Game Analysis: Weekend Home Games Vs. Capitals, Vs. Stars
by Cory Lavalette on Nov 7, 2011 9:32 AM EST
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PrintThe Carolina Hurricanes dropped home games this weekend in embarrassing fashion, losing 5-1 and 5-2 to Washington and Dallas, respectively, and they have only five points in their last eight games. The Canes play on national television Tuesday in New Jersey, so the idea that a change could occur either behind the bench or on the roster before the game — or, if the team lays another egg, following the game — is not inconceivable.
Three Observations
1. Dallas and Washington have been among the league's best teams a month into the season, with both leading their respective divisions. But that doesn't excuse losing by a combined eight goals on home ice. From pretty much top to bottom, the team looked uninspired in both games, and the pressure on coach Paul Maurice is severely mounting and at a boiling point.
2. The decision to sit Jamie McBain for Derek Joslin wasn't a surprise, but the Canes Twittersphere was abuzz wondering why veteran signee Tomas Kaberle wasn't the one in the press box for the Stars game. While Kaberle has woefully underperformed offensively for Carolina — his no goals and three assists match that of stay-at-home blueliner Bryan Allen — he has, for the most part, been reliable in his own end. McBain, on the other hand, has made his fair share of obvious mistakes defensively. But Kaberle didn't do himself any favors in the eyes of the fans with his inability to stop Loui Eriksson's 2-on-1 shorthanded feed to Jamie Benn that pushed Dallas' lead Sunday to 5-1.
3. It's becoming impossible to look past the numbers: Eric Staal's inability to produce points is a huge, gigantic, monstrous issue. For those wondering if Staal is hurt, I would guess no. He continues to be active and seems to be on the verge of breaking out almost every shift. But until that next goal — preferably one at even strength — goes in for Carolina's captain, both his, the team's and the fans' combined frustration will continue.
Number To Know
3 — Games in a row with an assist for Jay Harrison, the longest point streak of his 144-game NHL career. Not only has Harrison contributed on the score sheet, but he has an even plus/minus and is second on the team and tied for 17th in the league in blocked shots (31).
Plus
Brian Boucher — Boucher didn't get a start in either game, but he came on to relieve Cam Ward against the Stars and performed well, allowing one goal — the aforementioned shorthanded one by Benn — on 13 shots. No one expected a miracle when Boucher replaced Ward early in the second period, but Boucher was at least able to stop the bleeding and keep the game from being really out of hand. Last season, games like the Dallas one often ended in big-time routs.
Minus
Joni Pitkanen — Pitkanen was a combined minus-5 on the weekend and Maurice singled him out — without naming him — on the fourth goal allowed against Washington, using an equine expletive to describe Pitkanen's decision to pinch with three forwards deep in the Capitals' zone. After a fast start that saw him register six points in Carolina's first six games, Pitkanen has just one assist in the last eight.
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Fire the coach
It’s that simple.
The definition of insanity is hiring Paul Maurice again and again and expecting a different result.
The Condor. #63.
players have slumps. it happens.
Maurice has an entire career of frustrating mediocrity
The Condor. #63.
by DidJussiThat? on Nov 7, 2011 10:10 AM EST up reply actions
Believe me, I am ALL FOR the MO must go, but just not sure that is the ONLY answer..and I am not putting it all on Staal..maybe a psychiatrist along w/ a coaching change?
you cost the coach his job, it has a motivating effect
see, e.g., Carolina Hurricanes, 2009 playoff run of.
The Condor. #63.
by DidJussiThat? on Nov 7, 2011 10:15 AM EST up reply actions
Yes, but there is some mental issue in the locker room, and it goes beyond the coaching issue….how can a team not get motivated to play? Just my “stupid” humble opinion.
Here’s how I see the locker room: Staal has that frustrated look on his face like he’s mad at the world, he’s head down, not talking to anyone, not making eye contact giving short “don’t really feel like talking” answers to anyone who approaches him. If his actions on the bench are any indication – because this is how he comes across every time they show him on camera. Even Mo looks like he walks on egg shells around him. How should it be? He should be talking up and down the bench. He should be encouraging and coaching the prospects. He should be in the locker room being the Canes biggest cheerleader, eternally optimistic. He should be the Head Coach’s first counsel. His own personal stats don’t matter – a Captain must worry about everyone’s stats, everyone’s psyche. About how everyone is feeling from the water boy to the owner. That’s how I envisioned Roddy was. I think that’s what the Canes got used to with Rod “C”. Maybe I give Staal too much credit to blame his personal funk as infecting the entire organization, including all of us Caniacs. But, damn man, get excited. When was the last time he looked like he was having fun? The world is his. He’s living the dream that every single one of us would sell our souls to have. We have shifted our enthusiasm to our 19 y/o Rookie-of-the-Year, who always looks like he is having the time of his life. And motivates every single one of us to do our best, whether we play professional hockey, or not. If the only thing we can expect from our Captain is a positive plus/minus forgive us if that’s the criteria by which he gets judged. Scoring points is not leadership.
