Today’s Daily Cup of Joe offers a short set of random Canes thoughts.
Martin Necas
I really like his development so far this year. What concerned me most about his play in 2018-19 was not that he struggled a bit with the defensive responsibilities (that was somewhat expected) but rather that he was so incredibly quiet offensively. Fast forward to today and increasingly he is starting to use his skating ability to carry the puck and buy time and space and forward territory to make plays. As I have said a few times, I still think he has the best chance of becoming the long-coveted second scoring center even if the team rightfully lets him acclimate at wing for a quite a bit longer.
Jake Gardiner in Raleigh
There have been times in the past where being a small market team might have been a disadvantage in some ways. But there are advantages too. One of them is the fact that there is no super-powered microscope on players here like in many markets. Tyson Barrie is about melting under the pressure heaped on him and his struggles adjusting to a new team. Some amount of pressure can be helpful, but the extreme version can completely smother struggling players. So yes Jake Gardiner is struggling right now a bit like Dougie Hamilton was this time last year. In this market, the pressure and scrutiny is minimal. That allows time without massive duress for a player to just work it out which Hamilton did last year. As much I am watching Gardiner closely right now, I really think up to the midway point of the season can just be adjustment time. Here is hoping that the patience, non-crushing level of scrutiny and generally positive vibe in Raleigh are just what is needed for Gardiner to find his groove.
Jordan Martinook
If my math is right, that is the first game (out of seven) that the Hurricanes have lost with Jordan Martinook in the lineup. There is some element of luck to this, and no doubt the small sample size is in play, but at the same time I do think brand of leadership in the locker room is a huge positive.
Right and wrong with Charlotte’s veteran mix
The roster maneuvering in Charlotte combined with the whereabouts of the many of the departures has been fascinating. On the one hand, none of the players let go have really carved out a role at the NHL level suggesting that at least as far as building an NHL roster, the Hurricanes (so far) have been right on these players being expendable fringe NHL/AHL players. Aleksi Saarela had a short audition in Chicago in preseason and then ran his mouth again adding fuel to the fire that says he might just have been addition by subtraction. Nicolas Roy figured to get every chance to win an NHL roster spot with his bargain salary to help with Vegas’ cap challenges. He did get that audition but did not really do anything to keep a spot and is back in the AHL. And other veterans like Trevor Carrick Patrick Brown and Andrew Poturalski are all still in the AHL. But the other side of the coin is that I think the organization maybe realizes that it cut to the bone with veteran experience that is useful. The team signed veteran Tye McGinn to a tryout contract. Zach Boychuk was seemingly in Charlotte. It is not clear but was that for a tryout? And now the Checkers have signed 25-year old journeyman Kerby Rychel. The team would never admit it, but I think the organization is realizing that it could use a handful more veterans in Charlotte.
What say you Canes fans?
1) What are your thoughts on my notes above?
2) Who has something else interesting to bandy around on a Friday?
Go Canes!
1. I like Necas’ game a lot. You notice him for his speed and puck-handling but he is challenging the 50-50’s and winnning his share (and that has to make RBA happy); backchecks beautifully – with his speed and reach it is not hard – but has been active on the forecheck. He is considered 4th or 5th on the list for the Calder. Maybe eventually he moves to C, but there is nothing with him as playmaking wing. And we can thank Vellucci for that – making that move and giving him the confidence to play it.
I don’t like to put down players – Gardiner is making it hard for me to hold to that. I think it is really time for him to sit in the press box for a game or two.
I saw Martinook more than once pumping up the players on the ice during stoppages in play – more than a bench role. And the McGinn-Wallmark-Martinook line had some juice last night.
The Checkers aren’t quite a dumpster fire, but it is getting awfully warm in there. I did learn that exceptional AHL talent doesn’t necessarily translate well to the NHL – as to why Necas is succeeding in the NHL when he was not the best player in CLT is something I am going to have to try to get my hands around.
A couple of comments from the two most recent Jason Shaya weekly 10 Thoughts comments (I cannot find the links but I remember reading them). The Checkers don’t have the firepower to outscore their mistakes. And the 11/19 had two interesting and divergent comments – nobody wants to win more than Warsofsky and the coaching staff, and a number of players didn’t show up to play this past weekend. There actually has been a lot of turnover on the Checkers in the past week involving AHL tryouts, trades, send-downs to Greenville.
