Anybodyhome

KK with the re-direct. No winners. FWIW, refs are horrible tonite.

Blake

Who knows? RBA isn't going to announce his lines until 5:30 with several game-time decisions as an illness rips through the locker room. I'll post my pick when the lines are official sometime after 5:30.

January is done and the Canes finish with a 10-3-2 record, climbing over NJ into 2nd in the Metro and trying to catch Washington, who seem to be be more interested in Ovechkin scoring empty-net goals to catch The Great One. Stumpy enjoyed a multi-win month with 2 first goal winners during the month. Standings as follows: PF69- 5 ABH- 4 OR1201- 3 DE- 3 STUMPY- 3 MDC- 2 PC- 2 P81- 2 DAMNIT- 1 CPF69- 1 Still anyone's season as there are couple months left... Remember, only 7 games in February as the Four Nation Faceoff will open the schedule from Feb 8-22 for the Canes. And those 7 games are not easy. Today's game vs. Los Angeles, on the road to Winnipeg and Minnesota sees the Canes playing the league's best teams.

https://www.thescore.com/nhl/news/3205282/rantanen-trying-to-fit-in-with-hurricanes RALEIGH, NC (AP) — There was one thing Mikko Rantanen needed after he was traded to the Carolina Hurricanes: his number. Jack Roslovic had the No. 96 for Carolina before Rantanen was acquired in a blockbuster three-team trade last week that also involved the Chicago Blackhawks. Rantanen made a deal with Roslovic for the number. It was Roslovic who set up Rantanen’s first goal with the Hurricanes during Thursday night's 3-2 win over the Blackhawks. “That was a great play by Ros, the drop pass,” Rantanen said. “I was able to help the team, which was good.” When it comes to his number, Rantanen said all he had to do was ask Roslovic. “He’s a nice guy," he said. "I told him I’d buy him a nice watch.” Carolina also got Taylor Hall from Chicago in the trade. But Hall missed the win over the Blackhawks because of an illness. Carolina is hoping Rantanen's goal in his home debut with the Hurricanes is the first of many in his new jersey. The 28-year-old forward was an elite scorer in his nine-plus seasons with Colorado, recording a career-best 105 points in 2022-23 and 104 last year. He is on track to pass 100 points again this season. Carolina hasn’t had a player record 100 points in a season since Eric Staal in 2005-06 — the only time the Hurricanes have won the Stanley Cup. “He knows he wants to come in here and help contribute right away,” Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour said. “You’ve got to be on the scoresheet. That’s where everyone is looking. Now he has. Nice to see him get (the first one). Now he doesn’t have to worry about it.” It was Rantanen's third game with Carolina. He had an assist in Tuesday night's 4-0 win at the New York Rangers for his first point with the Hurricanes. Rantanen helped the Avs win the Stanley Cup in 2022. But he is eligible for free agency after this season. The deal with the Hurricanes puts Rantanen on another good team with a group of his Finnish countrymen, notably center Sebastian Aho. That has made the transition easier. “The guys have been great,” Rantanen said. “They’re a resilient group and they work really hard. You can tell they’ve had success in the last couple of years and they play really well together. I’m glad to be part of it.”

https://www.thescore.com/nhl/news/3205832/nhl-releases-cap-projections-for-next-3-seasons-may-rise-to-113-5-m-in-2027-28 The NHL and NHLPA released their cap projections for the next three seasons on Friday: Season Upper limit Lower limit Percentage increase 2025-26 $95.5M $70.6M 8.5% 2026-27 $104M $76.9M 8.9% 2027-28 $113.5M $83.9M 9.1% The salary cap for this season is $88 million, meaning the league could see a potential increase of $7.5 million next campaign. From there, the cap may jump another $8.5 million in 2026-27, followed by a $9.5-million bump in 2027-28. The changes are subject to an extension of the collective bargaining agreement, which expires in September 2026. Minor changes may also be made to the projected upper and lower limits in 2026-27 and 2027-28. Reports in November said the NHL and NHLPA planned to discuss a salary-cap increase between $7 million and $9 million for the 2025-26 season. However, league commissioner Gary Bettman said the rumors of a $9-million increase weren't accurate. Bettman announced in December that the cap was projected to rise to a minimum of $92.4 million in 2025-26. The salary cap can rise a maximum of 5% each year under the current CBA but can increase by a larger margin if both parties agree. Edmonton Oilers superstar Leon Draisaitl will make $14 million starting in 2025-26, which will be the league's highest cap hit as it currently stands. Under these estimates, Draisaitl will account for 14.7% of the Oilers' cap space next season, 13.5% the following year, and 12.3% in 2027-28. There's no shortage of star players who need new deals over the next few seasons, including Connor McDavid, Kirill Kaprizov, Artemi Panarin, Connor Bedard, and Jack Eichel in 2026 and Cale Makar and Quinn Hughes in 2027.

All of you are right in some respects. But, while the Bedard goal was indeed a grade A chance, it wasn't that difficult to defend and, to be honest, #52 did every-fugging-thing wrong on that play. He was back-pedaling into the net, and you can't get to a butterfly when you're skating backward- it's physically impossible. He was worried about the pass- which wasn't happening. Goalie 101: goalie takes the puck, defender takes the trailer in a 2-on-1. His stick was up and that 5-hole was looming exceptionally large and an easy target. Had #52 gone out and remained on top, he would have forced Bedard's shot 3' earlier and maybe even had a chance at a poke-check. Regardless, even if Bedard missed the entire net, it was beyond horribly played by Kochetkov.

Everything that a goalie could possibly do wrong was put on full display by #52. WTF

Jus' sayin', but I believe the Canes have more goals on the PK than the PP in the month of January.

Saw that. Went down going post to post.

#52 looks shaky AF tonight.

Jarvy with the shorty. No winners tonight.

Maybe not. Suzuki recalled from Chicago and Stillman headed back. Not sure if this will effect night's lineup or happen for Saturday's Kings game.

Aho is a game-time decision Thursday night against Chicago. He went home sick earlier today and missed the morning skate. Roslovic was skating on the first line with Blake and Rantanen. If Aho does not go, the Canes will roll with 11-7, adding Riley Stillman to the blue line and skating 11 forwards, like they did in NY Tuesday night.

Blake.

He is a UFA after the season. He has a standard contract with no additional NTC or NMC clauses. As with Rantanen, he has a huge salary number- $10.9M, and will be looking for more with his new deal. He'll be 28 when his current contract expires. Averages over 83 points per season the previous 4 seasons and has 68 thus far (15G, 53A). As with Rantanen, if you want a star, you better be willing to give up a star. Svechnikov? KK, Roslovic, Robinson? Orlov? I doubt a D-man as Toronto is loaded on the blue line with 6 players under contract for a few more years.

You all know who looks like he's stepping up...... KK #82

PP needs an overhaul. Just not good.

Need more pucks on net. 4 SOG in 15 minutes isn't going to win.

17-16-2, I think.

Winner! He finally shot the damn puck!

In Cam's own words: Newton injured his throwing shoulder in December of 2016 trying to make a tackle after he threw an interception. “I threw an interception,” Newton said. “I tried to go make the tackle, and I tried to push him out, and I extended my arm, and I messed up my AC joint.

Staal.

Drury with a goal and Necas with 2 assists against the Rags in the 1st period.

I have one, too. A side note- we took friends to a game in December and they fell in love with the game and the Canes. He bought a Burns jersey and bought her a Drury #18.....