It wasn’t easy, but we survived the first week of the offseason. The Hurricanes’ end of season press conference with Bill Peters and Ron Francis provided a pretty good dose of actual news and information on the Hurricanes front. The playoffs provided a relatively entertaining hockey diversion. And I personally managed to get through the Monday after the regular season ends without being too grumpy.
This week’s Monday Coffee Shop features poll questions on the NHL playoffs, how you plan to spend the offseason sports-wise and what you are most looking forward to during the Hurricanes long offseason. It finishes with 2 forward-looking discussion questions. First is what 1 (and only 1) addition you would make to boost the Canes’ fortunes for 2017-18, second is who you think the Canes can catch and bump out of the playoffs next year.
Polls
Please remember to click ‘vote’ after each poll answer.
Which playoff series is your favorite thus far?
- Washington/Toronto (42%, 37 Votes)
- Chicago/Nashville (15%, 13 Votes)
- I could care less about non-Hurricanes playoff hockey. (9%, 8 Votes)
- Pittsburgh/Columbus (8%, 7 Votes)
- Montreal/New York (7%, 6 Votes)
- Minnesota/St. Louis (7%, 6 Votes)
- San Jose/Edmonton (6%, 5 Votes)
- Ottawa/Boston (5%, 4 Votes)
- Anaheim/Calgary (2%, 2 Votes)
Total Voters: 88
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Which of the big summer events are you most looking forward to?
- The NHL expansion draft (40%, 36 Votes)
- The regular NHL draft (30%, 27 Votes)
- The start of free agency (23%, 21 Votes)
- The Hurricanes prospect camp (6%, 5 Votes)
- Other (add in comments) (1%, 1 Votes)
Total Voters: 90
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Which direction are you going for local summer sports? (Choose as many as apply)
- None of the above. I'm on break until the Hurricanes return. (53%, 46 Votes)
- Durham Bulls (24%, 21 Votes)
- NCFC/NC Courage (8%, 7 Votes)
- Other (add in comments) (6%, 5 Votes)
- Carolina Mudcats (5%, 4 Votes)
- Holly Springs Salamanders (3%, 3 Votes)
Total Voters: 77
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Carolina Hurricanes discussion questions
1) If you could add only 1 bigger name player to the Hurricanes roster via trade or free agency (from players at least potentially available), who would it be?
2) Of the 8 Eastern Conference playoff teams which are most vulnerable to being beaten out by the Hurricanes in 2017-18?
Go Canes!
1. Gagner or Bonino are are the only UFAs that make any sense–because both are still in their prime. Going for a “big” name only makes sense if he is still in his prime (24-29). Otherwise, going value makes much more sense. Of course, this year there should be quite a few players “potentially available” due to the expansion draft. I am not sure any of us knows how that will pan out in regards teams willing to move “unavailable” players just to keep from losing them for nothing. Someone who fits the value group would be Letestu. The Canes are not one “big” player away, they are one fewer 5-game streak with only 1-2 points away.
2. I think Boston and NYR are both likely to take a step back next year. No data-driven reason, just a hunch.
I said before the season started that both the Red Wings and Rangers were rebuilding but just did not know it it yet. I think I can mostly claim that I was right with Detroit. I was not right on the Rangers for the 2016-17 regular season, but I continue to stubbornly think that they are at/near decline.
I am focused on the Checkers now. Their website offers free audio of game broadcasts. Watching Canes for moves by RF to start trickling out.
1. If we could add only one name that is available (or thought to be) I would choose Ben Bishop. Only one additional scorer would not help if we still had the goaltending we got last year, so a goalie would have to be the choice. Of those, while not cheap, Bishop would have the most proven performance. Plus, if we can only add one guy, then that guy better be worth a big salary because we are going to need to add a lot in salary to reach the floor this summer, so I’d rather we didn’t spend that on a 3rd line center.
2. Of all the Eastern Conference teams in the playoffs, I see Boston as the most vulnerable. They were looking shaky for a lot of this year and are not getting any younger. Plus, I think some of the bounce they got down the stretch was due to the coaching change and how that affected their room….that effect will not be there in the next season and I think they slump and miss the playoffs next year.
Other than a goalie (which is a must), the one player I would like to see the Canes pickup (trade for) is Nathan MacKinnon from Colorado. The talk is all about us going after Duchene and/or Landeskog. IMO neither of these players hold a candle to MacK. While that would be my choice, I don’t think it’s too realistic as MacK is very young and the cost may be more than we could bear if he were available.
Otherwise, Galchenyuk from Montreal would be a big help. He can score. His weakness is faceoffs, but that may be because Montreal doesn’t play him at center most of the time (they put him at wing). Bring him here and let Brindy earn some of his pay teaching him on faceoffs if he needs it.
We can catch New York and Boston if we upgrade goaltending and get a first line scoring center. Ottawa is another possible choice to catch in the conference as their goaltender is really getting up there in age and their defense, other than Karlsson and Phaneuf (getting old) is nothing to brag about.
