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GDT: Canes @ Slugs 1/15 6:00

"They are who we thought they were"

I recall back over the summer when all the free agents were leaving and with the signings that were made that 'we' all worried about where the scoring was going to come from. Then, a couple of guys start to break out at the beginning of the season -some of whom we didn't really expect - and 'we' all heaved a sigh of relief that this wasn't going to be so bad, in fact, it might be good. The reality is things start to cool off and now as we regress to the mean we are seeing the team that we really have. Add to that the lack of consistent quality goaltending and you see the disaster in the making.

I don't know the answer. I don't think a single move here or there can make a difference to shake up this bunch. I don't thing a bag skate will fix things (not that I think RBA would do that). There are top level players who have gone dry and need to find their mojo -- but I don't know how to help them with that either.

Just really hard to watch

They are who we thought they were.....
 
It's pretty rare that teams don't go through ups and downs in a season. The trick of course is to have many more ups than downs and make the playoffs. The concern we all have is that this Canes team is showing many more downs than we have seen over the Dundon/RBA era.

The downs have been pretty brutal this season. The team at times appears to be disinterested to work for opportunities. We seem incapable of making adjustments. Even the worst teams in the league seem to easily thwart anything we attempt to do offensively.

All teams scout their opponents. Everyone knows what we are going to try to do with zone entries, our PP system and our defensive structure. The best teams have the talent to impose their will on bad team by executing their plans no matter what the other team tries to do. Or, if the other team is consistently stopping what the best teams do, those top teams have the dynamic talent to execute outside the plan.

We all know what the Canes biggest issue is. We really don't have enough dynamic talent. Aho is a great player, capable of being a game breaker ON OCCASION. Necas makes A HANDFUL of spectacular offensive plays a season with his speed and stickhandling. ONCE IN A WHILE, Svech does something that flashes his talent. Jarvis gives you that 2 way bulldog top line effort with enough skill to score 30 goals. None of these guys are consistent game breakers.

A team can succeed without superstar level game breakers, but it's harder to do, and it requires EVERYONE to be successful in their roles. The Canes are relying on too many players to produce at levels they generally have not consistently ever been able to do. KK? Robinson? Roslovic? Drury? All of those guys have played in our top 6 this year. Great teams have guys like that too that end up in their top 6, but they have game breakers that can carry the load when these level of players are not producing.

A true superstar(s) help smooth out the downs. This Canes team doesn't have that guy. The Devils have those guys. Toronto does. Florida does. Tampa does. We need to execute our system perfectly AND MAKE ADJUSTMENTS IF TEAMS TAKE AWAY WHAT WE WANT TO DO! That is on the coaching and the players. We cannot just have 1 singular plan and approach every game. Even the worst teams can stop a team lacking superstar talent if they know exactly what they need to focus on stopping.

Of course there is really no way to just go out and get a superstar. The coaches and players we have are going to need to figure out ways to make adjustments that the roster can actually deliver on. We have been way too static in our approach to the game. Our PP is the same thing every time, and teams are figuring out how to stop our zone entries and dump ins. Teams know exactly where our defensive holes are (fly the zone!) Our goaltending is not good enough to give us consistent efforts. Pretty much we are where I think we all expected to be, a team that probably could still make the playoffs but not a top 4 in the NHL team.
 
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One more thing. :) If we don't trade him away first, there is absolutely zero reason to not jump at the chance to buyout KK at 1/3 during the next regular course buyout window. KK cannot be on this team next season, he just can't be. We took a shot, we missed, move on please. He is borderline useless out there.
 
Look ... something's gotta give here pretty soon. The results aren't that far off what I anticipated, but the lackluster play ... especially against bad teams ... is frankly depressing. I could point fingers but I don't think it matters when there's this much grossness to fix.
 
Here’s what I’ve noticed
they skate half speed, poke at the puck with their sticks, no first two steps in a race for the puck, very poor puck control, poor passing both in judgement and actual pass, losing the battles in the boards, one opposing player can tie up 2 or 3 canes, and more.
when they are playing well reverse each one of those. They use their speed, they play the body, they constantly move, don’t stand around, win the race to the pucks, win board battles, and the passing both in judgement and actual pass are spot on.
 
