Eric Staal scores only shootout goal and Anton Khudobin stands tall for win

The Carolina Hurricanes have now won two games in a row as they took advantage of a slow start by the Boston Bruins and defeated them, 2-1 in a shootout in front of 17,212 fans at the PNC Arena on Sunday afternoon.

Eric Staal came through with the game-winner and scored the only goal in the shootout.

Anton Khudobin did not allow anything in the shootout and made 19 saves on 20 shots in the game, earning his second win of the season.

The Bruins, who had lost to Ottawa in OT on the previous day, started out extremely slow and did not have a single shot on goal in the game until late in the opening period.

The Canes did not take full advantage though until Patrick Dwyer lit the lamp with just 34 seconds left.  It was Dwyer's third goal of the season and the second game in a row that Carolina's fourth line contributed with a goal.

Brad Malone earned an assist on the play, giving him a two game point streak.  Malone also dropped the gloves with Gregory Campbell in the first, and dropped Campbell in the process.  He came close to completing his "Gordie Howe hat trick" later in the game but just fell short.

The Canes outshot the Bruins in that period 14-4 but the visitors picked up the pace in the second.

Patrice Bergeron would tie things up later in the second when he was left alone for a point blank shot just a few feet in front of the net.

Things tightened up in the third and both goalies stopped key shots when they needed to.  The game went to overtime and remained scoreless in that period, even as the teams skated 3-on-3 as Reilly Smith got called for holding and Victor Rask, "embellishment" with just a minute and change left in the extra period.

While coach Bill Peters liked the 3-on-3 play and would like to see more of it, he didn't necessarily like the calls, or lack of them.  Just before the Bergeron goal, Justin Faulk had been clipped in the face with a high stick and there was no call.  Faulk had to go to the treatment room to get stitched up and was bleeding after the hit.

When Peters was asked about that play he quipped, "you mean the high sticking that was obvious to everyone?"

After the exciting overtime, Peters went with Chris Terry, Jeff Skinner, and Staal in the shootout.  Terry, who has had good luck in the shootout previously missed on his chance and is now 4-7 lifetime.  Skinner's shot went wide but Staal beat Tuukka Rask, high stick side for the win.

At the other end, Khudobin shut down Smith, Krug, and Bergeron.

Rask also played  an excellent game and kept his team in it when they needed it.  He made 35 saves on 36 shots in the loss.

The Canes will fly to Nashville for their next game on Tuesday night.

Game Notes:

• The Canes outshot the Bruins 36-20 and were led by Jiri Tlusty with five.  Several players had four.
• Brett Bellemore had a team high four blocked shots.
• Dwyer scored on his only shot but also led the team with six hits. 
  
• Even though Faulk had to leave to get stitches, he led the team with 26:58 of ice time.  Sekera was next with 25:18.

No, sadly, NOT as in wild dating success...

Where were YOU when the Bruins lost to the Hurricanes Sunday in the skillz contest?

• Here is the game recap for you, in GIF form. [Boston.com]
• It was a bit of a headscratcher. Tuukka Rask stopped 35 of  36 shots, yet the Bruins almost made it through the first period without registering a shot on goal in response. [BostonHerald]
• Some Bruins tried to pick up the slack for teammates, which sadly backfired by causing more scrambly errors. [CausewayCrowd]
• Milan Lucic was named by his coach as someone from whom more is expected. Daniel Paille had a save. Simon Gagne remains on leave. David Pastrnak is not likely to be pitched into the Bruins' woeful morass anytime soon. [BostonHerald]
• Seventeen minutes ticked by before the first Bruins shot on goal. Then they only made two shots in the entire third period. [MetroWestDailyNews]
• Two things went right: Tuukka Rask and Patrice Bergeron. [NESN]
• Time to change what ain't working, starting with a hard look at the fourth line. [WEEI]
• It was noted after the loss to the Senators on Saturday that even the return of healthy players to the roster have not righted the ship. This is more than just a bad spell. [WEEI]
• Will it come down to a choice between shakeup and freefall for the Bruins? [TheHockeyNews]
• The trade deadline is March 2nd. Is this or is this not a ship that can be righted without replacing the key players lost? [NewEnglandHockeyJournal]
• Looking into the crystal ball... one take on what the future holds for the team and a few individual Bruins. [BleacherReport]
• Here's a modest proposal: FIRE SALE! [TooManyMenOnTheSite]
• Meanwhile, in Providence this week and weekend, the roster-depleted PBruins were a mixed bag. Hey, at least Jeremy Smith got an assist!  [ProvidenceJournal]
• Have a look at this gallery of game action from Sunday's game as the PBruins lost to the Worcester Sharks. [ProvidenceJournal]

Elsewhere around the rink:

• There are intriguing new ways to measure those intangibles that are the difference between success and failure in otherwise physically talented players.  [TheBostonGlobe]
• Here's your update from action around the league this weekend, and hey, at least Tuukka Rask has a suggestion going forward... [Grantland]
• What's it like to rub elbows with a billionare at the Winter Classic, and what is he hoping to pull out of  his Ugly Christmas Sweater sleeve next? [Grantland]
• Adieu to to Capgeek, and best wishes to innovator Matthew Wuest as he faces a health crisis. [PuckDaddy]
• Busted! The Flyers were fined for travel on Boxing Day. [TheSportingNews]
• It'll be Canada v. Russia at the World Junior Championship for the gold. [TSN]
• Are you ready for the World Cup of Hockey in Toronto in 2016, presented by the NHL? Talks are in progress. [Sportsnet]
• The All-Star votes are tallied, and Latvia cheers as Zemgus Girgensons is IN, along with some other guys. [SportsIllustrated]
• More, More, MORE! Meanwhile, Billy Idol was at the Winter Classic to entertain, not remember precisely what the event was. [PuckDrunkLove]
• Pour a drink and read this summary report of the first three months of the NHL season. The Bruins are mentioned, as is Johnny Boychuk, only for different reasons. [LastWordOnSports]

Eric Staal notched the lone shootout goal Sunday to push Carolina past Boston, 2-1. The fourth line struck again for the Hurricanes, with Patrick Dwyer notching his third goal of the year for Carolina’s loan regulation marker.

Carolina won its second straight game Sunday, knocking off the Boston Bruins in the shootout from a 2-1 victory. Patrick Dwyer scored in regulation and Eric Staal had the only shootout goal, while Anton Khudobin knocked off his former team in his first game against his old squad since leaving Beantown for Raleigh.

Three Observations

1. Patrick Dwyer’s first period goal gave Carolina a 1-0 lead and marked the second straight game that the Canes got offense from its fourth line. The line of Jay McClement centering Dwyer and Brad Malone was the fourth line GM Ron Francis and coach Bill Peters planned on all along, and with injuries subsiding and Malone finally rounding into form, the trio is playing like it’s up to the task.

2. Ryan Murphy finished with seven shot attempts (four on goal) in 20:33, but confidence is still lacking in Carolina’s former first round pick. For one, Murphy seems unwilling to carry the puck up the ice — one of his biggest assets — and is either reluctant to shoot or still not up to speed with the lack of time and space available in the NHL. In the past I have given plenty of "there is still time for Murphy" proclamations, but one has to wonder if Murphy will ever make the leap. Nashville’s Ryan Ellis, the best comparison to Murphy, played 64 total NHL games in 2011-12 and 2012-13 with little offensive production (17 points) but finally cracked the Predators roster and came through last year, registering 27 points in 80 games. Ellis, who turned 24 this week, has 17 points through 38 games this year, a 36-point pace. Murphy has now played 61 NHL games with 13 points in parts of three seasons and turns 22 in March. The clock is officially ticking.

3. With Alexander Semin and Andrej Nestrasil close to returning, the competition for ice time will intensify. The players who most need to be looking over their shoulder are Zach Boychuk (already a scratch vs. Boston) and Chris Terry. But unless the team ships out an expiring contract (McClement, Dwyer or Jiri Tlusty), someone like Malone could also be in the press box.

Number To Know

.957 — Khudobin’s save percentage in his past three starts. Khudobin has won his last two starts after going winless in his first 10, and he has allowed just one goal in each of his past three appearances while stopping 67 of 70 shots faced.

Plus

Anton Khudobin — A season and a half removed from his stint with the Bruins, Khudobin finally got a crack at old team. He made it count. Khudobin didn't see much of anything for most of the first period, but he made huge saves on Reilly Smith and Chris Kelly to keep the game scoreless until Carolina finally broke through.

Minus

Riley Nash— Nash continues to struggle. While his scoring is still mired in a slump, Nash was also outplayed in his own zone and at the faceoff dotl. Twice he was manhandled by Boston’s Carl Soderberg in the Carolina zone, unable to stop the Bruins’ big forward as he created good scoring chances. Nash was also won just 5 of 13 faceoffs on the night.

The great balm of the Eastern Conference has arrived to heal our come-back wounds: the Carolina Hurricanes are in town!

It must be a pleasant sight for Peter Laviolette and company to see the Hurricanes on the schedule for today. Prior to tonight, they've faced the Ducks, Kings, Blues, Blackhawks, Flyers, and Bruins. It probably feels like that time your senior year in college when you had to take that Gen Ed class that wasn't required for your major, but you had to take it to maintain 12 hours minimum for your scholarship, and you're all like I GOT THIS.

The Carolina Hurricanes

Yes, the Canes got the best of the Preds earlier in the season, winning 2-1 in their barn. But since then, they've gone 4-10-1 in 15 games and are now dead last in the Eastern Conference. Which is just... bad. Being in last place in the Eastern Conference is like getting cut from the Sri Lankan Olympic Racewalking Team. The Eastern Conference is a veritable oasis for mediocre teams and the Canes are so far from being mediocre, even Jordan Staal returning from injury doesn't help much.

Most thought that Carolina's defense would struggle against the aggressive offenses in the East, but the defense has been the only thing keeping them in games. They somehow find themselves in the top half of the league in goals allowed at 2.54 goals per game. The top defensive pair, Andrej Sekera and Justin Faulk, "lead the way" for the rest of the defense, which include names like Brett Bellemore and John-Michael Liles. No, those are not actors with lead roles in "Red Band Society"... those are actual NHL players. Like with skates and sticks and everything!

The Canes offense was supposed to be the only thing keeping them in games. Then Jordan Staal got injured and Jeff Skinner got terrible. Skinner is a player I just can't figure out. He unfortunately blazes through the Predators with ease, but Canes fans have to be scratching their collective heads at this year: 8 goals, 8 assists, a 7.2% shooting percentage (a 5% decline from last year), and zero power-play goals. His possession numbers are consistent with his career average, but his production is just not there right now. Anyways, it's not all his fault, as the Canes really don't have the supporting cast they need. They are second-to-last in the league in scoring at 1.92 goals per game.

The Nashville Predators

NOTHING IS WRONG AND EVERYTHING IS AWESOME

Yes, the Predators have allowed 5 unacceptable come-backs in the last few weeks (Anaheim, L.A., Minnesota, Boston, Chicago), but they are 3 for 5 in those games, getting 8 of 10 points possible against some big teams. And this is in addition to dominating the rest of the schedule, being at or near the top of the Central Division, and overall exceeding the expectations of everyone. Even Barry Melrose.

What we should be discussing is Filip Forsberg, who is 1 point away from breaking the Predators rookie points record. When Alexander Radulov set that mark in 2007, most knew it would take a special player to exceed it. Radulov was an exciting player to watch. He was ebullient, prideful, and creative. He had that all important goal-scorer's arrogance that Predator fans were not used to seeing, but were glad to have. It fell apart all too quickly for Radulov and when he returned in 2012, we needed him to be something different than he was. We (or maybe Trotz) needed him to be golden boy figurehead that could change the game on a dime, leading the team in dynamic and heroic fashion. Which obviously didn't happen. Enter Filip Forsberg.

