Since The All Star Break (Are the Canes a good team next year?)

[CandyCanes]

Okay since the All-Star Break

We have had the best power play in the NHL with a (26.8%) power play
We have had the 4th best penalty kill with a (88.2%) penalty kill
We have averaged the 3rd most shots per game at (33.1)
We have allowed the least amount of shots per game aka 1st in the NHL with only allowing (26.2)


These stats are seriously mind boggling to me. Never would of expected to have such good special teams and allow the least amount of shots per game. Do you all think this mean Peter's system is working, and we will get this kind of production starting game 1 next season? Or do you think this is the typical late season run we have every year?

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[Chan790]

Half of the first one actually.

Peter's system is legit...but we still aren't a playoff team next year.

I predict us to be a solid 10th place team in the East next year, playoff team in 2016-17.

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

Half of the first one actually.

Peter's system is legit...but we still aren't a playoff team next year.

I predict us to be a solid 10th place team in the East next year, playoff team in 2016-17.

Just curious why you think that about 16-17. I'm not disagreeing with you, nor am I agreeing, because I have no clue what the roster will look like in 16-17. With guys like E. Staal, Gerbe, Khudobin, Ward, etc...all being free agents, the Canes desperately trying to trade Semin, and our defense currently being a disaster with the loss of Sekera there is a lot of uncertainty. It's not like there are a bunch of guys in the pipeline banging on the door. Even if guys like Fleury, McKeown, McGinn or others are able to make the jump in that timeframe, they are likely to be pretty raw still.

16/17 is probably going to depend a LOT on who they draft this year in the 1st round and who they are able to acquire via UFA / Trades.

 

[Unsustainable]

We do the usual.

I don't fall for Lucy pulling the ball on Charlie.

 

[Blueline Bomber]

I do think that Peters is the best coach the team has had in a long time, but ultimately, the roster won't be up to snuff to create a playoff team. Our defense is going to be terrible next year, even with Francis realizing that it's an issue.

 

[Anton Babchuk]

1st in the east

 

[w e l o s t b o y s]

once semin takes over the reins as captain we will make the playoff

 

[Ole Gil]

The fluke with January and February is that everybody is healthy. This team has always been respectable when they are healthy. The problem is one player goes down, and everything collapses like a house of cards.

The wildcard for next year is Lindholm. The team could really benefit from him making the jump to legit top 6'r. He becomes a 60 point player, that really changes how things look offensively.

 

[A Star is Burns]

I think Peters is looking very promising at this point. I'd still prefer more changes than I think will realistically happen in the offseason, but I like a lot of the moves that Francis has made so far. It's really difficult to predict how good they'll be next season without knowing what the roster will look like though. Hard to say how creative Francis can get, what our budget will be, and how lucky we will be. If it's nothing but budget signings and having to ride out the last year of some big contracts, this could very well be our yearly mirage and there won't be a good enough team to make a potentially good coach matter.

If we keep a decent budget, Francis makes a decent low key signing or two, we luck into some good players from teams with cap troubles, we win the lottery and draft McDavid or get lucky with a Skinner type impact a little later, and find a way to dump some of our trouble players, and then guys like Semin bounce back and young players take the next step, it could be real. Obviously just getting a few of those to happen with relative health would go a long way to at least fighting for a spot.

Based on what I expect to happen in the offseason, I'd say we should consider it pretty awesome if we fight for the playoffs like a Florida or Ottawa next season, and if things fall right, sneak in. But we'll see how Francis is able to play things this offseason and that could change for better or worse.

 

[Anton Babchuk]

once semin takes over the reins as captain we will make the playoff

agreed

 

[tarheelhockey]

Next March we'll be asking the same question.

 

[the halleJOKEL]

why hasnt semin been made captain yet?

 

[Chan790]

Just curious why you think that about 16-17. I'm not disagreeing with you, nor am I agreeing, because I have no clue what the roster will look like in 16-17. With guys like E. Staal, Gerbe, Khudobin, Ward, etc...all being free agents, the Canes desperately trying to trade Semin, and our defense currently being a disaster with the loss of Sekera there is a lot of uncertainty.

I can't say that I've given it any really deep thought...I just believe that's the Canes' roadmap to contention; they can't really say they're not really trying to compete in 2015-16 but that the plan was always to build to compete from 2016-on after JR's bad contracts and retentions were off the books, the kids we already have in the NHL (Skinner, Lindholm, Murphy, Rask) mature into solid NHLers, we hopefully can resign Staal and/or Ward at a more-reasonable cap number, make better FA decisions than we did under JR, keep the better of current NHL goalies, that one of Altschuller/Nedeljkovic/acquisition can be a serviceable backup, use the cap flexibility to go out and get the role players we need to fill out the lineup and fit Peters' systems.

