An important starting point to set the stage is to recognize that Tuesday's game saw the Hurricanes face arguably teh best team in the NHL right now. The Lightning are now 8-1-1, are fresh off a 7-1 annihilation of the defending champion Penguins and are mostly having their way with everyone they face.
Disclaimer for competition officially noted, the Hurricanes game on Tuesday night did leave a lot to be desired including a win. The 5-1 headline score for the newspapers tomorrow is completely misleading given that it included two empty net goals and another garbage goal with four seconds left. But not misleading is the fact that the Hurricanes offense continues to be some combination of snake bit and just not good enough at generating offense.
Tracking through the watch points in my game preview actually offers a decent capsule of the game.
As I expected, Peters rolled out his standard formula for home hockey against teams with top scoring lines trotting out Aho/Staal/Lindholm with Slavin/Pesce against the Kucherov and Stamkos whenever possible. That part of the plan worked reasonably well when Peters got what he wanted for match ups. Slavin and Pesce were on the the ice for Tyler Johnson's power play goal against, and Pesce was on the ice for the garbage goal by Kucherov late, but at even strength they held their own against Stamkos and company.
My second point sought more contributors on offense. The Hurricanes did muster a reasonable volume of near misses, but the finishing was nowhere to be found. Lindholm found himself with a few really good chances and mustered a post, a whiff on a half open net and a shot into the goalie's crest on a point blank chance. Aho continued his struggles receiving and shooting with another half whiff. And aside from Jeff Skinner, none of the Hurricanes forwards just look comfortable with a puck in their shooting wheelhouse right now. That obviously needs to change for the team to be successful.
The first period actually was not horrible. The Hurricanes were the better team early, but when two power plays failed to yield a goal, the ice seemed to even out. The Hurricanes then looked some combination of deflated and/or just not intense enough in the second period after falling behind. As has been my read on the Hurricanes dating back a couple years now, the Hurricanes gained momentum AFTER scoring not to get scoring. The spark finally came when Jaccob Slavin pulled the team within one goal early in the third period, but the good guys never got closer.
As noted above, one of the things that has troubled me over the past couple years of struggles has been the team's inability to ride a bit of adversity to a higher gear. More so, the team seems to find a higher gear only after it opportunistically scores and then dials it up. That works okay if the ice breaker goal comes, but it is also a recipe for a bunch of 'too little too lates'.
Justin Williams is interesting in this regard. Almost as if he has an innate sense for when things are headed the wrong way and something drastic needs to happen to change the vibe, he has lost his gloves midway through consecutive games that saw the Hurricanes struggling to find it. The minor penalties are not ideal, and he did not find a willing partner in either case, but I actually trust his intuition for when something in the vibe and atmosphere needs to be significantly different and immediately.
This is also why my preference was to give Williams the 'C' from the beginning. No doubt, he will still lead and do all that he can do to propel this team upward, but I think he would have been afforded a greater opportunity to effect a mindset shift at times like this if he were more formally in the center of the huddle.
The team has been down this road a few years in a row with an up and down start to the season. Past seasons have seen the team unable to find some combination of desperation and a spark soon enough. The official leaders are the same set as the previous failures. Somehow something needs to be different this time.
Things are not desperate yet. The Hurricanes are 3-3-1 which not horrible. And a two-game losing streak is not a calamity. But here's the thing…When a team waits until things are truly desperate to play desperate, it is almost always too late. Here is hoping that the team in total can muster the same 'this is not okay' that Williams has exhibited in consecutive games.
First on the positive side of the ledger, the fourth line played a significant role in a huge goal to give the Hurricanes a chance in the third period.
The fourth line was on the ice for the only goal for and played a significant role in it providing the offensive zone time, the scrambly chaos in front of Vasilevskiy and ultimately providing the screen on the goal.
