Just a thought...

One of the beautiful things about this blogging "gig" is that you get to think out loud. As the Canes prepare for their third pre-season game in Philadelphia on Saturday, I got to thinking about the whole concept of exhibition play and the way we do things.

For so many years, hockey's annual rite of early autumn meant a series a "rehearsals"  consisting as many as nine or 10 games to get ready for the rigors of the season. Teams often would play in neutral sites where promoters would spend the cash and subsidize the travel to bring and NHL game to their cities and arenas Many of those cities now have NHL franchises, i.e., Phoenix,  Dallas, the two Florida outposts, etc. But the times have changed. For the most part , teams play these tune- ups in NHL bui ldings. The question remains, is there a better way to do it ?

Training camps have been condensed. It's now a 21-day period as opposed to 28. Most pre-season...

Quick Hits...

Welcome to quick hits. Here  the "eye"  will preview each game with short, hopefully substantive bullet points you can chew on. Enjoy it ,along with exhibition tune up number one. You'll  have this each game day.

Matt Cullen...Number eight will play Wednesday night and center a line of Sergei Samsonov on the left and rookie Drayson Bowman on the right. Cullen, has looked great in camp. His explosive first step has seemed to improve over the course of the off season. He also seems a bit stronger  in his upper and lower body.. The last step in his comeback will be the physical test of game conditions.

Drayson Bowman...Peter Laviolette will give the rookie a chance to flourish with two vets like Cullen and Samsonov. Bowman , has looked good in workouts but could have shown a bit more in the split squad game. Wednesday's audition will give him a chance to show off his wears in all situations with NHL level support.

O'Neill...

Amidst the stock quotes, comeback stories and promising rookies that are usually  the order of an NHL training camp, the Carolina Hurricanes utilized their first day of preparation to reinforce a commitment. That commitment, their ability to improve on the play in their defensive zone.

The Hurricanes strike many as a group fueled by offensive energy. They have made improvements in areas that should see them play a better transitional style and possess the puck. But without a defense first philosophy, this team will not be able to get to where it wants to go. The coaching staff made sure that emphasis was made on day one.

Type casting exists in every business. Once you get known for doing something well, people pin a "tag" on your wears. You earn a trademark  or "brand"  your merchandise. In hockey , it's no different. The Devils play a suffocating neutral zone style, right? Even though have had about a half dozen coaches since the mid 1990s....

The Canes are likely to exercise patience while they figure out what to do in the wake of injuries to Rod Brind'Amour and Justin Williams.