A Serious Debate: How to fix this team?

[DaveG]

Yep, There's 2 games that we want back this past month. Darling would like that 3rd goal against Anaheim last night back (and probably the first one as well) and the team would like that 2nd goal in the St Louis game. Arguably would want another go at Winnipeg but on the road I don't expect us to win as much as I do at home. But OT vs St Louis and a regulation win vs Anaheim is at least 2 more points.

Also we REALLY need to get someone to go along with Skinner that can score a f***ing goal.

 

[Ole Gil]

This team isn’t very different from last year. We said over and over again average goaltending and they are a playoff team. It’s no different this year. Average goaltending = 2 more points in October and being on pace for 96 points. It’s not ****ing rocket science.

2-4-2 1 goal games (at time of pulled goalie). One more save in any of those 6 losses is worth a point.

I'm still a bit bummed it was 'just time' and the Canes 'needed a change', and that kept them from keeping Eric Staal. Unfortunate Derek Ryan is getting all those minutes, but it was "time to move on", so what can you do.

 

[Ole Gil]

Also we REALLY need to get someone to go along with Skinner that can score a ****ing goal.

Skinner just gets the puck and tries to do it all by himself while playing no defense every time on the ice. If you have someone who can score a goal, you're better off playing them with someone who can pass the puck and at least pretend to help defensively.

 

[DaveG]

Skinner just gets the puck and tries to do it all by himself while playing no defense every time on the ice. If you have someone who can score a goal, you're better off playing them with someone who can pass the puck and at least pretend to help defensively.

I don't mean to literally put with Skinner, I mean we just need another player on ANY line that's able to pot 30. Maybe that becomes Goat long-term, maybe not, but he's the closest we have in the system right now and he's a long way off.

Frankly I'd break the two up if we were to acquire one, and it would preferably be a center. That way do you focus on stopping (insert 30 goal centerman here) and let Skinner-Rask-whoever get the favorable matchups, or do you focus on stopping the Skinner-Rask line and let the centerman get the favorable matchups.

 

[Joe McGrath]

I don't mean to literally put with Skinner, I mean we just need another player on ANY line that's able to pot 30. Maybe that becomes Goat long-term, maybe not, but he's the closest we have in the system right now and he's a long way off.

Frankly I'd break the two up if we were to acquire one, and it would preferably be a center. That way do you focus on stopping (insert 30 goal centerman here) and let Skinner-Rask-whoever get the favorable matchups, or do you focus on stopping the Skinner-Rask line and let the centerman get the favorable matchups.

Not to detract from your overall point, which is a good one, penciling in a center for 30 goals isn’t something you can do anymore unless they are the elitist of elite. Only 7 centers had 30+ goals last year.

 

[tarheelhockey]

So basically, we need better players.

 

[Unsustainable]

Yep, There's 2 games that we want back this past month. Darling would like that 3rd goal against Anaheim last night back (and probably the first one as well) and the team would like that 2nd goal in the St Louis game. Arguably would want another go at Winnipeg but on the road I don't expect us to win as much as I do at home. But OT vs St Louis and a regulation win vs Anaheim is at least 2 more points.

Also we REALLY need to get someone to go along with Skinner that can score a ****ing goal.

The lock out year we had that dominant line, with Skinners line providing secondary scoring.

Now it’s just Skinner scoring

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

Williams, Aho and Faulk are the ones that aren't really pulling their weight from a goal scoring POV. Williams and Faulk on pace for 8 goals and Aho with zero.

Pretty much everyone else is at least in the ballpark of what you'd expect.

 

[The Faulker 27]

Aho is still doing a lot right except for scoring. He doesn't look quite as smart with the puck as he did last season though. Might just be me. He could be having the proverbial sophmore slump. Course, he didn't score in what the first 14-15 games last season? How do we keep getting these slow starters?

 

[MinJaBen]

Kuokkanen has been assigned to Charlotte. That must have been the problem.

 

[Novacane]

Kuokkanen has been assigned to Charlotte. That must have been the problem.

