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On The Bubble
Lowell forward Ryan Bayda is ready for his shot at NHL stardom.By Dan Hickling
MinorLeagueNews.com
10.22.03 - Lowell, Mass. -- What's it take to cross the line from the AHL to the NHL?
Talent? Desire? Opportunity?
There isn't much doubt that Ryan Bayda, who mans left wing for the Lowell Lock Monsters possesses the first two elements in abundance.
There's not much he can do about that third factor, except try and make it tough for the Carolina Hurricanes to keep him in Lowell and out of the NHL.
To that end, Bayda is doing his part judging by his early season performance for the Lock Monsters.
Lowell, which played doormat to the entire AHL last year, have jumped out to a 4-0-0 start this season, with help from Bayda, who was drafted in the third round by Carolina in the 2000 Entry Draft after a stellar career with the University of North Dakota.
Bayda provided the offensive punch in the Monsters' recent 4-2 win over the Worcester IceCats, notching his first professional hat trick.
"It's always nice when you score a hat trick," Bayda said. "Especially early in the year. It boosts your confidence that much. You take the extra shot. You hold on to the puck the extra second just to get open and to have the open shot."
It's that grasp of the game's finer points that just might cut short Bayda's stay in Lowell.
The difference, after all between riding the busses in the bushes, or feasting on that NHL meal per diem is mighty thin.
Bubble thin, perhaps.
"He's on the bubble for being back in the NHL," said Lock Monsters bench boss Ron Smith. "There's no question. He had a good stint (in the NHL) last year."
Bayda was Lowell's top scorer last year, racking up 43 points (11 g, 32 a) in 53 games, and played well enough to warrant a promotion to Carolina for the last 25 games of the season.
He notched four goals and 10 assists for Carolina. Not dazzling numbers. Not enough to make the 'Canes shove holdover left wingers Jeff Daniels and Erik Cole aside, but sufficient to keep him in the thick of Carolina's plans.
"It's a numbers game a little bit," said Smith. "At this stage, they're happy with their guys who are playing left wing. So he needs an opening, more than anything. He's got to keep working on his speed and reaction, like everybody does in the NHL. It's about 120 percent faster in everything...skating, making plays, the rest of it."
Bayda said he learned as much during his short stay with the 'Canes. If there's a price to be paid in order to get back to the NHL for good, it seems he's more than willing to ante up.
"I think I still had the same expectations (coming back to Lowell)," Bayda admitted. "I like to come to the rink every day, and try to (bring) a little more leadership this year. Try to teach some of the young guys, since I was up a little bit last year. Show a little bit about what it takes. I've had a little bit of a taste. It's somewhere we all want to go. When we're down here, we're working to get up there."Editors' Note: Ryan Bayda was recalled by the NHL's Carolina Hurricanes on 10.23.03.
