GDT: Canes v. Rangers 5/9 7:00

[CanadaCanes]

A day later what I am pissed about the most is the past two seasons this team was built well enough to win a Cup, I know there are big changes coming and I don’t see this team in that same top tier group of teams any longer. The defense will be thinner, the depth will be less and the team will still be a playoff team but more of a fringe middle of the pack team than a front runner. The past two post seasons have left a lot to be desired and the feeling is underachieving to me. Just my two cents.

 

[Pucking Lamplighter]

I think back to when the Hurricanes won the Cup in '06 and Peter Laviolette had the team sold on being relentless. They mentioned in every interview, played that way, and lived it during the Cup run. There was a desperation to their game. I feel it was more than a catch phrase, it was an attitude and mind set that everyone bought into.

I haven't really seen the Hurricanes causing as much chaos, seriously busting @$$, or playing like their lives depended on it this series. It almost seems like they expect to be feared just for showing up. Simply going through the motions and shooting from outside isn't the way to the Cup. I could be wrong, but that's how I see it.

Jim

 

[jeffbear]

A day later what I am pissed about the most is the past two seasons this team was built well enough to win a Cup,

Honestly ... I don't think they are/were. Too weak down the middle post-Trocheck, too erratic on special teams, and what they do best doesn't translate to the post season nearly as much as they think it does. I'm not saying these are bad teams, really ... just that there are roster construction issues in the short term that have never been addressed, or when they have been addressed they've swung and missed.

I think what we've got here is basically a team that's built to be solid and competitive for the long run, but has prioritized the long term perhaps a bit too much. I'm NOT saying going all-in every deadline is the way to go, but being a bit short sighted and over-paying a guy like Trocheck gets you further than taking a big risky swing on KK. Again, singling out the 2C because it's the biggest weakness on this team over the last two years. It's NOT the only one. Until they added Guentzel at the deadline they never really replaced Nino's offensivbe threat and general demeanor from the wing either. And everybody they've run out there post-Dougie has been a band aid at the point of the power play. Staying static isn't a sure prescription either, but when you lose impact guys, you damned well have to actually replace their impact ... either individually or in the aggregate.