Post-Game Talk: 4/8: Hurry-Canes Alice! The HURRY-CANES!

[Kakko]

By the way, Pouliot has now reached a career high in points

 

[ThisYearsModel]

He's having an off season. I don't know why everyone makes a spectacle of it when an elite athlete has an OFF season (and as "off" as Staal's season is, he will probably finish with ~ 60 points). But... he's certainly left something to be desired this year.

It's a lot like Lundqvist. Lundqvist puts up rock solid numbers, but for him, it's an off season.

Eric Staal puts up solid numbers, but for him, it's an off season. Staal scored 70+ points in 7 out of his last 8 seasons, and the one season he didn't was when he had 53 points in 48 games in a shortened season just last year. He has scored at a 70+ point clip 8 consecutive years.

With how consistent someone like Staal has been throughout his career, he's allowed to have one off season, and it doesn't mean he is finished. It's such a ridiculous notion on the forum that top athletes aren't allowed to have top years. Eric Staal has been the definition of consistency in his career.

EDIT: By the way, I'm not saying any of this towards you. I know you were just asking a question. I just think he is simply having an off season. And I was merely adding to that, that I'm not quite sure why fans don't sometimes recognize that an athlete might just not be having his best season.

The reason for my asking is that he has a cap hit of $8.25MM and that is a big number to swallow for a guy that, in the few Canes games I have watched, has been invisible. With Rutherford leaving after this year and Karmanos having all kinds of stuff going on, rumor is they want to dump salary. This would make Eric and Semin (an amazingly stupid $7MM per) the top candidates to be moved. I wouldn't mind seeing eric be our #1 center.

 

[Glen Sathers Cigar]

I can't be the only person that literally laughed out loud when Sam said he should maybe invite Alice In Chains to his grandson's Bar Mitzvah...

You're not alone I literally laughed out loud, too.

 

[highandwide]

Went to the game - what I saw.

- Great efforts by Zucc and MSL.
- Brassgod line was solid
- Diaz/Klein a little shaky
- Hank kept us in during the first period and throughout the rest of the game.
-People around me didn't know how to pronounce Fast, literally blew a gasket and yelled "HE'S SWEDISH. ****!", just annoying to keep hearing "GO FAST GO FAST".
- Seemed like a couple of trips weren't called?
- PP looked great
- Money Bags getting ready for the playoffs

 

[Glen Sathers Cigar]

agree.... he's totally not a defensive liability, and can actually get open for good shots in the o-zone...

He'll stick for sure.

I hope these lines stay too...

Fast and Hagelin are good with Richards, because he can IQ where they need to be with their speed faster than the other teams *should* be able to catch on to...

Nash-Step-MSL is a legitimate top line, something we haven't really had, not to mention MSL's ability for perfect passes, he can dish out to either player for easier than usual goals

GOAT line stays, no matter what

4th line solid as usual...

Actually like watching Dorsett with Dom Moore... Those two have some serious chemistry, while Boyle liikes to bust his ass every shift... he had a tendancy in this game to slow down and make some room for himself

You're right about Fast and Hags with Richards. That's what I think, too. They will open up space with their speed and Richie has high hockey IQ and good vision so he should be able to find them open.

I was a bit perplexed as to why some posters thought that line would be a miserable failure. Richards doesn't have to be as fast as them to be effective with them.

 

[BarbaraAlphanse]

Guys, I think i'm jesus.

You got the 2nd part right, but both goals came on the pp.

He gelled well with Fast. Hags shouldn't be on that line.

 

[BarbaraAlphanse]

Beside the obvious positives that everyone is harping on in this game, I really thought Klein had a rough game.

I understand he's a relatively consistent and cheap asset to have who for most of his time here has been relatively solid... but i can't see him being a part of this team past the deadline next year.

He doesn't fit AV's style of play, at all.

If we could get a 2nd rd pick for him at this year's draft, to recoup what we gave for MSL, I'd love that.

 

[aufheben]

Beside the obvious positives that everyone is harping on in this game, I really thought Klein had a rough game.

I understand he's a relatively consistent and cheap asset to have who for most of his time here has been relatively solid... but i can't see him being a part of this team past the deadline next year.

He doesn't fit AV's style of play, at all.

If we could get a 2nd rd pick for him at this year's draft, to recoup what we gave for MSL, I'd love that.

Why not?

 

[Inferno]

Beside the obvious positives that everyone is harping on in this game, I really thought Klein had a rough game.

I understand he's a relatively consistent and cheap asset to have who for most of his time here has been relatively solid... but i can't see him being a part of this team past the deadline next year.

He doesn't fit AV's style of play, at all.

