Former Canes on the move

On Wednesday, the Islanders signed Josef (aka "Big Joe", aka "the Czech Condor", aka "Joe, Lord of Evil") Vasicek to a one year deal valued at $750,000.

After leading the Hurricanes in 2004 with 19 goals (sad, isn't it?), Joe was never the same. He didn't play during the lockout, which messed up his ability to become an UFA, and he evidently sat around eating Cheetos and drinking Yoohoo. >>EDIT<< -- He played well in the Czech Republic during lockout, but hurt his UFA eligibility by not re-signing with Carolina >>END EDIT<< At any rate, he wasn't exactly in "playing form" when the 2006 season commenced. He spent the better part of that season injured, and was scratched for most of the Stanley Cup playoffs, and he ended up with just nine (4/5) points in 23 regular season games. If I remember correctly, four of those points came in one night.

After getting his name etched on the Cup, JoVa was traded to Kansas City Hamilton Nashville straight up for Scott Walker. It was an amazing coup for Carolina, and it left the Nashville natives scratching their collective head. When Vasicek failed to click into place in the Music City, he was traded back to Carolina for Eric Belanger. Belanger was then shifted to Atlanta 24 hours later for defenseman Vitaly Vishnevski.

Again, Vasicek failed to accomplish anything, scoring nine points (2/7) in 25 games with Carolina. All told, Vasicek scored 22 points (6/16) in 63 games split between the Preds and Canes.

This summer, he was never given a qualifying sheet by the Canes and was reportedly close to signing with a Russian Superleague team.

Although I have picked on Vasicek for being too big, slow and dumb for his own good, I like him and I hope he does well. It might be good for him to be in the presence of some fellow Czechs. He and Isles' defenseman Radek Martinek are actually from the same tiny Czech town. Oh the fun they'll have!
The two of them will, of course, be holding Miro Satan's (Slovak) jock, but the lot of them will be speaking in Czech, and that will make Big Joe happy.

In other former Canes news, Kevyn Adams and Radim Vrbata were traded for each other. Last season, Adams scored 12(3/9) for the Canes/Coyotes while Vrbata scored 41 (14/27) points for the Blackhawks. Adams brings some veteran leadership qualities to the table, but I think the 'Hawks gave up too much. Meanwhile, the 'Yotes are getting younger and younger. By getting rid of Adams, they now have only two players over the age of 30, and their average age is 27.9.

Good luck to all of these former Canes in their new surroundings!

"The Wizard" to stay in Raleigh

On Friday afternoon, the Hurricanes checked off the most important item on the "summer to-do list". Ray Whitney was re-signed to a three year deal which will pay him $3.55M per season. This past season, Whitney posted a career high 83 points (32/51). He earned a bargain basement $1.5M paycheck from the Hurricanes and also received $1.2M from the Red Wings as part of their 2005 contract buy-out.

I was away all weekend (in a wedding, and piss-babbling drunk the whole time), unable to get hockey news (other than scores), so I have a lot of catching up to do. This was a very good thing to come home to.

Although both sides were clear about wanting to keep Whitney in Raleigh, there was still some anxiety among the natives. Whitney was slated to become an UFA on July 1, and would have been one of the hottest commodities. There was some speculation that he would get offers in the $4M + range, but neither side wanted to waste time getting re-signed.

The Caniac Nation is breathing a collective sigh of relief as the fan favorite is locked in at what is still a very good price.

Next, the Canes need to focus on getting Scott "Remo" Walker re-signed. He earned $1.52M last season after being acquired from Nashville, and he tallied 51 points (21/30). The 33-year old, who quickly became another fan favorite here, can expect to make about $2M next season.

Josef Vasicek and Anson Carter are also on the "to do" list, but with them, it's not nearly as pressing. Anson Carter wouldn't be missed. "Big Joe" would be missed, but only for sentimental reasons. Both players are replaceable.

Glen Wesley will most likely retire (although I said that last summer, too) and Bret Hedican will most likely not exercise his player option. His back/knees/ "lower body" can't take it anymore.

Carolina will have to get some defense and a third line center out of free agency. They will need to get defensemen and goalies in the draft. The cupboard is exceptionally bare in our minor league system.

Canes fall to Sens in first half of home-and-home

On Tuesday night, the Canes again hurt their playoff chances by losing a home game to the Ottawa Senators 4-2. They led the game 2-1 after 40 minutes, but blew the lead and lost the game. This is the second time in the last three home games that Carolina has done this and the third home game in a row that they lost a third period lead. Considering that they didn't blow any third period leads last season, nor in the mediocre 03-04 season, this speaks volumes about this team.

The game wasn't on Canes TV, and I was "sort of" listening to the web radio while I tidied up my pig sty of an apartment. I don't have much to say about the game that can't be found here.

I will say that Josef Vasicek got his first goal since re-joining the Hurricanes. It was the classic Jo-Va type of goal -- a backhand stuff in of a rebound from the top of the goal crease.

