Pre-Game Talk: Hurricanes @ Maple Leafs | Feb 4, 2013 | Click & Gel? Or Gel & Click?

[Roboturner913]

I had a dream last night that Pitkanen scored and I looked at TOI and he and McBain played 40 minutes a piece. Seems slightly far fetched.

I dreamed I won the lottery, bought a golf course in Hawaii and Kate Upton came over everyday in a French maid outfit and roller skates and we got wasted on mai-tais and had hot monkey sex for hours, but if Pitkanen and McBain playing 40 minutes is your fantasy.....

 

[bb99]

I dreamed I won the lottery, bought a golf course in Hawaii and Kate Upton came over everyday in a French maid outfit and roller skates and we got wasted on mai-tais and had hot monkey sex for hours, but if Pitkanen and McBain playing 40 minutes is your fantasy.....

, what kinda ice cream did you eat before bed last night? Valium Vodka chocolate?

 

[Joe McGrath]

I dreamed I won the lottery, bought a golf course in Hawaii and Kate Upton came over everyday in a French maid outfit and roller skates and we got wasted on mai-tais and had hot monkey sex for hours, but if Pitkanen and McBain playing 40 minutes is your fantasy.....

If you can control your subconscious well enough to produce that, I'm guessing there are some scientists that would like to study your sleep patterns. And also many sheisters who'd love to take advantage of said studies.

 

[Roboturner913]

, what kinda ice cream did you eat before bed last night? Valium Vodka chocolate?

Don't be silly, why would I use sissy Valium with all this perfectly good meth lying around?

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

Kessel scoring won't really be any sort of indication on the Canes. He's been a bit unlucky (a few posts/crossbars, just missing an open net, etc..). Kessel has consistently been around a 10% shooting % through his career, he has has more shots by far than anyone on Toronto (36) and he's had some quality scoring chances within those shots. He's averaging about 4 shots a game which is pretty consistent with where he's been throughout his career. He's too talented of a scorer to not be finding the back of the net. Eventually some of those will go in and by the end of the season, I bet he'll be around 10% shooting% again.

 

[Novacane]

I wasn't saying it's because of our team play, just that the Hurricanes like to and always have given teams and players chances to get out of their slumps. It's our little gift to the NHL.

Edit: Upon further review, BBA may have not been responding to me, but the point still stands. I didn't read it in the OP, I was just checking out the Toronto GDT. I need to stop posting on my phone...

 

[PaulProteus]

I wasn't saying it's because of our team play, just that the Hurricanes like to and always have given teams and players chances to get out of their slumps. It's our little gift to the NHL.

I feel like we are cementing our spot as the NHL's bonafide slump buster, yes.

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

I wasn't saying it's because of our team play, just that the Hurricanes like to and always have given teams and players chances to get out of their slumps. It's our little gift to the NHL.

If it isn't because of the teams play, then what are you ascribing it to?

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

I feel like we are cementing our spot as the NHL's bonafide slump buster, yes.

Maybe it's because the Canes are (and have been) a below average team for every year except 2 since the last lockout? Overall, it's easier to get out of a slump against a worse, less talented team than a better team.

Of course this season the Canes also look like a slump starter. Buffalo has been in free fall since the Canes game. Ottawa also lost after losing to Carolina.

 

[Novacane]

If it isn't because of the teams play, then what are you ascribing it to?

Maybe I'm missing something/don't know the phrase, but didn't you just say that Kessel scoring tonight would be no indication on the Canes? I think we're (or just me) confused. But anyway, all I was saying is that we love to get teams and players back on their feet. It's stupifying why it happens, but it does.

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

Maybe I'm missing something/don't know the phrase, but didn't you just say that Kessel scoring tonight would be no indication on the Canes? I think we're (or just me) confused. But anyway, all I was saying is that we love to get teams and players back on their feet. It's stupifying why it happens, but it does.

Sorry, I was flipping around a bit so understand the confusion. In the first part, I was referring to Kessel specifically.