by coastalcaniac on Nov 7, 2011 1:04 PM EST up reply actions
YES, and we are seeing neither… no leadership on the bench, and the lack of on ice leadership from him is also evident. Also, because this is what we see, it is obvious he cares more about the stats…again, IM"S"HO
The only thing I will add it that at least he care about his performance. There appears to be plenty of guys on this team that could care less. Maybe they just don’t show their emotion as much as Staal?
It's time for change! "If you want to change the culture, you will have to start by changing the organization." - Mary Douglas
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not making excuses for Staal; he’s sucking. I just don’t mind seeing emotion from players. I don’t mind if Staal is mad, I just wish it wasn’t such a dejected look on his face. I don’t mind Skinner getting a little pissy when he gets pushed around. I don’t mind Cam slamming his stick against the goal post when he lets in a softy. Some players just appear to be nonchalant of their & the team’s performance and I wish they would show that they cared.
It's time for change! "If you want to change the culture, you will have to start by changing the organization." - Mary Douglas
Maybe not that simple
Mo said that this team could not win on talent and skill. After 14 seasons with Hartford, Carolina, and Toronto he should know a mediocre team when he sees one. This explains quite understandably why our AHLers must run the 4th line gauntlet for a very extended period of time to get any shot at top 6 play. Only kamikaze play can move them up the food chain, not their “inadequate” skill sets for NHL level hockey. For Mo, first and utmost grit, not skill get you to the first line. With talent largely drafted or traded for because of skill sets, not grit, this must be a difficult lesson. Maybe it will just take a while longer to sink in.
Dave Lewis came to coach our d corp. On paper they are a pretty good combination of grit, offensive and defensive skills, experience and youth. On the ice they are often not so good. Is it the wrong system or that they are not yet adjusted to the system. With our captain so out of synch for whatever reason our offensive woes are understandable. Our defensive inconsistencies are not so clear, at least to me. Relative to the rest of the conference our goals against is worst, while our goals for is exactly average. Is Lewis, not Mo really the problem? The connection between last seasons late run at the playoffs and this team is lost. Did it go with Corvo, or Cole, or Stillman, or Bodie? Did any of them excel at the grit and grind Mo feels this team lacks to the level that explains our current predicament? Hard for me to buy into that argument. Was Jokinen the only glue holding this team together? If he were the big banger Mo covets the weekend was explainable. But he isn’t. No the mess at the RBC is not simple. But you can put me in the camp who believes MO should be promoted soon.
Surgalt, I hope you’re joking but I can’t tell. The Canes should forget talent and go for grit alone? Everything is wrong except the coach? Wrong free agent signings? Wrong draft choices? Wrong veterans? Wrong former all-stars? Wrong roster each of the last four years that Mo has coached the Canes, leading to poor starts all 4 times? Wrong defensive coach last year and again this year with a different defensive assistant?
Maybe the times are too grim for me to detect sarcastic humor. If so, my apologies.
by curiouscanesfan on Nov 7, 2011 12:19 PM EST up reply actions
Popular opinion sees Mo’s firing as a solution to teams lackluster performance. Firing the quy, who has been a good soldier for the team will not be easy for his boss. One, they are best friends and two, because he might not be the problem, If Mo is not the problem his firing is not the solution. I’m not a fan of his style of play, but not knowledgeable enough to know if that is our problem. Here’s what I think I know.
Overall our scoring output is only inadequate when compared to our goals against. (Duh.) Including Buffalo, with 36 goals scored, 9 teams are equal to or below our 35 goals for. On the defensive side only Ottawa with a whopping 57 goals against is worse than our 47. Theoretically you stress defense at the price of offense to achieve low opponents scores ala the Rangers and Buffalo this year. The other tactic is to score and allow goals. Both Toronto and Tampa have given up 46 goals but have scored 45 and 44 respectively. There are multiple ways to balance offense and defense to win. I greatly prefer the later. So does this fan base. Who gets bigger cheers here, Mo or Lavi? Not even close.
