My schedule has not permitted me to make it out there, but Twitter tells me that the informal skates are underway at Raleigh Center Ice. That means that training camp is FINALLY just around the corner!
Thank goodness because the last 7-10 days have been incredibly quiet on a Hurricanes news front and directly from the pages of ‘It’s always darkest before the dawn.’
That said, I think there are a decent number of stories worth watching over the last couple weeks of the off-season before every day brings a new round of news and things to write about based on practices, scrimmages, line combinations, preseason games, etc.
In no particular order, here is a short list of things that I am tracking right now:
1) The ownership situation
After semi-regular updates that were mostly minus details but still suggested progress, things have quieted down on the team sale front. I actually leaned forward and optimistically voted for ‘before the start of training camp’ in the Coffee Shop poll on August 13. An important starting point is saying that I do not think there is any urgency or need to panic if things stretch out longer, but nevertheless, the story is one well worth tracking.
2) The captaincy
I am on record in my article on July 10 as thinking that Justin Williams is the player most likely to wear the ‘C’ for the 2017-18 season. I would be surprised to see that resolved before the players and coaches assemble officially for training camp, but I do think what happens at the informal skates could start to lay the foundation for such a move.
3) The potential for one more big trade
I think Francis is content to enter training camp and even the regular season with the roster that he currently has. But that said, a couple of the big name playmaking type centers thought to be available and even targeted all the way back in May are still right where they started. I think it is clear that Ron Francis will not offer up a young top 4 defenseman to win any of Alex Galchenyuk, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins or Matt Duchene, but I also think there is a chance that one or more of these players become available for less than that. If I am correct, the game suddenly enters an area where Francis could play.
4) The potential to add a depth defenseman with NHL experience
Also on the trade front but on a significantly smaller scale, I continue to think that Francis might add one more defenseman with some NHL experience. I have yet to hear any kind of signal from Ron Francis in this direction which makes me think that I am wrong, but I am stubbornly holding to my original ‘better safe than sorry’ logic that suggests one more defenseman could be a small but smart investment.
5) Clues on line combinations from Coach Bill Peters
Things will change many times before the end of the season and maybe even a few times just during training camp, but if Peters makes a stop on local or North American sports/hockey radio, I will be curious to hear clues as to what the starting point is for building forward lines and defense pairings to start the 2017-18 season. I included the potential for Sebastian Aho to at least get a short trial at the center position ahead of the original schedule in my August 13 article entitled, “I think…”
6) A first read on potential dark horses at the Traverse City Prospects Tournament
As I have said a couple times, the Carolina Hurricanes organization has a storied history of young players rising up at prospect tourneys just prior to the start of training camp and then riding the momentum all the way to the opening day lineup. Young centers Josef Vasicek and Victor Rask are probably the two most notable cases of players rising up from way off the NHL depth chart after using a prospect tourney as a spring board, but other players including Eric Staal, Erik Cole and Chad LaRose have made impressions as well. If you missed it, I discussed the Traverse City roster in more detail earlier this week.
What say you Canes fans?
The Thursday Coffee Shop is already up and running with the Traverse City roster as the primary discussion topic, so just maybe we can muster up a separate conversation here on the other topics listed above here.
1) What other Carolina Hurricanes news situations of significance did I miss?
2) Which of the situations above have the greatest potential for something to happen before training camp and what will it be?
Go Canes!
1. I think you overed it. Although the boys are at RCI ,so the Long Dark Teatime of The Soul for hockey fans is almost over.
2.
1 It’s in the lawyer stage, so silence is good. Leaked detalis or Pete going “I like our ownership” would be bad.
2. I think you’re right. Good to see JWillie out there early, to set the tone(C or no C)
3. I don’t see it happening, unless the team has the usual October, or a big injury. Then things could happen.
4. It would be a last minute thing, like last year.
5. It’s Peters ,who knows.
6. Kuokkanen would be my bet.
what he said!