Forsberg is the anti-Radulov. Charismatic, humble, and as smooth with the puck as anyone on the ice right now. He wears slick sweaters. He is as likely to dish a sick saucer as he is to toe-drag around your top defensemen. He also doesn't play the braggart, and you can tell the rest of the team loves him for it. On a team full of free agent castoffs, traded mercenaries, and draft picks of a bygone era, Filip Forsberg is a a shining beacon of royalty that gives the roster a bit of wholesome goodness. As the cliche goes: it's Forsberg's town, we're just living in it.

Reasons To Watch

• Will the James Neal returneth? Hopefully. It's time for him to make some things happen again.
• Pekka Rinne needed to refuel after Saturday. Let's see if he can right the ship after a bumpy night.
• Mike Ribeiro is second on the team in points and he is mesmerizing to watch. How can you not cheer for this guy?

Pre-Game Music For Your Listening Enjoyment

(see above... and never forget how awesome everything is)

Important Details

7 PM puck drop, so be in your seat ready to cheer on Smashville's best! TV will be FS-TN, Radio will be 102.5 The Game

Well, it's not quite the Winter Classic or the Stadium Series or Rivalry Night, but it is a race for hotly-contested draft position.

Carolina Hurricanes vs. Buffalo Sabres
January 8, 2015 - 7:00 pm ET
PNC Arena - Raleigh, NC
TV - Fox Sports Carolinas
Radio - 99.9 FM The Fan
SB Nation Rival Blog - Die By The Blade

Fancy Stats

Stats via NHL.com and War on Ice

Game Notes

• Editorial Note: This is a preview for a game between the two worst teams in the Eastern Conference. To be honest, I didn't find a lot interesting to write about that directly related to the game itself. So there's a little bit about the game, then some other random stuff I wanted to write about instead.
• About tonight's opponent: The Buffalo Sabres are in 28th place in the NHL, but statistically speaking, they are dead last in almost all categories, some by quite a wide margin. They have lost five straight games and are 1-8-1 in their last 10. Their last game was a 4-1 loss to the Devils Tuesday night. They practiced at PNC yesterday, and the depth chart as they skated yesterday is listed below. Drew Stafford missed Tuesday's game and yesterday's practice celebrating the birth of a child, but he is expected back today and the lines will shift accordingly.
• The Canes didn't practice yesterday so there won't be any updates to tonight's line-up until after the morning skate, which you can watch live [here].
• The Canes did make two roster moves yesterday, placing Zach Boychuk and Michal Jordan on waivers for purposes of reassigning to the Charlotte Checkers if they clear. Boychuk had been a healthy scratch for the last two games, and Jordan for the last three.
• The roster moves were necessary due to the imminent return of both John-Michael Liles (illness) and Andrej Nestrasil (upper body) to the line-up, perhaps as early as today. With a full 23-man roster, two players had to be moved in order for Liles and Nestrasil to be activated from injured reserve.
• There have been some questions floating around as to Alexander Semin's current status. Semin is not on injured reserve. He missed games in late December due to an upper body injury but was never moved to injured reserve. As of the Flyers game on January 2nd he was medically cleared and moved to healthy scratch status where he has remained for the last three games. If/when he returns back to the line-up, another roster move is not necessary because he is already counted as part of the 23-man squad. (Update: Semin will dress and play on a line with Riley Nash and Jeff Skinner. John-Michael Liles will also return to the lineup. Brett Bellemore will sit.)
  
• A point to ponder regarding Tuesday's 3-2 loss to the Predators.... The Preds played in their 39th game of the season and the win gave them 56 points. Through 40 games played, The Canes have 28 points and are on pace for 57 points for the SEASON.
• Stick tap to Jim "Boomer" Gordon for digging up some interesting Canes stats for his NHL Network Radio show yesterday (for those unfamiliar, Boomer is a regular follower of the Canes and holds the opinion that the Canes are actually a team playing better than what the record shows). The Canes have lost a lot of close games, as everyone knows, but the disparity against the other teams is rather strong. The Canes have lost 13 games by one goal in regulation (not including 4 OT/shootout losses). That's five more one-goal losses than any other team in the league (CGY/CHI/OTT each have eight). The Canes also lead the league in number of losses (12) where they have out-shot their opponent. The Canes are 18th in shots taken (1168) but 29th in goals (77). That equates to a collective save percentage against the Canes of .934. Analysis: Sometimes it's just not your year (unless there's a really good draft pick as the outcome).
• Josh Cooper of Puck Daddy caught up with elder statesman Henry Staal and two of his sons during the Canes' father's trip to Nashville. It's a must read for anyone who is a fan of the Staals, or anyone who is a parent, for that matter. [Puck Daddy]
• Prospects Lucas Wallmark (SWE) and Sergey Tolchinsky (RUS) represented the Canes proudly with great performances at the World Junior Championship, which ended on Monday. Tolchinsky brought home the silver medal after the Russians rallied to give Team Canada a scare in the finals, with Canada prevailing 5-4 (Slovakia defeated Sweden for the bronze). Tolchinsky logged four goals and an assist in the tournament, including one power play goal and two game-winners. Wallmark also logged four goals and was named one of the top three Swedish players by tournament coaches. [CH.com]
• Side note regarding the World Juniors, were the Canes intentionally trolling the fans on Tuesday's broadcast? [Link]
• The AHL has announced their roster for the AHL All-Star Game (January 25-26 in Utica, NY) and Ryan Murphy has been selected to represent the Checkers. Murphy is tied for the lead in scoring for Charlotte with 17 points (all assists), and leads the team in power-play assists (7).
• I hope everyone fared better than me at keeping their New Year's resolutions.
• Oh, and good seats are still available for tonight's game.

Projected line-ups

Hurricanes depth chart (from Tuesday's game)

Injuries and Scratches: Andrej Nestrasil (IR upper body), John-Michael Liles (IR illness), Alexander Semin (healthy) Chris Terry (healthy), Brett Bellemore (healthy)

Sabres depth chart (from Wednesday's practice)

Injuries and Scratches: Torrey Mitchell (IR lower body), Marcus Foligno (IR hand), Brian Gionta (upper body)

ESPN Boston's Bruins beat writer once compared Shawn Thornton to Bobby Orr. So, can you really blame us for using the Rhode Island native as Fire Joe Haggerty's guinea pig?

When Joe Haggerty walks down the street, people briefly look at him and then continue on with the rest of their day. CSN New England's Bruins beat writer and national punchline is often referred to, by many, as someone who is far too incompetent at his job to warrant so much as a single yearly paycheck. Personally, if you gave Haggerty a bag of nickels every March and a picture of Gregory Campbell walking his dog, that'd be more than enough compensation for what he provides readers with over the course of the season.

However, I digress. Today isn't a day to hurl insults toward our favorite punching bag. Instead, we turn our attention to ESPN Boston's Joe McDonald. I, Nolan Cardwell, son of a musician and an engineer, am far from the next Bob Ryan, but I took a pair of journalism classes in college and feel that allows me enough wiggle room to critique the work of a paid professional. In this case, it's directed at a man who thinks Shawn Thornton's departure is responsible for the Bruins mediocre, to date, 2014-2015 season.

Any who, in a strange, sort of weird tribute to Fire Joe Morgan, please enjoy SCOC's first installment of Fire Joe Haggerty. Edition 1: The Joe McDonald Edition. Below is a line-by-line (or maybe a couple bunched together, I don't know yet) breakdown of McDonald's January 5th column How The Bruins Can Turn Things Around.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

WILMINGTON, Mass. -- The Boston Bruins seem to have reached the "now-what" stage of this disappointing season.

No mention of Shawn Thornton thus far. Perhaps McDonald was feeling ill on this particular day.

Something needs to happen immediately if the Bruins want to salvage their season and climb back into playoff contention.

A very hot take on McDonald's end. His second line is one that is both unique and mysterious. With a strong hook, "Something needs to happen...", McDonald has grabbed our attention. We're strapped in and anticipating more steaming, hot takes.

Despite the team’s recent performances, which continue to spiral downward, players haven’t lost hope that they can somehow turn things around. But it’s going to take a major undertaking.

It's good that the players haven't lost hope and, personally, I'm glad McDonald verified they're still in high spirits. With half a season remaining and a playoff berth within reach, far too often do we see teams and players shut it down. This is certainly a resilient bunch.

The two words players were using to describe what is missing in the team’s play were passion and confidence. Despite the fact that the Bruins have earned points in nine of their last 11 games, posting a 4-2-5 record in that span, the lack of confidence has led to a drop in performance.

Confidence? They're playing Greg Campbell 13 minutes a night for Christ's sake. What are they expecting, positive outcomes? He's regressed every year, a horrifying realization given that he wasn't all that good to begin with. Once able to "hide" Campbell on the fourth line, able to utilize his competence as a penalty-killer in shorthanded situations, the former broken-legged cult hero sits dead last on the B's with a 5-on-5 CF% of 41.9%.

The inability to roll four lines, especially in Claude's system, is a major hurdle to overcome. Though, it shouldn't be too hard given that Boston has an arsenal of capable plugs sitting in the press box or hanging out down at the Dunkin Donuts Center. But I'll elaborate on that later.

[+] Enlarge

AP Photo/Michael DwyerPeter Chiarelli's Uncle Devin has a pet turtle named Gary. Gary thinks the Bruins should trade for Andrej Sekera.

"When you’re frustrated it just drains the energy out of you, so right now we’re trying to turn that frustration into some passion, and that leads to some confidence," Bruins coach Claude Julien said after Monday’s practice at Ristuccia Arena.

If you replace the word "passion" with "chickens", it would appear that Claude is attempting to force his players to join some kind of bizarre. poultry cult. New CEO Charlie Jacobs should investigate.  

The Bruins have become a broken record with their comments. Too often we’ve heard "the effort is there" or "we’re going to turn this around." The players are fed up with the excuses of too many injuries or too many lineup changes. Simply put, this team should be better.

Why is McDonald talking about breaking vinyl's? Is he not aware of how expensive these gateways to a hipster musical experience cost? At least McDonald acknowledges the obvious here; the Bruins shouldn't be in 9th place. Despite their inefficiencies, this roster has a strong enough core to bid for a mid-seed (4-6) playoff berth. 

When asked if president Cam Neely or general manager Peter Chiarelli has addressed the team, captain Zdeno Chara said those types of things would be kept internal.

If you ask me, sounds like they all got shitfaced and played Mario Kart.

Trust me. Been there, done that.

"We’re not discouraged. We’re obviously disappointed that we can't find the mystical tortoise-beast, but we're gonna keep plugging away and hopefully crack a few clues here and there." Chara said.

Keep looking, big fella. You'll find it one of these days. 

Here are five things that need to happen if the Bruins are to change their fortunes:

BUCKLE UP, Y'ALL. IT'S JOEY MAC TIME!  AWWW YEAHHH

Mine the trade market: Instead of trying to find an internal solution to the right wing position on the top line, Chiarelli needs to pull off a deal and acquire a talented and productive forward to play alongside David Krejci and Milan Lucic.

Talented and productive is hard to find with less than $2 million in cap space. But sure, ignore the blossoming talent of Seth Griffith and David Pastrnak, and go ahead and spend more money. Just what this team needs, more chunky salaries that'll clog things up down the road.

I know this is not breaking news, but it should be done now before the Bruins fall deeper into despair. A new face, a new voice can have a positive effect on a team if it’s the right player. The other challenge here is the salary cap. The Bruins will have to give to get in this situation.