So for me, I prefer run and gun to the man the bunkers mentality by a lot. Since firing Mo is a tough choice for Rutherford (and he has to be paid anyway) I want him promoted. The real unknown is if Staals play could be improved by different coaching style anyway. Mo will go if and when Eric whispers in Rutherfords ear or Mo totally craps the bed. Since the firing of Mo would be so difficult for Staal or Rutherford (plus he will be paid for the season anyway) promotion is the clear solution. Done in the business world quite successfully every day.
So to make a short story long, I dont care who coaches I just want it to be exciting instead of excruciating. I don’t see Lewis adding anything and consider him superflous. Totally miss why he is getting a pass from every one at this point in the season. No I don’t want him to replace Mo. It would be possible to make the situation here worse. But sometimes I wonder if a high lottery pick isn’t this years secret goal anyway
I do not sspeak for anyone but myself, but on Lewis:
One: I give him a pass so far because for the most part, when it’s clear the players are sticking to the defensive scheme he has been trying to instill, we have looked and played well, even in losses. Once Lewis returned after his early season absence, the defense stabilized for a time.
Two: Most of the bigger problems I see are the same ones we had previously without Lewis, and stem from the offensive side on the system. Poor PP, poor 5 on 5 offense, poor line management.
Three: the defensive system has broken down the most after Mo tinkers with the lines. It seemed adequate until everyone starts playing with new partners.
Lastly, it seems frustration with the offensive system, individuals frustrated with their own performance has led this team to lose discipline in sticking to any system, offensively or defensively. We have players like Skinner then trying to do it all on their own, or Joni pinching at a bad time in Mo’s words when he’s trying to do all he can to help the offense, etc. So I see overall frustration leading to breakdowns in the overall defensive system. A lot of that I see more on the players than the coaches, because if all else fails you’re supposed to play the system.
That said, It’s the head coach who sets the limits of what the other coaches do or say. It’s hard to tell what Lewis’s role is behind the bench as he seems to defer to Mo. But he probably needs to try harder to keep the players in tune to his system defensively. But it’s a five man concept, and when the forwards are runnning willy nilly on the offensive zone, and burying themselves deep, there’s been a lot of breakdowns lately. Again, I don’t attribute that to Lewis.
Absent Mo, and my personal bias against him now coloring my perception, it’s hard for me to fault Lewis right now. Lewis’ history is stronger and more successful, when he makes limited comments to the press I agree with what he has said so for now, I’m not seeing as big a problem with what he is trying to do as I see a bigger problem with what Mo is trying to do….
Look closer at Lewis's record as a coach
1999 -2001 Assistant to Scotty Bowman in Detroit 3 Stanley Cups
2002 Detroit head coach Lost 1st round playoffs
2003 Detroit head coach Lost 2nd round playoffs
2006 Bruins head coach Missed playoffs
2007 -2008 LA Kings asst coach
2010 Ukraine national team
His resume after the Scotty Bowman effect wore off is meager. After his experience in Detroit Mike Babcock came in and righted the ship. Detroit standards are high and this firing may be more due his having the impossible task of following Bowman. His welcome in Boston was short lived and Claude Julien has been there since. LA was in a massive rebuild and the Ukraine was, well, the Ukraine. Not a resume with current highlights at all. One could suspect there is a Detroit connection between Karmanos that counter balanced the resume since 2006.
As a fan
it is very disappointing to say the Least…but witrh the rumblings from JR via Chip on twitter…allwe of the Caniac Nation can do s sit pull the belts tight one more time and go for the ride…Thanks Cory..you have confirmed what many of us sadly already knew…well at least the sun is shining outsaide my window..so there is a ray of hope then isn’t there ?? As at the moment that is all we of the Caniac Nation have is …hope…
9/11/01 - Never Forget !!
Long Live #63 The Condor
Go Canes & Checkers !!!
JR needs to cut me a check for @$600
I got a few dollars worth of entertainment when we scored, but i want the rest of my money back from those two debacles.
The Condor. #63.
Imagine you just gave him $2,000,000 to own 1 percent of the team. No wonder some of the investors kept their names secret.
ratio of net worth to expenditure is about the same.
:-)
The Condor. #63.
by DidJussiThat? on Nov 7, 2011 1:03 PM EST up reply actions
Well,
To all the Mo haters, JR said that things would be different if we were on a 6-7 game skid. So hope for 5 more losses in a row, and he will at least consider tossing Mo. He also said something would need to change, so we’re probably looking at a trade very soon.
that may be the problem.
we will never be bad enough long enough to truly be good.
look at pittsburg. 4 years with a top 3 pick in a row. gets you MAF J staal, Crosby and MAlkin.
