With the 2018 NHL Playoffs now a couple games deep into the Conference Finals, the offseason is rapidly approaching. On the path to the offseason frenzy which starts in earnest in June, the Hurricanes have already been busy rebuilding its front office, firing and replacing the head coach, winning the #2 overall pick in the 2018 NHL Draft and even making a trade already.
With a new owner, a significant change in management and another playoff miss in the rear view mirror, the team has many questions that must be answered this summer hopefully on the path to finally making a return to the playoffs for the 2018-19 season.
I preface my list of questions by saying that I think the Hurricanes will need to improve primarily from the existing roster reaching a higher level or true player trades that see the team give up a player of value to obtain one back. I think those who think the team can keep what it has and somehow add 2-3 significant players without subtraction are misguided. As such, my list of ‘burning questions’ is heavy on trying to locate potential improvement from the current roster and the prospect pool.
With that, here is a sizable list of burning questions to be addressed this summer:
1) Which, if any, top half of the roster players depart and for what in return?
The one thing that seems inevitable is change. I will be most surprised if the Hurricanes just forge forward through the summer and return to the ice in September with mostly the same group. The burning question is who might go. I put the over/under at one for 2017-18 captains who are no longer with the team by opening day. That is to say, the I think there is a good chance that one of Justin Faulk, Jordan Staal or Jeff Skinner departs. The burning question is which one, and what is received in return?
2) Can Scott Darling reset and find a much higher gear for the 2018-19 season?
Though buying him out or possibly eating salary and including him in a larger deal are both possible, comments from the team seem to indicate that the intention is to give Darling another shot in 2018-19 and possibly add a third goalie option from outside the organization to increase the odds or at least dice rolls.
3) Is Noah Hanifin ready to take the next step, or is he destined to peak as a decent offensive depth defenseman?
The physical skill set is clearly still there, and Noah Hanifin did make strides offensively in 2018-19, but he has also been passed by a fairly wide margin by Ivan Provorov from Philadelphia and Zach Werenski from Columbus who were both selected just behind in the 2015 NHL draft. Provorov had a phenomenal year as a top pairing defensemen and played a significant role in the Flyers going from 2017 playoff miss to 2018 playoff make. Werenski is half of Columbus dynamic duo with Seth Jones. At some point potential must give to either making it or instead admitting it will not be realized. Suddenly with three years of NHL experience, Noah Hanifin is reaching that point in his development when he needs to put it all together and arrive.
4) Is Martin Necas ready to play in the NHL in 2018-19?
For line-making exercises for the 2018-19 season, Martin Necas is quite regularly included somewhere in the Canes NHL lineup. The burning question is whether he is ready especially if he stays at his natural center position which comes with more responsibilities than the wing position. Necas will definitely receive an extended look in preseason to determine if he is ready to contribute now or if instead his long-term development is better-served with a stint in the AHL first.
5) Will the Hurricanes follow the book and select Andrei Svechnikov? If so, is he NHL ready?
Following the theme of the impending youth movement, will the Hurricanes keep it simple and select Andrei Svechnikov with the #2 pick overall? And if they do, will Svechnikov prove ready to play and contribute at the NHL level in 2018-19 as an 18-year old rookie?
6) Who will be the team’s captain(s)?
The roster makeover could have something to say about this, but I will be surprised if Justin Williams is not wearing a letter of some variety next season. I will also be surprised if the team emerges from the offseason still with two captains. Further, I think the playoff miss combined with the transition to Rod Brind’Amour as head coach will ultimately see Justin Williams wearing the ‘C’ just like I thought he should have last season. But just like last season, the potential outcomes are numerous such that the resolution of this situation easily makes a list of burning questions.
7) Can the Hurricanes make a key addition who is a difference-maker?
Whether it takes a trade of a higher-end roster player or a foray into free agency, it seems reasonable to believe that management will make an attempt to upgrade the roster. If that proves to be true, the question is what position the team will look to upgrade. At forward, scoring help is needed. In net, the team is still searching for an elusive combination that provides at least league average goaltending. On defense, despite having enough players with potential, the team still seems to be short at least one top 4 defenseman.
8) Who will the Hurricanes add to fill out the coaching ranks?
