Hurricanes' call-ups finally get their shot

Three veteran minor leaguers are making an impact with Carolina

******

CORRECTION

Carolina Hurricanes player Keith Aucoin attended Norwich University in Northfield, Vermont. A story in the Sports section Saturday stated incorrectly that Norwich University is in Connecticut.

*******

RALEIGH -- Tim Conboy spent most of his minor-league career as a defenseman and most of his NHL career, so far, as a forward. Thursday, he filled in for Tim Gleason on the Carolina Hurricanes' blue line. Friday, he was back practicing at forward. Either way, he's not complaining.

As Conboy sat in Carolina's dressing room at the RecZone on Friday, surrounded by players with their name on the Stanley Cup and players who have played with him in the minors this season -- almost in equal measures -- he admitted he still looks around and marvels that he's here.

"That's something my wife and I talk about every night," Conboy said. "I can't think of anything better to be doing."

A big portion of the Canes' recent success has been built on the hard work of their minor-league call-ups, including three who faced long odds to make it this far: Conboy, Keith Aucoin and Ryan Bayda.

Those three call-ups from the Albany, N.Y., River Rats of the American Hockey League, along with Wade Brookbank's promotion in December to serve as Carolina's enforcer, have given the injury-riddled Canes a much-needed dose of energy.

Since Bayda was called up on Feb. 12, the Canes are 6-2-1. Aucoin arrived for the third time this season on Feb. 5, and Conboy got his second call-up on Feb. 14. Now that trio is sticking around for the duration.

"You look at those three guys and you never give up the dream," Albany coach Tom Rowe said. "Keith spent nine years in the minors, and Bayda spent seven years in the minors, and this is their first real opportunity. That's perseverance right there. And Conboy, this is his fourth year [as a] pro and his first call-up."

The Canes signed Conboy as a minor-league free agent two years ago despite his past. He was kicked off St. Cloud State's team in 2004 and spent a week in jail that fall after he was arrested on drunken driving and drug charges. He said he has turned his life as well as his game around.

"I'm a little older and wiser now, and that's something I never want to experience again," Conboy told the St. Cloud (Minn.) Times earlier this year.

He was brought in to add toughness to Albany's blue line, but the rest of his game remained raw until he became a personal project of Albany assistant Geordie Kinnear. What's been unexpected is his offense, with four points in nine NHL games after recording three points in 49 AHL games.

"I've always been more of an aggressive, physical player," Conboy said. "Not too many points have been put up by me in my career. It's new to me, but definitely a good feeling. Now I know what it's like to be Keith Aucoin and Ryan Bayda every night."

Conboy, though, has NHL size, standing 6 feet 2 and weighing 225 pounds. The San Jose Sharks drafted him in the seventh round in 2002. There was no competition for Aucoin when Rowe signed the 5-9 forward from Division III Norwich (Conn.) University to an AHL contract.

Aucoin put up big numbers in four different minor leagues, for two other NHL organizations, before re-signing with the Canes in 2005. He made his NHL debut with Carolina in January 2006 and had two points in 15 NHL games coming into this season.

In 23 games this season, getting his first real ice time, he has four goals and five assists while centering a high-energy line with Bayda and Scott Walker.

"He's been proving people wrong who say he can't do it," Rowe said. "Obviously, I'm a big fan of his, but we've had our moments. He's a stubborn guy, but that's part of what makes him successful."

Bayda also left the Carolina organization after a severe knee injury during the 2005 AHL playoffs. After missing half of the 2005-06 season while he recovered, he re-signed with Carolina in fall 2006 a more well-rounded player than in his first stint with the Canes.

The past two seasons he has made the team out of camp but played in only one game before he was sent down. In his latest stint, he has three points in nine games.

"They always say it's easy to get here and hard to stay here," Bayda said. "It took me a lot longer to figure that out than I wanted to. It's a different style of game that I play now, more of a grinder who goes out and works as hard as he can."

After tonight's game against the Tampa Bay Lightning, the Canes have three days off. Aucoin, Bayda and Conboy will fly back to Albany to pick up their cars and convoy their way back to Raleigh.

It's a long, 11-hour drive, but nothing compared to the journey they took to get here.

"I could be sent back tomorrow. You never know," Aucoin said. "I have to work hard and try to enjoy it. I do look back and see how long of a road it's been. It's great to finally be here, and I hope I stay here."