Wednesday, July 21, 2010

New blog gets rolling

We have switched over to From the Depths.

Friday, April 30, 2010

A River Rat prepares to make the move

Albany River Rats (fan) Zach Bennett and his family will soon be heading off for Charlotte, just like his "teammates." (Cindy Schultz / Times Union)

Mark McGuire at the Albany Times Union catches up with the River Rats' number one fan.

Rats finished off by Bears, 5-4

Post-game coverage:

Thursday, April 29, 2010

News & Notes

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Boychuk's taste of NHL bodes well for future

Rookie forward Zach Boychuk is the subject of an in-depth article published today at NHL.com.

Rats prepare for Game 3

The Albany Times Union and Troy Record preview tonight's match-up.

Devils agree to five years in Albany

Sources inform the Albany Times Union and Schenectady Daily Gazette that the New Jersey Devils have agreed to relocate the team's AHL franchise to Albany next season.

Monday, April 26, 2010

Rats get day of rest; changes ahead for Game 3

Coach Jeff Daniels talks to Pete Dougherty at the Albany Times Union.

Rats weekly

The regular weekly roundup is available at the Rats' website.

Terry's one flaw is a bad playoff beard

Rookie forward Chris Terry is the centerpiece of a story published today at NHL.com.

Rats fall again to Bears, 6-3

Post-game coverage:

Saturday, April 24, 2010

Friday, April 23, 2010

News & Notes

Thursday, April 22, 2010

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Four Rats named 'top rookies'

The Sports Network (TSN) recently ranked the "top 100 rookies" in the NHL for the 2009-10 regular season. Players from Albany placed on the list include Jamie McBain (8), Zach Boychuk (32), Brett Carson (40) and Bryan Rodney (84). Goaltender Justin Peters almost made it, but lacked the ten games required for eligibility. Read more at TSN's website

Daniels rising fast in the hockey world

Rats' head coach Jeff Daniels is featured today in the Raleigh News & Observer.

NHL call-ups key for Rats

The Albany Times Union highlights the first-round contributions of those who returned from the NHL for the Rats' postseason. 

Sunday, April 18, 2010

Friday, April 16, 2010

Michal Jordan latest ATO

The River Rats today signed rookie defenseman Michal Jordan on an amateur tryout contract.

Jordan, 19, originally from the Czech Republic, spent the past three years in the Ontario Hockey League with the Plymouth Whalers, owned by Peter Karmanos, who also owns the Carolina Hurricanes. 

Jordan, drafted by Carolina in the fourth round in 2008, recently signed a three-year deal with the Canes, set to begin in 2010-2011.

The offensive defenseman, listed at 6-foot-1, 184 pounds, was the Whaler's top-scoring blueliner for the past two seasons, accumulating 74 points (25 G, 49 A) in 99 regular season games. 

Jordan is likely in Albany to watch and learn, as the River Rats already have a surplus of battle-tested defenders.

News & Notes

  • Francis, Barrasso come to Albany, Schenectady Daily Gazette
  • Hurricanes send down more help for Rats, Albany Times Union
  • Chaput's chances, Schenectady Daily Gazette
  • Chaput may return before series is over, Albany Times Union
  • Samson eyes room to shoot, Albany Times Union
  • Samson follows orders to breakthrough season, NHL.com
  • Rats learn from mistakes in Wednesday's win, Schenectady Daily Gazette
  • Deep roster enables Rats to employ balancing act up front, Albany Times Union
  • River Rats' balance paying off, Troy Record
  • No more hanging around: Rats want to put away Penguins, Troy Record
  • Game 2: Show (up) time, Albany Times Union
  • Wilkes-Barre will change goalies for Game 2, Albany Times Union
  • Rats tales: Pens coach no stranger to Albany, Troy Record
  • Pens want to reduce Rats' net front game, Wilkes-Barre Times-Leader
  • Monday, April 12, 2010

    Rats weekly

    Get the regular weekly round-up at the Rats' website

    Reinforcements arrive

    Key players will be returning to the Albany River Rats' line-up for the postseason and many are coming off excellent stints in the NHL.  

