Canes' Comeback Falls Short: Flyers 5, Carolina 3
by Lee Phillips on Nov 14, 2011 11:40 PM EST
in Carolina Hurricanes Game Recaps
Email
PrintThe Carolina Hurricanes had their moments of good hockey Monday night, but ultimately it was the Philadelphia Flyers that capitalized on their chances in defeating the Canes 5-3 in Raleigh. Philadelphia's Claude Giroux (2 goals, 1 assist) and Jaromir Jagr (2 assists) continued their dominance against the Canes as the Flyers jumped out to a 4-1 lead before hanging on late to win for the fifth time in their last eight games. The Canes, on the other hand, have now dropped six of their last eight contests.
The Hurricanes started off slow and never fully recovered as they allowed the Flyers to skate out to a quick 2-0 lead in the first period. Giroux snapped a shot past Carolina goaltender Cam Ward 1:19 into the game and newcomer Maxim Talbot punched in a shot off of a beautiful pass from Jakub Voracek from behind the net to double the lead.Jamie McBain coughed up the puck behind his own goaltender and the puck was in the back of the net before Ward knew what hit him. The Hurricanes did get a burst of energy as the clock dwindled down on the first period. With his team shorthanded, Patrick Dwyer finished off a give-and-go with Eric Staal to bring the Canes to within a goal, in a period that the Hurricanes had no business being even that close.
As the game wore on the Hurricanes seemed to get better. The second period started off with a few Carolina chances, but again it was Giroux to dash the hopes of the Carolina fans. Giroux finished off a three on two with a quick shot over the shoulder of Ward to again put the Flyers ahead by two.
The game might have shifted after that, as the Hurricanes were awarded a power play for the Flyers having too many men on the ice. That power play proved to be ineffective for the Canes as they weren't able to crack through Sergei Bobrovsky or the Flyers' defense. About a minute after that, the Flyers were awarded the same power play chance with Jeff Skinner going to the box. That power play proved to be more that effective as it took only 19 seconds forWayne Simmonds to tip a Giroux shot through the legs of Ward. The Flyers had a 4-1 lead and Ward was bounced from the game, with Brian Boucher coming in off the bench to relieve him.
As poorly as the Hurricanes played in the first 30 minutes of the game, they seemed to have turned around their play in the last half of the game.
Just over 12 minutes into the game Tuomo Ruutu finished off a beautiful passing play with Jeff Skinner and Jussi Jokinen to give the Canes yet another glimpse of hope. Jokinen fired a cross-crease pass over to Ruutu who scored his third goal in the past two games.
As the third period unfolded, the Canes seemed to have a lot of fight and energy, but the Flyers' defense held strong, limiting the Canes to only 5 shots on goal. 3:24 into the final frame, Tim Brent was called for tripping. During the Flyers' power play, the Canes again generated decent pressure on Bobrovsky. Patrick Dwyer was hauled down on a breakaway and awarded a penalty shot. Dwyer had never before been awarded such an opportunity, but he certainly made it count. Dwyer ripped his shot past Bobrovsky to bring the Canes to within a goal and electrify the RBC Center.
From that point on the Hurricanes continued to shoot themselves in the foot with three avoidable penalties. FirstTomas Kaberle took one for hooking, then seconds after the expiration of a power play, Alexei Ponikarovsky was whistled for interference. Lastly, Tuomo Ruutu was called alongside Andrej Meszaros for hooking. With the constant parade to the penalty box, it was difficult for the Canes to generate a lot of momentum. Then it was rookie Matt Readwho punched in a another beautiful pass from Voracek, delivering the biggest knock out blow to the Canes.
The Canes will get little time to rest as they now must get ready to travel to Montreal to take on the CanadiensWednesday night.
Game Notes:
It was a great night for the Canes in the faceoff circle as the team won 42 of 71 draws (59%). Eric Staal led the way with a 73% night, followed by Jokinen at 68% and Brent at 63%. The lowest average on the team was Sutter who still had a respectable 41%.
After leading the league in +/- early on in the season, Tim Gleason's rough stretch continued tonight. His -2 tonight brought him back down to an even rating, as he has been a minus in three of his last four games.
Carolina was 4-5 on the penalty kill, but did score two shorthanded goals (both by Dwyer, one being the penalty shot), but 0-4 on the power play.
