saw this on one of the other boards...pretty interesting

Quote :

"Five Questions With Sophomore Hockey Player Jack Johnson Michigan sophomore defenseman Jack Johnson has been an oft-talked-about subject in hockey circles in recent weeks. The Carolina Hurricanes, which drafted Johnson third overall in 2005, once again tried to lure the defenseman away from his beloved Wolverines with the opportunity to play in the NHL this season. In separate published reports in Raleigh, N.C., newspapers and on leading hockey Web sites in Canada and the United States, Johnson’s father, Jack, confirmed his son was staying put. Frustrated by Johnson’s unwillingness to join the team, the Hurricanes have begun entertaining offers to trade the one-time untouchable prospect. In an article running Sept. 20 in the Raleigh News & Observer, Carolina general manager Jim Rutherford said he was trying to move Johnson but hadn’t been offered the right deal. In light of all of the rumblings, The Wolverine caught up with Johnson prior to a players-only practice to talk about the recent dealings with the Hurricanes and U-M’s highly anticipated hockey season, which kicks off with the Blue/White Intrasquad scrimmage Sept. 30. The Wolverine: Why have you been adamant about saying no to the Carolina Hurricanes at this time? Johnson: “I made a commitment to Michigan … I gave my word [to coach Red Berenson] I’d be back this year, and I didn’t want to go back on that. This is what I want to do. I have no intention of not playing for the Hurricanes. It’s just for now I want to be here, at Michigan. After the season, maybe I will talk to them again, but right now this is where I want to be.” The Wolverine: What do you feel your future looks like with the Hurricanes after all of this? Johnson: “I don’t know any more than any other person on the Internet. I am proud to be associated with the Hurricanes as team, but Michigan is where I want to be right now. If they feel they need to trade me, then trade me. I’ll play for anyone. I don’t know if this is their way to pressure me into signing or what, but I plan to play hockey for them in the future.” The Wolverine: Will continued attention from Carolina and NHL writers looking for a scoop be a distraction for you and the team this year? Johnson: “I don’t think it will be a distraction at all. I just think about hockey when I am out there on the ice. The team saw me go through the same things last year so they are used to it. Like any other Michigan team, our goal is always to win the national championship. But right now we have a lot of short-term goals for the season. If you don’t have the short-term goals, then there is no way to win a national championship.” The Wolverine: What kind of preparation are you doing to make your sophomore year better than your freshman year? Johnson: “Having a year under my belt is great. Everybody on the team is a year older, a year smarter and a year stronger. I just worked on my game in a lot of ways over the summer and into this season. Specifically, I worked on my skating and my leg strength. In any sport, leg power is key, and that is what I worked on. My skating needed to improve, and I worked on that a lot as well.” The Wolverine: What do you want your legacy at U-M to be? Johnson: “I just want to be a part of a great team that came to Michigan. I want to leave Michigan better than it was when I came here. I want to be remembered as one of the great players to play here because I didn’t come here to be average. I don’t know if it will be two years or four years, but I want to be one of the best.”"

9/25/2006 4:03:26 PM

i like the fact he keeps his word

9/25/2006 4:11:12 PM

I don't like the fact that he's so good he doesn't have to play hard at Michigan.

9/25/2006 6:00:58 PM

?

9/26/2006 12:19:27 AM

Jack Johnson is so good that the college game provides him with no challenge. If he doesn't get into the NHL or AHL by next season, his development as a top-class defenseman is going to suffer.

9/26/2006 12:29:07 AM

Sneak peak of the new NHL.com



Also

Quote :

"On October 2 at 7PM, Lord Stanley's Summer (1 Hour) premieres. From the description, it looks to be your basic cameras follow the Canes around as they take the Cup various places."

And on October 3 at 7 PM:

Quote :

"Ever wonder what it would be like to have a rinkside seat for Game Seven of the Stanley Cup Finals? Well now you have it. NHL Productions cameras bring you all the intensity, up close and personal as the Edmonton Oilers and Carolina Hurricanes clash for hockey's ultimate prize in game seven of the 2006 Stanley Cup Finals. On the Glass highlights game seven from a totally different perspective than you saw it on June 19th, 2006....ice level. All the action, all the excitement, and all of Carolina's celebration shown to you from the best seat in the house... On the Glass ."

