Later today, Canes and Coffee will launch into a 2017-18 Carolina Hurricanes season preview series. Today’s Daily Cup of Joe is part 2 of 2 first taking a look backward at the preseason and offering player by player assessments and readiness ratings. (If you missed it, part 1 which covered the goalies and defensemen can be found HERE.)
Below is a similar assessment for the Hurricanes forwards:
Hurricanes regular forwards
Sebastian Aho: By no means did Aho look bad in preseason, but at the same time, playing against a mix of AHL and NHL competition, Aho did not stand out as a player ready to become an elite offensive producer. His game is that of a heady and opportunistic player not so much a physical force, so it is reasonable to think that his game will rise up when real hockey begins. Readiness rating: I thought Aho had an okay preseason, but I will be looking for a higher gear when regular season action kicks off.
Josh Jooris: Like Kruger, Jooris seemed to settle into his new surroundings quickly and even offered a couple flashes of offense during preseason. Readiness rating: Count him as ready to go.
Marcus Kruger: Like Williams, he seemed to hit the ground running. He looked capable against tough match ups and was plus 3 in three games. Readiness rating: He seemed to adjust quickly and appears to be ready to go.
Elias Lindholm: His game looked fine offensively. He had a number of the quick passes that yielded its share of assists in the second half of the 2016-17 season but was probably under-rewarded on the score sheet due to lack of finishing by line mates. But one thing that stood out about Lindholm’s preseason was a noticeable lack of the physical edge that was the catalyst and trademark for his surge in the second half of the 2016-17 season. It seems reasonable to guess that the Peter Forsberg element in Lindholm’s game was just latent during exhibition hockey, but it is definitely something that I will be looking for in the first week or so of the regular season. Readiness rating: Pending the all-important return of his physical edge, Lindholm looks ready to go otherwise.
Brock McGinn: His every-shift intensity was evident even in preseason, as he did all he could to make an impression and win one of the last slots in the lineup. He did not find his way onto the score sheet in five games. As such, in preseason he continued to look like a player capable of bringing energy but not a ton on the score sheet. Readiness rating: McGinn is a known quantity at this point, and I think his preseason reinforced what he is capable of bringing to the lineup.
Joakim Nordstrom: He is a bit like McGinn in the sense that he is a known quantity as a depth forward. He did not magically find a new offensive tool bag and put it on display in preseason, but he did look capable for the role he has generally filled the past couple years. Readiness rating: If someone with greater offensive production does not steal his slot in the lineup sooner rather than later, Nordstrom looks ready to provide steady defensive play and penalty killing from the fourth line.
Victor Rask: His preseason was quiet. Probably too quiet. He looked serviceable but not like a difference-maker in three preseason games collecting only a lone assist and three shots on goal in three games. Readiness rating: If he has a higher gear than the second half of the 2016-17 season, he did not show it in preseason. Here is hoping that real games jolt Rask into a higher gear.
Derek Ryan: He launched into preseason like he was shot out of a cannon, easily being the team’s best offensive player in the first few games and finishing with a team high five points despite playing only three games. As the player who is sitting in the center slot that many hoped would be filled by a high-end playmaking center over the summer, his level of play is critical to the team’s offense. Readiness rating: His preseason surge made as big of a statement as possible in the preseason. Important to note is that a carry over is not certain.
Jeff Skinner: He did not score a goal in three preseason outings. Nevertheless, I liked Skinner’s game. He spent enough time buzzing around the offensive zone that I am not concerned: Readiness rating: Skinner can be streaky like most scorers. Here is hoping he finds his first streak right out of the gate to help the team get off to a better start.
Jordan Staal: For Staal, mostly what I look for is his skating stride. I think he looks ready skating-wise, and he had five points in four games to boot. Getting a read on Staal in preseason is significant because in years past his game has built over the first few months to reach top gear around the start of December which not coincidentally has been when the Hurricanes have found a higher gear. Readiness rating: He looked ready to go in preseason. The team’s belated early December launch each of the past two seasons has not coincidentally occurred in unison with Staal finding a higher gear. Staal and the team in total need to launch about two months sooner in 2017-18.
Lee Stempniak: His preseason was a write off due to injury. He is not currently expected to play opening night which has two more rookies in the mix looking to fill the right wing slot on a scoring line. Readiness rating: Obviously after being out with an injury he will need to get back up to speed.