The line of Zach Boychuk - Jiri Tlusty - Zac Dalpe had the best seats in the house for tonight's game. The trio saw a combined 10:53 of ice time (led by Tlusty's 4:19 and anchored by Dalpe's 2:41). 29 players for either side had more individual ice time than those three did combined.
Postgame Audio:
69 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
Great game from Dwyer
everybody else. . . gotta play 60 minutes.
And seriously, all the Flyers do is go down the middle with quick skating and passing. How do you leave the middle open in the first 90 seconds?
Heel for school, Vol for life!
Bolts, Preds, Canes (childhood team, home state team, hometown team). Canes mini-STH. Southern hockey solidarity!
by Incipient_Senescence on Nov 15, 2011 12:10 AM EST reply actions
That's why I like Dwyer over LaRose
Dwyer always plays hard too. But Dwyer does not make the mistakes Rosie makes. Dwyer doesn’t cost his team with dumb penalties. Dwyer is mroe effective defensively. Dwyer plays better on the PK.
They’re still pretty much the same skillsets, LaRose might score more, but he gives up more points with his gaffes than he contributes. Dwyer costs less.
Having both is redundant and allows Mo to bury our prospects….
by Squeaky83 on Nov 15, 2011 9:51 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
I agree having both is redundant. I was hoping over the summer that the less expensive option was kept, which would have been Dwyer. I will have to say I have been one who was hoping he’d be scratched so a younger guy could play. I would have scratched Dwyer for Stewart. He’s not going to turn into a scoring machine after last night but I have to give him credit and eat a little crow. One of the two should not be in the lineup, but $$$ kinda determines that Rosie is not a scratch. Well money and Mo’s death grip love affair with him.
I actually thought LaRose played pretty well yesterday
but without the benefit of instant replay, it’s hard to tell definitively sometimes. But there’s no arguing that Dwyer was impressive. I was about to ring McBain’s neck after that second goal though.
Heel for school, Vol for life!
Bolts, Preds, Canes (childhood team, home state team, hometown team). Canes mini-STH. Southern hockey solidarity!
by Incipient_Senescence on Nov 15, 2011 3:54 PM EST up reply actions
Larose also looked pretty good. There is rarely an effort question there. He just isn’t a natural finisher, as the missed goal in the second period (when he was shooting from the slot, directly behind a screening-Sutter).
bq.The line of Zach Boychuk – Jiri Tlusty – Zac Dalpe had the best seats in the house for tonight’s game. The trio saw a combined 10:53 of ice time (led by Tlusty’s 4:19 and anchored by Dalpe’s 2:41). 29 players for either side had more individual ice time than those three did combined.
I cannot stand it anymore. I know what is going to happen night after night when it comes to the use of young talent. I am just going to accept it and move into complacency until something is done. Nights where Dwyer and Larose have bib nights only solidify the insanity and buffer Mo in his maddening plan to coach this team.
"Forget about style; worry about results."
Bobby Orr
I feel your pain and I am in the same mode as you. We have a poorly coached team (worst coach in the league) IMO. We should not make a player move until we dump Mo. The value of our players right now is nil with only a couple of exceptions (Skinner, Staal, Ward, Jokinen and Pitkanen). We are overloaded with puck moving offensive defensemen who don’t move the puck and don’t score and are pitiful on defense. There are at least 5 or 6 teams looking for defensemen according to ESPN Insider, yet no one is seeking one of ours.
Start the rebuilding process by replacing the coach. He’s had over 2 years to get his act together. That’s enough.
by FoxtrotSierra on Nov 15, 2011 10:32 AM EST up reply actions
what I meant to do above...sorry I still feel the same disgust seeing this stat
The line of Zach Boychuk – Jiri Tlusty – Zac Dalpe had the best seats in the house for tonight’s game. The trio saw a combined 10:53 of ice time (led by Tlusty’s 4:19 and anchored by Dalpe’s 2:41). 29 players for either side had more individual ice time than those three did combined.
"Forget about style; worry about results."
Bobby Orr
We had 3 players that had more PK time than Boychuk & Dalpe had total time. This is unbelievable! Anybody that still thinks Maurice deserves/should coach this team; I don’t know what to say to them. This guy is a joke and is doing more harm to this franchise than good.
It's time for change! "If you want to change the culture, you will have to start by changing the organization." - Mary Douglas
by PackPride17 on Nov 15, 2011 10:58 AM EST up reply actions
Those guys are probably dying to go back to Charlotte right now. At least they can play there.
