Canes Now - O'Neill back in Canes' plans — maybe

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O'Neill back in Canes' plans — maybe

Submitted by ldecock on 07/15/2008 - 19:32

Monday's re-signings of three players for Albany (AHL) more or less completed the restocking of the River Rats, but the Canes would still like to add one more center for organizational depth.

One name under consideration? Jeff O'Neill.

Yes, that Jeff O'Neill.

The Canes have talked to O'Neill and Jeff Taffe, Rutherford said, but both are holding out for one-way contracts.

O'Neill sat out last season after the Maple Leafs decided not to re-sign him. Carolina traded him to Toronto in August 2005, only a few months after O'Neill's brother Donny died in a car crash. The loss left O'Neill a mess and he seriously considered retiring then. After scoring 19 and 20 goals for the Maple Leafs, he did.

Taffe split time between Pittsburgh and the AHL last season. He has 20 goals in 45 career NHL games.

Last spring, O'Neill told a Toronto radio station he was playing in an adult league and considering a comeback. He also attended a Hurricanes game last season as a fan.

"He's trying to work his way back but with him sitting out a year, his opportunity would be on a two-way contract, probably starting in Albany," Rutherford said. "Maybe even at center ice. He played there in junior. At this time, we're experimenting with a few things. Based on his career he feels the same way (as Taffe) — he would like one-way contract somewhere. If he can't we're willing to talk with him."

O'Neill still ranks third in franchise history in points (416), fourth in games played (673) and goals (198) and fifth in assists (218). His 41-goal season in 2000-01 has only been exceeded once since, by Eric Staal in 2005-06. No one has scored more goals in the Carolina Era than O'Neill's 176.

As for the rest of the Albany roster, Monday, the Canes re-signed forwards Pat Dwyer and Joe Jensen and defenseman Mark Flood to one year-contracts. Earlier, they signed center Dwight Helminen to a one-year contract to replace the departed Keith Aucoin.

Restricted free agent Brandon Nolan remains unsigned because the Hurricanes have concerns about the concussion he suffered in February.

"We're going to look at that in August," Rutherford said. "He's dealing with his injury and he's not totally recovered. We'll give that another month and see where he is. Certainly, if he's healthy, we'd like to bring him back. He made a lot of strides last season."

Comments

i'm for it

Sat, 08/16/2008 - 20:56 — Anonymous (not verified)

if he's too stupid to take the olive branch being offered he's probably not ready to come back.

but if he works hard i welcome 'ol 92 back.

Oneill

Thu, 07/17/2008 - 15:52 — Anonymous (not verified)

Why not? 19 & 20 goals(Canes had 4 20 goal scorers last year) with fairly limited ice time in Toronto...being Toronto they were expecting 40? If he comes ready to play then 20 goals is worth it...as far as character...I seem to remember a OT goal with one eye shut...against Toronto.

Apparently you've forgotten

Thu, 07/17/2008 - 13:03 — Shawn (not verified)

"I heard he does this, and I heard he does that" Frankly, none of you know squat.

Give the guy a shot and see what happens.

Jeff Who ?

Wed, 07/16/2008 - 17:57 — esteban1949

personally and as others have posted...if he wants to play bad enough and has the guts and heart..then take the 2 way...if and if he does well with the rats...what is there but air stopping him from being called up during the regular season...Himself,His integrity, and his Willingness to Play.
But i'm an old fossile...what would i know about hockey ?

I am OK with a 2-way at

Wed, 07/16/2008 - 14:32 — SubwayScoundrel

I am OK with a 2-way at lower cost. I think he knows if the lazy Jeff shows up, it is over. I am OK with that. He was the star of years past and could be a sniper on the power play. Compared to Babchuk, at least he can slap it within 3 feet of the goal and not a buckshot blast (Babs) that could take out anyone in the end section. (thanks for the net)

Take it easy

Wed, 07/16/2008 - 12:41 — Anonymous (not verified)

Looks like there are anwful lot of people out there that are assuming that this jeff oneill is the exact same one that departed 5 years ago. ALOT of things can change in a persons mind over that time, I don't think any of us can judge his locker room influence or work ethic until we've seen what a year off did for him.

I said before I kinda like

Wed, 07/16/2008 - 12:37 — Anonymous (not verified)

I said before I kinda like this idea & here's why...

He'd be on a 1-year, 2-way deal, starting the year in Albany. That's a test of character. If he can't handle it, it doesn't affect the big club at all. But maybe he has a good relationship with his old buddy Jake & is truly motivated to make it back to the NHL. If he does really well, we can call him up, or if there's no room on the roster, trade him for a prospect or a draft pick. I think the reward could outweigh the risk for the Canes w/ a 2-way deal. As far as his talent goes, the "Ronnie putting it on a tee" thing does have some merit, but I still think O has some level of skill.

I guess I'm in a hopeful state of mind following the Jeff Hamilton story this week. I know O has walked through some dark days losing his brother, & I pray he'll turn to the Lord like Hamilton did...

that's Josh

Wed, 07/16/2008 - 13:39 — ldecock (author)

I believe you're referring to Raleigh's Josh Hamilton, the All-Star star, and not ex-Hurricanes center Jeff Hamilton, who as far as I know has not been in the news this week.

