Today’s Daily Cup of Joe considers the Carolina Hurricanes in terms of team toughness after the departure of Micheal Ferland.
Team toughness minus Micheal Ferland
Team toughness in general is a complex topic in today’s NHL. On the one hand, it is no longer a requirement to carry an enforcer, and teams that do carry one who is sub-par in terms of hockey ability drag that is a liability. And I do not buy the argument that having a top-tier enforcer or policeman automatically makes the ice safe anyway. The vast majority of dirty hits in today’s NHL are more spur of the moment things, and in today’s NHL players are not nearly as much required to answer for them anyway.
But on the other hand, there is still an element of team toughness that is part of the game. Teams do need to push back when an opponent tries to intimidate them. And in limited instances it can be helpful to have a heavy weight at the top of the food chain who can answer any challenge. And maybe even more significant than extracurricular stuff after the whistle, I think there is very clearly value in having a player or two who makes the ice dangerous for opposing players.
We can debate to what degree different roles are necessary and how valuable they are, but what is clear is that in today’s NHL Micheal Ferland filled them all. If necessary, he could make or accept a challenge against anyone in the league. He could be a policeman if necessary when on the ice. And most significantly, his thunderous but clean hits made the ice dangerous for opposing players and could cause them to adjust how they played.
But for 2019-20 Ferland is gone, and he was not really replaced by a player who brings what he brought to the lineup. Unless another move is made to add more of a physical equivalent of Ferland, the Hurricanes will need to address this by committee. This is not an impossible task. The Hurricanes found a nice balance between sticking up for themselves and pushing back in what was arguably the most physical and heated series of the playoffs against the Washington Capitals. And that was largely without Ferland in the lineup.
But being minus Ferland could force the team to adjust and a few players to take on bigger roles in this regard. Jordan Martinook did a masterful job of playing big brother for Andrei Svechnikov. For whatever reason, Svechnikov seemed to get under people’s skin. Quite often Martinook was there to step into the fray and more than anything just defuse situations. Justin Williams is similarly a player who is not fighter/enforcer but has been around the block enough times to know how to handle himself and situations when they arise. And from the younger group, Warren Foegele and Brock McGinn will match physical inside the whistles with anyone. New addition Ryan Dzingel has also dropped the gloves a few times in his career.
The biggest challenge will be answering the rare instance where an opposing player intentionally crosses lines to see if anyone will challenge him. That could force Jordan Martinook or someone else to take a fight or two that would have been better-suited for Ferland last year.
I think where I land is that the Hurricanes did not need to directly replace Ferland in today’s NHL, but I do think the physical dynamic is something to watch how the team handles things when it gets testy on the ice.
What say you Canes fans?
1) In today’s NHL, do you think there is an absolute need for a true heavyweight/enforcer like Micheal Ferland? Or can toughness be addressed more by committee and without a true top dog?
2) Do you think the current Canes roster is adequate for addressing physicality/toughness? Or do you think the team ideally needs to add a player to replace that element of Ferland’s game?
Go Canes!
1) This will be a watch point all year. Old-timey refs can take the position that, if a team is unwilling to protect its players, why should they?
Now with an emphasis in reducing head injuries and fighting in the game, referees are more liable to intervene and call a penalty if a player (particularly a star) is about to get pummeled. Old-timey style referees are becoming less prevalent over time but there was a lot of “let them play” in the playoffs. Come playoff time the more experienced referees are more heavily utilized and they still swallow the whistles.
So I expect the lack of a true enforcer will have an uneven effect over the course of the season depending on the opponent and the referees, and will likely become important in the playoffs.
2) oops need to get to work :-).
1. In your post you describe Ferland more accurately than in your question. Ferland is not a “heavyweight/enforcer”. He is a highly physical player who hit hard (and cleanly, which was the best part) and would drop the gloves if challenged or the situation warranted. He wasn’t a boat anchor (Lucic) or a dirty player (Wilson) or an instigator (Marchand). There are only a few players like him in the league – most players fall into one of those other categories.
But having a player who can play, but who also hits and fights (and really enjoys that aspect) is a big plus and it was nice to see on Hurricanes ice.
I don’t think that can be handled by committee. But there are very few players like Ferland who do it right.
And I wouldn’t put Foegele, McGinn, or even Dzingel in that mix – they are physical players (see my answer to 2).
2. If by physicality you mean matching hits, playing hard along the boards, scrumming in front of the net after whistles, and the like then we are good – with Staal, Martinook, Foegele, McGinn and others (including Saku – who said last season he had never been in a fight before).
