Well, some of those “final thoughts and questions” are the same hot buttons I’ve been pushing since early last season.

Re: Not enough jump - clearly the schedule on multiple occasions has not been our friend. Games, rough games at that on Thursday, Friday, and then Sunday certainly don’t help. On the other hand, these guys are VERY well paid professionals and no one has forced them into this career. On the other other hand, it IS a tough career physically, certainly tougher than mine which gives my backside a beating for my daily shifts :-) but still, it is demanding of the players and their audience demands more.

Re: defense of Cam Ward - while it IS clear that the organization defends Cam as the number one, it is also clear that Leighton can push him and push him harder than anyone since Gerber. I don’t know if one is better than the other, but I do think Michael needs to be given a shot at the number one number one.

Re: highly paid stars especially Staal. It is also clear that since the cup year, Eric has been more than lollygagging about on multiple occasions on the ice. Eric has all the skills to be one of the top 10 offensive players in the entire NHL but he just seems to lose focus too many times. I don’t want to hazard a guess as to why that happens, but I don’t think the fact is lost on most people. I have, for a couple of years though, thought a week on the bench might help light Eric’s fire. Eric, if you’re reading this please understand I have no intention of being “mean spirited” in my comments.

And Bubba, since you mentioned the lack of television yesterday, it turns out it’s the straw that broke this camel’s back. NHL Center Ice package is being canceled today at this household. I bought it specifically to receive, I thought, the Canes games not available OTA here, but this is either the 2nd or 3rd one that wasn’t broadcast.

I think more than anything you are sending the wrong message to both goalies by giving Ward the start yesterday. Leighton played a great game vs. Ottawa and more than earned a second straight appearance in the crease. I am starting to jump on board the blame Lavi boat. Seems to me that he is juggling the lines so much, no one is getting a chance to gel. Part of that blame for that,however, does fall on some of the non producing stars of this team. JR also gets a big heaping helping of blame too. I believe it is JR’s influence that is insulating Cam Ward from “in house” criticism. He seems to have so much faith in Ward, when the writing is so clearly on the wall.
Heck, it is conceivable that JR is pressuring Lavi to give Ward the starts he is getting.

All I know is, yesterday was the fork in the road. If they want to make the post season they have to start putting away people like Atlanta at home. This organization needs a kick in the @$$ RIGHT NOW.

I dont know if you guys were at the game yesterday but they team looked terrible. 5 pucks did get past Ward but I only saw 1 of them that he Could have stopped. The players in front of him were just terrible! I felt sorry for him sitting back there. The guys were turning pucks over and not skating back. As far as a goalie controversy, I personally think that is a joke! Leighton does have good stats this year but if I remember correctly he hasnt been playing the likes of the Capitals or facing 60 shots against the Islanders. He faces 20 and 30 shot games and like against Toronto he gives up what, 4 or 5 goals? The only difference in that game and the game yesterday was the guys in front of the goaltender were scoring. Before throwing the blame on the goaltender in any game, look at the guys skating in front.

And as far as calling out highly paid stars, Ward is a star but he isnt even getting half as much money as Stall or some of the other guys. I think that is why he wasnt getting called out in that argument. He is one of the more underpaid #1 goalies in the league. And Yes, I said it, he is our #1, get over it!

First off, welcome back Bubba!

Second, since the game wasn’t on, I can only go by what I’ve read from all of you, the press, ect.

I go back to what I said a few games back. The team seems to play harder in front of Leighton. Granted, this was the third game in four nights and one the team probably overlooked, but I think the team expects Cam to carry them when he’s in net. It’s a disturbing trend, to say the least.

I don’t know if this happened at all last night, but I think the team needs to try to get the puck on net a little more on outside shots. There’s nothing wrong with a wrist shot from the point — it’s increases the chance you’ll get a bounce off a body and get a goal. Not everything has to be a slapshot.

Wednesday will go a long way toward determining the direction this team is going on. There needs to be a 100 percent effort vs. Washington.

Wylde, I agree. I also believe that a lack of toughness, or perceived lack of toughness also plays into the disarray.
    You can also only take your belief in a goalie so far – at some point, Ward HAS to start producing wins. Good goalies steal games when the team isn’t up to par; Ward has had that opportunity, and may have that potential, but he’s had a few years to show his potential. Time to start looking to Leighton.
    Also – responsibility for motivating a team falls at the coach’s feet. How long did Lavi last on the island before his players tuned him out? Maybe the time has come.

