A SERIOUS DEBATE: How will this team get better?

[bluedevil58*]

We flat out suck and cannot score goals. Meanwhile our goal tending has been pretty steady. Is it time to totally blow this team up and unload everyone not named Faulk, Jordan Staal, or Lindholm? Or is this team just a few pieces away from being a regular playoff team?

I am not sure what it will take to get this team to the playoffs. But I do know what will help get this team going. This player was constantly slotted on the first line and performed very well. He can score, has great hands, and brings in a consistent effort every night. While this play has had his ups and down and has re-emerged as a premiere forward in the eyes of Paul Maurice. That player is Chad LaRose. The answer to our prayers. Our savior.

Discuss.

Click to read more...

 

[What the Faulk]

I sent one of my best friends an email last night with the subject line "A Serious Discussion" and wrote a long 1000 word story about how I was upset that she did X and I don't know how I can trust her anymore and blah blah. I ended it with a pun, which she HATES.

I feel like this thread is that.

 

[the halleJOKEL]

to answer your question OP

it wont

 

[WhiteTrashAmerican]

huehue

 

[Finnish Jerk Train]

the answer is quebec

o canada!
terre de nos aïeux
ton front est ceint de fleurons glorieux

car ton bras sait porter l'épée
il sait porter la croix

ton histoire est une épopée
des plus brillants exploits

et ta valeur, de foi trempée
protégera nos foyers et nos canes

protégera nos foyers et nos canes

 

[the halleJOKEL]

i want poutine now

 

[Finnish Jerk Train]

multiple. stanley. cups.

 

[rocky7]

The jury is still out on Francis and the new coaching staff. Simply need some more time to see how that goes.
It's hard to imagine that they'd have any wins at all if not for the good goaltending this year.
Semin's wrist is clearly ****** up still.
Skinner and Lindholm are struggling.
EStaal is playing like he usually does.
JStaal has looked pretty good since returning but he is expected to provide some primary offense as well that just isn't one of his strengths.
Faulk and Sekera aren't a top notch first pairing.

Team is still full of holes that existed over the off season.
Francis' experiment with the young guys and his assessment of the talent in the system should be over by now.

Pretty sure the team is losing money.
Will be interesting to see what moves Francis makes by the deadline. It's really his move now.

 

[Sens1Canes2]

Been pleasantly surprised with EStaal since JStaal returned. Jordan's opened up a lot of ice for him, and his effort level seems like it's improved as well. Which begs the question, why can't it look like this all the time.

 

[Unsustainable]

3 years it will be RFs team, this is still JRs build.

We need to draft and develop players to make for a long term competitive team.

Starts with McEichifin

 

[Joe McGrath]

Been pleasantly surprised with EStaal since JStaal returned. Jordan's opened up a lot of ice for him, and his effort level seems like it's improved as well. Which begs the question, why can't it look like this all the time.

I think it's easier to perceive effort when there's more open ice. I suspect Semin's perceived effort level would be greater if he had more space to operate with as well.

 

[nobuddy]

Drafting McDavid or Eichel.

Keeping Sekera.

Moving Ward for whatever they can

Finding a right handed 4th defenseman.

Developing Murphy and Fleury properly.

Finding capable 4th liners who can skate, have size, AND drive play the right way.

EStaal-JStaal-Semin
Skinner-McEichel-Lindholm
Tlusty-Rask-Gerbe
McGinn-Nash-???? (Wallmark maybe)

Sekera-Faulk
Fleury-?????
Hainsey-Murphy

Khudobin
??????

 

[rocky7]

Not certain how Tolchinsky's talent will translate into the NHL but I hope he gets an honest to goodness shot by the team.

If they keep Semin, they should use him on the left side and find another top six R winger somehow.

 

[Oogie Boogie]

Give the team a snickers

 

[rocky7]

Well, another hour to go for Boychuk and Jordan.

Waive Malone now and give a another prospect a shot. But Malone is Francis' and Peters' big pick up....so. And of course like the great Tripp Tracy repeatedly reminds fans, Malone "ignites" the bench....

 

[Identity404]

A SERIOUS DEBATE: Poutine, overrated or delicious?

I don't understand peoples obsession with poutine. Yes, it looks pretty tasty in pictures, but it's just glorified cheese fries. It's pretty easy to find around New England considering the proximity to Quebec, and I have never been impressed. I guess it hold a special place in quebecers hearts as a comfort food, but i find it overrated, ignoring sentimentals.

