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. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

• Negotiations to keep the Portland Pirates in Maine appear to be over. Expect an announcement regarding the team's relocation very soon. Read the latest at the Albany Times Union, Portland Press-Herald, and Central Maine Sports Blog.

Return of the roster shuffle

With goaltender Cam Ward of the Carolina Hurricanes still sidelined with back issues, Rats' netminder Justin Peters will be returning to Raleigh by week's end. Pete Dougherty at the Albany Times Union has the story.

Injured Canes' forwards Erik Cole, Scott Walker and Chad LaRose are all expected be on the ice when the NHL starts back up next week. Barring any trades, Carolina will have one extra forward, including Albany captain Pat Dwyer. Forwards Zach Boychuk and Steven Goertzen were reassigned prior to the Olympic break.

Recently acquired defenseman Alexandre Picard joined the Hurricanes at practice yesterday, giving the parent club seven defenseman, including Rats' alternate captain Brett Carson.

Canes trade Cullen

The Carolina Hurricanes yesterday traded forward Matt Cullen to the Ottawa Senators in exchange for defenseman Alexandre Picard and a second round draft pick in 2010.

The trade gives the Canes an extra defenseman and may result in the reassignment of Albany alternate captain Brett Carson.

The move also means rookie Zach Boychuk will be spending some extra time in the NHL, as three Carolina forwards remain sidelined with injuries. Boychuk was recalled last night immediately after the Rats' 5-2 loss to the Hershey Bears.

Albany captain Pat Dwyer, checking forward Steven Goertzen and goaltender Justin Peters also remain with the big club.

The Rats will be offered some support and rare stability over the next two weeks as the NHL breaks for the Olympics. Reinforcements will likely be sent down in time for Monday afternoon's home game against the Norfolk Admirals.

The Rats will be short one skater tonight against the Binghamton Senators.

Wallin traded, Carson holds position

After several days of back and forth negotiations, the Carolina Hurricanes today traded veteran defenseman Niclas Wallin to the San Jose Sharks. In exchange for Wallin and a fifth round draft pick, the Canes acquired a second round pick for next year's draft. 

The trade suggests former Rats' defenseman and alternate captain Brett Carson has earned a permanent spot on the NHL roster. Carson has been skating on a regular shift since early December. 

Wallin has been a healthy scratch since Joe Corvo was activated from injured reserve last week.

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.
  

News & Notes

• The regular weekly round-up is available at the Rats' website.

• The River Rats have been getting along without an official captain for some time. Coach Jeff Daniels tells the Albany Times Union the team has plenty of leaders and is in no rush to designate a new "C" in the near future. 

• The Rats are focused for Wednesday's game and ready to bounce back from Saturday's loss in Hershey. Bill Cain at the Schenectady Daily Gazette has the story.  

• Goaltender Mike Murphy, who is still recovering from a hip injury, is back at practice and could return to the line-up this weekend.

• Carolina Hurricanes' defenseman Joe Corvo, who was sidelined with a leg laceration in late November, could return to action this weekend, meaning Brett Carson, who was recalled from Albany in early January, may be soon be reassigned to the Rats. The Canes could decide to keep Carson over another blueliner, namely veteran Aaron Ward. 

• The comeback of Casey Borer is the focus of a story today at the NHL's website.

• Forward Milan Gajic recently returned to the ice for the Florida Everblades of the ECHL. Gajic skated for Albany during the preseason and would have likely joined the Rats at some point during the regular season had he not been sidelined for three months with a leg injury. Gajic is featured in the Naples Daily News.

• Former Rats' enforcer and hometown favorite Reid Simpson is back in the AHL at age 40. Simpson, who was thought to have finished his career in Russia in 2007, recently signed a tryout contract with the Chicago Wolves. The team's website has the story.
  