The Francis Factor

Wed, 07/16/2008 - 12:08 — Anonymous (not verified)

Some of O'Neills best years were playing w/ Ron Francis. And we all know that Francis was probably a bigger role model off the ice as he was on it....

Now... If O'Neill were to sign a two-way deal... And Francis remains in a "player development" role... would O'Neill not fall under almost-direct guidance of Ron Francis?

Or am I confused about Ron's roll w/ players "in the system?"

Just a thought....

Albany is already printing up replica jerseys

Wed, 07/16/2008 - 11:31 — Anonymous (not verified)

Let's face it, the guy only played on one end of the ice and only benefitted from being lined up alongside one of the best passers in the game. He did have some moments of glimmer but, I don't see his persona and the Laviolette "family" approach coinciding. Tampa seems to be taking on guys beyond their prime so there is hope yet.

O'Neill

Wed, 07/16/2008 - 10:44 — schelle92 (not verified)

I am an "O" fan from way back. That being said, I think getting Jeff back could work IF he has managed to stay in shape and can keep his ego (and laziness) in check. Perhaps certain events over the past few years have changed his attitude (Donny's death, becoming a small fish in a really big pond in TO, missing playing NHL hockey, etc.) and he is ready to buckle down and actually work for his place in the organization. If that is the case, send him to Albany to prove himself, then go from there. JR does have a tendency to bring back former players (Sean Hill, David Tanabe, Ryan Bayda, etc). Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. I personally would love to be able to bring back my O'Neill jersey (throwback or not!).

some interesting commentary

Wed, 07/16/2008 - 09:39 — Anonymous (not verified)

some interesting commentary here for sure.

Sometimes age and big life events mature people. Unless someone here is a bud of his (and it would be odd to have a friend condemn him in a public forum), isn't it hard to know where his mind/body is at?

I see no harm in a 2-way contract if both parties are interested. Ron Francis has a vested interest in what happens in Albany and somehow I doubt he'd risk that for the person that's being described by some.

Rehasing 3 year old rumors seems a little lame.

you people are stupid and

Wed, 07/16/2008 - 09:38 — Anonymous (not verified)

you people are stupid and cannot read properly.

We are looking for AHL/4th line depth at center!!! This would be a 2 way deal. Whats the harm in signing this guy, past or not, if it is for a minimal 2-way contract.

How do you people know if he smokes or anything like that anymore, the guy lost his brother for crying out loud and is apparently having trouble finding a 1-way deal, so reality has seemed to set in with him.

As long as we are questioning work ethic I question all of your work ethic regarding reading comprehension.

Would it be fair, then, for

Sun, 07/20/2008 - 17:13 — acidqueen

Would it be fair, then, for me to question your skills at basic punctuation, grammar, and sentence structure?

It's cool that you're a fanboy for the guy, but come on--it's still fair to wonder if he really has changed all that much.

Jeff O'Neill

Wed, 07/16/2008 - 09:36 — RNG (not verified)

I got to know Jeff very well when he played here. He is a great guy and a great person. I watched him mature alot during his time here. His brother's death devastated him. I like most of us who know Jeff, miss seeing him on the ice at the RBC. His playing potential is unlimited. Please Jim, bring him back.

We don't need the John Daly

Wed, 07/16/2008 - 09:17 — Anonymous (not verified)

We don't need the John Daly of hockey playing for either the Canes or their farm teams. This guys got talent (wasted) but his head will never be in the right place.

What's with the second

Wed, 07/16/2008 - 09:16 — McFish (not verified)

What's with the second chance-o-rama?
And has Taffe played a whole season, ever? Anywhere?

O'Neill

Wed, 07/16/2008 - 08:55 — MR (not verified)

Nothing wrong with bringing him back on a tryout basis with a two-way deal. But no way I would give up a roster spot on a one-way stint on such a gamble.

Here we go again!

Wed, 07/16/2008 - 08:51 — JD (not verified)

I guess Rutherford is more interested in having a Masterson trophy on the team than winning another Stanley Cup. I know he looked like a genius on the Samsonov deal (at least so far), and the Ruutu situation looks promising too. I think we start digging a wee bit too deep when you start looking at guys like Melichar (who couldn't stick with a really bad Penguins team), and now Jeff O'Neill.

O'Neill has always had a bad attitude and poor work ethic. How many times did he and Maurice battle it out? How many times did he throw a temper tantrum on the ice? Locker room cancer, and even if his attitude has improved, this guys has been out of the game too long and his best days are behind him.

Even if you got him at a bargain price (2-way deal, $500K pro, $50K minors), and he never made it out of Albany, I wouldn't want him around any of our youth. Bad influence.

Guess you are one to

Wed, 07/16/2008 - 13:40 — Anonymous (not verified)

Guess you are one to believe that people can't change or deserve second chances. When he was here he was young, making all this money, and known as a favorite. Too much went right to his head. He's older now and maybe being off for a year cleared his head and he's looking to change his life around.