The only easy day was yesterday.
by CoastalCane on Nov 15, 2011 10:59 AM EST up reply actions
I only caught the last 10 minutes of the game. In that time I saw Staallook like he is actually paying attention. On two FO’s he was in the the initial but, but after the scrum he had the vision to find the puck and distribute it. Plus 1! Skinner is an animal, he plays, hell the kid is geat, ’nuff said. Ruutu, was doing his deal and other than not seeing a 4th line (thanks Mo you putz) the only hole was Gleason. Worst game I saw Timmy have in a long time.
While three goals ain’t bad, these guys need more, particularly since they seem to cough up 5 GA. The hole that is this season is getting bigger. It would appear that this should of been a rebuilding year and it ain’t working. Ithought i saw Dalpe on the bench? Not sure why we aen’t playing him, Lil Chuck, et al. I figure it’s Mo’s fault like anal bleeding and dysentary.
Anyway even with the loss the game was better to watch than crawling naked through piss soaked broken glass….a step in the right direction. Hope one day we get good all around effort and win.
Oh and Bouche looked pretty good except that last goal, or from what I saw anyway. I did expect he was gonna win a game or two…
A
Getting old sucks!
last year should have been a rebuilding year, too, but they refuse to manage things that way. instead of wanting to take the time to rebuild and develop prospects to create a good team, theyd sooner try and hack together something that can just get a couple games into the playoffs on a budget in order to try and maximize return.
it makes for crap hockey most of the time.
re boucher: when you drop in your backup after 4 goals lost (which is the only way mo will pull cam) or you generally play him on the second night of back to back games with a team that is traditionally just bad at them, you dont give him much hope to win.
I am not a heavy drinker. I can sometimes go for hours without touching a drop --Noel Coward
by DaveLovesBier on Nov 15, 2011 6:53 AM EST up reply actions
Well
The sad truth is our offense scored one goal—from the same line that’s the only offensive line going, Skinns and Finns. Mo’ offensive system still isnlt generating crap. If we got back in this game it was in the same manner we did against Buffalo—scoring when short handed.
Our hands are tied in the offensive zone except for Skins adn Finns, who play to their individual strengths and talents, don’t all play the same and battle and grind for goals, so they create their own play—in front of the net not deep behind or in the corners grinding and battling. They skate, pass and go to the net with good rushes and plays—the way Mo says our offense will not work.
Staal started paying attention again when the score went to 4-3. For long stretches he was okay, but not playing with fire.
Harrumph
I disagree. I think Staal was our most complete player last night. He was skating well, getting to pucks, distributing the puck. He still just can’t score.
I actually thought Skinner played his worst game of the season. He didn’t control the puck well and had ZERO (I can’t believe that) shots on goal.
It's time for change! "If you want to change the culture, you will have to start by changing the organization." - Mary Douglas
by PackPride17 on Nov 15, 2011 11:01 AM EST up reply actions
Teams will or have adjusted their defense based on what is now by far our best line. They are seeing the opponents shut down line. As defense tightens on them the Staal, LaRose, fill in the blank line will get more space. Their scoring should go up, not due to chemistry but due to no longer seeing the opponents best defensive matchups..
Remember when Mo was desperate to make the playoffs late last season, and played Staal 25 minutes? 25 minutes last night. But that’s no solution, it’s like “crunching” in the video game industry, it might help for a while but then he’ll be no more effective in 25 minutes than he would in 20.
Stewart, who at least has 3 goals in very limited ice time this year, is not playing. The “prospects” are buried on a 4th line that averages less than 5 minutes. Mo is doing that “lean on the veterans” thing once again.
To make the playoffs we need to be about +13 in the win/loss column (95 points) by year’s end. We’re minus 3 after 18 games. Something drastic needs to happen, and I don’t mean a trade (which often comes out “even”, not as a great improvement).
Mo Must Go. Or we are Doomed.
Stewart healthy scrathced is puzzling on many couonts… He earned time off the 4th line with good play, scoring, being defensively sound. He didn’t get it. He got limited time on the second line when we tried the Skinner with Staal crap again to fail again, but he got points again. Then h’e back to the 4th line, now gone….
27% scoring percentage. A big body to help against other teams with guys like Voracek. Mo even states we’re a smaller team, so why make us even smaller???
