Quick reminder about our ongoing holiday sale/fundraiser. Donations of any size are greatly appreciated but $18.75 in North Carolina and $17.50 outside North Carolina also nets you a really cool Canes and Coffee cup.
It’s as simple as making a credit card or PayPal contribution by clicking on the PayPal link HERE and being sure to include your mailing address if you order a coffee cup.
Suddenly into the second third of the season, we have seen enough 2017-18 Carolina Hurricanes hockey to evaluate the team and also project what is in store for the rest of the season. The Daily Cup of Joe is a companion article that shares my thoughts on the same subject, but I hope everyone votes/comments here first so that we get unbiased opinions and the diversity of viewpoints that is easily the best thing about Canes and Coffee articles right now.
With that…The 2017-18 Carolina Hurricanes…Where are we? Where are we going?
Carolina Hurricanes polls
Please remember to click ‘vote’ after each individual poll response.
Loading ...
Loading ...
Loading ...
Discussion questions
1) In more detail than the polls for those who comment here, how would you describe the Hurricanes 2017-18 season thus far? What are the positives to build on and what are the biggest negatives that must be addressed?
2) What do you predict for the remainder of the 2017-18 season? What do you think it takes for this team to find a higher gear and make a playoff return?
Go Canes!
1. To me, this year has been very disappointing. I believe we had an upgrade in personnel from last year and I concurred with preseason comments by Francis, Williams, Forslund, et. al., that this was the year for the playoffs. But the team simply isn’t playing that way – in fact, it has regressed since last season in my opinion.
The blue line is not elite, and I actually think it may be how the D-men are being used. I know the system has the D-men participating in the offense, but how many times has we seen the puck go the other way quickly in transition and we are playing catch-up. There are too many defensive whoopsies by players in the D-zone for a unit that used to be solid on taking away time/space.
2. I think this team has the potential to put a strong run on in the last 2/3 of the season and make the playoffs. To me right now it is really a matter of team leadership and coaching – players are not being put in a position where they can succeed.
And I wonder why no call-ups from Charlotte to shake up the team as was done the past 2 seasons. I know Peters wants players “who can” play in the NHL and not players who “might be able” to play – but we have talented forwards who are NHL ready – Wallmark and Zykov. I think it is past time – although this is less a prediction and more of a hope. 🙂
I am not addressing the questions because I think tj pretty much nailed it. Especially the point about call ups. I wonder if the organization (BP and RF) have gone too far in the let players develop mindset. Wallmark is in his second season in the AHL. That seems to be the point at which players are ready.
Also agree the team can still redeem the season if the D and goalies play as originally expected.
not really following your format sorry… however, my take… I drank the cool-aid… and would do it again. I believe with the circumstances the way they were, RF did a good job in keeping the rebuild going without looking for a quick fix… which IMHO is one reason we are in this situation. The quick fix got us bad contracts, got rid of picks/assets… etc. Also, remember what our perceived team strengths were at the time. The defense was young but going to be elite. No way should we risk breaking that up. All that said, I believe we valued some on our defense more than others. For example, there was no way we could trade Faulk for a number 1 center… Duchane or anyone else. The other teams just would not take that…and it takes two (or more :)) for a trade.
Darling was also who I was hoping we would get. It did not make sense (and it still doesn’t make sense) to spend that much money on Bishop. Again look at the context of the time… Our young “elite” defense needed to get paid, so did our upcoming star Aho. So spending 6 million on Bishop could have put RF in a tough position down the road.
Also, Williams was a great pick up. He wanted to come here because he believed in the team, the system, the area, and the organization. Again in context, Kruger was a smart move because he was going to unleash the offense in Staal and make the away game matchups more competitive (ditto TVR).
Jooris, I thought took one of our AHL’s spot, however, it also let them develop more in the AHL and Fluery has shown how much that can help (like Lindy has shown how not having that can hurt)
So, I, like many others (i think) was happy with what RF did. I still am when I think about it in context.
I also don’t buy into the “we suck, can them all” crowd. We have shown at times what we can be. To me, our bad games are not the team being bad or not working, but we just don’t have finishers! We get good shots (yes, I agree some shots should not be taken, and no, we don’t get people to the front of the net enough)… but I’m talking about when we have players in the right position, but they whiff on the puck or shoot it wide. We have certain players that will take a couple of shifts off, lose focus, or try too hard and that seems to kill us.