    The Carolina Hurricanes yesterday reassigned six skaters to the River Rats, including forwards Jerome Samson, Zach Boychuk and Drayson Bowman, and defensemen Jamie McBain, Bryan Rodney and Casey Borer, while D-man Jay Harrison is set to be reassigned today should he clear waivers. 

    Injuries and call-ups reduced Albany to 19 players for the final two games of the regular season, so the reinforcements will be welcomed as the team prepares to take on the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in the first round of the Calder Cup playoffs, scheduled to begin Wednesday night at the Times Union Center. 

    Jerome Samson
    (Photo by JBK-LTD)

    Rats' top-scorer Jerome Samson, who was recalled to Carolina for the third time on Friday, returns to town after notching his second career NHL assist with the Canes on Saturday. 

    In seven contests with Carolina this season, Samson earned two assists and was credited with 17 shots on goal. 

    Samson led the Rats in scoring during the regular season with a career-high 78 points (37 G, 41 A) in 74 games. He ranked fourth in the league in points, second in goals, first in shots, and finished the season with a plus-8 rating. 

    Rookie offensive defenseman Jamie McBain, who was recalled to Carolina for the first time on March 16, returns to Albany having performed remarkably well during his first 14 contests in the NHL. 


    McBain scored three goals, tallied seven assists, earned a plus-6 rating and averaged well over 20 minutes of ice-time during his first run with the big club. 

    McBain led all Rats' defenseman in scoring this season with 40 points (7 G, 33 A) in 68 games and tied for first among Albany D-men with a plus-11 rating. His presence on the blue line and ability to make smart decisions has been a key weapon of the Rats' offense and power play. 

    First-year offensive sensation Zach Boychuk comes back to Albany for the first time since being recalled to the Hurricanes in early March. 

    Boychuk totaled nine points (3 G, 6 A) and put up a plus-1 rating in 31 games spanned over six separate call-ups with the Canes this year. 

    Boychuk ranked second among Albany scorers at the time of his last recall with 36 points (15 G, 21 A) in 52 contests, including eight points in his last six AHL games. 

    Defenseman Casey Borer, winner of the AHL's Fred T. Hunt award, was recalled to the Hurricanes last Thursday for the first time this season. 

    Borer, who returned to action in January after a lengthy recovery from a broken neck sustained in last year's bus crash, played two games with Carolina. He was responsible for blocking two shots against Montreal on April 8th. 

    Borer notched one goal and eight assists in 30 contests with the River Rats this season, including a goal and four assists in his last 10 games. 

    Drayson Bowman
    (Photo by Jennifer Bock)

    Rookie sniper Drayson Bowman, who was recalled to the Canes for the second time on March 24, scored his first two NHL goals against Tampa Bay last Tuesday. 

    Bowman played in a total of nine NHL games this season, eight during his most recent recall, and registered nine shots in his final two matches.

    Bowman has 32 points (17 G, 15 A) in 56 games this season with Albany.

    Puck-moving blueliner Bryan Rodney, who was recalled to Carolina for the fifth time this season on March 19, picked up 11 points (1 g, 10 A) in 22 games with the Canes this year. 

    Rodney tallied an assist in each of his final three NHL tilts. 

    Rodney represented the River Rats at the 2010 AHL All-Star Classic and ranks second among Albany defenders with 35 points (7 G, 28 A) in 54 games.

    Veteran defenseman Jay Harrison headed to Carolina for the third time this season back on March 3 after earning 14 points and a plus-8 rating in 32 games with the Rats.

    Harrison ended up playing more regular season games with Carolina than he did with Albany, scoring six points (1 G, 5 A) in 38 NHL contests.

    Unlike the River Rats, Albany's first-round opponent, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, will not be getting a major influx of players from the NHL, as their parent club is heading to the postseason. 

    The Penguins have only one clear-day player presently recalled to the NHL, whereas the River Rats, until yesterday, had seven. 

