Yesterday’s Daily Cup of Joe took a try at slotting the current Carolina Hurricanes roster into a winner for the 2018-19 season. A significant part of that project is identifying gaps/needs and filling them. But in a salary cap league and for a team that has historically had internal budgets, there is also a salary math component for this project.
In that regard, a couple of the biggest decisions to be made this summer have a significant salary component included.
1) Jeff Skinner
At the top of the list is Jeff Skinner. He has one year remaining on his current contract at a reasonable $6 million actual salary before he is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent this summer. As such, the timing is right for the Hurricanes to decide if he is part of the long-term plan and worth a long-term contract this summer, or if instead he is not part of the long-term plan and is more valuable to the team as a trade asset. As I said on Twitter when the deal occurred, I think despite being vastly different in terms of style of play, I think Evander Kane is a decent reference point for Skinner’s next contract because of age and past production. Kane collected a $49 million contract over seven years. I think Skinner’s next deal will be similar. So the question is whether it makes sense to make that kind of commitment to Jeff Skinner for the long-term.
Where I land: In terms of trying to shake things up a bit and also improve, I think Skinner is a player that I would part ways with if I can get a fair return. I just do not think he is the type of elite all-around player that I want if I am going to pay north of $7 million per year long-term.
2) Noah Hanifin
Whereas Jeff Skinner’s situation is high stakes but maybe more of a straightforward either/or choice, Noah Hanifin’s situation is more complex. He just completed his entry-level contract and will need a new contract for the 2018-19 season. As a #5/#6 defenseman who has yet to push up near his ceiling as a #5 overall draft pick, logic would suggest that he is in line for a short-term bridge deal in the neighborhood of $2.5 to $3 million per year. This is pretty similar to the two-year $2.8 million deal that Elias Lindholm received after a modest start to his NHL career on his entry-level deal. But if instead, Hanifin’s agent tries to leverage his all-star selection and higher offensive production and pushes for a deal more like Jaccob Slavin or Brett Pesce’s, the situation is significantly different and would force another hard choice on the Hurricanes’ management.
Where I land: Despite being concerned about Hanifin’s modest development so far, I would love two more years at $2.5 to $3 million per year to see if he can put it all together and push up closer to the high ceiling of his physical abilities. If instead, his agent pushes for more term and more money similar to Pesce or Slavin’s deal, I would pass because of the risk and significant overpayment relative to his current role. By no means would I trade him at a discount, but I would explore possibilities to get fair value in return instead of taking on a risky contract.
3) Scott Darling
Scott Darling’s situation is different in that he is under contract for three more years at $3.95 million per year. Given the risk in betting on a Scott Darling rebound, the question is if and how much it would cost to add another starting goalie option. None of the options are particularly appealing. Buying him out would be pricey at $1.3 million per year for six years. As I wrote awhile back, I still think eating half of his salary and sending him back to Chicago could be the best option, but if the Blackhawks want a trade asset too, it starts to become a pricey endeavor. Finally, and what indications from the team are, the most likely option is that the Hurricanes keep Darling hoping for a rebound. The question in that scenario is what kind of budget could still be mustered for help.
Where I land: If I could unload Darling and start fresh after retaining half of his salary without only a modest sweetener to do the deal, I would do so. Otherwise I would begrudgingly ride another year deep into his contract hoping for a rebound.
What say you on each of these financial situations?
Loading ...
Loading ...
Loading ...
Please also add broader opinions on these three situations in the comments.
Go Canes!
1. I can’t make up my mind about Skinner. I think giving him away would be foolish, but trading him for a player or two that address our needs is an option the Canes should look at, especially in goal and for a #4 defenseman. I liked the proposed trade with LA.
It’s also possible to have Skinner play out the year in Carolina and trade him at the deadline if the Canes are not in the hunt. I think the hall could be as good or better, provided Skinner keeps scoring. Detroit got a 1st, 2nd and a third round pick for Tatar from Vegas.
2. I think other teams value Hannifin much higher than the Canes do, so this would be a time to trade him for a maximum return.
I proposed trading him to Tor for their goalie prospect Sparks and one of their right wingers Connor Brown or Kapanen. I still have hope that Hannifin can become an elite defenseman with the right partner but I think an upgrade in goal and a veteran steady #4 defenseman with some guts (not of the beer variety) is better for the team.
3. I’m entering the broken record phase but I am really hoping the Canes will trade Darling to the Blackhawks in return for taking on Hossa’s contract.