IMHO Bill Peters is a good coach. He knows the game and created a good plan to take us from where we were (bad…) to getting better. I also agree with others that some of decisions are head scratchers. The captain(s), the time outs (or lack of), some challenges… I still think (hope) he can take us there.. but I’m not sure on this one.
Wow… lots of words…sorry 🙂 Go canes!
Team is about where I expected. They continue to out perform what this roster deserves(not a knock on RF, still quite happy with how he has structured the rebuild)and you can probably thank BP for that. He has gotten more out this roster points wise than it deserved since he started here.
I’ve been seeing him catching a lot of flak for not letting the team open things up more but a top 9 that contains two fringe Nhlers(Ryan and Mcginn) and a borderline 3rd liner with mobility issues(Rask) can’t afford to “open things up”. That’s how you lose games 5-3 and 6-4, especially when your team is having goaltending problems.
I’ll be thrilled if the team makes the playoffs, I’ve been putting their chances at 50% glance the off season and would probably downgrade that to 40% based on their play and the elevated play of some division rivals.
0. Hi to ya all! Encouraged by Matt via Twitter I just joined the gang. I am a middle-aged woman from Finland, been a hockey enthusiast since 1970’s when I was in elementary school and there used to be real winters in Finland with outdoors hockey and the boys in my class won all the local battles in hockey..damn great memories! I nowadays don’t watch the Finnish league, only NHL bc I like the style of play way better in NHL compared to the slow European style. Used to be a fan of MN Wild since I am a graduate of a Minnesotan High School. Except that time it was North Stars. So I have lived in the US as a teenager and went to school there. Bandwagoned Canes as Turbo and Sepe joined—> switched into a real fandom, I suppose, some times later. For me all that matter is a team win over individual (Finnish) goodies in the play. As for my bias I have to say that anything with Teuvo is my bias; I have watched this kid’s development since he was some 15 years old.
1. As for the positives I’d say that the Carolina Hurricanes organisation as a whole is very talented. Then it alerts me that Paul Maurice used to be a coach of this team and he is known of some “jealousy”..did that thing convert into Bill Peter’s era? I value Peters very capable as a coach..then again the question remains if he is seeing like whoev3er fan is seeing: make the change, please! Jeff Skinner is unutilized. Jeff is a real pro: he does not want to show his frustration in the media but everyone who have the eyes sees there’s some frustration. I lately watched Jeff’s figure skating vids and thoose took me off guard. The dude has IT ALL. He is so awesome as a skater, as a goal shooter that for him no Ryan can be the centerman in my honest opinion.
So, I guess the second you ppl read that I am from Finand you wanna hear what else (than what you already knew) I have to say about Canes Finns. It is a long story but to cut it short: even this summer past some respected hockey ppl (media) questioned if Teuvo Teräväinen would become a NHL player. Not a grinder. A NHL player overall. There’s a bet over a million dollars if Teuvo will be a NHL player. The parties are Teuvo’s agent and a very known hockey media person representing a major Finnish hockey media.The night Turbo had his hatty and the following qualification as a league 1st star the Finnish hockey Twitter told me: there’s the bet. Instead of it being in backyard chambers it was brought to be up there for everyone to say an opinion and the loser admitted he had failed. The chant the loser had was proud: look: I willingly lose. All that matters is that TURBO has shown he is capable to become a NHLer!
Damn, I could write a novel about Teuvo. > The play used to stop until he got the puck. Today we see Teuvo as Chicago Blackhawks wanted to see him as they drafted. He is not a fear-prone player anymore. Battles. Makes divine plays.
Sebastian. I will cry. He is so everything. Billie Peters saying in preseason interview: Seabass can play this and that line. He can play every position. I suppose Sepe is a wet dream of every coach: he is easy to coach, really. There’s been rumours that Erik Karlsson will be traded. In some Twitter quotes I have seen number 20 been listed as for those eligible players for the trade. I’d say ppl listing 20 don’t know so much about hockey at all. Sebastian entering his prime in 2-3 years will be 100 point scorer. >Given appropriate linemates.
