Crunch Time For Carolina
by Bob Wage on Mar 15, 2010 6:00 AM EDT
62 comments
The Carolina Hurricanes have 14 games left on their schedule and presently find themselves 8 points behind eighth place Boston, who currently holds the coveted final playoff spot in the East.
Even though the Canes have been one of the hottest teams in the league since the first of the year, they put themselves into such a deep hole during the first part of the season that it was almost impossible to dig their way out of it.
To their credit, the team never gave up though because mathematically, they still had a chance. But the time is drawing near when even a remote chance could soon be gone.
A loss to Boston on Tuesday night would just about seal their fate.
| DIV | GP | W | L | OT | Pts | GF | GA | DIFF | Home | Away | L10 | Streak | ||
| 1 | SE | 69 | 46 | 14 | 9 | 101 | 270 | 195 | +75 | 26-4-4 | 20-10-5 | 5-2-3 | Won 1 | |
| 2 | ATL | 69 | 41 | 23 | 5 | 87 | 217 | 197 | +20 | 21-10-3 | 20-13-2 | 6-1-3 | Won 1 | |
| 3 |
* - Buffalo Sabres
|
NE | 67 | 36 | 21 | 10 | 82 | 183 | 170 | +13 | 21-9-6 | 15-12-4 | 4-3-3 | |
| 4 | ATL | 67 | 40 | 24 | 3 | 83 | 180 | 162 | +18 | 22-9-1 | 18-15-2 | 4-5-1 | Lost 1 | |
| 5 | NE | 69 | 37 | 27 | 5 | 79 | 186 | 197 | -11 | 23-9-4 | 14-18-1 | 4-5-1 | Lost 2 | |
| 6 | ATL | 68 | 36 | 28 | 4 | 76 | 203 | 185 | +18 | 21-12-2 | 15-16-2 | 6-3-1 | Lost 1 | |
| 7 | NE | 70 | 35 | 29 | 6 | 76 | 191 | 194 | -3 | 18-13-4 | 17-16-2 | 7-3-0 | Won 5 | |
| 8 | NE | 67 | 30 | 25 | 12 | 72 | 167 | 172 | -5 | 14-13-6 | 16-12-6 | 6-3-1 | Lost 1 | |
| 9 | ATL | 69 | 31 | 29 | 9 | 71 | 181 | 188 | -7 | 15-15-6 | 16-14-3 | 5-3-2 | Won 2 | |
| 10 | SE | 68 | 28 | 28 | 12 | 68 | 182 | 209 | -27 | 18-9-6 | 10-19-6 | 2-7-1 | Lost 1 | |
| 11 | SE | 68 | 28 | 29 | 11 | 67 | 200 | 221 | -21 | 15-13-5 | 13-16-6 | 3-5-2 | ||
| 12 | SE | 67 | 28 | 29 | 10 | 66 | 174 | 193 | -19 | 14-11-7 | 14-18-3 | 4-5-1 | Won 1 | |
| 13 | ATL | 69 | 28 | 32 | 9 | 65 | 180 | 214 | -34 | 19-13-3 | 9-19-6 | 4-5-1 | Won 2 | |
| 14 | SE | 68 | 28 | 32 | 8 | 64 | 189 | 211 | -22 | 18-13-3 | 10-19-5 | 7-2-1 | Lost 1 | |
| 15 | NE | 69 | 23 | 34 | 12 | 58 | 183 | 234 | -51 | 14-14-5 | 9-20-7 | 4-5-1 | Lost 1 | |
Carolina dropped to 14th place again in the East as the New York Islanders passed them during the weekend. But the Canes could still make some other teams sweat a bit with a few more key wins.
They play Boston twice, Montreal twice, Atlanta twice, and Tampa Bay twice in the coming three weeks. Each of these teams are vulnerable in their own way and could still be caught.
Boston is weaker without Marc Savard. Montreal has played 70 games and is giving up games in hand to everyone in the East. Atlanta looks very beatable right now and Tampa Bay has questionable goaltending.
The good news is that if the Canes could sweep those teams and pick up a few other wins against the tougher teams they also need to play, they could still make things very interesting. The bad news is, if they lose once or twice to any of those teams, the fat lady will be warming up for her season-ending performance.
And it will be a very long offseason for Caniacs.
Regardless, the team has played some very entertaining hockey in the last month or so, when it would have been very easy for them to throw in the towel, like Edmonton did. At least they have given fans a reason for hope in the future.
