First, thoughts, prayers and well wishes go out the Erik Karlsson and his wife who earlier this week lost an unborn child.
Thursday’s win offered some respite for Canes fans who had seen the #CanesCoaster at its very worst in the previous three home games. The fun and the scoring might only have been due to playing an opponent way under the .500 mark, but guess what? …The Hurricanes schedule next serves up two more similar games with a home and home against the Ottawa Senators who also sit below the Canes in the standings. Canes fans would much rather be watching intense games with playoff implications, but beggars can’t be choosers, so we will take another 6-5 win in a shinny-like game with minimal intensity.
The opponent is an Ottawa Senators team that ranks 30th in the NHL in goals allowed, so putting up 6 goals in a win seems within reason. But in addition to just hoping for fun, high-scoring hockey, the game represents another 60 minutes of ice time to continue evaluating individual players and combinations for building the 2018-19 roster.
And that initiative takes center stage in my watch points.
‘What I’m watching’ for the Carolina Hurricanes versus the Ottawa Senators
1) Teravainen/Aho/Zykov
In their first game together on Thursday, the trio looked like a top scoring line that had been playing together and terrorizing the NHL for years. Aho transitioned quickly back to his core as a playmaking center who created scoring chances for capable finishing wings just like he did with Patrik Laine and Jesse Puljujarvi on the Finnish team at world juniors. Valentin Zykov filled the role of a power forward who could be productive without playing much with the puck on his stick. He scored a pretty goal when he stepped into the right place to receive and finish off the rush on an Aho pass. And he figured in two uglier goals by creating havoc at the top of the crease. He was the screen on a Teravainen’s shot that surprised the goalie, and Zykov finished himself with three whacks at the puck on a rebound after he screened the goalie. And Teravainen just did a bit of everything on his way to a two-point night.
On Saturday, I will be watching for continued chemistry. Does Zykov continue to find right balance between knowing when he needs to support the puck and when he is free to head to his office at the top of the blue paint to wait for the puck to show up. If Ottawa matches up best on best, I will be watching to see if the trio can use some combination of puck possession and sound play defensively to neutralize defensively and attack offensively.
2) Skinner/Lindholm/Di Giuseppe
Despite the headline grabbing from rookie Valentin Zykov and his line mates, the Skinner/Lindholm/Di Giuseppe combination actually matched them with three goals. Lindholm had two heady passes for assists, and Skinner posted two goals. Di Giuseppe also had a big night on the score sheet with a goal and two assists. I am on record as preferring Lindholm at right wing largely because of the lack of other NHL-ready options there, and I stand by that preference. That said, Lindholm has played well at the center position and certainly seems capable of moving back to the middle. And if doing so proves him to be the elusive player who clicks with Skinner, I am intrigued and willing to consider changing course.
My watch points are a few. Can Lindholm make Skinner better or vice versa? The issue with Skinner is that he seems almost chemistry-less meaning that he does not seem to boost his line mates’ level of play nor does he seem to benefit or gain a boost from certain line mates. On Thursday, when the Hurricanes could get the puck deep and get Lindholm behind the end line, he played to his strengths as a puck distributor from a fixed position (versus off the rush). The result was a couple grade A chances for Skinner which led to one goal and also a couple grade A chances and a goal for Di Giuseppe. On Thursday, Skinner and Lindholm did benefit from playing together. I will be watching on Saturday to see if that continues. The flip side of that situation is watching to see how the line defends in situations when Lindholm gets deepest into the offensive zone such that the trio is sort of inverted defensively at any transition points. The result is that Skinner or Di Giuseppe will need to be the first defender back and in that role will be pressured to sort out responsibilities and angles defending through the neutral zone and entering the defensive zone. That has not historically been a strength for Skinner, so I will be watching to see if that trio can sort out and defend in transition.
3) Roland McKeown
In 15:03 of ice time, he was generally sound even if not spectacular. Next playing on the road, McKeown could see more unshielded shifts against higher lines. As such, Saturday could be a bigger test. I will be watching to see how McKeown plays with consideration for whether he could be a capable third pairing defenseman for the 2018-19 season either outright or at least as an injury call up.
The puck drops at 7pm on Fox Sports Carolinas.
Go Canes!
1) There were some comments that the TAZ line’s success should be discounted because it was against Arizona. Truthfully, the Coyotes have been top 1/3 of the league the past 6 weeks. So I understand the argument, but wouldn’t overly discount the impact of Aho at center and Zykov in front of the net. Though I do hope that line is together for the NJ and Florida games as both those games will see the opponents with everything at stake. If the line produces say 4 more points in 5 more games together, then it should be the default opening day scoring line for next year.