With a new head coach in Rod Brind’Amour who has zero head coaching experience at any level, having an experience that he can lean on at the ready could prove to be incredibly helpful. I clamored for the addition of another coach with head coaching experience last summer to help Peters navigate uncharted waters for him. I again think it could help. Will Brind’Amour be able and willing to lure an experienced former head coach? Or will he instead opt for someone who is more clearly below him?
What say you Canes fans?
1) Who has more burning questions for the offseason?
2) Which of the burning questions that I offered will be most significant to the Hurricanes’ 2018-19 success?
Go Canes!
2. The goaltending. Finding League average goaltending would be enough to get us to the playoffs. If we could generate another 20-25 goals next season from trades,and drafts, that would be great, too.
1) How much of struggle from the past 4 years was due to Bill Peters? I mentioned one other time that one of my early mentors was a woman with a lot of executive experience. Her first rule of management was: “Managers can’t really make people perform above their talent level–but most managers can make them worse.”
I thought about this in looking at the World Championship statistics for Team Canada: 5th in Goals per Game, 11th on the Power Play, 12th in Save Percentage. Those sound awfully familiar. While I always liked BP, I am starting to wonder. How can a team with McDavid, Barzal, Schwartz, Schenn, ROR, Bailey, Horvat not be among the top 3 scoring teams and be below average on the power play? The save % would be at home in Raleigh the past 4 seasons.
I am not saying everything will magically change. But haven’t most Caniacs thought that the players were not living up to their talent. The system might have been a big part of that.
2)Your questions 3 and 5 are most significant.
3 If some of the problem was due to BP’s system, then all of the D could see some on-ice and statistical improvement–none more than Hanifin.
5 Svechnikov will be the first forward taken (FFT). Nine of the last ten FFT have played their first year (only Sam Reinhart played 9 games and then was sent down). For that 90%, they averaged 20+ goals and almost 50 points (that includes Yakupov who scored 17 goals and 31 points in 48 games during the lockout season). Based on precedent, there should be almost no question if Svechnikov is ready. In fact, a pretty strong consensus exists that Svechnikov would be solidly in the middle of the group of last 10 FFT–definitely ahead of Yakupov and Reinhart, likely ahead of Hischier, pretty close to Hall.
I am coming around to the argument that Necas might need a season in Charlotte. But if the Canes don’t/can’t get 20 goals out of Svechnikov, then there will only be more burning questions.
CT, I was frustrated by the BP system for quite some time, and believe it was holding our team back. Everyone, but particularly defenseman. We spasticly defended low percentage shots, taking us out of position to defend high percentage shots. Offensively, we generated massive quantities of low percentage shots.
Our goalie statistics have been consistently bad throughout BP tenure, an indicator that the defensive system is giving up the wrong shots. Conversely, the same is true on offense.
Our team has great speed and skill and should be capable of much better results.
As an aside, team Canada’s 5-1 drubbing from team Finland gave me a chuckle. There was something pleasing about seeing Turbo and Aho celebrating scores while BP looked down at his notepad behind the Canadian bench.
I watched the Canada-Finland game on Saturday as well. Thanks for mentioning the fun of watching the Finns win rather easily.
Finland took the US team apart today, with Aho scoring a hat trick in the process.
Caught the third period. Finns are playing well.
I am 100% with you on point #1. A coach/manager can’t motivate an adult to go beyond his talent/desire level long term, but they can damn sure make them perform below it. I definitely think this defines Bill Peters. I don’t think it’s his system. It’s how he teaches the system and apparently makes players miserable.
I do disagree with Matt (respectfully of course) when he says one addition cannot fix this team.
It won’t automatically, no, but there could be the key addition that changes the team dynamic.
What if we picked up a hot goalteder who provided average, let alone above average, goaltending. We could be talking a very different story come March.
What if we added a steady defenseman who helps mentor the young guys and reduces our goals against by .5 PG, or someone who adds 30 goals.
These ar all longshots, but the team is not necessarily fundamentally broken. Look at the Jets turnaround from last year, no significant personnel changes, just minor adjustments and additions and a huge comeback from their goalie.
But I agree with Matt that we can’t automatically go all JR, add one overpaid superstar and then make plans for a series of June trips to the arena, but I disagree that that’s automatically impossible.