Peters said Kuokkanen would have been sent down for Charlotte’s weekend had Teravainen not been injured Friday. They had to keep him in case he couldn’t go Sunday. I think they’re just trying to get him minutes

 

[Breakdowns]

Williams, Aho and Faulk are the ones that aren't really pulling their weight from a goal scoring POV. Williams and Faulk on pace for 8 goals and Aho with zero.

Pretty much everyone else is at least in the ballpark of what you'd expect.

I don`t think it`s fair to expect from Aho that much, yes last season he looked great as rookie, but it`s no secrete that 2nd year for most players is harder and he is still a young guy. Plus he started his scoring last season late too. Maybe we expect just way too much from him. (maybe he gets way too much ice time, but that`s on Peters not him)

I think we should held accountable more experienced players like Faulk, Williams, Lindy, Rask, and of course Ryan. They need to step up and score more.

 

[DougieSmash]

fire bilpeto

 

[Roboturner913]

Is killing them all no longer considered a viable option

 

[bluedevil58]

Aside from Skinner, we're missing a shooter McGavin. It sure as shit isn't coming from the AHL. WHo could our shooter be?

 

[SaskCanesFan]

Yep, There's 2 games that we want back this past month. Darling would like that 3rd goal against Anaheim last night back (and probably the first one as well) and the team would like that 2nd goal in the St Louis game. Arguably would want another go at Winnipeg but on the road I don't expect us to win as much as I do at home. But OT vs St Louis and a regulation win vs Anaheim is at least 2 more points.

Also we REALLY need to get someone to go along with Skinner that can score a ****ing goal.

I'd say 3 points. The two you posted, and the game against Columbus. Aho should bury that open net one timer to win in OT.

If you had told me at the start that we'd be 4-4-2 after this tough October, I'd be ok with it. It's the pissing away points that is infuriating and has to stop. The team looks disinterested too often until Skinner starts something. It doesn't take talent to skate to the net and absorb the crosschecks that come with it, or to try to be the first one to a loose puck and take a hit to make a play instead of letting up or jumping out of the way.

I wouldn't mind seeing Wallmark get a couple games in Ryans spot either.

The schedule has been tough, but that's only an excuse if you win when it gets easier. Win the next 3 and we're looking pretty good. Blow any of those and, well, there needs to be hell to pay

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

I don`t think it`s fair to expect from Aho that much, yes last season he looked great as rookie, but it`s no secrete that 2nd year for most players is harder and he is still a young guy. Plus he started his scoring last season late too. Maybe we expect just way too much from him. (maybe he gets way too much ice time, but that`s on Peters not him)

Why? The "sophomore slump" is a figment of peoples imagination. Slavin didn't have a 2nd year slump. Pesce didn't have a 2nd year slump. Nylander isn't having a 2nd year slump, Matthews isn't, etc... Some players struggle in their 2nd year. Some struggle in their 3rd, etc.. Aho, and the team, set an expectation that he'd be one of the go to guys on this team when it comes to scoring. He hasn't scored a single goal in 10 games so I think it's very fair to expect more from him. I do realize he didn't get a goal until 19 games last year, but that's irrelevant. He's a key guy, getting key minutes and isn't scoring goals yet and he should be.

I think we should held accountable more experienced players like Faulk, Williams, Lindy, Rask, and of course Ryan. They need to step up and score more.

Faulk and Williams, yes, I pointed them out as well. Lindy and Rask could be doing a bit better, but they both are on pace for 16 goals and that's at least in the ballpark of what you'd expect from them and this October, Lindholm has scored more points than his last 3 October's combined.

Ryan, well, I don't think he's even a good NHL player so I'm not expecting much from him to begin with.

 

[Joe McGrath]

I thought Rask looked better yesterday. Crisper passes, a little quicker with his decision making. Ryan continues to be an AHL player masquerading as an NHLer on goddamn Jeff Skinner’s line. It’s f***ing criminal.

