Crashing The Crease – Sept 12, 2013
Crashing the crease is SenShot’s daily tour of interesting news and notes from around the NHL:
April 2, 2013; Raleigh, NC, USA; Carolina Hurricanes defensemen Joni Pitkanen (25) lays on the ice after getting hurt during the 2nd period against the Washington Capitals at the PNC center. The Capitals defeated the Hurricanes 5-3. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports
- Every unrestricted Free Agent defesneman is likely calling Hurricanes GM Jim Rutherford today after the news that the already thin Carolina blue line will be without Joni Pitkanen for the season, and possibly longer than that. As well, any GM that has surplus defensemen around (Toronto, Philadelphia) will be calling trying to unload some dead weight.
- Another restricted free agent domino fell, this time Buffalo forward Cody Hodgson, who inked a 6 year, $25.5M deal with the Sabres.
- That leaves Jared Cowen, Cody Franson Alex Pietrangelo and Derek Stepan as the big name restricted free agents still without a contract.
- Speaking of Pietrangelo, the talks between the Blues and his camp broke off yesterday, and the Blues will be treating his absence like an injured player and will be going on without him.
- Plan B for the Blues appears to be Ryan Whitney, who is in camp on a tryout basis.
- It turns out Dan Cleary might not be going to the Flyers after all. A Philly perspective on the confusion, as well as the Detroit point of view. Apparently the winger means more to the Wings than they let on, and a meeting with the brass of the club may have swayed him to stay in the Motor City after all.
- After I ranked them 8th in the Atlantic Division goaltending tandems yesterday, Florida Panthers GM Dale Tallon has opened the door to consider bringing in Tim Thomas, Ilya Bryzgalov and Jose Theodore on a tryout basis. A job is a job, but will anyone really want to step into that situation, unless it is a last resort?
- Jason Spezza is using the Olympic Camp snub as a motivating factor. I like Spezza, a lot, but is saying that it puts a chip on your own shoulder really putting a chip on your shoulder? That is something that has to be demonstrated, not said. And said by others, not by yourself.
Anyways, teams will hit the ice today for the first time, and the road to Stanley begins with baby steps.
Enjoy your day, and check back tomorrow.