The cost is 3 mill over 3 years. The 5 mill cap hit is significant but I don’t see the team pushing to within 5 mill of the ceiling, if the new owners actions are anything to go by. If the Canes could possibly eek out one 2nd or third round pick from the Hawks as a bonus it’d be spectacular. I think this situation would work out for both teams and should be the first option to explore for management.
If not, give Darling a year to rebound with a physical trainer.
I think buying him out is the worst option of the lot.
These are the three big decisions this year, but if I’m GMDW I’m also thinking about these decisions within the context of next year’s UFA’s/RFA’s and then the Seattle expansion draft.
As for these three situations, I agree with your conclusion. The decision on Skinner is whether or not he fits into our long-term plans. If he is in our plans, I’d try and extend him this summer to avoid the Tavares situation that NYI finds themselves in. If he does not fit into our plans, I think we have to trade him. I could also see and sign-and-trade situation making sense to get him the extra year of term. I hope we already have the answer because not extending him and not trading him introduces a lot of risk for the team.
Hanifin’s situation is different. Even if his agent wants more doesn’t mean he’s going to get it if the team pushes back. I think everyone knows the all-star game had more to do with the league needing to fill out it’s divisional roster and less about the player, so that’s not going to count for much credit in anyone’s book. He has improved year-over-year but not nearly as much as some of his 1st-Round peers in his draft-class so he still has a lot to prove. I certainly hope he realizes how much better he can be and doesn’t buy in to the sales-pitch his agent is going to make to the team. That would be counter-productive for everyone. I, for one, am willing to be far more patient with him to see him continue to develop, especially if we can insert him into a pairing that does for him what John-Michael Liles did for Faulk three seasons ago.
As for Darling, I’d give him another year. All this Hossa trade talk is intriguing, but I’m skeptical it goes anywhere. Take a look at Hellebuyck’s season in 16-17 and then compare it to this past season. It is possible he regains his form in a different system.
1. I can’t see Canes signing Skinner at 7×7. Sign Aho for that, sure. In fact I would sign Aho for that this summer and make a statement to him. Show Sepe some love!
2. What would we actually “trade” if we trade Hanifin – simply his rights as a RFA as it now stands. Unless I don’t understand the situation we trade his rights and another team makes a qualifying offer he can still go out and search for something better. So I don’t know what “full value” is. And someone can correct me if I am wrong about that.
3. Keep Darling – he is currently in Raleigh and presumably working his butt off with the S&C coach. Unlike last year he has the eyes of management and ownership on him through the off-season. But have a back-up, which may involve two “back-ups” provided we re-sign Ward. He will be on a very short leash, I expect. And he knows it too. Lowest risk is keeping him. Biggest embarrassment would be trading him, retaining half his salary, and watching him regain his old form – reinforcing the image (that I am beginning to develop) of the Hurricanes being the “gang that can’t shoot straight”.
With Hanifin I am implying that the “to” team takes on a signing risk which will have to be mitigated in some way.
Jeff Skinner is an elite scorer. There is no other way to look at him. Yes, like most elite scorers he often gives his defensive “responsibilities” less attention than they might demand. When he is on his game, he hounds enemy players when they have the puck until they give it up.
The Canes have forced Skinny to play without protection for his entire career. As a result, he has suffered several concussions.
Then we have Bill Peters. There is no doubt in my mind that Peters’ relentless efforts to remind Skinny that he needed to change his game to accommodate the “system” drove Skinny into the ground.
Yet, he did not (to my knowledge) take the opportunity to air his frustrations in public as did the very talented young center in Buffalo. Instead, he continued to show all of us who were willing to see that he is the same old Jeff. After each pre-game skate, he is the last man to leave the ice. That is no accident.
I hope that management treats him with dignity and respect. I know that he deserves that at the very least. We will not find it possible to replace him.
You will please note that I chose the word “possible” here instead of “easy”.
Scott Darling is another player on this team who has been misused and abused. Scott has the talent and ability to be a very good goalkeeper in the NHL. He proved that in Chicago. He has the character necessary to endure playing keeper for this mob of individuals who spent the season in a state of mutiny and Scott not complaining publicly about it.
My beloved Canes has for a long time been a place where goalkeeper careers come to die. Trevor Kidd? Arturs Irbe? Kevin Weekes? Martin Gerber? Cam Ward? Eddie Lack? Anton Khudobin? And now Scott Darling?
