GDT: RAGNARÖKR CLAN SKOGVAKTARE @ CLAN STORMNING AKA GAME 7 NEW YORK RANGERS @ CAROLINA HURRICANES

[Chrispy]

see this is where I disagree.

2019 we exceeded expectations big time. We got to the playoffs a year ahead of schedule and then over-achieved in the first series riding that to the conference finals where we got roflstomped.

2020 we won the play-in serieis. We should have been expected to. Reality hit the next round getting the Bruins again.

2021 we exceeded in the regular season a bit, but winning a round before getting bounced by Tampa was realistic.

this year we under-achieved. Elite regular season team, but the expectation was at minimum Conference Finals. Credit due to the Rangers goalie, but this was a team that not being one of the last 4 standing was unacceptable as a final result.

Management needs to take a hard f***ing look in the mirror and then figure out how to make us tougher to play against next season especially when we run into situations where other teams are taking liberties with our other players. Trouba should have been eating his teeth the rest of the series after the hit on Domi, and yet we had absolutely no f***ing physical response all series. The Rangers looked at their situation after getting clowned by the Caps late last season and made themselves a more difficult team to play against, and backed by all-world goaltending it paid off for them. We haven't made ourselves any tougher since the first series loss to Boston... if anything this team has gotten softer.

I'll agree with most of those years. 2020 was just weird. They lucked into getting the goalies and Hamilton back after the Covid break. That said, the whole thing was just weird and running into Boston was a case of not being at that level yet. Again.

2021, I would go so far as to argue the only difference between Carolina, the Islanders, and Montreal was that Carolina was placed in Tampa's division. Put Carolina and Tampa in different divisions like this year and I think the Canes make it out of the Metro before losing to Tampa.

This year, they put up 116 points, and their reward was to play teams who put up 107 and 110 in the first 2 rounds of the playoffs. 116 vs 107 or 116 vs 110 is typically a conference final matchup. This was a case where the entire East was stacked, and they couldn't break through on the road.

I don't think they would have made it past the now fully operational battle station down in Florida either way, but this entire postseason was a murderer's row in the East. I'm happy they exorcised their demons vs Boston. I didn't think they were likely to do the same vs Tampa, especially after watching Tampa hit their stride. So I'm not considering this year a disappointment.

 

[The S5]

Lol
That's been a priority for years and it only gets worse. And we were one of the least penalized teams before RBA took over. At the end of the day, taking endless stupid penalties and mentally shitting ourselves in the playoffs is part of the identity of RBA coached teams.

And making the playoffs every year.

 

[Lempo]

And making the playoffs every year.

Yeah... you can't shit yourself in the playoffs every year, if you don't make it there.

manpointshead.gif

 

[Svechhammer]

I'll agree with most of those years. 2020 was just weird. They lucked into getting the goalies and Hamilton back after the Covid break. That said, the whole thing was just weird and running into Boston was a case of not being at that level yet. Again.

2021, I would go so far as to argue the only difference between Carolina, the Islanders, and Montreal was that Carolina was placed in Tampa's division. Put Carolina and Tampa in different divisions like this year and I think the Canes make it out of the Metro before losing to Tampa.

This year, they put up 116 points, and their reward was to play teams who put up 107 and 110 in the first 2 rounds of the playoffs. 116 vs 107 or 116 vs 110 is typically a conference final matchup. This was a case where the entire East was stacked, and they couldn't break through on the road.

I don't think they would have made it past the now fully operational battle station down in Florida either way, but this entire postseason was a murderer's row in the East. I'm happy they exorcised their demons vs Boston. I didn't think they were likely to do the same vs Tampa, especially after watching Tampa hit their stride. So I'm not considering this year a disappointment.

Big bowl of meh for me about that.

Oh the East was tough? Who f***ing cares. For the 2nd year in a row we finished the season with a Top 3 record and don't even make it out of the 2nd round. I don't care that the rest of the conference was good, outside of Florida, we consistently showed we were better than the rest of this conference. And it didn't matter. I wouldn't be as pissed off about this if we put up a great fight each year only to be bested by a team that played better, but that's just not been the case. Against Nashville, Tampa, Boston, and now New York, we consistently killed ourselves with horribly lazy play, unbelievably stupid penalties, a defense that is far more leaky than its reputation says it should be, and an entire offensive attack that goes ice cold.