I took some artistic freedom to post what I have to say but overall I see the Canes are not a playoff team. Goaltending is the biggest question. The blue line hasn’t performed to to expectations. Slavin has some slump. Faulk is..hmm. weird. TVR I am glad with, also with Fleyry. I generally am watching much more forwards whatever team in interest so i am no good to say anything wise about the D. What I mentioned are apparent, tho.
I have something to add. This vid is Teuvo training last summer. >I hope only decent ppl will find their way into this blog and that we see no Twitter sharing of this..or if someone wants to share may it be professsional approach https://www.instagram.com/p/BUq6Y5QlkvP/
I think you’re my new favorite person in the world. Every coach’s… what??? hahahaha. But you’re spot on with all this, actually. Canes need a new coach, better defensive play, Faulk and Slavin to wake up, Darling to find his game, and a couple more dangerous, top six forwards. That’s too much to overcome. The problem is this team won’t be bad enough to get a high enough draft pick to make a legitimate difference. That would be a big help going into 2018-19. But we’re stuck in this purgatory state of not good enough to make it, not bad enough to get a franchise-altering player.
look..I used some Finnish hockey media language..if it is approved here..everyone in Finland says that Patty Laine is a wet.. y’know..so why would not Sepe be that (man crush)..hmm..let’s leave this embarrasing talk..I just joined..don’t wanna do the canes in the first minute. Bill Peters is NOT to be kicked..he just needz to see some wise things rather and bring up that Russian Z and Swedish W imo…
katrii. Welcome–great to have you commenting with us. I may be a little biased toward your viewpoint as I think I was alone before the season in stating my opinion that TT would lead the team in scoring. Also, in thinking Aho is the 1C/scoring star that the team needs. I am not quite as enthusiastic as you in that I think Aho’s scoring will most likely end around 75 points per season.
Again, great to have you–please keep sending the Finnish perspective to the rest of the Caniacs.
I noticed you talked some good about Teuvo and Sebastian in your earlier comments (I found this blog last summer)and I was secretly glad about your rooting for these players. I was happy that you had digged up some stats about Teuvo’s performance in the juniors. Comparisons to the stats of Malkin etc. Not everyone knows that Turbo was a captain of the gold winning U20 team and that he was chosen an all star player of the tournament in a center position. His development mainly just dragged back ever since. Of course he was an elite player in 2015 NHL playoffs with the stunning thing that he was a point leader in that playoff series but else than that there was disappointment in the air. It seemed to be physical (strength issues) and also mental (shyness or whatever one wants to call it). Those things are fixed now and he has become a man who knows what it takes to play in top 6 of a NHL team. I am so glad he got out of Chicago. His role might not have been rewarding in that team in the long run.
As for Sebastian I know 100 point prediction is optimistic. It won’t bee soon but rather later in the near future if he ever reaches this ceiling of his. I talk about ceiling. Everything has to go perfectly well if he reaches that. If he moves to center he has more defending responsibilities that might cut off some points. This idea of Sebastian’s ceiling is not originally my own thought because I didn’t think this high of him until I heard the opinion of Artturi Lehkonen’s father (Lehkonen is MTL forward) who was interviewed this preseason and said he expects Sebastian to be top 5 point maker in NHL. He didn’t say 100 points but it is pretty much the same thing to say top 5 in the league as to say 100 points. We have seen more goals this season and I suppose it is a trend for the future. So when I heard this opinion of Ismo Lehkonen in a hockey podcast I needed to chew it and only lately I have started to believe in it if Sepe stays healthy. But more than 100 points I hope Aho will make his career as a center. There’s a lack of good centers in NHL and also in team Finland.
I agree. You know your stuff, and I’m sorry I was just giving you a hard time. Glad you’re here.
bw–no need. Since I believe you are in the Triangle, you can send me some swag from the first home playoff game in 9 years (I remain always the optimist).
Great to be here!
Best. Post. Ever. Welcome to the club, and thanks for your nation’s wonderful hockey players.
just a short comment before I really need to sleep..the phone is set in a few hours to catch the 10 hour time lapse..go canes! i wonder if Teuvo’s pt is there in anaheim as she said she’ll be…thanks for the good will seee ya later