The Training Camp Thread
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Elsker
Well-known member
Maybe I shouldn't be so quick to dismiss. Nordstrom has had some NHL games before, after all.
16 and 38 games the last two regular respective seasons with the Blackhawks, and even some playoff games with them (7 and 3) both those seasons.
So, more NHL experience than say Ryan, and within a more skilled organization than ours, too.
16 and 38 games the last two regular respective seasons with the Blackhawks, and even some playoff games with them (7 and 3) both those seasons.
So, more NHL experience than say Ryan, and within a more skilled organization than ours, too.
I said it earlier, but given how they've slotted Nash in the ex games it sure looks like he's got a lock on a center job on the big club. He's been with two "better" wingers in all the games he's played, and there's o reason to do that without somebody trying something on for size.
And yes ... that sound you heard was me groaning while typing that. You know where I stand on Nash. The man is the personification of rice pudding.
CarolinaPen
Active member
I am with you here....Nash isn't a guy the Canes need on this team and it is painful to know he is likely going to get double-digit minutes this year. Ugh....
Nash centers the 2nd PK unit. McClement centers the 1st. Unless Rask or either Staal is going center one of them, you need someone in that spot. With Dwyer gone, we already need to replace one forward.
I've only seen the red/white scrimmage and I thought Ryan was good, he can probably do it. But, as you pointed out, Nash has been slotted above Ryan every game they've played together. And really, if your choice for 3C is Nash or a 28 year old who came through the WHL and 4 years of college in Canada without getting a sniff from a North American club, is one really better than the other?
Do you think Nash is good enough to be MVP of the Swedish League? Or any league?
I know Ryan has adjustment time that Nash doesn't but now you see why I was upset when they re-signed him in the summer. There's something in the water over on Edwards Mill that leads GMs to get addicted to guys who don't really make the team better.
I know Ryan has adjustment time that Nash doesn't but now you see why I was upset when they re-signed him in the summer. There's something in the water over on Edwards Mill that leads GMs to get addicted to guys who don't really make the team better.
cmaleski2
Well-known member
I wasn't happy to see Riley Nash back. I think he is a HUGE part of the our 5v5 goal scoring problem. If you consider that he was pretty much a 3rd liner all of last season with a few turns on line 2 and then look at his raw numbers from last year:
First 34 games he played 4 goals 12 assists -3
Last 34 games he played 4 goals 5 assists -7
It really worries me that he did just about nothing during the Canes better 2nd half. The Canes were much improved despite having Riley Nash out there. If Nash is going to play on the 4th line and be a mainstay on the penalty kill then fine, make him that and get him the heck off our 3rd line. I suspect he would be 'ok' in that role. Nash averaged almost 13 minutes a game at even strength and had only 19 5v5 points. That's not good enough. You could argue that most of the teams 5v5 production last year was not good enough and be completely correct.
Unless there is some sort of breakthrough that most of us don't see coming with Riley Nash, I expect more of the same out of him. If our top 2 lines are much better and our D is much better then Nash's lack of scoring might not matter as much. I've seen a few places call Riley Nash a decent 3rd line guy once you get into the advanced metrics, so I suspect that might have played a role in his return.
First 34 games he played 4 goals 12 assists -3
Last 34 games he played 4 goals 5 assists -7
It really worries me that he did just about nothing during the Canes better 2nd half. The Canes were much improved despite having Riley Nash out there. If Nash is going to play on the 4th line and be a mainstay on the penalty kill then fine, make him that and get him the heck off our 3rd line. I suspect he would be 'ok' in that role. Nash averaged almost 13 minutes a game at even strength and had only 19 5v5 points. That's not good enough. You could argue that most of the teams 5v5 production last year was not good enough and be completely correct.
Unless there is some sort of breakthrough that most of us don't see coming with Riley Nash, I expect more of the same out of him. If our top 2 lines are much better and our D is much better then Nash's lack of scoring might not matter as much. I've seen a few places call Riley Nash a decent 3rd line guy once you get into the advanced metrics, so I suspect that might have played a role in his return.