I "thought" that people were implying that the Canes will allow Kessel to "break out of his slump" as if this was some indication of the Canes play. My only point was that while he hasn't hit the score-sheet, it isn't like Kessel is in a slump in terms of creating offense and scoring chances. 36 shots on the season and the games I saw, he was very dangerous, creating scoring chances. So my view is that with Kessel specifically, it's more a case of those chances will eventually be converted over the course of the season as he's too talented...and no matter how Carolina (or any team) plays against the Leafs, it will happen because he's too talented and already getting a bunch of good chances. I'll be more surprised if Kessel goes another game or two without scoring honestly.

On the other side of the coin, I have no idea if the Canes have been getting teams/players back on their feet more than other teams, or if we as fans just focus on that (as we tend to like to point out and over-emphasize the negatives on this board). If it is true that they do, then it's likely related to the fact that the team has been a below average team with below average talent for most of the seasons since the lockout. It's easier for a team/player to "bust out of a slump" against a below average team.

 

[Novacane]

Sorry, I was flipping around a bit so understand the confusion. In the first part, I was referring to Kessel specifically.

I "thought" that people were implying that the Canes will allow Kessel to "break out of his slump" as if this was some indication of the Canes play. My only point was that while he hasn't hit the score-sheet, it isn't like Kessel is in a slump in terms of creating offense and scoring chances. 36 shots on the season and the games I saw, he was very dangerous, creating scoring chances. So my view is that with Kessel specifically, it's more a case of those chances will eventually be converted over the course of the season as he's too talented...and no matter how Carolina (or any team) plays against the Leafs, it will happen because he's too talented and already getting a bunch of good chances. I'll be more surprised if Kessel goes another game or two without scoring honestly.

On the other side of the coin, I have no idea if the Canes have been getting teams/players back on their feet more than other teams, or if we as fans just focus on that (as we tend to like to point out and over-emphasize the negatives on this board). If it is true that they do, then it's likely related to the fact that the team has been a below average team with below average talent for most of the seasons since the lockout. It's easier for a team/player to "bust out of a slump" against a below average team.

Alright. I agree on both issues. I've seen the same thing out of Kessel so far that you have. He seems like he could break out at any time and I'm sure playing the Canes at home will help along the process that much more.

 

[Anton Dubinchuk]

Maybe it's because the Canes are (and have been) a below average team for every year except 2 since the last lockout? Overall, it's easier to get out of a slump against a worse, less talented team than a better team.

Of course this season the Canes also look like a slump starter. Buffalo has been in free fall since the Canes game. Ottawa also lost after losing to Carolina.

Tell that to Tommy Vanek.

 

[PaulProteus]

Maybe it's because the Canes are (and have been) a below average team for every year except 2 since the last lockout? Overall, it's easier to get out of a slump against a worse, less talented team than a better team.

Of course this season the Canes also look like a slump starter. Buffalo has been in free fall since the Canes game. Ottawa also lost after losing to Carolina.

I just think that it needs to be said: Pre-game talk about a team or particular player performing well feels like it comes to fruition too many times for comfort, and it is because we are frequently not good at hockey. It's the joke that seems to blow up in our face from time to time.

So yes, we are mediocre. During the lockout I was more tempted to turn in my season tickets due to suckitude than the lockout frankly, even though I never seriously thought about it for more than 10 seconds.

Reading the Flyers boards the day of our game against them was like being locked inside of a ward of the clinically depressed. Fire Laviolette! Our power play is atrocious! I'm diving off the Walt Whitman tonight! Never hire anyone with any ties to the Flyers ever again! Well, that made the loss (and Philly going 3-3 on PP) a bitter little pill to swallow.

But yes, again just to be politely clear, I do understand our mediocrity and why we do the things we do. (Well, not entirely "understand" mind you, but you know what I mean.)

Also: IRL I'm also married to a fan who is far more "serious" than I am, so this board makes for a good place to come and at least laugh occasionally rather than screaming into a pillow while locked in a closet.

edit: And I think you and Novacane have agreed that we're all agreeing while I was typing this, so I'll just add, "What he said!"