We know this team has multiple gears— saw it in the Toronto game last week and in the Tampa game and then we see what they bring to Anaheim and Buffalo.

The off season moves were limited and did nothing to offset past scoring woes. We picked up Brind’Amour type players, but it has always been scoring. We have great character on this team, but hands are only intermittently solid.

Goal tending has limped along for quite sometime and here we are again with our starter on ice with an injury— again— fragile like a China doll.

More than #82, both Necas and Svechnikov are expected to contribute on the ice and on the scoreboard. I’d say, both have been MIA in one or both of those categories for the past month. Our goal differential if +22 looks good, but feels misleading.
 
Burns is slowing down and that's making both he and Slavin worse
Necas has show that the early hot start was just that, Necas is a mid-tier 55-70 point guy who has flashes of brilliance
Svech seems to forget he can be a dominate power forward
Unless Freddie is healthy, our tendies are a hodgepodge of backups
Kochetkov isn't maturing the way I'd hoped, and many of his mistakes seem of the brainfart variety.
Aho is a PPG guy every year even if it's not always *superstar* noticable
Jarvis is turning into a great 2 way forward with skills, but hasn't been connecting
KK alternates between playing really good 2 way hockey and making the dumbest decisions with the puck at the blue line


and for all of those issues, the lack of urgency in their game is the one thing that grinds my gears. I'm not sure I was ever as upset as I've been after some games lately as I was during the darkest of dark times; at least then my expectations were low.
 
polarbare said:
and for all of those issues, the lack of urgency in their game is the one thing that grinds my gears. I'm not sure I was ever as upset as I've been after some games lately as I was during the darkest of dark times; at least then my expectations were low.
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That’s the thing that bothers me the most too. Too often they seem disinterested, just going through the motions. Yeah, anyone can have an off night. But when the give a shit level for multiple players reaches and stays in the basement, there is a bigger issue.
 
dwind said:
Here’s what I’ve noticed
they skate half speed, poke at the puck with their sticks, no first two steps in a race for the puck, very poor puck control, poor passing both in judgement and actual pass, losing the battles in the boards, one opposing player can tie up 2 or 3 canes, and more.
when they are playing well reverse each one of those. They use their speed, they play the body, they constantly move, don’t stand around, win the race to the pucks, win board battles, and the passing both in judgement and actual pass are spot on.
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this^^^

That’s the frustrating thing. It’s not that they can’t score. There is a direct correlation between them playing well and scoring goals and winning games. They CAN do it, they just DON’T. It’s the same thing every year since Williams retired. It’s not that other teams are taking their game away either. They’re doing this themselves.

We would all have no issues if they played right and lose anyway. Or even if some games were less sharp than others. But some of the efforts they’ve been putting out there - geeze-o-Pete. They make lackluster look like a diamond.
 
cmaleski2 said:
We all know what the Canes biggest issue is. We really don't have enough dynamic talent. Aho is a great player, capable of being a game breaker ON OCCASION. Necas makes A HANDFUL of spectacular offensive plays a season with his speed and stickhandling. ONCE IN A WHILE, Svech does something that flashes his talent. Jarvis gives you that 2 way bulldog top line effort with enough skill to score 30 goals. None of these guys are consistent game breakers.

A team can succeed without superstar level game breakers, but it's harder to do, and it requires EVERYONE to be successful in their roles. The Canes are relying on too many players to produce at levels they generally have not consistently ever been able to do. KK? Robinson? Roslovic? Drury? All of those guys have played in our top 6 this year. Great teams have guys like that too that end up in their top 6, but they have game breakers that can carry the load when these level of players are not producing.

A true superstar(s) help smooth out the downs. This Canes team doesn't have that guy. The Devils have those guys. Toronto does. Florida does. Tampa does. We need to execute our system perfectly AND MAKE ADJUSTMENTS IF TEAMS TAKE AWAY WHAT WE WANT TO DO! That is on the coaching and the players. We cannot just have 1 singular plan and approach every game. Even the worst teams can stop a team lacking superstar talent if they know exactly what they need to focus on stopping.

