Carolina Hurricanes are going to surprise many people

[DJJones]

You keep saying “your” and “you guys”. Neither of those two posters are Canes fans.

Doesn't really matter if they are fans.

Just their opinion on the matter

 

[Uncle Scrooge]

And I'd imagine either of them would win the President's Trophy if they had Carolina's defense.

Funny enough, teams can win games with different approaches. But nobody wins games with a .893 in net.

LA had Kopitar with 92 points, they got above .920 from their goaltenders yet only had 98 points in the standings. With your logic they should've been a powerhouse.

Sure you can win in different ways but fact is Canes scored 228 goals last year - no team made the playoffs with that. Worst were the Ducks with 235, team that excels in those defensive grinder type games.

We can keep looking at the goaltending (as we should) but my point is, even if they get better goaltending it doesn't guarantee a playoff spot by any means. They have to score more goals instead of just generating chances or cycling the puck and getting nothing out of it. Good example is LA, they barely made the playoffs with one of the top scorers and solid goaltending. Reason? They had 2nd fewest goals by a playoff team but still 11 more than Carolina.

Im not defending how the goalies for the Canes have played, but it's not a story of "Canes are 100% playoff team with good goaltending". Part of the reason why we're always looking at the goaltending is because they don't score enough.

 

[KlefDown]

can't really surprise people when people already expect them to be good

 

[tony d]

I can see them making the playoffs. Still would be a result of a lot of things going right.

 

[tarheelhockey]

LA had Kopitar with 92 points, they got above .920 from their goaltenders yet only had 98 points in the standings. With your logic they should've been a powerhouse.

Sure you can win in different ways but fact is Canes scored 228 goals last year - no team made the playoffs with that. Worst were the Ducks with 235, team that excels in those defensive grinder type games.

We can keep looking at the goaltending (as we should) but my point is, even if they get better goaltending it doesn't guarantee a playoff spot by any means. They have to score more goals instead of just generating chances or cycling the puck and getting nothing out of it. Good example is LA, they barely made the playoffs with one of the top scorers and solid goaltending. Reason? They had 2nd fewest goals by a playoff team but still 11 more than Carolina.

Im not defending how the goalies for the Canes have played, but it's not a story of "Canes are 100% playoff team with good goaltending". Part of the reason why we're always looking at the goaltending is because they don't score enough.

Nobody thinks the Canes are 100% a playoff team with better goaltending. Everyone, going back to 3 or 4 years ago, has said they are a bubble team that ends up way out of the race because of the goaltending. Pretty much any form of analysis holds that up.

 

[DRW204]

it's surprises me they somehow downgraded their goaltending this offseason

 

[Tryamw]

it's surprises me they somehow downgraded their goaltending this offseason

At worst I figure they held steady.. I haven't paid attention to Ward much in Chicago but the one game I recall he was Terribull. 6 goals 17 shots or the like?
I expect darling to not be great but I do expect an improvement...

 

[izzy]

aho is a god

his hockey iq shouldnt be able to even exist hes always one step ahead of everyone on the ice

 

[izzy]

At worst I figure they held steady.. I haven't paid attention to Ward much in Chicago but the one game I recall he was Terribull. 6 goals 17 shots or the like?
I expect darling to not be great but I do expect an improvement...

at the end of the day, carolina has tried on multiple occassions to replace cam ward and nobody has outperformed him

now without him as an option, who knows

 

[DRW204]

At worst I figure they held steady.. I haven't paid attention to Ward much in Chicago but the one game I recall he was Terribull. 6 goals 17 shots or the like?
I expect darling to not be great but I do expect an improvement...

just looking off numbers from last season

Ward 0.906 SV% in 43 games
Mrazek 0.902 in 39 games - his stats actually fell off when he got on a better team

but just on paper/stats based off last year Mrazek seems to be a downgrade from Ward. This is assuming Darling's #s remain static

 

[pckstpr31]

They're definitely my pick to surprise, but it all hinges on Darling and Mrazek really.

 

[Mickey Marner]

Well, it's about damn time they made a playoff push. They have, like, seven top-4 d and added a 2nd overall pick. This core is running out of excuses at this point.