Mo does not, as I’ve stated previously and other disagree, reward good play or effort. See Boychuk and Stewart for the latest examples…
91.1% chance of failing to make the playoffs
http://www.sportsclubstats.com/NHL/Eastern/Southeast/Carolina.html
91.1% chance of failing to make the playoffs.
91.1% that Maurice is not renewed after failing to make the playoffs.
Maurice really must not want to be a head coach in the NHL. Only a person with a deep, intense, secret desire to fail would take the approach we’ve seen this season by him. He had so many ways to successfully present the team as improving and moving forward. He has relentlessly and systematically elected to follow the one way he’d lose the fanbase and his job.
Who has “deep, intense, secret desire to fail”? Can’t we just conclude that he’s not good at coaching winning hockey teams?
I can’t imagine how a person such as Maurice could make this many poor decisions without having at a subconscious level a need to fail. It is a defensive mechanism that protects the psyche. The law of randomness would give Maurice some good bounces, players getting hot, lucky breaks. I think he has shown all the signs of a very insecure person who is assisting with his own demise.
Maurice has been around this block many times. He has seen this movie before. The assumption he is blind to the faults we see glaring, can not be correct. Rutherford is a good if not great GM. Both are giving us systems, lineups and player ice time to some purpose. That purpose, if it is to fail, is not subconscious.
The most interesting stat on that page is there is no mathematical chance to make the playoffs if we are a .500% team, rather we’d need to be a .650% team to get it done. Usually we’ve been around a .550% team.
by Patrick Clarke on Nov 15, 2011 11:59 AM EST up reply actions
flogging by the flyers
How can a team with this much young individual talent and ability continue to go down in flames nite after nite? What does Maurice have locked away that allows him to stick around year after year, loss after loss? The line mixing and the positional relocations and rediculous combinations and the new guys that never see the light of day ? How can this continue with out any one at the top (HELLO JIMBO!!!) saying enough is enough! Year after year we watch Zipp Tracey come up with the most rediculous things to spin the possitive out of E. Staal’s halfassed performances and lack luster effort . Where is this guy taking the team? Captian? Seriously? If he is leadership set by example maybe we should save the $82k per game and see if we can get the stick boy and a bag of pucks from the Tallahasse Warthogs! Is it really rebuilding if you hire a blind architect and a crybaby site superintendant?
by wilmington boys on Nov 15, 2011 8:14 AM EST reply actions
Yes we lost, but there was a lot of promise in last night’s game.
Sutter and Staal actually look pretty good together. Sutter has the speed that can get Staal going (kind of like when we had Cole). Now if we can get them from running into each other, I think this Sutter, Staal, LaRose line will only get better.
Also Boucher looked pretty good in goal. Hopefully that will wake Cam up.
Disagree
Rosie has far too many gaffes to ever make this line effective as a scoring line. he showed how many whiffs/failures to conect on nide feeds last night? He made a terrible turnover at the end of the game killing our comeback attempt single handedly. he does not have the offensive instincts, talent or vision for top six duties.
He has great effort, intensity, pestering, conditioning, attitude and sheer determination.
i.e. 4th liner who fills in on the 3rd line material.
Yes, LaRose needs to be on the 4th line. But, a player doesn’t say to a coach: hey coach, I’m only playing on the 4th line.
Ding – I just thought of something. If LaRose was on the 4th line, that line would most likely get more playing time! OMG! Is that why he’s not on the 4th line because Mo would be forced to play that line????
Either way – let’s turn this thing around: !OG TSUM ’OM
.500 is only good if it’s a batting percentage!
Harrumph
Good Morning Folks
Like many here..and I said earlier..Tlutsy Dalpe & Boychuk need to get on the phone to thier agents…and or call Jr up and ask like Corvo did …hate to lose any of those 3 but the current form of coaching isn’t getting the job done..it is very demoalizing just as much for we fans as it is for the players…Great Article but sadly like an old soap opera..we already know how the story goes & ends..now we know how team # 29 & 30 feel…as no one wants or goes out trying to be #30 in the NHL..and there is a bright spot..at least we know some parts of the team are “jelling” don’t we ? Now if somebody behind the bench can get the rest of the team to …thiungs might be a wee bit better…might be..and If the canes were 5th in the NHL..I wonder what we’d all complain about then ?
9/11/01 - Never Forget !!