BTW, it wasn’t Tye McGinn, who is on an AHL contract with Chicago Wolves. Rather, it was Jamie on the AHL PTO – he actually played two games with an “A” before he was released a couple of weeks or so ago by mutual agreement. I believe he was then signed to an NHL PTO with STL. There was a time when Brock was the lesser of the three brothers on ice.
I was told to look for two things with minor leaguers. First, is their skill level so high that they look obviously more skilled than anyone else on the ice? (Necas) Second, do they have the kind of game that is just conisistent and can translate at any level. Kind of a steady-Eddie kind of guy. I think Luostarinen may be this kind of player. Big, smart, good skater.
Morgan Geekie is a good example of an AHL guy with a major flaw he will have to overcome. Skating. He has a nose for the net, but has been bad defensively. The only way he becomes a NHL player is to tighten up on D. With his skating he will get toasted constantly in the NHL if he isn’t smart positionally. Necas can overcome some of his mistakes with his feet. Geekie will not be able to do that.
I love what Necas is bringing offensively and he has improved greatly defensively, but he has a long way to go before he will play center for Rod Brind’Amour. He still makes a fair number of mistakes defensively. Many are him cheating or taking a risk trying to create a turnover. No way he can do that and play center. Still needs to get stronger as well. He’s still young. Maybe it will happen, but I would bet on him staying at wing ala Teravainen.
Jake Gardiner has always been bad defensively. What makes him even worse now is it seems he has lost a step. He used to be pretty fast/quick. Not anymore. It was a horrible signing. Not only is he a bad player the Canes are committed to paying $4M for four years, their hands are tied this year if they want to make a trade as they have no cap space! Ugh…
Always need AHL vets/lifers to win. Generally guys coming from juniors need to learn to play another kind of game. College players too.
Left out Martinook….The guy has the heart and passion everyone likes to see, but his play makes a difference too. When healthy Martinook can fly up and down the ice. That extra speed makes his forcheck that much better. He doesn’t give D time to make good plays. If he had a set of hands he would be a star!
I’d love to see Gardiner sit in the box for a game or 2. Not as punishment, but to help give perspective that you can’t get watching a focused game film on your errors. I think can only help his PP time by watching that unit from up top.
I’m also wondering about his back. If I recall he had a surgery this summer and had some time out in camp. Like Dougie last year, is he just not 100%, trying to play through it? We can certainly play Fleury now and let him get healthier, if that is the case.
1) Necas has the talent level of TT with a touch more speed and not the positional awareness yet. I think he will be fine either at RW or center in 2-3 years.
Gardiner will improve. But there is likely a reason he was available long after the 7/1 frenzy.
Martinook is such a joyous guy in general. Those kind make a shop or office better. I am sure he does the same for the Canes.
Warsofsky might want to win. But I have watched several games and was at the first game. The entire team looks disorganized, that almost never happened with Vellucci. Talent-wise the team is close to last year, though they miss the instant offense from Saarela and Poturalski.
I’ve said for awhile the AHL is overrated. It’s a young man’s game and has been for several years now. The cream of the crop will make a brief stay at the AHL or bypass it all together. Other than that it’s a league for B-level prospects who need a year or two of seasoning, for Europeans transitioning to the smaller ice, the occasional ‘diamond the rough’, or AHL-lifers.
I also think we over-value Vellucci and over-blame the new guy for a slow CLT start. If Vellucci’s teachings were so great, why did only one Calder Cup player make it to the NHL the following year? One can argue Necas was destined, as are the best players drafted. I’m sure he is a great guy and motivator, but what did Vellucci really develop for the Hurricanes? He managed a collection of players last year and motivated them accordingly…then half the team disbanded as did the coach, none of which landed an NHL gig.
For some CLT players, the glory of winning the Calder Cup and even some individual awards (ala Ned) is like mastering a work project only to not see that promotion. I don’t care who you are, it’s a setback emotionally for young players. Not an excuse, but that’s a reality Vellucci wouldn’t be able to solve if he were still here. I’m sure the players are striving to correct this and getting life lessons on the hard knocks of making it to the show. There is still time for some.
