Today’s Daily Cup of Joe offers a small batch of random comments that have not made it into other articles in depth yet.
Trying to re-find Micheal Ferland
After being pretty much the Nino Niederreiter of the first half of the season as a scoring power forward on Aho’s line. An injury derailed Ferland a bit, and Brind’Amour has yet to be able to get him going again. He looked good for a short stretch with Teravainen/Staal but then was replaced by Andrei Svechnikov.
I would give Ferland a shot with McKegg. I think both players have a bit more to offer offensively than their recent track records. McKegg has shown some signs of having some playmaking ability at least sporadically, and Ferland has demonstrated an ability to put the puck in the net.
Goaltending this week
With three nicely-spaced games for a playoff berth, one has to wonder if Brind’Amour and Bales will stick with the recent rotation or if instead they might choose to ride Mrazek. It is not by a wide margin, but recently Mrazek has been the better goalie.
Sebastian Aho
He has not been himself for a couple weeks now. To his credit, he has not been a liability and he has picked up some points along the way. But at the same time, Aho just has not been great in a game for awhile now. It is not clear if it is just physical fatigue, just a downturn or an injury, but the Hurricanes would greatly benefit if Aho could muster one or two more big games.
Haydn Fleury
If de Haan’s injury keeps him out of the lineup as expected, Haydn Fleury is likely to be recalled. I liked Fleury’s play in limited ice time the last time he was recalled. No doubt, the team would be better off with everyone healthy. But the potential positive is that maybe Fleury and van Riemsdyk have better chemistry than de Haan and van Riemsdyk who have struggled in the past few games.
What say you Canes fans?
1) Who would you start in net for the remaining games?
2) Who thinks that Haydn Fleury will score his first NHL goal in absolutely huge fashion in one of the remaining games?
3) Do you also see Aho fighting it a bit right now, or do you think it is maybe just the normal ups and downs of a long season?
Go Canes!
1. Goaltending has not been the issue, I trust both goalies to play well enough to win, as they have for the vast majority of recent games.
2. I just can’t see Fleury score a goal, but he might end up with a pair of assists and if he can keep the puck out of the Canes crease I’m satisfied. It would be awesome to see the kid net one, I know he wants to.
3. Aho is but a spector of the player we saw in February. A grind, some injuries and possibly frustration and uncertainty around his contract are probably to blame. I don’t understand why TD hasn’t yet signed him, or Ferland, to contracts. I need to see Aho resigned to disspell my new owner doubts. Ferland, well, his deal should be a lot more affordable now after his dozen games of non performance. Toughness is all well and good but it rarely wins you games. It has to come with potting a goal every 10 games or so.
This team has faded considerably and has played worse than its most recent record. Goaltending has bought the team a few games it was not the better team and Hamilton has played like the best D men in the entire league. I really hope this bunch of jerks can rediscover their inner mojo. They are our bunch of jerks!
I think re-finding Aho’s offensive game should be a higher priority than Ferland’s. It may be time to reunite Aho and Teravainen. Flip Williams and Turbo. Maybe flip Svechnikov and Ferland too and the Staal line could go back to checking the other team’s best and free up Aho to find his mojo.
Yes, this would limit Svechnikov’s production, but would increase Martinook’s, Ferland’s, and hopefully Aho’s. I think the Svechnikov move has initiated the hockey version of the law of unintended consequences.
1. I think you keep going with what has worked for the goalies and keep the rotation up. Don’t disrupt that flow before the playoffs.
2. I have been hoping for Fleury to get his first goal for a while – would love to see it happening in a big way for the team but that is “magical thinking” – just want to see him knock one in, finally.
3. I think it is time to re-united the FAT line – perhaps “fix” both Ferland and Aho in a single stroke.
Seriously, though, the lines look stale to me (although your writeup to last night’s game suggests it really isn’t staleness in the o-zone but the difficulties in moving the puck leading to disorganized o-zone play that creates that impression.
Aho and Ferland clearly have injuries that are effecting their play. Either would likely be day to day if we weren’t in the chase. Both are troopers who give their all. Both should see reduced playing time to give other players their chance to pick up the slack.
Were Fleury to be a +1 in each of the games he plays in this week he will have met expectations Goals and/or assists from him would be an example of the other players picking up the slack.
As much as injuries, the murderer’s row of opponents the Canes have seen recently was a bit of tough love from the NHLs scheduling department. With 3 games left the pipe dream of catching the Pens for 3rd in the Metro is gone. First or second wild card will both give tough first round match ups. No need to get ahead of Columbus. The only team to watch is Montreal. We only need as many points as them in the next 3 games.
So the offense is struggling. Maybe Fleury doesn’t get his first goal because the team calls up Bean. It is a gamble. But this team has made a series of surprising decisions that have worked. Would one last one make sense?
Would be shocked.
The good news, 4 of 6 points likely gets us WC2 and a date with TB.
The not-so-good news, CBJ is playing lights out and likely earns the WC1 slot. MTL is also playing games with fire and determination of late (something Canes have lacked), so I could see MTL also getting 4 of 6 points against their remaining schedule.
I see no evidence that Aho is injured beyond the bumps and bruises they all have at this point. In fact, his defensive play versus some of the leagues best has been very good. Yet, it has limited his offensive effectiveness. Not unusual. May be time to take that burden off of him.
Of any young player in the NHL Sebastian Aho should understand the business side of the game. His father is a hockey executive in Europe. If that is an issue, and it’s not, the Canes should reduce their coming offer.