    With the regular season officially over, the AHL yesterday released schedules for the first-round of the post-season. Albany's games are listed below.

    Game 1: Wednesday, April 14, 7:00 (home)
    Game 2: Friday, April 16, 7:00 (home)
    Game 3: Sunday, April 18, 3:05 (away)
    Game 4: Monday, April 19, 7:05 (away)
    Game 5: Wednesday, April 21, 7:00 (home)*
    Game 6: Saturday, April 24, 7:05 (away)*
    Game 7: Sunday, April 25, 5:00 (home)*
    *if necessary

    Friday, April 9, 2010

    News & Notes

    • Chris Fitz Gerald at the Troy Record says the Rats are revved up for a playoff push.
    • With his first two NHL goals under his belt, rookie Drayson Bowman tells Tracking the Storm he is feeling more confident in his ability to perform at the top level. 
    • Jerome Samson today was recalled to the Carolina Hurricanes. Samson will play in the team's season finale tomorrow, filling in for veteran Rod Brind-Amour, who suffered a groin injury last night.
    • Tim Conboy was recalled to the NHL for one game this week. He skated last night in Raleigh during the Hurricanes 5-2 victory over the Montreal Canadians. 
    • Casey Borer was recalled to the Hurricanes yesterday and stepped into the NHL line-up last night as well. Borer is featured today at the Raleigh News & Observer

    Wednesday, March 31, 2010

    Rats back on playoff track

    With the River Rats just one point away from clinching a playoff spot, coach Jeff Daniels talks with the Albany Times Union about prepping for the remainder of the season. 

    Monday, March 29, 2010

    Dwyer's fire raising Canes

    Former Albany captain Pat Dwyer is the centerpiece of an excellent article in his hometown newspaper the Great Falls Tribune

    Rats weekly

    The usual weekly recap is available at the Rats' website.

    Rats cage Falcons, 5-1


    Post-game coverage:

    Albany, Devils close to agreement

    Sources tell the Troy Record a deal to bring the AHL affiliate of the New Jersey Devils back to Albany is close to being inked. 

    UPDATE: Devils general manager Lou Lamoriello says the report is not true and the team's first priority is to stay in Lowell. Read more at Fire & Ice

    UPDATE: The Troy Record covers the latest. 

    Thursday, March 25, 2010

    Rats pummel Phantoms, 6-2

    Post-game coverage:

    Bowman gets the call

    The Carolina Hurricanes yesterday recalled rookie forward Drayson Bowman from the Albany River Rats.

    Canes' forward Tuomo Ruutu is scheduled to undergo shoulder surgery and will be out for the remainder of the season.

    Bowman returns to Carolina for the second time, having appeared in his first NHL contest on January 16 against the Atlanta Thrashers. 

    Bowman has tallied 32 points (17 G, 15 A) in 56 games this season with Albany. 

    The Hurricanes play tonight at home against the Washington Capitals.

    Wednesday, March 24, 2010

    Q&A with Jeff Daniels

    Coach Jeff Daniels talks with Cory Lavalette at Canes Country about the latest influx of talent, the graduation of players to the NHL, and the Rats' hunt for the playoffs. 

    Rats reassign Pistilli, McNicoll

    The Albany River Rats today reassigned forwards Matthew Pistilli and Cedric LaLonde-McNicoll to the Florida Everblades of the ECHL. The Rats' website has the news. 

    Tuesday, March 23, 2010

    Rats hit the road

    The team chats with Bill Cain at the Schenectady Daily Gazette about preparing for this week's three road games, including tomorrow night's rivalry matchup against Adirondack. 

    Rats sign Mike McKenzie

    The Albany River Rats today signed college forward Mike McKenzie to an amateur tryout contract.

    McKenzie, 23, recently finished his senior season at St. Lawrence University, where the six-foot-tall, 185-pound winger ranked second in scoring with 36 points (14 G, 22 A) in 41 games and led the team with 134 shots on goal.

    McKenzie skated in his two final college games this past weekend in Albany at the ECAC tournament hosted at the Times Union Center.

