This column is dedicated to the memory of a friend of ours, Andrew Carroll, who lost his life far too early. While we begin with some current Checkers and hockey notes, we will end with a few great stories on a fine young man who left us this week.
1) Alex Nedeljkovic made two massive saves against Rochester to keep his team in the game. One came late in regulation and then the biggest one in overtime on a two-on-one break. The Checkers nearly had the game slip away but their goaltender was absolutely determined to do his part. Spectacular stuff from a kid who keeps on winning.
2) Valentin Zykov went seven games without a goal until he ended his drought with two goals, including the stunning game winning goal in overtime, on Sunday. When Zykov plays with that kind of fire, he makes a strong case for getting a serious look in Carolina. He provides a dimension every team wants. Once he delivers those performances on a regular basis, he won't be here much longer.
3) Here is a drastic step at changing the game: We have to get away from three periods with two intermissions. This is the only sport that sends fans away for almost 20 minutes twice a game. They have to find a way to reduce the long stoppage by either four quarters or two halves. Ice conditions are the inherent flaw in this idea and I understand that. So, someone should devise a solution to this so the game is far more presentable on television and to the fans in attendance.
4) Having seen every team in the Eastern Conference, I think it's pretty clear that Toronto is the team to beat. They are by far the deepest team in every single position. Unless they start moving players at the deadline, the Marlies are going to be extremely difficult to beat in a five or seven game series.
5) Please join the broadcast for two huge games this weekend against Hartford on Friday and Saturday. The Checkers must find ways to defeat opponents that are behind them in their division. This looks like another season where the playoff position will once again be decided in the last week of the regular season if not the last game of the year. These next road games will be the toughest challenge of the season without question.
Our Thoughts on Andrew Carroll
6) Andrew Carroll turned pro after completing four years at University of Minnesota-Duluth. Derek Wilkinson recalls the phone call to Andrew and how shocked he was that someone wanted him to play hockey and then also pay him for it. Wilky nor anyone else could've known the kind of person he was bringing into the organization and the hockey world. To say that Andrew was a nice kid doesn't come anywhere near the reality of who he was as an individual. Very simply, the world is a darker place because Andrew is gone. His spirit,enthusiasm, love of Christ and passion for helping others was infectious. You couldn't help but fall in love with this kid. He would go on to have an excellent hockey career, scoring huge goals including the one that clinched the regular season conference championship against Florida with two minutes left in regulation in 2010, numerous shootout winners and more. But, all of that pales in comparison to the legacy he left behind as a humble and loving person.7) After Charlotte moved to the AHL, we played against Andrew who was then a member of the Hershey Bears. I remember he got into a fight that night and he worked as hard as possible every single shift (per usual). As the Checkers piled into the bus to leave, someone told me there was a person waiting outside for me. I remember wondering who was crazy enough to be standing outside in the rain and cold - it was Andrew. He was still in his soaking wet clothes he wore under his hockey gear. "Hey, Shaya, what did you think?" I remember saying, "I think you should go inside before you catch a cold." We had a laugh and I told him how proud I was of him. He earned a spot on a very good team in the AHL and that's probably something he never thought would happen. But, his hard work and tenacity ensured he would have a place in the league.
8) We had to ask Derek Wilkinson, the man who made Andrew a pro and recruited him to Charlotte, for his best story. Wilky writes: “We were in Toledo to play the Walleye and I had been getting several calls about our players and in particular Andrew Carroll. There were a few teams scouting the game that day and wanted to talk with me more before our game. Assistant coach Jason Dawe would have joined but was sidelined with severe barstool foot. I made my way up to the teams that were there to watch. I spent a good 10 minutes explaining that Andrew was an incredible young man, how I was convinced he would earn his way up the hockey ladder and how he had improved in all areas of his game by developing a scoring touch while not being afraid to fight when needed. The last question they asked me about was his skating. Just as I was explaining to all of them that he had really started to focus on that area of his game, flying out of our tunnel and leading us on the ice came Andrew Carroll and BOOM, down went AC. He tried to get up and went down again. He had forgotten to take his skate guards off. Once I stopped laughing, I looked over to the scouts and I all could utter was, 'We still have some work to do...'"
9) Wilky continues: “I will always remember how hard Andrew and the rest of the team laughed at that. I also remember him coming into the office after and thanking Dawesy and I for believing in him. Little did we know that it should have been us thanking him for making us all better people. We were so lucky that Andrew agreed to come and play in Charlotte and be a part of our lives. We have had many special players walk through our doors over the years, and Andrew leads the list in all categories.”
10) To all who loved him as we did, remember your cause of sorrow must not be measured by his worth, for then it hath no end. RIP.