Last night getting shelled and dog walked out of our own house in Game 7 against a team we have absolutely no business getting spanked by should absolutely be a tipping point that drives some serious change to the makeup of this team going forward. What we are doing in the playoffs does not work. Playing our game in the playoffs does not work. The status quo is not working.

And yet I don't have any faith in the front office to actually address these issues that have legitimately been present for 4 years now. We'll make a few 'buy low' moves, let guys like Trocheck and Neiderriter go to chase a higher salary. We'll wait til all the top end free agents are off the board and then we'll pick up the best of the table scraps after the fact, and then we'll go into next year, play the first 3 months of the season like the playoffs start in October, burn ourselves out by March and shit ourselves in May. Wash, rinse, repeat.

 

[DaveG]

hell I wouldn't even include Montreal in that conversation for 21, that wasn't even a playoff team under a normal format though they certainly got hot at the right time. Us vs that Isles team would have been a hell of a battle in the division finals, probably a bit similar to this last series though not sure that the Isles had the firepower to pull off the win the way their cross-town rivals did. Either way Tampa was just a juggernaut last year, absolutely nothing was stopping them, and it appears to be the same this year yet again.

I'll agree with most of those years. 2020 was just weird. They lucked into getting the goalies and Hamilton back after the Covid break. That said, the whole thing was just weird and running into Boston was a case of not being at that level yet. Again.

2021, I would go so far as to argue the only difference between Carolina, the Islanders, and Montreal was that Carolina was placed in Tampa's division. Put Carolina and Tampa in different divisions like this year and I think the Canes make it out of the Metro before losing to Tampa.

This year, they put up 116 points, and their reward was to play teams who put up 107 and 110 in the first 2 rounds of the playoffs. 116 vs 107 or 116 vs 110 is typically a conference final matchup. This was a case where the entire East was stacked, and they couldn't break through on the road.

I don't think they would have made it past the now fully operational battle station down in Florida either way, but this entire postseason was a murderer's row in the East. I'm happy they exorcised their demons vs Boston. I didn't think they were likely to do the same vs Tampa, especially after watching Tampa hit their stride. So I'm not considering this year a disappointment.

 

[Chrispy]

I think step 1 of the Borg plan has been achieved by making the playoffs annually, because that's where they turn a profit and keep the fan base engaged.

The question is, do they have a step 2 in the plan? Or is the plan to keep going into the playoffs and hope the stars align one year (the NCAA basketball tournament theory)? I think they should start to see this year that just going into the playoffs with the same "play hard, play fast" mentality isn't going to get past more talented teams over the course of 7 games.

 

[To Be Determined]

I miss the fight in the '01 squad right now.. sure they didn't win it all but they never surrendered.

Pedantic asshole alert... the '01 lost in the first round to the devils. scott stevens scrambled ron francis' brains and effectively ended shane willis' career, with no real push-back from the team. in response, the '02 squad was literally built to beat the devils and that worked out pretty good.

Losing guys like McGinn and foegle over Marty and Bear… we brought In KK and sat him on the fourth line… even when Tro was playing useless… necas shouldn’t get any kind of contract over 1.5 for 3 years

didn't mcginn commit the penalty that ultimately lost them the series? so, he remains a cane in spirit, obviously.

should say a lot that I'm pining for Justin Faulk and don't really give a damn that we moved on from Dougie. Great personality, but give me Faulk's defensive game, intensity, and elite moustache every time over him, doubly so in the playoffs.

what is the over/under on aneurysms per game on this board if faulk were still here this year, qb'ing pp1 over deangelo the whole time? lol

brutal. love you guys/gals. i'll be back when people remember tda is a rfa not a ufa.

goodbye forever, then. you'll be missed, friend.

Should we get an off-season thread going?

@DaveG nailed it - wait for exit interviews. this thread can be the angry looking back thread. the off-season thread should be the angry looking forward one.

 

[Wolfpuck]

It's not off-season until we hear how dead Jarvis and Raanta are.

Unfortunately they’re probably both dead for at least the next 3 months…

 

[MisterDobz]

After a restless night, the only insight I have on this year is that these Canes were relentlessly dedicated to playing their system, unfortunately other teams were dedicated to winning Hockey games.