I don't think we're a strong playoff team in 2 years but I think we're turning the corner and will be solid enough to finish 7th/8th and with a strong-enough pipeline to continue to improve as kids like Fleury, McGinn and Nedeljkovic begin to hit their stride. (I'd rather we let them develop slow...it's not a bad thing that nobody is knocking at the door.)

I don't think we're as far off as it seems. If we can find one solid top-4 defender in FA or trade in the next 2 years and someone for the bottom pair that can play tough minutes and partner with Murphy...I think we'll be solid enough to compete for a low playoff spot and have realistic higher long-term aspirations.

 

[RodTheBawd]

The coaching staff is legit. As others have said, it all comes down to the offseason. If they think they have one last shot with this group and bring in a few pieces (including unlikely replacements for Sekera and Tlusty), we're a playoff team. If they stand pat and try to grind it out... I'll see y'all in 18-19.

 

[StormCast]

Why all the reference to BP's "system" as if it's something out of the ordinary? It's a simple, tried-and-true approach stressing responsible two-way play in all 3 zones, puck possession, a aggressive forecheck, consistent work ethic and accountability.

Perhaps it's the enforced accountability part that is makes it seem so different from recent coaches here but this is hardly a some novel scheme. In theory, it's actually quite similar to Maurice's "system."

 

[What the Faulk]

I think they'll be in the same situation they always are: a bubble team to start with a razor thin margin for error. They still need at least one defenseman, depending on how Murphy performs, and ideally another center if Lindholm doesn't cut it.

Staal // Staal // ???
Skinner // ??? // Semin
Gerbe // Rask-Nash // Nestrasil
Dwyer // McClement // Malone

??? // Faulk
Hainsey // Murphy
Liles // ???

Lindholm will obviously fill one of those ???. Nestrasil could be an option with the Staals if he can fill a Tlusty-type role, which opens up a spot on the RW for Nash. But they still need someone else. A NHL-ready draftee could be nice and cheap, but I doubt there will be much of an impact besides Eichel/McDavid. Replacing Sekera is still going to be the toughest task. No one is ready, and no one in free agency is going to be cheap.

And of course, there's still no real depth if injuries are a problem. But they're not a bad team.

 

[bluedevil58*]

No our defense is now terrible and we do not have the cap or wallet will power to bring in good d men. I would not be surprised if we're worse next season.

 

[Navin R Slavin]

Why all the reference to BP's "system" as if it's something out of the ordinary? It's a simple, tried-and-true approach stressing responsible two-way play in all 3 zones, puck possession, a aggressive forecheck, consistent work ethic and accountability.

Perhaps it's the enforced accountability part that is makes it seem so different from recent coaches here but this is hardly a some novel scheme. In theory, it's actually quite similar to Maurice's "system."

I think Peters' system *is* "enforced accountability".

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

I think defense is going to be bad for at least another year or two. Maybe it will be different under Francis, but attracting UFAs to Carolina has not been easy. I don't see the Canes breaking the bank for anyone and they'd need to break the bank to get someone decent to sign here. They'll re-sign Gleason again to a 1 year deal though. Unfortunately, I think our D will look something like this next year:

Hainsey-Faulk
Gleason-Murphy
Hillen/Liles and one of Bellemore/Jordan

Hopefully they don't bring in Fleury until he's ready.

 

[GoldiFox]

I'm hoping LA barely makes the Playoffs and then gets blown out in the first round.

Canes re-sign Sekera AND laugh all the way to the bank with the 16th OA pick. Provorov and Kylington, Canes defense is set for a decade.

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

I'm hoping LA barely makes the Playoffs and then gets blown out in the first round.

Canes re-sign Sekera AND laugh all the way to the bank with the 16th OA pick. Provorov and Kylington, Canes defense is set for a decade.

Nice fantasy, but I'll be absolutely stunned if Sekera re-signs in Carolina.

 

[My Special Purpose]

I think we're in the middle of the very first step of a long walk back to respectability. Whether we compete for a playoff spot next season or not is kinda incidental, if you ask me. Hockey is a funny game, and you never really know when a group is going to exceed expectations. But I don't think making the playoffs next season is a goal. The goal is to build some depth, develop some youngsters you can count on for a while, and gain some financial flexibility. And I think as long as that continues to be our goal, we'll eventually start making the playoffs fairly regularly.

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

^^ that's my view as well. And I hope Francis (and the ownership) has the intestinal fortitude to follow that path, even through rough times.

 

[Navin R Slavin]

Hockey is a funny game, and you never really know when a group is going to exceed expectations.

Hands up: who thought the 2011-2012 Los Angeles Kings would be Stanley Cup Champions?

 

[StormCast]

I think Peters' system *is* "enforced accountability".

Definitely a big spoke in his philosophical wheel.