Well ... Peters apparently experimented with Nash on the wing yesterday in practice. My confidence level in that is .... let's say low.
Here's the thing though. If you can re-kindle something out of E Staal at center then that would put Rask on the third line (where, let's face it, his talent level slots him) behind the Staal brothers. And it should also give J Staal a crack at playing with some guys who can actually play. Maybe.
Either way, he still had Ryan centering the extras so it sure doesn't look like Peters sees him as a third line option at least to start the season.
And for now, I'll just take solace in the two very positive developments out of camp ... Skinner looks ready to rock and the kids on D look like the real deal.
Here's the thing though. If you can re-kindle something out of E Staal at center then that would put Rask on the third line (where, let's face it, his talent level slots him) behind the Staal brothers. And it should also give J Staal a crack at playing with some guys who can actually play. Maybe.
Either way, he still had Ryan centering the extras so it sure doesn't look like Peters sees him as a third line option at least to start the season.
And for now, I'll just take solace in the two very positive developments out of camp ... Skinner looks ready to rock and the kids on D look like the real deal.
CanadaCanes
Well-known member
Since I'm not a fan of Staal and Staal playing on the same line I actually like running three big centers with Eric, Jordan and Rask all up the middle.
Eric centering Lindholm and Skinner
Jordan centering Versteeg and Gerbe
Rask centering Nestrasil and Nash
McClement centering Terry and Nordstrom with Malone and Ryan the extras.
cmaleski2
Well-known member
Considering how terrible this team is at scoring goals, if Skinner can score 35-40 goals I would be willing to forgive some lax backchecking or failure to get the puck out of our D zone. He doesn't need to be a solid 2 way player, but he does at least need to make some sort of effort in his own zone.
ThinIce
Well-known member
Quite true. If Skinner can regain his scoring touch it could make a huge difference, especially considering the number of games we lost by one goal last season.
SlapShots
Well-known member
Spoken like a true Hurricanes GM :sarcasm
cmaleski2
Well-known member
There was a 4 minute interview snippet with Bill Peters yesterday that you can find on carolinahurricanes.com in the video section. Bill Peters was singing Jaccob Slavin's praises and went so far as saying that Slavin is this pre-sesaon's Viktor Rask (I found that the most interesting of his comments).
If that's the case, could be time to pull the trigger on moving Murphy for a decent forward prospect.
cmaleski2
Well-known member
Moving Ryan Murphy certainly is a possibility considering all the young DMen in the system that might be better actual dmen. My selfish opinion though is I want to see 1 full season of Ryan Murphy this year before I move him, especially with the new 3v3 OTs.
But this is definitely Murphy's last hurrah I suspect. He either seizes this opportunity and becomes a 30-40 (50?) point offensive dynamo who doesn't kill you in his own end (sheltering required), or he's not going to be good enough to play here next year when all of these other kids are a year more experienced and McKeown and Fleury are no longer OHL underage eligible.
The first thing Murphy needs to do is make the team. Based on the Peter's comments concerning Slavin I don't think Murphy has a definite hold on his NHL roster spot yet.
But this is definitely Murphy's last hurrah I suspect. He either seizes this opportunity and becomes a 30-40 (50?) point offensive dynamo who doesn't kill you in his own end (sheltering required), or he's not going to be good enough to play here next year when all of these other kids are a year more experienced and McKeown and Fleury are no longer OHL underage eligible.
The first thing Murphy needs to do is make the team. Based on the Peter's comments concerning Slavin I don't think Murphy has a definite hold on his NHL roster spot yet.
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CanadaCanes
Well-known member
Totally agree, and that forward prospect should be a center with some size if possible. One kid out there that is intriguing is Henrik Samuellsson in the Arizona system. Also a first round draft pick like Murphy...big center at 6'3" 210. Francis is best buddies with Ulffie and must know a thing or two about the kid.