But it's really crunch time now. Will the Canes crumble, or continue to put on a valiant effort to make things interesting down the stretch? The game Tuesday night against the big, bad, Bruins will tell a lot.
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We are certainly seeing some exciting hockey… The fun part is seeing the young prospects and newly acquired players. Its fun seeing Rosey getting back to his speedy pesky form, as far as some of the other veterans and stars……ho hummm.. Gillimus gets a +1 when he said this season is defined by the 14 game winless streak, but also injuries, and extremely poor scoring consistency need to also be mentioned. Cheers to early tee times and The Rats winning the Calder!
Crumble
We should make things easy on ourselves and drop our next 4. None of the remaing games are easy, but getting Washington twice, Pittsburg, Buffalo, Jersey, and Montreal twice will be too much.
When I saw the scores around the league Saturday night, when we were only down 2-0 to PHX, I decided it was time to root for PHX. With the amount of help we need from teams in front of us, we are practically eliminated from the playoffs from where I stand.
Go draft pick! It was fun while it lasted “optimism about the playoffs”, but I’ve met someone new, “Optimism for talented youth”
Canes in the Playoffs this year is a no-go.
If they play like they did against Phoenix in any of their remaining games, they will not make the playoffs at all.
Thank you Jim Rutherford and Ray Whitney for working together for Ray to stay a Hurricane! :)
‘splain this “pssible” to me. Type slow so I get it. Might need 93 points to get in if so they ain’t got enough games left, so that would be mathmatical like not gonna happen. So is this possible based on 92 to get in?
Any stat./anlyt. people out there? What’s the odds on winning 14 in a row? I would guess the odds are better that we lose all 14, considering they have pulled that off once already. If we lose all 14, where might we pick in the draft?
It’s looks like the epic failure is complete and the season is over to me. They sucked planty well enough to make the season rotten to watch except the last month or two. Then instead being consistent (JR, MO look that one up, it would be nice if you learned that word…) and getting a high draft pick, we get no play offs and a draft pick selection that in no way compares to the pain and suffering this team has given the fans this year.
Now my favorite subject. Rod, WTF? Retire you tool. Every game you hold off the announcment you lose respect in my book. There is no worse player in the league, enjoy that -26 buddy. So pony up and make the deal happen. Then everyone can hop on the Love Rod Bus, have a game in your honor and get drunk and thank the gods you are gone. If you force a buy out instead of manning up you can forget me buying you a beer. That would be the a selfish petty and classless act of somebody that has never displayed those “quality’s” before..
I’ll buy the plane ticket to where ever if they send Cole there for good.
I find it pretty discouraging that the 2 slots filled ineptly by those two are causing an opportunity for a couple Rats to be here.
Only 14 games left to feel how they will do in the NHL before next year when it counts. Unless JR wants to piss away another whole season with analy injected thumbs at the ready.
My .02 is there needs to be one or two players added. Maybe Osala is one, maybe Rodney is the other. Ain’t gonna find out unless they are playing with the team.
Whew, that felt good!
Wooo, woo, Woooooooooooo
Rick Flair
A
Errors of opinion may be tolerated where reason is left free to combat it.
He who knows nothing is closer to the truth than he whose mind is filled with falsehoods and errors
We must indeed all hang together, or most assuredly we shall all hang separately
Oh Paladin. If you actually give a piss about the effect any of the rising talent will have, I think at this point you want them in the AHL. Let them go and win and play game that are meaningful and have real pressure to them. Let them go and get the chemsitry together to make a deep Calder run. Let them learn about post season pro hockey and winning and losing when it matter most. If we are truly done, let them get a chance at .
Besides if you feel that cole and brindy are reasons we are losing, then why would you want them gone now, and replaced by AHL’ers who in your opinion will win us games, when your first argument is that we should clearly be concerning ourselves with losing. You can’t have your crap cake and eat it too.
As far as the feeling out process is concerned, that is what the preseason is for. If the organization can do that well again ( the last really great preseason we went on to win the freakin cup) I think we can have a great season next year.
by wylde4canes on Mar 15, 2010 10:18 AM EDT up reply actions
You can’t have your crap cake and eat it too.
LMAO. I would like to know when the AHL playoffs start. I would like to see the yougins down there for a Calder Cup run, esp. Peters.