Anyway, that’s besides the point.
Going back to Vegas, was it pure luck or shrude scouting, or what caused William Carlson’s rise, from average Columbus third liner to a top scoring first liner? If the canes can pull of one of those, either through signing or maybe recognizing, motivating and developing that talent from within, wow that’d be cool. Again, unlikely, but we often don’t see what potential we have in our players.
I know it’s easy and tempting to blame Peters, but this team has more to give, much more, and it is the coach’s job to get the most out of the players.
I do feel more optimistic about the Canes chances than in many years past. That’s not a bad feeling.
I love it when people disagree with me (respectfully of course as is almost always the case here in our Coffee Shop). More opinions and viewpoints are a huge positive.
I also concede that the goalie position has the potential to become a huge X factor at some point if the team catches lightning in a bottle and goes from significantly below average to even moderately above average.
But at the end of the day, I think it is a change in mentality that tilts this team in the other direction.
A question that will be answered this summer that most interests me is who will be signed long term. RFAs such as Lindholm and Hanifin need deals for the upcoming season. Aho, TT, and perhaps Skinner can sign new deals after July 1. Last summer Slavin and Pesce were signed for long term deals that made a lot of sense.
If these players are signed to long term extensions it will show a commitment to the core going forward. Do all the previous players mentioned need 8 year extensions? No. It would be great,though, to know that Aho and TT will be signed for the next several years. I would like to see Lindholm signed long term as well.
Of the many questions put forth by Matt the easiest one to answer is the draft. With the second overall pick the Carolina Hurricanes select the Russian. He should be another cornerstone player for the team. If the team messes that up they probably deserve not making the playoffs for another decade.
The hardest question to answer is who will be the goaltending duo on opening night. I think it will be Darling and a young goalie like Grubauer, Dell, Sparks, or someone I have not heard about. Someone still on a ELC if possible. My hope is Cam will sign a one year two way contract for the sake of the team. He can mentor Ned in Charlotte or bail out Darling if need be.
Many tough questions to be answered this summer. Does the franchise take the next step and make the playoffs or continue on the treadmill of mediocrity?
Just as a correction, even if Ward signs a 2-way contract he would still need to clear waivers if he is sent to Charlotte. The 2-way contract simply sets two levels of compensation.
I do think Ward will sign another 1- or 2-year deal and settle into that reserve role – whether behind a rejuvenated Darling or another goalie brought in to compete for the starting role.
No way Ward signs a two-way. The NHLPA would have a fit. He’s a veteran with over 10 years experience. There may even be a rule against it.
Not trying to offend. Just ruminating on the way forward. I admit contract dynamics are not my strength.
Thanks for the information. My thought is that Cam would help the team by beginning the season in Charlotte as a mentor or “break glass in case of emergency” call up.
Would that be a minor league contract instead? Appreciate the
the feedback.
I don’t think there is any rule about a veteran player sighing a 2-way deal. It has nothing to do with whether a player can be sent down or not. It simply establishes two levels of compensation – one for AHL play and one for NHL play.
Any veteran player on a 2-way contract would be subject to waivers before being sent down (PDG was in this situation last season).
Cam would not sign a 2-way to make less money in the AHL (players there make less than $100,000 a year).
Finally a player on an AHL contract needs to sign an NHL contract for the NHL before being brought. An AHL contract is a contract only with the AHL team.
Thanks for the feedback. I am a big fan of Cam Ward. He has soldiered on through some tough times. I would like to see him stay with the organization in some capacity. I don’t think he and Darling should be the goalie tandem on opening day. Darling is probably not getting traded. Therefore it would be wise to have Cam ready to step in if needed. Just my view on the tough goalie situation for the team.
1) I think Skinner is the most likely of that trio to be traded. The guy can’t spell responsible if you spot him the first 8 letters. It’s not like this is new. He hasn’t grown as a player and he is probably happy to go somewhere new where he can do his thing and not be asked to pass to teammates or play defense. I would be shocked to see Staal go. He plays the game the way our new coach wants it played, and he is one of the few forwards that actually have some size and ability to get in the dirty areas. Faulk is another question. His game has really dropped in the past year and a half. Can he get his game back? Will he commit to being more responsible? Does he want out of Carolina? I guess we will see.
