With fans desperately wanting to find reasons to lean optimistic and the 4-o start to preseason to say that the early read on Rod Brind’Amour as a head coach has been positive would be a massive understatement. I offered an optimistic article entitled “In Rod We Trust” shortly after he was named head coach. His 2018-19 assessment period does not officially even begin until next Thursday, but we do have enough to at least offer first impressions.
The level of effort
Coaches making comments to the effect of wanting to outwork the opponent, be the hardest working team in the league, etc., etc. tend to get a rise from fans sometimes but mostly be meaningless comments. It is not as if a team has ever said that it was prioritizing something else over work ethic. But that is not to say that there is something to work ethic or that the quality cannot have a huge impact. It is just to say that talking about it counts for absolutely nothing. But that said, I think there are a couple early indications that the 2018-19 Hurricanes could actually back up the words. First, what has impressed me about the Hurricanes effort level is the sheer consistency. The team has pretty much outplayed everyone and done so over the majority of each game. Time will tell if removing hungry young AHLers from the mix will change things or if the higher level required for regular season games will also be met, but in terms of doing all that it can, the team has thus far.
Transparency and honesty with players
One of the subtle but significant things that has stood out to me thus far with Brind’Amour is his combination of relative transparency, candor and respectfulness with players. When asked about Sebastian Aho’s play through a couple of preseason games, Brind’Amour pretty bluntly said that he had not played well thus far. What stood out was not the message but the delivery. Brind’Amour mentioned it matter of factly and did not blow it out of proportion. And he also seemed to have a nice knack for doing so in a respectful way that did not chuck Aho under the bus or make it into a bigger thing than it needed to be. By no means is a single, small situation in preseason worthy of drawing a final conclusion, but the first impression does matter. Similar situations could be more difficult when the team hits a fit or two of adversity, so it will be interesting to see if Brind’Amour’s approach transpires adversity when he encounters it.
The Peter Laviolette swagger and attitude
Those who followed the team during the glory days of 2005-06 often recall a certain swagger or attitude around that team. Even early on when the team was expected to be a bottom dweller, Head Coach Peter Laviolette had an air about him that was different than anything else in team history. The attitude started with Laviolette and traced through the roster.
If preseason is any indication, Brind’Amour may be successfully instilling that same mentality in his team. The real test lies ahead in the regular season, but my feeling is that that vibe could return to PNC Arena under Brind’Amour.
What say you Canes fans?
1) Do you think preseason is really just too early to assess much of anything related to Brind’Amour’s coaching?
2) What are you first impressions of Brind’Amour as a head coach?
Go Canes!
Rod himself said that the wins didn’t mean much, though it was better to win than lose! The reality is that different coaches have other agendas in preseason, so they are looking to achieve progress towards team planning goals rather than just win,win!
My belief is Rod’s approach to outplay, out work other teams will result in winning a lot of games (hopefully).
The problem is skills and talent are important too, and we are short on veteran top-end talent…so rookies will be TESTED.
It appears to me that the players are very fit and ready to compete, which seems refreshing after the slow starts in the BP era. The other noticeable difference is the willingness to go to the front of the net. I think this is mostly attributable to RBA but also to management for providing a better balanced team. I’m trying not to get too excited about preseason success since I think our team weakness at the Center position will be exposed as the season wears on. I’m also concerned that Rask’s hand injury could linger and negatively impact his effectiveness when he returns. I hope I’m wrong but it’s very possible Necas ends up on the wing until he settles in.
I think you are quite accurate about much of this comment – not sure where I stand on Necas eventually placement. But I think that the Canes the way they are constructed will be a rollercoaster type team all season long. I’m prepared mentally for a lot of highs and a lot of lows. The fact is they are not doing what Boston did last year – which was mix in a TON of youth into a stable group of solid veterans – this team is relying on their youth to vault them into the playoff picture with next to no veterans to speak of.
I expect the lack of experience and center depth to be factors that rear their heads as the season goes on. I think perhaps this preseason push can set them up for a hot start – and a hot start goes a long way to making the playoffs, but I think even with some mid-season addition of Rask there is something missing up front. Perhaps this exact group will be the group that gets it done in 3 years, but until then I expect they need help to make the playoffs or will fail in their quest without help.