 

[geehaad]

As ineffective as Ryan was/is, he was incrementally better last night. Still not good enough. I know he's got the best faceoff numbers on the team, which segues into another topic on my mind lately...

I wonder if the Hurricanes' faceoff guys were good because they "cheated better", and now that there's rule enforcement, they aren't getting that same advantage. I just looked at the stats and they aren't as weak as I perceived them to be, but certainly would've thought Rask, Lindholm, and Kruger would've had better numbers than ~50%.

 

[RodTheBawd]

Rask primarily relies on his feet to win FO's, which the new enforcement neuters quite a bit.

 

[the halleJOKEL]

brindy was one of the most efficient faceoff cheaters of all time, so it's no wonder our guys are having some slight adjustment issues

 

[garnetpalmetto]

Why? The "sophomore slump" is a figment of peoples imagination. Slavin didn't have a 2nd year slump. Pesce didn't have a 2nd year slump. Nylander isn't having a 2nd year slump, Matthews isn't, etc... Some players struggle in their 2nd year. Some struggle in their 3rd, etc.. Aho, and the team, set an expectation that he'd be one of the go to guys on this team when it comes to scoring. He hasn't scored a single goal in 10 games so I think it's very fair to expect more from him. I do realize he didn't get a goal until 19 games last year, but that's irrelevant. He's a key guy, getting key minutes and isn't scoring goals yet and he should be.



Faulk and Williams, yes, I pointed them out as well. Lindy and Rask could be doing a bit better, but they both are on pace for 16 goals and that's at least in the ballpark of what you'd expect from them and this October, Lindholm has scored more points than his last 3 October's combined.

Ryan, well, I don't think he's even a good NHL player so I'm not expecting much from him to begin with.

I blame the # change, myself.

28
Elias Lindholm, Alexander Semin, Justin Faulk, Bryan Rodney, Jamie McBain,Wade Brookbank, Andrew Hutchinson, Brad DeFauw, Steve Halko, Paul Ranheim,Mike Tomlak, Lindsay Carson, Paul Lawless, Pat Boutette, Ross Yates, Randy MacGregor, Mark Renaud, Pierre Larouche, Bob Stephenson, Rob McClanahan

 

[DaveG]

I'd say 3 points. The two you posted, and the game against Columbus. Aho should bury that open net one timer to win in OT.

If you had told me at the start that we'd be 4-4-2 after this tough October, I'd be ok with it. It's the pissing away points that is infuriating and has to stop. The team looks disinterested too often until Skinner starts something. It doesn't take talent to skate to the net and absorb the crosschecks that come with it, or to try to be the first one to a loose puck and take a hit to make a play instead of letting up or jumping out of the way.

I wouldn't mind seeing Wallmark get a couple games in Ryans spot either.

The schedule has been tough, but that's only an excuse if you win when it gets easier. Win the next 3 and we're looking pretty good. Blow any of those and, well, there needs to be hell to pay

Yep won't argue those points at all, and frankly was having the same thought about calling up Wallmark to run the "#3" spot last night because whatever Ryan had that was working last year sure as f*** ain't this year.

We've played what has been (aside from Winnipeg) a murderers row type schedule to start the season and we're coming out of that stretch at .500. Take the next 3 games and all is forgiven. Easier said then done of course but it is what we're at right now as a team.

 

[geehaad]

I didn't know Rob McClanahan played for the Whale.

 

[DaveG]

As ineffective as Ryan was/is, he was incrementally better last night. Still not good enough. I know he's got the best faceoff numbers on the team, which segues into another topic on my mind lately...

I wonder if the Hurricanes' faceoff guys were good because they "cheated better", and now that there's rule enforcement, they aren't getting that same advantage. I just looked at the stats and they aren't as weak as I perceived them to be, but certainly would've thought Rask, Lindholm, and Kruger would've had better numbers than ~50%.

Could have something to do with it. Brindy likely taught them all the little tricks he learned over the years that made him such a machine in that regard.