First to be clear, the aim of this article is not to say that the Hurricanes are in perfect position now 52 games into the 2018-19 season. I would actually say that the team is a 4-6 points off the target since that is roughly how far it is out of a playoff spot. But the team is at least at the edge of the playoff hunt and trending upward, so I think it is fair to identify a few players who have most significantly impacted the positive of where the team is right now.
Where would the Carolina Hurricanes be without _____?
1) Sebastian Aho
The team’s depth scoring has been a bit better of late, but the team can still be challenged offensively. Without Aho driving a legitimate top scoring line, where would this team be right now? My fear is that without Aho to at least make one line go, the scoring valleys would be even deeper, and the team would have a significantly worse record.
2) Curtis McElhinney
The team entered the 2018-19 season with two question marks in goal which is a tough enough starting point by itself. But then when Scott Darling was injured, the team suddenly had a single rebound project to man the nets. Then the Hurricanes claimed Curtis McElhinney off of waivers. While the team was trying to get its feet under it with a new, rookie head coach and a number of new players, McElhinney reeled off three straight wins in early October to help the team launch successfully into the 2018-19 season. Then in November when the Scott Darling reclamation project was reinitiated, McElhinney posted a five-game point streak to keep the team treading water until Darling was jettisoned to the AHL. In total, McElhinney is five games above .500 at 11-6-1 which means that the Hurricanes are a game below .500 without McElhinney in net. That difference would have the Hurricanes more or less out of the playoff chase.
3) Justin Williams
Maybe not surprisingly, the transformation of the team’s mentality and culture has been gradual and is still a work in progress. And in the end, the proof is in the pudding which is measured by the standings. But in my opinion, I think Justin Williams as captain has been a success thus far. His approach of using media interviews to pitch to his team seems to be yielding results. And my hope is that his wisdom is wearing off on Sebastian Aho who I think is destined to become the next Hurricanes captain.
4) Lucas Wallmark
When Victor Rask was lost for the front part of the season, Lucas Wallmark was given a chance to play center at the NHL level. He capitalized on that opportunity and did a great job filling in in a depth role. By the time Rask returned, Wallmark had carved out a role as a solid two-way center actually similar to how Rask initially earned his NHL ticket. Wallmark’s emergence became even more significant when Rask mostly failed to launch after returning from injury. Then more recently, Jordan Staal exited the lineup with a concussion. Climbing another rung up the ladder, Wallmark was pushed up into Staal’s challenging duties against the other teams’ best. And for about a month now, Wallmark has been doing a one heck of a Jordan Staal impression eating up many of the hardest match up minutes and has been successful in that role. Without Wallmark’s emergence, might the team’s lack of NHL-capable center depth have doomed the season already? I think that is a fair question to ask.
What say you Canes fans?
1) How would you rank the five players in terms of how much worse the current season would look without them?
2) Are there any other players that you would add to this list?
Go Canes!
All these guys have done well, but fundamentally whatever they’ve done, or anybody else on the team, it hasn’t been good enough.
That is not based on yesterday’s game, they almost did good enough, but December sunk the team, tenth season in a row, and Nothing short of leading the league in Ws will get the Canes into the 2019 playoffs.
Equally interesting, especially in light of yesterday’s game, where would the Hurricanes be with (insert list of guys who were traded).
To be fare, players on both sides of the Canes/Flames switch contributed, but ultimately the ex Canes scored 3 goals and assisted on the 4th, the ex Flames scored one.
I don’t begrudge trading Hanifin and the Canes would not have signed the Dr. at 3 mill (good for him, great guy, got an awesome deal, thumbs up, I think overpaid), but trading away two of the team’s top scorers in the offseason made it that much harder to improve the scoring.
Ferland was a pleasant surprise but is asking too much money to stay and be part of the solution. Hamilton, despite recent improvements, has not been the magic answer to D scoring he was brought in for.
Lindholm would’ve been a great fit on this Canes squad.
His regrettable gesture yesterday was offensive to the fanbase who supported him and welcomed him back. I hope he’ll find the decency to apologize to the Canes nation. Whatever beef he had with being traded is with the management, not the Caniacs.
First, I do not agree with what Lindholm did more or less mocking the fan base, but two things to fairly present the whole picture…
He was booed loudly after his goal. I think fans are entitled to do what they want (including booing), but I did not agree with that gesture personally.
Also, if the Canes are going to celebrate after wins, it was inevitable that someone would eventually go down this path. The team and the fan base needs to accept that.
In the end, I think Lindholm would ideally rise above that fray, but at the same time there are two sides to this story.
Fair enough, I missed the booing after the first goal (I was running around while watching the first period).
A players job is to win the game for his team, no matter the opponent, finding a way to send a message to the team who traded you away is extra potent, I’m all for it.
But the Canes post game celebration, no matter what people think of it, is not malicious or a jab at the losing team. But taking a jab at a team by mocking its players or celebration is a different matter.
It is not a fine or suspension worthy offense or anything like that.
It’s just makes the player look pathetic.
I didn’t see Lindy’s gesture as offensive… it seemed to me more ribbing of friends…
besides, if it was meant in a bad way, I’ve always been taught the best way to deal with it was to ignore it, instead of making a big deal out of it.
I would have to add Nino, even if his contribution has only been 6 games. He has a lit a fire since the OTT game and his energy has carried the team a long way in the past series of games. He is the reason we are knocking on the playoffs door again.