Give who, exactly? Though there have been calls to dump Chris Kelly, Loui Eriksson and Milan Lucic, I ask the following: is the market really piping hot for the latter, and why would you trade two-thirds of your, arguably, most offensively efficient line through 40 games? Yes, Kelly's $3 million salary is looked down upon by a majority, but the fact remains he's a valuable asset - among forwards, the Toronto native is sixth among forwards in CF% (54.7) and second in CA/60 (47.16). His 17 points (4 goals, 13 assists) in 38 games aren't setting the world on fire, but for a third-liner who doubles as a key-cog on the teams penalty kill, he's worth every penny of that, perhaps, higher-than-preferred salary.

And, with regards to Eriksson, if you want him traded please reevaluate your understanding of what constitutes a good hockey player. Is he overly passive at times? Absolutely. But that shouldn't take away from the fact he's an excellent second-line wing.

Earlier in the season, it was rumored the Bruins were interested in Edmonton Oilers right wing Jordan Eberle, but that’s not going to happen.

Oh, do say?

The Buffalo Sabres’ Chris Stewart remains a possibility. He’s having a down year, but it’s probably a result of the team’s struggles.

Maybe citing his historically strong inconsistencies would have served as a better argument than "ehh, fuck it, the rest of the team sucks. Give him a free pass." While I'd take Stewart coming over for a cheap return (hoping for a 4th line reclamation project), it should be noted he's producing at a lesser rate than Brian Flynn. Who is Brian Flynn, you're probably asking? Well, that's exactly my point. Maybe they should take a flyer on this Flynn kid. He played at U-Maine, so local ties and what not. I'm spit-balling here and I'm sorry.

Shane Doan would be a perfect fit in Boston, but there are too many obstacles in acquiring the Arizona Coyotes veteran. Chiarelli loves that type of player, similar to Mark Recchi or Jarome Iginla. But it’s unlikely Arizona would move Doan, plus his $5.3 million cap hit doesn’t fit Boston’s budget unless Chiarelli moves some salary. There aren’t a lot of great options available given the Bruins’ situation.

Shane Doan is a 38-year-old with 8 goals in 38 games. McDonald was kind enough to include his pricey cap-hit and that's appreciated because I have enough Google Chrome tabs open already. Perfect fit how? Because he's similar to Nathan Horton and Iginla, two players who excelled alongside Krejci and Lucic? McDonald's forgetting one, key thing here however; Doan isn't on-par with the former duo. He hasn't been for years.

When asked if he thought the current group has what it takes to turn things around, Julien said he believes in his players.

Yawn. 

"Right now I feel we have some obvious good players, players that have been here for a long time that have made this team successful, and right now frustration is probably a real big part of where some of the issues are," he said. "Our challenge right now is to focus on doing the right things and having a real determination to make things right.

I haven't had mashed potatoes in God knows how long. I want them bad. Not in like a perverted way or anything, I just want mashed potatoes. And corn-on-the-cob. (I'm getting sick of all these quotes, too.)

"Confidence, as we all know, plays a big role in success. Right now frustration has taken over the place of the confidence. We’ve got to try to switch that thing around."

They say confidence is a huge factor when approaching a woman, or so I've read on the internet. I've tried the cocky, god's-gift-to-society bravado, and let me tell you, I'm not buying into the hype. Still single.

[+] Enlarge

Timothy T. Ludwig/USA TODAY SportsMISSING: This dope. LAST SEEN: Hanging out in the slot pretending to be a sniper. REWARD IF FOUND: A Playoff Berth.

Paging No. 17: Frustration with Lucic’s play is mounting.

Another piping-hot take from Rhode Island's renowned sports writer.

Management has been tight-lipped, but Julien has tried to make his point to the veteran forward that the team needs Lucic to do more -- a lot more. To his credit, Lucic has admitted he’s not playing to his potential.

I don't think he has much of a choice here, Joe. If I was driving my car down the highway and ran over a person on purpose, then told everyone that it probably wasn't the best decision, at least I know Joe would give me some credit.

But his $6 million per season hasn’t been money well spent. Prior to this season, Chiarelli called Lucic a "pillar" of the organization and the GM said he wanted to sign Lucic to an extension, perhaps this coming offseason.

McDonald is a bit confused here. Chiarelli wasn't referring to Lucic as a pillar, he was citing Joe's Breakfast Shack and their "Pillar" special, a breakfast favorite of Boston's most Jekyll-and-Hyde forward. For those wondering, the "Pillar" is a stack of 15 blueberry pancakes covered in maple syrup, M&M's and whipped cream. It can be had for just $7.99.

I’ve never been of the mindset to trade Lucic.

I figured. If you were, you probably wouldn't be getting made fun of right now.

Despite his subpar performance this season, I believe he remains an integral aspect to the Bruins’ success.

This line was ghost-written by Joe Haggerty. Haggerty was so proud of his work that he went to the arcade where things quickly took a turn for the worst, as his hand became wedged in the dispensing-tray-thing of a vending machine. Bowling alley officials say he should be okay.

Trading Lucic would be a huge wakeup call to the team, but the Bruins instead need to find a way to get him going. Finding that addition to the top line, with the right player, could help.

Lucic is at his best when his game involves a bevy of physical play and his willingness to focus on the dirty areas of the ice. Sadly, those games are too few and far in-between these days. With $6 million attached to his under-performing name, now might be the best time to test the trade waters for a left-wing whose been trending downward for some time.

Net gains: There’s no way you can completely blame the Bruins’ deficiencies on goaltender Tuukka Rask.

I don't think many people, at least those with a high school diploma, were, Joe.

Like many of his teammates, he hasn’t been at his best this season, but it’s not all on him.

Considering his defensemen, at least the majority minus Chara and Hamilton, have resembled a burning truck crashing into a decrepit P.F. Chang's, I think "but it's not all on him" is a vast understatement.

The reigning Vezina Trophy winner hasn’t stolen too many games in the first half of the 2014-15 season, and if the Bruins can somehow right the ship they will need him to do just that.

"It's like not all on him, but he needs to be the best ever or else like they're going to stink." Seems reasonable, Joe.

There shouldn’t be any finger pointing. Rask should not blame his defense, and his defense should not blame him.

The defensemen shouldn't, but, oh boy, he can complain. I'm beginning to wonder if Joe has watched a single shift from Kevan Miller or Adam McQuaid this season.

Both are at fault this season.

"Tuukka why didn't you save the Titanic from sinking?" "Huh?" "Whatever, still your fault bro"

Now that the Bruins’ defensemen are a completely healthy unit, and if they can remain that way, there’s no reason to think Boston’s perennially strong defensive game won’t return.

Joe's logic here is as follows: Teetering defensive unit, marred by stunted and inconsistent youth + rusty Adam McQuaid = elite defensive unit. OK then!

Not enough Merlot:

dude c'mon, really?

The Bruins are at their best when Julien can roll four lines against an opponent on any given night.

I'm back, but for how long?

Boston had one of the best fourth lines in the league for a few seasons with Daniel Paille, Gregory Campbell and Shawn Thornton.

Their value was overrated, yes, but they were undoubtedly a major factor in both cup runs. However, to say they were the best fourth line in the league is a major stretch.

Everyone knows why Thornton is no longer a Bruin, and his absence is affecting the team both on and off the ice.

*I run out of my house, down the street and into oncoming traffic*

But seriously, this narrative is getting old. The Bruins aren't the intimidating, imposing-their-will team that was their bread and butter for seven years, but it has to do with a lot more than losing just Thornton. Boychuk, Ference, Horton and Iginla - all physical, hard-nosed players who exemplified that style of play - are no longer in town. Their ability to be productive players, combined with their knack for physicality, is greatly missed. Thornton's face-punching and ability to hold a stick, not so much.

Paille and Campbell have not had the kind of success they’re used to this season.

Success should be in "" but, again, they've had their moments of triumph that warranted jobs until, oh I don't know, they began fading fast last season.

Paille has only one goal in 39 games, while Campbell has chipped in four goals and two assists for six points in 34 games.

No mention of their porous possession numbers. Though, Joe is still hung up on Thornton, so lets give him some time (probably 2 years) before he discovers analytics.

They’ve had a different linemate numerous times this season, but similar to Boston’s top line, Julien hasn’t found a perfect fit for the energy line.

They're the problem. Please tell me you know they're the problem, Joe.

Currently, Craig Cunningham has earned the opportunity, and he plays with the grit and determination that the Merlot line is known for. Maybe with a few more games, that line will click.

...you suggest more Merlot and offer no fix. Instead, just leave Campbell and Paille together, hope that Cunningham becomes  a possession-driver capable of carrying two anchors. Not a tall task at all for a 24-year-old rookie.

Joe does acknowledge Cunningham is worthy of fourth-line minutes, however, and let it be known that we're proud of him for that.

Accountability: This has been nearly nonexistent this season.

Well no Shawn Thornton, duh. C'mon bro.

The Bruins know they’re struggling, but no one has taken this team on his shoulders and motivated it with his performance.

Bergeron, Chara, Eriksson, Hamilton, Kelly, Marchand, Smith and Soderberg have been playing well, yes, but not "putting the team-on-their-back well". Here's an idea; GIVE THEM A SUPPORTING CAST THAT ISN'T PAST THEIR PRIME.

There have been spurts, but that’s about it.

Spurts is a good word. Personal favorite to be honest.

Even now that Boston finally has a complete and healthy lineup, the Bruins still are allowing wins to slip from their grasp.

A majority of the supporting players are trash, Joe. That's why. Health can't overcome a lack of skill and ability.

There’s no way this team should be losing to the Carolina Hurricanes.

Hottest take of all hot takes.

Chiarelli, Julien and the players all need to be accountable for this season’s massive skid. Each one has a responsibility to clean up their end.

Tough to fault bad players for being bad. The effort is there, they just aren't good enough. Simple as that.

No more excuses.

*a single tear runs down my cheek. The theme from Rocky begins playing.*

This isn't very good and I apologize for that. Other staff members will likely take the reins on future Fire Joe Haggerty posts, so don't give up on this idea just yet.

In a game where winning and losing might be the same thing, the Sabres take on the Hurricanes looking to snap their long losing streak.

Game #42

Buffalo Sabres (14-24-3) at
Carolina Hurricanes (12-24-4)

Three Questions

1. Will the Sabres finally give a strong first period effort?

Over their past few games, the Sabres have been essentially out of the game after the first 20 minutes thanks to poor play, too many penalties, and average goaltending. Carolina is one of the worst teams in the league, so if the Sabres find themselves down 2-0 after the first yet again, that would be exceptionally demoralizing.

2. Will either team score more than two goals?

The two lowest scoring teams in the league face off tonight, and goals will likely be at a premium. Will either team make it to three? The excitement is palpable.

3. Will Zemgus Girgensons' new rap anthem motivate him to new heights of greatness?

If you haven't heard this yet, just listen. It's amazing.

Projected BUF lines

Moulson - Girgensons - Ennis
Stewart - Varone - Flynn
Hodgson - Grigorenko - Deslauriers
McCormick - Schaller - Kaleta

Gorges - Myers
Ristolainen - Zadorov
Weber - Strachan

Goal: Jhonas Enroth

Who will win the battle for last place? Buffalo and Carolina face off tonight to find out.

Game #42

Buffalo Sabres (14-24-3) at
Carolina Hurricanes (12-24-4)

Three Questions

1. Will the Sabres finally give a strong first period effort?

Over their past few games, the Sabres have been essentially out of the game after the first 20 minutes thanks to poor play, too many penalties, and average goaltending. Carolina is one of the worst teams in the league, so if the Sabres find themselves down 2-0 after the first yet again, that would be exceptionally demoralizing.

