Carolina Hurricanes 2024 Summer Talk ... press the reset button?
- Thread starter jeffbear
- Start date
I'll kick things off with some initial thoughts.
Coaching Staff ... I've been leaning towards this for three seasons and now I'm firmly convinced that Carolina need a staff refresh. Brind'Amour is obviously safe, but his stubbornness while often a virtue definitely also has a down side. Do Gleason and Daniels really add the value that he thinks they do? Would the team benefit from some fresh ideas? Have they ridden this system as far as it will take them? Frankly you can make a case for a variety of positions on those topics, but the bottom line remains that whatever they're doing isn't getting them anywhere in the post season.
Core Group ... Aho, Svech, Staal, Kotkaniemi and Kochetkov are locked in for at least two more years. Literally everybody else who isn't on an ELC is out of contract this summer or next. That's what's known as a LOT of flexibility. Maybe too much. One thing is obvious to me. You've got three centers locked up for the next three seasons and only one of them produces any offense. That's a problem any way you slice it.
Defense ... again, huge deflection point. Slavin, Orlov, Burns, Morrow, Sealy. That's what you have under contract past July 1. Major decisions have to be made about Pesce, Skjei, Chatfield and the rest.
Goaltenders ... all three Gs are signed for next year. Whether that's good or bad is open to debate.
Where do we go from here?
Coaching Staff ... I've been leaning towards this for three seasons and now I'm firmly convinced that Carolina need a staff refresh. Brind'Amour is obviously safe, but his stubbornness while often a virtue definitely also has a down side. Do Gleason and Daniels really add the value that he thinks they do? Would the team benefit from some fresh ideas? Have they ridden this system as far as it will take them? Frankly you can make a case for a variety of positions on those topics, but the bottom line remains that whatever they're doing isn't getting them anywhere in the post season.
Core Group ... Aho, Svech, Staal, Kotkaniemi and Kochetkov are locked in for at least two more years. Literally everybody else who isn't on an ELC is out of contract this summer or next. That's what's known as a LOT of flexibility. Maybe too much. One thing is obvious to me. You've got three centers locked up for the next three seasons and only one of them produces any offense. That's a problem any way you slice it.
Defense ... again, huge deflection point. Slavin, Orlov, Burns, Morrow, Sealy. That's what you have under contract past July 1. Major decisions have to be made about Pesce, Skjei, Chatfield and the rest.
Goaltenders ... all three Gs are signed for next year. Whether that's good or bad is open to debate.
Where do we go from here?
HurryCanes
Well-known member
Coaching
Sign Rod and move forward. Daniels needs a new opportunity. As much as Timmy is a fan favorite, I was frustrated last night to see Chatfield (ok) and Orlov (not) trotted out there in the third period last night against Kreider’s line on numerous occasions and Orlov crapped the bed on many of those shifts. Having yes men with minimal coaching experience as your assistants is troubling to me.
Core group: as stated previously, we can’t go into next year without more help at center.
Defense; if all the FAs want big raises and burns is still on the first pair it might be a long year on the back end.
Goalies: I think Dundon has seen enough and will make a move.
I’m preaching to myself to be patient next year as I think we were built for this year and without some puck luck we’ll be fighting to make the playoffs next year.
PS I hope we can sign Jake as that line could be a monstaaah next year with more time in the saddle.
Sign Rod and move forward. Daniels needs a new opportunity. As much as Timmy is a fan favorite, I was frustrated last night to see Chatfield (ok) and Orlov (not) trotted out there in the third period last night against Kreider’s line on numerous occasions and Orlov crapped the bed on many of those shifts. Having yes men with minimal coaching experience as your assistants is troubling to me.
Core group: as stated previously, we can’t go into next year without more help at center.
Defense; if all the FAs want big raises and burns is still on the first pair it might be a long year on the back end.
Goalies: I think Dundon has seen enough and will make a move.
I’m preaching to myself to be patient next year as I think we were built for this year and without some puck luck we’ll be fighting to make the playoffs next year.
PS I hope we can sign Jake as that line could be a monstaaah next year with more time in the saddle.