Finally, if any of these players are traded some salary is going to need to come back. Losing one or more of these three may put the Canes uncomfortably close to the salary cap floor.
2) Can Darling show up prepared and ready to go for training camp? Sure. Will he? Who knows. Hope so, but I doubt the Canes are banking on it. They have to sign or trade for a goalie that has the potential to be a #1. That leaves out Cam. I know he’s a good guy, but we all know he isn’t a #1. Time for him to find a backup job somewhere else. Cam will always have a home here, but his time wearing the Hurricanes jersey should be over.
3) Hanifin…what an quandary. What to do…what to do. Making the all-star team was the worst thing ever. His agent will use that and demand big dollars. He isn’t worth it unless he gets a lot better. He has the physical tools to be whatever kind of player he wants to be, but does he have the head? If the Canes think he can’t/won’t become that player it may be time to trade him. Hanifin should bring back a very good player in return at this point. If he keeps stinking up the joint defensively and signs a big contract he won’t bring back squat.
Skipping 4 & 5. We’ve beat those up pretty good.
6) No doubt Williams will wear a letter, but the C? The fact he has only one year left on his deal makes me wonder. How long does he want to play? If he is planning on retiring or moving on after this season I don’t put the C on him. Staal would be the obvious choice for me.
7) Hopefully the #2 pick brings a difference maker. Probably the Russian, but maybe not. If the Canes plan to make a trade for a difference maker they are going to have to give something up. I don’t think Skinner gets you that player. Hanifin or Faulk would be the players I think would bring in that kind of player.
8) No clue about the assistant coach. I don’t think a former head coach will come to Carolina if the stories are true about how much Dundon wants to pay his staff. If Dundon is going cheap it will be as assistant from somewhere else.
I think there is a good chance that Williams wears the C. Fisher did it in 16-17 for the Preds and took them all the way. Another veteran player at the end of his contract
2 is the most important need. My research shows that Carter Hutton (St Louis) is the best unrestricted free agent to be goalie out there if Capfriendly site is correct about his contract status. Going after him is a no brainer IMO. I wrote about this previously so won’t repeat myself as far as stats, etc. go.
Probably could have said the same thing about Darling last year. Going from backup to #1 does strange things to some goalies. Any of them will be a gamble.
I like your questions, Matt, and will role through them 1 at a time and offer a different bent.
1. I see players like Faulk, Skinner, Rask, and even Hanifin being moved based on what I have heard from others. I go back to the remark I read that TD wants to move 7-10 players for culture reasons. I have to imagine we would want both a top-6 forward and top-4 D in return, however it shakes out.
2. I would generalize this to how is goaltending managed. Waddell was very definitive about the possibility of bringing in a third goalie and having 3 compete for the 2 spots. He also said starting Darling in Charlotte may be what he needs.
FTR, Darling let in 3 really soft goals against South Korea and Norway – I am hoping he wasn’t in goal in Finland’s dismantling of the US team today.
3. See point 1. If he does stay it will be a change in leadership of the team that will make him improve. He is no longer a prospect – he has 3 years in the league. There will be some interesting negotiations with his agent.
4. I am sure he will be given a chance – Waddell referenced it last week (he needs to learn how to pronounce his name, though, it is not NEE-cash,
but NEH-chis). I expect he may spend time in Charlotte, which will be good him I think. But he will be a regular on NHL ice by the end of the season.
5. This is the biggest tell for what management is thinking. Do anything but take Svech and they will have blown the pick. I am truly concerned, given the history, that they will try something cute with this.
6. Williams – RBA has clearly said only one captain and by a definition of “captain” I read yesterday by the new head coach of Dallas, it can only be Williams.
“Great captains think team first, and that’s why they are captains. If your best players are the hardest on themselves, the most accountable, everybody else falls in line. If I can be hard on Benn in the first, I can be hard on everyone the rest of the game. The right leaders want to be held accountable.”
7. With the expected (by me) loss of several top players we will see new players brought. They will be difference makes – the types of players that RBA, TD, and even JW want on the team.
8. Apparently there is a lot of interest in that spot so I think whoever it is will be the right pick in terms of coaching talent and culture.
The most important is (2) – redefined as fixing goaltending – and (1) roster reboot to change the culture.
