Justin Williams just can't catch a break

What a shame, what a shame. The following day after everyone finds out about Brindy's ongoing knee drama - the news wire hits this afternoon that Justin Williams has ruptured his Achilles' tendon and is out for most of the season (4-6 months). He only got to play through December last season and came back for a March 'o8 return only to be sidelined again by a back injury.

You know he's been busting at the seams all summer to get back onto the ice. You can't help but feel sorry for him as he's had two ACL surgeries and now this major setback. I'm sorta curious as to how this happened. All I've heard is that it happened "off-ice". What exactly do you do to rip your Achilles tendon?

With a top winger going down - people are debating who should move up. I'll be all for Ryan Bayda / Wade Brookbank dressed at home with perhaps a Tim Conboy dressed as the seventh D on the road. Jeff O'Neill certainly can see his Carolina return more probable now. Get well soon, J-Will.

LOL Canes - The New Additions Edition

All pics via Chris Seward News & Observer, a wonderful photographer

Brought to you by The Letter "U"

Give them two weeks to practice and prepare or maybe just 12 minutes. One new guy in Patty Eaves finally gets to lace up for the organ-Eye-zashun after a much anticipated arrival.

Tuomo RrrrUUUtu showed up at 6:48 for a 7:00 puck drop after being acquried today, complete with the cavalry of Raleigh's finest escorting him in from busy RDU. The Letter U could be seen handing a bag of sticks off to the Canes training staff 30 seconds after the rest of the team had already taken the ice on the jumbotron.

Gotta say about tonight's game:

-I was all like, "Hey, they can lay the smacketh down on their Southeast breathren but what about the the big fish elsewhere?" after last week's games but anxious to see how this squad would respond tonight against what has arguably been hockey's best team as of late.

- Tim Gleason was hit in a gooner's move by Jersey's Mike Rupp. Dude, not cool. TIMMMAaah could barely hold his own head up as he left the ice. Colin C - phone call tomorrow?

- Tuomo Ruutu came out and leveled Colin White on the next shift invigorating the crowd and setting the tone for a physical game (and an energetic home crowd!)

- I wanna talk to Samson!(ov) brought his A game once again and had the only two Canes goals tonight, both being off rebound chances. Damn, this cat can handle the puck. Slick. How many teams passed on re-entry waivers for Sammy?

- Cam Ward did not / has not resembled any signs of the "Cam Weekes" easy flukie let in the occasional beach ball form that has plagued him in the past. Solid.

- This team is consistently making their games entertaining at home, finally. Wadey Brookbank is part of the reason why its fun to see this team play. He finally won a fight tonight. Awesome.

- Write this down. The Hurricanes D corps was strong tonight. The only goal scored was a freaky deaky deflection off of Hedican. Stout.

Keep on kicking it. U guys rock.

Why the Canes need Wade Brookbank

A few weeks ago during the rash of the flu and season ending injuries that grabbed a hold on the Hurricanes, one of the first Albany River Rats to be called up was Wade Brookbank. Not exactly known for his offensive prowess, his primary role on any hockey team he's with was to drop the gloves.

After the Dec. 26th NY Rangers game where Carolina was out gunned, out hustled and out hit, fans and media alike were clamoring for Jimmy Boy to bring in an enforcer. Enter Wadey Boy. We simply couldn't allow teams with the Sean Averys and Colton Orrs to come in and knock out the team's weapons (Cullen is STILL out with lingering effects from Orr's hit). He's seen one assist in 16 games with 32 penalty minutes. He always seems ready to go to blows even when he's fighting a guy 1/2 a foot taller than him. His attitude and grittiness have prompted some locals to start referring to him as "Wade Bloodbank".

What I like about the guy is that every fight we've seen him in, he's usually getting his face handed to him. I've seen a couple of draws but for the most part he's taking a beating for his team on any given night. He fought during the 1st period of the NJ game the other night hoping to spark any kind of fire under his slacker team mates.

Now, we've got someone on the team already who can, will and DOES win fights when he needs to, but considering his offensive presence and energy combined with his injury history, Scottie Walker has been told to refrain from fighting.

Drawing a fight may not always end up providing the spark you hoped for but at the very least he's giving the fans something to see. Even on nights when the rest of the Canes don't bother showing up.

Canes over B's (I wanna talk to Samson!)

When a hockey game ends with a 1-0 score these days, people like to break out the whole:

"The new and improved Gary Bettman NHL! There you have it, folks!"

But the past two games as a Caniac have both been of that result and each was strikingly entertaining. Although they dropped one to the Bluenotes, Carolina comes out on top of Boston tonight with a solid game and a Staal wrist-shot game-winner. Coming out of a three game roadie with 4 points will fight off the Southeast hounds for a minute.

Sergie Samsonov looked awlright - good enough to warrant his acquisition for the moment. Reports kept alluding to him being brought in to replace the injured J-Willie and Matt Cullen in the forward corps. The missing PP defense and PK skills that #11 & #8 possess are not being helped out in bringing in Sampson.

WardO came up big tonight, killing it all night and especially in the waning moments of the game.

Our closest divisional teams both lost tonight as well. A short sigh of relief by all.

But don't get too comfortable.

The Wade Brookbank fight from the First period last night:

Three Stooges - esque!

A/V Delight: Heeeeere's Your Enforcer

With Bret (at least it wasn't my hip) Hedican going down with a knee injury last night in a win over the B's, the Hurricanes have called up the one and only Wade Brookbank from Albany. He and his brother are known for their willingness to scrap over their careers. But as Cason says in his post regarding the issue, we've already got guys who will drop the gloves in defense. I'd be more concerned with his plus/minus and the whole, you know, actually playing D part than worrying about having him punish other teams players. He was a -2 last year in Wilkes-Barre in 39 games with 116 penalty minutes (!) and 1 point. So he's not our missing offensive defenseman, that's for sure. I'm just hoping he racks up those PIM by fighting, not by committing stupid penalties.

Wade Brookbank's Fight Card @ Hockeyfights.com

Vs. Chris Neil

Vs. George Parros and his Porn-stache

Wadey gets KO'd by Boooooooooogard

I'd be on the lookout for this cat tonight in Columbus, as the two teams will be out to avenge one another after the pre-season melee that saw endless brawls.