GDT: Canes @ Slugs 1/15 6:00

[cmaleski2]

I didn't say it was impossible to win without a superstar. I said:

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.

No Superstar? You can win that way, but everyone's execution needs to be on point AND you better be ready to make workable adjustments when necessary and work your butts off. I would argue that:

1) For the first time in quite a while, the Canes 'give a crap' meter has been registering lower than normal readings beyond just the odd game here or there.

2) As seems to happen every year, our PP has gone stale and we see too many of our opponents easily stopping what we were successfully doing early on in the season. Oct-Nov we were cooking at 26.6% Dec to today? 16.7%. It's like we have no plan B on the PP in terms of getting the puck in the zone and 'setting up'.

The goaltending is a concern as well, but other than the Freddie/Raanta Jennings Trophy season, when hasn't our goaltending consistancy and health been a concern?

My point about our lack of a superstar is exactly as I wrote it in my original post. The margin for error is smaller without one. I never suggested you cannot win without one.

 

[cmon3]

I understand cmal, and I agree. But this team is built with the awareness they don’t have a superstar.

Give a crap meter
Why? I think that’s not anything new the last few seasons. It gets buried when they win anyway. Play like crap and win or win enough. That was my concern last season and everyone said they’re leading the East in points. This year same thing but losing more of those games. Maybe because of goaltending or less star power but the issue has been there for several years. Why?

Power Play
I think it goes back to the hive a crap meter issue.

This team has to play the right way to win. Sometimes they do. Sometimes they don’t. They’re in control of that.