Long Live #63 The Condor
Go Canes & Checkers !!!
As predicted, a good points night for Giroux & Jagr, the Canes are proving to be a good team for the elite players to pad the stats against. I was really impressed with the crowd last night for a Monday, I didn’t think that many people would show up.
the only reason people turned up was for the Skinner bobblehead…sad but true. The biggest cheer of the night went up when they announced the bobbleheads had arrived during the third period.
Maybe. I am hoping that the Kaberle bobblehead shows more movement than the misfit who was on the ice last night.
Maybe the crowd was impressive in your section, but 313 was the usual horde of visiting fans, which is always especially bad when playing Philadelphia.
by Scott Putnam on Nov 15, 2011 10:04 AM EST up reply actions
Predicting a big Giroux line points night was as certain as predicting our 4th line would get one shift a period. Neither of us should get too proud of those predictions. Lets set an over under on the date Maurice is fired, promoted or resigns. What does your crystal ball say on that? I’ll bet we get the rest of the season with the status quo.
Agreed, what’s disappointing about the prediction is there was a time when the Canes were able to shut down the other teams marquee players, I guess those days are long gone for now. In terms of Maurice, he’s not the reason they’re losing, that was evident last night, they made it look easy on the back end of a back-to-back playing a rested team.
Overall
This was an interesting game, with good and bads. There are things to take from this we could build from.
First. How in the heck do you come out at home looking so unready to play the game? Way to go coach and players. You usually hear other teams comment on road games how they expect the home team to come out hard, how they’ll have to weather the initial storm, yadda yadda yadda… Not this team, not with this coach. You can come on in and jump all over us. BAD
Second. We have offensive players who have speed and can pass. Skinner, Jokinen, Ruutu, Staal, Poni, Sutter, Boychuk…yet our coach keeps saying we aren’t gonna play that way. I’ve seen good passes from Stewart in limited time as well. I agree we need to be able to battle, to hold posession, to be willing to go to the net and take punishment to fight for rebounds. But c’mon Mo, despite your desires for every forward to play the same, everyone just to battle and grind, please look up and see there are various players with skills that can be combined on lines and play an offense that uses the teams speed and passing to generate offense. We have skill you don;t seem to think we do, we have players who can work and compliment each other offensively. We CAN score from the rush, contrary to your conclusions—We DO.
Third. Our second PP unit makes no sense. The players don’t work well together. We have skill availablein our prospects, but they’re probably too stiff to be able to go out and play with the time you give them. But both Dalpe and Boychuk were effective PP guys throughout their career. Give them a shot.
Fourth: Mo keeps going back to what doesn’t work. LaRose on the top line. Putting Skinner with Staal. Breaking up Skins and Finns. Breaking up Gleason and Allen. Not playing a 4th line. Not using time outs. No ideas, no creativity, no willingness to try soemthing “radical”. I have some radical ideas, but I’ll save them for later…. I hope one of those was announcing retirement from coaching.
All that said, after the initial start we competed with Philly, a top team. We lost to a team with better coaching, better balance, better talent, bigger better defenders and a better systme that works with their talent. We lost to a better team, and that’s OK. But what was not ok was the first ten minutes of the game. That level of effort or readiness was unacceptable.
I’m starting to see players just doing things on their own. We are not sticking to a system. I do not think Mo is getting any more buy in from the team this year than he did last year. Why would he? He says Tlusty earned his spot, was playing great. Gave him first line time. Tlusty delivered and didn’t look bad. Where is he now? 4th line. Not even back to the 3rd line. LaRose still top line? Boychuk got noticed from the 4th line. Got his shot at more time. Two games with more time, two points, good all around play in all zones. Last two games? Less than 8 minutes combined. Less time than all other teams fourth liners in any ONE game.
Would you like playing for this guy?
Wow.
Amazing. I just learned so much from reading this one post. As I mentioned in the game thread last night, I’ve watched hockey for all of ONE week. I’ve caught on plenty to the rules, how it is played, etc…but even as a new fan, I wondered about the 4th line. Seemed like the Flyers just played more guys, more often.
Which is more grating? Watching a Celine Dion concert and interview or watching a Paul Maurice coached hockey game and post game interview.
