Carolina Hurricanes Waiting Game…
Chip Alexander of NewsOberver.com: Alas, Carolina is eight points out of the playoffs. They do have to play 28 times in 51 days which is a tall order. However, there is enough time to hop enough teams.
Francis said “I’m always open to anything that will make our team better.”
Alexander hints that Ron Francis could be a buyer or seller. The fact that they have depth at defense may be a target to acquire what Carolina needs going forward.
Carolina does need a top six forward and there are plenty of teams that are looking for some defensive help.
Another goaltender would not hurt but Francis is adamant that is not necessary. The next five games should tell a lot for the Hurricanes.
“We’ve struggled as a group defensively,” Francis said. “We need to be more consistent in our play. We need to have a playoff mentality the rest of the way and be prepared to win games 2-1 or 1-0 if we have to.”
Chicago trade possibilities?
Mark Lazerus of the Chicago Sun Times: (mailbag) The question of questions is what can Chicago do before the deadline? Is Chicago a contender?
The problem to some is that Chicago actually has several needs. With cap concerns, it may be too difficult to address more than one problem.
Lazerus believes that Patrick Eaves would be a possible target. He is not flashy but the forward can score some goals. Eaves would not cost much. Sacrificing a first round pick would not be necessary. After that, it all comes down to Chicago getting more balance and a little luck.
The 22-year old Ville Pokka is behind eight NHL roster players, Erik Gustafsson and Viktor Svedberg in the AHL, on the Blackhawks depth chart. They also have some other prospects on the way. Pokka could be an ideal trade chip at the deadline. He still has potential, but likely not with the Blackhawks.