Yup, I agree with that. But it sounds like this is going to be the most entertaining roller coaster ride in years, and I’m pumped.
After what I consider my least favorite of not favorite summers in Canes history the pre season has been awesome and provides portents of a fun season, though not without frustration.
The problem with trying to outwork every other team over an 82 game season is that it’s simply impossible. Other teams have more skill and experience, especially at forward, and that will eventually be a difference maker.
Maybe this team will rotate forwards in and out of Charlotte to provide a sense of energy and jolt, I actually think it may be a good strategy, even if it may slow down some chemistry building.
I am still hoping for an addition at forward, even if I am highly doubtful that it will materialize.
Rod has been great at motivating the team, but how good is he going to be at match-ups, neutralizing the opposition’s best players and figuring out the opposing team’s weaknesses, that is something we don’t know yet.
It is way too early to come to any meaningful conclusions about RBA as a HC.
He excels where we all knew he would excel at – grit, energy, conditioning. This is RBA as a player development coach and RBA as a motivator.
This is not RBA as a head coach, and Breezy’s last paragraph is right on.
We also haven’t anything regarding his systems – nothing has certainly been tested. Is the fact the power play is so much better now that Chynoweth (sp?) is coaching it than when RBA did so an indicator of things to come?
We haven’t seen him deal with disappointment and frustration. We haven’t seen him make adjustments, either within a game or between games.
Time will tell. And we haven’t had enough of that yet.
tj. I think the success of the power play is as much about personnel as the new assistant. Zykov has been a significant difference. I would point to the power play goals scored by Svechnikov and Slavin. On the Svech goal Zykov didn’t get an assist, but he drew two defenders because of his positioning behind the net. On the Slavin goal Zykov’s position directly in front of the goalie opened up the ice for Slavin to move in and have a clear shot. I understand that teams will adapt in the regular season. But I don’t think I am overstating Zykov’s talent too much when I say I think it will be much like teams adapting to Laine’s shot or Larkin’s speed. Zykov has an elite combination of strength and good hands. I think his presence will make the power play better during the regular season as well. Svechnikov will be an upgrade with the man advantage too. I am not unrealistic, I don’t expect Carolina will be top 3 in the league, but I think top 10 or so is likely.
ct – I am a huge fan of Zykov and absolutely love what he does on the PP and 5×5. He provides a dimension we haven’t seen (and it is almost innate for him). He is a difference-maker, but it seems the team is playing much differently as well – more aggressive puck movement, more attempts on goal.
tj. Agree that the power play seems more aggressive. I think both the first and second units will be improved. You are correct that the coaching should get credit.
My point is that Zykov and Svechnikov might just give the Canes the Kissel-like or Laine-like weapon that makes implementing the coaches’ system more effective.
It’s way too early to assess but after this preseason, you can’t help it. There’s a complication though. To assess RBA as a head coach and the Canes as a team, you have to decide whether to believe your brain or your eyes.
Your brain says no head coach can make the playoffs with two centers who are rookies and one who is an undersized forward with a few late-season NHL games at center.
Your eyes say under RBA, the Canes are a much better team with a shot at the playoffs.
At this point, I believe my eyes.
Two jump out as RBA differences. First, he doesn’t have BP’s obsession with possession. Last year, possession was stressed over scoring. Positioning was based on the best chance of possession, so there was rarely a net presence. RBA seems to encourage going to the net much more, emphasize scoring over possession. Second, and this may be governed by necessity, RBA doesn’t have BP’s aversion to youth. It seems any call-ups were the same old recycles, and BP really did not seem to like what Zykov especially brought to the table. After years of seeing criticism of Mo for supposedly being against young players, I was surprised more people didn’t call out BP for being even worse about it.
That is the best thing about the new regime to my mind.
I, along with many C&C folks, got frustrated with BP’s unwillingness to give young playrs a chance, even when it was clear as day that the 4th line wasn’t going to score at all, couldn’t kill penalties, and all in all was playing pretty terrible hockey, and the team desperately needed a jolt, there was nothing to lose and at least something to gain.
The only player I am really worried about playing with the Canes initially is Necas, to me he just doesn’t seem to have it figured out, and no shame in that, but I’d rather have him be successful in Clt for a few months than go all Lindholm.
I’m still high on his upside but the kid needs to be handled with some tact.