Aside from the magic year when we won the Cup, when did we support our keepers with scoring? When did we support our keepers with a competent defensive system?
How can anybody have a valid criticism of any goalkeeper until he has a TEAM playing in front of him?
Let’s not be so hasty to discard assets we have never really evaluated.
Noah Hanifin? Come on guys. This is a kid who has been forced to figure it out on his own. He hasn’t had the benefit of any mentoring by a veteran d-man. I don’t consider Faulk to be a mentor. Nor do I consider him to be a veteran, either.
Discarding Hanifin or Faulk would be a huge mistake. But then, I never thought we gave Ryan Murphy a fighting chance to develop.
My beloved Canes haven’t had a good coach since Peter Laviolette. Let’s give these guys a chance with some new veterans (hopefully obtained this summer) to mentor them, and provide protection. Let’s give Roddy a chance to provide the glue needed to have them provide synergy as a team.
How has Darling been “misused and abused”? Our defense is overrated as a strength for sure, but you can’t blame the rest of the team on Darling arriving out of shape, giving up ridiculously soft goals, flailing around on his skates, and often unable to even hold a puck for a stoppage of play. He was statistically the worst goalie in the NHL and if the team were the problem, why did Cam Ward clearly outplay him? I hope Darling rebounds and is the redemption story of the next season, but Darling played terrible last season.
Yes, Skinner is an elite scorer. He was also a team worst (-27) for the year, he’s ineffective in 3-3 overtime, and scores on about 17% of shootout attempts. Skinner’s lone wolf style doesn’t elevate the play of his teammates, reducing the number of total goals his line scores in the year. Skinner is incredibly talented, but also is one dimensional.
I don’t think the goaltending is a black and white situation. Yes Darling had the worst year, he could have possibly had last year.
It’s also a statistical fact that the goalies played worse under Peters. 100% statistical fact. Go look it up.
Darling did himself no favors by coming into camp out of shape and not in a mental state to claim the #1 job, but I’m willing to give the man another shot, because he’s a f^&$ing human being. And as much as he did let in soft goals, he also got hung out to dry at least 1-2 times every game. The team around him was ridiculously prone to blown plays that led to grade A chances.
Should he have been better on his game? Absolutely. Is this a situation where its one person’s fault? Hell no.
Honestly I don’t understand what the caution is with Hanifin. He is 21. Give him a long-term deal now. I don’t want to wait until he’s earned it and pay him a heck of a lot more. 21 year old All Star who just scored double digit goals….how is that a huge risk? He may not be defensively stellar? Trading him, unless for a massive haul, is a dumb move IMO
I have no interest in handing Skinner 50 million bucks. I love the guy, he’s a good hockey player, but he’s not a crucial piece of our Cup picture, at least not enough to warrant such a bankroll.
I think we’ve established that everyone and their mother has a theory on what to do about the goaltending situation, but here’s hoping that my theory on Bill Peters goalie impact turns out to be correct. We’ll see.
How has Darling been misused and abused? Read my post.
I agree with you, fogger. Maybe Darling should go out this year and box out some attackers from the crease and maybe score a few goals. Naw! His detractors would find something wrong with how he did it.
I think we all just want goaltending at or above average for this team, our goalies did not provide that, whatever the explanation. I don’t think anyone is out to get Darling specifically, he was a huge disappointment last year, coming into campt out of shape is inexcusable no matter how we put it, and I am very hesitant about trusting what was broken hoping it can be magically fixed with team spirit and ferry dust, but that’s how the NHL works, the human element again, so maybe it is the right thing to do.
If darling can get his ass in shape, his mind on the game, and create the biggest overcome obstacle story of his life in Carolina, I couldn’t be happier, but I do not want to rely on that miracle alone, there has to be a plan b, preferably with a younger goalie than Ward.
I disagree that it’s inexcusable. He made a major mistake. I think the inexcusable part would be if he came in the following year similarly. If he has learned from that mistake, as good humans do, there’s no reason he shouldn’t rebound and no reason we shouldn’t forget completely about his initial mistake. It requires him to do the hard work to fix it this summer, most certainly, but there’s no reason to think he, as a human being, isn’t capable of getting it done, especially with a whole summer in Raleigh to work out, not have to worry about settling in a new place, and enjoy the great influences and help of all the players who also work out here in the offseason (e.g. Williams, Slavin). That will also help to build the comfort with his D and hopefully fewer breakdowns in front of him next year.
