Rumor: Hurricanes coach Muller 'will be dismissed' at season's end

[NotOpie]

Make all the assertions you want. There are literally dozens of possible reasons we can cite for the Hurricanes' lack of competitiveness, and you've provided zero evidence that player fitness is one of the top 50.

You also don't help your case by hollering "DERP MOAR STEAKZ" and implying that if only our hockey players ate a little less like elite athletes and a little more like Art Donovan, they'd suffer fewer groin injuries.

--hank

But I bet Art was a tough one to move off of the puck or win a board battle against.

That, however is one of the most serious issues with this team. More times than not we don't win the tough puck battles. To me there's some technique involved but that's primarily the "strength" part of "strength and conditioning". One thing that both Staals do is win their share of puck battles....another guy who is very good is Nathan Gerbe (a notorious gym rat). I'd be a lot more satisfied with this team if they just got stronger - move guys out of the crease, win the board battles, make it hard to get out of your zone. Personally I agree w/Bleed's implication...we need to get tougher. In fact I'd rather be a tough fast team and willingly would sacrifice size for scrappiness, skill, and speed.

 

[Navin R Slavin]

But I bet Art was a tough one to move off of the puck or win a board battle against.

That, however is one of the most serious issues with this team. More times than not we don't win the tough puck battles. To me there's some technique involved but that's primarily the "strength" part of "strength and conditioning". One thing that both Staals do is win their share of puck battles....another guy who is very good is Nathan Gerbe (a notorious gym rat). I'd be a lot more satisfied with this team if they just got stronger - move guys out of the crease, win the board battles, make it hard to get out of your zone. Personally I agree w/Bleed's implication...we need to get tougher. In fact I'd rather be a tough fast team and willingly would sacrifice size for scrappiness, skill, and speed.

I don't dispute any of this, but I think this is mostly a matter of the org's priorities, which of course influence the org's personnel. I'm guessing that Mr. Friesen does what he's asked. If management decides "more speed" then he optimizes for speed; if management decides "more stamina" then he optimizes for stamina; if management decides "more strength" then he optimizes for strength.

And if management asks him to optimize for characteristics that the players don't possess, he makes snarky and cryptic tweets.

--hank

 

[raynman]

snip snip...
And if management asks him to optimize for characteristics that the players don't possess, he makes snarky and cryptic tweets.

--hank

Is it just me or does it seem like he takes some subtle jabs on Twitter from time to time? Skinner participated in some high altitude training last summer:

Pete Friesen ‏@petef08 Sep 19
High Altitude Pulmonary Edema, maybe # 1 reason you don't go to altitude to train hard for short periods.

EDIT: I don't want it to seem like I'm piling it on Pete or anything, I just find the way he uses Twitter pretty funny.

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

But I bet Art was a tough one to move off of the puck or win a board battle against.

That, however is one of the most serious issues with this team. More times than not we don't win the tough puck battles. To me there's some technique involved but that's primarily the "strength" part of "strength and conditioning". One thing that both Staals do is win their share of puck battles....another guy who is very good is Nathan Gerbe (a notorious gym rat). I'd be a lot more satisfied with this team if they just got stronger - move guys out of the crease, win the board battles, make it hard to get out of your zone. Personally I agree w/Bleed's implication...we need to get tougher. In fact I'd rather be a tough fast team and willingly would sacrifice size for scrappiness, skill, and speed.

I don't disagree, but Pete Friesen can't turn small guys into guys that are monsters and win puck battles just by gym training.

The reason Jordan and Eric win puck battles is because they are 6'4". The reason Gerbe is a notorious gym rat is because he's 5'5" and started at a very young age as there was no other way to make it to the NHL so he was self -motivated.

I don't have an opinion of Friesen 1 way or another and if the team needs to have a complete fresh start, then I have no problem saying clean house and get rid of him also. But there is only so much a guy can do when the players are small and soft to begin with.

 

[rocky7]

We are a squad of wee nancies. Not much denying that. It's attitude as much as off ice habits though. Even our big guys rarely play big. I don't know how much Pete has to do with it, but at times like these when we are going through change I don't think it's a bad idea to get as many fresh voices as possible. We don't have a lot to show for our loyalty to players or staff. We suck, we're making changes, no one should be safe.

