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. 

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

McBain lives up to hype

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

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. 

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. 

McBain plays often, plays well in debut

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

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.

Rats' rookies honored

The River Rats' youngsters continue to impress. The AHL announced yesterday that rookies Zach Boychuk and Drayson Bowman were included in the league's "Top Prospects" trading-card set and first-year defenseman Jamie McBain was selected by the Hockey News for this week's "Hot List."

News & Notes UPDATED

• Goaltender Justin Peters today was recalled by the Carolina Hurricanes. Canes' starter Cam Ward is experiencing an upper-body muscle problem, possibly related to a chronic back issue. Coach Paul Maurice say Peters could make his NHL debut tomorrow night against the New York Islanders. Netminder Mike Morrison, who was reassigned to the ECHL yesterday, will likely be returned to the River Rats. Mike Murphy has recovered from a hip injury and should be able to start for Albany tonight against the Senators in Binghamton. The Rats signed goalie Tyler Sims temporarily to play back-up.

• Rookie forward Zach Boychuk was also recalled to the Hurricanes today. Carolina forwards Chad LaRose and Tuomo Ruutu recently joined Erik Cole and Scott Walker on the team's injured list. Boychuk will likely skate tonight on a line with Brandon Sutter and Pat Dwyer as the Canes take on the Sabres in Buffalo. 

• Forward Jiri Tlusty yesterday was reassigned to the River Rats. Tlusty has a goal and five assists in 18 games with the Hurricanes this year. The former first-round draft pick was acquired in December in a trade with Toronto and appeared in four games with Albany earlier this season. Read more in the Troy Record. 

• Gritty winger Steven Goertzen made his debut with the Hurricanes Wednesday night in Calgary. He saw just over six minutes of ice-time and registered an even plus/minus rating as the Canes fell 4-1 to the Flames. Goertzen will play again tonight in Buffalo alongside Stephane Yelle and Rod Brind'Amour. 

• Rumors are swirling that Hurricanes' veteran blueliner Niclas Wallin will soon be traded to the San Jose Sharks for a second-round draft pick. That means defenseman Brett Carson has likely earned a full-time NHL spot. D-man Joe Corvo, who was cut with a skate blade in late November, recently returned to the line-up, giving the Hurricanes an extra defenseman. Wallin was a healthy scratch Wednesday night. UPDATE: The trade is off. Wallin decided not to waive his no-trade clause.

• Rookie defenseman Jamie McBain has been getting his fair share of press coverage lately. Check out this article in the Albany Times Union and these two features at the Schenectady Daily Gazette. 

• The fourth annual Ronald McDonald House jersey auction will be held tomorrow night at the Times Union Center after the Rats face the Springfield Falcons at 5 pm. Read more at the Rats' website. Also check out pictures of players visiting the Ronald McDonald House and other locations around the Capital District.

• Forward Milan Gajic of the Florida Everblades has put up six goals and 11 points in his first six games since returning from a long-term lower-body injury. Gajic skated with Albany during the preseason and his services may soon be needed once again.
  

McBain putting pieces in place

Rookie defenseman Jamie McBain talks with NHL.com correspondent Lindsay Kramer about staying healthy and refining his game at the professional level. 

News & Notes

• The first three inductees to the River Rats' new Hall of Fame have been announced. The honors go the Geordie Kinnear, Steve Sullivan and the late John Cunniff. Read more at the team's website and the Albany Times Union. 

• Pat Dwyer is the focus of a nice story by Chip Alexander at the Raleigh News & Observer.

• The Rats have been quite busy around the community, visiting schools, hospitals, hockey rinks and other locations around the Capital District. Check out some photos here. Mike Murphy and Jamie McBain will be signing autographs tomorrow at 4 pm at the Half Moon Mobile Mart on Guideboard Road in Clifton Park. 

• Forward Michael Ryan, who was injured in a game on New Years Eve, will still be out this weekend. Pete Dougherty of the Albany Times Union has the story. Defenseman Jonathan Paiement may have to continue playing up front if the Rats do not soon receive reinforcements. 