 

[tarheelhockey]

Pretty much everything that S.G. said above. We have some decent core players at forward but serious issues at defense. Too much money is being spent on guys who perform a tier or two below their pay grade.

It's going to take time. Eric Staal and Cam Ward are both UFAs after next season and their extensions (or lack thereof) will set the tone going forward. Do we stick with them, and if so how much salary are they willing to give up. Keeping them at the current salary range should not be viewed as an option on the table.

So that gives us this season and next season to figure out who will be on this roster post-2016.

- Skinner and Semin are a given, for better or for worse. I'm ok with that because I think it gives us a competitive level of top-line skill on either wing.

- Jordan Staal, Faulk and Lindholm are a given. We can reasonably project that Fleury will be on the roster by 2016. These 4 are our basis for depth down the middle moving forward, as well as the core of our defensive unit.

So that leaves us with a need to address winger depth (especially scoring support on the 2nd and 3rd lines) and defensive depth over the next 1.5 seasons. If Staal and/or Ward leave, add those positions to the list.

TBH I'm not sure there are any easy fixes here other than drafting well, pouncing on trade opportunities and hoping for several of these guys to perform above expectations rather than below them.

 

[Carolinas Identity*]

Give the team a snickers

 

[My Special Purpose]

IMO, we've got to start behaving like a small market team.

We need to pour money into scouting and development. We need to stockpile draft picks. We need to have the best pipeline in the league so we constantly have NHL-ready depth at the league minimum to handle injuries, and for potential trades.

We need to stop backing ourselves into positions where we feel that we have to overpay, either to lure a free agent or to lock up a player long-term. We have to stop thinking high-priced, established players is the only way to win.

We don't need high picks to get there, either. There was a note a few weeks back that the Red Wings' first selection in the draft has averaged No. 39 overall the past 15 years. Think about that. On average, the best drafting team in the NHL *doesn't even have a first-rounder* more years than not.

The Canes need to be younger and more nimble. They have to draft better. They have to stop giving out long-term deals after a player plays well for 15 games. Spare parts -- guys like Tlusty, Harrison, Samsonov, etc. -- should never be on a deal longer than two years. And we have to stop giving out one-way contracts and no-movement clauses to save a few bucks.

In short, *every single way* the Canes have tried to pinch pennies over the years has ended up costing us millions. Sure, we save on scouting. We save by giving out NTCs. But our team sucks, we end up paying one guy a season *not* to play for us, and nobody goes to the games anymore. So what exactly are we saving?

And it needs to start now. Revamp the scouting. Trade the pieces that won't be part of winning in 2016-17 for draft picks and young players. We're *not* making the playoffs this season and we're not selling any season tickets. Get a high pick and put the whole thing in motion. It won't even take that long. Ticket sales will be back as soon as next year.

But if we finish with the 8th or 9th pick again, trot out the same Staals, Semin and Skinner, and have the owner ask for more patience, people will continue to stay away in droves

 

[Blueline Bomber]

Pipe dream.

 

[My Special Purpose]

Pipe dream.

This thread is titled "How will this team get better?"

I think you're looking for the "How can this team finish in 9th place every year" thread.

 

[Blueline Bomber]

I never said your idea wouldn't work. I simply said its a pipe dream if you believe it will happen. Especially if you're throwing Detroit out there as a comparison. There's no way to improve this team with the situation they're currently in.

- You've got an owner that needs to start turning a profit, so he starts cutting payroll.
- Because he's cutting payroll, the organization cannot afford to ice a competitive team.
- Because they're not a competitive team, they miss the playoffs.
- Because they miss the playoffs, attendance drops and the owner needs to cut even more money to try and turn a profit.
- Rinse and repeat.

The only way out of this cycle is to have an owner that's going to open his wallet a bit more. PK tried that a few years ago and got burned due to some questionable JR moves. I doubt he's so eager to try again.

Yeah, if we had started your plan way back in 1997, it'd work. It won't work now. At least, not if you want this team to remain in Carolina.

So yeah, pipe dream.

 

[the halleJOKEL]

or just get mceichel and be done with it

 

[nobuddy]

or just get mceichel and be done with it

yup it's really that simple.

 

[the halleJOKEL]

not even being facetious that is all it would take

i would buy season tickets yesterday and i am poor