I would imagine that not many of us hockey fan-types have experience with Celine Dion concerts And interviews, so why don’t you just tell us the answer ? ;>)
by drifterscape on Nov 15, 2011 11:48 AM EST up reply actions
Both share Canadian roots and the ability to make me gag. Celine has an incredible voice, but an incredibly self agrandizing persona. Seeing her makes it hard to appreciate her music. Likewise, Maurice drives the bus of my favorite sports team. He is routing that bus on a path that is hard to appreciate. With Celine I can just listen and almost shut her out of the experience. With Paul I can’t watch without seeing the bus headed out of control towards an avoidable cliff. Paul wins the most grating contest with Celine a close second.
Thank you. That was today’s Fun Fact.
Yesterday’s was abramsdoug’s fact that Herman Wouk wrote ‘The Caine Mutiny’.
Hockey blogs are so educational.
by drifterscape on Nov 15, 2011 12:27 PM EST up reply actions
Welcome Rowdyfan
and it seems we are for the mostb part very disappointed with several issuses the Canes as a team are having…but like gas & brainfarts..they too shall pass…eventually..please don’t judge us too harshly as we are just being “normal” !!
9/11/01 - Never Forget !!
Long Live #63 The Condor
Go Canes & Checkers !!!
If you asked other fans around the league not too familiar with the Hurricanes which one of these lines is the 4th line; what do you think there response would be?
Poni/Brent/Dwyer – really two 4th liners and a 2nd/3rd line winger.
or
Tlusty/Dalpe/Boychuk – all prospects that have top 6 potential.
It's time for change! "If you want to change the culture, you will have to start by changing the organization." - Mary Douglas
Just too thin on talent
Paul Maurice is taking a lot of heat on Canes County, some of which is deserved, but the bottom line is, this team is too thin on established “NHL-caliber” talent. Looking at the opening day roster, I figured the Canes would struggle to finish better than 12th in the East. In my eyes, it was the weakest team on paper they’d ever had going into a season. All things considered, they’ve played reasonably well given the roster. Last night they put up a good fight against a team with far superior talent.
Whereas the guys from Charlotte have showed great promise at the AHL level, none have yet been able to carry that over to the NHL level. I understand the calls for more ice time for the Dalpe, Boychuck and Stewarts, but to get that opportunity they need to shine during the minutes they do get. Hard to do, but that’s how prospects move into the top 9.
Canes Management went into the season thinking Cole and Corvo were expendible, the Charlotte guys would miraculously rise to a different level, and Poni and Kaberle would “return to form”. None of those assumptions have played out so far.
When we reach the point where making the playoffs is no longer a possibility, I suspect there will be continued shedding of veteran talent, and the Charlotte players will get far more playing time. Hopefully with that opportunity and experience a few will rise to a higher level, and allow for a more promising 2012 season.
WRONG; REPOST
Freudian slip, I guess. The mathematical possibility of the Canes MISSING the playoffs is 91.1%.
You can put the fork in this season, Hockey WILM. The season is 20% in the can on Thanksgiving. We will know nothing on the promise of the prospects, nor will they have even been given a chance to audition for the role. The exchange of Corvo and Cole for Poni and Kaberle in no way explains our fall from 9th to 14th. There is no inkling of an upward trend in the on ice outcomes. This is officially rebuild time. Let’s get on with it.
by surgalt on Nov 15, 2011 12:13 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Radical Change Needed
My short take is radical change is needed. Trade Gleason, Kaberle, Ponikarovsky, and LaRose. Get on with the rebuild. The preseason was a harbinger of the regular season. Based on probabilities this season is already toast. At least don’t waste the opportunity to garner draft choices and change the locker room and leadership.
Agreed not time like the present. But, how does the above trading of stated players accomplish change in leadership?
We have way to many “lead by example” leaders. I’d like to hear of a closed door meeting called by the captain.
Harrumph
CHANGE IN LEADERSHIP
LaRose is one of the loud, vocal guys in the locker room. Gleason is an alternate captain. Kaberle is a grey beard. Ponikarovksy is fine but really doesn’t have much fire these days. It’s clear that the team’s composition is not working. Really as much as I blame Maurice for the pitiful performances, the players are the ones lacing up the skates. They ought to be able to succeed whether they have the best coach or the worst coach. Something significant needs to change.
Does this mean you are ceding that LaRose and Gleason have more “leadership” value and skills than #12? #12 is being excoriated lately and if he’s talking or challenging his teammates to step up and save the season, then it’s not being reported by those close to the team. The leader of the team, Staal, needs to NOT lead by example at this point in the season, but close the door and challenge the team to play better.