 

[Drivebytrucker]

I live in Ottawa and I see the same criticisms here when Ottawa bad a good solid core ( Alfie, Spezza, Havlat, Hossa, Redden, Phillips) but just couldn't get over the hump in the playoffs.

Carolina doesn't have an undisputed leader. This team is weak in terms of players who will stand play their best in big moments. That was masked last series by Domi's game 7.

Say what you want about about Brock McGinn, but we miss him. That dude was willing to do whatever it takes to win playoff games.

Changes have to be made but I hope they find some cap room for TDA. The guy cares and he wants to win and I think it terms of playoff performance, he was right up there.

 

[Svechhammer]

I live in Ottawa and I see the same criticisms here when Ottawa bad a good solid core ( Alfie, Spezza, Havlat, Hossa, Redden, Phillips) but just couldn't get over the hump in the playoffs.

Carolina doesn't have an undisputed leader. This team is weak in terms of players who will stand play their best in big moments. That was masked last series by Domi's game 7.

Say what you want about about Brock McGinn, but we miss him. That dude was willing to do whatever it takes to win playoff games.

Changes have to be made but I hope they find some cap room for TDA. The guy cares and he wants to win and I think it terms of playoff performance, he was right up there.

TDA certainly impacted this recent series, just not really in any positive way for the Canes. Guy's mouth wrote a lot of checks early in this series that he couldn't afford to pay by the end of it.

 

[Chrispy]

Big bowl of meh for me about that.

Oh the East was tough? Who f***ing cares. For the 2nd year in a row we finished the season with a Top 3 record and don't even make it out of the 2nd round. I don't care that the rest of the conference was good, outside of Florida, we consistently showed we were better than the rest of this conference. And it didn't matter. I wouldn't be as pissed off about this if we put up a great fight each year only to be bested by a team that played better, but that's just not been the case. Against Nashville, Tampa, Boston, and now New York, we consistently killed ourselves with horribly lazy play, unbelievably stupid penalties, a defense that is far more leaky than its reputation says it should be, and an entire offensive attack that goes ice cold.

Last night getting shelled and dog walked out of our own house in Game 7 against a team we have absolutely no business getting spanked by should absolutely be a tipping point that drives some serious change to the makeup of this team going forward. What we are doing in the playoffs does not work. Playing our game in the playoffs does not work. The status quo is not working.

And yet I don't have any faith in the front office to actually address these issues that have legitimately been present for 4 years now. We'll make a few 'buy low' moves, let guys like Trocheck and Neiderriter go to chase a higher salary. We'll wait til all the top end free agents are off the board and then we'll pick up the best of the table scraps after the fact, and then we'll go into next year, play the first 3 months of the season like the playoffs start in October, burn ourselves out by March and shit ourselves in May. Wash, rinse, repeat.

Records weren't comparable at all in 2021; there was no overlap of teams or similarity of schedules at all.

This year, they got the game 7 at home they earned by winning in MSG in the last week of the season (remember, the Rangers were right on Carolina's tail for the Metro title in the last week) and **** the bed last night. But I'm not going to sit here and pretend this team was a clear step above the Rangers or Tampa or Toronto given all of those teams put up over 110 points this season. The East is a wringer this year. I agree this team isn't built strategically for a deep playoff run and that will probably need to change to get a deep run. But demanding a deep run or failure from this set of Eastern playoff teams is a bit much IMO.

 

[TomppaKoo]

I don't think team toughness is an issue. Canes played pretty physical the whole playoffs. Trouba is going to take liberties on anyone he chooses to - took Crosby out in 1st round and has given some blackouts for several top guys in the game before. No Goon is going to stop him from doing that. Canes lost because of the opponents super human goaltending and not being able score, when needed. Also missing the starting goaltender was a factor, although Raanta did play very well until Rags figured out to go top corner against him. His size is his biggest weakness. Athetically there are not many goalies in the league as good as he is.

 

[Drivebytrucker]

TDA certainly impacted this recent series, just not really in any positive way for the Canes. Guy's mouth wrote a lot of checks early in this series that he couldn't afford to pay by the end of it.