Trades are the way to go. I can see (2) of Faulk, Skinner, Staal getting traded. I also think a young defenseman and/or prospect gets dealt as part of a package. We have at least one significant hole on offense, defense and goaltending…not to mention needing a change in leadership. We are unlikely to be key players in free agency, but those holes can be filled by making savvy trades.
Questions surrounding youth (is Aho ready for 1C, is Necas ready for NHL, is Hanifin top 4D, will Darling rebound) won’t be answered until preseason when games are played. That said I highly doubt we wait or hope. This is why I can see us bringing in a 2C to serve as 1C short-term, goalie who has been a reliable starter in the past, and a top 4D to stabilize the corp. The result brings new leadership, youth who can slot accordingly and earn their time, while stabilizing both sides of the ice.
Whether in business or sports, there is often (and usually) addition by subtraction: get rid of the problem and the remainder of the team flourishes. If the Canes have this problem, then the act of removing the issue will likely make the team better; any return is a bonus.
Obviously, we aren’t giving any players away, so, if the brain-trust believes the issue is Skinner or Faulk or Rask and they are traded, they are certainly going to fetch a decent return. A signed Skinner would fetch a high-quality defenseman (ie., Ryan Ellis, Trouba, Brodin/Dumba, maybe even Dougie Hamilton). We had the value conversation around Rask earlier in the week; Faulk has value, too. We have plenty of trade-chips that will return very good players back.
While Provorov and Werenski may have passed Hanifin this season, I wonder whether
Andrew McDonald (Provorov’s primary partner) and Seth Jones (Werenski’s) should claim at least partial credit; to say it another way, maybe this another area where Faulk let us down by exposing Hanifin too much. Seth Jones was in a similar situation to Hanifin before his trade to CBJ – struggling with big upside before being traded for a 1C (Ryan Johansen). He’s since turned into a stud. I would take a 1C for Hanifin and let him be a stud somewhere else if necessary.
The Hanifin situation also makes me think that a veteran defenseman with a little nastiness is needed in the lineup.
Necas is likely going to need a year to adjust; it’s a huge risk to think he’s going to come in without significant growing pains. Trading Hanifin for a 1C (or thereabouts) might be good insurance. RNH, ROR, LD? Am I dreaming?
If TD and gang are going to be as aggressive this offseason remaking this roster, there are going to be plenty of options to make the team better. I think this new management team is going to be a little less hesitant to pull the trigger.
I hate to be in a position to make a decision like this. I have enormous respect for each of them. Even my taunts at Hayden Fleury in past posts were made in bitter disappointment at a young man whom I knew could do better. I had seen him do better.
I can’t pick and choose anyone whom I think should go. But many people find the choice to be self-evident.
Get rid of Skinner? Get rid of him because he can’t spell responsible, even if you spot him the first eight letters? Not much to be said about such a player.
I coached young people in hockey and soccer. I was blessed to have a “pure” scorer on one of the soccer teams I coached. Pure scorers are unique individuals and are quite rare. They always go for the net, with or without the ball/puck.
As a coach, I wasn’t a genius. But I got to know my kids. I tried to use their talents in roles that best suited those talents.
I tried to make sure that my smartest player was out there with my scorer. He made sure that he covered for the defensive lapses we had come to expect from our cherished pure scorer. The other kids seemed to be able to anticipate the moves of our scorer. When he had the ball, they headed for the net, looking for rebounds. When they had the ball, they knew that our scorer was heading for the net, looking for a pass or a rebound.
It all seemed to work for us. It was simple. It was easy to see coming and to plan against. It was very difficult to stop. A pure scorer is almost impossible to stop. That is, unless his team wants to slow him down by distracting him with defensive responsibility. Did I spell that word correctly?
There is another way to stop a pure scorer. That is to hurt him physically. In the NHL, that is the way you stop pure scorers like Skinny. You hurt him. The problem with Skinny is, he can take a lot of pain. He is a young man of great courage. He works hard and has great pride. He is the last man to leave the ice after the pre-game skate; every game.
Pure scorers like Skinny are uncommon. But there are a few of them in the NHL. The Candy Canes have two, I believe. The other is Fishy.