    Prior to college, McKenzie, originally of Whitby, Ontario, spent four seasons in the Ontario Provincial Junior Hockey League, notching an impressive 77 points (39 G, 38 A) in his last 40 games in 2005-06.

    Rats weekly

    The usual weekly roundup is available at the Rats' website

    Hard work starts now for Dalpe

    Recently acquired rookie forward Zac Dalpe talks with the Brantford Expositor about starting his professional career with the Albany River Rats. 

    McBain lives up to hype

    Get the latest on rookie sensation Jamie McBain at the Hockey News, NHL FanHouse and the Raleigh News & Observer

    Monday, March 22, 2010

    Sunday, March 21, 2010

    Saturday, March 20, 2010

    McBain continues to shine

    Rookie defenseman Jamie McBain, who was recalled to the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday, continues to impress, earning first-star honors today as he led the Canes to a thrilling overtime victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins. 

    With just 0.9 seconds remaining in the extra stanza, McBain, in a fashion familiar to fans in Albany, received the puck on the blueline and used his deadly slap-shot to thread it like a needle through traffic. Defensive partner Bryan Rodney, who was called up to Carolina on Friday, notched the secondary assist. 

    McBain assisted on a goal in the first period by fellow call-up Zach Boychuk, giving the blooming blueliner two points on the night and a total of four in his first three NHL contests. 

    Goaltender Justin Peters stopped 15 of 17 shots and picked up his sixth NHL victory after replacing Manny Legace, who sustained a minor leg injury in the second period.

    Watch highlights of the game here. Also check out the Raleigh News & Observer for today's feature story on McBain. UPDATE: Post-game interviews with Jamie McBain and Justin Peters

    Carson proves he belongs

    Former Rats' defenseman and alternate captain Brett Carson this year earned his stripes with the Carolina Hurricanes, proving he belongs at the NHL level. Paul Branecky at Tracking the Storm talks with Carson and Canes' head coach Paul Maurice about the young D-man's transition to the top tier. 

    Rats beaten by Bears, 8-2

    Post-game coverage:

    Friday, March 19, 2010

    Reid brought up, Rodney recalled

    The Albany River Rats today recalled defenseman Elgin Reid from the Florida Everblades of the ECHL.

    Reid will fill in for Albany alternate captain Bryan Rodney, who was called up to the Carolina Hurricanes today to replace sidelined D-man Alexandre Picard. 

    Picard is listed as week-to-week after suffering an upper-body injury last night against the Washington Capitals. 

    Reid returns to the River Rats for the second time this season. The 23-year-old made his AHL debut with Albany in December, skating in two games and picking up his first American league point against Syracuse on December 19th.

    Reid has 21 points (5 G, 16 A) and 59 penalty minutes in 43 games this season with the Everblades.

    Bryan Rodney heads to the Hurricanes for the fifth time this season, having earned five assists in 10 games with the Canes back in November and December.

    Rodney ranks second among Albany defenseman in scoring with 35 points (7, G, 28 A) in 54 games and is known for having some of the best stick-handling skills on the team. 

    Rodney represented the River Rats this year at the AHL All-Star Classic in Portland.

    McBain sets up OT winner for Canes

    Rookie defenseman Jamie McBain, who was recalled from the Albany River Rats to the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday, last night set up the game-winning overtime goal for the Canes to defeat the first-place Washington Capitals in Raleigh. 

    With about one minute remaining in the extra session, McBain forced a turnover in the neutral zone and fed the puck to Eric Staal, who then dished it to Ray Whitney for the finish.

    McBain, who picked up his first NHL point Tuesday night against the Bruins, now has two assists in two contests with Carolina. 

    McBain averaged nearly twenty minutes of ice-time against Boston and logged more than 25 minutes last night, good for second highest on the team.

    McBain was not the only former Rat showcasing his skills.

    Former Albany alternate captain Brett Carson picked up his second NHL goal in the third period and goaltender Justin Peters made 25 saves on the night to register his fifth big-league win.

