Probably not surprisingly, readers leaned pessimistic on the team’s playoff hopes after two consecutive losses heading into the bye week.
We also wrapped up our mid-season reviews with short evaluations and reader polls that graded the goalies, management and coaching staff.
Today’s Coffee Shop continues where we left off on Monday doing a deeper dive on the team’s playoff chances and what it takes for the team to push over the hump and into the post-season. On a related note, today’s Daily Cup of Joe offers a snow-induced attempt to make a case for adding a high-end player leading up to the trade deadline not out of playoff desperation but because it makes sense in the bigger picture.
Carolina Hurricanes polls
Please remember to click ‘vote’ after each individual poll response.
Loading ...
Loading ...
Loading ...
Loading ...
Discussion questions
1) If you were Ron Francis, what would you be doing (or trying to do) heading into the second half of the season?
2) The playoffs…Are they possible? What does it take?
3) Depending on time frames for Brett Pesce and Sebastian Aho’s injuries, would this impact your urgency to make a trade?
Go Canes!
1. Add a physical, veteran forward or defenseman that you expect to be able to sign to a future contract (no rental). Do not mortgage the future but if a deal can be made that is reasonable with the potential for building up additional depth for the next 2-3 seasons, go for it.
2. Playoffs are possible only because it’s going to be circle firing squad the rest of the season. Obviously the teams that stay healthiest from here on out will have the best shot. Oh, I guess goal tending is kind of important to. But yes, the Canes can get in but Aho can’t be out more than two weeks max., and some players need to step up.
3. No. Don’t base any decision regarding trades on current, short term conditions.
tenininumee must have been reading my mind. He has it right IMO. Really can’t add anything beyond what he has said.
Time for a MAJOR CHANGE…IS HERE!
How many years should we do the same thing, getting the same results, BEFORE YOU REALIZE…”it’s just not working”?
…and it is the DEFINITION OF INSANITY…by the way, duh?
1. With all due respect to tenininumee, I don’t think the team needs another Justin Williams, particularly not on an extended contract. I think a mid-
(maybe high-) level rental can be had and at a reasonable price; we have a lot of assets in the bank right now. Dundon is a competitor and a winner. While I don’t think he will push RF to make a bad hockey decision, I don’t think he is going to want to watch the team he just bought to limp it’s way to the end of the season without making the playoffs, when there is still a lot of hockey to be played.
2. The playoffs are possible with any combination of more than one of these factors:
(a) improved goaltending
(b) quick return of Aho, Pesce, Ryan
(c) effective play by Charlotte fill-ins (Wallmark scored two goals last night; he is a scorer and needs to be put a position to succeed here doing that, for one thing)
(d) a new piece brought in for the occasion
3. I would not use the word “urgency” but I think the longer those two are out, the more pressure there is (and should be) to make a mitigating move
To puckgod: It does feel that way, if you’re looking at only one result. The big picture is fun.
1. I actually agree with teninumee. Not in that we need to go big, but I think a large gap is open to be filled with a guy with some fire. The Sabres are apparently asking WAAAAAY too much for Evander Kane, but we can’t allow 35 year-old Justin Williams to be the only guy standing up on this team. We need a very skilled goon. Damn it, hurry up and develop Gauthier.
2. I think raleightj hit the nail right on the head here. The one overwhelming, greater-than-all-other factors is the goaltending.
If either Darling or Ward (or in some dream miracle world…both) get hot, this team misses Aho a heck of a lot less. If the goaltending stays shaky, then our odds become a whole lot worse.
3. Absolutely not. I always said that this was the year the Canes put it all together, injury-permitting. I still believe they have that in them. But if I’m wrong on that, I’m young enough to wait another year. Our prospect pool is still top 5 in the NHL, and as Matt said in another article, according to one source we have the #4 prospect in hockey. Outside of older fans dying, what’s the worst that can happen by waiting another year? We still have a new owner. I’m good.
All that being said, if Ron finds the right deal, all that ‘patient’ crap goes out the window. Desperation, however, would not be a good look. The problem, in the current trade market, is that it’s flooded with quality defensemen, and the return would be minimized for any of our truly top-dollar trade chips. The market just doesn’t favor us right now. Stay the course.
Skinner + 3rd for Pacioretty and 5th.
Faulk to Minny in exchange for Dumba and 3rd.
More grit on both ends. Goodnight.
In all seriousness, MTL doesn’t want Skinner. They prefer opening cap space and going for a top flight center like Tavares. But I think a team in need of a scoring winger would take a flyer on Skins. Perhaps Ottawa would swap Hoffman and picks for Skinner.
Outside of the Vegas & Pens games next week, the Canes have several games coming up against teams that aren’t in the playoff hunt. If they don’t perform better .500 or better, playoffs are going to be a tough task with the quality of their opponents for most of February and early March.
If the Canes play well enough over the next few weeks to still be in the hunt and the team gets everyone back healthy, I don’t expect Francis to make many moves for rental players since it doesn’t make sense in the big picture. I wouldn’t be surprised if he made a small move to add a little more playoff experience if they are closer to clinching a playoff spot, but I would be surprised if he jumped on one of the top rentals this year.
Now if the next couple of weeks don’t go well, I expect Francis will be in sell mode. I expect that all 4 UFAs (Stempniak, Jooris, Ryan, and Wardo) would be shopped but I expect Stempniak has the best chance of moving.
If the Canes don’t make the playoffs, I am in the mindset that it is time for Francis to make a blockbuster move for a proven top 6 goal scorer, even if it means giving up Faulk or Hanifin or the 1st round pick at the draft. I still believe offense needs improvement as the TSA line has been carrying most of the scoring recently and secondary/third line scoring has dwindled.