"a bit of love"
Hasn’t worked for Atlanta/Winnipeg, Florida, Columbus ….
by Cory Lavalette on Nov 7, 2011 12:19 PM EST up reply actions
but look at the picks Pittsburgh got with their monumental tank: 1st pick Fleury, 1st pick Crosby (generational player), Malkin (2nd pick), Jordan Staal 2nd pick; add in Ryan Whitney, so not really comparative – 4 years of finishing almost dead last, none of those teams have made that kind of commitment. Columbus seems to trying hard this season though. Note: I believe Malkin came before Crosby and I think they got Fleury through winning the draft and not finishing last.
But you have to pick right. There are no guarantees. And at the end of the day they have as many Cups as the Canes since the lockout. Granted, they’re competing every year … but if there was a formula to do it year in and year out, someone would have written it down. Even Detroit has to be wondering how they got so lucky with Datsyuk, Zetterberg, Ericsson, ect. ect.
by Cory Lavalette on Nov 8, 2011 8:46 AM EST up reply actions
right, but what none of those teams have finished consecutive years dead last where they got consecutive #1’s/#2’s. I believe highest they’ve drafted was 3 with Johansen (CBJ) & Gudbranson (FLA). Detroit’s outside the window and are in need of rebuild here shortly. I can’t see them getting past the 2nd round with the age of their players.
Elite Talent
Obviously, as the Hurricanes showed in the Jack Johnson fiasco, it is possible to blow a top #5 pick. By contrast, the Hurricanes are a much different team, if rather than Jack Johnson, the Hurricanes selected Marc Staal. One can argue the wisdom of that decision but the difference in the Hurricanes’ history was drastically influenced. As far as the future goes, the Hurricanes need another Staal or Skinner at forward. Dalpe and Rask seem to be the most likely candidates in the system now. Boychuk is also a possibility. Bowman and Nash seem to be headed toward being quite good, helpful players; but not future all-stars who have season ticket packages named after them. Add an NHL All Star forward to this team and we are no longer whining, complaining, bemoaning the lack of offense (although I feel 100% certain I could figure out a way to complain about something). In short, two more elite players change the dynamic of the team: one forward and one defenseman. Faulk and Murphy may well be that guy. Dumoulin also could be that guy.
The fastest path for the Hurricanes to get the elite forward is a total meltdown this year and a great draft pick. Skinner changed this team and is likely to be a factor for the next fifteen years or more. One more Skinner and things are much, much brighter for the Hurricanes. We should, therefore (in all seriousness) silently be hoping the anti-Maurice fans are right but that Rutherford does not act. Their motto should be “fail for Nail.” It’s painful medicine; but it’s the best way to build a winner in the short and long term.
it’s always the case though, which is why I get tired of it. It always seems to be (this is true of most budget teams) one need gets a addressed and another one opens up and it’s always seems to be that so and so is a year/2 years away from being top 6 forward/top 4 dman, it gets old. Proof is in the pudding.
It is very frustrating b/c the lack of funds means the Canes are always one or two players away. It wouldn’t take that much more money each year to make a difference. It is also frustrating to see the money used for non-essential players who either have a history with the team or a history with Maurice. If the Hurricanes were spending to the salary cap those kinds of contracts would not be as wretched as they are for the Hurricanes with budget near the floor.
We can only hope that Skinner stays for those 15 years
Not to burst your bubble, but why would a highly competitive players like Skinner stick around on team that is built on the cheap and misses the playoff more often than not? I think we’ll be lucky to have him longer than his entry level contract.
Harrumph
the quality of beer at the RBC.
And its profit margin as well.
The Condor. #63.
by DidJussiThat? on Nov 7, 2011 10:10 AM EST up reply actions
Natty Greens is the best t hing to happen at the RBC in years
And the beer stand outside Section 124? With Natty Greens, Foothills and Lonerider brews? I could stand there all day. Sunday I almost did!
The Condor. #63.
by DidJussiThat? on Nov 7, 2011 10:17 AM EST up reply actions
Nothing like a Hoppyum or 4 to make the product on the ice more tolerable!
Once, during Prohibition, I was forced to live for days on nothing but food and water ~ W.C. Fields
by SouthernHockeyFan on Nov 7, 2011 10:39 AM EST up reply actions
They have Natty Greens in the RBC??