    Carson now has two goals, seven assists and a plus-3 rating in 42 games with Carolina this season, while Peters has earned a 2.42 GAA, .919 SV% and a record of 5-2-0-0.

    The Hurricanes currently have seven former Rats on the roster and they may need another by tomorrow, as defenseman Alexandre Picard left last night's game with an upper body injury and is listed as day-to-day (updated: now week-to-week).

    McBain will likely remain with the Canes up until the closing of the regular season, as D-man Tim Gleason is expected to miss three weeks due to broken foot. 

    Zac Dalpe’s first pro interview

    The latest addition to the Rats' roster gives his first interview as a pro to the Vees Blog, a site dedicated to Dalpe's old junior team, the Penticton Vees. 

    Thursday, March 18, 2010

    Prospect Zac Dalpe to join Rats

    The Carolina Hurricanes today announced that rookie forward and highly valued prospect Zac Dalpe will join the Albany River Rats for the remainder of the 2009-10 season on an amateur tryout contract. 

    The 20-year-old college star and 2008 second-round draft pick recently agreed to a three-year, entry-level deal with the Canes, which will begin next season. 

    Dalpe, who stands at 6-foot-1 and weighs in at 195 pounds, recently finished his second year with the Ohio State Buckeyes, where he led his college club in scoring with 45 points in 39 games and topped the Central Collegiate Hockey Association with 21 goals. 

    View Dalpe's Ohio State profile here.

    Rats shank Sharks, 5-3

    Post-game coverage:

    New Jersey Devils' AHL team courted

    Fans last night were hoping for a wee bit of Irish luck when it comes to keeping AHL hockey in Albany next season. The Albany Times Union has the latest. 

    Wednesday, March 17, 2010

    Rats sign goalie Parker Van Buskirk

    The Albany River Rats today signed rookie goaltender Parker Van Buskirk to a professional tryout contract, giving the team a healthy back-up as they prepare for a busy week. 

    Van Buskirk, 21, was recently acquired by the Florida Everblades of the ECHL in a trade that sent forward Chris Capraro to the South Carolina Sting Rays. 

    Van Buskirk, a native of Windsor, Ontario, has played a total of 23 ECHL games with the Sting Rays, Charlotte Checkers and Utah Grizzlies. He has yet to play for the Blades.

    Prior to going pro, the young netminder spent four seasons in the Ontario Hockey League and was a teammate of fellow goalie Mike Murphy in 2007-08 when both played for the Belleville Bulls.

    TUC offers Devils 10-year contract

    Times Union Center general manager Bob Belber chats with the Albany Business Review about the prospect of the Lowell Devils relocating to the Capital District. 

    McBain plays often, plays well in debut

    Paul Branecky at Tracking the Storm reviews the NHL debut of rookie defenseman Jamie McBain.

    Osala has taken to new surroundings

    Power forward Oskar Osala talks with Chris Fitz Gerald at the Troy Record and Pete Dougherty at the Albany Times Union about joining the squad in Albany.

    Tuesday, March 16, 2010

    Rats prepare for another 4-in-5

    Members of the team talk to Bill Cain at the Schenectady Daily Gazette about preparing for another busy week. 

    Rats weekly

    This week's round-up has been posted at the Rats' website

    McBain gets the call

    The Carolina Hurricanes today recalled rookie defenseman Jamie McBain from the Albany River Rats.

    Canes' D-man Tim Gleason is dealing with a minor lower-body injury and may not be able to skate tonight as Carolina takes on the Boston Bruins in Raleigh.

    Regardless of Gleason's status, McBain will likely make his NHL debut this evening, as the coaching staff in Carolina is eager to see the youngster in action.

    McBain, the Rats' second highest leading scorer and top offensive defenseman, has 40 points (7 G, 33 A) and a plus-11 rating in 68 games with Albany this season.

    Monday, March 15, 2010

    Pirates out, Devils in

    After weeks of back-and-fourth negotiations, officials from the Times Union Center and the Portland Pirates have ended talks to relocate the franchise to Albany. 

    The arena is reportedly now in discussions to move the farm team of the New Jersey Devils back to the Capital District. 