Logically, if the only way to stop a pure scorer is to hurt him, it would follow that the team which is blessed with one should try to protect him from the enemies who are trying to take him out of the game. Other teams do it. Connor McDavid is well protected. So is Ovi. So are most of the rest. Why not Skinny and Fishy and whomever we select in the draft? Why is it that so many who call themselves fans are silent on this issue?
I am going on too long here, so I will only address the goalkeeper issue. We have tried Lack and Darling and Ward with this team over the last couple of years. There are two ways to see this; 1) the goalies stink. Let’s get a new one. Or 2) the way the team has been playing, no goalie could succeed.
I hope that Tom gives Roddy a chance to work with every player and give each a chance to prove himself.
Comparing the NHL to youth hockey is, well….not even in the same ballpark. There are always kids that are so much better they can always score doing it themselves. No such thing in the NHL. Defenses are too good. Maybe in the 80s and 90s you could have a player not being distracted with defensive responsibilities, but no more. Watching the playoffs and just about every goal is the result of a mistake. Washington looks dominant because Ovi, who needs no one to protect him, isn’t making the same mistakes he used to make. Once again I will quote Mike Babcock, “you can’t outscore your mistakes in this league.”
I guess I should defer to someone more knowledgeable of hockey in particular and team sports in general than I.
I must say that Ovi does need protection. There is seldom a time when he is on the ice that you don’t see Wilson. But maybe I am wrong there too.
Hey, I want to apologize if I have been a bit too demonstrative in my posts. I do not mean to demean or offend. After re-reading my posts I do see how they can be taken that way. I respect all opinions, and especially yours. I am going to try to take care to not be as obnoxious with my opinions moving forward.
I would have preferred to send this as a PM, but we don’t that option. Hope you see this. All the best.
Both old and new regular contributors to the Coffee Shop, I just wanted to say how much I appreciate the volume and quality of different viewpoints on our hockey team every day and regardless of topic.
I am on hockey hiatus (as much as is possible when you run a daily website) simply to recharge but also because I hit one of those busy stretches in life that makes time juggling challenging.
But I still appreciate reading all of the comments even if I am a day late sometimes, and I promise that I will pull up a chair and be a more regular contributor once get into summer.
Let me finish by saying that if you are a regular reader who considers contributing, please do so. The regular group here does a phenomenal job of setting a friendly coffee shop atmosphere, and we can always use more viewpoints. Grab a cup of Joe, pull up a chair and join the neighborhood conversation.
I am coming at this from a different angle. Who on the current roster of RFAs and UFAs will not be coming back and what does that leave us as a core of players. Not sure who TD and Company want to re-sign to contracts but I want to see who signs. For example if Lindholm choose to test the Free Agent Market because he wants out of the Hurricanes organization who replaces him. There are alot of what ifs occuring this summer and few answers but tons of speculation. Don’t mind the speculation but will have to wait and see what transpires.
Lindholm is still a RFA so there is no real testing the water for him. Unless the rights to negotiate with him are traded we will make a qualifying offer and he will have the right to go after an offer sheet from another team. The Canes will have the right to match it.
So many good and interesting points.
I think the #1 issue is the new ownership and management being competent (much like my point about BP this morning). I say that because of recent events. The Canes have 2 of the top 10 players at the World Championships (by most objective measures); the Canes have 1 of the top 3 players at World Under 20 Championships; the Canes have 3 of the top 20 players in the AHL this season; the Canes will pick the second best draft-eligible player in the world. Not a bad starting point, which doesn’t include two proven young defenders and one even younger with loads of talent.
I know there will still be some skeptics, but the past two weeks should have answered most questions about whether Aho has 1C (y’all know I don’t like that phrase) potential.
The top two picks last year ended up on teams that made the playoffs. While their presence was far from the only reason for that, it implies what an elite young player can add. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised to see either Aho or Lindholm (maybe both if my preferred PP 1 unit comes about) see a Hall/Couturier uptick in scoring depending on who centers Svechnikov.
To tj’s and dmiller’s points, I think the subtraction/addition is mostly done. When I realize that most or all of Ryan, Di Guiseppe, Kruger, Nordstrom, Jooris, Stempniak won’t be on the team and all were significant parts last year, it represents change. Remember that Stahlberg and Hainsey being moved led to the March 2017 points streak. There is something to addition by subtraction, especially when veterans are replaced by youngsters who bring separate skill sets. Svech, Zykov, Foegele, Wallmark, maybe McKeown will change the culture to a small degree just by their inclusion.