Those shows are on Versus (OLN)

[Edited on September 26, 2006 at 12:56 PM. Reason : Versus]

9/26/2006 12:55:53 PM

I'd seen the info posted somewhere before, but for tonights game is parking free?

9/29/2006 10:24:56 AM

jack johnson and tverdosky traded to the kings in exchange for defenseman Tim Gleason and winger Eric Belanger

[Edited on September 29, 2006 at 1:01 PM. Reason : two for two]

9/29/2006 12:41:14 PM

i just threw up in my mouth

9/29/2006 12:51:54 PM

Seriously I'm going to go crawl into a hole and die now

9/29/2006 12:58:39 PM

trade looks horrible on paper

9/29/2006 1:04:46 PM

Isiah Thomas this trade is terrible. But I guess that's what it took to get rid of Oleg

9/29/2006 1:08:14 PM

omfg

9/29/2006 1:10:44 PM

I see the logic in it but if Jack Johnson becomes as huge as he can be, it's going to look terrible for years. It's an upgrade for this season because we get a guy in Belanger who I'm sure the team feels can be like Matt Cullen (has never really played up to his potential) and we get a NHL-proven defenseman with a decent upside. Dumping Tverdovsky's salary is also a plus. But, the fact is, Gleason's upside is maybe a #2 defenseman, whereas Johnson could be the best defenseman in the entire league at some point in the future.

9/29/2006 1:11:11 PM

i wanted a more promising forward than Belanger, maybe a dustin brown or patrick O'sullivan. I wanted more, I won't lie but I will trust JR and Marshall Johnston on the upside of Gleason and the scoring of Belanger. They've earned that much

[Edited on September 29, 2006 at 2:33 PM. Reason : .]

9/29/2006 2:32:51 PM

its true they've earned that..but i wanted JJ.

9/29/2006 3:17:10 PM

JJ's dad is a nutcase. I think JR is betting on the fact that he'll force JJ to stay in school for another year or two, putting him way behind on the developmental track.

I trust JR. Two decent players for an essentially useless defenseman and a guy who isn't even signed.

If JJ signs, at least he'll be in the West. If he signs before February 13th, we get to boo the shit out of him.

9/29/2006 4:19:04 PM

if he signs before the Feb game that means every rumor about JJ-PK tension was true.

9/29/2006 6:51:13 PM

I had held out on getting a jersey just for JJ. Now I'll have to settle for a Staal jersey.

9/30/2006 12:31:28 AM

I hate it when I have to settle for 100 point scorers.

9/30/2006 1:45:32 AM

heh.

[Edited on September 30, 2006 at 1:50 AM. Reason : more pics (fights) tomorrow]

9/30/2006 1:50:13 AM

^why is the scoreboard so low?

9/30/2006 11:28:57 AM

with about 7 or so minutes left in the 2nd, the scoreboard went out. Well, not the whole board, but the game info portion did. So at the end of the period, they lowered it for repair, but once the board was lowered by about 10 feet, it apparently fixed itself.

9/30/2006 11:44:06 AM

^^
They look like they are getting ready to replace a bulb.

9/30/2006 11:45:16 AM

^or you could read what I wrote and realize that no repairs were made

9/30/2006 2:43:37 PM

..the later part of a fight




and for kicks.. the scoreboard going up in fast motion (it was very slow)


i know the quality is HORRIBLE but i guess thats a cell phone for ya



[Edited on September 30, 2006 at 4:48 PM. Reason : ]

9/30/2006 4:46:56 PM

canes w/ 2 goals in the FIRST period.....

10/1/2006 3:04:31 PM

Jason Woolley was released FYI

Finished the preseason on a positive note with a 4-2 win over Washington

10/1/2006 3:32:05 PM

might have 1 ticket for sale for friday october 6 vs. new jersey

section 312

10/1/2006 5:51:23 PM

someone is gonna lose a bet

10/1/2006 6:19:21 PM

Quote :

"The L.A. Kings, the spotlight, the marketing there, I was thinking this was a great opportunity," said Jack Johnson, a 19-year old sophomore. "I know some of the players out there, like Patrick O'Sullivan, Dustin Brown. I skated with Mathieu Garon last summer. I'm going to love it whenever I do get a chance to play in L.A."