The fourth line has also built itself an identity playing a puck possession and cycling game in the offensive zone that keeps the opposing teams' scorers far from where they can score. The fourth line has also been pretty sound defensively in its own end. But the Achilles' heel that continues to bite the group is the collective group's lack of Jordan Staal and/or Victor Rask like awareness for how to provide puck support and short easy outlet passes for the defensemen. On a regular basis, the fourth-liners actually help the defense win the puck in the defensive zone but that mostly flee to the neutral zone without decisively finding places to be safe and sound pass options. The result, regularly, is that opposing teams are increasingly forechecking aggressively and winning the puck back either with steals in the defensive zone (very bad) or more regularly the Hurricanes defenseman making the safe play and chucking the puck into the neutral zone to relieve pressure (much less bad). Either way, the result with the fourth line on the ice is too often that the Hurricanes are forced to play defense two or three times. This is especially problematic since quite often Peters is using the fourth line as a second checking line behind Staal's line such that Kruger and company are matched against lines that are good in transition and at scoring.
It was technically on the penalty kill, but this is what happened on the Tyler Johnson goal with the Canes winning the puck but Kruger and Nordstrom not having good positioning and sense for how to help the defense move the puck forward. It also happened a couple other times on shifts following Hurricanes' power plays where Kruger's line stepped onto the ice with Slavin/Pesce at the expiration of the power play and against Kucherov and Stamkos.
This is definitely another one for the video coaching staff and Bill Peters to clean up a bit. It is especially important if he wants to continue to lean on the fourth line for tough match ups when Staal's line is not available.
No way can one pin what was essentially a 2-1 loss against an elite offense on the goalie. But at the same time, in rewatching the goals against, I think Darling had a chance on each of the first two goals and might, like some of the forwards who are struggling to score, be trying a bit too hard.
On the Tyler Johnson rebound goal, Darling was in good position to take away the angle, but when he was still moving aggressively, he did not get square to the shooter. As a result, instead of the rebound landing in front of him, it deflected to his side and in front of the gaping net.
The second Tampa Bay goal saw Darling make a good save but not control the rebound. From that point forward, I do no think Darling every really re-tracked the puck as he instead went into a whirling spin that actually saw him do a 180 in the net. Had he made a save or maybe had Tampa Bay just missed the net, it might have been termed athleticism. But with a medium speed wrist shot finding its way behind Darling just as he was coming out of his spin and unable to track the puck, the play looks more like a situation where 'less is more' in terms of economy of motion and just facing up to the puck could have been superior.
That said, if you back out the empty-netters and garbage goal, Tuesday's loss marks three games in which Darling gave up two goals, needed only three to win and instead was tagged with a loss. The margin for error it too tiny when a team is not scoring.
After what I thought was a decent start to the season, the Hurricanes blue line is gradually resembling the 2016-17 defense and the problems that came with it.
Peters started the season trying to balance the defense, but it took only one tough period before Peters went back to top-heavy with Slavin and Pesce reunited. It will be interesting to see how Peters proceeds. The scoring struggles are absorbing the spotlight right now, but I am not sure that there are not also small cracks developing in the blue that needs to be a strength.
At a basic level, I found more bad than good in Tuesday's loss, but it is also important to reiterate the context that saw the Hurricanes lose to a team that no one else is beating right now either.
I think it is fair to say that the Hurricanes are facing a bit of adversity right now. As noted above, important is for something to be different from the past couple years that saw some of the downturns extend too long.
While I would consider Tampa Bay to be the toughest draw this week, by no means is the rest of the week easy. On Thursday, the Hurricanes face another offensive juggernaut that is hot in the Maple Leafs, and then the Hurricanes finish up three games in four days against two perennial playoff teams from the Western Conference in the Blues and Ducks.
Next up is a road tilt against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday.
This feels uncomfortably like the beginning of the end of the season for the Canes. No scoring from the scoring forwards, an absolutely bizarre (sorry, I have to say stupid) decision by the coach to pull the goalie with 3 minutes to play aginst the most offensively gifted team in the league, 4 powerplays with no goals (bad luck on the last one).
