The Carolina Hurricanes will enter training camp with a good chance that three or more rookies land in the opening day lineup. Martin Necas and Andrei Svechnikov each seem to have a better than 50 percent chance of making the opening day lineup. By virtue of short but impressive auditions last spring, Warren Foegele and Valentin Zykov would also seem to be in the mix for a roster spot.
But even beyond the rookies who have played their way up into the mix already, I think there are a couple wild cards worth watching.
Michael Fora
The 22-year old Swiss defenseman was signed as a free agent this summer. If the Hurricanes trade Justin Faulk as I expect, the team will be six deep on the blue line but without any obvious #7. Trevor Carrick has seemingly played his way up to that kind of role, but for whatever reason the team has never really given him a chance in that role. And no one else in the AHL has much for NHL experience. I think it is reasonably likely that the team will utilize the waiver wire to add a #7 defenseman, but I also think that Fora is an interesting wild card. The Hurricanes signed him because of his play in international play against NHL-ish competition. If he can dial it up to NHL speed in training camp, could he be another Niclas Wallin who makes the jump straight from Europe to the NHL in a depth role? He could quickly show that he needs AHL seasoning which is the most likely outcome, but maybe not.
Saku Maenalanen
Maenalanen is another European import signed as a free agent this summer. Like Fora, he is a couple years farther down the development path and more of a European professional than a prospect at age 24. He must also be deemed to be close to NHL-ready otherwise the Hurricanes would not use one of the 50 contracts on him. His skill set is that of a two-way forward which transitions most smoothly to the NHL ahead of schedule. Plan A right now seems to be for the high ceiling rookies to win roster spots, but if they do not do so, could someone like Maenalanen seize the opportunity?
Forgotten prospects rising up
In addition, the Hurricanes have a couple of players who have maybe fallen out of favor a bit but could rise up. Most notable is Julien Gauthier. His name was mentioned significantly more as a roster potential last year and the year before than it is being mentioned right now. And that makes sense given his slow start at the AHL level in 2017-18. But Gauthier is still every bit the impressive combination of size, agility and skill. As long as that is the case, the potential is always there that he suddenly puts it all together.
A different but also interesting situation is Janne Kuokkanen. He played his way onto NHL ice in early October last year. And he had a strong second half of 2017-18 in the AHL. But he has been surpassed in terms of buzz by players like Svechnikov and Necas. With another year of professional experience under his belt, could Kuokkanen be ready to seize a roster spot at the NHL level?
What say you Canes fans?
1) If the Hurricanes part ways with Justin Faulk, what do you think they will do with the #7 slot on the blue line?
2) Do you think any of these wild cards have a chance to crack the opening day lineup?
Go Canes!
1. I would have previously said Carrick – and I certainly root for him to take that step; he has paid his dues and has yet to get a legitimate shot. But there is another option now, and there is nothing wrong with having multiple players competing for the same role.
2. I have limited hopes for Gauthier this season (or going forward, even). He just doesn’t play consistently or with the speed and presence his size and skill set suggests.
I think Kuokk is interesting – he is a skilled puck-handling, offensive-minded center/LW. Meanwhile our LW tend to be the gritty, hard-nosed types – with offensive skills/potential of course but of a different sort than Kuokk (McGinn, Ferland, Martinook, Zykov). By being different than the others there may be a role that Kuokk can play that will warrant time on NHL ice.
I don’t know enough about Maenalanen to know how he plays – but he seems to offer an alternative as a 2-way forward to McGinn and Ferland. I doubt he finds a place on the opening roster but he could be a good call-up later in the season.
Good observations TJ. I love this level of competition for slots, it should drive our whole team to be better!
What about Walmark? He’s as much of a wild card as any of these and could be a Rask replacement with huge savings If the team can trade Rask.
It seems like the Canes should trade him or see what they hav in him by now.