FUCK THAT GUY.

Timmy Gleason is my homeboy.

10/1/2006 7:07:27 PM

role call for wednesday.

im there.

10/1/2006 7:09:53 PM

I'll be there. Same seat as always.

10/1/2006 7:19:36 PM

I will not be there unless I meet some very kind soul or come into possession of $500 to buy a ticket from a scalper.

10/1/2006 8:09:58 PM

^I'm a kind soul (sort of). PM sent.

10/1/2006 8:41:28 PM

24carat is officially the greatest person on these boards and more than likely the greatest person in the entire world

10/1/2006 10:33:01 PM

328, D4. I'll be there early as shit that day too.

10/2/2006 12:07:09 PM

I couldn't get tickets to opening night, but I'll be there on Friday. I wish my schedule allowed me to buy season tickets so I could have gone.

10/2/2006 12:10:00 PM

back for another season in 328

10/2/2006 12:12:16 PM

I'll be in 328.

If the 'Canes lose because I'm in the house, I will voluntarily exile myself from the RBC for the rest of the season.

10/2/2006 12:42:41 PM

124 on Wednesday and 312 on Friday

10/2/2006 4:41:29 PM

118 row E on Firday. Not sure yet if I am going to dress up or not.

10/2/2006 4:57:39 PM

Wow, sec. 328 is full. We're in 117.

10/2/2006 4:59:17 PM

The new NHL website is now live: http://www.nhl.com/ The little "frozen moment" thing on the top banner is from the parade; if the picture extended about a yard to the left I would be in it. Kind of weird.

Also:

Quote :

"VERSUS, the national cable television home of the National Hockey League (NHL), launches its coverage of the 2006-07 NHL season on Wednesday, October 4, with an Opening Night double-header featuring a number of enhanced production and studio elements. As the puck drops in North Carolina with the Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes opening against the Buffalo Sabres (7 p.m. ET), the network will make viewers at home feel like they are in the middle of the action by presenting the game in hi def and enhancing the audio with more microphones on the ice than have ever been used in an NHL telecast before. Following the first game, the Dallas Stars will take on the Colorado Avalanche at 10 p.m. ET."

And don't forget, at 7 PM tonight on Versus Lord Stanley's Summer premieres with the Canes and the Cup. Behind the Glass is at 7 tomorrow night showcasing game 7 from ice level.

10/2/2006 5:18:58 PM

328 is where it's at. I'll never move. Shoot twice end, facing the benches so you can watch for too many men, high enough so you can still see the net during power plays...tres magnifique.

10/2/2006 6:26:03 PM

They just released the remaining tickets for Opening Night to TM. They're mostly SRO, but there are a few individual tickets scattered around.

10/2/2006 7:27:34 PM

111.. all season

10/2/2006 7:32:09 PM

heh i just thought this was interesting.. they must have something secret they want to hide in the rbc center until wednesday...



the ice was out last night so theres nothing else going on.. as much as i want to see whats going on it'll be a big surprise hopefully

in other news, the weekend of 18th of november will be the shit.

basketball on friday, unc/state football, hurricanes that night.. that unc game hopefully will be a afternoon game.. haha i plan on being at all of them



[Edited on October 2, 2006 at 10:00 PM. Reason : lol january 20th is duke @ NC State at 3:30 then canes game @ 8:30.. fast turnaround.. hahahaha ]

[Edited on October 2, 2006 at 10:01 PM. Reason : then the 3rd carolina @ state then canes.. same times.. ftw]

10/2/2006 9:53:21 PM

Have you seen the video of them converting the place for hockey play? It's pretty cool.

10/2/2006 10:18:05 PM

Just got free tickets to Friday night vs the Devils. Section 329 near the hopefully once again rowdy bunch of 328 that I liked so much last year.

I really wanted to be there opening night to see the banner go up but i'll settle for watching the Canes beat up on the Devils again so I can bug my pal from Jersey.

10/2/2006 10:28:18 PM