Lfod There is much truth in saying many, I am definitely guilty, overvalue Charlotte. But that is different than overvaluing Vellucci. He may not make it to the NHL or may not succeed if he does. But I was most impressed not by the results but by the videos the Checkers provided during the Calder Cup playoffs. In each video it was evident that Vellucci let the players be themselves while keeping them focused. I don’t know how to say it other than Vellucci had complete control of the room while mostly caring about young men he felt he was responsible for molding. It was like watching a great actor play what we all think a coach should be.
Agree on all of the positives of Vellucci.
Helping 20-21 year olds develop to be professional is an incredibly complex skill set that ranges from coaching hockey to being a mentor to knowing when to kick them in the pants and when to let them wander a bit.
I think Vellucci has a natural ability at this, but he also has literally decades of experience working with this general age group.
What struck me most about Vellucci’s tenure is that players who jumped into the NHL never looked like a deer in the headlights or in over their head. I think there is a tactical coaching element to that, but also an important part of having them mentally in the right place. For me, that more than anything was the striking difference between Vellucci and say Jeff Daniels. During Daniels time in the AHL, he had some good, veteran AHL players and seemingly every time one auditioned at the NHL level, they just looked lost/in over their head. Certainly, there is a player element to that, but there is also a preparation attitude part too that I think the coach has a role in.
I agree, the dismantling of the Checkers, in my mind, was a huge mistake by management.
While it is true that when the team was dispersed the individual playrs failed to recreate the magic, but I think that has a lot to do with losing chemistry and my mantra that chemistry is a big part of the game (unless you are a one in a million type superstar).
Right now I have no expectations for players coming up from Charlotte, I don’t think they’ll be ready, ambitious, driven, I think they’re going to be confused and their development is slowed by questionable coaching (and I can’t blame the coaching staff, they have very limited experience). Why stockpile picks if you do not invest in maximizing their development, that’s what I find confusing.
Necas is growing by the game, it’s fun to watch.
Gardner is a dumpster fire, I was high on the signing but now I wonder if the team over committed. But hopefully he just hasn’t figured it out yet, still I think it’s a good idea to sit him for a game or two and try to get him going.
It much to add except
1) Guilty. I overvalue Charlotte / the pipeline too. That may be an NHL thing in general, giving what draft picks get in return in trades.
2) Was it all Charlotte coaching? So far this year two players have been called up, fit right in, and played with confidence. Was it Vellucci last year and Warsofsky this year, or is it RBA? Is it simply that he is the guy they all want to play for, in part because he knows how to let them do their thing?
I don’t know but worth a think.
In most sports-related either/or questions the answer is c) both of the above.
3) Necas. Enjoying watching him play this year, with confidence he is ready. He came into camp in great physical shape (for the first time) this year. The fitness and confidence is reflected in his play.
What I love the most: there is a “twitchiness” to the way he carries the puck so that it looks like he is going to change directions at all times. It is just enough to keep the defense guessing and create space and time for himself.
I don’t know if it comes naturally or is learned thing, but what a wonderful skill for any player to have. Literally puts a smile on my face when I see it.
I’ll argue the 2018-19 version of the Calder Cup winning Checkers were not “dismantled”. Many players had ripened, contractually and in skill level, to the point in their careers where they wanted to be in the NHL. There just wasn’t going to be space for them on the Hurricanes. I an unaware of any of those who left that have found much success in the NHL. I am also unaware of any inside information on why Vellucci moved to another organization. He also reached the end of his contract, appears to have professional loyalties elsewhere and chose to ride another GMs coattails to reach his goals as a coach. While it is true this seasons squad in Charlotte is drastically different than last season it was not taken apart by design.
For me, Jake Gardiner’s play has been less than impressive. If he “finds” his game I’ll be happy to eat these words, but, I’d rather be watching Fleury develop and make mistakes, than hoping Gardiner is slow to grasp the Canes system and have to overlook them. I feel like I watched this movie once before, when Tomas Kaberle came here from Toronto highly touted offensively, only to become one of JRs biggest mistakes. If the Canes make a trade out of Gardiner, TVR and Fleury I miss the first the least.