All it takes is Darling recognizing his obvious glaring error and putting in the requisite work to rectify it this summer. There is no reason to believe that he is not capable of this.
He came back from alcoholism, he can come back from the mistakes of last year. He’s got the skills.
Darling was also pretty bad in the WCs and Ward put up better numbers behind the same team during the season so I’m not sure how anyone can make excuses for the guy at this point.
I’d give him another shot but bring in two more goalies, maybe a young back up and a more experienced one but that’d be a hard pitch to sell to the guys involved.
We can’t dump him without paying someone to take him and still we’d be looking at retention. His contract is also a lot easier to buy out next season anyway.
Ummmm Darling played two games in the WCs and won both, though he made one Darling gaffe on a save as well. We’re not excusing his poor play last year, just recognizing the reality that he, as a human being, is still a good person with proven skills of overcoming adversity, and if he does the work, there is no reason to believe he can’t get back to Chicago level.
1. Skinner. I am looking at this question from what I have seen regarding proposed deals for Skinner. None of the proposed deals (deals that the national hockey press have expressed) would I make. Jeff Skinner is a valuable player. Hs production would not be easily replaced. Everyone is talking like it will take $7 million a year to resign. Everything I have seen discussed has been pure speculation based upon one premise that is Skinner is not a valuable player to this team. I just don’t agree with the premise and also haven’t seen any valid proposal from any valid source that cause me to want to ship him out of Raleigh.
2. Noah Hanifin’s progress and potential, or lack thereof, to me is a direct reflection of how he has been handled under Peters. I want to see him placed in a top pairing role and see if he can grow into it or not. No one excelled in the defensive system this team employed in 2017-18. Thwe goaltending stunk, all of the defensemen took a step back, and virtually all of the forwards were not effective defensively. That tells me that the system and/or team moral were not good.
3. Sign Carter Hutton (.931 save %, 2.09 goals per game, 32 games played last season…also the number one goalie available according to Kevin Weekes) or Saros (Nashville) ands I don’t care what you do with Darling. Keep him as a backup, put him on waivers, buy him a ticket to Moscow to play in the KHL, trade him, send him to Charlotte…you get the idea. He has to be replaced by a new number 1 goalie candidate.
Gentlemen, let’s look at the “real NHL “. Do you remember back when we were not happy with Khudobin’s play as our goalkeeper? We traded him away for a big, strong defenseman who had an offensive upside and tons of experience, James Wishniewski.
We then traded 2 draft picks for a very good backup goalkeeper named Eddie Lack. Wishniewski went down with a season-ending injury after playing less than a minute of the first shift of the first game of the season.
Khudobin played well and Lack did not. Hmmm!
I wasn’t a fan of that trade at the time. It felt like trading away two draft picks to get a slight downgrade in goalie (given lack’s lack of NHL experience).
I don’t think coming into camp as a #1 goalie in bad shape is an excusable mistake, to be honest. this is not like forgetting your passport or something, being in shape is a prerequisite for performing the duty that you are being hired and paid for.
But if darling plays well this year for the Canes I’ll forgive him.
Yes, the team should have a go at Hutton.
These players are commanding millions, they do not have to go to the highest bidder. If Skinner or Hanifin or anyone wants to stay with the Canes, they can. They will not starve in Carolina, even with a sub 5 million dollar salary (or sub 3 million in the case of Hannifin, I am sure the Canes can find him a tent to live in, if he can’t afford a 1 bedroom).
So if the players want to be part of the solution, they have the power to do so.
Sadly, the Hurricanes players seem a lot more interested in making money than helping their team win. This is true for most players, but some indicate willingness to take a hometown discount. Those are players I honestly respect. The Canes need more of that.
My point is that sometimes it is best to not make a move. Had Ronnie not made the trade, we would still have Khudobin (the Bruins are glad that they had him last season) and the two picks.
So what if we trade assets to get a good keeper and he gets injured or doesn’t work out for some reason?
Let’s just see how Darling does with a real team in front of him and a real coach behind the bench.
Three excellent issues involving key players. However, I take exception with the framing. Money shouldn’t be an issue–more below.