The game was part of a back-to-back home-and-home series with the Senators. The Sens are playing in their second consecutive home-and-home. Fortunately this one doesn't have the fireworks that the one with Buffalo did. I might look, though, for someone to "say hello" to Jason Spezza. He put quite a bit of mustard on his empty net goal from 9 feet out last night. It looked like he was in the "hardest shot" competition. It seemed a touch showboat-like. If there's any opportunity to "give him the business" tonight, I think that opportunity will be taken.

Tonight, the teams will reset and run it back in the Scotiabanc Palace. Puck drop is 7:30. I expect Cam Ward, who has sat the last three consecutive games, to get the nod between the pipes.

Time to unretire the Vasicek sweater

On Friday afternoon, the Hurricanes dealt third line center Eric Belanger to the Nashville Predators in exchange for Josef Vasisek. "The Czech Condor" played five seasons in Raleigh before being traded to Nashville straight up for Scott Walker over the summer. In 2003-04, JoVa led a very bad Canes team with 19 goals. He became my favorite player, and his was the first player sweater I ever bought.

I wore the 63 VASICEK sweater to 26 regular season games and 14 playoff games last season, and although he was injured or scratched for most of it, it served me very well. I also pointed out that the number of days between the Hurricanes final regular season game and Game 7 of the SCF was 63. I had a beard growth of 63 days and the sweater number to match. I claimed then that fate was working on my behalf.

Over the summer, as I had time to reflect, I was glad to see JoVa go and excited that the Canes got Scott Walker out of the deal. I'm not so sure that I'm excited about the Condor's return, but I'll definitely be "unretiring" the 63 VASICEK sweater on February 15 when the Rangers come to town. I've worn the 11 WILLIAMS sweater to all my games this year, with mixed results.

As far as the actual trade is concerned, I'm not sure that either team benefits more than the other. It's just a change. Eric Belanger has really one quality that I love. He's a very good faceoff guy. Aside from that, he has tons of breakaway chances and has other fantastic scoring chances, but he has a real problem finishing. That whole Maxim Afinogenov thing. Vasicek had lost his scoring touch here, but I always applauded his size and strength. Maybe things will be different this go-round. Maybe we'll see the old Joe. I certainly hope so.

Vasicek has played in just 38 games with the Preds this season, amassing 13 (4/9) points. Belanger, who has been ice cold of late, has played in 56 games for the Canes, netting 20 (8/12) points. In terms of PPG, this is a miniscule drop-off for the Canes, but they'll be getting a guy who is already familiar with "the system" here, and a guy that the fans like. "Frenchy" never caught on with the fans, and I get the impression that he never caught on in the room, either. Maybe I'm way off mark there, but that's my impression.

JoVa will presumably join the team in Minnesota Saturday night. Due to the injuries to Erik Cole and Scott Walker, the Canes have also recalled Ryan Bayda from Albany of the AHL.

I can't wait to see how this pans out.

Big Joe's homecoming -- Preds 5, Canes 4.

On Friday night, the Hurricanes opened their pre-season with a 5-4 loss to the Nashville Predators. As if it was all written out by a fabulous poet, Josef Vasicek got the game winner on a short-handed breakaway with about a minute and a half to play in regulation. Vasicek was traded this summer from the Canes to the Preds for Scott Walker. The Preds won't play in Raleigh this season, so it will be a long time before we see big Joe again. I missed my chance to wear the Vasicek 63 sweater one last time.

I wasn't able to make it out to the rink, but Chris (aka Penalty Killer)was there, and offers his game recap. This season, Chris and I have seats that are close enough to each other that we could practically share a tub of popcorn.

It's hard to place much, if any, stock in these preseason games, but the word on the street is that Shane Willis, who is one of several players competing for a final spot on the forward lines, played well. He had one goal and one assist. A lot of brows were furrowed this summer when the Canes signed Willis to bring him back into the organization. He had a good season for the Canes in 2000-01, scoring 44 (20/24) points. However, he was literally knocked out of the playoffs by a brutal Scott Stevens hit. Willis wouldn't return to that series, which Carolina lost. The following season, he was traded to the City of Tampa Lightning in exchange for Kevin Weekes. This would prove to be a very good move for the Canes, who made a surprising run to the Stanley Cup finals in 2002 thanks to the outstanding playoff goaltending of Kevin Weekes. That season, Willis scored a total of 24 points (11/13). Since then, Willis only played in 12 NHL contests. Most people say that he was a promising youngster prior to getting laid out by Stevens, and that he lost a good deal of his "game" with the hit. We're hoping that his play last night is indicitive of a return to form.

Kim Staal (no relation) scored two goals for the Preds, while Scott Nichol, Ramzi Abid and the aforementioned Vasicek got the other Nashville tallies.

Ray Whitney scored twice for the Canes, while Andrew Ladd and Willis had the others.

They used the same format as last preseason -- shootouts in all games. All I know is that Vasicek scored and the Preds "won" the shootout.

Tonight, the b-squad Canes and the b-squad Preds square off in Nashville. I'll be listening on the radio as I participate in my on-line draft.