GDT: Game day thread, the day before the game day. (CAR vs NJ)

[Anton Babchuk]

rask and stempniak both suck. their offensive production to start the seaosn was entirely due to jeff skinner. the play dies on their sticks with a stunning regularity. rask has abysmal puck skills and takes light years to make decisions while stempniak makes horrible passes at least a dozen times per game.

 

[The Faulker 27]

I think they needed a 100% healthy Canes team to have a chance tonight. Faulk is sorely missed on the PP. NJ is trending up and that ain't good.

 

[Narow]

poor Aho.. big mistake there. i have seen that its almost only Aho scoring goals for the hurricanes lately which is a bit odd.. been haviing difficulti socring lately teamwise?

 

[tarheelhockey]

Wow, the Devils are really bad.

2 crucial points GONE

YOU COST US THE PlAYOFFS

 

[Wolfpuck]

YOU COST US THE PlAYOFFS

hcanes return a ninth palce!

 

[HisIceness]

Christ almighty another game we outshoot the opponent and lose in regulation.

Getting real tired of that ********.

 

[The Faulker 27]

Ward: Hello softy my old friend.

 

[CandyCanes]

I swear this is a common occurring thing every season with the Canes. They love to dig themselves into a large hole in the beginning of the season. They start playing good stretches of hockey, start building some hope, and have an opportunity to step into a playoff spot, only to just crap the bed and dig a tiny hole again. They'll get out of the hole and then dig another mini hole, get out of the hole, dig another, and repeat.

 

[Dishface]

poor Aho.. big mistake there. i have seen that its almost only Aho scoring goals for the hurricanes lately which is a bit odd.. been haviing difficulti socring lately teamwise?

Yes.

 

[tarheelhockey]

Ward: Hello softy my old friend.

Honestly I wouldn't put that in the same category as a run of the mill softie. There's no way Ward could have anticipated that bounce off the stanchion, so he had about half a second to adjust his angle to where the puck landed. And it still took a laughably perfect shot to get past him.

I hate that goal for Cam the same way I hate that last turnover for Aho. Both got posterized after a very solid game.

 

[cptjeff]

Honestly I wouldn't put that in the same category as a run of the mill softie. There's no way Ward could have anticipated that bounce off the stanchion, so he had about half a second to adjust his angle to where the puck landed. And it still took a laughably perfect shot to get past him.

I hate that goal for Cam the same way I hate that last turnover for Aho. Both got posterized after a very solid game.

Yeah, that was an unlucky bounce, not a bad goal. And regardless, Cam only let in two. The offense is what royally sucked tonight, not Cam.

 

[tarheelhockey]

One positive: Slavin's puckhandling and playmaking was ridiculous tonight. He probably had more nice dekes than any of our forwards.

He just keeps reminding me more and more of a young Bouwmeester. The skating, anticipation, vision, size, and now the creativity is coming out.

 

[Blueline Bomber]

It took Aho a little while to adjust to the NHL, but he's definitely showing why the organization has been so high on him. I believe the goal gave him 10 points in the past 12 games?

 

[raynman]

So CandyCanes is now on the GDT bench?

 

[Navin R Slavin]

Pretty sure the tiebreaker goes to me.

 

[CandyCanes]

Pretty sure the tiebreaker goes to me.

I saved my vote and just used it on you now Hank. We gotta have that next man up mentality, you are it.

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

It took Aho a little while to adjust to the NHL, but he's definitely showing why the organization has been so high on him. I believe the goal gave him 10 points in the past 12 games?

10 in his last 13 if I am counting right. Here's how he stacks up on the Canes:

Overall Scoring: Aho is now 3rd overall
ES Goals: He's 2nd in Even Strength Goals (8 vs. Skinner's 9)
ES Assist: He's 2nd on the team in Even Strength Assists (9 vs. Rask's 12)
ES Points: He's 2nd on the team in Even Strength Points (17 vs. Rask's 19)
ES G/60: 3rd on the team behind Stalberg and Skinner
ES Points/60: 1st on the team.
SOG: 3rd on the team behind Skinner/Faulk
CF%: 3rd on the team among forwards behind Staal and Teravainen
+/-: 2nd among forwards with a +1 (Stempniak is +4)

He's on pace for about 47 points in 82 games, but almost all of that is even strength. If he starts getting more PP time (currently 7th among forwards) and the team figures out the PP with him on it, watch out. I think eventually, he'll be used on the PK as well.

 

[Unsustainable]

Where's Skinner been lately?

