Monday debate: Ward's injury

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Bring someone up or bring in new... tough one. I say bring in someone new. Here's my reasons why...

You can't count on Leighton. He has been tested time and again in the NHL. He was drafted 6th round in 1999, and has only played in 72 NHL games - only 17 wins might I add. You may have better results with Peters, but you don't know.

Cam Ward was drafted in the first round. Granted that doesn't mean too much, but he had skills to warrant being drafted there. And when he was given his one chance, he took it.

Peters is in the middle. He can go either the way of Leighton or of Ward.

If I had it my way, it would go like this. Leighton to waivers (if that's possible, I doubt you could trade him for more that a draft pick). Trade for a fairly decent goalie or pick up Legace or Fernandez, and bring up Peters. It could give the best of both worlds. You would have one goalie fighting to get back into the NHL, and one who wants in. If your lucky, you could even have the free agent or trade mentor Peters.

JR's looking to shake it up anyway, he just got his reason. That doesn't mean call ups from the AHL.

I have no faith in Leighton, and we need to have some competition behind Ward to keep him on his game when he does return.

If it doesn't work out... admit it... you probably thought the season would tank anyway and this wouldn't hurt our streak.

When trying to predict what JR will do to solve a particular problem, it is useful to listen to your inner cheapskate. It is less expensive in the long run to hire a guy like Legace on a short-term contract near the league minimum salary than it is to burn a year of restricted free agency for the young guys in Albany. That's assuming any of the young guys in Albany will eventually be able to command a salary above the league minimum when they reach free agency, and JR obviously thinks they will (otherwise he would have dumped them already).

I agree with trooper95 and esteban1949. The only way to tell if an AHL goalie has matured to the point of being able to play in the NHL is to throw him into the fire and let him succeed or fail. I remember watching Cam Ward as he took over for Gerber. I was the biggest Ward skeptic on the planet, to be candid; and felt he would be a disaster. I was totally mistaken. I continued to have doubts about Cam Ward and particularly whether day in and day out he had the mental focus to be a franchise player. He has proven me wrong in that regard as well. One issue with the Hurricanes is that Cam Ward and Eric Staal are such talented players that the team has perhaps come to rely too heavily on them rather than taking on more personal responsibility. I respectfully suggest that the ultimate goal of the Carolina Hurricanes team and the Hurricanes organization is to win its second Stanley Cup. Sometimes it takes very difficult times for a franchise to be able to put together an elite team. The Pittsburgh Penguins organization suffered through years of defeats as it put together its present team. The Hurricanes team has the advantage of having already (1) its franchise goalie, (2) its franchise center, (3) a very talented line in Samsonov/Jokinen/Ruutu, (4) a power forward who when inspired and motivated can play against anybody in the league in Erik Cole, (5) a potential franchise puck-moving defenseman in Pitkanen; (6) its rock-solid stay home defenseman in Tim Gleason; (7) blazing speed at forwards in Sutter and Boychuk; (8) a second line center who has skill and speed in Cullen; and (9) a skilled coach on the ice forward in Whitney. One weakness of the Hurricanes is the lack of a dependable second goalie in whom the coaches, the team, and the fans have complete faith. I include the fans because the Hurricanes team is influenced at home by the enthusiasm and energy of the RBC crowd. When the crowd lacks faith in a goalie, the entire atmosphere at the RBC changes as soon as a goal is scored against the Hurricanes. It seems logical to me that this season should be viewed as an opportunity for Leighton and Peters to prove themselves. It is also a time for the other players on the team to stand up and be counted and to show they will do whatever it takes on the ice to win. That lesson alone will help the Hurricanes in their quest for a second Stanley Cup. The worst that could happen is that the Hurricanes are able to pick up a top three pick in the upcoming draft; and the reality is that a top three pick and obtaining another franchise forward to go with the talent already on the team would be a huge benefit long-term to the team. For an NHL team, losing is never a good thing; but sometimes it takes a disastrous year to build an elite team.

The writing is on the wall and it says bring up Justin Peters and the Canes learn to win while key players are out. With that said, the Canes need to score goals and lots of them, and part of that may be to bring Zach Boychuck back. I would also add as the season moves along Leighton will get better in goal or possibly Peters is a diamond in the rough. The bottom line is the Canes need to play better in their own end of the ice as well. I realize I am not a NHL calibe coach, just a concerned fan who wants nothing more than to see the Canes get out of this slump. Win or lose I am behind the team, but I do scratch my head at some decisions made at the GM level. Go Canes !!