In 5 games, the Carolina Hurricanes have oscillated between good efforts in terms of compete level and abysmal ones.
Game 1 at Nashville – BAD (at least first period)
In the opener in Nashville, it was really just 1 period (that doomed) the game. The Hurricanes rebounded after a slow start and 2-goal deficit to play 2 somewhat better periods of hockey.
Game 2 vs. Detroit – GOOD
Against Detroit in the home opener, you really could not ask for anything else except goal scoring and better goaltending. The Canes dominated possession, shots and everything else in a solid 60-minute effort that deserved but did not get a win.
Game 3 vs. Florida – BAD
The third game against Florida went completely the opposite direction. The Canes were hemmed in their own end, unable to move the puck stick-to-stick and in the end paid the price for it with a 4-1 loss.
Game 4 at Detroit – GOOD
Again against Detroit, the Canes controlled play pretty much throughout the game except for a short stretch late in the second period and in the end were rewarded with a win.
Game 5 at Washington – BAD
It is hard to say if it was the back-to-back or the strong opponent having a good night, but there was not a single stretch of more than a shift or 2 in which the Canes were the better team. Cam Ward made this game look closer than it was for a long time, but ultimately the scoreboard tilted in the direction of the team that deserved.
Is it only compete level?
Good teams seem to have a knack for dialing up the intensity level when they need it most and finding a way. In 2 of the 3 bad outings, once things went astray the Canes never recovered. In the third (the Nashville loss), the Canes did rebound a bit but still never really played good hockey. Coach Bill Peters has been quick to indict the effort level, commitment and anything else related to playing the right way. I do not for a minute deny that there is an element of that, but I also think there is an element of style of play and maybe even a component of being unable to adjust.
Winning the middle of the rink
In addition to the compete level stuff, another thing has jumped out at me. If the Canes win or at least break even in the neutral zone they are fine. When they fail to move the puck through there and instead just volley it out for a line change, the team tends to play too much in its own end which is a recipe for problems for any team.
Help from blue line mostly lost with Wisniewski injury
I think this comes back to 1 of my mantras all summer which was that the greatest path to upgrading the offense could come through significantly improving the ability to move the puck and generate offense from the back end. I was thrilled when Ron Francis added James Wisniewski, but the summer upgrades have quickly gone awry. James Wisniewski’s injury on his first shift forced Michal Jordan up into the top 4 on his off side where he is struggling with handling and moving the puck. The bottom pair of Noah Hanifin and Ryan Murphy has huge potential in terms of generating offense, but the duo is still wading a bit cautiously into the water trying to keep mistakes to a minimum as they adjust to NHL speed and pressure.
Right back at 2014-15 in terms of challenges moving the puck
The result is a group of defensemen who are not too different from last season in that they are not especially good at moving the puck right now especially when pressured. Couple that with a set of forwards that is a bit undersized and generally does not claim winning pucks on the walls as a strength, and I think the formula is obvious for teams with size, skating and a strong forecheck game. The game is to get the puck deep into the offensive zone, play behind the net and on the walls and bang bodies. To defeat this style of play, the Canes must first win a puck battle (disadvantage), quickly make a first pass (challenging) and then move the puck through the neutral zone (also challenging).
Difficulty against big, strong forechecking teams
I think Florida is the best example of a tough match up for the Canes. The Panthers brought size and strength in the form of players who can skate. The result was that the Canes struggled to go 2 for 2 in winning a puck battle and then quickly moving the puck to create the speed necessary to back up the forecheck. Instead, even when the Canes did win a puck, they were deliberate which just gave the Panthers time to push to the front of the neutral zone and take it back. Both of the Canes 2 good games came against a Detroit team that plays much more of a puck possession/skill game and moves the puck from stick to stick.
Need to tweak system instead of repeatedly pinning it all on playing harder
While I do think effort is part of the issue, I think it is also on Bill Peters and his staff to adjust the system a bit. I think the biggest thing is to provide the defensemen with more immediate, shorter passing outlets by having the forwards come back a bit. The passes from inside the face-off dots to outside the blue line just are not connecting under duress. If the Canes can more quickly get the puck on a second stick that has some speed heading into the neutral zone, then the opposing defensemen and forecheckers will need to back up a bit which will create more room through the neutral zone. The Canes have centers who are pretty good at carrying the puck, so this is doable, it is just a matter of getting the forwards to make themselves available for a quick first pass.
Go Canes!
The forwards aren’t particularly big. Or fast. Or skilled. What system allows for an inferior group of players to score goals when they have no advantages to exploit?
Agree completely, plus many of these issues existed with previous coaching staffs with different systems — time to move the under-performing players that have under-performed for a few years
I think your article really covers an appropriate subject that has not been hit much before. You infer that the coaches should tweak the system to fit the players abilities rather than imposing a set system that is never adjusted. I agree with that and also with dochoneydew and dan0214.
Muller harped after virtually every game that the reason for the loss was lack of effort. Peters is harping on playing in a consistent and determined manner within a system. What I don’t hear is what the coach is doing to tweak “the system”. All I hear is play better and shuffling of lines.
Is the lack of apparent consistent effort due to poor player effort or is it due to frustration of trying to conform to “systems” that do not compliment their abilities to the maximum.
I like Peters and the rest of the coaching staff, but one thing I don’t agree with is fitting square peg players into round peg roles. Why would I ever move one of the best power centers in the league (Eric Staal) to a wing to facilitate playing a lesser player in the center role. Why would I move a 1st round draft pick center (Lindholm)to a wing to do the same thing. Why would I spend training camp trying to find out successful line combinations and then when I find one that gets my main scoring threat (Skinner)putting the puck in the net abandon that line combination? In other words, why fix one problem, getting more goals out of my goal scorer and establishing at least one successful line, ands then tear it up to TRY TO fix something else. In my opinion in the last game and others this year the players looked lost and like they hadn’t ever played together. I’m sure part of that was due to the opponents, but I am also of the opinion that some of this is due to the constant shuffling of lines and pairings. When I need more scoring and grit, why would I send players that have good POTENTIAL to provide these abilities to the minors (McGinn, Ryan, Tolchinski) to keep players (Nordgren, in particular)who haven’t demonstrated the POTENTIAL to provide these abilities?
I am not saying I am correct in all of the above. I only bring these points up to get your and others opinions and only do so in a constructive manner and tone. I, and I am sure the rest of you, have more confidence in Francis’ ability to successfully get this team rolling than you do in my ability to do so. So, as Karash always says, Go CANES!
Totally agree guys. Lack of forward talent is the biggest issue with this team. Hard for any system to flourish.
I completely agree that the part of the issue is the quality/depth of the Canes forwards right now. Curtis Glencross’ seemingly involuntary retirement yesterday had me scratching my head again.
But I think there is also an element to figuring out what is not working and adjusting. I think Francis tried to address it some by adding Wisniewski, but here we are. The current version of the Canes sees defensemen trying mostly unsuccessfully to make long passes under duress from deep in their zone to forwards in the neutral zone. The hit rate on these passes is incredibly low and sees the Canes constantly back on defense. One thing the Canes do have at forward is 3 centers who are pretty good at carrying the puck, so get them to come back (or just wait) deeper in the D zone to make the 1st pass shorter and quickly get behind at least the 1st forechecker with a chance to build some speed to have a skate vs. pass option heading into the neutral zone.