove: John Grahame
Goalie is the position the ‘Canes actually have their starters at this year. Grahame is one of those starters, but his off-and-on season in 06-07 leaves him in a tough position coming into training camp. You will most likely see Grahame in this position when I preview the season about a month from now. This is a contract year for Grahame, and with Peters playing well in the minors and Michael Leighton now on the team, the Sawyer look-a-like (Josh Holloway from the hit TV series Lost) needs a spectacular training camp and season to give the staff assurances that he can do better than 10-13-2 and .879 save percentage.
Needs to Play Well: Michael Leighton
Leighton has been well traveled these past few years, playing in the Philadelphia, Nashville, Anaheim, and Montreal organizations in 2006-2007. He was originally drafted by the Chicago Blackhawks and has also been in the Buffalo Sabres organization. Now Leighton has found a home in Carolina, hopefully, giving the Hurricanes a NHL-experienced third goaltender option. If he can keep it. Goalies like Justin Peters and Kevin Nastiuk are fighting for that primary call-up option. Leighton needs to prove that he can stay somewhere solidly.
Player to Watch: Justin Peters
After a fair season with the Albany River Rats (10-18, .886 save%), Justin Peters is ready for his call-up. Drafted in the same year as Andrew Ladd (not to mention in the RBC Center), Peters played in Albany and Florida (Everblades, the ‘Canes ECHL affiliate, like AA in baseball) last year. It will be interesting to see how he plays because of the expectations of guys like me who are looking for the future of backup goaltending for the Hurricanes (Cam Ward looks like he’s going to be the starter for a long time). Two interesting notes: With the Plymouth Whalers (OHL), Peters scored a goal in a playoff game. Goalies rarely score goals these days in the regular season, so this event in 2004 was interesting. Second, he fought with Binghamton Senators goalie Kelly Guard in a game last December. Hmm, Ray Emery V. 2… (Note: Ottawa Senators goaltender Ray Emery participated in two fights in the same game, one right after the other, on February 22 this year.)