( the last really great preseason we went on to win the freakin cup)
didn’t we only have like 4 preseason games this year? Foreshadowing I think they call that.
by CarolinaCanes on Mar 15, 2010 10:56 AM EDT up reply actions
Typically
We play 6 pre-season games – home and homes with Phillie, Atlanta, and Nashville. This year we went with 4 because JR felt the additional 2 were unnecessary increasing the chance of injury. Next year we’ll go with 6-8 guaranteed.
I’m curious what they’ll do given the start in Finland.
by Cory Lavalette on Mar 15, 2010 11:56 AM EDT up reply actions
That's right
I almost forgot, they’ll split their camp. Half will play pre-season games against NHL teams and half will play against Euro-Pro teams. As the camp gets closer to start of the season they’ll combine and I’ll bet their final pre-season games will against a Finnish squads.
that will be interesting. I’m super stoked about next year. I don’t think I’ve been this excited about “next year” since….. well I’m also a Cubs fan so…. Nevermind.
by CarolinaCanes on Mar 15, 2010 12:06 PM EDT up reply actions
Hey Wylde, if YOU actually grasped what’s happening. Screw the AHL, that’s wannabe crap for those that ain’t got the quan. 14 games in the NHL that mean diddly shit to the NHL team, you can actually use to evaluate players is priceless. Priceless being the only salvageable aspect of this wreck of a season JR gave us.
Wylde, no off. but it is beyond assinine to keep any potetial prospect at the AHL level for the next 14 games if they have potetial. Bring them up and evaluatethem at real time and speed. It’s almost unheard of to get this opportunity. Not to mention that objectively, I understand the mindless unobjective idiots that want Rod and Cole to play, but come on. Scratch Rod and give Stormy a shot. A minus 26 guy or a bag pof pucks?
Use what’s left of the season and glean the max. Do something intelligent and right for once.
The AHL over the next 14 games has absolute zero benifit over NHL time at about 4 to 1.
The opportunity is now to evaluate what we have and learn the needs, the AHL has no answers, only potential.
A
Errors of opinion may be tolerated where reason is left free to combat it.
He who knows nothing is closer to the truth than he whose mind is filled with falsehoods and errors
We must indeed all hang together, or most assuredly we shall all hang separately
Paladin, if I had seen the tailgate post for Saturdays’ game, I would have joined! I was sitting at home with nothing to do anyways…blah!
Can someone please get Manny a new shirt? He DESERVES one.
I think my “n” key is dead..
Wish you were there. I crashed East of Here and them’s area. They are great folks and funny as hell. I have always felt welcome albeit a curiosity. I’m actualy kinda nice in person, I like being a dick here.
Maybe we can get a CC tailgate Epic Extravaganza planned. I’d be willing to chip in beer or dogs or kidnap a crapital for roasting…
A
Errors of opinion may be tolerated where reason is left free to combat it.
He who knows nothing is closer to the truth than he whose mind is filled with falsehoods and errors
We must indeed all hang together, or most assuredly we shall all hang separately
I haven’t looked at the weather for Thursday yet. I’m probably going to leave work at 4 instead of five so I can head home and get ready. Myself, my wife and my brother are coming along…to see the Capitals…now with 100% less Ovenchicken!
Can someone please get Manny a new shirt? He DESERVES one.
TAILGATE!!!!!!
A
Errors of opinion may be tolerated where reason is left free to combat it.
He who knows nothing is closer to the truth than he whose mind is filled with falsehoods and errors
We must indeed all hang together, or most assuredly we shall all hang separately
You just hate agreeing with me…
:-o
A
Errors of opinion may be tolerated where reason is left free to combat it.
He who knows nothing is closer to the truth than he whose mind is filled with falsehoods and errors
We must indeed all hang together, or most assuredly we shall all hang separately
I’ve neverminded agreeing with ya man, it just happens so rarely its hard to see if you don’t know what your lookin for :)
by CarolinaCanes on Mar 16, 2010 11:53 AM EDT up reply actions
well if the canes do, they do…if they don’t they don’t…being a fan means ( to me anyway) win,lose or draw..the team ( as in the players) have my support…now and while i like millions of other fans do complain and critize when the owners & some players screw up big time. But to me that is just being part of being a fan…now I would HOPE and would LOVE to see the canes get into the playoffs…even if they only were to last for the one round( 4 games) but i’d rather have them NOT make it and end the season healthy and wiser than they were at the start of this season…but i’m just one fan who has faith…but understands that players like fans…are just human beings…not “transformers”
able to do and accopmlish super things & tasks…Go Canes !!