Of course there is really no way to just go out and get a superstar. The coaches and players we have are going to need to figure out ways to make adjustments that the roster can actually deliver on. We have been way too static in our approach to the game. Our PP is the same thing every time, and teams are figuring out how to stop our zone entries and dump ins. Teams know exactly where our defensive holes are (fly the zone!) Our goaltending is not good enough to give us consistent efforts. Pretty much we are where I think we all expected to be, a team that probably could still make the playoffs but not a top 4 in the NHL team.
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This 💯. Not sure if this ever gets fixed but this team has lacked a true superstar for a long time…you have to endure some lean times to sometimes draft a superstar and Svech isn’t it even if he did go in that range of the draft where you might land one. Tough sledding ahead, Canes do not appear to have anything up front on the way that is going to make much of a difference on a top line, we probably should be content with a playoff team and not much else.
 
CanadaCanes said:
This 💯. Not sure if this ever gets fixed but this team has lacked a true superstar for a long time…you have to endure some lean times to sometimes draft a superstar and Svech isn’t it even if he did go in that range of the draft where you might land one. Tough sledding ahead, Canes do not appear to have anything up front on the way that is going to make much of a difference on a top line, we probably should be content with a playoff team and not much else.
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I dunno. It is tempting to accept this analysis except.

How do you explain the hot start?
How do you explain how bad they have played with some frequency of late?

As you consider that keep in mind when they were fire early they looked good in those games - very good. It wasn’t just puck luck. Winning races, board battles, crisp passes etc. And now when they’re not scoring and not winning they look like crap. It’s not just pucks not going in. They’re losing the races. Losing board battles and the passing is atrocious. The lack of a superstar has nothing to do with that difference in the quality of their game.

In short cause and effect. Play well score goals; play crappy don’t score goals.

The superstar issue would be looking good but can’t buy a goal, or when matched against teams that have superstars we’re getting beat by their talent. Please see exhibit A and B - the ducks and the slugs. We looked like hot garbage for long stretches of those games. And yet when they turned it on they made games of both. That’s a head and heart issue not a talent issue.

Now the superstarlessness is an issue going deep in the playoffs. That’s just not what we are seeing now.

I love Jordo. He’s one of my favorite Canes all time but I think we need a captain that holds everyone accountable. Or at least a senior leader on the team that’s able to take that role of not accepting anything less than 100%. ala Williams.
 
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cmon3 said:
I dunno. It is tempting to accept this analysis except.

How do you explain the hot start?
How do you explain how bad they have played with some frequency of late?

As you consider that keep in mind when they were fire early they looked good in those games - very good. It wasn’t just puck luck. Winning races, board battles, crisp passes etc. And now when they’re not scoring and not winning they look like crap. It’s not just pucks not going in. They’re losing the races. Losing board battles and the passing is atrocious. The lack of a superstar has nothing to do with that difference in the quality of their game.

In short cause and effect. Play well score goals; play crappy don’t score goals.

The superstar issue would be looking good but can’t buy a goal, or when matched against teams that have superstars we’re getting beat by their talent. Please see exhibit A and B - the ducks and the slugs. We looked like hot garbage for long stretches of those games. And yet when they turned it on they made games of both. That’s a head and heart issue not a talent issue.

Now the superstarlessness is an issue going deep in the playoffs. That’s just not what we are seeing now.

I love Jordo. He’s one of my favorite Canes all time but I think we need a captain that holds everyone accountable. Or at least a senior leader on the team that’s able to take that role of not accepting anything less than 100%. ala Williams.
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This ^
 
To temper some of this because I think there's some recency bias going on.

The non-superstar lineup we have has finished the last 3 seasons with 116,113,111 points, twice finishing as Metro division champs, have made the playoffs 6 straight years, won at least 1 playoff round 6 straight years, and have gone to 2 ECFs. This lineup, as constructed, may not be a cup winner but it isn't a .500 team either. This stretch they're going through is showing some serious issues, but talent isn't it alone. This team may have overachieved the first few weeks, but that offsets that they're not as bad as they're showing us right now either.