2. Will either team score more than two goals?

The two lowest scoring teams in the league face off tonight, and goals will likely be at a premium. Will either team make it to three? The excitement is palpable.

3. Will Zemgus Girgensons' new rap anthem motivate him to new heights of greatness?

If you haven't heard this yet, just listen. It's amazing.

Projected BUF lines

Moulson - Girgensons - Ennis
Stewart - Varone - Flynn
Hodgson - Grigorenko - Deslauriers
McCormick - Schaller - Kaleta

Gorges - Myers
Ristolainen - Zadorov
Weber - Strachan

Goal: Jhonas Enroth

Buffalo loses their sixth straight game as the Carolina Hurricanes secure their third win in their last four.

It was an eight round shootout the last time these two teams met resulting in a 4-3 Sabres victory.  This time around was much different as the Hurricanes dominated faceoffs, possession, shots, and the final score.  Tonight was the halfway point of the season and they gave a hopeful outlook going forward as the Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Buffalo Sabers 5-2 at the PNC Arena.

The first period ended with a goose egg on both ends but with multiple chances falling in Carolina's favor.  Early on Buffalo's Jonas Enroth managed a nice save on a Jeff Skinner shot that might have gone in if he had gotten a quicker release from the feed by Victor Rask.

Both teams have been noted for having issues scoring and that was prevalent as only one shot was registered in the first five minutes.  However, the Hurricanes increased their penalty kill percentile as Jiri Tlusty went off for tripping just three minutes in. Carolina ranks 5th in the league on the penalty kill and fought off all four penalties tonight putting them at a streak of 26 penalties killed.

With the little opportunity the Hurricanes gave the Sabres in the opening period, Tim Gleason showed that board play is still troublesome for the team as he lost a battle with Mikhal Gigornko who fed a wide open Cody Hodgson in the slot to give Cam Ward the opportunity for a routine save.

The three shots the Hurricanes managed before the half of the opening period were the best opportunities the game saw to that point. Elias Lindholm was able to work the puck in close from below the goal line with a nice wrist shot that bounced off Enroth's shoulder and was then taken out of the attacking zone.

Buffalo's big bodies were apparent as three solid hits came in one shift but the commercial break killed their momentum.

Working the puck in deep and possession was sustained by the Hurricanes early in the second period cutting off the first couple of fast breaks the Sabres had out of the gate.

The first goal of the game came from a returning Alex Semin feed onto the stick of Jeff Skinner.  Semin spun around a Buffalo defender to protect a puck after a tape-to-tape pass from Ryan Murphy and found Skinner behind the defense at the back door to put it in a wide open net.

It didn't take long for the Sabres to answer back as Chris Stewart sent a backhand pass to a streaking Philip Varone at the blue line who made a move on John Michael-Liles while using him as a screen and slipped the puck past Cam Ward.

The Hurricanes continued to keep pressure on the Sabres getting consistent shots and recovering their rebounds to maintain possession.

Skinner rang the post on a 5-on-3 powerplay but their effort soon paid off as Tlusty netted a one-timer from former Saber Nathan Gerbe for his 11th goal of the season.

The five-on-three went to only a man advantage for 48 seconds and the 'Canes were able to convert again as Eric Staal contained the puck behind the net and what looked like an intended backhand pass for Elias Lindhom ended up in the back of the net after bouncing off Mike Weber's skate to sneak past Enroth to give Staal his 301st NHL goal and the 'Canes a 3-1 lead.

A faceoff win just under two minutes later in the offensive zone gives the Hurricanes possession and sure enough they convert another one off of a Ron Hainsey shot from the point and a Victor Rask redirection.

The Hurricanes headed into the third period outshooting the Sabers 27 to 11 leading 4-1.

Not two minutes into the final period, the red-hot Eric Staal headed to the locker room after a cross-check from Tyler Meyers behind the Sabres net and colliding head-to-head with Josh Gorges as a result.  Although the Hurricanes were given a powerplay, their momentum took some damage possibly due to the juggling of lines, which had been consistent up to that point.

Philip Varone redirected a shot that was reviewed for possibly making contact with the stick at or above the crossbar seconds after John Michael-Liles left the penalty box. It was ruled a good goal and Varone tallied his second goal of the night and the season.

Eric Staal would return at 10:27 of the third just after Buffalo's second goal.

Riley Nash would answer back as he creates a net front presence and bangs home a rebound off of a Justin Faulk shot to regain a three goal lead.

The Hurricanes finished the game outshooting the Sabres 31-20.

"More mature and more efficient with the puck," Peters said about Murphy's game prior to the victory.  He made some nice plays with anticipation while making good decisions with the puck.  Other than his penalty for cross-checking in the third, he played a very solid game.

The line of Lindhom, Eric, and Jordan managed some nice opportunities and converted.

Patrick Dwyer, Jay McClement, and Brad Malone made up the fourth line and secured significant opportunities that weren't able to make it through but were consistent throughout the game. Early on McClement fed a one-timer to Dwyer but was handled by Enroth and may have gone off a Buffalo defenders stick.

While Semin makes good looks and looked good in his return, it might benefit him and the team to throw the puck at the net more because there have been several better shooting opportunities when he looked to pass.

Peters said before the game he expected the team to come out desperate and hungry, and that they did.

Don't forget about your free large Papa John's pizza, Canes fans.

Phil Varone's two goal night was a lone bright spot in yet another blowout loss for the Sabres.

The Buffalo Sabres and Carolina Hurricanes played last night in what was supposed to be a battle between two of the worst teams in the NHL, but by the end it looked like one terrible team playing against a playoff contender.

Yes, that's how bad the Buffalo Sabres are - they can make the 29th place team in the NHL look like a champ, as the Hurricanes used a dominant second period to help take the Sabres to school by a 5-2 margin.

The second period would prove to be Buffalo's undoing, as the Hurricanes scored four times - including three goals in 89 seconds - to grab a lead they would never relinquish. The Sabres were outshot 17-6 in the period, gave up a goal while defending a 5-on-3, gave up two more right after a timeout, and generally looked like the worst team in the league.

The lone bright spot for Buffalo was the play of Phil Varone. Varone was brought up from Rochester in place of Johan Larsson to provide a bit more offense, and the 24-year old  delivered tonight, scoring his first two goals of the season and the only tallies on the Sabres scoresheet.

The team's other youngsters didn't fare quite so well, as Rasmus Ristolainen and Nikita Zadorov were a combined -5, while Girgensons and Grigorenko didn't register a single shot. Ted Nolan said after the game that he'll likely break up the Girgensons line for today's game against Tampa Bay.

The Sabres have now lost six in a row and are 1-8-1 in their last ten games. They're in third place in the McEichel standings, one point behind Carolina and four behind Edmonton.

Three Questions

1. Will the Sabres finally give a strong first period effort?

Buffalo's first period was much better than it's been recently, but that was only a result of the scoreboard reading 0-0 when it was all said and done. The Sabres were still outshot 10-5 in the first, didn't convert on one terrible power play, and generally looked worse than the Carolina Hurricanes, which is a hard thing to do.

2. Will either team score more than two goals?

The Hurricanes did, but the Sabres couldn't, mustering only 20 shots. The Sabres haven't scored more than two goals in six games, the last time happening on Dec. 27th.

3. Will Zemgus Girgensons' new rap anthem motivate him to new heights of greatness?

Nope - Girgensons registered just three hits in his 18 minutes of ice time.

Comment of the Game

Mike Weber made a distinct kicking tanking motion.

That team sure did suck last night. They just plain sucked! I've seen teams suck before, but they were the suckiest bunch of sucks that ever sucked.

A combo effort on the CotG sums up last night nicely.

Highlights

Trade rumors start to flutter as the Wild's goaltending starts to dwindle and Cam Ward's performance continues to be exceptional.

It’s early January and it looks like trade talk is already starting to circle the league.Surprisingly enough, or maybe not, the Carolina Hurricanes fall into that mix.

More often than not, a coach’s success is intertwined with that of his goaltender.As of late, Minnesota Wild head coach Mike Yeo has shown disapproval of his goaltending and lineup as a whole.In a practice held January 7^th, Yeo was livid as the players displayed a "losers attitude."His record in the last 10 games is 2-4-4 and has put him under the organization’s microscope.

As of now, the Wild hold the second lowest save percentage next to the Edmonton Oilers.For the Hurricanes, their goaltending has been above average, unlike Yeo’s "below average" appraisal of Darcy Keumper’s game Tuesday night against San Jose.Cam Ward’s exceptional play this season has sparked interest in the Wild’s General Manager Chuck Fletcher although he declined to comment to the Star Tribune. However, sources say the Wild have inquired according to the Tribune.

Cam Ward currently is in possession of a 11-16-3 record,goals against average of 2.36, and a save percentage of .914.

Justin Faulk, Ron Hainsey, Alexander Semin, Jeff Skinner, and Jordan Staal are the only five players the Hurricanes have locked up past the 2015-2016 season according to Hockey Buzz.

Would the Hurricanes be willing to trade their franchise goaltender?And for what in return?Ward’s cap hit sits at $6.3 mil this year and next year.The players with a heavy bag of money from the other side include Ryan Suter, Zach Parise, Miko Koivu, Jason Pominville, and Thomas Vanek.The possibilities of acquiring Suter or Parise fall on the slimmest chances considering their whopping 13-year $98 mil deal they signed in 2012.Vanek’s season is already better than the one he had in Montreal but he isn’t showing his $6.5 mil a year worth yet.Pominville worked in 30 goals and assists last season at the age of 31, but his longevity ability to produce could be in question even with four years remaining on his contract.Throw Koivu out of the mix because I just don’t see the Wild without him ever.

Ward has had his struggles with injuries in the past but he has proven he is still able to be at the Conn Smythe winning caliber eight odd years later.  His value is very high right now so he could be on the market for any team. Will their return piece benefit them in the long-run?He is about the only thing rolling on the highlight reel film for the Carolina Hurricanes. It’s crucial for the Hurricanes to get someone in return with equal value of the soon to be 31-year-old goaltender and not lose on a trade.

The Canes kick off the second half of the 2014-15 season tonight in St. Louis.