I think this week is a turning point. To avoid the regular slide down into the canyon of seasons past, the Canes must pull out a 2 and 2 this week, which means beating two of the Leafs, the Blues and the Ducks. We can't do that unless some of the scoring forwards start earning their paychecks.
Yes, the Canes are short a top scorer.
Don't understand why the team only decides to play when they're down multiple goals and in the third period. Aho, Lindholm, Faulk, Rask, Staal, Ryan all worthless so far this season. losing hope quickly.
I can't totally agree. Staal is not a high scoring forward but is elite shutting the other teams scorers down. I cannot put him in the worthless category. (by the way he is second in points) Quite the opposite, he is very valuable IMO. Faulk has not been making his traditional terrible gaffs starting the season. He is not scoring but he has not been bad. The others you mentioned are not doing so well.
Yah, I am fearful of reverting to previous years end of season in November as well.
he had one good game. four of those points came in that game. one point in six games otherwise. he is not an offensively minded centerman, but we need more from our captain. hes making too many little mistakes that lose possession or squander would be opportunities.
blah. i hope this is just a bad stretch, but these games have given me PTSD from the last few years. Like come on. Why do we forget how to play hockey the first two months of every season and play ourselves right out of the playoffs??
As disappointed as I was with outcome, it looks like I have a different view of tonight's game. I was in 124 – had a pretty good view of what was going on in the shoot-twice zone (and when the Bolts scored twice).
I thought the first period was one of the strongest periods of hockey the Canes have played this year. We held possession, we cycled, we created scoring chances. Williams was a beast. Even the PP was solid, though it didn't score – the first one in particular, the second after the first minute.
The second period became much more close-checking, particularly after TB scored. We have seen close-checking before and we didn't do well (CBJ) – the Devils may, again, be a nemesis this season.
The Canes came out with desperation in the 3rd. A lot of time spent in the offensive zone, a lot of puck movement, a lot of net-front presence and crashing the net for rebounds. Vasilevskiy was a wall.
I thought Darling was good – disappointed in the third goal, and his GAA should go up for not having the pride to finish strong. But he made several great saves. The first goal came when the defense got beat, and he was still trying to get back into position after an awesome acrobatic save on the second goal. That was a defensive error for leaving a passing lane for Stamkos.
Peters pulled Darling prematurely – it was too aggressive a move given that we had a strong forecheck going that was generating good shot opportunities.
It may not have made a difference but the worse this score should have been is 2-1 (maybe 3-1 with a very late empty-netter). And for 37+ minutes we were the better team.
That said, I am entirely disappointed with a number of forwards – not the same breadth as bwstanley, I saw Rask and Lindholm working hard. Aho seems lost – to the point where as he crossed the front of the crease with the puck on his stick, he effectively whiffed on the shot. Except for his hits, McGinn doesn't look like an NHLer. Ryan is almost invisible.
That said, we didn't really score but we had excellent scoring opportunities – something I don't think we can say about our other 1-goal games.
I am thinking it may be getting near time for a shake-up.
Ha! I know (now) – I saw that this morning. I can only remember him as having one primary assist though.
I agree with you here. I've seen Aho whiff on quite a few shots. My theory is he took the whiff in OT against Columbus pretty hard as that would have won the game and he definitely had the keeper beat. Don't know that I'm correct but I've noticed a pattern.
Yah, he wiffed on a good opportunity last night. Your theory may be right. You miss on some important chances and you lose your confidence. I hope he breaks out of it. There is no doubt how gifted he is.
I watched him (Aho) carefully after he left the ice on the post hitting shot. He was slow to get off the ice because he was so mad at himself that he missed that goal. The frustration in him is building.