ThinIce
Well-known member
Priority #1 for me is to sign the players we need to keep: Jarvis, Chartfield, and Guentzel. We need a better center, so we should make a trade with the assets we have (Necas, KK, etc.). Refresh the defense with some of the younger players in our system. (Can we buy out our Russian superstar?)
Priority #2 is to sign Rod but change our assistants with people outside our organization.
Priority #2 is to sign Rod but change our assistants with people outside our organization.
CanadaCanes
Well-known member
I'm sure this thread will keep us entertained for a good part of the summer and rightfully so with all the work to do.
It all starts with Dundon getting Rod his God Damn extension and putting all that other shit to bed. I am so sick and tired of hearing all the hockey media saying because it's not done it must not be getting done here...just sign the bloody guy to an extension and then start rolling up your sleeves and doing everything else you need to do. I am with the same camps saying that it's time for a couple new warm bodies and a different perspective for assistant coaches behind the bench. I am sure there are tons of good assistants out there that would love to work under Rod.
Sort out the goaltending...Pyotr is an affordable option for one spot, Martin is a very reliable number 3 you stash in the AHL, if they have lost all faith in Freddy as a 1A/1B option then go make a swap or trade to find someone to play with Pyotr...I am thinking of a Varlamov type.
Since the Canes always prioritize defense, go decide who stays...if there is any chance to get one of Skjei or Pesce signed, do it, otherwise, get Chatfield signed and you have at the very least Slavin, Orlov, Burns, Chatfield and Morrow as your base 5 next season and you know you need two solid options to fill out that blueline, maybe you need 3.
Do your most important RFA business sooner rather than later...know where the money and cap stands once you pay Jarvis and Necas what they might have coming.
As much as I like the player, Jake Guentzel getting a 7 or 8 year extension here for $9 m plus is not happening...no way no how, so unless he is willing to a two year big money deal to try and win with this team in a contending window...you move on.
Teuvo so long, TDA it was nice knowing you, Uncle Antti, you are a solid human and should enjoy your kids and your retirement.
KK, can you find a trade partner? I think he appears to be what Montreal thought he was...a high draft pick that never really will reach his projected potential, that is an expensive luxury for what he brings to the table overall. A very disappointing playoff season to match a very mediocre regular season...coaches seem resigned to the fact that he is almost a spare part, bottom six filler.
Are any of those young players ready to make this team...Nadeau, Blake, Suzuki, etc???
Poor Dandy Don will lose sleep at night with all these big decisions ahead.
It all starts with Dundon getting Rod his God Damn extension and putting all that other shit to bed. I am so sick and tired of hearing all the hockey media saying because it's not done it must not be getting done here...just sign the bloody guy to an extension and then start rolling up your sleeves and doing everything else you need to do. I am with the same camps saying that it's time for a couple new warm bodies and a different perspective for assistant coaches behind the bench. I am sure there are tons of good assistants out there that would love to work under Rod.
Sort out the goaltending...Pyotr is an affordable option for one spot, Martin is a very reliable number 3 you stash in the AHL, if they have lost all faith in Freddy as a 1A/1B option then go make a swap or trade to find someone to play with Pyotr...I am thinking of a Varlamov type.
Since the Canes always prioritize defense, go decide who stays...if there is any chance to get one of Skjei or Pesce signed, do it, otherwise, get Chatfield signed and you have at the very least Slavin, Orlov, Burns, Chatfield and Morrow as your base 5 next season and you know you need two solid options to fill out that blueline, maybe you need 3.
Do your most important RFA business sooner rather than later...know where the money and cap stands once you pay Jarvis and Necas what they might have coming.
As much as I like the player, Jake Guentzel getting a 7 or 8 year extension here for $9 m plus is not happening...no way no how, so unless he is willing to a two year big money deal to try and win with this team in a contending window...you move on.
Teuvo so long, TDA it was nice knowing you, Uncle Antti, you are a solid human and should enjoy your kids and your retirement.
KK, can you find a trade partner? I think he appears to be what Montreal thought he was...a high draft pick that never really will reach his projected potential, that is an expensive luxury for what he brings to the table overall. A very disappointing playoff season to match a very mediocre regular season...coaches seem resigned to the fact that he is almost a spare part, bottom six filler.
Are any of those young players ready to make this team...Nadeau, Blake, Suzuki, etc???