Relax !! Even Micro Wave Popcorn takes time !! Go Canes !!
au contraire
Gleason actually can acomplish super (human) things and task, but for the most part you are right.
I like where we are right now, no chance to get in the top two but it looks like if the season ended today we would have our pick of two stud d-men. We have been forward heavy for a while now, I want to see a great defense and as Cory stated we have the makings of one now. Just add an all world prospect to that like Gormley or Fowler and we might have something there. I know JJ was a 3rd overall pick, we traded him for Timmy obviously, but if we draft one of these two guys ( i too am leaning Gormley) that would be like having our (regular) cake and eating it too.
by CarolinaCanes on Mar 15, 2010 11:28 AM EDT up reply actions
Draft
It would be nice if he can get 2 top 10 picks. Forward and a dman. I have to think that someone would find value to say our 2 of our 2nd round picks and Peters or another prospect. You’d be crazy to think that JR’s not going to go after an additional 1st round pick.
I would like to see the same. I would like to see a scoring winger with some size to hopefully one day get top line duties. If somehow sequin (sp) falls to us at 3 (assuming we stay where we are) I would like to see us trade back into the first for a Dman. Even if we have to give up the rest of the draft and a prospect.
I think Peters’ value will increase dramatically in the next year or two. I’m not so sure trading him right now is the best bet moving forward. Unless he helps us get two in the top 10 like you said, then all bets are off. The value of high end first rounders is too much to overlook compared to later rounds, I would be hard pressed to dis-like any deal that puts us back up there for our second pick.
by CarolinaCanes on Mar 15, 2010 11:54 AM EDT up reply actions
Us giving away our 1st
The other thing we’re not considering is what if we swapped our 1st round pick and maybe 1 of our 2nds for a top six forward. There’ll be 6-8 teams that will have no choice but to move salary before the start of next season.
“I think Peters’ value will increase dramatically in the next year or two. I’m not so sure trading him right now is the best bet moving forward”
Until Wards back issues are all worked out, and he proves he can stay relatively healthy over the course of 82 games, we may need to hold on to Peters.
Agreed
But it depends what’s on the table, to get a player of value we’re going to have to give someone up of value and the big perk with Peters is what he’ll up costing, he’s an RFA at July 1st and he’ll probably end up costing $850ish, which is a nice number for a competent backup.
true, everythings for sale for the right price, but I think you hang on to him till the last minute. Good goaltending is very hard to find. If Cam ends up with a short career and we trade Peters and he becomes a solid #1 then you can really effect the next forever. Look at the teams that dont have solid goaltending and how long they’ve been trying to find it.
another thing is if Peters proves that he is more than capiable over the next year or two, what do you think Cam would fetch? Peters would be cheaper and Cam could land us a top line winger. I love Cam, I can’t think of ANY goaltender I would rather have than him. But at the end of the day… you have to consider your options. I guess we have a couple years before that becomes an issue,lol.
by CarolinaCanes on Mar 15, 2010 12:46 PM EDT up reply actions
Cam's Health
Will be the big factor. If he’s healthy he’s among the top 3-4 goalies in the NHL, in that’s case you’d crazy to trade him. He’s signed long-term, so he’s going nowhere.
I seriously doubt Peters will have value. He looks like a backup at best. There are just too many other goalies on the market with way more potential.
I would have to disagree at this point in time. Remeber Cams rookie year. It was a little less than good (completely omitting the playoffs obviously). Peters shows the tools needed to be a good goalie at this level, I’ve been very excited about him for a while now and it looks like that wasn’t misplaced. His teamates speak of him like they do Cam (ice water in the veins,blah blah blah) and he is very poised from what I’ve seen. But ofcourse promising goalie prospects come and go, just ask Montreal. The reason for my statement was more for the thought provoking nature. Basically could you ever imagin a sinero where we would trade Cammy. Speaking with some “talking heads” durring the playoffs last year he seems to be considered a top 3 goalie in the league. Considering his age there is no one eles id rather have. Like I said, more to provoke thought/conversation than anything at this point in Peters career.
by CarolinaCanes on Mar 15, 2010 5:03 PM EDT up reply actions
I hope we lose every game for the rest of the season. That is what will benefit the team going forward.
So, I’m taking it you are not a season ticket holder?