JR did this last year and Joe Corvo turned his year around and played some of his best hockey in a Canes jersey. I always knew my parents wanted me to do well in my life, but sometimes they needed to remind me of that verbally. It’s time for Staal to get verbal, IMO.
But I agree with the trades.
Harrumph
I didn’t address leadership hierarchy per se; but I will. Yes, I think LaRose is a more natural leader than Staal. I think Gleason is also a more natural leader than Staal. Staal is not a guy who is an alpha dog. He’s the most talented forward on the team although Skinner will likely soon surpass Staal as most talented forward. Staal has a self-focused perfectionism. He is highly competitive. He loves to win. He’s a great player. He expects too much of himself and too gives too little of himself at the same time. Staal is the captain and has done a fine job in that role; but he is not a natural leader. Skinner’s entire nature is to lead by example and by will. Jokinen and Ruutu are the same way.
Staal is not extroverted and is not glib. I agree he needs to the mantel of leadership, close the doors, and demand better play from himself and his teammates. It is not natural for him to do so or he already would instinctively know that was what the team has needed in the past and needs now. So in terms of hierarchy of natural leadership it’s LaRose, Gleason, and then Staal. In terms of skill and value to the team, it’s Staal by a landslide.
I just fail to see how anyone looks at this team as void of talent
Just does not make sense, the problem is the inept use of the talent…..time to let someone else have a chance at using the talent….JR needs to do something with Mo….get him off the bench somehow and away from day to day decissions about how and who plays for the Canes! Maybe Daniels is the answer maybe not but it must be a real change from the current situation…not just lipstick! I have always thought of JR as a very good GM but I have struggled with the decission to bring back Mo, just never really made any logical sense from a Winning Hockey perspective. Now after talking endlessly about being a budget team with limited resources he signed a well past his prime Offfensive D-man (a commodity he had the least need for) to a HUGE contract on a budget team for 3 years…gotta make you wonder what in the world did he see in this guy and how exactly was he going to make this team better to the tune of that contract. Why could he not spend that money on a real 1st line winger or even a 2nd line winger
With the exception of Cole and Corvo, it’s the same team essentially that came within one game of making the playoffs. It’s not loaded to the gills with talent like some teams, but the Hurricanes have more than ample talent, if allowed to play, to be competitive.
I’m glad someone brought up the name COLE. He and Staal were a dynamo line, followed by the Finn/Skin line, would have wrecked havoc this year. And I’m of the belief that his contract was doable, but now when looking down the line w/ the UFA coming up (mainly Ruutu).
I for one miss Cole terribly. I think Staal does too.
Harrumph
Spoken like a true Mo promoter
Have you seen the parade of teams we’ve played against? have you noticed the number of prospects the same experience level or lower than the Canes prospects? have you noticed all those other teams giving their prospects 13+ minutes per night, on the type of lines they were drafted for—not 4th line time?
have you read all the commments from our prospects about how they are expected to play on the 4th line for MO? ABout not making mistakes? About being defensively responsible?
Have you noticed how other prospects on the other teams in the league also fail to show on the scoreboard immediately in most cases? How they take time to adapt to the NHL? Have you noticed that despite not scoring they still get 13+ minutes a night? hey get a chance to play their game with better linemates?
If you take a look and notice all that, you’ll find that the teams with Talent still use their prospects as part of the mix. That they were able to develop and groom their forwards that did well in the AHL.
Mo? Not so much. 3 minutes for Boy and Dalpe, same th eprevious game. What do you expect them to show???
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
Related FanPosts on Canes Country
Related FanShots on Canes Country
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Recent FanPosts
FanShots
Quick hits of video, photos, quotes, chats, links and lists that you find around the web.
Recent FanShots
In Association With
Latest Puck Daddy - NHL from Yahoo! Sports
- Why the Devils and the Kings are evidence the Capitals shouldn’t trade Alex Ovechkin
- Eulogy: Remembering the 2011-12 New York Rangers
- Stanley Cup Final: 5 keys for New Jersey Devils and Los Angeles Kings
- Friday’s Three Stars: Devils head to Final; Brodeur, Kovalchuk the difference in Game 6
- Devils eliminate Rangers in Game 6, ending fear of the past, setting course for the future
