If we don't make the playoffs. Should JR be fired?

[A Star is Burns]

I see the Penguins as the only thing close to a lock in the division. I could truly see the Canes finishing anywhere from 2-8 in the new division.

Flyers have some d issues, goalie issues, and forward chemistry issues. This is usually when Lavi fails.

Devils have lost a lot of talent the last few years, and while they've replaced with some decent guys, they are no doubt worse in my mind.

Islanders won't sneak up on anybody now, and I'm not that scared by their goalie or d.

Columbus still has offensive questions in my mind and probably need Bobrovsky to be Vezina caliber again.

I think Washington has lost too many good players the last few years as well, has less depth than they used to, and their d doesn't scare me either.

The worst I can say about the Rangers is they may be as inconsistent as last year. They just don't strike me as great.

And one never knows how the injuries fall with any given team. Like I said, I don't see us as a lock or anything, but there are enough problems with other teams that could cause them to struggle. I think even if the Canes make the playoffs this year, the division will be super tight. All teams have a lot of upside for things to go right and the going will be tough even if the Canes have a great year.

 

[Blueline Bomber]

Oh, I'm not saying we don't have a shot at the playoffs, but I don't see that shot being any better than previous years.

Yes, the team is better, but I think the new division being stronger will offset that.

Like previous years, we could make the playoffs, but we'd have to have some things go right, very little go wrong, and some things go wrong to others in the division.

 

[Mr Whipple]

While we may be in what many consider to be the strongest division now, in my opinion we are still right in the mix of things.

Going by history, we should do better than Columbus and the NYI. They could surprise us, though.

Right now the Flyers and Devils are struggling compared to what we're used to. So we should have a good chance of being above them, as well.

That leaves as the 'elite' the NYR, the Pens, and the Caps. The Caps have some question marks, though, and they could either be a hit or miss. They could very well be starting to decline. The NYR and Pens you'd expect to do well, but that's no guarantee. Injuries could hit teams. What happens to the Pens if Crosby and/or Malkin go out for an extended time again?

Still that gives us a good shot at making 4th in our division. Good enough for a playoff spot? Tough to say until we see how things shake out.

Some of us seem to be buying into the ignorance of a lot of other fans around the league about us this past season. They pick us to suck this upcoming season because of where we ended up in the standings. Look what this team was doing before the injuries, though, and not against the "Southleast" teams, but to the very teams we'll be in a division with.

We aren't a lock for the playoffs, but we aren't an automatic non-playoff team, either. Right now I'd say we're right about where we historically have been - fighting with the pack in the middle trying to get in. Hopefully we won't end up in the new look 9th place.

That said, I'm still hoping JR pulls a rabbit out of a hat and does something to make sure we have a decent bottom 6. That's our biggest question mark right now. The rest of the team isn't perfect, but good enough to contend.

As for JR being fired, I don't see that happening. Ever. Not as long as PK owns the team. However, I could see him move to being the President, and someone else the GM. But only if JR decides to do it himself.

 

[Finlandia WOAT]

I consider us as one Hainsey/Morrow addition away from the same class as Caps and Rags. With some luck we're already there.


Grabovski signing anywhere but Washington would be huge IMO. They lost Ribiero to free agency and have not yet replaced him. He was a PPG second line center for them last year, and right now Marcus "46 points playing with Ovechkin and Semin" Johannson is in line to take the reins of the 2nd line. With Troy Brouwer and Joel Ward as his wingers.

I don't know about the Devils. They were the best team last year in terms of shots against and in PDO, yet were 'only' 13th in GA/G due to Martin Brodeur's Johan Hedberg's combined sub-.890 Sv% (and some Devils fans blame this on "individual defensive breakdowns" LOL) and were 28th in G/G.

In other words, statistics indicate that the Devils were a good puck possession team that got unlucky. Though having an aged Elias, an aged Jagr and an aged Ryder as your three main offensive threats is a recipe for disaster...despite what PDO may indicate.

