Today’s Daily Cup of Joe offers a set of quick hitters on the Carolina Hurricanes forwards.
Erik Haula
He of three goals is top of mind right now. Erik Haula arrived expected to be a capable two-way center who could push pace and attack with speed. But what has been eye-opening has been his ability to serve as a net front on the power play. In addition to his three goals, he was also the screen on Hamilton’s goal on Sunday night. The Hurricanes have long struggled to find a player who could excel in the role at the top of the crease on the power play. Here is hoping that such a player has been found in Haula.
Martin Necas
Sunday’s game was arguably the least of his three to start the season. He had one of the two bad defensive zone turnovers that led pretty quickly to a goal against. But what I really like about Necas’ game thus far in 2019-20 as compared to 2018-19 is that he has been making things happen offensively especially with the puck on his stick. My biggest concern with his 2018-19 audition was not about his raw play defensively but rather about his invisibility on offense. But through three games, I have been impressed with his passing and playmaking and also his willingness to put the puck on the net.
Sebastian Aho
He will be fine. He is gradually building a reputation as a slow starter at least in terms of goal scoring, but in watching his play past the score sheet through three games, I do not see much cause for concern. Once he breaks through, I think he will roll.
Teuvo Teravainen
Teravainen has arguably been the team’s best player on the power play even over Haula. Teravainen has been that good distributing the puck from his normal spot on the side of the umbrella.
Andrei Svechnikov
Not everyone can play on Aho’s line, but I really do not like Svechnikov with Staal. I think it gives away his upside offensively and fails to give him a chance for maximum production.
Nino Niederreiter
Niederreiter is the one player past Svechnikov who could arguably get the biggest boost by playing with and clicking with Aho. Niederreiter just looks very pedestrian offensively on other lines but at least has the potential to be a higher-end finisher when playing with Aho.
What say you Canes fans?
1) What are your thoughts on the quick hitters above?
2) Who else has quick hitters on these or other Canes forwards?
Go Canes!
1) Spot on. Haula is a sneaky netfront presence, in contrast to a “fencepost”. He works the length of the goal line and jumps into the crease at just the right time. This method is particularly effective against d-men who try to block shots because he can roam free behind them.
2) Dzingel: I like his effort levels. Sometimes he looks like he is “circling” though, lol. When you first play hockey, if you don’t know the offensive system, you are told to circle the goal because by happenstance you may end up at the right place at the right time, which will never happen if you are standing still. Dialing into the system while moving is a much better approach than trying to dial into the system standing still, so I like it. He is also active defensively. For a guy with a reputation as “defensively light”, I like the effort levels very much. He is on a good trajectory.
Martyman: He looks like his summer fitness regimen may have been interrupted by the lower-body injury. He looks a step slow, and is trying to make up for it with stick infractions. He’ll get into game shape the hard way, by playing into it. No worries there.
Foegele: Warren is showing flashes of his playoff self. It can take a mental toll on a good man when you accidentally injure a respected colleague. However he has to get back to his semi-reckless style of play to be effective, in spite of the possibility of a very occasional freak accident. There is only one way to play Mr Foegele, and that is all out.
The goals have been good for Huala’s confidence. He looks better skating out there, but I’m not sure that speed is back to what it was. He does three things that are very important to a hockey team, win faceoffs, be defensively responsible, and go to the net. You can make a career with those three.
Agree that Dzingle has been “floaty.” His D positioning has been OK, but I’ve seen the fishing for the puck with one hand while avoiding all contact move ala Jeff Skinner. Still early. Hopefully things will click.
I think Martinook had a career year last season. He still is solid on the PK and works hard. Can’t have a bunch of penalties though. I really don’t have high expectations for him based upon his limited skill set.
Aho needs to get rewarded for his work. I think it will give him confidence and will get him going. It will come.
We may have seen the best of Niederreiter last year after the trade. He’s a fine player, but he was hot for a month or two. Now he just isn’t burying his chances. Hope he gets hot again.
Necas is learning. Much like Svechnikov last season. He definitely seems to be thinking out there without the puck which causes him to make mistakes or just be late on assignments. Needs to be automatic, but hopefully that will come.