Because I’m personally hoping for a bit more entertainment than an Edmonton lose-fest and don’t care to have the stink of losing on my team going into the off-season.
I’m not a STH, and I DEFINITELY don’t want them to lose all of those. I’d rather them go into the offseason feeling better about the last half of the season vs. the first half.
Can someone please get Manny a new shirt? He DESERVES one.
Ive said it before…….“When you walk away with your pride intact, its hard to be a loser no matter what the score is.”
“Feeling Good” = worthless. They are professional athletes, all they have to do is play hockey, they should feel great about their lives. They aren’t 10 year olds at halftime looking for some encouragement.
Top 5 draft pick = Benefits the team for years into the future.
I agree with you JussiJuice. I want to see the young guys develope and make some nice plays have an entertaining brand of hockey that makes you feel good about the future, but ultimatly lose the game. Maybe lose in OT or something I dont care. But I do want to stay right where we are as I doubt we can move down any.
I’m sure the team felt pretty good after last year, we sure did. Where did that get us? I think a top 3 pick will make the team better than an 8 or 9 pick and the “feeling good about what we did at the end of the season”.
by CarolinaCanes on Mar 15, 2010 4:43 PM EDT up reply actions
I’m a STH and I certainly don’t cheer for them to lose. I actually am very happy whenever they win (especially when they beat the Pens). I find it hard to believe a fan would actually watch the game and root against them and I don’t think that is what people with my opinion do. However I can’t lie to myself and say honestly that I would rather win the rest of the season than lose a few games, end up with a top-5 pick, and get a GREAT asset for the future.
I guess I’m just a big fan of the draft. I spend a lot of time poking around researching these draft picks and what they could become, especially when we are in the position to grab one. I think with a top-5 pick we are really setting ourselves up to be an awesome team next year. Add another top-4 D and I think we have the playoffs on lock.
Its not that I root against the team. I too am more happy when we win than when we lose. I was slightly exagerating the ultimatly lose thing, but only slightly. I loved the Pit game and will be pissed if we lose to Boston (eaither game) and now that we are all but out, i can relax a bit. I was very worried that we would keep up the pace and finish 9th or 10th in the confrence and have th 8 or 9th pick. But we do have like 3 teams that are within a point or two of us. and we might even have a game in hand. I would be lying if I said I hope we win out. I hope that doesn’t reflect on my “fan-hood”, but I do think that a top 3 or 4 pick would do much more for our team than the 9th pick and a good fuzzy feeling inside.
by CarolinaCanes on Mar 15, 2010 4:58 PM EDT up reply actions
The Hurricanes Draft
The likely result is that the Hurricanes will finish somewhere between 28th and 25th. As long as the Hurricanes get a top five pick, they will be rocking next year. I would prefer the third pick, which almost certainly would be the Cam Fowler pick. From what I’m seeing at Albany the Hurricanes have some very significant talent at forward. I would really love to get a super-star forward to go with Staal; but I can’t figure out how to make that happen with a top three pick. Others have articulately expressed the inherent value in getting a potential super star defenseman like Cam Fowler.
With all the talent in Albany, drafting power forwards this year beyond the top three pick, would likely mean the power forward would be developing for a few years before coming to Carolina. All that being said, if Tyler Seguin or Taylor Hall are available, the Hurricanes should take them in a nanosecond.
Fowler
Read an article last week that puts Fowler at five – Hall, Seguin, Gormley, Connolly, Fowler. From what I’ve seen and read both are terrific dmen, the difference is Gormley is a meaner, plays a lot more physical, and doesn’t play on as good of team. In any case, I’d rather draft a forward. If we get in the top five (which is how it’s looking) any one of those 3 will make an immediate impact and will not play in Charlotte. Yes, we seem to have talent in Albany but not elite talent, I think you would be hard pressed to say that anyone after Boychuk & maybe Bowman will develop into a top 3 forward on a good NHL team.
Go_Shelf, you have already convinced me on Gormley, Ive checked into him a bit more and I think your points on team/attitude hold water. I know nothing of Connolly. From what it looks like we will be happy with anyone in the top 5.
thanks for the insite over the last couple weeks.
by CarolinaCanes on Mar 15, 2010 4:47 PM EDT up reply actions
Hall, Seguin, Gormley, Connolly, and Fowler are all money. I’d bet the house that all 5 will be playing in the NHL next year. Any of these 5 will help immensily. Connolly is the Hall/Seguin of the WHL and gets a lot less media coverage as the WHL is less popular in mainstream Canada than the OHL. He is a beast, putting on great individual efforts almost every single game and is a natural scorer. The QMJHL, which Gormley plays for, gets almost zero coverage in the USA and I think it hurts his standing.