Jonathan,

No doubt, there is plenty of blame to go around to the forwards and our blue line, but a true #1 makes at least a couple of those saves.

And your logic on Leighton is flawed. TBL hung 46 shots on Leighton IN Tampa, and he stood on his head for that win. He also faced 33 against Toronto. His one loss was a messy 4-1 game against the Pens.

We have to agree to disagree there, Jonathan, because IMO Ward is a very big part of the problem.

I was at the game yesterday…. I and I would have rather taken a railroad spike through my forehead than to have to watch the team play like that again…. it was worse than torture!!!

I agree that goalies need to steal victories from time to time but not ALL the time. How about the game against the islanders? Was that not a steal? Stopping a penalty shot with .7 seconds left in the game. Or the shut out against St.Louis? Im not saying there havent been a few soft goals that have cost him and the team but all in all I dont see how all the losses are put on him. In fact some of leightons win’s i wouldnt put on leighton. I dont think he has been good enough to win some of his games but the guys actually scored for us. Case in point is the Toronto game at home. There is no goalie out there that is going to win with no “run support”. I just dont see how you can give up on Ward this early in the season.

Wylde,
Did you go to the game yesterday? Did you not see a couple of Wards saves in the first and third periods? The one that comes to my mind is him sliding across and making a pad block on a wide open man.

I think bottom line is keep Ward in the net Wednesday night against Washington and let some of our guys get healthy. I think that is the main problem. We are playing against NHL teams with AHL defensemen. That is going to be a problem for the whole team!

As far as Lavi goes, he needs to stop screwing with the different lines and the goalies. Make someone your #1, whoever it is, and stick with them.

This just in - Carolina is in first place!

Jonathan,

I think Ward in net on Wednesday is a colossal mistake. It tells Ward, your job is safe no matter how you perform and it tells Leighton,the organization has no confidence in you, or intention of giving you a chance to run with the job for a while. It was our stick with your #1 mentality that burned us last year (the only difference was last year we had no choice but to stick with our #1, this year we do.)

Chips n salsa,

This also just in Washington is 2 points behind with 2 games in hand. We held first in the division almost all of last year too, look how well that turned out.

I am not doom and gloom about this team. I think this season could turn out great, but we have to do something because this teams place in the standings is not indicative of how they have played. Eventually ( and I think very soon) it is going to catch up to us, and we are going to start sliding. If we can head it off before that happens, great, if not, we are looking at another year on the wrong side of the playoff bubble, the worst place to be. No playoff revenue, and no high draft picks.

Actually Jonathan, the D is the one place where there isn’t an AHLer. The last time any of those guys played in the AHL was Babchuk two seasons ago. And Pitkanen and Gleason were only in the A in 2004-05 b/c they were eligible to be during the lockout. Both had already played in the NHL a sign. amount of games and likely wouldn’t have gone back.

Well my only problem with them is that if they are NHL caliber(Babchuk and Melichar) then why arent they getting the ice time? I think Melichar only saw 8 shifts yesterday? That is just putting more ice time on the other guys which is just wearing them out. My point is that with 6 solid defenders back there, I dont think we will be having this problem. I cant wait for the whole team to get healthy! I think we will be flying high then!

Someone wrote about giving up on Ward so early in the season; it’s been like 3 seasons now that he’s sucked regularly.

well whatever is ailing, Wednesday is must win. We have to put Washington out in regulation and pull a four point washout of our last meeting with them.

Im with you Capt. Stinky…..its not that Im givin up on ward so early in THIS season…..I pretty much gave up on him a season or 2 ago! Its not that he doesnt make the good save, he has stolen games for us, Ive seen him play good for long periods. With Ward it just seems that he only gives up goals when they matter most. Like when the pressure is really on. Last year it seemed like he had a problem giving up a goal or 2 on the first 5 shots……every game. he has absolutely no chance in hell of ever winning a Shoot Out and aside from the Penalty shot he stopped on Weight, he has probably worse than a 50 percent chance on stopping a break away. I feel like if my grandmother could be hit with a beautiful down ice pass from Whitney to get in all alone with Ward,…..I gotta bet on Grandma scoring!

Sucked huh? Not to harp on the stanley cup because that was a few years ago but who won that for Carolina and who was named MVP? Lose a few games that he shouldnt have, sure, but suck, far from it.

