From Talking Points:
From the beginning, Jeff O'Neill had an uphill battle to make it back to the NHL. Few players can take an entire year away from the game at age 32 and get up to speed immediately. O'Neill couldn't.
The news that he and the Hurricanes had decided to end his comeback bid came as no surprise after Sunday's game. O'Neill was never a factor. He wasn't physical. He wasn't involved. There was no reason to go any further.
Read more here.
From the beginning, Jeff O'Neill had an uphill battle to make it back to the NHL. Few players can take an entire year away from the game at age 32 and get up to speed immediately. O'Neill couldn't.
The news that he and the Hurricanes had decided to end his comeback bid came as no surprise after Sunday's game. O'Neill was never a factor. He wasn't physical. He wasn't involved. There was no reason to go any further.
Jeff O'Neill has decided to end his comeback try with the Hurricanes, the team said today.
O'Neill, a former Canes star, came to training camp as an unsigned free agent. The forward did not play in the NHL last season but hoped to win a roster spot with the Hurricanes.
General manager Jim Rutherford said that after Sunday's preseason game against Philadelphia, O'Neill met with team management and they reached a mutual decison to release the former first-round draft pick from training camp.
The Canes' roster now has 32 players.
Former Hurricanes forward Jeff O'Neill had a goal to help the Red top the White 6-3 in a team scrimmage today at the RBC Center, but he was overshadowed by another 30something free-agent getting a tryout with the Canes.
Dan LaCouture had two goals and an assist in the first two periods as the Red took a 4-2 lead. O'Neill's goal came four minutes into the third period and made it 5-2.
Jeff O'Neill was once Justin Williams' teammate on the Hurricanes, and O'Neill has enjoyed being around Williams the last few weeks in informal workouts at the RecZone.
O'Neill came back for a tryout with the Canes, hoping to win a roster spot on his old team. The last thing O'Neill could have expected would be to go into training camp trying to replace an injured Williams.
"He's one of the guys I've known here and one of the guys I've gotten close to since I've been here," O'Neill said today. "It's tough to see a guy who has put so much effort into it, considering last year he got hurt as well.
"It's a devastation here. You're so excited to get back on the ice, then that happens. It could happen to any of us. Just a freak accident and you've got to move on."
The Canes have invited Jeff O'Neill to training camp to take a look, but what does that mean?
Does the former Hurricanes forward have a legitimate chance of making the roster? Could O'Neill be used, say, as a fourth-line center? Would he accept an assignment in Albany, if need be? Can he still be an effective NHL player?
Pipe dream or the real thing? Good chance or no chance? What do you think?
The readers have spoken! Here's the consensus All-Canes team as chosen by you (and roughly interpreted by me):
C Ron Francis
LW Sami Kapanen
RW Erik Cole
D Glen Wesley
D Aaron Ward
G Arturs Irbe
Jeff O'Neill is coming back to Raleigh.
Hurricanes general manager Jim Rutherford said Thursday that the former Canes forward, who did not play in the NHL last season, has been invited to the team's preseason camp next month. O'Neill, 32, has not signed a contract.
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.
