The Captain is fuming this morning. His beloved 'Canes, a combination of gritty over-achievers, outright talent, and youthful energy, are being submarined night in, night out by a porous defense. Our all-star goalie looks like a career AHLer lately, and WE LET A TEAM BELOW US IN THE STANDINGS MOVE UP CLOSER TO OUR PLAYOFF SPOT by absolutely playing like a bunch of pansies in our own end. When will it end? How can it be fixed?

1. Trade Pitkanen -- the dude DOES NOT want to be here. He never hits anyone, pinches at inopportune times and his slap passes have gotten old. I'm sure he's got talent and experience, but for someone in his contract year he is NOT putting forth the best effort, despite his INEFFECTIVE big minutes every night. Get him out, get some youngsters up, do anything except leave this guy out there to create chances for the other team.

2. Fire Tom Rowe -- lots of experience, a great guy, but GOOD LORD our defense has been rotten for a few seasons now. You can blame the forwards for not getting back all you want, but our defense is bad, bad, BAD at the most basic defensive tactics and is one of the LEAST physical in the league.

3. Change the scheme -- people keep pointing to Mo hockey needing the forwards to come back and help on defense for it to work. Well guess what? IT AIN'T WORKING. You need to change the scheme defensively; the rest of the league has Mo hockey figured-out.

Interested in hearing what others suggest for FIXING THE DEFENSE. If you'd like to argue that our defense is GREAT, go right ahead, you will lose that argument. YOU CANNOT ARGUE THAT WE HAVE EVEN A GOOD DEFENSE. If you do, then you are totally blind, IMHO.

Let's go, 'Canes! Make some changes and let's get that playoff spot!!!