I realize that the actual trade deadline day was a quiet one for Ron Francis and the Carolina Hurricanes, but it was still a busy one covering it especially when life away from CandC got a bit busy. So today, I will clean up the cups laying around, sweep the floor and put a couple polls and questions up for the regulars.
Maybe after you chime in below, you can find my grade for Ron Francis on the trade deadline in Thursday’s Daily Cup of Joe.
Carolina Hurricanes polls
Please remember to click ‘vote’ after each response.
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Discussion questions
What are your thoughts on the 2017 NHL trade deadline in general? Were you surprised that none of big name non-rentals were moved? What do you think of Ron Francis’ work?
With all of the non-rentals sitting pretty much where they started the deadline, the game pushes to June. Who do you think Francis should target for a big trade or 2 in June?
Who has topics for next week? With a full quarter of the season left but playoff hopes diminished to nearly nothing, it is going to take a group effort to keep the Coffee Shop open, active and hopefully even somewhat optimistic.
Go Canes!
Which top-level goalie should RF target by ANY MEANS NECESSARY?
Go big OR GO HOME!
Who should be given an offer sheet?
How many top3 forwards should he acquire?
Why should RF BE FIRED?
Who would be dumb enough to buy season tickets if RF (or his replacement) doesn’t make some really significant moves?
FINALLY… IF RF MAKES NO BIG MOVES BY THE DRAFT- I’d fire his ass!
Alright Puckgod..I will take a shot at your questions today:
1-Not sure about offer sheets. First you have overpay in $. Then to get anyone decent the draft picks are a bunch too. Very expensive way to add players compared to multiple other options.
2-I think we need 1 impact forward. Key word is “impact.” We’re looking for a top 3 guy not a 7-9 forward.
3-No. Francis inherited a rebuilding situation. I am on record as thinking both he and Bill Peters are on the clock for 2017-18.
4-Me. I renewed my tickets today. I am not always happy with our hockey team either. I respect other people’s choice to spend their money on something else if they choose. But I am committed and will be with the group who remains on the boat if it does sink one day.
NHL trade deadline -I think we did as good as we probably could have done. We did not have too many pieces available that other teams would want.
Francis targets – I think RF has his hands tied. I am not convinced he is the problem. The owner is the problem. When you have way more cap space than anybody else and do nothing to bring in the 1C and goalie we need, that’s a problem. I think this off season will be very telling.
We must change the goalies, without that, there is no chance.
The goalies let us down way too often. The rest of the team is competitive on most nights.
Building the team on low budget and drafts that are 3rd or 4th liners will result in the Quebec City Hurricanes. We do not get the high draft picks, so we do not get the elite players. Every successful team has guys in the top 3 or 5 picks. The fan base is dying. We have a ton of draft picks but unfortunately it could be for what might be one of the worst draft years in history. If you do not add elite players, you get what we have now.
Topics for next week/quarter – Tough question matt when things are not going in the right direction.
Analysis of the games pointing out improvements for who is on the team.
Negative, but who should not be on the team next year.
Who RF should target and possible deals for the off season. It is quite a ways away but probably the most interesting topic as it could go so many ways.
Positioning for the Vegas grab.
Unfortunately given where the team is there will be lack of interest.
Trade Deadline: Went about as expected. Disappointed he didn’t resign Stalberg instead of trading him, but will survive it.
Trade Targets: Absolutely need a number 1 center and a number 1 goalie. There can be no excuse for not obtaining both. We have the cap room and it is just a matter of getting it done.
Topics: I have an idea for an article for you Matt, but I need to know how to get it to you if I write it up. I will give you the framework and what I have and you can do with it as you see fit.
I was torn on Stalberg as well, but a 3rd round pick is a good return for even a good 4th-liner. Vanek went for the same and Vrbata somehow yielded nothing.
It’s not impossible that Francis re-signs Stalberg this summer when he becomes a free agent on July 1 again.
Easiest way to send me article idea is email which is canesandcoffee at gmail dot com.
There wasn’t much Ron could do beyond what he did at this season’s TDL. Apparently the returns just weren’t there. Nobody was ever going to go after Derek Ryan and Jay McClement’s due date is past. I really think Ryan Murphy was never going to get moved because he easily satisfies our expansion defenseman qualification if he plays almost all of the remaining games. Guys like Vrbata and Kulikov would have moved for a nice return in years past. However with the uncertainty of expansion and the impact it will have on the trade market, this was always going to be an underwhelming event.
You don’t go 3-6-1 in the lead up to the Trade Deadline and expect to be anything buy a seller.
Other than Landeskog, there are a few places I’d sniff around. Minnesota is going to be in an interesting position on defense and they are also going to have a tough time singing all of their RFAs. Might it be time to try and over pay for a guy like Niederreiter? While he’s likely not available, it would be interesting to try and pry somebody like him away from a team. I’d also be interested in seeing if we could make a move for somebody like Aaron Dell (back up for the Sharks).
Right now I’m brain dead and don’t have any suggestions for other topics to discuss. Sorry.
I was a little surprised that given all the pre-deadline talk there were not more big trades. RF seemed to get the most return of any seller, which is what you want, though admittedly you don’t want to be a seller. I would definitely target a goalie–maybe Darling. Also an experienced D-man.
There should be plenty to discuss if a few players are called up. If the Wallmark, Fleury, McKeown stay in Charlotte, then maybe some more about the prospects. The series you had with analysis from people familiar with the juniors/college players was great. I would definitely like more of that and would be willing to discuss why I for one think the future is going to be pretty exciting for the Canes.
Show me proof RF can’t spend more money! I know I can’t spend more on a half-assed run operation! Trying to win on the cheap…ain’t TRYING! Multimillionaire, Billionaire, whatever… go big or go home!
Ron Francis was predictably boring. He has his plan. That plan is his secret. We won’t have a clue what it is until it is happening. But we know his method of operation. Lurk in the shadows and try to exploit teams in salary cap purgatory. This summer will be interesting because of the added drama of the expansion draft. But we should temper our anticipation with the knowledge that at the end of the day RF will be as always, a plodding, risk adverse, painfully slow team rebuilder. There are 2 major issues that are also unknowns to us that will determine if RF has the ability to finish this rebuild, 1. Balls, 2. Budget
To Puckgod: I am also dumb enough to sign up for season tickets once again. Hope springs eternal.
Topic for next week. What options does the team have to not start next season with a long road trip out west.
The premise that the 6 game road trip early in the season explains the teams perennial bad start that last until early Dec. needs to be examined. There could be better explanations. One that may more meaningful are the very large groups to start camp (Only 2/5th of the group in camp will stay. Looking at forwards, about half will be new to Bill Peters system. That half is pressed to get the repetitions needed to be really trained in that system. The routine of using last minute waiver wire pickups adds players who get no time to learn how to play “the Peter’s way”.