Carolina Hurricanes at St. Louis Blues
January 10, 2015 - 8:00 pm ET
Scottrade Center - St. Louis, MO
TV - Fox Sports Carolinas
Radio - 99.9 FM The Fan
SB Nation Rival Blog - St. Louis Game Time

Fancy Stats

Stats via NHL.com and War on Ice

Game Notes

• Last year the Canes and Blues split their season series with each team winning on home ice. They will meet tonight for their first time this season, and wrap the series up in Raleigh to close out January.
• Speaking of January, so far the Canes are 3-1-0 to start off the new calendar year. And tonight officially starts the second half of the 2014-15 season with game 42. With a return to health, the Hurricanes have continued to show improvements in their performance, and head coach Bill Peters provided a state of the team after yesterday's practice (practice audio and CH.com interview).
• Ron Francis, along with Peters, gave his take on the first half of the season in an interview with the N&O. Francis addressed several topics including the upcoming draft and trade rumors (specifically the Cam Ward to Minnesota Wild speculation).
• The Canes are likely icing the same line-up as the one Thursday night in the 5-2 win against Buffalo, but that hasn't been confirmed, nor has a starting goaltender been announced.
• Eric Staal has been solid in with seven points in his last seven games. In six out of those seven games he showed up on the score sheet, and in the game where he didn't, he scored the shootout winner. He leads the team with 25 points (12g, 13a).
• When the NHL All-Star Game roster is announced this evening, Justin Faulk is the most likely to represent for the Hurricanes. Coming off a season that included both a spot on the USA Olympic squad and a contract extension, this year Faulk is second in team scoring with 24 points (7g, 17a), second in power play points (9), and leads the team in total time on ice and average TOI/game. Faulk has three points (1g, 2a) in his last two games.
• For the first time as a Hurricane, Jay McClement will return to the city where he spent six years, 499 games, and 156 points as a member of the Blues.
• Andrej Nestrasil has joined the Checkers for his conditioning stint, an arrangement which can last for up to fourteen days before he'll return to the Hurricanes. According to the MLive/Grand Rapids Press, he barely made it from Raleigh to Grand Rapids in time to join the Checkers for warmups in a game against his former team yesterday (must be something about the number 15). Nestrasil had one shot on goal and two penalty minutes in about 13 minutes of ice time in the 2-1 win for the Checkers. By the way, the article also indicates that it was an abdominal injury incurred in the December 8th game against the Devils that put Nestrasil on injured reserve.
• Congratulations to Elias Lindholm who will be playing in his 100th career NHL game tonight.
• The Blues started 2015 with a loss but have since rattled off three straight wins including a 7-2 drubbing of the Sharks on Thursday night. Seven Blues players had a multi-point night. The Blues have scored 20 goals in their last three games (not to beat a dead horse but the Canes scored 18 goals in the entire month of December), while holding their opponents to just four goals.
• Those three games produced seven goals on the man advantage, giving the Blues the top-ranked power play in the NHL, clicking along at a 26.4% pace. The architect of that power play? None other than former Hurricanes head coach Kirk Muller, now an assistant under Ken Hitchcock. The Canes will be well-advised to stay out of the penalty box (they've been successful this season logging the lowest PIMs/game in the league), but if they have to defend short-handed, they've been up to the task, now with the NHL's fifth best penalty kill (86.6%) which has been perfect for the last nine games (26 straight kills).
• The Blues have two candidates that they hope will crack the NHL All-Star roster; forward Vladimir Tarasenko, who leads the team with 43 points (22g, 21a), and defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk who currently leads all NHL defensemen in scoring with 36 points (7g, 29a).
• The Blues held an optional skate yesterday, and because why would you mess with a good thing, Hitchcock is keeping the same line-up from Thursday's game, including Brian Elliott as the starter in net. Elliott has a career record of 6-4-0 against the Canes with a 2.45 GAA. Sorry folks but no Bump-a-Marty-party repeat, as Brodeur is the third goalie in the rotation and a health scratch tonight.

Projected line-ups

Hurricanes depth chart (from Friday's practice)

Injuries and Scratches: Chris Terry (healthy), Brett Bellemore (healthy), Andrej Nestrasil (healthy, reassigned to Charlotte for conditioning)

Blues depth chart (from Thursday's game)

Injuries and Scratches: Chris Porter (IR leg), Joakim Lindstrom (healthy), Ian Cole (healthy), Martin Brodeur (healthy)

The Carolina Hurricanes are second to last in the NHL. Are their fortunes finally turning around?

The Carolina Hurricanes have spend a good portion of this season in the infirmity, while dealing with some generally uninspired play. At the halfway point of the season, they have 13 wins, good for second to last in the NHL. Before you think they're in the Connor McDavid sweepstakes, though, they have been playing generally better hockey as of late.

They are also 4-16-2 on the road.

This is either excellent news for the Blues, who have a combined 20 goals in their last three games - or it's terrible news. Why terrible? Bad teams have a sneak attack mode. They lull other teams into a false sense of complacency, encourage them to play down to the bad team's level, and then they pounce. Sure, they lost to the NHL leading (!) Nashville Predators 3-2 on Tuesday night, but considering the fact that the Canes are in last place in the East, that's an accomplishment.

If Brian Elliott or the Blues' offense slip, it could be a one-goal game in the other direction.

This is your morning open thread. Head back for the second part of Rick's Swedish adventure, your preview, and hopefully a post detailing the fact that Vladimir Tarasenko and Kevin Shattenkirk will be wearing the ugliest All Star Game jerseys ever in a couple of weeks.

While you're waiting for the ASG announcement, head to Canes Country and get a dose of Southern hospitality from some of the nicest tailgaters in the NHL.

Brian Elliott had no chance.

It's a shame the Carolina Hurricanes have faded so far out of relevance these days, because it's easy to forget just how good Eric Staal still is.

Just look at that goal. The Canes' captain completely deked Blues goalie Brian Elliott out of his pads to give Carolina a 3-1 lead in the first period. Elliott was pulled after Staal's goal after giving up three tallies on just 10 shots. The Hurricanes saved the prettiest shot for last.

The Canes jumped out to an early lead, but the Blues whittled away at the visitors before winning in the shootout.

Some points in the standings are "good" points, stealing them where a team has no business earning one. The flip side is what we saw Saturday night, when the Carolina Hurricanes blew a two-goal lead in dropping a 5-4 decision to the St. Louis Blues.

The Canes came out of the gate early. Victor Rask, looking more and more comfortable every game with linemates Jeff Skinner and Alexander Semin, fired home a slap shot from the blue line 2:00 into the game to put the Canes up on their third shift of the game.

Just over four minutes later, Alex Steen tied the proceedings at 1 as the Blues caught the Carolina defense napping on a rush up the ice, but Skinner restored the Canes' lead at 7:23 with his 10th of the season, joining Eric Staal and Jiri Tlusty in double digits for the year.

Just before the halfway point of the period, the Blues' Barret Jackman caught Nathan Gerbe with a high elbow. Tim Gleason took exception and administered a summary beat down to Jackman. Gerbe returned for one short shift late in the period, after spending more than nine minutes on the bench.

Eric Staal then made it a two-goal lead for the visitors at 12:42, the fortunate recipient of a mistimed Blues back pass that sprung him on a breakaway. Staal's 13th was his sixth goal in the past seven games, not including the shootout-winning goal that beat the Bruins last Sunday.

Blues coach Ken Hitchcock had seen enough, calling his timeout and pulling starting goaltender Brian Elliott for Jake Allen. The goaltending switch had the desired effect, as the Blues did not surrender a shot in the remainder of the first period.

The Blues kept coming to start the second. Two goals in under a minute, by Jaden Schwartz and Patrik Berglund, tied the game five minutes into the period. At this point, our estimable phoblographer tweeted that the last time the Canes put up a field goal in the first period, they were shut out the rest of the way by the backup goaltender.

Fortunately for the Canes, history wouldn't repeat itself on this night. Riley Nash made sure of that, poking a shot through Allen at 15:06 to give the Canes a 4-3 lead. They took that lead to the locker room thanks to Cam Ward, who robbed Paul Stastny from point-blank range with two minutes to go in the period

The see-saw continued in the third period. Vladimir Tarasenko, the Blues' most dangerous player in the final two periods after Hitchcock moved Stastny to center Tarasenko and Schwartz, cleaned up his own rebound at 6:46 to tie the game for the third time.

Allen and Ward traded saves for the rest of regulation, making 22 stops between them as the game opened up and flew back and forth. Neither goalie gave an inch, and each team took a point into overtime.

The Blues looked to have won the game at 3:08 of overtime on a Jay Bouwmeester wrister, but referee Steve Kozari waved the goal off, ruling that Ward was interfered with. While the call earned the ire of the home crowd, it only prolonged the inevitable, as American Hero T.J. Oshie scored the only goal of the shootout and the Blues took two points.

Game Notes

• The Canes' penalty kill was perfect again. It's now on a ten-game streak of not conceding a goal, killing 27 straight penalties over that span.
• Newly-minted All-Star Justin Faulk, the Canes' lone representative to Columbus in two weeks, led the Canes with more than 26 minutes of ice time.
• The four goals the Canes surrendered were the most they had given up since a 4-1 loss to Montreal on December 16.

Canes Country Three Stars

3. Victor Rask: He's found a home centering Skinner and Semin, and has a three-game point streak to show for it including two points tonight.

2. Alex Pietrangelo: Played over 30 minutes, largely shut down the Staal line, and figured in on two goals. Not a bad night at the office.

1. Vladimir Tarasenko: Would have had a two-point night if not for Ward robbing Stastny. Despite that, he was all over the ice, and the Canes had their hands full with him. His third-period goal was a just reward for an impressive game.

Next up: The Canes return home for a day off before preparing for the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday at PNC.

The Hurricanes have missed the playoffs 5 years in a row and the only position their battling for now is lottery odds, it's time for management to unload some assets and start building for the future. This doesn't mean everybody has to go, but Ron Francis needs to get what he can for players/prospects that aren't in the short or long-term plan for the organization.

We currently have a little over 7 weeks before we hit the 2015 NHL Trade Deadline.  With Carolina in 28th place in the league and 19 points out of the last playoff spot, it pretty obvious to everyone that this team needs to be a seller.  So what I have done is make a list of the potential Hurricanes that might be made available by Ron Francis and what their trade value might be.  I've tried to find two trade comparables from the beginning of the 2013/2014 season, so we have an idea of what each player might get in return.  I have also listed what I expect each players return will be and a brief summary about trading them.  I am not saying that all of theses players will be traded or that some I didn't list are definitely sticking around, I'm just giving my idea on who might be available and what we might get in return.  I have simply listed the players in alphabetical order.  Have a read, hope you enjoy and as always, feel free to leave your input in the comment section.

Side note:  All contract terms are at the time the trade was made.  And when trying to grade prospects, I have listed them as A, B, C or D-level prospects.  In my eyes, an A-level prospect is someone that is expected to develop into a top 6 forward, top 4 defenseman or a starting goaltender.  A B-level prospect is likely to develop into a 2nd/3rd line forward, a #4 or #5 defenseman or a backup goaltender.  A C-level prospect is someone that might play occasionally in the NHL, be a 4th line forward, a #6 or extra defenseman or maybe get called up from the AHL as an injury replacement.  A D-level forward is someone that will likely spend his career in the AHL or overseas, not likely to see more than a few games in the NHL.

Brett Bellemore - Defenseman
Contract Status: 0.5 years remaining-UFA, Cap Hit: $600K

Trade Comparables:

Justin Falk (Extra Defenseman, 1 year remaining-UFA, $975K) for Ben Ferriero (AHL/Extra Right Wing, UFA, $550K) & 2014 6th Round Pick (#167).

Mark Fraser (Extra/AHL Defenseman, 0.5 years remaining-UFA, $1.28M) for Teemu Hartikainen (D-level Left Wing prospect, RFA, $875K) & Cam Abney (D-level Right Wing prospect, 0.5 years remaining-UFA, $588K).

Likely Trade Value:

7th Round Pick OR D-level prospect.

Explanation:

Bellemore's value in the NHL is a real question.  He was available for a long time this summer and ended up resigning in Carolina for a fraction of what he wanted.  Based on the comparables I found, the Canes return wouldn't be much for Bellemore.  He's basically a dime-a-dozen defenseman and would probably only be wanted as a depth defenseman on a playoff team.  Maybe a team like Chicago, Minnesota, Vancouver or the Rangers would be interested in adding his physicality?  They at least have defensemen that could make up for his skating & puck-moving weaknesses.  Either way, I don't think he would be a hot commodity on the trade market and the return most likely won't result in anyone who greatly contributes now or in the future.

Zach Boychuk - Winger
Contract Status: 0.5 years remaining-RFA, Cap Hit: $600K

Trade Comparables:

Linus Omark (C/D-level Winger prospect, 0.5 years remaining-UFA, $600K) for 2014 Conditional 6th Round Pick (conditions not met).

Luke Adams (C-level Forward prospect, 0.5 years remaining-RFA, $650K) for Jerry D'Amigo (C-level Winger prospect, 0.5 years remaining-RFA, $851K).