O certainly liked to drink,

Wed, 07/16/2008 - 08:32 — Anonymous (not verified)

O certainly liked to drink, but chain smoke? That may be stretching it a bit. The one thing I would want to see if I were a GM is that Jeff is actually working out.

from years ago

Wed, 07/16/2008 - 08:21 — rawdata

I heard the guy chain smokes and drinks a lot which is what got him into a little trouble here. I'd like to see some good offensive power here as much as the next fan or player, but I can't imagine he's gotten any faster or has better endurance with his lung capacity if he's still smokin' as much as he used to. He certainly wasn't the fastest skater when he was here and that doesn't play into Lavi's system...

JR has a soft heart

Wed, 07/16/2008 - 08:13 — Anonymous (not verified)

JR has always been willing to help anyone who he considers part of the "family". I suspect this is about helping O'Neill get back on tract and the best the Canes could do for him was a start in Albany. I suspect the talk is a "take it or leave it" since JR doesn't have a spot on the big team that he is willing to give up. If O'Neill regains form then that would give the Canes a great call-up and another "reclamation project" success in JR's cap.

O'Neill back to the fold?

Wed, 07/16/2008 - 07:56 — Anonymous (not verified)

I'd get a bit more excited about #92 back with the team in some capacity than finding out that we were getting back #63, again...anyone that didn't get ticked about that should have nothing to say about O'Neill. I don't think Big Joe (slow) is very high in the team stats - except maybe in never failing to disappoint. While they're at it, maybe they could lure #13/33 from the Marlies. Is playing for PL worse than playing for PM? Or, how about if they just get Erik Cole back from the Oilers?

Big Joe

Wed, 07/16/2008 - 12:03 — wylde4canes (not verified)

Big Joe may not have been the best player to lace em up for us, but he actually was our leader in goals the year prior to the lockout. He also was a good locker room presence. Put down the "hater-ade" dude.

Big Schmo

Wed, 07/16/2008 - 23:44 — Anonymous (not verified)

Wow! Isn't that the season we had a number of players out; Brindy having all of his personal and physical problems? He who shall not be named (#63) never used his size to any advantage and never reached his potential with this team although he was given more chances than better players that were made the scapegoats for losing seasons and shipped off to other teams. (When were you in the locker room to witness his presence?) There seems to be much more "hating" directed at the player that the original article was about. The truth will set you free. Maybe I'm the only fan who was underimpressed by #63--he soon won't even have youth on his side. O'Neill did more for this team than that guy could ever hope to do. Cheers!

Joe Schmo

Sat, 08/02/2008 - 16:11 — rick (not verified)

There is no need to spend time and effort on Joe V. Simply put, he was/is lazy, a poor scater, never went to the net to use his size, and had little if any scoring sense. His one year scoring "boom" was when everyone else was on IR. It's a waste of time to bring him back, just as it would be to bring back Malik.

O

Thu, 07/17/2008 - 08:25 — wylde4canes (not verified)

You may notice that I am not amongst those deriding the Jeff or downplaying his contributions to the franchise. I am only defending someone who has NOTHING to do with this subject whatsoever. He may never have lived up to his potential, but he was not the worst retread we had either. I believe we arecurrently buying out his contract........

Jeff Hamilton??? Ok OK

Fri, 07/18/2008 - 11:01 — Anonymous (not verified)

Jeff Hamilton??? Ok OK Just kidding...

I know of whom you speak.

O'Neill

Wed, 07/16/2008 - 07:25 — Anonymous (not verified)

What a joke. Your kidding, right? Bubble butt Jeff is slow and unwilling to play both ends of the ice. He wants to float at the blue line and cherry pick. If Toronto(poorly managed, pitiful team) doesn't want him I don't know why we would. We need to get younger and faster, not rehash old times. I have always said "if it wasn't for Ronnie putting it on a tee for him, he would never had the totals he has." I think we all could find the back of the net with Ronnie setting it up. Please say it ain't so!!!

I would imagine we need to

Wed, 07/16/2008 - 06:57 — Anonymous (not verified)

I would imagine we need to dump salary first, any updates on Kaberle or a trade like that coming up?

He's a proven NHL scorer, so

Wed, 07/16/2008 - 00:49 — caneshockeyfan

He's a proven NHL scorer, so I'm sure there's someone in professional hockey willing to take a chance on him. But with the Canes where he already has so much baggage? That just seems desperate. Plus, is he even remotely a fit for Laviolette's system?

there's no big rush of teams looking to pick him up

Wed, 07/16/2008 - 12:09 — Anonymous (not verified)

Given that no team picked him up last year, it doesn't seem likely that many teams would be willing to take a chance on him (especially given that he is looking for a 1-way contract).

I have to admit, I don't understand why he would be holding out for a 1-way deal. He's older and hasn't seen NHL speed action in over a year. If noone would give him a 1-way deal last year, why would they offer him one now?

If he's willing to take a 2-way deal, then I'd expect that some teams (several even) would be willing to offer him a 1 year 2-way contract to prove that he's worth a roster spot in the NHL.