Experienced players who can score are necessary down in charlotte but the kid must believe he is good enough for the NHl and could start growing stail and dissatisfied if he’s not given a chance to play on the big stage.
That or he could help out down the middle, given that the guys we are counting on have limited (Aho) to no “Necas) experience playing center in the NHL.
This is the year of the goat, either to rise up and impress or fade and end up as a lunch buffet curry (hockey career wise, not physically).
1) Agree with tj. I think Carrick’s development in AHL has reached the point of diminishing returns. My guess is Carrick starts as 7 if Faulk is traded but Fora could pass him with outstanding camp.
2) Breezy is correct that Wallmark should not be forgotten. I do wonder if Rask is given extra time to heal such that Wallmark starts in Raleigh. That could increase his trade value or make one of the other forwards expendable.
tj’s comments about Kuokkanen are inspired. Kuokkanen does bring a different skill set at LW. Once Necas and Svechnikov settle in Kuokkanen could help create a line with three playmakers. Ryan Stimson’s research, which I have mentioned before, indicates that the ideal line is three playmakers. Of course his term reflects specific patterns he has uncovered in his analysis more than the common meaning we would normally ascribe to playmaker. Still from what I understand Kuokkanen/Necas/Svechnikov would be close to a dynamic, high chance producing line.
As we discussed yesterday, the ingredients for excellent hockey are ready for the best recipe.
CT, the left wing skill set / playmaker line effectiveness is a nice combination of two solid observations. Well done.
1) IMO I believe Carrick would be #7. As CT said, he has done his time in the AHL and leaving him there does not make him any better. The development phase is over and he is ready. McKeown is probably ready also. I see no reason to utilize the waiver wire. What is the point in having prospects if you never give them a chance.
2) Possibly….. Carrick, McKeown, Fora, Kuokkanen, Saarela or Wallmark. There are spots and we have many AHLers ready to try to break the NHL roster. It should be very competitive in training camp. I have seen other teams bring in AHLers much more so then us and they exceed expectations. We just never done that very much, I think finally some guys will get a chance.
1. Although I believe Faulk will start the season with us, I would choose McKeown as #7.
2. I give Maenalanen the best shot at cracking the lineup.
On another note, I find it interesting that although the Canes are at or near the bottom of the league for Cap spending, we currently have the HIGHEST Cap $ allocated to Defense. Conversely, we have the LOWEST Cap $ allocated for Offense. I’m not sure if this is by default or by design, but I’m leaning that this is a strategic management decision. Surround skilled and young talented forwards with solid defense and a few hard-nosed guys and see what happens. We’ll soon find out if this experiment works.
Blinkman, I agree that it is a compelling strategy to spend $ on a great defense, then bring in young fast inexpensive forwards protected by some hard nosed guys. It will be entertaining and fun and has the potential to be much more.
Maybe we have over-thought this…a bit?
Nothing has to be etched in stone IMO, BUT IF WE WANT A GOOD TEAM… why not “wait”…til we know what are ALL the options?
…evaluation of players must be the most important thing, eh?
Absolutely! Everyone is so excited by the young talent in Charlotte, but also wants a trade for a veteran forward?? Give the kids a chance to play. If one or more of them aren’t working out then pull the trigger on a Faulk trade and get what the Canes need.
Same goes for line combinations.
Fans have to find something to be excited about. Goaltending is not there, neither are the remaining NHL forwards outside of Aho and TT.
I think a long summer and our tendency to look for good news after a decade of disappointment is probably having us hype up our prospects pretty hardcore. I am a believer in our prospect pool but I’d still prefer trading a copule of the prospects plus Faulk for a proven NHL forward or a young player with some experience and high upside.
There’s talks of a “Nylander for Trouba” deal. If Faulk plus a good prospect would get Nylander that’d be truly great.
What we have is exciting but I am convinced that this crew is not going to make the playoffs this year, next year yes but not this. But I think the team is short one to two quality forwards and lucky goaltending.