Today’s Daily Cup of Joe offers a small set of quick hitters.
If the Canes are going to collect a gain from a bit of desperation, now is the time. Because of how well the other Eastern Conference bubble teams are playing, even a small burst of losses could make a rebound really tough right now.
One big issue with the 2019-20 Hurricanes is that the team really has not latched onto a repeatable formula. So many of the Canes wins come on days that seem easy because of scoring. As good teams find a higher gear, it becomes harder and harder to win just by out-gunning other teams.
The Hurricanes are now 0-5 on the road since the magnificent 4-0-1 road trip during the front part of December. Without the home tilted schedule from January, the Hurricanes need to quickly right the ship resume collecting points in road games.
It will be interesting to see if the Canes falling below the playoff cut line prompts some urgency from Don Waddell. On the one hand, I think the biggest issue right now is more level of play at least on a consistent basis from the whole roster which is not fixable with a single trade. On the other hand, I do think that stabilizing the defense a bit could help.
Increasingly I wonder if Jake Gardiner’s offensive production in Toronto was just inflated by playing with arguably the most skilled set of top half of the roster forwards in the NHL. His defensive struggles early in the season are well-documented, but maybe more surprising is that Gardiner has not been a difference-maker offensively. His current 22-point pace would be barely more than half compared to 30 points in 62 games in 2018-19.
This team played its best in 2018-19 once its backs were against the wall, so despite the recent bumps in the road, I would not count this team out.
What say you Canes fans?
1) Who has other quick hitters?
2) Who has comments on these quick hitters?
Go Canes!
Perhaps it’s just recency bias, but Gardiner’s game has risen to a higher level in the last month, especially on the defensive end of the rink. Offensively, I’d like to see him shoot more. Our opponents know he doesn’t shoot. They can totally focus on passing lanes, reducing his play making ability and assist totals.
Another possible quick hitter with a bit of recency bias is the confident and effective play of Fleury. If he continues on his current trajectory the committee will need to come up with a plan to protect him in the Seattle entry draft.
While Gardiner has avoided the horrific turnover and crazy bad blown coverage lately its not like he’s been good. Go watch the zone entry on the first goal by St. Louis last night. Bad gap and then what is going on with his skating? He is struggling with pivots which is a big problem for defensemen. First of all, yes, Gardiner’s scoring numbers were inflated by playing with Matthews, Marner, Tavares, etc. But he is in no way a top four defenseman and is totally playing out of position.
We can criticize individual players all we want, but the team itself isn’t right. I wouldn’t call them lazy, but they aren’t playing the hard game they played last year. Seems to me some players are enamored with their skill and think they can win fancy. It isn’t working and won’t work. The Blues are exhibit A in how to win. Play hard, fast and don’t cheat!
The main issue to me, which hasn’t been solved all season despite our record, is that we haven’t figured out the repeatable formula for winning. And then of course to the degree we have, we haven’t applied it consistently.
I’m starting to get concerned we won’t find it at all. But it’s easy to feel that way after getting outclassed last night.
There is a shortage of bodies down in Charlotte, they can barely find 12 healthy forwards to play right now.
Whereas the Canes are the important thing and if a player can help the club another can be found for the farm, I still think the injuries in Clt may play a role in not calling up guys right now. They’ve faced adversity and the coaching staff may want to see how they deal with it as a team (learning experience).
The HB blogger for the Devils is convinced the Canes will trade for Sammy Vatanen (RHD on an expiring contract) and proposes that a 2nd round pick + something or a first will get it done, with the Devils potentially covering some of his salary.
The Finnish contingent may jel htere, but I have no opinion on such a deal right now.
Bock is the rihgt-handed prospect forward that was the other piece in the Justin Faulk deal last year. He played well in the World Juniors and hopefully will surprise in training camp next fall. The Canes really need a right-handed forward.
The team I’ve watched in the last couple of games seems to have a deer in the headlights attitude, not the swagger, compete and self confidence we’ve seen most of the year (after all they got as far as 10 games above 500).
JW has done everything he can on the scoresheet but hopefully the roadtrip can help him take the reigns and get the young kids playing the right way. I don’t believe in Jordan Staal as a captain, I have never seen him successful in that role and I think it is distracting him from his core strengths, being an elite checking line forward.
I would give the C to JW for now, sit Gardner and call up Jake Bean (what have we got to lose with Gardner), give Ned a game in net and explore trades.