Derek Ryan isn't a top nine caliber hockey player. I've been screaming that ever since that one lucky preseason game. It made me mad because I knew it would give him a longer leash that he doesn't deserve. There's a reason the guy didn't make the league til he was what, 30. Rask has had about a thousand pucks bounce off his stick for no reason. It isnt that hes not working hard, hes just incredibly out of it right now. Just like Aho, Staal, and Faulk. Lindholm is not the player he was the second half of last year, which is who we need him to be. And not just for the second half of the season – he needs to find that higher gear NOW. At least within the next week or so. I disagree on McGinn. His greatest attribute is that physicality… BUT HE'S THE ONLY DAMN ONE ON THE ROSTER THAT'LL PUT A BODY INTO SOMEONE. At least until/unless Lindholm reverts back to last year form, I hope last year wasn't just a flash in the pan and that this Lindholm isn't normal Lindholm. McGinn is a serviceable energy fourth liner, but after PDG's strong start in Charlotte maybe its time to bring him back up and see what he can do in that role. He brings the same edge and I've always thought had more offensive upside. Maybe with his confidence back he can have a breakout year. And Derek Ryan needs to be swapped with Lucas Wallmark, leading the AHL in points, like right now. Wallmark is defensively capable, can kill penalties, and is far better already in the O zone than Ryan – who is still inexplicably on our powerplay.
I am impressed with how well our fourth line is playing.
D is playing well overall.
unfortunately our offense is creating a lot of scoring chances with not a lot of goals.
To compete with the big boys we still short a goal scorer or two.
Rask looks lost, lindy is treading water again Aho can't find his groove.
I keep thinking Lindy is going to break out but I guess he is a third line player who is stuck on 1st 2nd line. Only true leaders on the ice is Skinner and Slavin everyone else is watching.
As is noted above, Tampa has a great team, and it's good to see the Canes were mostly able to skate with them.
I'm trying to keep things in perspective given some of the teams the Canes have played.
That said, they're looking worse than I thought they would this year.
I expected to see a fast skating team that maintained possession for over two thirds of the game, stifled the other team's offense with great team defense, and struggled to score.
I didn't think they'd get slowed down or taken out of their game by physical play so easily. At least it seems like it's happening too much. I also didn't think the goal scoring would be this hard to come by. The team still is still lacking in the difference makers (of any kind, at any position) category.
I'm sure they'll put it together. It's just a question of WHEN. I really hope this isn't another late winter push into competence, we've seen way too much of that.
I give BP big props for taking the gamble on pulling Darling sooner. The forecheck was there, we were getting pressure, why not add to it? Had he waited another 90 seconds and we still lost 3-1 would it have mattered? No it's still a loss. Calling it stupid (although you say you don't wanna say stupid) is well, stupid. Its one of those decisions anyone questions unless the small chance of it working happens.
Does he regret picking Staal and Faulk for Captains? It has to be yes and you spit in Williams' face doing it.
Does he regret not getting an offensive player, even at an overpay?
Lastly, Rask needs to sit to send a message. Let Kuokkanen or Wallmark play in his spot. He is absent.
That's the beauty of armchair after-the-fact review of decisions *grin*, we all want the Canes to win.
I think this decision was stupid because we had pressure on Tampa, and we know they are a team that is quick in transition, aggressive on defense and has a huge selection of snipers. We knew the tiniest chance we gave up would end up in the back of the net, and we found out, twice.
I think another minute of trying what seemed to be working before pulling the goalie could have resulted in a powerplay, or a chance. The premature pulling of the goalie turned a fairly tightly played game into a lobsided and ugly looking loss (and that will be the fact the media focuses on).
Then again, if this decision had resulted in a tying goal I would be delighted, so I totally see your point.
I felt it was early when it happened. It is a roll of the dice, you look like the hero or the goat. I figure he had reason, must have seen something, so I am neutral on it.
Pulling Darling a bit early obviously did not work out, but I am in the 'meh' have to try something late and losing 5-1 is no different than 2-1.
I think you can make a case for waiting a little longer, but I was fine with that decision.