They need a solid tendie, they need someone to drive the 2nd line who can put points up, and they need some toughness for the playoffs. Getting Jake last season didn't end up helping and that dude can flat out play. Our 2006 cup run was as much circumstance as anything but I wouldn't call any of the guys on that roster superstars. Staal was a very impressive rookie, and RBA is a 2way GOAT but they don't rise to the Ovechkin/Crosby/McDavid pantheon.

This team needs to figure out it's mental block, upgrade 2C, get Andersen healthy, make the playoffs and see what happens. Then re-tool next year which I think was the plan anyway.
 
polarbare said:
The non-superstar lineup we have has finished the last 3 seasons with 116,113,111 points, twice finishing as Metro division champs, have made the playoffs 6 straight years, won at least 1 playoff round 6 straight years, and have gone to 2 ECFs. This lineup, as constructed, may not be a cup winner but it isn't a .500 team either. This stretch they're going through is showing some serious issues, but talent isn't it alone. This team may have overachieved the first few weeks, but that offsets that they're not as bad as they're showing us right now either.

They need a solid tendie, they need someone to drive the 2nd line who can put points up, and they need some toughness for the playoffs. Getting Jake last season didn't end up helping and that dude can flat out play. Our 2006 cup run was as much circumstance as anything but I wouldn't call any of the guys on that roster superstars. Staal was a very impressive rookie, and RBA is a 2way GOAT but they don't rise to the Ovechkin/Crosby/McDavid pantheon.

This team needs to figure out it's mental block, upgrade 2C, get Andersen healthy, make the playoffs and see what happens. Then re-tool next year which I think was the plan anyway.
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Yeah, I'm on board with this for the most part. I'm most frustrated that no off season attention was paid to the goaltender and 2C issues, because it's not like those deficiencies are new. There's a fine line between patience and stubbornness and Carolina's front office under two GMs now have trampled all over it on behalf of Freddie freaking Andersen and KK. To say I don't get it is an understatement. I think it's ridiculous that they've let those two problems fester this long.

Oh and also ... I've never been into big picture solutions to small picture problems
 
The issue now has been present for several years. This team may or may not be talented enough to win the cup. That’s not the frustration. The Hurricanes have had stretches throughout the past several seasons where they have underperformed.

I know they’ve racked up wins and points and won playoff series but whatever leads to these periods of crap hockey, however long they last, and regardless of if that poor play results in losses or not is the issue. They’re not learning through the season to have that relentless level of play that leads to an identity of “killer instinct” instead of “resilience “ or “can never count them out”

They shouldn’t need so much resilience. They create their own adversity and there’s enough of that without them adding to it.

They don’t have that put your skate on their throat and keep it there. Nobody’s afraid of the Hurricanes because we’re not physically intimidating AND because we’ll always give them a chance.

Against teams like the Ducks or the Sabres - maybe they’re in the game because of a luck break here or there but not because the Canes didn’t have the will to beat them.
 
Agree with what's been said above - especially on the need for a true #1 goalie and a true #2 Center. I think if we can stabilize our play in the net, it will have a huge impact on our play in front of the goaltender. It's got to be discouraging to see so many weak goals get through. That's not an excuse for terrible play, but it could be a major reason, nonetheless.
 
ThinIce said:
Agree with what's been said above - especially on the need for a true #1 goalie and a true #2 Center. I think if we can stabilize our play in the net, it will have a huge impact on our play in front of the goaltender. It's got to be discouraging to see so many weak goals get through. That's not an excuse for terrible play, but it could be a major reason, nonetheless.
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Guess it depends what you mean by stabilize. If we stabilize by getting Veznia level play in goal then yes it would have a huge impact. So give up 2 goals per regulation game we don’t win any of those losses. We take 1 to OT. PK is top half in GAA.
I don’t see poor goal tending as the cause or the solution. It can be better and needs to be better but I can’t believe they’re playing crappy because they’re frustrated with the goal tending.
 
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