After last week’s NHL trade deadline, the Checkers thought they were sporting a new lineup. They hadn’t seen anything yet.
Now that all the dust has settled, the Checkers have seen a huge turnover. Over the last two weeks, the Charlotte has seen Drew MacIntyre, Zach Boychuk and T.J. Hensick all depart for other teams, while acquiring John Muse, Dennis Robertson, Anthony Camara, Valentin Zykov, Andrew Miller, Blair Jones and Dane Fox. They also saw Ryan Murphy and Brendan Woods head to Raleigh while Derek Ryan and Brock McGinn returned.
All in all, it’s been a wild few weeks.
“We’re kind of flying by the seat of our pants right now,” said head coach Mark Morris. “We’re going to jump right in with both feet and make the most of it.”
All three of the players that have left the team are well-liked veterans, making it tough to see them go.
“It’s never comfortable to lose players,” said Morris. “They’re guys that have made friendships and been good teammates, so those kind of changes are a delicate thing for any organization. We certainly wish them well and we appreciate everything that they did here.”
But at the same time, they were able to turn those players in search of a fresh start into a solid group of additions. With the team mired in a slump and desperately trying to fight their way back into the playoff picture, a dose of new blood could be just what is needed.
“I think the mindset is that the influx of fresh faces and guys that are motivated to impress and have things to prove is a great opportunity,” said Morris.
Of yesterday’s acquisitions, Miller and Jones took the ice this morning with the team, as Fox isn’t expected to arrive in Charlotte until this afternoon.
Miller, a third-year pro, has proven to be a point-producer at this level and comes to Charlotte after racking up 39 points in 44 games this year with Bakersfield. His skill set should help patch what has been one of the Checkers’ biggest deficiencies as of late.
“Hopefully some speed and the ability to move the puck and some offense,” said Miller of what he can bring to the table. “I try and play well in all three zones and make things happen out there.”
Though he doesn’t have any firsthand knowledge of Miller, Morris has been able to get a bit of intel on the forward.
“I’m just getting to know the guy so it’s hard to really get a handle on how much he’ll add, but expectations are high,” said Morris. “He’s a guy who has a history of being a producer. I’m familiar with people that he’s played with in the past and he’s been described to me as a similar type of player to Brian O’Neill, who I had for a few years in Manchester, and he turned into a pretty good hockey player. If they think a lot alike, I think I’m going to like this guy.”
While showing a little less offensive flair, Jones has sculpted out an impressive 10-year career and will draw from that as he joins his new club.
“I’ve played a lot of games in this league, so I can do whatever the coaches want me to do,” said Jones. “I bring some leadership and I work hard. Hopefully I’ll have a good stretch drive here and help the team out.”
Both forwards are in a unique situation, playing in a game just one day after being traded. That shortened timeline can provide some challenges.
“You’re kind of just trying to get your equipment sorted out and put faces to names and figure out who everyone is,” said Jones after morning skate. “I was just trying to work hard and get a sweat.”
“It’s a quick turnaround,” said Miller. “The time change is a little tough, it was like 4 a.m. when I woke up, and it’s always nice to be able to know guy’s habits on your line, to know what they do well and where they’re going to be.”
But that challenge can be spun the other way as well, something both players have done.
“I’ll be jumping right into a game, which is good,” said Miller. “I’ll be right on the ice quickly. Jumping right in should be fun. I just need to make myself available, support the puck and use my legs.”
“I’m just excited to get out there tonight and play,” said Jones.
All the new additions will be jumping in during the most critical point of the Checkers’ season, as they battle to find a way into the playoffs. Currently on a slide and facing an onslaught of divisional opponents ahead, the importance of this stretch isn’t lost on anyone. These fresh faces will be looked at to spark the team as a whole and turn things around, starting tonight against Chicago.
“When you’re in that bubble area, every game is a big game,” said Jones. “I think there’s 19 games left, so it’s a big two points available every night. We just need to chip away.”
“We’re going to make a strong push here at the end of the season,” said Morris.
