Who do you blame? JR or Muller?

[DougieSmash]

Faulk over Lindholm and Skinner is maybe debatable.

Jeff Skinner is the only 18-year-old not picked in the top 5 of the draft to have scored 30 goals in his 18-year-old season.

Yeah, is debatable.

 

[Ole Gil]

I like the idea of trading Skinner in a lateral move for someone who can play with Eric or Jordan. I don't now who that is, but the lack of Skinner-Staals chemistry (3 zones, not just offensively) really screws up the line combos.

I guess you can blame JR for assembling a group of stars who can't play together. Muller seems to have tried all the combos, and none have stuck. And probably the players deserve a lot of blame too.

Semin and Tlusty's production really put the team behind the 8ball. And I don't think expecting more from them was a mistake by anyone in the organization. They just didn't get it done.

 

[DougieSmash]

You trade Skinner for dominant young blueliner who could be #1 here - think Josi, Trouba, Murray or Lindholm.

He worth a way more than guys like Cowen, Hamonic, Larsson or Voynov. Not a fan of Gardiner. Brodin doesn't cut it.

 

[DaveG]

Murray and Lindholm? Sorry but only dmen I would even consider trading Skinner for at this point are Jones and Trouba.

 

[DougieSmash]

Not sure why people don't jump on Murray bandwagon as often as they do it on Trouba hype machine... but the kid is crazy good. He's gonna be the best of the bunch. Think about Niedermayer in his prime.

 

[Joe McGrath]

Jeff Skinner is the only 18-year-old not picked in the top 5 of the draft to have scored 30 goals in his 18-year-old season.

Yeah, is debatable.

And now he's a 21 year old that hasn't scored 30 goals since. Do I have that correct?

 

[NorthStar4Canes]

I blame the fact that on the offensive side of things especially, this team is built and uses a system of girlie-man hockey that bounces off any halfway competent D like marshmallows off a brick wall. They can't establish a forecheck, nobody fights, nobody even agitates anymore. They've completely bought into the ********* NHL culture. They're mentally weak and physically soft and they're always only looking for openings to exploit, they almost never create their own, not even with a man advantage for years running now. In the end, no other team ever feels the worse for wear after playing the Carolina Smurficanes. When the Canes win, it's usually because the other team beat themselves not because they took one.

 

[DaveG]

I blame the fact that on the offensive side of things especially, this team is built and uses a system of girlie-man hockey that bounces off any halfway competent D like marshmallows off a brick wall. They can't establish a forecheck, nobody fights, nobody even agitates anymore. They've completely bought into the ********* NHL culture. They're mentally weak and physically soft and they're always only looking for openings to exploit, they almost never create their own, not even with a man advantage for years running now. In the end, no other team ever feels the worse for wear after playing the Carolina Smurficanes. When the Canes win, it's usually because the other team beat themselves not because they took one.

It's funny, we see the same thing, a lack of any kind of creating of openings, but we see two completely different causes and solutions to it. Of course, there doesn't have to be just one approach taken to create openings, and frankly Dal Colle is the guy who I want most in this draft (aside from Ekblad) and fits your mold FAR more then mine. Only three I want that fit mine are Ehlers, Nylander and Kapanen... and I'd probably want to kill JR if he passed on Dal Colle for any of them.

 

[TheBigKahuna]

I blame Pete Friesen. His "skinny as a stick" training regime has run it's course. He's got a team full of 98 pound weaklings. Attempting to make Jordan faster by having him drop 20+ pounds over the last offseason was comical at best. I heard from a few people that he didn't lose nearly as much as Tripp kept claiming during the first few games of the season. I was told that he was closer to 245 than 215 like Tripp claimed at first. Either way, he's not any faster....just lighter. I admire Skinner and Faulk for doing their own thing, and actually making themselves stronger, and not working with Pete over the summers. Neither of those guys would last long if they weighed 20 pounds less.

I'm dead serious when I say, if I were the GM, Pete would be gone and I'd have a strength coach working this guys hard all summer. Hello Gary Roberts! Let's compare the guys who work out with Gary Roberts over the summer to the Canes players who do not!

 

[HisIceness]

Whoever is in charge of the PP. That's who I blame. If it was remotely decent we might actually be in a playoff spot right now and the last couple of seasons.

 

[NorthStar4Canes]

It's funny, we see the same thing, a lack of any kind of creating of openings, but we see two completely different causes and solutions to it. Of course, there doesn't have to be just one approach taken to create openings, and frankly Dal Colle is the guy who I want most in this draft (aside from Ekblad) and fits your mold FAR more then mine. Only three I want that fit mine are Ehlers, Nylander and Kapanen... and I'd probably want to kill JR if he passed on Dal Colle for any of them.

I agree, any good team has numerous ways to take ownership of the game and create those openings to win, but the Canes' toolshed is geared to one type of game, and it's not working. Shut down that one aspect and they're done, they have nothing else to turn to. Opponents have no reason to fear being out-battled or out-muscled in their own zone, and decent stickwork alone pretty much neuters them as they wait for the right opening or attempt to finesse their way to winning. The PP is a great example, all it takes for the opponent's D to shut down and dictate the Canes' PP is to play them aggressively, then watch them choke it away.

What the Faulk
I agree with North Star. They should fight their way to more goals.

Whatever it takes. Lots of games are decided by that one extra goal no matter how you arrive at the chance, and teams that end up winning are well rounded-out with a few guys who can add that element to create those extra chances.