When did that happen?? That’s a great little place in Greensboro, and the guys brewing there have been putting out great stuff for years. I miss being able to go there…
..Natty Green’s is a definite improvement under Mo.
yep
It’s now the Natty Green’s Pub Deck
The Condor. #63.
by DidJussiThat? on Nov 7, 2011 12:00 PM EST up reply actions
I agree...
They are going for all Anheiser-Busch beers now according to the beer vendors I talked to.
Ready for the Canes to win the Cup again! :)
The worst thing is, we see this in November and/or December every season. We go through the horrible performance, get embarrassed at home, but nothing ever changes.
This team needs heart! If they want mine, they can have it; because I’m getting pretty tired of giving it to this team only to have it broken again & again.
It's time for change! "If you want to change the culture, you will have to start by changing the organization." - Mary Douglas
I just made a fan post documenting your point about slow starts as the norm under Mo, as well as different standards for judging different coaches.
by curiouscanesfan on Nov 7, 2011 11:01 AM EST up reply actions
They are about to have a major attendance crisis
mark my words. I left early, twice. I previously prided myself on never having done that. But I was so angry with myself for having spent so much money on such a gutless team, that I left before I threw my beer on the ice.
Times are tough. people don’t spend money on experiences that aren’t fun. Sunday? Not fun.
When I have to explain to my 10 year old why we have to stay for the third period, JR has a damn problem.
The Condor. #63.
For as much as the players are sucking, for as much as I would love to see Mo go; they are not the only problems. PK & JR has toleranted this for so long, the organization’s culture makes this sh*t acceptable.
It's time for change! "If you want to change the culture, you will have to start by changing the organization." - Mary Douglas
Change is needed
This team is a perennial Nov- Dec flop. And with 40% of the home schedule being played in these two months I’d say it’s soon or never for this teams play-off chances.
Don't worry!
We’ll go on a tear in January – March, when we’re eliminated from the playoffs and everybody else rests their star goaltender when they play us…
The Condor. #63.
Funny thing is, I see that exact scenario playing out again. We suck for the most part of the year then go on a tear towards the end to finish 10th or so in the conference. We’ll go from a lottery pick in February to picking 10th-15th again…oh well.
"I'm not going to waste my time with Tuukka Rask" - Cam Ward
Just bad enough to miss the play-offs but not bad enough to get a high enough pick to matter. This teams identity is that it can’t don anything really well. Can’t play consistently well and can’t suck really well enough to get a reward. At least Edmonton tanked it the right way. Look at them now. That is a team that will contend for a Cup in a couple of years. (see Chicago) I think the uber conservative nature of upper management is ultimately to blame. Very bland management leads to very bland results.
At least Edmonton tanked it the right way. Look at them now. That is a team that will contend for a Cup in a couple of years
Right, they got the fan base to buy in because most of their fan base understand hockey and what the potential reward is. I’m not sure Carolina could sustain 2 seasons finishing deadlast, they still sold out every game.
What I hate most about all of this is JR’s complete disregard of the fact that there is a problem.
by hurricane9 on Nov 7, 2011 12:35 PM EST via mobile reply actions
He knows there is a problem
If he is looking to make a trade he can’t go and say “yeah ill do anything to fix my team right now”
I feel bad for Cam Ward, b/c the rest of the team is leaving him out to dry. There is only so much he can do as the one carrying the team. He’s not as bad as the rest of them are.
Ready for the Canes to win the Cup again! :)
he was yesterday
First goal was on him. Second goal was a bullet, not his fault. Third goal, he didn’t seal his near post. Fourth goal was on Joslin.
On the FIFTH goal, the shortie against Boucher, Kaberle was supposed to be on the point on the right side, he drifted to the center up high and left the point wide open, the puck came out to the point and Kaberle sort of stared at it and then started skating backward because he knew he was screwed. 2-1. bam. 5-1.
The Condor. #63.
by DidJussiThat? on Nov 7, 2011 1:05 PM EST up reply actions
Third goal, he didn’t seal his near post
That one was on Pitkanen, he left the front of the net to cheat on the wrap-around
Still doesn’t mean Ward should have left his post. One of the first things you learn as a goalie is when the puck is behind the net, you hug the post.
which post though and it shouldn’t have mattered because the shooters stick should have been tied up, plus Ward (and every other goalie in the NHL) have a blindspot when the puck moves around the net which is limited to how fast he can turn his head. With the speed at which NHL players can wrap the puck around he needs to be aggresive there and play the shooter, it’s a 2 on 1 – Ward’s not at fault
Was I the only one sitting there in the 2d period
wondering why we weren’t in at least one fight?