Likely Trade Value:

D-level prospect OR Conditional Pick OR added piece to larger trade package.

Explanation:

Boychuk is a guy that has failed to capitalize on any of his NHL chances.  He's had multiple opportunities with Carolina and has gotten a shot with 2 other franchises.  Boychuk has proven he can perform at the AHL level and has shown flashes at the NHL level, but he cannot find consistency in the NHL.  It seems he has the skill and his work ethic has improved, but he just can't put all the pieces together.  I believe the Omark trade is probably the best the Canes could hope for in return for Boychuk.  It's pretty sad that a former 1st round pick basically can't even be given away anymore, but that's how it goes some times.  Maybe a team looking for some young players with scoring potential like Arizona or New Jersey would take a chance on him?  But at this point, the Hurricanes are probably going to let him play out the year in Charlotte, not qualify him and he will sign with some other team.

Patrick Dwyer - Right Wing
Contract Status: 0.5 years remaining-UFA, Cap Hit: $900K

Trade Comparables:

Derek Dorsett (4th line Winger, 1 year remaining-UFA, $1.63M) for 2014 3rd Round Pick (#85).

Dale Weise (4th line Right Wing, 0.5 years remaining-RFA, $750K) for Raphael Diaz (Extra Defenseman, 0.5 years remaining-UFA, $1.25M).

Likely Trade Value:

4th/5th Round Pick OR C-level prospect.

Explanation:

Dwyer is an affordable player that can fill a limited role for a playoff team.  He has a little bit of speed, is pretty responsible in his own end and logs a ton of penalty kill minutes.  I would say that he is similar to the trade comparable guys, limited in the offensive department, but they'll perform their role to the best of their ability.  Penalty killing seems to take on an even more important role in the playoffs, so a team like Dallas, Calgary or Nashville might be interested in a speedy RW that can kill penalties.  The return wouldn't be considered great, but 4th or 5th rounders can develop into useful pieces and multiple picks can be combined to acquire a better asset.  A lot of that is determined by the level of your management, scouting and development.

Tim Gleason - Defenseman
Contract Status: 0.5 years remaining-UFA, Cap Hit: $1.2M

Trade Comparables:

Nick Schultz (3rd pairing Defenseman, 0.5 years remaining-UFA, $3.5M) for 2014 5th Round Pick (#137).

Eric Brewer (2nd/3rd pairing Defenseman, 0.5 years remaining-UFA, $2.87M) for 2015 3rd Round Pick.

Likely Trade Value:

4th/5th Round Pick.

Explanation:

Gleason is one of those rental defensemen that a playoff team always picks up for their playoff run.  He pretty steady in his own end and when things get physical, he can deliver hits or even drop the gloves if he needs to.  At this point in his career, he's not much more than a 3rd pairing guy, but I think some teams would be interested in him.  Gleason's value is probably somewhere around the comparables I mentioned.  A 3rd round pick might be a little much, but if he can remain healthy, I don't think a 4th round pick is out of the question.  Honestly, I think Gleason will be a consolation prize for a team that misses out on one of the bigger defensemen at the deadline.  He doesn't cost a lot and a team like San Jose, Washington or Winnipeg could use his services.  But I think he will purely be a rental and would not be surprised in the least for him to be back in Raleigh next season.

Anton Khudobin - Goaltender
Contract Status: 1.5 years remaining-UFA, Cap Hit: $2.25M

Trade Comparables:

Ben Scrivens (Spotty Starting Goaltender, 0.5 years remaining-UFA, $613K) for 2014 3rd Round Pick (#63).

Viktor Fasth (Backup Goaltender, 1.5 years remaining-UFA, $2.9M) fore 2014 5th Round Pick (#123) & 2015 3rd Round Pick.

Likely Trade Value:

B-level prospect & 6th/7th Round Pick OR 2nd Round Pick & 5th Round Pick.

Explanation:

Dobby is an interesting trade asset.  He has proven to be a solid backup goaltender and has also shown promise of being able to carry the load.  While I would say the comparables are pretty accurate in terms of value, I feel as if Khudobin could get better because Khudobin is better.  His numbers aren't as good as last season, but he has only seen very spotty action as the Canes have relied heavily on Cam Ward.  But if you take Dobby's first month out of the equation, he's got a 0.915 save percentage and 2.21 goals against average.  Khudobin could honestly be a starter on a couple of teams in this league.  While most playoff teams already have a #1 goaltender, if a significant injury occurs, Dobby could become a very intriguing asset.  Or to a non-playoff team, Dobby could be the answer in goal.  A good prospect or draft pick combined with a lower draft pick makes sense.  He could possible help Minnesota get into the playoffs or maybe he could help out Edmonton or Buffalo next season.

John-Michael Liles - Defenseman
Contract Status: 1.5 years remaining, Cap Hit: $3.88M

Trade Comparables:

Bryan Allen (3rd pairing Defenseman, 0.5 years remaining-UFA, $3.5M) for Rene Bourque (Extra Right Wing, 1.5 years remaining, $3.3M).

Sergei Gonchar (2nd/3rd pairing Defenseman, 0.5 years remaining-UFA, $5.0M) for Travis Moen (4th line Winger, 1.5 years remaining, $1.85M).

Likely Trade Value:

Equally bad contract that maybe has less cap hit, but longer term OR not likely to be moved due to performance & contract.

Explanation:

Unfortunately Liles has no real value right now.  His performance is non-existent and his contract is unattractive.  Liles is a lot like Allen in that he can perform a role for a team, but the cost is just not worth what he can provide.  Allen was recently waived and not claimed, I would assume the same would happen to Liles if he was waived.  The Canes are going to have to play Liles and put him in favorable situations in hope that he start producing and some team takes notice.  But even then, the best they could probably hope for would be an equally poor contract for a player that maybe fits a need more.  Maybe a team like Colorado, where Liles had some success, would look to acquire him to improve their PP.  I don't think it's likely, but crazier things have happened.

Jay McClement - Center
Contract Status: 0.5 years remaining, Cap Hit: $1.0M

Trade Comparables:

Nate Thompson (3rd/4th line Center, 3 years remaining-UFA, $1.6M) for 2015 4th Round Pick & 2015 7th Round Pick.

Marcel Goc (3rd/4th line Center, 0.5 years remaining-UFA, $1.7M) for 2014 5th Round Pick (#143) & 2015 3rd Round Pick.

Likely Trade Value:

4th Round Pick OR C-level prospect.

Explanation:

4th line centers that can win faceoffs and contribute on the PK are regularly picked up for a playoff run.  McClement is a true 4th line center that is an excellent faceoff man and contributes significantly on the PK.  While the comparables I used are more complete players that McClement, they also carry a slightly higher cap number.  A team like Anaheim, Calgary or Washington could certainly be interested in his services, but the team I think that needs him is the Islanders.  He could take important draws for a team that is only 48.6% and he could help improve the 5th worst PK in the NHL.  The return wouldn't be substantial, but every asset has potential and gaining something for a player not likely to be here next season is always a good thing.

Ryan Murphy - Defenseman
Contract Status: 1.5 years remaining-RFA, Cap Hit: $1.31M

Trade Comparables:

Tim Erixon (3rd pairing/Extra Defenseman, 0.5 years remaining-RFA, $600K) for Jeremy Morin (B-level Winger prospect, 1.5 years remaining-RFA, $800K).

David Rundblad (3rd pairing/Extra Defenseman, 1.5 years remaining-RFA, $785K) &Mathieu Brisebois (D-level Defensive prospect, 3 years remaining-RFA, $655K) for 2014 2nd Round Pick (#58).

Likely Trade Value:

B-level prospect OR 2nd Round Pick.

Explanation:

While Murphy is still young and can develop into something, I think its starting to show that he's not going to be the guy the team drafted him to be.  He just doesn't have the size and strength for the NHL and his offensive isn't enough to overcome his weaknesses.  Carolina needs a guy that can play in any situation and be able to handle the physical requirements of the NHL.  Like the guys I compared him to, sometimes players don't live up to projections.  While Carolina most likely wouldn't be able to get his original value of a 1st rounder, as seen with Boychuk, you can't hold on to a prospect until he has no value at all.  Maybe it's time to trade him and pick up something that could be helpful now or in the immediate future.  There are teams that would probably take a chance on a great skating, right-handed defenseman.  A team like Detroit or Philadelphia, which are loaded with left-handed guys, might be interested.  It just depends on what Francis could get in return for Murphy, whether it be a prospect exchange or a pick that Francis could use to build the team he wants to see.

Andrej Sekera - Defenseman
Contract Status: 0.5 years remaining-UFA, Cap Hit: $2.75M

Trade Comparables:

Johnny Boychuk (1st/2nd pairing Defenseman, 1 year remaining-UFA, $3.37M) for 2015 2nd Round Pick, 2016 2nd Round Pick & 2015 Conditional 3rd Round Pick.

Andrew MacDonald (2nd pairing Defenseman, 0.5 years remaining-UFA, $550K) for 2014 3rd Round Pick (#78), 2015 2nd Round Pick &Matt Mangene (D-level Right Wing prospect, UFA, $925K).

Likely Trade Value:

Late 1st Round Pick & B-level prospect OR 2nd Round Pick & A-level prospect OR 2-2nd Round Picks.

Explanation:

Sekera is probably the Hurricanes best trade chip this season.  He is a very good defenseman that plays in all situations and can pretty much do everything (except deliver hits).  He is also on a contract that pretty much any team in the league could afford.  I'm sure Carolina would like to resign him, but does he want to resign here?  And if he does, would he be willing to move temporarily to help the organization gain some assets and return in the offseason?  I believe the comparables of Boychuk and MacDonald are pretty close in trade value for what Sekera should return for the Canes.  If Francis could get a bidding war going, Sekera might even fetch a little bit more.  I would think that almost every playoff contender would be interested in Sekera for the right price and teams like Anaheim, Los Angeles, San Jose and St. Louis will put in bids.  But there are 2 Western Conference teams that I think need Sekera more and would possibly up the offer to Carolina.  Dallas and Winnipeg are competing for a playoff spot and need defensive help.  Sekera would probably play top minutes with those 2 teams and that means they might even include a 1st Round Pick for his services.  If Sekera doesn't resign in Carolina, then his trade will possible be the most important move Francis has to do this season.  His return will help determine what type of GM we have in Ronny Franchise and what direction this team is going in.

Alexander Semin - Right Wing
Contract Status: 3.5 years remaining-UFA, Cap Hit: $7.0M

Trade Comparables:

Kris Versteeg (2nd/3rd line Winger, 2.5 years remaining-UFA, $4.4M-50% retained) &Philippe Lefebvre (D-level Left Wing prospect, 0.5 years remaining-RFA, $546K) for Jimmy Hayes (B-level Right Wing prospect, 1.5 years remaining-RFA, $925K) & Dylan Olsen (B/C-level Defensive prospect, 0.5 years remaining-RFA, $738K).

Scott Hartnell (2nd line Left Wing, 4 years remaining-UFA, $4.75M) for R.J. Umberger (3rd/4th line Winger, 3 years remaining-UFA, $4.6M) & 2015 4th Round Pick.

Likely Trade Value:

B-level prospect with significant salary retained OR 4th Round Pick with some salary retained OR equally bad contract in return OR unable to be moved due to performance & contract.