1) Skinner is a valuable goal-scorer. He deserves to get a contract comparable, if not higher, to Evander Kane. I just don’t think he fits the Canes’ future. In the past he has been able to generate goals without assistance from a center who drives play. As others have mentioned, that actually seems to be a feature of his game. The future for the Canes looks to have 2-3 centers (Aho, Necas, Lindholm) who either drive a scoring line or feed Svechnikov. Skinner’s skill set–making plays out of nothing–won’t be quite as valuable. That is not to say Skinner isn’t as valuable, but his future value is likely more on another team.
2) This does seem to be the hardest decision because Hanifin would bring the biggest return. I think he still has 50-point potential, maybe more. Still Hanifin is not likely to ever be top-pairing on D because that role for the foreseeable future belongs to Slavin/Pesce. In all honesty, Hanifin’s value might rest on whether Faulk can garner a key player in a trade.
3) Agree with tj–if Darling is putting in the work, he is bound to regress to something between what he was in Chicago and bottom of the league. I truly believe he can provide 45 gams of league average tending. He has overcome so much in both his hockey career and his life, I don’t see his, admittedly horrible, performance as insurmountable.
Back to finances. This time last year most of us (and Forbes, the gold standard for professional franchise valuation) thought the asking price was $250M-$300M. It appeared that Greenberg’s group was not able to reach that figure. Then Dundon purchased the team for what insiders have said is $500M+. If the additional $200M was the shrewd buying price, I don’t see how spending a few million more each year on salaries is a problem. Even if the franchise loses money, that is not always as detrimental to a sports owner as it would be to a hardware store owner because of the ability to use tax deductions and the like. So I am not convinced on the money matters angle.
ct, I see you are just as sharp at 4:00 PM as you are at 6:00 AM. My specific comments on your comments are as follows:
I agree that if we are still worrying about money constraints when it comes to getting and keeping players, then we are in miserable shape. I agree with you that that should not be part of our discussion regarding player moves.
Regarding Skinner. Your thought process IMO is on point. My only concern with all of the Skinner talk is we have no idea who or what we would get in return for him and without that information I can’t really see letting a 30 goal scorer who was inappropriately used last season by the head coach (IMO) for some unknown return. Someone on this site once mentioned a Toffoli and Muzzin for Skinner trade. Given a specific like that I can say “yes” trade Skinner because the return value would make IMO the Canes better. But without such specifics, just advocating trading him seems counter productive to getting value in return for him. In other words, promoting his departure acts to diminish what you get back in a trade.
You ideas on Hanifin/Faulk seem to be reasonable. I prefer retaining Hanifin and placing him min a top 2 role. If his game improves and he shows he can handle it, we are way better off. If he shows he cannot handle it, then getting what you can get for him is fine with me.
On Darling, I agree with you. Personally, I would spend the money on Hutton to get him and ride with Darling or Ward, for that matter, as the second goalie.
Good comments on the finances. For the fans information, when Karmanos owned the team I saw constant writeups about his frugalness and writers worrying whether he could stand about $4-$10 million dollar losses per season. At the same time as the pundits expressed these concerns Karmanos was contributing millions of dollars to Detroit charities. One year he donated $50 million to one charity. Owners of sports teams don’t, as a rule, worry too much about year-to-year dollar losses. The reason for that is because they make their killing off the increase in value of the franchise over time. The in the news concerns they express over losses for a season is mostly just fodder for the fans and press to satisfy them as to why they are doing what they are doing. Sure, they prefer not to lose money on an annual basis, but the franchise structure (limited partnerships usually) allows them to mitigate the effect of the loss of a few million for a given year through federal and state tax writeoffs and benefits. Karmanos bought the Canes for I believe $47 million. He sold it for hundreds of millions. He did alright. So forget about giving any owner any slack when they say they need to save money and can’t spend up to the salary cap. That being the case a good owner won’t just spend money frivolously because he has it.
My reality spin is this…
1. Skinner is a one-dimensional player rarely meshing with line mates (8-years counting and doubt it will change).
2. Noah for whatever reason gives me a typical Bostonian vibe (I can say this having grown up within an hour from there, but it’s the we’re the best, everyone else can deal attitude). This might dampen negotiations given where he truly is at development-wise (remember his former agency commented on his leaving last year due to “Disillusionment”). Gotta really wonder here…
3. Darling had $4+ million reasons to enter camp in shape. He might be the example-setter for others.
DW should strike while the iron is hot on all fronts…including Faulk. This has change the culture written all over it and the returns we could potentially obtain will be more worthwhile.
Read the Hockey News article on Skinner. After you read it see if you feel the same. They discuss all of his underlying statistics and they are quite impressive.
