I am not sure how everyone else feels, but I have mixed feelings on the bye week. On the 1 hand, I actually did appreciate the break at least in terms of the grind of stuff that comes with the regular 3 games in 4 days. On the other hand, I missed Canes hockey.
The next stretch is absolutely critical for the Hurricanes otherwise the Coffee Shop in March will be full of grumbling, commiserating, consoling and hopefully at least some looking forward to 2017-18. But with another burst of strong play at home where the Hurricanes have bee incredibly good, we can instead talk about what it takes to make the playoffs. I vote for that!
Polls
Remember to click ‘vote’ after each poll response.
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Does Friday's 'seems easy' match up against league worst Avalanche at home coming out of a bye week scare you?
- A little bit. Nothing is a sure thing in the NHL and the Avs just beat Montreal to prove it. (72%, 39 Votes)
- Yes definitely. After NC State's horrid loss to UNC at PNC Arena on Wednesday, the place has an ominous feeling to it right now. (19%, 10 Votes)
- Not at all. It is exactly the easy win that the Canes need to start strong coming out of the break. (9%, 5 Votes)
Total Voters: 54
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With some time to mull things over, do you think Coach Bill Peters will make changes to the forward lines to try to jump start some slumping scorers?
- Yes (72%, 38 Votes)
- No (28%, 15 Votes)
Total Voters: 53
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Which Charlotte Checkers are likely to see NHL ice time in the coming weeks? (Select as many as you wish)
- Haydn Fleury (28%, 39 Votes)
- Phil Di Giuseppe (23%, 32 Votes)
- Andrej Nestrasil (14%, 19 Votes)
- Lucas Wallmark (14%, 19 Votes)
- Roland McKeown (12%, 17 Votes)
- Trevor Carrick (9%, 13 Votes)
- Other (add in comments) (0%, 0 Votes)
Total Voters: 53
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Discussion questions
1) If the Hurricanes continue to struggle in terms of scoring past the Aho/Staal/Lindholm line, would you consider reaching quickly to Charlotte to see if Phil Di Giuseppe and/or Andrej Nestrasil (both of whom are playing well in the AHL) can provide a quick spark?
2) The greatest buzz for Canes fans and also in the broader hockey world continues to focus on Colorado and Landeskog and Duchene, but are there any other players who might be available who are maybe a little more under the radar that you think Francis should and/or will pursue?
3) Get out your crystal ball. Next Sunday after 5 straight home games over 10 days starting on Friday where will this team be?
4) Who has discussion or poll questions for the Coffee Shop for next Monday?
Go Canes!
Needs…C, GK. WHETHER RF WILL FILL THOSE NEEDS… probably not!
1. Why not? Realistically neither is the stuff that creates vivid offensive fantasies. But right now, who does?
2. I’m sure RF and his analytics guru have their targets. Once again they will appear in the 2nd or 3rd wave of June signings after Vegas has taken it’s picks and the high budget teams dream big. Once again they will come out of the blue.
3. On February 28th the Canes will once again be the longest of long shots for a wild card slot. Mathematical elimination will still be a weeks away.
I also read an interesting article about goalies (Ward in particular) in the HOCKEY NEWS! Might want to check that out…
Thanks for the heads ups!
1) As “surgalt” says “Why not?” I might add that if Wallmark continues his upswing in scoring, then he might also be a possibility. Personally, I think DiGuisseppe (however you spell it) would be a good callup if McGinn doesn’t start putting the puck ion the net a little.
2) I don’t think we will continue to pursue Duchene or Landeskog. Right now Colorado doesn’t have to make a move with either and can wait for some GM to get desperate and way overpay for either. Don’t know of any other potential targets.
3 I predict we go 5 wins 0 losses in next five games because that is what it will take to stay in the race, not because it is probably going to happen. 4 and 1 is in the realm of reality though. Still will be on outside looking in.
With number of teams that might be willing to overpay supposedly in on the Colorado thing, I am gradually downgrading the Hurricanes’ odds. And I am okay with that. Thus far, Francis’ style has been to shop for value, not win bidding wars.
1. I would be more inclined to see what Wallmark can bring as a “let’s see what we have” type of call-up. PDG or Nestrasil might bring a short term spark, but the the Canes need more than a short-term spark at this moment and Wallmark may have the potential to be more than a short term spark.
2. I do not think that Francis will pull off a Duchene type of deal at this point in the season (Canes could use it though). I do hope that they try to get one of Fleury or Bishop assuming one of them would re-up long term. One of Ward or Lack would go back the other way (not sure if anyone else would need to be in the deal), then make a play for Scott Darling over the summer as a back-up.
3. I want to say that the Canes go 5-0 over the next five, but I believe that treading water at 3-2 is more realistic (hope I am wrong).