 

[Novacane]

Special teams coaches and the players more than anything.

Muller has had some terrible decisions. JR has had some terrible decisions. But this team should be doing much better than they are. I'm starting to want to see a complete blow up. Yes. That means bye bye Jordan and Eric.

 

[DaveG]

I agree, any good team has numerous ways to take ownership of the game and create those openings to win, but the Canes' toolshed is geared to one type of game, and it's not working. Shut down that one aspect and they're done, they have nothing else to turn to. Opponents have no reason to fear being out-battled or out-muscled in their own zone, and decent stickwork alone pretty much neuters them as they wait for the right opening or attempt to finesse their way to winning. The PP is a great example, all it takes for the opponent's D to shut down and dictate the Canes' PP is to play them aggressively, then watch them choke it away.



Whatever it takes. Lots of games are decided by that one extra goal no matter how you arrive at the chance, and teams that end up winning are well rounded-out with a few guys who can add that element to create those extra chances.

I honestly think we're missing both elements to our game right now. We have the bottom 6 plugs (and I don't say that negatively) to play a decent two-way game, but there's no jam outside of Ruutu. As much as we probably hate to admit it, Rask likely fits that mold as well long-term. Good middle 6 center, but nothing truly special.

Our only two creative players are Semin and the kid Lindholm who's nowhere near ready to carry a line yet. Maybe Tolchinsky will be one of those too long term, but it's way too soon to tell.

Physically we're even worse then we are creatively somehow. The fact that we have two guys as big as the Staals that play as soft as the Staals is inexplicable. What I wouldn't give for either to have the nasty streak of Getzlaf. If we could land Dal Colle and Anton Karlsson with our first two picks this year I would be absolutely elated. Two guys with a ton of skill that prettymuch instantly turn our long-term top 6 forwards from butter soft to having some nice jam. And hopefully McGinn keeps on trucking the way he has this season as well.

 

[bleedgreen]

I've said it a couple of times, so I hate to be a broken record because I know he won't come here but I would trade a lot for kesler. He plays with heart, he can score, he can lead, he's big and strong and out fights people for pucks. Adding him would not be unlike adding Roberts or brindy in the past. He plays with pride.

He's no franchise savior, and neither is Callahan...and I know it's a lot of money for not a ton of offense but us having the size and desire deficits on this team make it so tough to see Callahan and kesler maybe right there for the taking and knowing we will sit on the sidelines. These are two players it would be worth overpaying either in trade or salary to play for us. Break the bank for semin? I love the skill but these are the players we need just as much if not more.

Jr has recognized this in the past with Roberts and brindy and jumped at the chance to get those two, I wonder how hard he tries now.

I agree with you Dave about the skill, and I know these two don't really change that very much but we lack gumption and the will to win in our top 6. As you say we also lack the skill to execute or create the plays needed for goals. If we had more guys like this then we could at least fight for the ugly goals better.

 

[Incubajerks]

If we could land Dal Colle and Anton Karlsson with our first two picks this year I would be absolutely elated. Two guys with a ton of skill that prettymuch instantly turn our long-term top 6 forwards from butter soft to having some nice jam. And hopefully McGinn keeps on trucking the way he has this season as well.

i'd like to have Dal Colle, but don't think Karlsson will go in the 2nd round. We'll see what happens today and tomorrow, if we get somehow another 1st. Eager to see McGinn, really.

 

[Joe McGrath]

Some interesting stat lines since Jan 10th.

17-2-3-5- -11
15-4-3-7- +5

I wonder who each of those could be?

 

[Anton Babchuk]

Some interesting stat lines since Jan 10th.

17-2-3-5- -11
15-4-3-7- +5

I wonder who each of those could be?

my guess is that one is skinner and another is a board whipping boy. nash?

 

[Joe McGrath]

my guess is that one is skinner and another is a board whipping boy. nash?

That's correct. Maybe a window into why this team can't score at all?

 

[bluedevil58*]

I don't understand why Muller always does the Dwyer-Jordan-Gerbe line. It is ok defensively but can't score for ****. We have seriously not relied on our call ups this year as well either... What the hell?

 

[Blueline Bomber]

Pete Friesen ‏@petef08 · 34m
If you want to change you have to be willing to be uncomfortable.

Pete, once again, dispensing wisdom that seems more like a prediction than advice.

 

[Carolinas Identity*]

Pete, once again, dispensing wisdom that seems more like a prediction than advice.

Big trade coming?

 

[WalkerBabe]

NO MORE MULLER ... that's all. Or Rutherford.

 

[Incubajerks]

Call Lavi please. Or someone who can really light a fire under the ass of this sleepy team that could last for more than one period of hockey.

 

[TheBigKahuna]

Pete, once again, dispensing wisdom that seems more like a prediction than advice.

He's talking about making these guys skinny and weak. It takes hours and hours on a stationary bike with a restrictive diet to get that skinny! And look how wonderfully it has worked for our guys! The two most successful players in recent years, do not work out with Pete!

I've been calling this guy out for years now, and it's time for him, along with Rutherford, to be gone.

 

[RodTheBawd]

Call Lavi please. Or someone who can really light a fire under the ass of this sleepy team that could last for more than one period of hockey.

I love Lavi, but apparently JR or Karmanos has some big personal beef with him? Probably because he doesn't fit into the family focused friendly culture of the Hurricanes.