GDT: WPG @ CAR: Awards Night Edition

[My Special Purpose]

Meh, expected result. Nothing to get too worked up over

It's perfectly reasonable for a fan of any team in any league to get upset when his or her team loses, and it has nothing to do with expectations. Upsets happen in every league every day. Teams have bad games, teams play over their heads. Every now and then, a team isn't ready to play, for one reason or another. It is perfectly legitimate for me to expect the Canes to win every game. I know they won't. I know no team ever will. But on a one-day, one-game basis, it is perfectly reasonable to expect a team to win that day. And it is perfectly reasonable to get upset when they don't, especially when one bounce is the difference between winning and losing.

I just don't like being told I can't get "worked up" because there was no chance the Canes could beat the Jets. Sure there was. Was it a good chance? No, of course not. But we're at home, the Jets just came off a 10-game homestand, they're playing without two key defensemen, and we're in a fight for our lives. Yeah, it would have been an upset. But to expect a loss and infer that there's no reason they actually went through the motions and actually played the game because Blueline Bomber says it's not reasonable to expect anything but a Jets win, is laughable.

Look, I know what you're saying. But maybe it's just the way you say it -- or just that you feel the need to say it at all. We all know this was a tough one. But losing still sucks. The Jets still lace up their skates one at a time, just like we do. We *could* have won that game, and we *needed* to win that game. Your little one-liner just feels like a sharp stick in the eye at exactly the wrong moment after every loss to a superior opponent.

 

[My Special Purpose]

There was effort last night, but little execution.

This is basically our team in a nutshell, IMO. During Mo's tenure(s), I was often frustrated by the lack of effort. That hasn't been a problem under Peters, and it's why I'm warming to him a bit. Our guys play hard, and it's nice. We just have so little talent, that effort isn't enough to make up for it. We played a vastly more skilled team last night and lost 3-2, outshooting them 35-23. We've consistently outworked teams all season long. We just don't have the skill.

I'm hoping we have at least four new forwards next season. Two of Foegele, Wallmark, Kuokkanen, Necas, Zykov, one via trade for a d-man and/or picks and one via free agency. Subtract Stempniak, DiGiuseppe, Nordstrom and Ryan and that's a huge jump in skill. Personally, if were the GM, I'd have done this last summer, but RF wanted the Charlotte guys and Necas to get a full season in and I guess I can't blame him for that. He was also thinking he bought himself this season by adding Darling to get us into the playoffs, then he'd jolt the offense, but we all know how that worked out.

 

[Ole Gil]

I didn't like Chip comparing Skinner to Laine in the post game considering Laine has Ehlers and Wheeler and Skinner has the doctor.

That's Skinner's fault for being a cherry picking puck hog.

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

This is basically our team in a nutshell, IMO. During Mo's tenure(s), I was often frustrated by the lack of effort. That hasn't been a problem under Peters, and it's why I'm warming to him a bit. Our guys play hard, and it's nice. We just have so little talent, that effort isn't enough to make up for it. We played a vastly more skilled team last night and lost 3-2, outshooting them 35-23. We've consistently outworked teams all season long. We just don't have the skill.

We don't have the skill, but I'm also concerned about his ability to instill a system that provides more offense. The two aren't mutually exclusive though.

I'm hoping we have at least four new forwards next season. Two of Foegele, Wallmark, Kuokkanen, Necas, Zykov, one via trade for a d-man and/or picks and one via free agency.

I agree. Wallmark and Foegele can make up 2/3rds of a very good 4th line. Foegele could be a Grabner type player (not saying he's as fast as Grabner, but similar in that regards). Zykov is a tough one for me. I'm just not sure his skating is good enough from what I've seen to play meaningful ES minutes, but put him in front of the net and on the PP and he could be a weapon, and this team needs someone like that. And if he doesn't make the squad, does he jump to the KHL? Just not sure where he fits in the line-up ES. If Necas shows that he's ready come training camp, I can't see the Canes sending him back. Going to be some tough decisions I think.

I'd like to see a big, good scoring winger (Kane, JVR, Neal, or the likes) and a center (Would love ROR, but think it would cost too much). I know some say ROR isn't what the team needs, but ROR and Staal down the middle would be formidable as both can match up against anyone.

 

[Ole Gil]

What are people seeing with Wallmark? Is it his non existent offense or mediocre defense that has people excited?