News & Notes

• The Carolina Hurricanes next season will move their AHL affiliate to Charlotte, North Carolina. Chip Alexander of the Raleigh News & Observer says "it's a go." The River Rats will need to find a new parent club to continue operations in 2010-2011. 

• Defenseman Casey Borer has been cleared for game action and may return as early as tomorrow night. Pete Dougherty at the Albany Times Union has the news.

• Coach Jeff Daniels, defenseman Bryan Rodney and goaltender Justin Peters chat with Bill Cain at the Schenectady Daily Gazette about preparing for the second half of the season. 

• Permanent NHL spots could soon be available for Pat Dwyer, Jiri Tlusty and Brett Carson. Paul Branecky at Tracking the Storm says trades are in the works. 
  

New Canes in fast lane

Albany prospects talk about their NHL experience with Chip Alexander at the Raleigh News & Observer. 

Rats lead Canes to victory

Albany alumni yesterday led the Carolina Hurricanes to a decisive 4-1 victory over the Ottawa Senators. 

Defenseman Brett Carson picked up his first NHL goal, while Brandon Sutter, Pat Dwyer, and Jiri Tlusty earned an assist each, helping the Canes to their second straight win. 

Brandon Sutter started things off for Carolina in the second period by dishing a near-perfect pass directly in front of the net to Tom Kostopoulos. The goal squashed the Senators' momentum, as it came just 40 seconds after Ottawa had taken a 1-0 lead.

Sutter now has 17 points (10 G, 7 A) in 35 games since earning a full-time NHL spot earlier this season. 

Later in the second, Jiri Tlusty made a play to Pat Dwyer, who then set up veteran captain Rod Brind'Amour for a one-timer that turned out to be the game-winner.

Tlusty now has a goal and two assists after eight games with the Canes this year, while Dwyer has two goals and two assists in 19 games. 

Carolina took a 3-1 lead in the third on a Brett Carson point shot that found its way through traffic to give the well-rounded blueliner his first NHL tally.

Carson now has a goal and three assists in 16 contests with the Canes this season.

Watch highlights from the game here. 

Young Canes keep earning ice time

Defenseman Brett Carson is the centerpiece of a story published today in the Raleigh News & Observer. 

Harrison reassigned

The Carolina Hurricanes today reassigned defenseman Jay Harrison to the Albany River Rats. 

Harrison returns to Albany having picked up two assists in an eight-game stretch with the Canes. The veteran stay-at-home D-man was recalled on December 6 and performed well during his time with the big club.

Harrison started the year with Carolina and has now skated in 18 NHL contests this season, registering a goal and four assists. 

In 15 games with Albany, Harrison has a goal, seven assists and a plus-4 rating. 

Defenseman Brett Carson and forward Pat Dwyer remain with the Hurricanes. 

Canes' blueliner Aaron Ward, who cleared waivers on December 15, is still on the chopping block. If Ward is traded or dumped on re-entry waivers, Brett Carson would likely take his place. 

Carolina defenseman Joe Corvo, who suffered a serious laceration on November 30, is expected to be sidelined for at least another two months. 

News & Notes

• Seven straight wins by the River Rats has earned the team some extra coverage at the AHL's website. 

• The latest installment of Murphy's Mailbag is up on YouTube. 

• The Rats' website has the usual weekly summary.

• The Carolina Hurricanes yesterday placed defenseman Aaron Ward on waivers and he cleared today at noon. Read more at Tracking the Storm.

• Call-ups could be in the works. The Hurricanes are short two players with a game tomorrow night. Carolina has just five healthy blueliners, including Brett Carson and Jay Harrison, who were recently recalled from Albany to replace injured D-men Niclas Wallin and Joe Corvo. Tim Gleason, who was hit in the face with a shot Friday night, is listed as day-to-day. The team is also down one forward after returning Pat Dwyer and Jiri Tlusty to the River Rats on Sunday. According to Tracking the Storm, Dwyer will likely be headed back up. 