Groin pulls in training camp are pretty common to all teams. Those teams with guys who do less work in the off season tend to get hit the hardest though.

"attitude" and mental fortitude. that's it exactly as much or more so than size. effort, desire and tenacity. a willingness to go hard is lacking...for some reason.

 

[Ole Gil]

Steroids are probably a factor in all this. Boston is tough, for example, but I don't think it's a stretch to guess a lot of that toughness is injected.

Pete doesn't seem like the kind of guy that's going to help people do long term damage to their bodies. And Raleigh doesn't exactly seem like hotbed for the roids, again compared with Boston and say, New Jersey, where it's practically part of the culture.

 

[Navin R Slavin]

steroids are probably a factor in all this. Boston is tough, for example, but i don't think it's a stretch to guess a lot of that toughness is injected.

Pete doesn't seem like the kind of guy that's going to help people do long term damage to their bodies. And raleigh doesn't exactly seem like hotbed for the roids, again compared with boston and say, new jersey, where it's practically part of the culture.

SHOTS FiRED

 

[Swag Surf Aho]

Seriously guys, we should sign Tortorella and Callahan. These guys can get under your skin and Callahan already knows Torts system.

Staal-Staal-Callahan
Skinner-Lindholm-Semin
Lokti-Nash-Gerbe
Tlusty-Malhotra-Dwyer

Okay, it sort of defeats the purpose of adding tough guys but this should be a year for our current collective of players to see who stays and who goes. Notice that Bowman and Dvorak are long gone.

 

[Caniac125330]

Seriously guys, we should sign Tortorella and Callahan. These guys can get under your skin and Callahan already knows Torts system.

Staal-Staal-Callahan
Skinner-Lindholm-Semin
Lokti-Nash-Gerbe
Tlusty-Malhotra-Dwyer

Okay, it sort of defeats the purpose of adding tough guys but this should be a year for our current collective of players to see who stays and who goes. Notice that Bowman and Dvorak are long gone.

I don't think the Staals and Callahan would make a good line. Also, Callahan is rumored to want $6-7 million per year for 6 years. Don't see the Canes giving him that.

 

[bleedgreen]

I think kesler and Callahan would be the biggest obvious choices if we are changing our "culture". I agree cally wants too much money, I would suggest we paid Roberts a lot of money to come here and do something similar. I think we'd have to move semin.

I don't for a second think either of these players are coming here, I'm just saying they are exactly the type of players I think we want to help change our direction and they are both available. Maybe not kesler after the firing of torts, but I haven't heard anything yet.

 

[Caniac125330]

Kesler has a NTC, I don't think he would waive it for us. As much as I've always liked Kesler and would freaking love to see him in red and white, if given the choice he probably goes to a team like the pens or ducks.

 

[TheOllieC]

I think this "rumor" is wrong.

 

[bleedgreen]

We may be taking our time for a reason, seeing who will be available. Francis has said a decision was coming in the coming weeks.

 

[rocky7]

a few times Francis stressed 'patience' that he learned from Rutherford.

Callahan isn't worth the money for his so-called intangibles IMO and bringing in one guy isn't going to 'change' anything. there are several better options (skilled guys) if they are going to spend the money and the FA's want to play with them. adding a big guy or a tough guy isn't going to do much with this group. better off to add skill to them unless they plan on wholesale change.

edit: there should be lots of good players out there this summer for a new GM to make his mark. teams like Pittsburgh and the Sharks are probably going to be making some changes. we'll see what Francis is about.

 

[nobuddy]

Trade Ward for literally anything and use his salary to sign Callahan.


Skinner-Staal-Lindholm
Tlusty-Loktionov-Semin
Gerbe-Staal-Callahan
McGinn-Nash-Dwyer

 

[Novacane]

Trade Ward for literally anything and use his salary to sign Callahan.


Skinner-Staal-Lindholm
Tlusty-Loktionov-Semin
Gerbe-Staal-Callahan
McGinn-Nash-Dwyer

That would by my goal as long as Callahan isn't asking for anything too, too outrageous.

 

[bleedgreen]

For us to win Callahan would require something outrageous, unfortunately. We have to outbid every team more likely to win than us.