Stated this in the other thread, but my shorter version is we need a playmaking catalyst or two to loosen these guys up. Look at how easy other teams with talented centers move the puck and skate to the net (not fire wide or miss the net most of the time only to lead to odd man rushes the other way).
We came up empty this offseason (not saying GMRF didn't try). But now is the time to land an experienced center to ease the pressure. The current group offensively just won't cut it, and the defense is struggling, I believe, because of this.
Better Solution: Trade one of our of existing centers to land someone that will be a catalyst of the offense, then move Aho to center.
It's apparent the Hurricanes have not found their groove or their offense, for that matter. Players are still trying to find themselves — many of our guys are young. So how long does it take for the team to mesh on the ice? And when this happens, will the team be too far behind?
I have no answers to the questions above, but am concerned that we get too deep in the season before things begin to mesh or before an acquisition is made to bolster the team's goals scoring ability.
This past Saturday's match-up in Dallas looked like we showed up to a gun fight armed with plastic cutlery. Yes, we probably just played the best team in the league and next we travel to Toronto to play another leader in the NHL…followed by two very tough opponents in our barn. The season is very young, but how long will it take to get the troops on track?
This will all come down to leadership — on the ice, on the bench and in the front office. Geez, I really want good things to happen for this team and franchise.
I think your "will the team be too far behind" is what has the fan base really tense right now despite a decent (not great) 3-3-1 start.
Peters' history is that the team seems to figure things out in early December after a slow start and digging a hole.
Right now would be a really good time to find that snarly kind of desperate that seizes a couple wins regardless of whether things are firing on all cylinders. If the team is too patient and finds desperation only when things are truly desperate it could be too late.
I'm in the minority with TJ. This game was really fun to watch, two very good teams slugging it out. If Lindy's posty is an inch to the right and TVR doesn't interfere with Darling this could have been a win.
For the most part the boys executed a repeatable formula for victory, given that it is a statistical outcome and no team goes 82-0.
Yes the 4th line needs to be better in transition and I would prefer fewer "no chance" shots from the point on an unscreened goalie. And yes Williams should be captain and I appreciated his urgency last night. He is a champion.
Overall the effort was good and we will win lots of games if we bring that effort and style every night, and continue to work on the areas that need improvement.
If we keep having "we could have won if our offense just showed up and half the team hadn't forgotten how to hockey" we will be in the same place as the past eight years come April. The team needs to find some heart, some desperation, and win, Now.
1. The season started October 4th. We are at October 24th some 20 days later (7 games played). There is no excuse for anyone to not be ready to play. Ready to play means 60 minutes of each game. We don't play 60 minutes.
2. We generated real scoring threats in the third period by crashing the net. For the first two periods we threw lollipops from outside at an unscreened goalie. What does it take to get this team to come down the ice, everyone head towards the goalie and the man with the puck to SHOOT? Even if he shot is blocked it is easier to score on a juicy rebound than going through some 3 or 4 perfect passing routine. The mayhem around the goalie can also throw him off his game and make him uncomfortable.
3. Who came up with the bright idea to pull the goalie with 3 minutes remaining? Why not put your best line out and attack the goalie, and maybe draw a penalty or score?
4. How did some of the players make this team? McGinn, is he right now better than Kuokkanen or Wallmark? What? He gets two hits a game on someone on the wall 30 or more feet from any net and that solidifies his position. When's the last time you have seen him in front of the net? Or is it the demonstrated history of 6 or 7 goals a year that does it? A team doesn't have grit because one player makes one or two hits a game. Who did Rask beat out for his job? Wallmark, Kuokkanen, Necas? We need goal scorers more than two hits a game. I just think the coach overthinks things when it comes to player selection and tactics. After each game he then comes on and explains the loss away as being due to specific mistakes that the players made or the failure of the players to play "the system". Heck, every player in every game makes mistakes yet they are winners. The reason usually is because their "system" is attacking the net (your best defense) and relying on sound defense when the other guy does get the puck.