Explanation:

At this point, trading Semin would be a miracle.  Given his current performance, his contract amount/term and his reputation, finding a take for Semin will be next to impossible.  While the Hartnell trade involved moving an unattractive long-term contract for a slightly shorter and less expensive unattractive contract, I believe the Versteeg trade is the most comparable to Semin's situation.  Versteeg was a talented player struggling on a poor team and the only way to move him was by retaining half of his salary.  Versteeg did end up getting the Panthers 2 prospects that have turned into regular players, but they had to pay almost $7 million dollars for him to play for the Blackhawks.  I imagine there would be a lot of interest in Semin if not for his contract length and retaining salary is the only way possible that some other team would take a chance on him.  Whatever party that would be interested in him would have to have some cap space available and be willing to take a big risk.  A team desperately trying to get in the playoffs would be my guess, someone like Florida or maybe Dallas or Winnipeg.  The return wouldn't be much except for the cap space saved from moving him.  I think trading Semin is HIGHLY unlikely, but Scott Gomez got traded one time, so you never know.

Eric Staal - Center/Left Wing
Contract Status: 1.5 years remaining-UFA, Cap Hit: $8.25M

Trade Comparables:

Jason Spezza (1st/2nd Line Center, 1 year remaining-UFA, $7.0M) &Ludwig Karlsson (D-level Left Wing prospect, 1 year remaining-RFA, $925K) for Alex Chiasson (2nd/3rd line Righ Wing, 1 year remaining-RFA, $867K), Alexander Guptill (B/C-level Left Wing prospect, 2 years remaining-RFA, $815K), Nicholas Paul (D-level Left Wing prospect, 3 years remaining-RFA, $701K) & 2015 2nd Round Pick.

Ryan Kesler (2nd line Center, 2 years remaining-UFA, $5.0M) & 2015 3rd Round Pick for Nick Bonino (2nd/3rd line Center, 3 years remaining-UFA, $1.9M), Luca Sbisa (2nd/3rd pairing Defenseman, 1 year remaining-RFA, $2.18M), 2014 1st Round Pick (#24) & 2014 3rd Round Pick (#85).

Likely Trade Value:

Late 1st Round Pick, 2nd/3rd line forward or 2nd pairing defenseman & B-level prospect OR 2nd Round Pick, 2nd/3rd line forward or 2nd pairing defenseman & A-level prospect.

Explanation:

Trading Eric would certainly be a blockbuster move and would signify a change in Raleigh.  He is the face of the franchise, the captain and the offensive leader of this team.  While the Kesler trade could be a comparable, due to the styles of play and contracts I would say the Spezza trade is a better comparable.  Both Staal & Spezza have put up similar numbers over the years, but Eric might get a little more back in trade because I believe other GM's think a little more highly of Eric.  The teams that would be most interested would be teams that are expecting long playoff runs and can make the room for his significant cap hit.  If a trade did occur, I decent salary would have to be coming back Carolina's way.  This season, I think Nashville and Montreal would be the most likely destinations with Toronto having an outside chance.  Nashville could easily take him on if management would give the ok to adding the salary, while Montreal would have to shuffle salaries around to make it work.  But in the end, my heart and head tell me that Eric is staying in Carolina.  I think he wants to play with his brothers and have his whole family close to one another.  I believe this ends up with the Hurricanes making a big push for Marc Staal this summer.  And just think about it, if Carolina does get lucky (and it will have to get lucky) to add one of the generational talents at the draft, those young guys will need some time to adjust to the NHL.  Remember what Colorado did last season with Nathan MacKinnon, they somewhat sheltered him early on, gradually increasing his role as the season went along.  What better way of easing a young forward into the NHL than putting out an Eric/Jordan/Elais line to be the primary focus of the opponents.

Chris Terry - Winger
Contract Status: 0.5 years remaining-RFA, Cap Hit: $600K

Trade Comparables:

Matt Frattin (4th line/AHL Right Wing, 1 year remaining-UFA, $800K) for Jerry D'Amigo (C-level Winger prospect, 1 year remaining-RFA, $851K) & 2015 Conditional 7th Round Pick.

Brandon Kozun (C-level Right Wing prospect, 0.5 years remaining-RFA, $550K) for Andrew Crescenzi (D-level Center prospect, 0.5 years remaining-RFA, $550K).

Likely Trade Value:

C-level prospect OR 5th/6th Round Pick OR added piece to larger trade package.

Explanation:

Terry is a guy similar to Boychuk in that he has proven his worth at the AHL level, but I'm not so sure he is a full-time NHL player.  He has a pretty good shot, can be useful in certain situations and has proven to be effective in the shootout.  He just doesn't have the size/physicality to go up against NHL players and has shown consistency when playing in the league.  Like the guys I have compared him to, they have nice little runs here and there, but consistency eludes them.  Terry could probably be trade for another equal level prospect, but I think the best chance of him getting moved is part of a trade package.  Maybe a team like New Jersey or Winnipeg, that struggles in the shootout and could put him in a 4th line situation would give him a shot, but I believe he is either part of a package or stays in Carolina.

Jiri Tlusty - Winger
Contract Status: 0.5 years remaining-UFA, Cap Hit: $2.95M

Trade Comparables:

David Perron (2nd line Winger, 1.5 years remaining-UFA, $3.81M) for Rob Klinkhammer (3rd/4th line Left Wing, 0.5 years remaining-UFA, $625K) & 2015 1st Round Pick.

Matt Moulson (2nd line Left Wing, 0.5 years remaining-UFA, $3.13M) & Cody McCormick (4th line Forward, 0.5 years remaining-UFA, $1.2M) for Torrey Mitchell (4th line Center, 1.5 years remaining-UFA, $1.9M), 2014 2nd Round Pick (#39) & 2016 2nd Round Pick.

Likely Trade Value:

2nd Round Pick & C-level prospect OR B-level prospect & 4th Round Pick.

Explanation:

I am almost certain that Tlusty will be on the move by the trade deadline.  While he is considered a complimentary player, he plays a decent two-way game and can produce goals when lined up with the right linemates.  Tlusty has a way of finding open spots in front of the goaltender and is on pace for 24 goals, teams love finding an affordable guy like that.  His contract come deadline time will be extremely manageable, even moreso than the players in the comparable trades.  I'm pretty sure that he won't return a 1st like Perron because he is a rental player, but 2 prospects/draft picks like Moulson sound about right.  I think a number of teams will show some interest in Tlusty, but a team like Montreal, Boston or Dallas jump out to me as the most likely landing spots.

Cam Ward - Goaltender
Contract Status: 1.5 years remaining-UFA, Cap Hit: $6.3M

Trade Comparables:

Jaroslave Halak (Starting Goaltender, 0.5 years remaining-UFA, $3.75M) & 2015 3rd Round Pick for Michal Neuvirth (Backup Goaltender, 1.5 years remaining-UFA, $2.5M) &Rostislav Klesla (Extra Defenseman, 0.5 years remaining-UFA, $2.98M).

Ilya Bryzgalvo (Inconsistent Goaltender, 0.5 years remaining-UFA, $2.0M) for 2014 4th Round Pick (#91).

Likely Trade Value:

B-level prospect with salary retained OR B-level prospect with salary dump included OR 3rd/4th Round Pick OR unable to move due to contract.

Explanation:

The man that was told he wasn't apart of the future plans and couldn't be given away this summer has definitely risen his value this season.  I'm sure there are a couple of teams that would be interested in Ward, but the biggest obstacle is still his contract/cap hit.  You could easily argue that Cam is better than the comparables I mentioned, but they simply don't have his type of contract.  He's had a couple of rough years and started out slow this season, but for the past couple of months he's been one of the better goalies in the league.  Given the Canes defense, his numbers look even more impressive.  I think salary retention would be difficult for Carolina due to other moves already made.  So a cap dump would likely be included with whatever other return the Hurricanes would get.  Obviously a goaltender injury could change what teams are interested in Ward, but 2 options really stand out to me.  Edmonton isn't going anywhere, but they desperate need an upgrade in goal and it is Cam's hometown.  Like the recent rumor, Minnesota is the other option.  They are a team that has a lot of pieces in place, but their goaltending has really let them down this year.  If they want to get in the playoffs, they need better goaltending and Cam might be able to provide enough to get them in the postseason.  They would probably send a netminder back, but the key would be what else can the Canes get out of the deal.

The Hurricanes faced off against the Bruins, Blues, and Buffalo this week. And also the Nashville Predators, but they don't fit the whole "Killer B" theme, so.

It was another week in which those of us in the Caniac Nation saw our team go head to head against some decidedly solid and challenging competition... and the Buffalo Sabres. It was also a week of healing for the team, as we saw Jordan Staal permanently back in the lineup, as well as the returns of Alex Semin, Jeff Skinner, and John-Michael Liles from shorter absences. After a solid week all things considered, the 'Canes no longer sit in outright last place in the Eastern Conference. They now have the same amount of points as Buffalo, but the 'Canes have played fewer games, and thus are ranked ahead of them in the standings.

In the four games since the first installment of this series, the Hurricanes put up a respectable 2-1-1 record. On Sunday at home in a matinee against the Bruins, Anton Khudobin and Tuukka Rask both turned in stellar performances. Ultimately it would be the Hurricanes who sent their contingent of fans home happy, as Eric Staal came up big in the shootout with the winning goal. On Tuesday evening in the Music City, the Hurricanes turned in an extremely strong forty minutes against the Predators, only to see two different one goal leads evaporate in the third. Mike Fisher tied the game with just under ten minutes to go, and Roman Josi potted the winner with just under five minutes to play.

The Hurricanes would then turn their attention to their floundering rival from the north, the Buffalo Sabres. After coming out with a reasonably hot stretch in parts of November and the beginning of December, the Sabres have seen their lack of skill and horrific underlying numbers catch up with them. Coming into this contest, the Sabres had dropped nine of their previous ten decisions, and a confident Hurricanes team would prove to be a challenge they were not ready to handle. The 'Canes hit the Sabres with a balanced attack, as eleven of the eighteen skaters dressed recorded a point in the game. Leading the way were Ryan Murphy, Justin Faulk, and Jiri Tlusty, each with two points. Also notably impressive was the newly formed line of Jeff Skinner, Riley Nash, and Alexander Semin, as they created a goal with a nice pass from Semin leading to a quick finish from Skinner.

Riding high off a 5-2 victory over the Sabres, the Hurricanes traveled west to take on a surging St. Louis Blues team coming in on a three game winning streak in which they had outscored their opponents by an astounding 20-4 margin. It was the Hurricanes, however, who would set the tone early in this one, as Victor Rask, Jeff Skinner, and Eric Staal each found the back of the net to get the Hurricanes out to a 3-1 lead. Riley Nash reclaimed a 4-3 lead for his team after the Blues rallied, but Vladimir Tarasenko later tied the game and sent it to a shootout. It was, predictably, known shootout phenom TJ Oshie who would tally the winner for St. Louis, but the effort Carolina gave last night was impressive and worthy of high praise.

That's a basic recap of the week that was in Carolina hockey, here's a more detailed look at some of the things that stuck out upon further viewings.

The first thing I want to talk about is the game against the Nashville Predators. In this game, there were multiple interesting dynamics at play. After years of being a defensive powerhouse that had struggled mightily to produce offense, the Predators have changed the identity of their team completely. Barry Trotz had been the only coach the Nashville Predators organization had ever known, but this summer they cut ties with him and brought in a man we all are very familiar with in Peter Laviolette. General Manager David Poile adjusted his team's personnel to match Laviolette's fast, uptempo style. We all know the speed at which Laviolette likes his team to play. Skilled forwards such as James Neal and Mike Ribeiro were brought in and have thrived early on. The development of Filip Forsberg has provided Nashville with another legitimate high end scoring option.