He's got a spark. It's sometimes misguided but I'll take a player like TDA over a cerebral Aho anyday

 

[DaveG]

TDA certainly impacted this recent series, just not really in any positive way for the Canes. Guy's mouth wrote a lot of checks early in this series that he couldn't afford to pay by the end of it.

best thing we could do is find a situation where he's basically our #5 next season and able to feast on mismatches. Finding a way to do that without killing our cap situation is going to take some serious doing though.

 

[Chrispy]

best thing we could do is find a situation where he's basically our #5 next season and able to feast on mismatches. Finding a way to do that without killing our cap situation is going to take some serious doing though.

I think finding someone who can pair with Slavin on the top pairing won't be that difficult. They paid Cole $2.9M, and I doubt he will be back. Bear made $2M; he's not coming back. They can find someone with a little extra money.

I think the key realization is that Slavin can handle more of the puck carrying and distribution on that pairing. Get him a more defensive partner so they can take some of the load off Skjei-Pesce. Let Slavin handle the puck a little more on that pairing. Use Smith-TDA (or someone else-TDA) as the bottom pairing and keep TDA fresh for a full 2 minute PP.

 

[hblueridgegal]

I think step 1 of the Borg plan has been achieved by making the playoffs annually, because that's where they turn a profit and keep the fan base engaged.

The question is, do they have a step 2 in the plan? Or is the plan to keep going into the playoffs and hope the stars align one year (the NCAA basketball tournament theory)? I think they should start to see this year that just going into the playoffs with the same "play hard, play fast" mentality isn't going to get past more talented teams over the course of 7 games.

I am curious how they are going to message this outcome and what they will do moving forward. They’ve talked a big game and fell a tad short on the outcome. They could face a little healthy cynicism.

I do wonder if the forgiving nature of the market has an impact on the playoffs with our players and the intensity or lack there of these past few years? There’s been so much just happy to be here sentiment and Canes games are a fun way to pass the time.

 

[Lempo]

This year, they got the game 7 at home they earned by winning in MSG in the last week of the season (remember, the Rangers were right on Carolina's tail for the Metro title in the last week) and **** the bed last night.

Maybe the prospect of getting shredded by a rested Tampa at home starting from day after tomorrow just was too much to put in the final push. The Cup was all but lost in games 3 and 4 already with the bracket situation developing as it did.

Maybe they also knew that Anderson was brought onto ice just to sell tickets.

 

[Lempo]

I am curious how they are going to message this outcome and what they will do moving forward. They’ve talked a big game and fell a tad short on the outcome. They could face a little healthy cynicism.

I do wonder if the forgiving nature of the market has an impact on the playoffs with our players and the intensity or lack there of these past few years? There’s been so much just happy to be here sentiment and Canes games are a fun way to pass the time.

Aho already started in the Finnish press saying that this puts the hate for losing into them for the next season.

Sebastian Aho murheen murtama – manasi kohtaloaan ääni väristen: ”Oli erilainen tunne” (in FIN)

 

[Blueline Bomber]

Aho already started in the Finnish press saying that this puts the hate for losing into them for the next season.

Okay, but I'm pretty sure the same thing was said last year as well. And it didn't seem to help.

 

[Lempo]

Okay, but I'm pretty sure the same thing was said last year as well. And it didn't seem to help.

Yes but this year they felt they were the best team and now they REALLY hate the losing.

 

[Svechhammer]

Okay, but I'm pretty sure the same thing was said last year as well. And it didn't seem to help.

He said this after the bubble and....

Look, at a certain point your best players have to be your best players in the playoffs, and his line was targeted and exposed this year. When Boston and New York could control matchups they couldn't march their top lines out there fast enough when Aho was on the ice. And that strategy absolutely shredded us on the road to the point of making every road game an uncompetitive loss on the scoreboard.

Aho can say whatever he wants, but until he actually fixes these issues and turns those words into action and results on the ice, they're just empty words.

 

[hblueridgegal]

Based on the coverage, it sounds like Staal was the one most devastated and tearful about it. Most of the other commentary was a repeat of what follows most losses.