5. We are losing because we don't score enough. The power play is pitiful and the difference in last night's game. The team needs to understand that you will score more "dirty" goals around the net than you will ever score by making 3 or 4 fancy dan highlight reel passes with a shot from the outside with no net presence.
We already have goal scorers, there just not scoring goals.
One, one goal scorer. No one else truly fills that category outside of 53. Aho, Lindholm, Teravainen are playmakers. Rask is… something else. Staal is a glorified defenseman. Williams is a two way guy that scores and distributes pretty equally, but is a middle six guy moreso than an offensive catalyst. Maybe Kuokkanen, Saarela, Roy, Necas will fall into that category eventually.
With you 100%. I've always liked Peters. However, this is a big year for him and he HAS to get his team to start playing with some passion and desire to make winning plays, such as getting to the net. His seat is going to get warm soon if this play continues. Maybe something big like a coaching change will spark the team.
How about a key power play goal once in a while? The continuing struggles with the man advantage is troubling. Slow starts by individual players are somewhat expected and all players have slumps at various points in the season. However, the lack of imagination and desperation during the man advantage has been a consistent theme over the last 2-3 years. Yes, a true dynamic play making center would help but the issues seem to be deeper than that. Throw in a power play goal at an opportune time and we're all telling a different story. I'm still a half glass full guy but momentum is such a huge factor with young teams and more often than not, the Canes are losing momentum with their power play rather than gaining momentum. Something needs to change and its not going to be a new center. I'd give the chances at less than 5% that Francis will pull the trigger on any type of deal before the trade deadline.
I think it's time to do an internal shake up.
* Move Aho to center.
* Give Kukanen another game, maybe at a center too.
* Bring up Walmark and Valentino from the Checkers.
* Send mcginn down to Charlotte.
We have 3 tough games in 4 days, we need to spread out the work. Why not give the kids a chance and truly display the "you have to earn your ice time" mantra. Rask has certainly not earned his, and maybe he needs a little reminder.
I've given up on the hope that we can get help from outside.
If we can get the team going and the powerplay clicking, this season is far from over (just look at ARizona and the RAngers, they are facing a lot of tough questions), but we need to act now, instead of waiting until the season is lost.
– I love Jordan Staal…would be a great 3rd line center on a good team.
– Rask looked very slow to me. I had read that he worked on his footspeed in the offseason…but didn't show.
– 4th line a HUGE improvement over McClement era. Could be an advantage for the Canes this year.
– Aho drawing a LOT of defensive attention from opposition. He will need to work through this.
– Ryan and McGinn don't belong in the top 9 of a playoff contending team. Stempniak not much better when he returns…but he is better.
– Darling got outplayed by the other goalie last night. But I think a huge upgrade over Ward.
Last night was one of Slavin's poorer of the season. You should have seen him against Edmonton when he owned Connor McDavid 1v1 all night long, straight up shut him down, blocked five shots, and had a goal and an assist with I think a +3 rating. He was dominant. If he played that way every night he'd be a top 5 defenseman in the NHL. But you're right, he's probably not quite on Hedman's level. Yet.
Good points haunski. I feel the same way about Mcginn. I love his physical play and he has assists, I just wish he could score more. I do not see sending an assists leader to the AHL. I unfortunately find myself in the too quick to panic mode (because of the last several years). It is the best start in a while, thanks for keeping the perspective.
I felt we were better then TB the first period. Unfortunately they have a PP that works. The second period we just seemed to not do anything. The third period somebody flipped a switch and all of a sudden we had a team again.
We are not that far off, this was a 2 to 1 loss to the best team in the NHL (at this point). Our defense does have occasional gaffs, but guess what, so do the other teams we are playing. I felt Williams was really trying to kick start things, he had determination He is a leader along with Skinner and Slavin. I agree, he should have been captain. Skinner is always a threat. I felt Darling was trying hard as well. He is allowing two goals a game, that is not bad.