Though I expect one of Skinner/Faulk/Rask will also be moved both to add a different skill set and to specifically change the culture.
The majority view has mostly convinced me that Necas shouldn’t be expected to step into a major role in Raleigh. That actually might be an addition as well in that Wallmark is likely to be more productive/less error-prone next season while Necas continues his path to being a near-elite center. Again the decision-makers need to be competent now that the organization has multiple options for open spots in Raleigh.
When the Canes kept falling behind in March I was really discouraged. The draft lottery and World Championships have returned me to being my over-optimistic self. I am even optimistic enough to believe that the new brain trust won’t mess up all the good things that have happened in April and May. If any of Teravainen, Staal, Pesce, or Lindholm are traded, I won’t be quite as optimistic.
I hear much about trading Justin Faulk. He is young and strong. He is superbly talented. He has yet to hit his ceiling. But for the last couple of seasons he has had some less than favorable stats.
“Let’s trade him then!” say those who want to be rid of him. For whom should we trade him? A forward? With whom should we replace him? Who can we get in a trade? But the important point here is, we need to add an experienced defenseman or two. Not get rid of the only one we have.
Roddy’s job is going to be difficult. Doubtless, he will have to evaluate how badly damaged his players’ psyches are. Which ones are damaged beyond repair and which ones are not? Getting rid of those who are beyond repair while getting something decent in return will be dicey.
In terms of the number one center we are looking for, has anyone thought of Eric Staal? He might be a UFA this summer.
Just sayin’.
I am down on Faulk but I also realize that he could totally turn around. He is great offensively but his defense was so bad. I went to many games where his lack of defense cost us goals and games. I am not a GM for a good reason, I do not judge players too well. I have no idea if he could come back and prove many of us wrong.
I also agreed with your comments about skinner, put in the right position he could be very dangerous. If his defense is not so good, get him with people who can make up for that. He is a dynamic scorer if used correctly. I am not in on trading him.
I believe Faulk is the most likely to be traded on our top end but we will see what happens.
Eric Staal, why not. He proved he can still play big time. I remember watching the games and felt he was not putting his best effort forward towards the end. With Semin on his line had to be totally disheartening. He may want to come back to prove something and have a chip on his shoulder. I would not say no to that if it became a possibility.
Great comments from all. Agree, draft Svechnikov, dump players mentioned, and bring up the kids from Charlotte that are worthy. Trade for a seasoned defense man who is also an enforcer if there is one available.
I attended the last Checkers playoff game in Charlotte and listened to Shaya for to all the games including the 5 OT game. The Checkers were not beaten by the better team they were beaten by the better goal tender. The Canes don’t have anyone close to this and this kid is in the AHL. He has played some games this year in the NHL though.
Put a fork in Darling. Buy out his contact…… get rid of him. I hate to be a hater but he is not capable. He is horrible. We NEED a real goal tender. Ward was adequate in his day but this is today. I think this is where the focus really needs to be. Trade someone anyone that has been mentioned for a proven goal tender and I think the rest will fall in place.
As an aside, I sat next to a Lehigh Valley fan at the game last Saturday and he said that the Flyers are stacked with goalies in the pipeline. They have a goalie prospect in the Canadian league that he said is better than anyone on the roster now. Said they were comparing him to King Henry. That is quite a statement given what I heard and witnessed from Alex Lyon.
I have to agree Dixie. I was at game 5 of the Checkers. I think they were down after that 5 period OT loss. They did not seem to have as much jump. The Phantoms’ goal tender was unbelievable. Yes, it was the goalie that beat them, not the remainder of the team.
I wish we could get Alex Lyon. No chance of that.
1) I have heard people talk about moving Skinner but replacing a 30 goal scorer is not easy. His defense is not good but part of that was being on the 3rd line with others who did not help with the defense. Put him on a real line. I am not so crazy about moving skinner (yet). Faulk just digressed more and more. Of the top players he is the most likely to be traded.