 

[MinJaBen]

What are people seeing with Wallmark? Is it his non existent offense or mediocre defense that has people excited?

Neither, it is low-end top speed and his glacial acceleration that everyone is excited about.

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

I haven't seen that much yet from Wallmark, but still think he could be a decent 4C. Maybe not, but it will depend on what he does the remainder of the season.

In fairness, we could say non-existent offense about pretty much everyone on the team except for 2-3 guys in the last 10 games.

Don't see enough to think he'll be a 3C though. I said it earlier (and NotOpie disagreed) that he looks like a poor man's Victor Rask to me.

 

[StormCast]

What are people seeing with Wallmark? Is it his non existent offense or mediocre defense that has people excited?

For me, it's the fact that if improved his overall game exponentially, he could be almost as good as Jay McClement was last yer.

 

[CandyCanes]

What are people seeing with Wallmark? Is it his non existent offense or mediocre defense that has people excited?

Our expectations have been lowered from the tail end of McClements career and Kruger being awful this year. I think Wallmark is an improvement over those guys and their tenures in Carolina. I've seen hints of very good play from Wallmark, and actually think he's been a bit snake bitten this year offensively in the NHL, he's created a handful of high danger opportunities. He's still young, and I think he has the current mold to turn into at least a 4th line center, and potentially into a 3rd line guy.

 

[StormCast]

Our expectations have been lowered from the tail end of McClements career and Kruger being awful this year. I think Wallmark is an improvement over those guys and their tenures in Carolina. I've seen hints of very good play from Wallmark, and actually think he's been a bit snake bitten this year offensively in the NHL, he's created a handful of high danger opportunities. He's still young, and I think he has the current mold to turn into at least a 4th line center, and potentially into a 3rd line guy.

I miss the halcyon days of Tim Brent.

 

[MinJaBen]

...a bit snake bitten this year...

The official motto of your Carolina Hurricanes.

 

[CandyCanes]

The official motto of your Carolina Hurricanes.

Does this replace #REDVOLUTION?

 

[StormCast]

Does this replace #REDVOLUTION?

Dundon reportedly wants to rename the team the Raleigh Rattlers.

 

[MinJaBen]

Scene from the locker room...

 

[Finnish Jerk Train]

Match pace, outshoot, lose because no skill. Wash, rinse, repeat.

Lost in all of our misery is one thing I've never seen before except in playoff OT: there were no TV timeouts throughout the 3rd period. I was at the game and completely oblivious to it. Did John or Tripp say anything about it during the broadcast?

 

[CandyCanes]

Match pace, outshoot, lose because no skill. Wash, rinse, repeat.

Lost in all of our misery is one thing I've never seen before except in playoff OT: there were no TV timeouts throughout the 3rd period. I was at the game and completely oblivious to it. Did John or Tripp say anything about it during the broadcast?

I was watching the game and I was completely oblivious of it too, until I saw that main board thread. Don't remember the guys mentioning it.

 

[Surrounded By Ahos]

I miss the halcyon days of Tim Brent.

Stephane Yelle was the best fourth line center we’ve ever had.

 

[StormCast]

Stephane Yelle was the best fourth line center we’ve ever had.

Best name tie-in (Rebel Yelle) but not better than Kevyn Adams. When your 4c has 2 hat-tricks in one year, that's hard to beat.

 

[Blueline Bomber]

It's perfectly reasonable for a fan of any team in any league to get upset when his or her team loses, and it has nothing to do with expectations. Upsets happen in every league every day. Teams have bad games, teams play over their heads. Every now and then, a team isn't ready to play, for one reason or another. It is perfectly legitimate for me to expect the Canes to win every game. I know they won't. I know no team ever will. But on a one-day, one-game basis, it is perfectly reasonable to expect a team to win that day. And it is perfectly reasonable to get upset when they don't, especially when one bounce is the difference between winning and losing.

I just don't like being told I can't get "worked up" because there was no chance the Canes could beat the Jets. Sure there was. Was it a good chance? No, of course not. But we're at home, the Jets just came off a 10-game homestand, they're playing without two key defensemen, and we're in a fight for our lives. Yeah, it would have been an upset. But to expect a loss and infer that there's no reason they actually went through the motions and actually played the game because Blueline Bomber says it's not reasonable to expect anything but a Jets win, is laughable.