• Six former River Rats will again be in the line-up for the Carolina Hurricanes tonight as the team faces off against the Red Wings in Detroit. There were hopes earlier in the week that injured forwards Chad LaRose, Erik Cole and Sergei Samsonov would be able play, but coach Paul Maurice now says all three are "a ways away" from returning. The Raleigh News & Observer has the story. 

• The AHL All-Star Game and Skills Competition will be televised next week live on Time Warner Cable 3. The skills contest will air Monday at 8 pm and the game will be on Tuesday at 6 pm. A full listing of air-dates and locations is available here.
  

McBain a big contributor on blue line

Rookie defenseman Jamie McBain talks with Chris Fitz Gerald at the Troy Record. 

Rats clobber Amerks, 6-1

Superior special teams, dynamic offense, solid defense and spectacular goaltending. That pretty much sums up the River Rats' win Saturday night against the Rochester Americans. Albany dominated the game, 6-1. 

Rookie netminder Mike Murphy had a stellar professional debut, stopping 28 of 29 shots and proving almost invincible. His chance at a shutout was spoiled with only 6:03 remaining in the third period. 

Speedy playmaker Jerome Samson took home a goal and three assists. Samson, who led the River Rats in scoring last year, is now approaching the top of the league with seven points in three games. 

Samson is gifted at finding and creating passing lanes. If someone is open with room to shoot, chances are Samson will find him. Last night he made several smart plays under pressure, including a no-look pass to Drayson Bowman, who ripped it home.

Bowman last night maintained his goal-per-game pace and also picked up two assists. Bowman now has five points in three games. 

Captain Pat Dwyer continues to lead by example, creating opportunities out of sheer will. Dwyer tallied two points with a goal and an assist. 

Center Stefan Chaput, who was assigned a larger role after Mike Angelidis was injured, had a three-point night with a goal and two assists. 

Forward Nick Dodge and rugged defenseman Zack FitzGerald also scored. 

Zach Boychuk and Harrison Reed picked up an assist each. 

The Rats' energetic offense had Rochester's back against the wall. The Americans were simply too slow to keep up with Albany's youthful talent. 

Meanwhile, in their own zone, the Rats looked more focused than ever. 

Despite the loss of top D-man and alternate captain Brett Carson to a broken wrist, the Rats played a solid defensive game, perhaps the best of the season thus far. 

Albany forced Rochester's forwards to the outside and did a good job of covering the traffic in front of Murphy. 

The Americans stayed even on shots, but lacked genuine opportunities. 

When the Americans did break through, Murphy was there to respond. 

When the shutout was lost, nobody was more disappointed than rookie defenseman Jamie McBain, who made an uncharacteristic turnover in his own zone that led to the goal.

McBain knew his mistake cost Murphy the doughnut. You would have thought the game was on the line the way McBain smashed his stick in anger afterwards. The giveaway was a bad slip, but the emotion McBain showed for his teammate was good to see. The boys are truly pulling for each other. 

Bryan Rodney and Jonathan Paiement had a great game. Hard to believe Paiement spent so much time in the ECHL. 

Big Benn Olson played in his first contest of the season. His physical stay-at-home defense and enforcer mentality kept the Americans in check. 

Matthew Pistilli skated in his first professional game. He had a couple of good shots and played well. 

The River Rats went 2-for-8 on the power play, with Bowman and Samson hooking up for both goals. The Rats' penalty kill remained flawless, going 6-for-6 and standing at 12-for-12 on the season.

Brad Herauf was a healthy scratch. 

The Rats' record now stands at 2-1-0-0, good for second place in the East Division. Albany trails Hershey by two points and has a game in hand. 

The Rats play Wednesday night at home against the Norfolk Admirals.

More post-game coverage:

• Albany unloads six straight on Rochester, AlbanyRiverRats.com
• Rookie sparks Rats, Troy Record
• Rookies lead way for Rats, Albany Times Union
• Rats notes 'n quotes: Carson out 4-6 weeks, Albany Times Union
• Murphy, River Rats put it all together, Schenectady Daily Gazette

Sutter, McBain assigned to Albany

The Carolina Hurricanes today assigned center Brandon Sutter and offensive defenseman Jamie McBain to Albany.

Veteran D-man Jay Harrison and forward Michael Ryan are the only two-way players still at camp with the Canes. Harrison is filling the void left by injured Joni Pitkanen, while Ryan is still recovering from a concussion suffered in Monday's preseason loss to the Thrashers.