Teuvo Teravainen: In yesterday’s article, I labeled Noah Hanifin as the player whose preseason level of play I would gladly accept for the full 82 games of the regular season. Teravainen could be the forward equivalent (with Derek Ryan the other candidate). I really like him opposite Justin Williams as a player who can help drive possession into the offensive zone and offer a similar balance of finishing and playmaking. Readiness rating: He has been on the shelf for a few days with a minor injury but has returned to practice. He looked ready to go and produce at a higher level, so hopefully the injury does not steal any momentum.
Justin Williams: His preseason has been on target. He has produced offensively, but equally significantly, he has shown his ability to influence puck possession and the game in total in all three zones. Readiness rating: He seemed to transition easily to the new team and system and appears to be ready to go.
Two rookies trying to rise up
With Phil Di Giuseppe and Lucas Wallmark cut on Monday and Lee Stempniak on injured reserve, there is currently one roster spot remaining and two rookies battling for that final slot. Janne Kuokkanen entered training camp atop my dark horse list, and I thought he might be ready to push Derek Ryan for the final center slot. Ryan has been lights out and defended his preseason spot on the depth chart, but an injury to Lee Stempniak has opened at least a short-term slot at wing. Martin Necas, meanwhile, has risen up everyone’s watch list with some dynamic preseason play.
Janne Kuokkanen: He has demonstrated the ability to play at NHL speed and make good reads with and without the puck in the offensive zone. He has had a few impressive scoring plays to boot. In the preseason finale, he had some trouble receiving and handling the puck but again seemed to be in the right place at the right time. Readiness rating: Kuokkanen has looked like he could be ready but not to the degree that he is a no-brainer for an immediate jump to the NHL level.
Martin Necas: His case is an interesting one. My read is that he has pure playmaking center written all over him much more so than Elias Lindholm ever did and more so even than Sebastian Aho probably. But two things come into play for the 2017-18 season. First is that the opening right now is at wing, not center. Second is that he has looked capable for playing in the NHL now but somewhat like Kuokkanen not so much a no-brainer. Readiness rating: I would not say that Necas is a no-brainer for the NHL in 2017-18, but at the same time, if one allows for some adjustment time, just maybe he is getting ready to hit stride.
Netting it out
At forward, I am most eager to see if Elias Lindholm (physical play) and Sebastian Aho (dynamic offense that is step up from 2016-17) can flip the switch to a higher gear at the start of the regular season. I am also anxious to see if Teuvo Teravainen’s strong preseason was just another short scoring burst or if it signifies that he is ready to bring offense on a more regular basis.
What say you Canes fans?
From the forwards, who most impressed you in preseason? Who are hoping finds a higher level of play after a ‘meh’ preseason?
Go Canes!
I think you summed up all the forwards pretty much as I saw them.
For me the three biggest elements:
1) Teravainen looks to be ready to make the next step. A commenter at Canes Country mentioned that TT is one of the top scorers (even higher for assists) on the list for the World Junior Championships. That in itself would not be overly impressive–but his name is on the list with Malkin and Henrik Sedin when sorted for assists. I am convinced he will get 60 points this season playing with Williams.
2) Jordan Staal showed signs that he still has offensive skills. With new responsibilities and what should be a much better power play, I think he is a 20-25 goal scorer again
3) Williams. He is the player that helps his linemates the most (thus my excitement about TT) and will improve the power play (see Staal). He plays the game that is mentioned in the OP about Lindholm–physical, below the net, creating chances.
Beyond that, I thing the preseason reinforced Cory Fogg’s point that the fourth line is going to be exasperating for opponents.
All-in-all, the forwards have so much more positive going than at this time last season.
Oh, and one of the rookies is going to be just fine, just not sure which one.
TT looked like a man with a mission and the key thing, he shot the puck.
Aho, I think, may have been doing some different work in the preseason. Last year, he had come off playing a whole lot of hockey, so I suspect that this year he was working more like he had prepared for Finnish league. I’m not too worried about him. His last game was much better.
Rask and Lindholm, I had hoped for more. Your comments on Lindy and his physicality, spot on. I had forgotten bout that until your note, but he was best banging bodies and really playing that physical checking game. I had hoped for more from these guys with their play at World’s. Let’s hope they were like Aho and just working on some different aspects and when we’re live, they’re on it.
Williams, he’s going to be the de-funkifier. I’m not sure what line he starts with, but I suspect we’ll see him float around lines trying to jump start players BP feels have fallen behind expectations. NO matter who he played with, they were better.
4th line: that has the chance to be the best 4th line in the league.
All in all, can’t wait for Saturday
The forwards that impressed me the most during the preseason were as others have alluded to – Turbo and Doc. If Terevainen can get over 50 pts it will go a long way to helping the team offense, and if Derek Ryan can produce a 40 pt season with decent enough defense our 3rd line centre spot is in good hands.