 

[Negan4Coach]

So last year the Canes were in the playoff hunt well into Feb with the worst goaltending performance in the modern era.

This year the fat goalie lost 30 pounds and looks way better

The new coach is an actual leader who pumps the team up

The already great D has been added too.

The weak forward group has been completely re-made wih the addition of Svech, Necas, Foegele, Zykov, Ferland, Martinook. That is literally half the forward group. And these guys all looked fantastic in the preseason. We have more goal scoring and much more toughness. We have less center depth, but the young guys seem to be able to handle it.

So, you do the math. Is it going to be enough? IDK- it depends on the relative improvements or lack thereof made in the Metro division. Clearly, we have improved quite a bit though. But if the rest of the Metro has likewise improved, then well, its not enough.

 

[Advanced stats]

The only questionable position is goalies. It's pretty weak, to be honest, but if Mrazek plays well, the Canes are going to battle for a play off spot

Their only weak/questionable position just happens to be the most important position in the game.

And I'd say it's more than questionable... It's downright terrible.


Additionally, the forwards are definitely bottom 10 in the league

 

[deckercky]

Carolina will be as good as their goaltending. If Darling is a competent starter, they're likely a playoff team.

 

[Stickpucker]

When talking about Carolinas forwards I think most people just look at their centers...who aren't bonafide.

I think they overlook they're really good on the wings.

The defense also offers some solid scoring from the back end.

 

[God King Fudge]

I think they'll be right where I expect them to be, which is outside of a playoff spot.

 

[blood gin]

Carolina will be as good as their goaltending. If Darling is a competent starter, they're likely a playoff team.

That's a big big big big big big big big big big big big IF

 

[deckercky]

That's a big big big big big big big big big big big big IF

Of course. But its the only if there is. The team has enough talent that they should be a playoff team with competent goaltending. No amount of looking at the young forwards or deep defensive core will change the fact that the team's critical fault is in goal.

 

[Ares]

I thought they were gonna surprise many people last year

 

[CupofOil]

To be honest, we hear this every year about Carolina.
It's like the opposite of what we heard about the Red Wings for so many years that THIS would be the year when they finally miss the playoffs.
In other words, I'll believe it when I see it.
Nice looking roster though, outside of goaltending.

 

[Tripod]

NJ had a .908
Philly had a .903
Carolina had a .893


The only two teams who were even close were Buffalo (.896) and Ottawa (.895) and those teams had 62 and 67 points. Carolina had 84 with worse goaltending.

ES Sv%, Philly was 13th in the League, NJ 25th, and Carolina 30th (ahead of only Ottawa). Flyers were dead last in Sv% on the PK, which I think is where your perception comes from. Don't know exactly how NJ flourished with their 25th spot, want to say the Hart winner but don't have time to check.

"If goaltending is better" was achieved under Bill Peters. He's gone now. HCRB'A has these guys playing like it's Game 7 in the preseason, not surprising it turned out for a 93% points percentage. As a 'Canes fan, the game against Nashville yesterday was the most intense preseason game in....since I've been following the team, anyway.

Yes I know this. The point was that both NJ and Carolina have lots of room to improve when it comes to goaltending as well. Unlike Columbus for example. So even if their goaltending does improve, others in that "tweener tier" could too...which could offset the Carolina improvement or some of it.

Really, after Wash and Pitt, the #3 division spot and the wildcards are up for grabs.

 

[JarvisFunk]

Yawn. I feel like I hear this every single year.

 

[Bonzo111]

Which of their D men is anchoring PP1?

 

[Roboturner913]

That's a big big big big big big big big big big big big IF

Again, hard to tell from preseason, but he looks better. Will it stick? IDK. Reading between the lines, from things he's said about last season being lonely and depressing and his alcoholism in the past, and how fat he got last year, this dude is a chronic depressive. I relate to and sympathize/empathize with that, but I also know that if it were me, I'd make a pretty crappy NHL goalie because it's hard to live a grind like that and not get depressed.

I think it's more realistic that Mrazek figures out how to be decent again. The Canes don't need a goalie who puts up a .920 but something like .905 to .910 would probably make them a playoff team.