CANES MAKE MINOR FREE AGENCY SPLASH
Knowing full well that the team needed some depth up front, the Carolina Hurricnaes made bids on two of the lesser known forwards in the league, but players the team fully expects to contribute.
Scott Walker, the smallish power forward, has made a name for himself as an aggressive leader with offensive upside. Walker, who has put up some decent numbers in his career, is not a defensive liability and plays every shift like it is his last.
"We liked the enthusiasm that Scott brings to the team," said head coach Joel Quenneville. "He has a real desire to win and I think his winning attitude will rub off on some of the younger guys. I know we lack leadership on this team, we lack guys who've been around the block so to speak, and Scott brings a lot of winning values from the Montreal Canadians. We really like all the intangibles he has."
With the second signing, the Canes picked up defensively gifted penalty killer Jay Pandolfo, a former member of the Stanley Cup Champion New Jersey Devils and one of the key penalty killers on that squad with linemate John Madden. Pandolfo has been known as one of the more aggressive penalty killers in the league for years now and looks forward to the new challenge.
"I spoke with both the management of the Hurricanes and the coach and I thought this was a perfect fit for me," said Pandolfo. "With the opportunity to play on one of the top 3 lines and a role as a PK specialist, I think I will serve the squad well and make a difference. The Canes look to be gearing up to be competitive this season and I am glad to be a part of it."
The Canes also had restricted free agent Jay McKee signed to an offer sheet by the Florida Panthers. With a sigh of relief, the Canes matched the assistant captain plus bonuses an welcomed McKee back to the lineup.
"We wanted him here all along," said head coach Joel Quenneville. "He is the anchor of the defense and to me, he might be our team's most valuable player."
Carolina will likely remain out of the free agent bidding wars with the team being pushed to cap level. With the squad charged and ready for the draft, look for few moves to occur over the next while.
Scott Walker, the smallish power forward, has made a name for himself as an aggressive leader with offensive upside. Walker, who has put up some decent numbers in his career, is not a defensive liability and plays every shift like it is his last."We liked the enthusiasm that Scott brings to the team," said head coach Joel Quenneville. "He has a real desire to win and I think his winning attitude will rub off on some of the younger guys. I know we lack leadership on this team, we lack guys who've been around the block so to speak, and Scott brings a lot of winning values from the Montreal Canadians. We really like all the intangibles he has."
With the second signing, the Canes picked up defensively gifted penalty killer Jay Pandolfo, a former member of the Stanley Cup Champion New Jersey Devils and one of the key penalty killers on that squad with linemate John Madden. Pandolfo has been known as one of the more aggressive penalty killers in the league for years now and looks forward to the new challenge.
"I spoke with both the management of the Hurricanes and the coach and I thought this was a perfect fit for me," said Pandolfo. "With the opportunity to play on one of the top 3 lines and a role as a PK specialist, I think I will serve the squad well and make a difference. The Canes look to be gearing up to be competitive this season and I am glad to be a part of it."
The Canes also had restricted free agent Jay McKee signed to an offer sheet by the Florida Panthers. With a sigh of relief, the Canes matched the assistant captain plus bonuses an welcomed McKee back to the lineup.
"We wanted him here all along," said head coach Joel Quenneville. "He is the anchor of the defense and to me, he might be our team's most valuable player."
Carolina will likely remain out of the free agent bidding wars with the team being pushed to cap level. With the squad charged and ready for the draft, look for few moves to occur over the next while.
posted by Lohaus at 10:00 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home