The player that worried me the most in terms of the forwards was definitely Rask. I don’t mind that Lindholm wasn’t banging bodies, better not to risk injuries at this point I expect him to go back to his physical ways when the regular season starts.
I am one of the few on this site that geniunely believe Aho is set for a step back. I expect him to register right around 40-45 pts this season mainly because I think teams around the league now have a good amount of film on him and will know how to stop him. Let’s be honest guys, does Aho do much else but skate hard down the wing then throw the brakes on to try and make a nice pass to cutting skaters? He doesn’t look for his own shot or drive the net looking to score enough to keep defenders honest and I expect many will play a tighter gap with him than in his rookie season. It’s not that I don’t believe Aho won’t eventually do these things, but in the preseason he just didn’t look assertive in adding new elements to his game compared to last year.
Rask is a problem in my opinion for the main reason that he does not fit with the team identity anymore – if this is a fast tight gap team, Rask is a bit slow… Furthermore he is locked up long term and if he ends up regressing that contract might be hard to move out. Also, Rask doesn’t fit the mould of consistent performance that the team is predicated on. I can respect how even when Lindholm and Staal were not producing last year they always play the same way and they can impact the game in positive ways outside the boxscore. However when Rask is off his game, he stands out notably in a negative way, just like when he is on his game he is a big time positive difference maker.
TT came out strong
Ryan started very strong
Aho isn’t too concerning as he is in his 2nd season.
My biggest concern is Rask and Lindholm. I didn’t see anything that would give me a lot of confidence going into the season. If they start slow and we struggle offensively, GMRF may regret not getting a center.
Teuvo and Kuokkanen both impressed me a lot this preseason.
As I mentioned the other day I am reluctant to jump on-board the Teuvo train just yet. He played very strong in the few games he played – but that was characteristic of him last season. He would play a few strong games then seem to disappear or lose focus. He has major skills and put them on display this preseason, but I want to see that displayed consistently over a duration of more than a few games.
50MissionCap – I want to disagree a bit with your assessment of Aho’s play. You describe one element of his 5×5 game. But likes to position himself just off the goal in 5×5 play, putting him in a great position to collect and distribute interior passes as well as gather up rebounds, getting a lot of his points in that area. I really like his interior play. He has add bulk this season, which is going to make him even strong than the player when he went 1-on- 4 (+goalie) and scored.
Kuokkanen has played with maturity, poise, and effectiveness. Yesterday Peters hinted that Janne will take Stempniak’s role, saying Kuokkanen likes to play his off-side, as “a lot of Europeans” do. I think he earned a spot although, again, I thought he was more effective on Staal’s wing.
To be honest, as impressive as Ryan has been that is the Doctor. Always effective and a great opportunistic scorer.
One element that I have impressed – and Peters has commented on it – is how well Kruger and Nordstrom play together both 5×5 and on the PK. There was immediate great chemistry between the two. It would be nice to see a strong skater like Stalberg emerge for the PK, but that is another topic.
Individually, a great summary of what I saw in the preseason. The chemistry of line combinations is an additional layer above that, and goodness the Staal line looked good in the first Edmonton game.
I interpreted BP comments about “European players loving to play the off side” the same as raleightj – Kuokkanen has the edge. He is comfortable in either wing (unlike Necas) and is at a similar readiness level individually. Necas needs lots of time at center and time to develop more muscle and connective tissue. Given the confusion over Necas height, the kid may still be growing.
Can’t wait for the season to start!
Also, Rask looks extremely fit this year. Last year, coming off of surgery, there were issues. Due to the improved physical fitness and health I believe Rask will re-emerge with the style of play that we need from him, hopefully sooner rather than later. But give him time, he has much better potential this year than last.
I liked how TT came out strong and, though he hasn’t been as physical yet, Lindholm did have 3 assists in 4 games – right on schedule. (I think I agree with apex that there is no upside for being overly physical during the pre-season.)
I also like how our team defense looks when Staal and Kruger have been in the same game: we are going to be hard to play against this season.
As for Aho, teams will compensate his button-hook move when entering the zone, but he’s a smart player and will adjust accordingly: not near the top of my worry list.
Mostly, and this is a team-offense comment and not a player-specific comment, I’ve been very pleased that we have three lines that all look dangerous offensively and we have two lines that are very tough to play against. In 7 games, we scored 21 goals and gave up 15, almost a goal/game difference. That would produce 100+ pts over the course of the season.