After these 5, from most reports, the talent tapers off a bit. There are always Russian Fliers in Kabanov and Tarasenko, could be very hit or miss and I’d be very suprised if JR drafted Russian. Erik Gudbranson (D) is a top-10 pick, but not as developed as Gormley/Fowler. Niederietter, Burminstrov, and Granlund will also likely be top-10 picks, but they certainly aren’t on Hall/Seguin/Connolly’s level.
I wanna hang with you guys on draft day,lol. Good lookin out for those of us that do not follow junior hockey. You say Connolly is the Hall/Sequin of the WHL, do you mean it will be a crap shoot as to who has the better NHL career (meaning no much noticable drop off)?
by CarolinaCanes on Mar 15, 2010 4:49 PM EDT up reply actions
Well in my opinion it is really hard to compare them because they play in two different leagues. I think that the OHL (Ontario Hockey League) where Seguin, Hall, and Fowler play gets a lot better coverage in the USA because it is closer. It is very clear that Seguin and Hall are the dominant forwards in this league with 106 points each in 57 and 63 games respectively. Both show up huge (although Seguin more often because he is the only good player on his team) when it counts, Seguin has a better shot while Hall is faster.
Brett Connolly plays in the Western Hockey League, which gets less coverage. He has missed a good portion of this year due to injury, initially he was ranked to be a top-5 pick. He is healed however now and is playing like a Demon. He has gotten the “goal of the week” in the WHL multiple times recently with some very pretty goals. He shows great individual efforts and is well known arount the Canadian Juniors for being a natural leader.
If there is anyone who might not play next year out of the top-5 it may be him simply because he missed a lot of this year due to injury. However I think at least for the first year out he would probably be just as effective as a rookie. I think Evander Kane is probably a good probably a good comparison player… Both are big, aggressive, natural goal scorers that have been/will be taken around the 5th overall pick.
It's just to late............
Even if the Canes could win every game left in the season I still don’t think they could get in. And if they could they would be out of gas just like last year.
Jos olet suomalainen jääkiekkoilija se tarkoittaa sitä potkaise aasi ja pisteet suuria tavoitteita.
The Hurricanes organization is very, very high on Boychuk, Bowman, Tlusty and Dalpe. I think all three have significant talent; but I also understand the point that a top three forward with superstar ability would really transform the Hurricanes in light of all the superb talent at Carolina and Albany. Dalpe has been outstanding this year and there is some thought that he might sign soon after the NCAA playoffs end. I, too, would draft a forward this year if I were GM. I’ve been reading great reviews of Gormley as well; but finding a big, fast, mean, scoring forward for Staal’s line would be my absolute first priority. McBain is getting rave reviews and I think the Hurricanes will want to give him some time at Carolina this season.
Dmen
Yep, we should promote Carson, McBain, and add someone through free agency. Our d would be Gleason, Carson, Pitkanen, McBain, Pothier, and free-agent. If you go through either capsgeek or hockeybuzz you’ll see a number of good-fit free agents out there. Seidenburg wouldn’t be a bad guy to bring back.
+1 on Seids.
AD-I could go eaither way, I’m partial to defensmen (but I’m partial to Defense in any game) but I will conced that Dmen rarely make an immediate impact, usually taking a couple years to become allstar quality. So I’m not going to be disappointed eiather way. I just can’t keep Pronger’s preformance in the 06 playoffs out of my head. He was shutdown all the way and I held my breath everytime he got the puck in his Ozone. A great Dman IMO can be of better value than a top flight scorer. But I mean GREAT and there arnt alot of those about. So who knows.
by CarolinaCanes on Mar 15, 2010 4:53 PM EDT up reply actions
I would rather see the Canes win, but I realize that losing most of the remaining games is probably the best for the long-term.
While the offense has struggled for stretches this season, I think a healthier group of forwards will certainly do better. Hell, we were tied for 10th in scoring before the Phoenix game. The real problem IMO is defense. The young guys we have are good, but I really want to see another very good defenseman – a all-around guy that leans more to a puck mover/shooter. I know everybody here wants a physical beast, but if you look at it right now; we don’t have a shooter back there. I also wouldn’t mind trading a Bowman and picks for a legit 3rd line center or another 1st round pick.