Carson called up

Defenseman Brett Carson, alternate captain of the Albany River Rats, was recalled by the Carolina Hurricanes shortly before Sunday's contest against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.

Carson impressed the NHL coaches during the Canes' training camp in September, but was sidelined early in the season with a broken wrist. His performance in Albany, both before and after the injury, has been nearly flawless.

Carson has developed tremendously over the past year and provides a unique combination of offensive and defensive awareness, putting him in the running for a permanent spot in the NHL, either this year of the next. 

In 14 games with the Rats this season, Carson has three goals, eight assists and a plus-4 rating. 

The dependable blueliner is a core member of the AHL squad and will be sorely missed.

  

Carson joins Jay Harrison, who was recalled to Carolina earlier on Sunday. 

Hurricanes' defenseman Joe Corvo was sidelined with a severe laceration to his leg and achilles tendon on November 30th.

Canes lose Corvo for 2-3 months

Defenseman Joe Corvo of the Carolina Hurricanes is expected to miss two to three months after suffering a serious laceration on the back of his leg last night in Raleigh. 

General Manager Jim Rutherford said the team will likely call up either Brett Carson, Jay Harrison or Bryan Rodney as a replacement.

Corvo has been averaging over 25 minutes of ice-time, more than any other player on the Canes' roster.

News & Notes

• After missing 12 games with a broken wrist, alternate captain Brett Carson is back. With fellow defenseman Bryan Rodney recalled to Carolina, the timing could not have come sooner. The Troy Record catches up with the Albany blueliner. 

• Coach Jeff Daniels says the struggles of the Carolina Hurricanes are not affecting the River Rats. If anything, the problems in Raleigh provide extra incentive for those hoping to crack the NHL line-up. The Albany Times Union has more.

• With a busy weekend ahead of them, the Rats are looking to tighten their game and boost their position in the standings. To get things done, they'll need to stay focused and play with consistency. The Schenectady Daily Gazette has the story. 

• Rookie forward Drayson Bowman is out with a chest injury that apparently occurred last Saturday against Adirondack. After being taken down from behind, Bowman slid hard into the boards and looked pretty shaken up. He returned to the ice later that night, but was absent Wednesday in Syracuse and is not expected to play this weekend. 
  

News & Notes

• Brett Bellemore may not rack up the points, but his smart defensive game is evident in his plus/minus tally. The Albany Times Union has more on Bellemore, who proudly leads the team with a +4. 

• Justin Peters has developed into a highly skilled goaltender and solidified himself as the Rats' go-to starter. The Troy Record catches up with the fourth-year netminder. 

• The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins took over first place in the East Division Thursday with a win over the Manitoba Moose. Former River Rat Ryan Bayda scored 39 seconds into overtime to break the 0-0 tie. The Penguins have a one-point lead and a game-in-hand on the Rats heading into the weekend.

• Injured players should soon be returning in waves. Mike Angelidis, Steven Goertzen, Michael Ryan and Brett Carson should be coming back in the next few weeks. 

• Erik Cole of the Carolina Hurricanes, who fractured a bone in his leg earlier this month, is expected to return to action as early as this weekend. Cole, along with injured Canes' D-man Tim Gleason, are back at practice in Raleigh. Forward Brandon Sutter and defenseman Jay Harrison are Carolina's only healthy two-way players. Forward Stephane Yelle, who recently cleared waivers, is also eligible for reassignment. Yelle will become ineligible on November 26th at noon or after ten games of NHL play, whichever comes first.
  

Injured Rats getting better

Steven Goertzen, who suffered a concussion last Friday, was back on the ice today practicing with the team. He wore a yellow no-contact jersey. Goertzen will probably miss both games this weekend and shoot for a return next week. 

Brett Carson, Mike Angelidis and Michael Ryan were also on the ice today. All have been practicing in yellow for about a week. Coach Jeff Daniels said he expects all three to return to action by mid-November. 

The Albany Times Union has more.