Rats included in Canes' second preseason contest

The Carolina Hurricanes will play their second preseason game tomorrow night against the Atlanta Thrashers. Several River Rats will be included in the line-up, namely Steven Goertzen, Michael Ryan, Pat Dwyer, Drayson Bowman, Brandon Sutter, Zach Boychuk, Brett Carson, Bryan Rodney and Jamie McBain. Justin Peters will back-up Michael Leighton. Tracking the Storm has more.

McBain One for the Future

Although Jamie McBain will probably spend a full season in Albany in 2009-10, the young defenseman is on track for big league success in the not-too-distant future. Paul Branecky measures the potential of the first-year blueliner at Tracking the Storm.

Q&A With Jamie McBain

Jamie McBain speaks with Holly Gunning at Hockey's Future.

Rats' Defense Looks Strong With Canes' D Pairings "Set"

With veteran D-man Aaron Ward heading back to Carolina, the Hurricanes' top six defensive positions appear to be all locked up.

In fact, Canes' General Manager Jim Rutherford says the team's defensive pairings are "set" for next season. Ward will reportedly start the year skating alongside Joni Pitkanen; Joe Corvo will be with Tim Gleason; and Niclas Wallin will play with Andrew Alberts.

Defenseman Frantisek Kaberle remains under contract, but may soon be bought out. Free agents Anton Babchuk and Dennis Seidenberg also appear to be on the way out.

As readers of this blog know, there will be plenty of potential Rats looking to crack the Carolina line-up. There's not much room in Raleigh though, so they'll have to play extremely well to earn a full-time job.

Teams usually dress six defenseman for each game. Some keep one or two extra on the roster to rotate in.

Absent any further changes, the Rats' starting defensive line will likely look like this:

Bryan Rodney
Brett Carson
Jamie McBain
Casey Borer
Jay Harrison
Zack Fitzgerald

Not too many AHL teams have a full complement of defensemen capable of playing in the NHL. With these six, the Rats could be one of them.

Canes' prospects intriguing

"At this moment, the future of the franchise is laid out in view like the rings of a tree." --Luke DeCock, News & Observer

Prospect Jamie McBain On the Fast Track

Carolina Prospect Jamie McBain
(Photo Badger Beat)

Late last season some casual fans and onlookers in Albany may have been a bit curious about the defenseman wearing the name "McBain" for the River Rats.

The 21-year-old point man, Jamie McBain, came directly from the University of Wisconsin after wrapping up his junior year with the Badgers. McBain, a second round Carolina draft pick from 2006, signed a three-year two-way deal with Canes, which is set to begin in 2009-10. He spent the end of last season with Albany to get his first feel for the pros.

In 2008-09, McBain, a classic offensive defenseman, was the Badgers' leading scorer with 37 points (30 G, 7 A) in 40 games. The Wisconsin alternate captain was the highest scoring defenseman in the league. He earned the title of WCHA Player of the Year, was a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award, and was named a 1st Team All-American. He was called Carolina's most impressive NCAA prospect.

During McBain's first 10 professional contests with the River Rats, the rookie tallied a goal and an assist, and played solid in his own end.

"He's very patient with the puck," said River Rats' coach Jeff Daniels, according to the Albany Times Union. "He does a good job of getting his shots through from the point. He does a good job at joining the rush, not forcing it. It seems real natural for him. He kind of comes in late and finds that open ice. He's had a couple of chances to score just by doing that."

As coach Daniels noted, McBain has the ability to find the net through traffic.



The second goal below, 24 seconds in, is another example. McBain gets an assist on the first shot as well.



McBain passed on his senior year of college, opting instead for a three-year two-way contract with the Canes that included a $255,000 signing bonus. Carolina is obviously interested in putting him on the fast track, but how fast?

There is some speculation that McBain will make it to the NHL next season. This is certainly a possibility, but Carolina has no need to rush the process.

McBain left college early and will probably spend some time developing in the AHL. He will likely start next year in Albany and play a minimum of 30-40 games in a Rats' uniform. This, of course, is just a guess. Some think he will make the Hurricanes' line-up immediately out of training camp. Only time will tell.