In reality, it is possible for us to get much better and still not gain on any teams as far as talent goes. Most of our competitors are adding good young players as fast as we are. Boston has added several, Pittsburgh has added several forwards, New York seems to have several young players, etc. IMO we aren’t going to catch too many teams by JUST adding good young players. We need a big scoring 1st line center (besides goaltending)who is a star or who would be a star on our team. My picks for this role are mentioned above.
I really like MacKinnon’s combination of age, proven NHL production and somewhat reasonable contract. For me the questions are whether he is actually even available and if so if the price is anything close to reasonable.
The Metropolitan is still going to be crazy tough. I think it would be wild card for us and I believe Boston is the most vulnerable. NYR should be falling off as well.
Adding one name – A real goalie is by far the most important. My hope would be Darling. It is a real crap shoot because when we brought Lack in I thought he would be the answer. Just because somebody plays well for a former team does not mean it continues when they come to a new team. Given that, minjaben mentioned Bishop. Also a good choice. The Penguins have a problem with Fleury but His numbers were not much better then what we had.
And thank god we are going to get a new goalie coach!!!! Maybe we will get somebody who does not destroy goalies. I still have hope for lack. He has upside. Expose Ward, he is consistent as I said previously, and it is not good enough.
I am most excited about the expansion draft. The reason is because teams will be letting players go to avoid giving them away. Its not the expansion draft itself, it is the movement before that when all the teams are scrambling to protect players and giving guys up so they at least get some assets in return.
MacKinnon would be a dream but I do not see Colorado giving him up.
Which direction are you going for local summer sports? I selected other. The RailHawks. It is the closest thing to hockey. 🙂
Ooooppppsss. I forgot the Railhawks changed their name to NCFC/NC Courage. LOL. Checked the wrong box.
I think that limiting moves to one is an indication of the problems, and mindset of RF… Why would you want to limit yourself to ONE, WHEN THERE’S MULTIPLE PROBLEMS TO FIX?
Prioritizing what you want to do…is certainly logical, but fixing one thing, and ignoring others makes little sense IMO!
Question… about our goalie strategy, both past and present: Does anyone know if RF, our GOALIE COACH, or someone else is responsible for the final decisions on who gets signed…etc.?
The question was really just a priority question. If given one choice, what was most important, what was the priority. I doubt few here believe we should limit ourselves to one addition. I sure do not. I doubt that is RF’s mindset.
I agree with Matt that RF is on the clock now. You make the changes necessary or their will be consequences with the fan base.
OK–one more try. The Canes first off-season move was relieving Marcoux. I think most everyone here thinks that was good. But all the comments indicate it was only marginal.
I think it was important. Let me try to quantify it.
Khudobin had a SV% of .926 against more than 1000 shots the year before Marcoux. It was .900 when Marcoux was coaching him. Lack had .917 for his career facing 2253 shots before Marcoux and .901 facing 1402 shots under Marcoux. So let’s agree that Marcoux didn’t cost .026 or even .016 of SV%. It is perfectly reasonable to think .012. If that is the case, Lack was .913 and .914 the past two seasons.
And we can even argue that given his style the effect on Ward was half as negative. That makes Ward equivalent to .915 and .911 the past two seasons. Some might point to 2012-13 and 13-14, but if I remember there were injuries involved both seasons. The pre-Marcoux Ward who had consecutive years of .916, .916, .923, .915 makes the “equivalent” last two years seem reasonable.
And for both Ward and Lack, I point to the fact that they were in goal for top-10 penalty killing units both of the past two years.
If all the quantifying is the case, then “must get a goalie” is not so obvious. And it could be costly. Fleury is only .912 for his career. Bishop is .919, but likely to cost significantly more.
So either there was no reason to let go of Marcoux, or everyone thinks a slightly better performer is priority number one. What am I missing?
Hi ctcaniac, I do believe there is merit to what you say. We get a real goalie coach and I could see both our guys improve. That’s way I made the comment about Marcoux destroying goalies.
For me, it has been such a long time since we have had goal tending that I guess I am just ready for a change. I do not discount what you posted. It will be interesting to see what unfolds.
Thanks icecobra. I appreciate your comments–because believe me I know I can come across as cranky/obsessive/just plain wrong when it comes to looking at problems in a systemic way. I won’t go into the details, but I have some first-hand experience in the non-hockey world–which sometimes makes me question common knowledge. So I really enjoy C&C–because here the commenters and Matt have really created a coffee shop feel where we all love hockey (especially the Canes’ version) and want to discuss it in more depth. Should the Canes make the move to a different goalie, he will become my favorite net minder.
PS–but I am not disappointed if they keep Lack and Ward.
This is a tough question because we have multiple holes.
#1 goalie Ben Bishop or Fleury or a host of other potential #1 goalie who will be available via trade or FA.
#2 Top 6 forward This is not an easy task since no one wants to come here. So do you over pay in FA or over pay in a trade. Radulov and Oshie are tops but I dont think they will come here. Everyone else is too old. Boyle and Stalberg would be nice bottom additions.