On the other side of things, Hurricanes head coach Bill Peters has been forced to install tight defensive structure due to the injuries to some of the key members of his forward core. This has resulted in the Hurricanes being a team that plays extremely similarly to how the Nashville Predators did under Barry Trotz in the days in which they were undermanned up front. The characteristics of this type of team mainly feature a combination of strong forechecking and pressure on the puck movers most of the time, but very passive play in the neutral zone to make it hard for the other team to utilize their skill when the opportunity arises. The Carolina forecheck was very strong all night on Tuesday, and there were multiple instances where the game set up properly for the Canes to align in a neutral zone trap. That's what I want to emphasize from the Canes' play from the Nashville game.

Here's the Nashville defender preparing to start a breakout. Watch the fresh Hurricane forwards apply tough pressure and make it very difficult

Here's Nash applying very good pressure.

I think this is Terry here to intercept the poor pass that Nash forced. Just a really good example of how quickly a properly executed two man forecheck can lead to a key change of possession and allow you to set up on offense when the opponent was supposed to have the puck.

Rinne here out to play the puck with support from Ryan Ellis and the other defenseman who will try to move the puck first.

He moves the puck up to the left wing where Dwyer and Bellemore converge on him to apply pressure.

Bellemore engages the Nashville forward in a board battle. Dwyer is behind him in support, and McClement is converging as well. Malone slides over to the right point to cover for Bellemore should things go awry. Good positioning and responsibility all around.

With the Hurricanes having so much support around Bellemore, the Nashville forward decides to send it down. They will now attempt to reverse the ice and allow Ryan Ellis, one of the league's premier puck movers, to coordinate the breakout.

The Canes again do a good job of hurrying over. Nashville was hoping they could beat the 'Canes to the other side and have an easier go, but the wall of Hurricane forecheckers will have none of it.

The Hurricanes don't allow Ellis to skate up the ice, which is good, but good positioning from another Nashville forward here allows Ellis to find a lane for the breakout pass, BUT

Pat Dwyer steps into the man with the puck and jars it free. This is a real gutsy play from Dwyer, and it worked fantastically. A great example of aggressive forechecking.

Despite this, the loose puck rolls back to Nashville's left winger. Malone does a good job of not giving up on the play and pressuring him. Very, very alert play from Hainsey to rush back into the neutral zone, as you'll see here:

Hainsey intercepts the errant pass from the Nashville player and the Hurricanes regain possession and get ready to go back to work in Nashville's zone.

The fourth line of Brad Malone, Jay McClement, and Pat Dwyer has been much improved after a rough start to begin the season. They scored against Philadelphia; they scored against Boston, and I think this is a great illustration of the little things they've finally started to do right lately. It's very encouraging to see. The miracle save by Rinne's ankle on Gerbe came off a forechecking induced turnover as well. Later on I'll take a look at a great forechecking play that turned into an immediate chance from a more offensively oriented line, but first I'd like to show you a quick example of the Hurricanes employing the neutral zone trap and "clogging the neutral zone", just like Nashville used to do so often.

My apologies for the somewhat poorly timed screenshot, but right before the pass was made by the Nashville defender, Gerbe was passively standing at the red line waiting for the play to come to him, with the other four Hurricanes standing right in front of their blue line. It's a smart strategy against a high flying offensive team like Nashville (man that felt REALLY strange to type). Limiting the ease of their zone entries can only serve well for your defensive goals as a team.

Here's another look at a more action-oriented example of passive-aggressively clogging the neutral zone. The Canes here aren't entirely letting the Nashville player walk through center ice, but they're using their positioning to strictly limit his options as he approaches the blue line. Here he has no choice but to dump the puck in, which is exactly what the Hurricanes wanted.

Let's take a look at a nice forechecking play from Jeff Skinner, Victor Rask, and Alex Semin against Buffalo.

Victor Rask is seen here applying pressure to the Buffalo defender trying to move the puck out. Alex Semin is in the right circle, and Jeff Skinner is off screen in what appears to be a textbook 1-2-2 forecheck.

Buffalo reverses, and the Canes' forwards adjust accordingly. Semin now steps in as the F1 with Rask and Skinner waiting to see what happens. Semin beautifully steals the puck, and...

He hits a wide open Victor Rask with a nice pass, and Rask and Skinner now have a 2 on 0. Great effort from Semin to beat out both defensemen on his own and recognize that the Buffalo forwards weren't supporting their defensemen well, thus allowing this easy scoring chance.

Good recoveries from the Buffalo defenders make this tougher than it should have been. Rask hits Skinner with a nice pass, but Enroth explodes over to make a gorgeous pad stop on number 53 and keep the score tied for the moment.

This kind of quality forechecking is not something we've seen from the Carolina Hurricane teams of recent history. Muller tried to implement an aggressive forecheck, but it was so disorganized that the only players who really could execute it effectively were Jordan Staal and Nathan Gerbe. Now, it seems like every line the Hurricanes have are equipped mentally, physically, and strategically to handle and pull off an aggressive forechecking system with a reasonable amount of success. It can not be overemphasized how impressive the structure that Bill Peters has this team playing with is. Ever since the 08-09 team, Raleigh has seen only teams that are disjointed, unorganized, and ultimately inept in the neutral zone and their own zone. Their record doesn't show it, but this is a smart team that is playing at a reasonably high level every night. The low goals against, strong penalty kill, low shots against, and possession numbers truly do bear that out.  Reasonable minds can differ on whether winning games or losing games to improve draft position is what's ultimately best for this franchise, but I think everyone can be pleased with the improvements we've seen in general quality of play.

Let me know in the comments what you think about the Hurricanes play on the forecheck and in the neutral zone.

The Canes are back (in black) at PNC Arena tonight to take on the much-improved Colorado Avalanche.

Carolina Hurricanes vs. Colorado Avalanche
January 13, 2015 - 7:00 pm ET
PNC Arena - Raleigh, NC
TV - Fox Sports South --- Note Broadcast Change
Radio - 99.9 FM The Fan
SB Nation Rival Blog - Mile High Hockey

Fancy Stats

Stats via NHL.com and War on Ice

Game Notes

• The Carolina Hurricanes and Colorado Avalanche close out their two-game season series tonight. The teams met in Denver on November 22nd, where the Canes have never won since the franchise moved to Raleigh. Thing were looking good early, and the Canes jumped out to a 3-1 lead in the first period, chasing starting goaltender Reto Berra from the crease. But rookie netminder Calvin Pickard was up to the task, shutting down the Canes the rest of the way, and the Avalanche ultimately prevailed in a come-from-behind 4-3 victory for Pickard's first NHL win. Recalled yesterday from Lake Erie, he'll get the nod against the Canes again tonight, 6-6-2 on the season with a 2.21 GAA and .934 save percentage.
• The Canes should be healthy and well-rested for tonight's match. Coming off Saturday's 5-4 shootout loss against the St. Louis Blues, they had a scheduled day off on Sunday and all players were present and accounted for at yesterday's practice.
• There were no announced line-up changes coming out of yesterday's practice. John-Michael Liles was a healthy scratch Saturday, but given that Bill Peters has typically pulled players into the line-up against their former teams, and Liles did have a goal against his former club in the November game, it's possible he'll draw back into tonight's line-up. More updates should be available after the morning skate. (Update 11:30 am: Chris Terry and Brett Bellemore are the healthy extras; Anton Khudobin will start in net).
• After scoring just 18 goals in 14 games during the month of December, the Canes have now scored 15 goals in five games in January, and an improved 3-1-1 record is the result. They boast the fourth-best penalty kill in the league (86.7%) and have been perfect on the PK for 10 straight games. Three players (Eric Staal, Victor Rask, and Jeff Skinner) have three-game point streaks, and four players (Alexander Semin, Nathan Gerbe, Riley Nash, and Ryan Murphy) have points in two straight games.
• The Colorado Avalanche had won three straight games before losing 2-1 to the Washington Capitals last night in their first game of a five-game road trip. Alex Tanguay scored the lone goal for the Avalanche, breaking an eight-game goalless streak.
• The Avs started the season slow and with a long list of injuries. Since they faced the Canes in November, they've improved two spots in the Central Division and three spots in the Western Conference. They are still on the outside looking in but only four points out of a wild card spot.
• Avalanche goaltender Semyon Varlamov was awarded the NHL's second star last week with a 3-0-0 record and a franchise-setting 127 saves.
• Jarome Iginla (12g, 16a) and Alex Tanguay (13g, 15a) are tied at the top of the Avs leader board with 28 points.
• The Avalanche traveled to Raleigh last night and will play their second game of a back-to-back tonight, so in all likelihood they won't practice today and any updates to their line-up will be forthcoming later in the day.

Projected line-ups

Hurricanes depth chart (Updated 11:30 am from Tuesday morning skate)

Injuries and Scratches: Andrej Nestrasil (IR upper body), Chris Terry (healthy), Brett Bellemore (healthy)

Avalanche depth chart (from Monday's game)

Injuries and Scratches: Patrick Bordeleau (IR fractured kneecap), Jamie McGinn (IR back surgery), Ben Street (IR hand), Jesse Winchester (IR concussion), Ryan Wilson (IR shoulder surgery), Zach Redmond (healthy)

The Canes are back in black, and it's Teacher Appreciation Night with special ticket discounts (click here for details). Bring a new book for the Hurricanes Book Drive and enter to win signed Canes memorabilia. Good seats are still available. Sports South if you're looking for the show on your TV provider.

Rask and Lindholm light lamp in shootout to lead Canes to win over Avs

The Carolina Hurricanes jumped out to a 2-0 lead but then struggled in the third period before prevailing, 3-2 in a shootout win over the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday night at the PNC Arena.

Victor Rask dazzled the crowd with a smooth move for the first Carolina shootout goal and Elias Lindholm backhanded in another as Anton Khudobin stopped both Colorado shooters at the other end for the win.

Jordan Staal scored his first goal of the season to start things off in the first period and Patrick Dwyer scored his fourth in the second period to stake the Canes to a nice lead, but the Avs scored twice in the third to make a game of it.

It seemed like the Hurricanes could have scored more than they did as they totally dominated the opening period.  They had 20 shots on goal, the most in one period so far this season and also had nine shots blocked and missed the net seven times for a total of 36 shot attempts.

In the meantime, a tired Colorado team, which just lost the previous night in our nation's capital, had nine.

The home team had many close chances but finally beat rookie goalie, Calvin Pickard when Jordan Staal and Ryan Murphy teamed up.  Staal fed Murphy, who gave the puck right back to the center and Jordan buried it to complete a very pretty play.

The score stayed 1-0 until 6:03 in the second period when Dwyer wristed in a perfect shot to beat Pickard.

Late in the second period the Canes faded and the Avs came on strong.  Coach Bill Peters sensed things slipping away and called his timeout to fire his team up with 3 minutes left, but the Avs continued their resurgence in the third.

They scored just 25 seconds into the period and then again midway through but Khudobin made a few key saves to hold the fort the rest of the way.  The game then went to overtime where both teams were scoreless.

Peters said he went with the youngsters in the shootout for a "different look".  He knew both players had a lot of skill and should do well.

The Canes get a couple of days off and will next face the Vancouver Canucks at home on Friday night.

Game Notes:

• Khudobin made 28 saves on 30 shots and then two more in the shootout.  The goalie has won his last three shootouts for his team.  Pickard was also very good and had 44 saves on 46 Carolina shots.
• Everyone on the Carolina roster had at least one shot in this contest.  The team was led by Eric Staal, Jordan Staal, and Lindholm with five shots each.  Speaking of those three players, that line was especially effective again tonight.
• The Canes had 18 blocked shots and were led by John-Michael Liles with five.
• Justin Faulk once again had a team high 26:32 of ice time with Andrej Sekera right behind.  Brad Malone was low man with 9:04.
• Carolina had 46 shots on goal, 27 blocked, and missed the net 22 times for a total of 95 shot attempts.  The Avs had a total of 50.