Game on: Undermanned Hurricanes to face Red Wings after calling up 3 players from AHL
Rod Brind’Amour didn’t want to dwell on the negatives, only talk about the positives.
The Carolina Hurricanes coach realized that playing the Detroit Red Wings on Thursday with 16 skaters — 10 forwards and six defensemen — will be a challenge. It’s a product both of the COVID-19 issues that have six Canes players and a training staff member in the NHL protocol and NHL rules on callups under the salary cap.
“With key guys out it will make it tougher,” Brind’Amour said Thursday. “But it’s a great opportunity, too. It’s a great opportunity for guys coming up and making their debuts. What better opportunity are you going to have than the ice time you’re going to get tonight.
“It’s not ideal. I get it. But there’s no point focusing on that. It’s a great opportunity to show your stuff.”
When Brind’Amour gathered his group on the ice Thursday for the morning skate at PNC Arena, he was glad to see defensemen Brett Pesce and Tony DeAngelo — both off COVID protocol and ready to play again — but also had Jack Drury, Stefan Noesen and Andrew Poturalski in the circle around him.
The three forwards were recalled Thursday from the Chicago Wolves of the American Hockey League on an emergency basis. Noesen has played in 205 career NHL games with five teams, but none with the Canes. Poturalski has played in two, with the Canes in the 2016-17 season.
For Drury, it will be his NHL debut. Maybe not the way he dreamed of it happening but it will be happening.
Under NHL rules, a team must play one game “short,” with a reduced roster, to be able to recall the players necessary to fill out a 20-man roster. Brind’Amour was asked if it seems odd the league in a sense punishes a team doing it that way for one game, adding extra stress to the skaters who do play.
“What can I say about that?” Brind’Amour said. “I’ll just say I agree with you.”
The Canes players in the protocol are forwards Sebastian Aho, Jordan Staal, Andrei Svechnikov, Steven Lorentz and Seth Jarvis, and defenseman Ian Cole. That’s a big chunk of the lineup.
At the skate, Brind’Amour had Vincent Trocheck centering Nino Niederreiter and Martin Necas, Jesperi Kotkaniemi at center with Teuvo Teravainen and Jesper Fast, and then a mix of Derek Stepan centering Drury, Poturalski and Noesen.
The D corps, minus Cole, had Jaccob Slavin with Ethan Bear, Brady Skjei with Pesce and Brendan Smith with DeAngelo. Pesce and DeAngelo last skated in a game on Nov. 28 before entering the protocol. They were set to return and play Tuesday against the Minnesota Wild, but that game was postponed after the Canes’ COVID issues escalated.
The Canes-Wings game was in doubt Wednesday but the Canes had no new COVID positives and the game not postponed. The players and staff were tested again Thursday morning and were scheduled to have another round of tests before the game.
Drury. 21 was a second-round draft pick by the Canes in 2018 who played his college hockey at Harvard before heading to the Swedish Hockey League last season, where he was a finalist for rookie of the year.
Drury said he’s ready for his NHL debut and said his parents will be able to attend the game. Drury’s father, Ted, is a former NHL player. His uncle, Chris, starred for several NHL teams, won a Stanley Cup, and is the president and general manager of the New York Rangers. It’s a hockey family.
Drury and Brind’Amour skated about the ice for a few moments before the morning skate, Brind’Amour pointing out a few things about the Canes’ systems and faceoffs. He also has some words of advice.
“The message was to have fun and savor the moment, but I’ll be sure to do that,” Drury said.
This story was originally published December 16, 2021 at 1:19 PM with the headline "Game on: Undermanned Hurricanes to face Red Wings after calling up 3 players from AHL."