2) IMO opinion Darling was the reason we did not make the playoffs. He was the worst in the NHL. Things can change but I would have a number 1 in waiting if we do not move him. I know people said the defense was porous but other goalies had that as well. He was horrible.
3) I am still trying to understand why Noah Hanifin went to the all star game. He is still young but it is time to step up. He should not get a massive contract because of where he was drafted. You have to preform to get that. I am not saying move him but it is time for him to prove something or we move him next year.
4) IMO Martin Necas is ready but I do not think we should view him as the savior. He will have learning to do but I think he can do okay and will make the roster.
5) Select Andrei Svechnikov. We need scoring and he is the best available. He is young so will have mistakes but he should make the roster with his talents.
6) William should be the captain. He should have been last year. Staal is very good, he should have an A. Faulk should not have a letter.
7) We have very low cap. We should definitely be able to get a top six addition. Kane, JVR, or several others. TD wants to win. There will be an addition.
8) I do not know who RB will want to add to fill out the coaching ranks.
I tried to post about 3pm and my post got lost. Here is weak approximation.
1) the most burning (well, intriguing) question to me combines Matt’s 6) and 8). Instead of getting a C or an A, will JW get an AC instead? Assistant Coach?
It was odd when RBA waffled on whether he would get an assistant coach. Was that because it would be temporary, keeping the seat warm for JW? Will JW be an assistant coach who also happens to skate? The topics were back-to-back, may or may not get an assistant coach, I love Justin Williams. Proximity may have led me to a wrong conclusion, but I like the thought.
RBA and JW would be multiplicative instead of additive in their ability to motivate.
Wow! I love that idea.
Good dealmakers sell high, buy low, and deal from a position of strength (our young defensemen). This could mean some unexpected players on our team get dealt if we can fill vital needs (1C/scoring and goaltending). If we want a gritty d-man we could sign UFA Luke Schenn. dmilleravid makes many good points above.
If Darling is on the team I will refuse to attend a game. What message does that send to the rest of the players that you can fail that miserably and still have a roster spot? No way he makes the Canes roster unless he EARNS it back in Charlotte. Chicago may take him back in trade if we retain some salary.
We have two Conn Smythe trophy winners on our team. Look no further for a Captain.
Justin Faulk could be difficult to replace on the PP; Right-shot scoring d-men are rare and coveted; he deserves another opportunity to redeem himself (not in a leadership role with the added pressure) with an EXPERIENCED shut-down partner. Hanifin’s ceiling is still high; I predict he will sign a bridge contract rather than a long-term deal. I agree that Skinny needs protection and I’m pretty sure we will make the right moves to help. Necas should start out in Charlotte; we will draft Svechnikov and he will be on the roster.
Earlier today I tried to defend Skinny’s lack of enthusiasm for defense. I told of my experience coaching at the youth level where I had the honor/pleasure of coaching a pure scorer.
Someone decided to ignore my point and instead took me to task for comparing the NHL to youth hockey.
I don’t know why he did that, but I will assume that he just misunderstood me. I very much disagree with his point that pure scorers can no longer do their thing in the NHL because the defenses are “too good”? This sounds like “new NHL” talk.
I am not interested in the “new NHL”. It doesn’t exist. The “real NHL” does exist.
The “real NHL ” is full of people. The place NHL scouts find pure scorers is in youth hockey.
To my friend who lectured me on the “new NHL “, I must say that Maurice “Rocket” Richatd would shred defenses today as easily as he did back in his day. Bobby Orr was discovered by the Bruins when he was 8 years old. They paid his father $10,000 for the exclusive rights to him when he turned 18 (days before the draft came into being).
Skinner, McDavid, Matthews, and Ovi are pure scorers. They require special consideration by coaches as well as protection on the ice.
Skinner had the misfortune of being drafted by the Candy Canes who not only don’t protect him, but added insult to injury by expecting him to divert his focus to defensive issues.
It is tantamount to using a Mercedes to pull a plow.
One more thing. We have been blessed by the hockey gods with a second pure scorer. Fishy is such a player. The hockey gods have also blessed us with the number two pick this year. Could there be a third pure scorer in our stars?
What are we going to do with this embarrassment of riches? Hopefully we will be wise enough to not abuse them by hitching them in tandem with Skinny to pull that plow.