If we could get a 2nd rd pick for him at this year's draft, to recoup what we gave for MSL, I'd love that.

yeah, i really dont agree.

i hated the trade when it happened, but Kleins been a real good player for us.

 

[TheTakedown]

yeah, i really dont agree.

i hated the trade when it happened, but Kleins been a real good player for us.

agreed...

AV's system of defense is 1 Mobile D + 1 stay-at-home D per pairing... Obviously preferred if you can split that up amongst rightys and leftys

 

[TheTakedown]

The reason for my asking is that he has a cap hit of $8.25MM and that is a big number to swallow for a guy that, in the few Canes games I have watched, has been invisible. With Rutherford leaving after this year and Karmanos having all kinds of stuff going on, rumor is they want to dump salary. This would make Eric and Semin (an amazingly stupid $7MM per) the top candidates to be moved. I wouldn't mind seeing eric be our #1 center.

They have 5 guys consuming most of their cap:

Eric Staal: 8.25M
Alex Semin: 7M
Jordan Staal: 6M
Jeff Skinner: 5.725M
Cam Ward: 6.3M

Total: 33.275M...

That's nearly 52% of this years salary cap in high profile, low impact players with nothing to show for it. I would say they are all getting shipped out, maybe Semin stays as a Vet leader guy...

 

[Rangerfan4life90]

They have 5 guys consuming most of their cap:

Eric Staal: 8.25M
Alex Semin: 7M
Jordan Staal: 6M
Jeff Skinner: 5.725M
Cam Ward: 6.3M

Total: 33.275M...

That's nearly 52% of this years salary cap in high profile, low impact players with nothing to show for it. I would say they are all getting shipped out, maybe Semin stays as a Vet leader guy...

I'd say Skinner is the only one from that list that essentially earns his contract for the most part.

 

[CDiablo]

Have only seen the higlights but is Carolinas D usually this bad? Man those were some clean goals.

 

[BarbaraAlphanse]

Why not?

Can't carry the puck for longer than 2 seconds. Can't make a consistently decent outlet pass. Doesn't give consistent offensive production.

Besides the blatantly painful goal that was scored, which I'm not gonna blame him for, even though he had a chicken w/o a head moment standing where he was... he was brutal with the puck tonight. Brutal.

AV's system is predicated on puck control, creativity, and puck possession. None of those things can be done by Klein.

Klein is also not a highly coveted prospect that the management has invested years into. If AV had to commit to one or the other, I'd imagine management would press hard for Dylan - a guy who is hyped, has a higher ceiling, and adds a dimension that Klein doesn't - toughness and grit.

After that, I'd imagine AV try and maximize the amount of offense that the other 5 blue liners can give. He'll want it over 140 pts for all 6. Hell, McIlrath could be swapped for a guy who fits this bill too.

 

[BarbaraAlphanse]

yeah, i really dont agree.

i hated the trade when it happened, but Kleins been a real good player for us.

Solid, but he's a round hole in a square peg. I think he's been playing the least amount of time out of any of our defensemen lately.

Not good when we have Diaz coming into his own, McIlrath potentially forcing his way into the lineup, Allen who definitely did not look out of place during his cup of coffee, and can even resign Stralman for a similar value.

It's not that he hasn't been serviceable - which is the word I'd use to describe his play. He's just not ideal for the game style this coach seems to like to play.

 

[aufheben]

Meh, I think he's fine. It's not his job to provide offense, and frankly, McDonagh is our only offensive threat anyway. I'd give him more time.

 

[Machinehead]

-People around me didn't know how to pronounce Fast, literally blew a gasket and yelled "HE'S SWEDISH. ****!"

Wish I saw this

 

[haveandare]

That was the MSL that this team is going to need. If he can play like that going forward, there's a whole different dimension to this offense.

 

[vladmyir111]

Klein has been like Girardi light...nothing flashy just does his job, except with a cool beard. Nothing wrong with having a couple guys like that. And he actually hits people.

 

[Bluenote13]

Have only seen the higlights but is Carolinas D usually this bad? Man those were some clean goals.

Faulk. I like his offensive game but he was pretty terrible on two of the first three goals. The other goal was Loktionov and Harrison just calling it in on a rush.

Give our boys points for taking advantage of a weak defensive team, but that game is by no means a measure of what they are but maybe the spark that leads to a hot streak for the top liners.

 

[Bluenote13]

Klein has been like Girardi light...nothing flashy just does his job, except with a cool beard. Nothing wrong with having a couple guys like that. And he actually hits people.

There are times he's looked clueless, tonight he had a few awkward moments. I'm surprised he's been handling the puck so poorly, he had decent hands when he first came up.