When they were trying Foegele with Staal in preseason it got him playing more of a skill game, which probably isn’t his bag. It was worth seeing, but looks like his game is an energy game. The last two games he seems to be getting back to it. I see him as a more skilled version of Martinook eventually.
Yeah, putting Svechnikov with Staal will not help him in the points race. It will help him in his total game though. Like Matt says, everyone can’t play with Aho. Svechnikov will be the better player in the long term because of it.
Strongly agree on the concern of Svech with Staal. Svech is more of a playmaker than he may get credit for. I’d rather have him with Haula or Aho.
Also, great to see Haula winning faceoffs – giving the team 2 centers who can get possession of the puck at key moments.
I have been befuddled by Svech on Staal’s line since the start and have mentioned it here a time or two. He was elite last year on contributing to 5×5 offense but he is just not getting those opportunities with Staal. Meanwhile, anyone who plays on Aho’s line will be better, almost by definition.
I am happy to see RBA show some trust in Necas and putting him back on ice even after a gaffe or two.
It’s early yet, but I wonder if we are seeing the Nino who the Wild traded?, or the Nino we received in that trade.
As to those not mentioned in the column – have to give kudos to Wallmark who seems to be relishing his role as 4C. Meanwhile Dzingel still looks to me like he is trying to figure out how to play here – just give him time. Foegs started playing stronger halfway through the Caps. I go back to what I heard that he was intimidated and a little afraid going into that game and realized it’s not so bad and he is back to his energy game.
Haula’s net front game was something I didn’t know about – butreally like. When do start considering extending him??? 😀
Turbo is the driver on the PP – and the combination of Haula-Turbo-Svech-Dougie is a work of wonder once they make the entry. The passes are crisp and on-tape. Players know where they are supposed to be. They work well as a unit – and this is where stepping away from discussing the individual players to how they play together is more important. And we’ve already done on that with Svech on 5×5. Imagine him on a line that enhances his scoring prowess at the same time he is contributing on the PP… Let that thought marinade.
Off topic. An interesting look at the unsigned Canes prospects in the college ranks. Is the next Adam Fox among them? https://cardiaccane.com/2019/10/08/carolina-hurricanes-prospect-primer-college-edition/7/
As usual, surgalt. An interesting article. Thanks.
I had forgotten how many we have.
Just about every post here is spot on. Am I mistaken, or do I detect a chemical bond beginning to take shape between Haula and Dzingel?
Foegele had to be intimidated early on in the Caps game. Repeated assurances from Gary Bettman, Roddy, Eddy, and Marty probably helped. But the fact that he survived the first couple of shifts was what he needed. He seemed to get back to his not-so-old hair-on-fire self. Unlike some on this site, I think we have yet to see the whole of his skills. His energy game with his tenacious forecheck is what got him the job. His skills won’t atrophy while does his thing. Roddy knows what he is doing.
I have noticed Marty being a bit off his game. I don’t know how many others here actually saw it, but I saw him receive his lower body injury. It was a home game against the scumbag goons from our nation’s Capitol. It was after a whistle when Marty was behind our net. He was completely relaxed when scumbag goon Brooks Orpik (of breaking Eric Cole’s neck fame) used his stick as a spear to Marty’s groin. Marty went down like he had been shot. (No whistle) He hasn’t been the same since.
He simply needs time to heal. And Roddy doesn’t have the time. He needs Marty needs to play. He would rather give up air than he would ice time.
Svech and Staal. I’ll bet that Roddy is teaching Svetch a lesson in defense. Maybe he thinks Svech needs a time experiencing having to make his own offense. There is no way for us to know but I am willing to bet that with Roddy it is like the song, “Every little movement has a meaning of its own.” Roddy is not a random kind of guy.
Marty is receiving limited TOI, close to the time given Fleury. I didn’t see his injury, but have observed a reduce mobility from him.
Not worried at all about Neiderreiter. What the Hurricanes traded for was a good play driver. He continues to be that, and the counting stats will come.
I messed up a sentence above. It should have been:
“He needs Marty to play. Marty needs to play.”
A lot of good comments above and you all have covered just about everything I would have to say. Will just add that I hope the young forwards in Charlotte make good use of there time on ice there. If any of our forwards playing now go down with an injury, we are going to need a NHL level replacement who can skate and play a 200 foot game with the big boys.