Just when it seemed that the last 8-10 games of the Carolina Hurricanes 2017-18 season was going to be a completely miserable grind filled only with more brutal losses, the Charlotte Checkers breathed some goodness into what was left of the season. The chance just to watch something interesting with call ups auditioning for 2018-19 roster spots would have been something in itself but the group from Charlotte has done much, much more.
Valentin Zykov has proven more than capable of being a strong complement to Sebastian Aho and Teuvo Teravainen on a top scoring line. Zykvo now has three goals and five total points in only four games.
Warren Foegele wowed in his NHL debut on Monday with a goal and an assist.
And quietly playing strong hockey in the background behind the scorers is defenseman Roland McKeown.
And the team has suddenly won three straight games.
But worth noting is that the Hurricanes happened upon a soft stretch of schedule with the last four games against teams who are out of the playoff chase and also with sub-par defenses.
The New Jersey Devils on Tuesday will present a varsity-level challenge. The Devils currently sit right at the playoff cut line and are scratching and clawing for every point they can get. The Devils are also playing well having just completed a six-game road trip against high-end competition with a 4-2 mark and then returning home to defeat the Lightning.
The question is whether the Hurricanes can continue on their current positive path or if the tougher opponent will see the Hurricanes crash back to Earth with another of the abysmal losses that have popped up intermittently of late.
‘What I’m watching for the Carolina Hurricanes versus the New Jersey Devils
1) Defending Taylor Hall
On the road, the Devils will have some ability to dictate match ups which will likely see young defenders like Noah Hanifin, Haydn Fleury and Roland McKeown trying to shut down an elite scorer. On Tuesday, I will be watching to see how the kids on the blue line hold up against Taylor Hall and company.
2) Teravainen/Aho/Zykov
This trio continues to be worth watching to see if the group just managed a couple good games against weak opponents or if it truly has legs that could carry it into 2018-19. Conceptually, the set continues to make a ton of sense. As a power forward with good receive/finish skills and a nose for the front of the net, Zykov fits with Aho and Teravainen who have great chemistry and manage the puck well together. But only time will tell if Zykov is truly NHL-ready or if he just benefited from an initial adrenaline rush and burst on the score sheet.
3) Warren Foegele
Of all of the Hurricanes AHL-level players, Warren Foegele is arguably the one who is most competing for an open slot. With forwards like Zykov, Saarela and to some degree Wallmark, they are competing for slots on scoring lines with another option being to add proven veteran talent. By virtue of his 26 goals at the AHL level, Foegele also fits in this open competition, but as a penalty killer and player with a track record in shut down roles, Foegele also fits well toward the bottom of the roster. With veterans Marcus Kruger and Josh Jooris jettisoned, the 2018-19 roster could have room for a fourth line penalty killer with scoring upside, especially if the team tries to build a fourth line that is capable of more offensively. As such, I will again be watching Warren Foegele closely to see how he plays in his second NHL game on Tuesday.
The puck drops at 7pm on Fox Sports Carolinas with John, Tripp and Mike.
Go Canes!
My project is to get at least a few others away from the first through fourth line terminology.
I readily admit that players like Aho are better and should get some extra ice time. However, I think the Nordstrom/Kruger/Jooris concept of a traditional checking fourth line failed miserably.
Off the top of my head I think something like: top-scoring line; disruption line; opportunistic scoring line; balanced line.
I don’t think this a pointless exercise in semantics. In the business world terminology is used (admitted sometimes in Orwellian ways) to help people focus on ways to improve. In fact, we don’t have problems, we have opportunities. What used to be workers are now individual contributors.
Back to the hockey lines. Ideally forwards can excel at scoring and disrupting the opponents. But in reality there are a limited number of Bergerons and Barkovs. Having different terms really helps me think about how prospects are going to help in Raleigh.
For instance, if Necas is ready to play in the NHL, it raises the question of who is the fourth line center: Necas or Lindholm? It seems much easier to see Aho as the top-scoring line center, Staal as the disruption line center, Necas as the opportunistic-scoring line center, and Lindholm as the balanced line center. It is then easier to understand that Staal might lead in minutes against Edmonton or Pittsburgh, but that the Aho and Necas lines might get more minutes agains the Rangers and Blue Jackets.
This also makes it easier to categorize wingers. Some folks have argued Skinner is underutilized on a third line, but his role makes sense if that line is an opportunistic scoring line.
I am sure many of you will actually have better names for the lines. I just wanted to think “out loud” in this comment because I believe players like Foegele and McGinn offer the opportunity to change how Carolina sees their lineup. It should keep top players fresh (I know several folks thought our top D players struggled due to overuse) if the stigma of having the “fourth line” play 14 minutes most nights is removed.
For me at least, it is easier to think about those changes if I have language that reflects the change.
Excellent thoughts, ct. I like the concept of lines – almost revolutionary, indeed. But Peters is a traditionalist, no? And he does like to mix up his lines in-game.
I like the idea of transforming a checking 4th line to a defensively responsible line with offensive capabilities – that is the only way I would consider Foegele on the 4th line as it now stands. Don’t waste him with a Kruger or JMac type of 4th line center. But centered by Lindy in a balanced line role? – sure, I like that.