Speculation: 44 or 88

[CanesFanBudMan]

There has been a ton of discussion and rightly so on who between Necas and Gauthier should get the seemingly single open roster spot. Thought it would be interesting to see who the HFCanes want.

Obviously there could be other outcomes than an either or but here we go.

Click to read more...

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

I know it's not following conventional wisdom after the pre-season games so far, but IMO, 88 is twice the player 44 is.

 

[MinJaBen]

Gun to my head...I went with 44 just based on effort in the three games so far. Still too early in my opinion, though. And if I were McLovin, I'd step it up a bit just to make sure I wasn't the new 13th forward.

 

[MinJaBen]

I know it's not following conventional wisdom after the pre-season games so far, but IMO, 88 is twice the player 44 is.

Yeah, but so far, 44 has made half as many errors as 44.

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

Yeah, but so far, 44 has made half as many errors as 44.

They didn't teach you math in rocket science school?

 

[MinJaBen]

They didn't teach you math in rocket science school?

More like they didn't teach me editing skills...

 

[Lempo]

44 on the strenght that the guys at Charlotte have reportedly already taken note that great performance doesn't equate to a call-up to the NHL roster. If it doesn't in pre-season, when then?

 

[Ole Gil]

I'd put Staal/Nied/Dzingle/Haula/McGinn/Martinook/Foegele in that category of guys who are best on the receiving end of someone else's playmaking.

That leaves Aho, TT, Svech as the guys setting them all up.

In terms of balance, I think what Necas brings to the table, speed/playmaking, is more what's needed than another in that grinder/goal scorer mold.

 

[GoldiFox]

Nobody gets gifted a spot in Rod's offense. Necas's main issue that I've seen this preseason is the same thing that got him sent down last year. He's not good in the defensive zone and he is too slight to play physically. Another few months in the AHL won't hurt him. Necas will be the first call-up when a forward goes down. Gauthier has been more dangerous on the offensive side and he has been throwing his (considerable) weight around. That is the recipe to stick around.

 

[Anton Dubinchuk]

Yeah, but so far, 44 has made half as many errors as 44.

They didn't teach you math in rocket science school?

Technically true if 44 hasn’t made any errors so far.

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

Technically true if 44 hasn’t made any errors so far.

If by "technically true", you mean something that didn't happen, then sure.

 

[The Jerk Store]

Like someone mentioned in a different thread, when the scoring touch inevitably disappears, what other properties do the players bring? I don't know much about 88's defensive game, but 44 seems to have developed a two-way game and a physical element as well, something that will be needed with Ferland's departure.

 

[Lempo]

Technically true if 44 hasn’t made any errors so far.

Did you just divide by zero?

 

[Anton Dubinchuk]

Did you just divide by zero?

Nope, divided zero by two.

 

[zman77]

Rod has been very positive about Gauthier in his comments.
Both are on ice this morning. 47 players still in camp.
Good news with Haula.

 

[Lempo]

Nope, divided zero by two.

Are you sure you didn't do a 0/0 ≠ 1/2?

 

[geehaad]

Are you shitting me with this poll.

 

[robbieberns]

I'd put Staal/Nied/Dzingle/Haula/McGinn/Martinook/Foegele in that category of guys who are best on the receiving end of someone else's playmaking.

That leaves Aho, TT, Svech as the guys setting them all up.

In terms of balance, I think what Necas brings to the table, speed/playmaking, is more what's needed than another in that grinder/goal scorer mold.

If i’m the one making the decision, I probably start the year with Necas for this reason. We no longer have to worry about protecting Necas for the expansion draft, so I would probably give him until at least Thanksgiving to see if he takes his opportunity and runs with it. Hell, keep them both up and rotate them every 5 game until one of them gets in a groove if you have to.

 

[Anton Babchuk]

reposting from the other thread:

While Necas may not have 'earned it' in his 2 preseason games. I think he's earned a shot with his play in the AHL last year. Training camp is important, but it's also a small sample size and doesn't take a lot of things that should matter into account.

yeah. necas had 52 points in 64 games and was a +20 last year compared to 41 in 75 and a -6 for gauthier. we're reading way too much into 2 or 3 preseason games. i have been impressed by gauthier, though, and i think he deserves to make the team.

 

[Navin R Slavin]

Again: it's fun to talk about it like an either/or, but it's not. They bring different things, and would be called up for different reasons.

Lose a top six guy? Necas is first man up I think.

Want to keep a fire under McLovin's ass? Goat is your man.

 

[Anton Dubinchuk]

Are you sure you didn't do a 0/0 ≠ 1/2?

I’m either completely missing a joke or here’s the equation lol.

“44 has made half as many errors as 44.”

x = errors made by 44

x = x/2

x = 0

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

I’m either completely missing a joke or here’s the equation lol.

“44 has made half as many errors as 44.”

x = errors made by 44

x = x/2

x = 0

When a joke gets watered down by having to explain math.

 

[Roboturner913]

44. Mostly because, I don't 44 has much left to learn about playing wing in Charlotte, but I think 88 could still learn a lot about playing center in Charlotte.

If we think 88's NHL future is at center, I don't see the point of trying to shoehorn him into the lineup at wing when 44 has shown a more natural fit.

It also would not surprise me if 44 and 88 both make the squad and 23 gets traded

 

[A Star is Burns]

I've been very impressed with Gauthier, especially as a Gauthier skeptic.

However, I just think Necas is a better prospect, and just because he hasn't been flying around as much as Gauthier, I don't think that means Gauthier is the best option. It's a slippery slope with the "message", but sometimes I don't think "earning it" matters in a short preseason sample size, eye test or numbers. It's not like Necas has been a dreadful liability. If Lorentz had the exact same preseason that Gauthier has had for instance, I'm not sure he'd be getting play for a roster spot even if he "earned it".

 

[TheReelChuckFletcher]

I still think 88 has the inside track, however, either, one of them is going to destroy the AHL this year, and it makes me very excited for Charlotte's Calder Cup-defending campaign.