 

[geehaad]

another game we outshoot the opponent and lose in regulation

I cringed when I heard Brind'Amour say that they "just need to get shots on net". That's Maurice-level simplicity that doesn't work well against a very good goaltender playing in his second game in as many nights after recording a shutout. You just don't want to let that guy see a ton of shots from well outside the crease because you let him get into a groove and stop your offensive flow by constantly making a relatively easy save and getting a whistle. The Canes can be quite inept offensively against defensive-minded teams, but I don't think it means that you abandon the style you typically play. To me, the "always put the puck on net" directive stifles creativity, and that's what some of these players do well.

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

Where's Skinner been lately?

I haven't seen every game, but the ones I have, he's been dangerous, just not cashing in. Even though the PP had some good play last night, they miss Faulk. You can see the PKrs, have no respect for the point and just rush out to the guys. Faulk's shot, many times a wrist or snap shot, is an element this PP sorely misses. It opens up things for other players as well.

Can't believe I'm saying this, but the team misses Lindy as well. He's been good on the PK, good on faceoffs and was playing well recently (allowing Nordstrom to be back on the 4th line). Team just isn't deep enough to withstand any sort of injuries, which is why the projections of the Canes hitting 98 points was way overly optimistic.

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

I cringed when I heard Brind'Amour say that they "just need to get shots on net". That's Maurice-level simplicity.

I was thinking the same thing. Maybe he meant they were getting a little too cute with the puck and he wanted them to try and translate "fancy passing" into real offense? Not sure, but I had the same reaction, particularly because the Canes have little to no net front presence so "shots on net" = "easy saves". It would be one thing if we had Holmstrom camped out in front of the net, but we don't.

 

[Joe McGrath]

I haven't seen every game, but the ones I have, he's been dangerous, just not cashing in. Even though the PP had some good play last night, they miss Faulk. You can see the PKrs, have no respect for the point and just rush out to the guys. Faulk's shot, many times a wrist or snap shot, is an element this PP sorely misses. It opens up things for other players as well.

Can't believe I'm saying this, but the team misses Lindy as well. He's been good on the PK, good on faceoffs and was playing well recently (allowing Nordstrom to be back on the 4th line). Team just isn't deep enough to withstand any sort of injuries, which is why the projections of the Canes hitting 98 points was way overly optimistic.

I've been saying this for a month now, Lindholm is a good all around hockey player. He just can't score in October to save his life. When you ignore October he's a half point per game player for his career. Plays all 3 phases, wins face offs, and is sound defensively. If he was picked even in the late 1st round no one would have an issue with his play or career trajectory. But he got picked #5 so his expectations are out of whack for what he actually is. That and his complete inability to produce in October. He should sign a SHL contract with an out clause just so he can start his season a month early or something. God damn.

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

I've been saying this for a month now, Lindholm is a good all around hockey player. He just can't score in October to save his life. When you ignore October he's a half point per game player for his career. Plays all 3 phases, wins face offs, and is sound defensively. If he was picked even in the late 1st round no one would have an issue with his play or career trajectory. But he got picked #5 so his expectations are out of whack for what he actually is. That and his complete inability to produce in October. He should sign a SHL contract with an out clause just so he can start his season a month early or something. God damn.

Yep, remember that, but that's an improvement vs. prior years. IMO, he wasn't very good defensively in past years, was much weaker along the boards, etc. His "overall" game has come around this year, just not his offense (particularly in October).

 

[tarheelhockey]

Where's Skinner been lately?

I thought he was reasonably dynamic last night. A game like that one, where the other team is collapsing like crazy and taking away anything near the net, really doesn't play to Skinner's strengths. He's still out there trying to create opportunities but there just isn't that much space to be had.

Also, it's clear that the book on him is to have an agitator in his back pocket taking cheap shots and throwing him off his game. Last night was almost like the Caps game where he had to deal with garbage every time he tried to move. That needs to be addressed, one way or another.

Finally, it's been 7 games since Derek Ryan had a point. It might be time to think about shuffling the deck.

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

Also, it's clear that the book on him is to have an agitator in his back pocket taking cheap shots and throwing him off his game. Last night was almost like the Caps game where he had to deal with garbage every time he tried to move. That needs to be addressed, one way or another.

Yep, but credit to Skinner, he's handling it very well and staying on his game.

Finally, it's been 7 games since Derek Ryan had a point. It might be time to think about shuffling the deck.

I said the same a couple games ago, but the problem is, until Lindy gets back, what are the options? Peter's really can't change the Aho-TT-Stempniak line as it's the team's best right now and the only one regularly generating offense. McGinn and Nordstrom aren't an answer and neither are Nestrasil and Stalberg.

Short of calling up PDG, there aren't many choices right now. Ryan still looks good on the PP, where he has more space.