The Hockey News article is titled “Why Every NHL Team Should Be Looking At Skinner.” It was listed on June 10, 2018 on the SB Nation site (Canes Country).
1) IMO Skinner is on a small list of players who are 30 goal scorers. So he missed a year. I think BP kept him shackled. Not that this is an excuse but I do not believe he liked the way BP was using him and that probably did not help his production, not full effort. RBA is coach now, its a new day. Let him be the scorer he is and put him on a good line. I do not agree with moving him. I know I am in the monitory here.
If he does not do so well next season, move him at the trade deadline. He will still command a lot. He also has that no trade clause. The reason for him wanting to leave is probably gone.
2) Hanifin is a RFA. His agent can ask for the moon. Does it really matter. I do not know if he has arbitration rights but I think it would hurt his career if he had a bad attitude and did not sign. Be interested in other opinions but I do not think he is in the drivers seat.
3) I would give Darling one more year. Buying him out solves little. If Chicago wants him then maybe a trade there. I have resigned myself to the 3 headed goalie monster. He apparently is training hard and could come back. If he wants his NHL gig to continue I do not see him taking this lightly. Its a do or die year for him.
Hanifin does not have arbitration rights. I believe there are teams that would put an offer sheet down for him. That possibility/probability gives him both the wheel and the accelerator.
How lucky do you feel??
We often speak as if Cam Ward is not a UFA.
Assuming he wants to resign in Carolina I imagine he will not sign for less than 2 mill per year, possibly more (coming off of a 3 mill per year deal with one of his better seasons).
So the team can probably find a third goalie with some NHL experience for a million or so, though goalies rarely want to be the third wheel.
But why not go out and look for a 4 mill goalie to sign in as a legit 1 or 1B goalie, e.g. Hutton?
I think it has a higher chance of success than trying to keep 3 goalies on the roster and little if any extra expense.
Ward is never again going to be a 1 or 1B goalie. He offers great backup goaltending behind a solid #1 but we cannot rely on Scott Darling stepping up to the plate and taking on that responsibility. WE can hope so yes, but we can’t gamble the season on it, and signing Ward and darling again feels like exactly such a gamble, regardless of a #3.
I think the one UFA the team should go after is Hutton.
That or act on my Tor trade proposal to land Sparks. Since Sparks is still on an ELC Ward might even be signed as an insurance policy in that scenario on a one-year deal.
And we think we have problems? Have you guys heard about the problem between Mike Hoffman and Erik Karlsson? Wow! Both have to be traded. And it won’t be for anywhere near what they are worth.
The “real NHL”. Human beings.
Karlsson’s wive had to put a restraining order on Hoffman’s squeeze. Talk about difficult team dynamics.
Yep. Human beings. Some of them are dirtbags. (Referring to Hoffman’s squeeze if what is claimed is true) Some human beings need a fresh start and sometimes a kick in the tail.
Skinner is a scorer. A 24 goal season after a 37 goal season doesn’t mean his game has gone to crap, it just means it’s part of the up and down of his game here. If Rod thinks Skinner has a role to play in his offensive scheme, you try to sign an extension. If not, move him. I think LA may has some attraction for him with some hockey friends, Buffalo is close to home. Just depends on if Jeff/Canes/Other Teams can find a fit.
Hanifin, I think I’d move. Yes, he’s young. Yes, he can skate. I’m not sold he’s as sharp as Provorov or Werenski. I certainly don’t buy the argument he didn’t have a mentor. I’m not quite sold he has the same hockey sense as the guys mentioned that were taken after him. I can’t recall if Bean is a LD, but if he is, I think that’s the same player as Hanifin.
Darling, I hope like hell he can sort it out. When you think about all the puck handling Peters had in his system, maybe that was so much in his head (along with outta shape) that a new coach, renewed physical effort, maybe he becomes the #1 we all hoped for this season. Still, I think if I could flip him back to Chicago and get some things worked out and we have a different goal tending plan,I could support that, too.
Being a #1 goalie comes with a lot of pressure. Some can’t take it. It was pretty obvious that Darling was spiraling downward from the time he lost that puck “in the lights.” He just couldn’t stop screwing up.
The other part of the goalie issue is that when a team can’t trust their goalie it effects the way they play. They play tight and are more likely to make mistakes. It’s kind of a vicious cycle. Darling is going to have to look really good in camp to win back the trust of his teammates.