 

[Lempo]

Sebastian Aho was broken by grief - his voice trembled with fate: "It was a different feeling" The season for Carolina, led by Sebastian Aho, ended in giant disappointment again. Sebastian Aho and Carolina's season ended in a losing streak. Sebastian Aho and Carolina's season ended in a losing streak. PHOTO: JARED C. TILTON / AFP Ville Touru, Raleigh 7:53 ADVERTISEMENTS (TEXT CONTINUED BELOW) THE AD CLOSES EVERYTHING was supposed to be laid out for Carolina’s place in the conference finals, but it was different. The New York Rangers, who started the second round of the playoffs as a clear underdog, showed their strength and advanced to the match with a victory of 4–3. The decisive standings ended early Tuesday morning with the Rangers ’6-2 away win. Sebastian Ahon, 24, of CAROLINA's No. 1 center, didn't have to guess after the match. After a giant disappointment, the Finnish star wandered the PNC Arena, broken by grief. - Take this in his head, Aho sighed to IS, his voice vibrating and staring at the floor. - A couple of goals the guy scored with force. We didn't make our own. There were places. I didn't think it was that bad for us. We had a business. When you give two in front of a friend, it will of course make it pretty much difficult. The RANGERS took the lead in the opening round as soon as they hit both of their strengths. Once in the lead, the guests not only extinguished the loud charm of Carolina’s home crowd but also effectively kept the hosts out of the top spots. There were enough half-finishes on the home team, but they were taken care of by the fiery Russian goalkeeper Igor Shestjorkin. ADVERTISEMENTS (TEXT CONTINUED BELOW) THE AD CLOSES - Awesome veska. After all, everyone sees that it is quite a world-class goalkeeper. You still can’t go behind it that it’s so good. We have to find the means, and we were not able to do that. - Sure enough six goals today. Sure, six goals today on their own. Yes, that's too much. The solution of the top-level match series was the superiority of Shestjork and Rangers in particular. The superior goals of the series went to the benefit of the blues 7–2. Aho was Carolina's best scorer in the series with a power of 2 + 4, but he didn't have to pass the Russian wall at the time of the decision either. Igor Shestjorkin was also a man in the Rangers goal at the time of the decision. Igor Shestjorkin was also a man in the Rangers goal at the time of the decision. PHOTO: JAMES GUILLORY / REUTERS The season of Carolina, who had been in the playoffs for FOUR years, ended bitterly again. For a couple of years now, the team has been expected to rise from good to excellent and to Stanley Cup level. This season, it played a record-breaking regular season, but in real games it was left in the barrel. ADVERTISEMENTS (TEXT CONTINUED BELOW) THE AD CLOSES Disappointed, Aho now felt the difference. - There may have been a slightly different feeling this year. Last year in the series against Tampa, it felt like everyone should have gone so completely on the button and according to our script that we would have won it. - Now there was such a feeling that there is no better team than we are. The feeling that we are ready. - Yes, but it's like that, Aho swallowed. Carolina head coach Rod Brind’Amour has taken the team to the playoffs in all four of his seasons, but there’s a run out of gas too soon. Carolina head coach Rod Brind’Amour has taken the team to the playoffs in all four of his seasons, but there’s a run out of gas too soon. PHOTO: JARED C. TILTON / AFP Larger than that, Aho did not want to or could not survive the ending. However, it is clear what was left of this in addition to the disappointment. ADVERTISEMENTS (TEXT CONTINUED BELOW) THE AD CLOSES - At least again, remember how the loss feels.
- It certainly gives you the kind of strength and anger you lose. At least you don’t want to experience this disappointment. Anger is being gathered here, Aho decided. In addition to AHON, the summer vacation began with Carolina's three other Finns, Teuvo Teräväinen, Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Antti Raanna, who were injured in the last match of the season. Raanna's injury is obviously serious, as Carolina head coach Rod Brind’Amour said after the match that the Finnish goalkeeper would not have been able to play in the conference finals even if the team had managed to get up there. A new chapter is recorded in Antti Raanna's gloomy history of injury. A new chapter is recorded in Antti Raanna's gloomy history of injury. PHOTO: JARED C. TILTON

 

[Svechhammer]

Based on the coverage, it sounds like Staal was the one most devastated and tearful about it. Most of the other commentary was a repeat of what follows most losses.

Staal is one of the very few players on the roster where you really can't say there was more for him to give by the end of the run. To not be able to capitalize on his contributions more than a 2nd round loss is pretty rough. There's no way he doesn't feel let down by his teammates today.