2) Matt, I was in complete agreement in preferring Lindholm at RW because of the shortage. However, if playing center means that Lindholm is likely to get 40+ assists, which he so often looks capable of doing, then my position has changed. As I mentioned yesterday, I think a Skinner/Lindholm/Rask line might get the best out of all three players. One reason is that Rask is defensively conscientious–so the scenario you discuss above would not be quite as much of a concern. Also, the one thing that has remained strong while Rask has struggled is his wrist shot. If Lindholm had two options when he is playing behind the opposing net (as he did on DiGiuseppe’s goal), then he is more likely to succeed. If the centers to start 18-19 are Aho, Staal, Lindholm, Necas, then the team will be in a good place.
3) In his three games, McKeown was also “sound.” Should the team shop Faulk in the offseason, I for one am not panicked with McKeown as the option.
One more point in relation to both Zykov and McKeown. I have changed my opinion 180 degrees regarding prospects. Last year I truly believed Saarela should be in Raleigh based on his success in his first 5 games in Charlotte. I also thought other prospects would make the team better. Now I believe that Zykov is likely to succeed specifically because he played almost the entire season in Charlotte. There will be some exceptional players who can succeed as 18 and 19-year-olds. But for everyone else, I see the need for 100 or so games in the AHL or another professional league.
Agree with #1, #2, and #3. Zykov’s second goal was the Hörnqvist-type goal around the net we haven’t had enough of this season. That’s how Zykov was advertised and that’s what we got in only the second game. How refreshing.
I like Lindholm at Center and maybe he’ll play that much better with Skinner – I do think having Rask on the other wing makes sense, though PDG is generally responsible and I’ve noticed him playing at a higher level in the last 3-weeks or so. The flip side of that coin is that Skinner is probably our most marketable trade-chip and making the call to keep him based on a limited run of success with Lindholm is quite risky.
Playing games on the road and especially against teams still fighting is the only way to tell about players like McKeown, though I’m encouraged. The games this week are really pre-season games played in March and don’t mean all that much.
We’ve been talking for a year now about our organizational depth and we’re starting to see it in action for the first time in a while. That part of Canes hockey is still encouraging.
dmiller. I am in full agreement about Skinner having the most value in a trade. Although, I think Faulk is seen by most of the league as more valuable than many of our fans. I think GMs and scouts know that players have down seasons–regression to the mean and all.
If Skinner is moved (we have both hoped for Pacioretty), I still like Lindholm at center with Rask and perhaps an offensive RW.
It looks as if we have discovered more than just one scoring catalyst/playmaker. Aho as a center is a natural playmaker. With Turbo and Zykov on the wings, we have quite a line. The three together are much bigger than the sum of the parts. While any of us could have guessed that it might be a good combo, nobody could have guessed how good it would be. I think we have only seen the beginning of just how good these guys can be together.
The chemistry among Skinny, Lindy and DiGiuseppe is almost as good. Digiuseppe is the newest element. He has been relaxing into his role as a checking forward with an edge for a while now. But from the beginning I have noticed his speed, skating ability, and vision which are much better than average. He can stick handle and pass with the best of them. Now, i can see him discovering his ability to score. He reminds me of Gary Dornhoeffer in his early days (before he discovered that he could score 30 plus goals per season). If these three stay together and get better, we could have a couple of first class scoring lines going into 2018-19.
Brock McGinn is very much like DiGiuseppe, only with more natural ability. The edge to his game is also more jagged. Putting him on the line with Staal and Willy is a great idea.
The next series of games will be an opportunity for us to see how well our relatively untried and under tested defense men can play as part of a cohesive team.
Our goaltenders can show what they have to offer when they are backing up a team where wingers and centers back check and cover their assignments. Where defensemen win battles for the puck in the boards. Where everyone works together to keep the slot and the crease clear of the enemy. No enemy players get a rebound. The puck gets cleared out of our end quickly and efficiently.
Where we control the neutral zone and the o zone.
Where the red light flashes behind the enemy goal keeper more often than it does behind ours.
If we see this happening in the next series of games. Maybe we should cool our jets to trade away our core.
Whaddaya say?
Greetings from Ottawa! Made the 6-hour drive for this one so here’s to hoping this one turns out decent for everyone’s sake.
Kanata is an interesting place…for those that don’t know the arena sits in a suburb and several miles away from downtown (similar to Raleigh, though IMO Raleigh’s arena location is much better). Ran into some other ‘Canes fan at the hotel…that was good to see!
The TAZ line offers hope for good hockey for the remainder of the season and next.
Lindy plays center the way Skinner needs his center to play.
So hopefully Peters doesn’t screw around with the lines tonight.