The Next Play: Trade winds blowing in the NHL, while MLB’s return exciting for Bulls
So, you all may have noticed, there’s this big basketball tournament going on that’s taking up a lot of space in the sports world right now. Let me tell you all, we’re here for it. All of it.
The Duke and UNC men, the N.C. State and UNC women … so much to follow. And we know you all are doing that, so when we’re looking at what’s ahead this week, let’s all just assume that to be something on your radar, and we can move on to other things happening this week in the Triangle sports world.
Like the NHL trade deadline. That’s at 3 p.m. on Monday, March 21.
Trade winds blowing
The Carolina Hurricanes are among the best teams in the NHL at the moment. They are atop the Metropolitan Division, have the second-most points in the East and third-most overall in the league (all of this as of Friday).
But … rumored and actual deals may alter the landscape across the league, especially among contenders hoping to make a big run at a Stanley Cup title.
Florida, one of those two teams with points to match or better the Canes, has been linked to several big names. Boston, a potential first-round opponent for the Canes and a perennial thorn in their side, has also been linked to important deals.
Do the Hurricanes need anything? Well, need is a strong word. The team is at the top of the standings in its division. But depth can be an issue, but only in the playoffs, but down the stretch of the regular season.
Speaking of the Canes’ closing stretch: Beginning this week, Carolina has only two instances of two days off in a row the rest of the season, during which the team will play 21 games in 40 days, a clip of more than one every other day. That’s a lot of hockey, with a lot of potential for fatigue and injury.
The Canes maintain they are out of cap space, but if a team like Florida can figure out how to make a splash, so can Carolina.
Stay tuned.
It’s Spring (Training)!
The weather continues to do its annual vacillation between wanting to be winter-adjacent and summer-adjacent in the Triangle, which means it’s pollen season, er, spring. It also means it’s time to start thinking about baseball in earnest. And not just college ball (we see you grinding, Wolfpack, Blue Devils and Tar Heels), but, with the CBA finally agreed to, pro ball as well.
No, the Durham Bulls aren’t back in action just yet (soon, though, very soon), but their parent club, the Tampa Bay Rays, are, and given the Rays’ depth in the minor leagues, the Bulls figure to be very good again this season.
There’s also an opportunity to see many of the Bulls’ likely roster players play this week and next on the big-league stage as they work through spring training in Florida. The Rays will play every day this week at 1:05 p.m., weather permitting.
One of the best stories of the spring is the return to the mound of Bulls pitcher Tyler Zombro, who was struck by a line drive last season while pitching for Durham against the Norfolk Tides. The ball struck him just above the ear and knocked him unconscious. He was rushed to the hospital, where he remained for about a week.
This past week, he returned to the mound, with an eye toward a roster spot and a “return to normalcy.”