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If you haven’t read it there is a book called “The Code: The Unwritten Rules of Fighting and Retaliation in the NHL” which is a worthy read of the days when fighting was far more prevalent. The game really has changed.
Also, check out the move “Ice Guardians” which features our own Kevin Westgarth.
There are more than a few layers to this onion. One seldom mentioned layer is how one can feel as a fan watching the game as a disagreement amongst players flares to highly aggressive levels after play has stopped. Personally, in simpler terms, I like knowing my player will kick the living shit our of your player. While it has little to do with the game, that knowledge feels really good. (Kinda the opposite feeling as I had when Svech thought it was a good idea to spar with Ovi.) One of our players, hardly ever mentioned for his fighting prowess, is Justin Faulk. He can be a nuclear deterrent when he choses.
There are two types of fights in hockey – the staged fights and the anger fights. When Faulk goes it is always the latter and he can take care of himself, I agree.
Good call on Justin Faulk. He is in the category of player who has always fared well fighting anyone else who is a player not a fighter. I actually think a little more nasty within the boundaries of the game could benefit his game.
Fun read: https://mynhltraderumors.com/nhl-early-look-oft-overlooked-hurricanes-on-the-rise/2019/07/19/
In January of 2018, Travis Yost, Effete-Snob-in-Chief of the stats worshippers proclaimed that “heavy hockey is dead”. Yet, that very year, the Stanley Cup was hoisted by the Washington goon squad, aka the Caps. Heavy hockey is what they play. It seemed to this observer that heavy hockey was very much alive. The Toronto Maple Leafs, stripped naked of all grit by the darling of the stats worshippers, Kyle Dubas, appeared to be overwhelmed by Washington’s goonies.
Hmmm.
This last season, the winner of the Cup was the ultra-heavy hockey team, the St. Louis Blues. In the finals they didn’t seem overwhelmed by the Bruins. It appeared to be a pitched battle between two teams, each with their share of talent and grit. If there was a deciding factor, it was the Blues players size and strength. They ground the Bruins to a nub.
We fared well against the Washington goonies, aka the Caps. But, in so doing, we lost Ferland (bruised lung from a collision with Wilson) and Martinook (injured by being speared in the groin by Brooks Orpik).
We then swept the Isles and were swept by the Bruins.
Throughout the Bruins series, it seemed as if we were out of gas. Plus, rather than carry the puck into the Bruin’s zone, we dumped. Rather than pitch a tent in the slot and the crease, we stayed to the outside. We were tired, hurting and afraid.
Timid.
Matt’s position is unclear to me. He speaks well of Ferland. Yet he seems to say that we don’t really need him or his ilk.
Ferland can be replaced by committee? So if Ovi tries again to goad Svech into a fight, Martinook and McGinn should gang up on Ovi? Have we never heard of the third man in rule? Besides that, do you think that Wilson and Gudas would fail to do what they are paid to do (rush to Ovi’s rescue)?
Committee?
Toughness?
The two toughest players in NHL history (in my not-very-humble opinion) are Roddy and Skinny. Roddy’s face is replete with evidence of his toughness on the ice. Skinny’s history of 4 plus concussions and the fact that he shows up for every game qualifies him as tough.
Remember the famous speech made by Rocky Balboa to his son, “…it ain’t how hard you can hit….but how hard you can get hit and keep movin’ forward.”
I could argue with Matt point for point, but it would be fruitless. He is convinced that he is right. I am convinced that I am right.
I like what I have read so far from contributors on this question. I thank Matt for posting the question.
Do I think Donny and Tommy will try to replace Michael Ferland? Yes. For three reasons:
1) I am convinced that Willy’s indecision has to do with the need for the replacement.
2) The little Finns are too valuable to leave exposed without protection.
3) The fans will never forgive Donny and Tommy if they don’t.
pwrlss, I agree with the jist of your write up which is “toughness” matters and also with your conclusion number 2…i.e.; “the little Finns…” What do you think about Saku as maybe the answer to this “need” for toughness? Also, Niederreiter is no lightweight. Can he help fill this need?
Personally, I liked Ferland because there was no question who was boss when he was around (much like Wilson for Capitals). And he could score if you played him on first line with the “skinny Finns”.
In the Boston series, we were definitely tired by the end, but more so beat up by the grind. Were we afraid? Hardly. As a matter of fact, we made the error of often trying to be physical when good hard positional hockey should have/would have been enough….we ended up in the penalty box and suffered because of it.