    Bob Belber, general manager of the Times Union Center, said today he hopes to have a deal finalized with an AHL team within the next two weeks. 

    Read more at the Albany Times Union.

    Rats munch Crunch, 3-1

    Post-game coverage:

    Friday, March 12, 2010

    Watch tonight's game on TW-1

    Tonight's game in Rochester will be broadcast on Time Warner Cable Channel 1. Puck drops at 7:05 pm. 

    Osala reassigned

    The Carolina Hurricanes today reassigned forward Oskar Osala to the Albany River Rats. 

    Osala was called up on Wednesday to fill in for Canes' forward Erik Cole, who had been out with an illness. Cole returned to action last night. 

    Osala skated one game with Carolina, playing a limited role and registering just 6:46 of ice-time.

    Osala has 31 points (15 G, 16 A) in 55 AHL games this season with Hershey and Albany.

    Thursday, March 11, 2010

    Pirates back at the table in Portland

    Over the past week we were told an announcement regarding the relocation of the Portland Pirates was imminent, but today the Portland Press Herald reports that managing owner Brian Petrovek is back at the negotiating table with the Cumberland County Civic Center. We hope to hear more this weekend. 

    Clear day roster released

    Yesterday was the deadline for AHL clubs to hand in their clear day rosters for the remainder of the season and Calder Cup playoffs. The River Rats 22-man list is available at the team's website. Clear day rosters from around the league may be viewed at TheAHL.com.

    Rats earn point in SO loss to Penguins, 4-3

    Post-game coverage:

    Wednesday, March 10, 2010

    News & Notes

    • The regular weekly round-up is available at the Rats' website
    • Defensive prospect and Notre Dame star Kyle Lawson this week agreed to a two-year entry-level deal with the Hurricanes and will join Albany on a tryout contract for the remainder of the season. Read more here and here
    • Recently acquired power forward Oskar Osala today was recalled by the Carolina Hurricanes. Erik Cole is out with an illness. Read more at the Albany Times Union.
    • The Rats may soon have to officially name a new captain. Jason Karmanos, VP and assistant GM of the Carolina Hurricanes, said during a recent interview that Pat Dwyer, as well as Brett Carson and Brandon Sutter, will be staying in the NHL for good, even if the Canes miss the playoffs.
    • Forward Milan Gajic was recently reassigned by Albany to the Florida Everblades of the ECHL.
    • Rats' leading scorer Jerome Samson was named AHL Player of the Week for the first week of March. Read more here. Samson is featured today in the Troy Record

    Saturday, March 6, 2010

    Friday, March 5, 2010

    Gajic called up

    The River Rats last night recalled forward Milan Gajic from the Florida Everblades of the ECHL, giving Albany a full line-up for two pivotal contests this weekend against the Norfolk Admirals. 

    Gajic is a welcomed addition to the team, as Mike Angelidis and Brad Herauf are suspended, Zach Boychuk and Jay Harrison were recently called up to the Carolina Hurricanes, Jiri Tlusty is sidelined with a lower body injury, and Harrison Reed on Wednesday was traded to the Colorado Avalanche. 

    Gajic returns to the Rats for the second time this season, having earned a goal and a plus-2 rating in four games with Albany in February.

    Gajic has 30 points (12 G, 18 A) in 22 games this season with the Everblades and would have seen more time in Albany this year had he not suffered a serious leg injury in November.

    Gajic has been on an amazing hot streak since returning to action in January, tallying 21 points (10 G, 11 A) in his last 13 games with the Blades, including last night's game-winning goal against the Gwinnett Gladiators. 

    Boychuk tallies two assists for Canes

    Rookie forward Zach Boychuk last night stayed aggressive on the forecheck and tallied two assists to help lead the Carolina Hurricanes to a decisive 4-1 win of the Ottawa Senators. Boychuk now has six points (1 G, 5 A) and a plus-2 rating in 13 games with the Canes this season. Read post-game comments from Boychuk at the Raleigh News & Observer. Watch highlights of the game here