Triple Gold Juice - It's Potent and Guaranteed to Help You Score!
Don’t rule out Cullen resigning. It would be the most un-suprising move of the offseason. He said going to the NYR was hugh mistake and if you look at his numbers-his only true good season have been here in Carolina. That would be a free move right there (prospect/draft choice wise, obviously not money wise)
by CarolinaCanes on Mar 15, 2010 7:15 PM EDT up reply actions
I agree that a 14 win run is not going to happen and even if it did… no guaranteed playoff spot. I also am a STH and enjoy wins…loathe losses. I would be concerned if any pro player lost games on purpose. You would have to question their heart. On the other hand, I do agree that the final 14 games would be an excellent stage for Tlusty, Bowman, McBain, and Osala. While I respect Brindy, and he has played MUCH beter of late, I think he needs to retire in the summer. Cole, on the other hand, is a 3rd liner at best…maybe he needs to rest for 10 games or so. I also wonder about Sammy’s status with the team. He has been cycled down the the 4th in some games. Look…some players will have to go to make way for the youth or we will look very similar to the team we have now….who will it be and how?
Exnihilo
Lines Next Season
I completely agree that the inevitable change in lines will have to come at the expense of some very popular veterans being traded during the off-season, at the trade deadline, or not re-signed after next season. The forward position is already stacked with young talent and players who are too good to keep off the team. It is possible the organization will give some of these players more time to develop in Charlotte; but Tlusty, Bowman, Osala, Samson, and soon Dalpe have the talent to be impact players in the NHL. Sutter, Boychuk, and Dwyer have already demonstrated they deserve to stick this season at Carolina.
Of the five forwards above who are not presently at Carolina, at minimum three or four should be playing for Carolina at the start of the season. When one adds at least the first round draft pick for 2010, whom I believe will also be a forward, it seems inarguable that Samsonov and Brind’Amour will have a tough go of being on the team at the start of the season.
LaRose is going to have the fight of his life next season as well. LaRose has so many intangibles that help a team, but he is facing an onslaught of very, very gifted forwards. I never count LaRose out because he has so much will to succeed; but he needs to return to 20 goal a season form. Cole is an extremely interesting situation. As I have posted previously, but will repeat because it is pertinent to this discussion, the Hurricanes coaches and teammates tremendously value Cole’s contributions. I know I would be far happier with Cole’s play if he were more efficient in converting the open ice chances he gets. When coaches and players all have the same opinion about a player, as a fan I fully realize they know vastly more about the subject than me. I am cautiously optimistic that Cole’s neck injury flare-up will be less of an issue next season after therapy and time to recuperate.
McBain is almost certainly going to play for Carolina next season. If Rodney will get stronger over the off-season, he too should make the team next season.
I watched the Albany v. Syracuse game on AHLLive and the overall talent of the forwards is really impressive. Tlusty continues to be out with a lower body injury; but he was playing very well before he was injured. Osala is a man mountain and has great hands. He always seems to be around the puck.
As for me as a STH, I am taking the games one shift at a time. The team is already much, much better in terms of talent, speed, and commitment than it was at the start of this season. I hope for the best for the remainder of the season; but whatever happens, I look forward next year to a faster, bigger, more physical team with more net presence and a more deadly power play.
Rodney is a UFA.
I wouldn’t count on him being back in the organization — numbers game victim as much as anything. I suspect that’s why we haven’t seen as much of him as we have of Carson.
25 and 6 are our only signed NHL defensemen, plus we have RFA rights on Carson and Picard. We need one more veteran. Babchuk is a wild-card here, but setting him aside for a bit, I think it’s going to be interesting to see what JR does about the Pothier/Corvo slot. I would have bet at the deadline that JR was going back to Corvo on 1 July, but if Pothier holds up under the minutes we’re giving him, he might be a cheaper option and more able to flex into a pure defensive/physical role (since we know we’ve got puck movers in the system).
That 17-year-old Hokie sitting in the rafters in Greensboro didn't see any of this coming.
I wouldn’t mind seeing Pothier re-sign if its reasonable. He has truley impressed me.
by CarolinaCanes on Mar 16, 2010 12:00 PM EDT up reply actions
Rodney and Next Season
It is going to be fascinating to see what the organization decides to do with Rodney. I would not be surprised if he plays at Carolina next season; but he does have a battle on his hands to earn a roster spot.
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