Also remember, that good “heavy” hockey team that was the St. Louis Blues were pretty easily handled by the Hurricanes in the final meeting of the season. There are many ways to win in hockey….leaving out Pittsburgh’s win the year prior to Washington’s might have been an omission, but that team was mostly skilled and fast….they had grit, but didn’t play the “heavy” game.
I agree with the need of an enforcer who still has reasonable skills! Does anyone have a particular guy in mind?
Importing – Erik Gudbranson
Pat Maroon
Antoine Rousel
Darren Archibald
From within-Trevor Carrick
Julien Gauthier Carrick, for all his problems, can score and can mix it up.
Gauthier, with his background as a body builder has the upper body strength. He can score. He can mix it up. He can be taught how to fight. He cannot be taught to be willing to fight.
To be effective like Ferland one has to be willing to be the lightning rod for the wrath of the bullies of the opponent. Distracting the enemy’s attention away from our scorers is usually good for a goal every other game. Brad Marchand is the perfect example for this. He drives the opposition to distraction. If he gets into more than he can handle, there are men like Pastrnak, Chara, and Carlo to cover his six.
To make matters worse for the opposition, the Bruins have a devastating power play.
Sorry, Red. You are right. Saku would be another good internal candidate.
Nino is a valuable scorer who plays the game with an edge. He has been around too long for such a drastic change (to fighter).
Saku, on the other hand, might be desperate enough for ice time in the NHL to be willing to fill the bill.
Good choices would be Ryan Reaves from Vegas, Pat Maroon (UFA) or Brendan Lemieux (RFA) Rangers.
Now that the Rangers have signed JT to an 8 X 7 deal they are left with 3 or 4m in cap space and 3 guys left to sign, including their Russian 20 goal scorer. I think that might make Brendan Lemieux available, and he might not end up costing that much.
Uh-oh! I just finished reading an article in the Athletic about the high percentage of players who actually go through the arbitration process who leave the team shortly after (2 to 3 years). While reading it occurred to me that Brock McGinn’s hearing is tomorrow.
I do hope Donny and Tommy reach a deal with him before the hearing.
Saku played a very tough and intimidating style of hockey in the playoffs and I think he’s the most likely internal candidate. The question for me, to the point made by pwrlss, if whether he has the will to take this role (like Backes did for BOS last year). I’d love to see him embrace that mindset and be an edgy presence. That would certainly help his chances on making the team.
dmiller. I agree that Maenalanen can be a physical presence. However, I think as it stands now he is odd man out. If Williams re-signs, I don’t think he even makes it as 13th forward—can’t see him replacing any of Foegele, McGinn, or Martinook. Though if he did it would mean he has developed more offense which would be terrific.
I’m likely in the minority here but I see no need for a typical enforcer (even one with skill) on this team. Don’t get me wrong, I loved having early season Micheal Ferland on the team. Those 1st 30 games or so were magnificent to watch. But post February Ferland was simply a waste of roster space. He had no goals and 4 points. Whatever deterrent factor he provided was more that overcompensated for by his general lack of production at the most important time in the season….and the team did just fine.
Team toughness for the Hurricanes improved dramatically. No scrum went unanswered…and there are plenty of players with grit, provide physicality, yet do so with significant skill. Maenalanen was mentioned. The recently re-signed McGinn, along with Foegele, Martinook, Fleury, Staal, and Faulk all provide the type of sandpaper the team can take heart in.
The 2019-20 Hurricanes will have plenty of team toughness…and while other teams designated “tough guy” is skating around trying to find somebody to hit, our guys will be skating circles around them putting pucks in the net.
This is the most skilled team Carolina has had since the Stanley Cup squad. I expect they’ll be just fine without Ferland.
Another deterrent that the Canes really need this year is a powerplay that converts.
In the Boston series, the Bos players knew there would be no consequences on the scoreboard from going a man down so they really pushed the envelope with the Canes players, got them off their game and beat them with special teams.
At least 2 of the 4 games were clearly won that way and one can claim all 4 games came down to special teams.
Sure, refs tend to only punish players for some of their antics but when they do, it’s comforting for the opponent to know they won’t suffer for it on the scoreboard. It practically encourages them to take liberties.
I think a PP that the opponent has to take seriously is more effective than having a goon who runs around hitting everyone, though having a goon that scores and an effective PP would be ideal.
Just a hypothetical. There might be other assets involved. But what about a trade of Jordan Staal for Max Domi?