In regard to who wears the C, I think it would be a mistake to give it to Williams. I’m not sure what it would really add. He has explicitly stated a number of times that it isn’t something he’s thinking about. What the team gains from Willie(which is a lot) won’t be affected by a letter of his jersey.
I get the appeal of putting it on a veteran that can show the young guys how to be a pro but we already have that in Skinner. He has been vocal on a number of occasions about wanting to be a leader on this team and I think he deserves that chance. Personally, I’ve always been most motivated by captains who are willing and able to put the team on their back and make big plays as opposed to the quiet and steady presence types.(which is why I also think Slavin is the wrong choice). Especially where we are such a young team I think a “spark plug type” of captain surrounded by the steady types would serve us better.
On another note that isn’t exactly Canes related but will effect us, I saw that zajac is out for 4-6 months. As sad as it is for a guy to get hurt, this is probably good news for us.
I agree 100%. Skinner has matured in a way that his competitive fire is a strength instead of liability. Williams, Ward, Staal, etc are all vets who’ve been on winning teams and can provide extra leadership. Let’s get the kids excited.
If Jordan Staal wants the captain’s position, then IMO it should be given to him. He’s carried this team on his back since he’s been here. He’s played with less than stellar wingers and never done anything other than raise their game and make them into valuable players. Why not Jordan?
Well, about the complacency with the backup keeper…RF admitted that last year’s (and before) goaltending was inadequate, YET Lack (who only played a few games) is traded, and THAT is supposed to fix the problem? I know Darling should be the starter, but why keep the guy who was mostly responsible for last year’s inadequacies?
That makes no sense…and no one under contract appears to be suitable (to my knowledge…)!!
All stats/ analytics / EYEBALLS tell us Ward isn’t a good goalie…
WTF?!!! When Darling can’t play…we’re SCREWED…
puckgod. I think you are overreacting. All the analytics don’t support your point. http://hockeyviz.com/txt/sGA
This model is the most advance I have seen as it takes multiple factors into account and was created by one of the most respected hockey analysts. It probably has some problems. But it cannot be as wrong as you think. If we are all serious caniacs, we need to reconsider our biases. It appears the team’s problems the past few years were more than poor goaltending. The defenders not named Pesce and Slavin were more at fault than Ward and Lack.
If I’m overreacting then why did RF agree with what I just said? He signed Darling due to the poor performance of Ward and Lack, and most every expert I’ve read has labeled the Canes goalies 16-17 the worst in the league!
This is not MY BIAS…I’M JUST REPEATING WHAT WE READ…
Believe what you want, but my views are not baseless…
Seriously, Ward was one of the primary reasons we became a playoff contending team mid-season when the team did so well from early December into mid-January. Cam was stellar. He is on the downside of his career – I think he will be an able back-up to Darling – and I am really looking forward to Darling in net for us.
I think almost by definition #6 is going to happen before training camp, given that Traverse City is before the start of camp.
I think #4 is a possibility – although we are roster-limited (what are we at, 49 spots filled?). Adding a D-man takes away flexibility for any other type of move.
If there is a trade, it won’t be like #2 – there is really no reason for any of the teams holding those to “fire sale” them. I do think we may do another cap-space relief trade with another team. There are currently 5 teams over the cap (TOR, anyone?) and a number of teams within $2M. There are ways the teams can mitigate that, but players still need to be signed, and pieces will need to be moved. You are just not going to see prime players in this go-round.
I don’t think the captaincy will be decided until after training camp – probably right before the regular season. I don’t think you put the “C” on a player who just joined the team, even if he has both a history with the team and a winning pedigree. Peters likes a leadership “team” – I wouldn’t be surprised if it is all “A”‘s again this season.
Peters is so dynamic with his lines, I don’t think there will be any real solid indicators until each and every game time! 🙂
The sale, or it’s demise, can happen at any time – but I don’t see any pressure for either side to get it done quick.
RF actions indicate he is perfectly comfortable with Ward as a backup–and the main goalie if anything happens to Darling. And he should be. I think the analytics that I linked are close to right. Ward is middle of the pack or slightly better. Just what the Canes need from a back-up, replacement goalie.