I think Aho is missing about 20% of his speed and willingness to battle for the puck near the boards. There has to be an injury involved. There is absolutely zero chance he would just fade away when the stakes are the highest.
Maybe it is a groin injury or some core muscle injury. He is just not using his body like he does when he is 100%.
Looks just fine defensively. I agree he doesn’t have the “jump” he had. That can just be wearing down over the season. The added defensive responsibility is no joke. He played 26 minutes against Pittsburgh in Raleigh. That can take a toll.
Thoroughly agree the Aho is playing conservatively. He is avoiding contact. He is slower, less mobile, less combative. There is a noticeable difference in his game today versus 4 weeks ago. Surprised to hear that isn’t obvious to everyone.
Pierre LeBrun now reports that Fox is “unlikely” to sign with Carolina, but would like a trade. So, he wants to play, just not in Carolina.
I support his right to exercise the authority he has in the CBA. Players need to take what they can get because it can be over at any time. Then again, the Canes have no reason to give him everything he wants as he was less than forthcoming with them. A repeat of the Vesey situation. Wonder if he has the same agent/advisor?
I would refuse to trade him until this summer unless a team offered a very nice prize. If he wants to play in the NHL next year he will have to sign a 3 year deal. I also believe Canes fans have the right to boo his ass his entire career.
In this case, CBA law is the law, unfortunately. This is a known loophole and should come as no shock to Canes fans.
I agree to hold out on any trade until and unless the Canes obtain a solid prospect + high pick (1st or 2nd). If a team wants him that bad, they can pay up. Otherwise, I can easily see Dundon hold his asset and prevent a year of ELC/salary for Fox (which may be what he wants). Fox had all the time to be forthright, and waiting until now could spur Dundon to say “your decision, now sit”.
My opinion aside, I think we should all focus on the Canes and 2019 playoffs…not a college kid.
I wouldn’t boo him – he never asked for his rights to be picked up by CGY and then traded here. The most he has publically said on the record is that he wants to be in the NHLas quickly as possible. He never fawned over Raleigh or publically promised he would be here. I am not sure he even publically indicated that this is where he wanted to be.
He certainly led Waddell to believe he would sign, unless you think Waddell was lying. Seemed to be following the same playbook as Vesey.
We know what Waddell said (99.9% certain he would sign with the Canes) but we don’t know what he or his agent said to Waddell. And at that point it is just personal – Fox never asked to be part of the Hurricanes organization.
I thought teams were not allowed to trade players until the summer anyway.
But, sure, if we can trade him for something useful that’s fine.
I’m guessing New York or the Leafs, maybe get Kreider (we’d have to add something to that deal but Kreider is pretty good).
Hmm…think you are right. He would rather sign a 3 year rookie deal than play in Carolina? Ok. I am assuming from LeBrun’s tweet that he wants to play in the NHL next season. Doesn’t sound like a good business decision for him, but maybe the Canes wouldn’t promise him NHL play. Hard to tell.
We are trading a player you are trading the rights to a player and based on our aquisition of Darling’s rights prior to the FA period and signing I think that can happen any time.
As surgalt provide info on via a link th other day, if a NCAA player signs before the end of the season that takes care of one year of the ELC. So Fox signing before the end of the 2018-19 season (regular season or playoffs, I don’t know) he will only have two years left on his ELC and he would become a RFA after the 2020-21 season. That is a powerful motivation for signing with an NHL club now and may provide the best leverage the Canes have in regards to the Fox camp.
I butchered that first sentence – “With Fox we are not trading player, only the rights to a player and…”
Trades can be made at any time, the trade deadline simply means the players traded can be in the playoffs. Were Fox to graduate from Harvard his ELC would be 2 years, not 3. Signing now would burn the first year of his ELC pretty much making the term a wash. Not signing now would cost him only the first year salary paid. He will receive the max signing bonus and performance bonuses regardless of when he signs. Fox is in the catbird seat. He is a psychology major at Harvard with an interest in finance. He can, will and should do whatever he considers to be in his best interest. The Rangers can promise him the fastest path to the NHL. The Rangers cannot promise him the best path to a long term rewarding NHL future. Despite the hype, the path from stardom at Harvard to a successful (personally and financially) career in the NHL will be a process, not a given. He is a talented college defenseman. They all do not thrive in the NHL. Hi is an undersized, average speed college defenseman. Few thrive in the NHL. The assumption he will step into NHL stardom is not based on reality. The Canes have done an impressive job of developing defenseman into the NHL. That should matter to Fox. If it doesn’t, Waddell needs to understand what Fos wants, cut bait and get him there asap for the best return possible.
I agree about Fox’s NHL prospects. Especially after watching him this weekend. I wasn’t that impressed. I didn’t even think he was the best d-man on his team. Smaller guys usually need speed and quickness to succeed. That’s not Fox. He does appear to have a high hockey IQ, but marginal skills.
I don’t begrudge Fox, or any kid to exercise their rights. On the other hand they should be straightforward about it. I don’t believe he wasn’t sure what he wanted to do. Much like Vesey he led a team to believe they could sign him when it was never going to happen. Both Harvard guys and I bet they have the same representation.
I will gladly boo him. Not because I think he’s a bad person or anything, but because he is now the villain. It’s not personal. If these guys can’t take some booing and polite heckling they need to get over themselves. Cheers for the good guys, boos for the bad guys.