Poor Dandy Don will lose sleep at night with all these big decisions ahead.
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Look, that is almost certainly a part of the delay. Rod will want to be loyal to his guys, and the organization will (correctly, IMO) ask if those are the right guys to be loyal to. If Waddell and Dundon decide that Daniels and Gleason just aren't cutting it (and again, there's AMPLE ammunition for that argument) then I can see Brindy being horsey about it to the point of just calling it a day.
And you know what? Life would go on. I loved Rod as a player, love him as a coach and appreciate what he's done here. I also think this coaching staff has hit its ceiling.
dwind
Well-known member
Assistant coaches only do what the head coach tells them to do. They may work individually with players in certain areas but that also is directed by the coach. The system and style is 100% the head coach. The drills are 100% the head coach. the assistants run the drills and the head coach ensures they are running it correctly and the players are performing the way he wants. There is no sense brining in new assistant coaches as the new ones will do the same things. the only way is to replace all of them and start over.
I think you only resign Guentzel if you think we can reload instead of rebuild and you see him as a key part of that. Basically if you think you can contend for the cup next year again with him then yeah. If not he goes.
That seems to be the primary decision. Are we reloading for a run at it next year or maybe looking out 2 years or so.
I think there are a lot of next contracts for guys that will not age well. So do you move on from those now or sign a couple of those and pay for it down the road. Pesce for example.
That seems to be the primary decision. Are we reloading for a run at it next year or maybe looking out 2 years or so.
I think there are a lot of next contracts for guys that will not age well. So do you move on from those now or sign a couple of those and pay for it down the road. Pesce for example.
Probably not, or at least not in meaningful roles.
Suzuki is basically Drury without the NHL experience. Do you want two of those, because I don't. Blake is tiny and needs to play pro hockey somewhere first to figure out how to survive if nothing else. Nadeau is still a teenager and also has a small frame. He's got real 30 goal potential so you want to get it right and give him a chance to grow into the pro game. All three could well play NHL games next season but I doubt any of them are in the initial plans.
Unger Sorum could be though. And I think Morrow will be as well.
Well then we need an assistant that can give Rod some new ideas.
Disagree ... it depends on how the staff operates. That's 100% how it used to be in the old days, but things have changed and plenty of head coaches use the staff as more than drill drones.
While I respect and have largely applauded Carolina's pragmatic, efficient approach to roster building, it definitely has one big glaring hole. If you NEVER over-pay or over-term anybody then the only high end guys you're gonna get are the ones you grow in your own system. And that's just too limiting to be successful at the highest level. I'm hoping the front office is continuing to learn and not just stuck in a system of thinking that will only get you as far as we've come.
I'm not saying you have to over pay Guentzel. I am saying give some thought to where the Rangers would be without Panarin and Trocheck. Because, that's basically where we are ... barring getting lucky with the goalie. And even then, they took two big swings in the draft for a goalie and let them take their knocks in the NHL. That's WAY more aggressive than how Carolina has approached the same problem.
CanadaCanes
Well-known member
I think that is a great point...what does ownership and management think they are the next year or two...if they think the window is still wide open to win it all, do you go address the goaltending via trade (ie: Juse Saros as an example) and try and run things back as much as you can hoping a different look in goal gets you over the hump?
If you subtract let's say a couple of higher dollar contracts such as Turbo and KK...is the money there to bring Guentzel back and try and retain Pesce or Skjei with the cap going up?
I think it's only realistic to take a big swing on one area of weakness at a time. Pick one ... goalie or scoring help. And find a freaking 2C while you're at it.
You can rebuild the D around the bones of what's left, I think. And remember, they're going to need to save space to pay Nikishin next summer. Getting too much term and cash tied up in guys like Skjei and Pesce won't help that situation. Maybe pick one of them and then go see what you can trade for or sign.
You can rebuild the D around the bones of what's left, I think. And remember, they're going to need to save space to pay Nikishin next summer. Getting too much term and cash tied up in guys like Skjei and Pesce won't help that situation. Maybe pick one of them and then go see what you can trade for or sign.
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TheBigKahuna
Well-known member
And this, ironically, was rumored to be the sticking point for Rod's new contract. But I think it has to happen. He needs experienced, good assistants.