Right now I like having him going into the playoffs, but after this year.....

 

[Glen Sathers Cigar]

Can't carry the puck for longer than 2 seconds. Can't make a consistently decent outlet pass. Doesn't give consistent offensive production.

Besides the blatantly painful goal that was scored, which I'm not gonna blame him for, even though he had a chicken w/o a head moment standing where he was... he was brutal with the puck tonight. Brutal.

AV's system is predicated on puck control, creativity, and puck possession. None of those things can be done by Klein.

Klein is also not a highly coveted prospect that the management has invested years into. If AV had to commit to one or the other, I'd imagine management would press hard for Dylan - a guy who is hyped, has a higher ceiling, and adds a dimension that Klein doesn't - toughness and grit.

After that, I'd imagine AV try and maximize the amount of offense that the other 5 blue liners can give. He'll want it over 140 pts for all 6. Hell, McIlrath could be swapped for a guy who fits this bill too.

While your points are valid, didn't they say when the trade was made that AV had seen a lot of him in the west and really liked him?

I think at his best he's a rock solid, stay at home 4-6 D man. His contract is solid with how the cap is going. I could see him being here for his whole contract and I can also see him being a stop gap for McIlriath. Depends on if Stralman is brought back and if Mac can take that next step to become a full time NHLer.

 

[BarbaraAlphanse]

While your points are valid, didn't they say when the trade was made that AV had seen a lot of him in the west and really liked him?

I think at his best he's a rock solid, stay at home 4-6 D man. His contract is solid with how the cap is going. I could see him being here for his whole contract and I can also see him being a stop gap for McIlriath. Depends on if Stralman is brought back and if Mac can take that next step to become a full time NHLer.

I think he runs into the same problem he did in Nashville, with us.

Serviceable, solid, are terms i'd use for him. Nothing more, nothing less.

His positioning, for the most part, is solid. His decisions, for the most part, are done so that they do not cause detriment to the team. He is a prevent defender - i.e he doesn't add much to the table besides being able to prevent mistakes (for the most part).

That being said, this is an offensively minded coach. Danny G, Staal, Stralman, Klein - how many guys can we have that aren't offensively minded?

We have another defensively minded player, McIlrath, who this organization believes can be a top 4 defenseman. The timetable that they gave when he was drafted comes to a culmination next year.

The Rangers gave up a 5th round pick for a player that looks like he can easily control 13-15 minutes a game without much mistake.

Theres another defenseman in HFD who is more polished (for now) than McIlrath. Allen. He was tested in both RD and LD. Controlled the puck, crisp passes, didn't make boneheaded plays.

That's 3 guys that can all play RD. All 3 are cheaper than Klein @ 3 mill. All 3 give different dimensions to the team that it already doesn't have.

Klein may be solid, but there are better options there. And if you can recoup a 2nd rd pick for him... Even better.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

I know the Canes are not a good team but that was the best passing I've seen from a Rangers team in a long long time. Looked like the harlem globetrotters out there. Also, it wasn't just the Zucc line for once. MSL had great chemistry with Stepan who had a great game. Stepan looked like Stepan last year. He's playing amazing hockey.

 

[Rangerfan4life90]

I think he runs into the same problem he did in Nashville, with us.

Serviceable, solid, are terms i'd use for him. Nothing more, nothing less.

His positioning, for the most part, is solid. His decisions, for the most part, are done so that they do not cause detriment to the team. He is a prevent defender - i.e he doesn't add much to the table besides being able to prevent mistakes (for the most part).

That being said, this is an offensively minded coach. Danny G, Staal, Stralman, Klein - how many guys can we have that aren't offensively minded?

We have another defensively minded player, McIlrath, who this organization believes can be a top 4 defenseman. The timetable that they gave when he was drafted comes to a culmination next year. Not even mentioning Skjei, who could be ready in a couple of years as well.

The Rangers gave up a 5th round pick for a player that looks like he can easily control 13-15 minutes a game without much mistake.

Theres another defenseman in HFD who is more polished (for now) than McIlrath. Allen. He was tested in both RD and LD. Controlled the puck, crisp passes, didn't make boneheaded plays.

That's 3 guys that can all play RD. All 3 are cheaper than Klein @ 3 mill. All 3 give different dimensions to the team that it already doesn't have.

Klein may be solid, but there are better options there. And if you can recoup a 2nd rd pick for him... Even better.

If Mac is ready next year, then something will have to give. Stralman or Klein will end up going. There's also Allen, who looked like he belonged up here. Crazy the amount of defensive depth this team has.