Now to the real problem. Scoring. PP, should Brind'Amour be heading that? It has been failing every year. It is destroying games we could potentially win. Aho has wiffed in multiple games, he may be trying too hard. Rask (and I like him) is non-existent, I see him fumbling pucks all the time, he needs to sit. Maybe its just years of seeing this team have the season be over in one month, and maybe it is not time yet but I am leaning toward sitting some forward as well and bringing up the AHL guys. The offense is not working and I do not like what I am seeing there. I agree with many of the comments above. I think changes are close to being needed. I am still hopeful but this offense is not looking good.
Agree with Breezy………as much as I would hate to see it because I am a huge Checkers fan………bring up Wallmark and Zykov. Wallmark for his scoring and Z for his net front presence. He is a beast in front of the net and big and strong. Sit Rask down! He has been horrible. Don't know what it is with him. Aho is going thru the dreaded sophomore jinx but still play making. I am for trading Faulk and Rask and lower draft pick for Duchence now. Know its a pipe dream and don't if it works with cap space.
What about Galchenyuk, for Rask and a 3rd rounder and Faulk for Duchene?
That's a lot, especially considering the assets you'd have to swing to get Galchenyuk in the first place. We already have one rookie defenseman in the lineup that has to be sheltered a bit, who do you presume would take Faulk's place? McKeown, who is 21 and struggled a large amount of last season in the AHL? Defense hasn't been great so far, and he's our best offensive threat from back there, even though he's starting slowly just like he does every year (along with half the team). Otherwise, I'd love to move Rask and ?? (someone else) with a third rounder. I'm starting to think Duchene isn't going anywhere, though.
Personally, Slavin+Pesce, Hannifin+Fluery, Carrick+ TVR if it meant getting an offensive stud. Full disclosure I'm not sure if those matchup with Left vs Right handed but developing defensemen on the fly is not a problem with this team. Maybe Faulk will turn it around but I'm sensing some bad (resentment/unhappy/) vibes, about being upstaged by both Slavin and Pesce. I hope he finds some fire but i haven't seen enough. Also Galchenyuk value is at an all-time low and a pvp + draft pick might cause less problems. I don't know I like them both but 2017-18 rask/faulk have been invisible.
Looks like we're going with the same lineup tomorrow night against Toronto. Because, you know, why fix what's broken? I think all dedicated Cane's fans, by now, have a hair trigger reaction to losing in October, and we have every right to have that hair trigger. Because we've earned it over the last seven years. So here we go again… although we're still treading water at .500, the trigger finger's are definitely itching. Which means these next three games are going to swing that .500 pendulum one way or the other. And me? My finger's on the trigger. But I'm not quite pulling it just yet.
no speed. We need that, or we need to be physical and play a heavy game. Right now we are neither and it makes us very easy to play against. Maybe a guy like Kuokkanen or Saarela has enough speed to make a difference. I don't know what to do, but we need to make changes before we're 4-5 games below .500 and have to play the same mountain climbing garbage.
Teravainen had been on the ice for almost a minute at that point. He was already exhausted when he got the puck.
When any defender prospect from the Canes' organization becomes NHL-ready, the first thing I would do is trade Faulk for a capable top6 forward.
We don't have any elite scorers other than Skinner….period and he is streaky at best. It has been this way for the last umpteen years. I tend to err on the patience side but something gotta give. I would trade scoring for lack of depth on the blue line. Go after Duchene or Galchenyuk or like others have said bring up some of the talent in Charlotte and bench the ones in Raleigh not proforming. Let's see if that is the answer. Who knows we may find a hidden gem or two. I am just getting tire of the same old same old year after year. I give Francis credit he is on the right track and is building the right way but that takes time. I just wished he had address the scoring before the season.
Since others think changes are necessary I offer an opportunity. The Ducks are close to win now mode with the age of Getzlaf and Perry. If Fowler's injury is serious, then they need a LHD. From Carolina's perspective Carrick is close.
So Rask and Fleury for Rakell and a 2018 1st or 2nd.