 

[PaulProteus]

edit: It sounds like Reimer in net tonight, btw.

He's 3-2, 2.47 GAA, .922 SV%

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

Tell that to Tommy Vanek.

He's been on fire both before, during and after the Canes played Buffalo.

Before Carolina: 2G, 6 points in 2 games (3 PPG)
Against Carolina: 1G, 3 points in 2 games (2 PPG)
After Carolina: 5G, 10 points in 4 games (2.5 PPG)

The team though has only won 1 game since starting off 2-0.

 

[Anton Dubinchuk]

He's been on fire both before, during and after the Canes played Buffalo.

Before Carolina: 2G, 6 points in 2 games (3 PPG)
Against Carolina: 1G, 3 points in 2 games (2 PPG)
After Carolina: 5G, 10 points in 4 games (2.5 PPG)

The team though has only won 1 game since starting off 2-0.

No doubt, but they must have serious defensive issues if they're getting 2.5 goals a game contributed from ONE player...

Plus he's been really fun to watch, he's playing incredible.

 

[bb99]

Larose and a 2nd.

 

[Finlandia WOAT]

The problem with Buffalo is that they are the definition of a one line team, with said one line being extremely easy to exploit defensively. Their one line is just insanely hot right now.

They'll be a lotto team once Vanek and Pominville cool off.

Also, I have sent a question to Kaiton's corner, and its being answered tonight on the radio! Some of you might find this question interesting:

Dear Chuck K.,

My name is Brian H..I am a student at NC State and a very avid Hurricanes fan who is writing for insight on the draft process of the Hurricanes, particularly the 2010 NHL draft that yielded Jeff Skinner and Justin Faulk.

The 2010 draft was very kind to U.S. National Development Team Defensemen, which produced a highly lauded group that sent 5 members in the first two rounds: Forbort (15), Tinordi (22), Faulk (37), Merrill (38) and Johns (60). Of those players, Faulk is the most accomplished at the NHL level: he is arguably the most accomplished defenseman of the entire draft so far!

My question has three parts:

I) How were the 'Canes looking to use that particular 2nd round pick- in such a deep draft, what basically amounts to a late first rounder?
II) How did Faulk, in scouting reports, compare to his U.S. National Team draft peers; particularly Merrill, who was taken immediately afterwards? What did the 'Canes see in Faulk, and what was he projected to become according to our scouting reports?
III) What strengths/weaknesses, specific playing type or the selections of led to the Hurricanes selecting Faulk?

Thank you for your insight on the drafting process of the Hurricanes!

Regards, Brian H.

 

[Roboturner913]

^ If the answer is anything other than "they got lucky" it's a pack of bs.

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

In fairness, most of those guys were gone when they selected Faulk, so if they were set on targeting a defenseman, it really came down to a choice between Faulk and Merrill. It's always a bit of a crap-shoot when you get into the 2nd round, but something must have tipped it in favor of Faulk and it would be interesting to know.

 

[Finlandia WOAT]

Honestly, I was hoping to learn a bit more about the scouting process- what they look for, using Faulk as a case study.

 

[TheBigKahuna]

Kessel with the double hat trick tonight. He'll show that ginger what happens you you leave him as the last man picked at the AS game!

 

[Carolinas Identity*]

Honestly, I was hoping to learn a bit more about the scouting process- what they look for, using Faulk as a case study.

IIRC, JR tried to trade all three 2nds to ANA for the 12th pick and Cam Fowler. They may have just been lucky after expecting not to even have a 2nd round pick, let alone three.

 

[tomdundo]

IIRC, JR tried to trade all three 2nds to ANA for the 12th pick and Cam Fowler. They may have just been lucky after expecting not to even have a 2nd round pick, let alone three.

So...Faulk, Nash, and Pither....or Fowler?

In other words, #1/#2 defenseman on this team, tweener, and AHLer or potential #1/#2 defenseman on this team depending on how he's used.