Their offense is a lot like our defense. For the past three years, they have had so-and-so ready to make the jump and replace Gionta/Gomez/Parise and now Kovalchuk, and in all that time only Henrique has made the jump.

 

[Identity404]

The overwhelming opinion on the main board is that the Canes will finish last in the metro division. I guess most people are creating the rankings on what was achieved in a lock-out shortened season, which is pretty shortsighted. I would say it is close to impossible to predict the standings in our new division. The only team that I even see as a lock for the playoffs is the penguins. After that you might as well start pulling names out of a hat.

 

[Carolinas Identity*]

Every team in the division has holes. Before our team died, we were 15-8-2 IIRC (or something close to that)

If we can stay healthy the only teams that I view as "Significantly" better than us are Pittsburgh (who have Luongo v 2.0 in net) and the Rangers (who can't score)

 

[Frank Booth239*]

I'm not too depressed about the new division, because the Canes seem to do so much better against better teams than their old South East rivals.

But I am kind of worried about the Blue Jackets and the Islanders. I think the Devils and Flyers are on the way down (although hopefully Muller can figure out a way to get one or two wins against Philly), I think the Caps are a rotting husk of a team just an injured or disgruntled Ovechkin away from being last in the Conference.

So, yeah, probably struggling for 4th in the division.

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

So, yeah, probably struggling for 4th in the division.

That's kind of how I see it. If there aren't too many injuries and the don't have off years from top players, they should make the playoffs.

Top Line: One of the best in the division
2nd Line: A bit of an unknown. If they can find Chemistry, it will provide 2 potent lines. If not, we go back to a 1 scoring line team which makes it hard to make the playoffs.
Bottom 6: Complete unknown right now.

Defense: Improved, but still a bit of a question mark IMO. If Pitkanen is healthy and Sekera and Komisarek play at a high level, then it is in decent shape. If not, it will be a weak point yet again.

Goaltending: Probably the best tandum the team has had since the cup run.

Other: Depending on how the Canes fill out the bottom 6, the team is still Charmin soft.

Of course, if guys like Hainsey and/or Morrow are added, that could change the assessment.

 

[Blueline Bomber]

Unless I'm mistaken, the way the playoffs are set up now is the best 3 of each division + the two highest point totals of those remaining teams, even if both are from the same division.

If so, that means we're fighting for 5 spots. 3 divisional spots + 2 conference spots. Already, that's one less than the old setup (which gave us 1 divisional + 5 conference).

And if we assume Pittsburgh and the Rangers are a lock/close to a lock, that limits our chances to 1 divisional + 2 conference.

The 1 divisional, we're fighting against 5 other teams. The 2 conference, we're fighting against 11 other teams.

Math might be off, but if that's all correct, we could easily struggle to make the playoffs.

 

[Mr Whipple]

Let me just point out:

1) Everybody else is predicting the Canes will finish last.
2) It's a Winter Olympic year.
3) We're entering the first full season after a lockout.

I'm thinking we need a gif of the Millennium Falcon cockpit with Canes players' faces photo-shopped over Han and Chewy, etc., saying "Never tell me the odds" for this season.

 

[Novacane]

I'm not going to expect playoffs going into a season ever again. Not after what happened last year.

 

[bluedevil58*]

1. No proven 3rd line center.

2. Our 2 stars coming off major injuries.

3. A bottom 6 that can't put up 20 goals COMBINED.

4. Not much hope in the way of prospects.

5. A young star who is one concussion away from retiring.

I am sorry but making the playoffs is not looking all that great....

 

[Datsyuk Prospect]

I'm not going to expect playoffs going into a season ever again. Not after what happened last year.

To be fair, we were on a roll and looking forward to locking up the SE with everybody else struggling and then that Canes@Caps game happened.

 

[Zombie Mike Murphy]

Seriously dude? Not sure if trolin or not

Murphy. Lindholm, the continue growth of Faulk, everyone actually being healthy entering the season...

plenty of reasons to be encouraged. Not to say we're a lock, but I fully expect us to be competitive.