The Condor. #63.
Because they couldn’t afford the risk of putting the Stars PP on the ice. And because there was no fight in them to give.
Skinner got smacked around so much
I thought he was playing ropeadope.
And nobody stepped in. Nobody.
The Condor. #63.
by DidJussiThat? on Nov 7, 2011 1:52 PM EST up reply actions
This also did not happen when Cole was here…out of the potential pluses in the offseason, 2 glaring mistakes are Cole and “kaber-clunk”
Cole wasn’t a glaring mistake. Cole got overpaid by Montreal. Cole became to expensive for our budget restricted team. Kaberle was a gamble. The kind of move that had the potential to pay off big. A guy once capable of being a huge boost to a power play. Rutherford has a history of bringing the best out of these kind of guys ( Samsonov and Ruutu for example). To shoot at that is Monday morning quarterbacking.
The issues are deeper than the coach or the Captain, or one or two players. Their is a haze in the locker room and there needs to be some shakeup to clear it out. Is it stripping Staal of the C, or even trading him? Is it a new coach. Is it a trade of D for a top 6 winger. Is it a locker room visit by the GM? I don’t know. Everyone thinks there is some simple solution. I would argue that if this were the case, action would have been taken.
Their not going to strip Staal of the C and they are not going to trade him. If they were to trade him, they would so at his lowest possibly value. You wouldn’t get what you should in return. And then what do you do, you take a talented player (who is currently underperforming) and replace him with some less talented pieces? That might shake things up, but it would probably put us farther behind than over the top.
The simple solution is either fire the coach and put everything on the players or trade for a player that can help instantly. The bottom line though is; the culture of the organization has to change. Average cannot be accepted. It’s sink or swim, no more treading water. If the prospects can’t cut it, then you know and get a higher draft pick to compensate for a sorry year. If they work, then you know and can build on that. Some change has to be made and it could be a simple as some individuals changing their attitudes, but it could take a lot more.
It's time for change! "If you want to change the culture, you will have to start by changing the organization." - Mary Douglas
shhhhh
you’re not supposed to deal in reality. You’ll just anger those convinced that because the guy happens to be in a scoring slump that they can play better than a perennial All Star with a consistent career placing him in the top 10 forwards in the game.
The problems on this team are consistent over the last four years, and Staal’s recent scoring struggles cannot be the sole cause.
Moreover, Eric Staal did not play for Maurice in Toronto, when Maurice was busy getting the same uninspired middle of the pack performance out of that team.
The Condor. #63.
by DidJussiThat? on Nov 7, 2011 2:55 PM EST up reply actions
Just so we are all clear, my post above was not saying we should do any of those things. Nor did it say we shouldn’t. I was just trying to illustrate that there are a lot of different things this team could do to spark change, some drastic, some not so much. I included the Staal part because there is a preponderance of anti staal posts lately.
Pits had a rough weekend but I think he’s had a good season.
Kaberle on the other hand. I hesitate to judge a four year contract a few games into it but that’s looking like a stinker.
"as things stand now"
But no one had the luxury of knowing “as things stand now” when those decisions were made.
I agree, except...
…given Corvo’s salary, and knowing his game and strengths and weaknesses, and looking at even the most positive outlook about Kaberle this past off-season, finacially, the upgrade (especially given the contract length couples with our future available defensive prospect pool-Faulk, Dumoulin, Biega, Alt, Levi, Rissanen, Jordan) didn’t seem to be worth the larger financial risk taken. We didn’t and were never going to get a 2 million dollars more value in this deal. Corvo shoots more, but gives up more sometimes on the OOpses—but he was good against star players. Kaberle is calmer in his own end, but scores less, and isn’t as good against skill guys (speed wise), so financially didn’t make a large bit of sense.
One or two year gamble? Maybe…. But to me, the contract was too long, and too much given more recent history for the player and our own prospect potential…
The length of the Kaberle contract will be a killer if he doesn’t turn it around. I’m still hoping he will.
by curiouscanesfan on Nov 7, 2011 3:19 PM EST up reply actions
seems like...
a lot of the players on the ‘Canes atm don’t want to be here in NC. Or at least, Show up as a Player on the ice and not as an unintelligent obstacle our opponents just deke around. :(
Ready for the Canes to win the Cup again! :)
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