Look, I know what you're saying. But maybe it's just the way you say it -- or just that you feel the need to say it at all. We all know this was a tough one. But losing still sucks. The Jets still lace up their skates one at a time, just like we do. We *could* have won that game, and we *needed* to win that game. Your little one-liner just feels like a sharp stick in the eye at exactly the wrong moment after every loss to a superior opponent.

Well, at least now you've explained why you're always such in a sour mood after every post I make. But there's an easy fix here. I'll make it perfectly clear:

My posts are my own. If you're inferring that they're targeted at any particular person or groups of people, that's on you. Unless I'm specifically quoting someone or mention them by name, they're just whatever general mood I'M feeling at the moment.

The post you're apparently up in arms about this time? It was a throwaway line, voicing MY opinion. I wasn't expecting a win, so I wasn't too upset when they didn't.

As I told you in the past, you're welcome to feel however you'd like after the game. I will say that, for health reasons, it's probably better not to get worked up after every loss. But again, that's YOUR prerogative. If you so choose, I'm certainly not going to attempt to stop you, and if you're somehow misconstruing my posts as an attempt to do that, that's on YOU.

Hopefully that helps. And if it doesn't, the board does have an Ignore feature.

 

[Hulkacaniac]

We don't have the skill, but I'm also concerned about his ability to instill a system that provides more offense. The two aren't mutually exclusive though.



I agree. Wallmark and Foegele can make up 2/3rds of a very good 4th line. Foegele could be a Grabner type player (not saying he's as fast as Grabner, but similar in that regards). Zykov is a tough one for me. I'm just not sure his skating is good enough from what I've seen to play meaningful ES minutes, but put him in front of the net and on the PP and he could be a weapon, and this team needs someone like that. And if he doesn't make the squad, does he jump to the KHL? Just not sure where he fits in the line-up ES. If Necas shows that he's ready come training camp, I can't see the Canes sending him back. Going to be some tough decisions I think.

I'd like to see a big, good scoring winger (Kane, JVR, Neal, or the likes) and a center (Would love ROR, but think it would cost too much). I know some say ROR isn't what the team needs, but ROR and Staal down the middle would be formidable as both can match up against anyone.

Zykov is a weird case. I have to doubt the usefulness of such a specialized player at the NHL level. Maybe on a third line that can get favorable matchups or with a volume shooter like skinner? But likely it's not worth it having to mold your lineup just for him to be successful. Maybe his numbers give him some trade value.

 

[Navin R Slavin]

Hopefully that helps. And if it doesn't, the board does have an Ignore feature.

Which I've started to use quite liberally, btw. It makes some conversations confusing, only seeing one side and all, but mostly, it's pretty great. I recommend it.

 

[bluedevil58]

Which I've started to use quite liberally, btw. It makes some conversations confusing, only seeing one side and all, but mostly, it's pretty great. I recommend it.

Where is this feature you speak of? There is one dude in particular that will go straight to my ignore list.

 

[bluedevil58]

Nevermind I found it. No more trolling from that guy!

 

[My Special Purpose]

Zykov is a weird case. I have to doubt the usefulness of such a specialized player at the NHL level. Maybe on a third line that can get favorable matchups or with a volume shooter like skinner? But likely it's not worth it having to mold your lineup just for him to be successful. Maybe his numbers give him some trade value.

The simplest, most effective way to see what we have with Zykov is to use these final 17 games to see him play at the NHL level, instead of wasting those games dressing Lee Stempniak, who will obviously not be back next season. However slow Zykov is, I find it hard to believe he couldn't beat Stemper in a race, and Stemper still finds a way to be occasionally dangerous at 5-on-5. Also keep in mind that this is Zykov's third full season in the AHL, and he was plus-3 and plus-6 in the past two seasons. He was also a plus player through all three seasons of juniors. His minus-15 this season is a bit of an outlier, and could be mostly the failure of a poor stat to tell the full story.

I'm not in any way suggesting that Zykov will come up and start scoring at a 40-goal pace in the NHL right away. I just think it would be nice to give him a chance to show what he can do instead of wasting a roster spot on Stempniak. There's no need to guess or project what Zykov will need to be successful at the NHL level when we could know for sure by just playing him.

 

[RodTheBawd]

Where is this feature you speak of? There is one dude in particular that will go straight to my ignore list.

99% sure he can't see this post.