1. No proven 3rd line center.

2. Our 2 stars coming off major injuries.

3. A bottom 6 that can't put up 20 goals COMBINED.

4. Not much hope in the way of prospects.

5. A young star who is one concussion away from retiring.

I am sorry but making the playoffs is not looking all that great....

 

[bluedevil58*]

I am sorry but that 3rd and 4th line is going to be the difference maker. Lindholm is uproven talent. Murphy is a maybe. Past that...who do we have? Yes, Faulk is great. But I am just concerned. At this point I am all fore putting Blanchard, Welsh, Sutter, and whoever else is willing to play a physical game. Don't even get me started on our 2nd like woes.

I am being realistic here. I see us being in big trouble.

 

[Anton Dubinchuk]

1. No proven 3rd line center.

2. Our 2 stars coming off major injuries.

3. A bottom 6 that can't put up 20 goals COMBINED.

4. Not much hope in the way of prospects.

5. A young star who is one concussion away from retiring.

I am sorry but making the playoffs is not looking all that great....

Normally I'd dismiss as hyperbole, but you've stated this a couple of times now. 20 goals from the bottom 6 is 3.33 goals per player. For kicks, Westgarth scored 2 goals in 31 games last year. Dwyer had 8 in 46. Without gracing the statement with any more simple Google searches, that's 10 goals from our objectively worst player and a lock for our bottom 6, in only 77 games combined (the equivalent of less than one full season from one player). That's NOT considering that Ruutu and Skinner will likely see significant stretches of time in the bottom 6.

Point #4 is irrelevant when looking at the coming season, especially since the two prospects most likely to make the team (the only relevant ones for this season) have gotten Foppa and Coffey comparisons. Point #5 is only relevant if he indeed does get hurt. #2 shouldn't be an issue, Staal is Staal and is supposedly on track, Ward was scheduled to be back in mid April, so he's had plenty of time to get back healthy. #1 is the only real gripe, and even then we've got a plethora of guys that'll come in to compete for that spot (Lindholm, Skinner, Nash, even Rask).

 

[What the Faulk]

It's ****ing July. Can the pessimism at least wait until December?

 

[Navin R Slavin]

It's ****ing July. Can the pessimism at least wait until December?

Are you new here?

--hank

 

[bluedevil58*]

Normally I'd dismiss as hyperbole, but you've stated this a couple of times now. 20 goals from the bottom 6 is 3.33 goals per player. For kicks, Westgarth scored 2 goals in 31 games last year. Dwyer had 8 in 46. Without gracing the statement with any more simple Google searches, that's 10 goals from our objectively worst player and a lock for our bottom 6, in only 77 games combined (the equivalent of less than one full season from one player). That's NOT considering that Ruutu and Skinner will likely see significant stretches of time in the bottom 6.

Point #4 is irrelevant when looking at the coming season, especially since the two prospects most likely to make the team (the only relevant ones for this season) have gotten Foppa and Coffey comparisons. Point #5 is only relevant if he indeed does get hurt. #2 shouldn't be an issue, Staal is Staal and is supposedly on track, Ward was scheduled to be back in mid April, so he's had plenty of time to get back healthy. #1 is the only real gripe, and even then we've got a plethora of guys that'll come in to compete for that spot (Lindholm, Skinner, Nash, even Rask).

You can't make that comparison. Dwyer was playing on the 2nd line for most of the season. You're telling me he is going to put up 8 goals with Nash centering? I doubt that. If we don't add a decent power forward or a veteran winger we are going to miss the playoffs...again.

 

[rocky7]

I see the Penguins as the only thing close to a lock in the division. I could truly see the Canes finishing anywhere from 2-8 in the new division.

Flyers have some d issues, goalie issues, and forward chemistry issues. This is usually when Lavi fails.

Devils have lost a lot of talent the last few years, and while they've replaced with some decent guys, they are no doubt worse in my mind.

Islanders won't sneak up on anybody now, and I'm not that scared by their goalie or d.

Columbus still has offensive questions in my mind and probably need Bobrovsky to be Vezina caliber again.