And as far as shootouts go, you think goalies have an advantage or even a 50/50 chance? No way! Thats for the fans and to be honest, I think that is a joke of a way to finish a long, hard faught game. The NHL needs to look into changing that rule!

And Wylde, I agree that Wednesday is a must win! GO CANES!

Jonathan
I dont agree with the Shootout either, im just sayin if I had my pick of any of the starting goalies and half the backup goalies to face a breakaway or a shootout Cam would be my last pick. And please stop with the Conn Smythe mess, yes he was good for that month when Gerbs was sick….thats been a long time ago……he either needs to back it up or go home. WARD “ALMOST” SUCKS……and I still think my grandma’d beat him on a breakaway!

Well I couldnt disagree with you more but you are entitled to your own opinion although it is a bad one. Capt. Stinky is the one that said he has “sucked” for 3 years now. I think the conn smythe was within that 3 year window.

I think he will prove you all wrong and by the end of the year you will be hoping that the canes can resign him to a long term deal. Mark my words!

Jonathan, I would not lay money on your predictions, but I certainly hope you are right.

He’s got way to much skill as well as potential!

This from LSB……..
In further analyzing the Atlanta game, Laviolette thought the Canes were too lax offensively.

“Defensively we didn’t give up a lot,” he said. "There weren’t a lot of shots (22). We didn’t give up a lot of quality chances. But we gave up five goals, so we need to be better.

Okay, so how I translate is “The defense played good, held them to only 22 shots, most werent even quality chances, yet Ward gives up five goals, so he needs to be better.”

I believe we’ll be seeing Leighton in net wednesday

he said that right after the game, not after further analysis. lets make sure we are puttin the whole truth on here tyler

sorry, the “In further analyzing the Atlanta game, Laviolette…..” was supposed to be in quotations as I pulled it from LSB along with Lavi’s quote. Even still, what if it was right after the game, maybe it was the second thought that ran through his mind, its still an analysis, and how the hell can you tell me that Lavi didnt begin analyzing that game the minute the buzzer sounded? I read your post and immediately analyized that I needed to let you know that was from the LSB blog, and seconds later, while FURTHER ANALYZING your post, realized you make no sense!

Either way, I’d still like to hear your/anyones opinion on Lavi’s wording, was that an indescript shot at Ward…..I dont see how it couldnt be?

I agree Tyler- Sounds like Lavi knows that Cam lost that game. I cant put out an opinion for this one cause I did not see it… but Ward has “sucked” for about 2 years now.

Jonathan- a few great saves DO NOT make up for letting in the easy ones. Ever.

One question I have is all of this bad talk about Ward and how bad he has played over the past couple of seasons but after looking back and confirming my thought, was Ward not tied for 4th most wins by a goalie in the NHL last season? I mean that doesnt happen by luck, and I think you all would agree with that. Did the team miss the playoffs last year, yes but to put that on the goalie who won ALOT of games, I just dont think is fair. Any thoughts?

My only thought it to look at games played. If I remember correctly Cam also played more games then most if not all of the other top goalies in that stat area. Cam had a good stretch of games last year… but he started and ended the season playing like his now.

Pack,
your memory has mistaken you. Nabokov,Brodeur,Kiprusoff and Lundqvist(who tied Ward in wins) all played 72+ games. Ward only played 69. Miller played 76 games and only won 36. Luongo played 73 and won 35. I think you would agree that Manny Legace and Rick Dipietro are top notch goalies. Legace played 66 games and won only 27 and Dipietro played 63 and only won 26.

My point before was Ward was at the top the league in wins last year and you all are saying he has been bad for years. The three goalies in front of him last year are pretty great goalies. He played 69 games last year and won 37, tied for 4th most. If your statement is correct about him starting off slow then we should expect him to start getting hot. Why give up on him so early and make false statements about how bad he has played the past couple of seasons?

Just read that Leighton is starting in goal tomorrow night against Washington. I expect (though I hope I’m wrong) a similar outcome as the one against Pittsburg.

I have to believe that the coaching is the problem here with the goalies. I dont think that what he is doing is healthy for the organization. Is Lavi worried about his job security?

Any thoughts?

I knew Leighton would be starting……..

You didnt KNOW, you thought. I think it is a big mistake and we will see tonight!