First things first, I wrote a very short very newsy piece on Dustin Byfuglien’s legal troubles for Hockeytalk so go check that out if you’re interested. And now on to the Ducks …
Yesterday the Ducks cut four players from their training camp roster. Goalies Igor Bobkov and John Gibson, Center Joseph Cramarossa and Right Wing Rickard Rakell were all sent back to their junior teams, who coincidentally all happen to be in the OHL.
One correction from a previous post; I assumed that since Bobkov is already 20 and had played in Syracuse last year that he was finished with his Junior eligibility. Apparently that was not accurate, he only played two games with the Crunch last year and will start the 2011-12 season with the Kingston Frontenacs of the Ontario League.
No real surprises on the cuts. Three of them were 2011 draft picks up for an experience and now that the OHL season has begun they can get into real game action and play a more significant role in more significant games. The question becomes who are the next round of cuts? Can the Etems and Smith-Pellys edge out the Bells and Guenins over the weekend and earn a legitimate shot at the starting lineup? I’m skeptical, since Randy Carlyle loves him some veterans, but I’d like to see the younger guys get more of a look.
Some other news going into this long weekend of hockey, evidently tomorrow’s game in Vancouver will be televised on the NHL Network. This very well could be the first ever Ducks preseason game televised in the United States. History will be made.
Also according to Carlyle via Eric Stephens of the OC Register, Jonas Hiller, Dan Ellis and a third goalie will be on the trip with the Ducks and that some players will be in all three games back-to-back-to-back.
Three games in three nights is pretty rough. Carlyle explained that it’s essentially a test to replicate the grind of an NHL season. While NHL teams don’t play three in three, there are back to backs with time zone changes and more travel than they’ll experience this weekend going up and down the west coast.
Internet radio only tonight at San Jose; it can’t be any worse than Wednesday’s game.
District 5 Hockey 