I think Washington has lost too many good players the last few years as well, has less depth than they used to, and their d doesn't scare me either.

The worst I can say about the Rangers is they may be as inconsistent as last year. They just don't strike me as great.

And one never knows how the injuries fall with any given team. Like I said, I don't see us as a lock or anything, but there are enough problems with other teams that could cause them to struggle. I think even if the Canes make the playoffs this year, the division will be super tight. All teams have a lot of upside for things to go right and the going will be tough even if the Canes have a great year.

pretty decent analysis here but i think you underestimate the islanders and the capitals roster looks grim at this point.

the canes definately need at least one, preferably two top 9 forwards (at the moment i'd like to see them sign grabo but only if at $3-3.5. morrow is a meh for me and would probably cost around the $3 mark too). the fourth line should be fine but the third not so much. depends i guess on some of the guys. according to interviews, muller considers the third line to be crucial and lacking thus far. the d still need another guy. all teams have a hole or two however. if they don't acquire anyone else now shopping at the dl may work out for them. potential trades could prove interesting.

overall they have improved and should make the playoffs if all goes off real well. if they all have a good season and muller can improve as well, they should do alright.

 

[rocky7]

a couple of comments.

while i don't consider myself qualified to judge the prospects (lindholm a bit i suppose) and the guys who played with the checkers, i hope murphy does well and makes the team. would sure help unless they get ahold of another dman. dwyer looked o.k. and fast to me from what little i saw of him.

looking forward to seeing how faulk is coming along. i would sure like for them to find an elite offensive defenseman but maybe faulk's the guy.

i DO NOT believe that skinner will be happy on the third line. nor do i believe that it would be good for him or the team long term.

who knows what muller is going to do but maybe something unconventional like 1a/b, 2a/b, etc.. personally i wish they could build a really good third line with jordan in the middle.

edit: oh and i don't think semin and staal12 should be playing 20 and more minutes a night all the time.

 

[Chrispy]

You can't make that comparison. Dwyer was playing on the 2nd line for most of the season. You're telling me he is going to put up 8 goals with Nash centering? I doubt that. If we don't add a decent power forward or a veteran winger we are going to miss the playoffs...again.

09-10: 7 goals, 5 assists in 58 games (most common fowards: Boychuk, Kostopoulos, Brind'Amour, Sutter)
10-11: 8 goals, 10 assists in 80 games (most common forwards: Sutter, Tlusty, Jokinen, Larose)
11-12: 5 goals, 7 assists in 73 games (most common forwards: Sutter, Tlusty, Nodl)
12-13: 8 goals, 8 assists in 16 games (most common forwards: J. Staal, Skinner)

While prorating Dwyer's total from last year out to a full season would be overly optimistic, Dwyer has shown the ability to put up 5-8 goals on the lower lines without offensive-minded centers.

 

[Zombie Mike Murphy]

i DO NOT believe that skinner will be happy on the third line. nor do i believe that it would be good for him or the team long term.

Maybe it'll get into his head a bit and get him out of this rut where he carries it into the zone, does his little move, and shoots 99% of the time without ever trying to actually create offense or sustained pressure.

 

[Roboturner913]

Why are people so concerned over line numberings? Second line, third line, eighth line, doesn't make a damn bit of difference if the playing time is there.

I get the feeling Skinner would rather play center and have free reign to do his own thing rather than try to do the square peg/round hole on Jordan Staal's line again. Likewise, Dwyer is a good match with Jordan in a shutdown defensive role (I'd much rather see him on a fourth/energy line but that is another issue). The players who play well together should be kept together. Line numbers are irrelevant.

I'm also not terribly concerned that another forward is necessary. Sure, it would be nice, but you have to remember that they were at one point second (or maybe third? I can't remember) in the East without Ruutu and with Jokinen playing like crap. And you've added Lindholm to that.

To answer the original question, yes, without a doubt. JR has had a great offseason, but his mismanagement made it almost necessary to have one just to try and stay competitive.