Thoughts on the Carolina Hurricanes?

[tarheelhockey]

since Skinner, Staal, Rask etc. don't seem to have reached their potential that was expected when they were younger.

Staal, sure, but that statement makes little sense with respect to Skinner or Rask.

Skinner's one of not many forwards who are easy money for 30+G per season, and he's rounded out his game to silence his critics. Was anyone expecting him to be more than one of the better goal scorers in the league with adequate two-way play?

Rask... I mean he was a 2nd round pick who didn't make all that much noise in juniors. Who was expecting him to be more than a regular top-6 center at the NHL level?

I am confused.

 

[Machinehead]

They should sign Jagr

 

[Shruggs Peterson]

They're going to be a top-3 team in the Metropolitan Division.

They would have to jump at least Philly, both NY teams, and Columbus, who all beat them in the standings a year ago. That's a tall task as none of those teams got significantly weaker (Columbus got better).

Carolina will be a bubble team and will miss the playoffs by less than 5 points.

 

[Rydgar]

A team that really needs to fire their goalie coach (if they haven't more recently). The goaltending position seems to be their achilles heel for the last while.

 

[cptjeff]

A team that really needs to fire their goalie coach (if they haven't more recently). The goaltending position seems to be their achilles heel for the last while.

We did that this offseason, firing David Marcoux and hiring Mike Bales.

 

[ThePhoenixx]

Very underestimated. They might even make playoffs.



Sebastian Aho.

He does sound interesting. A real talent that could leave a mark.

Do you think someday he may have a signature move like say the Savardien spinerama? That would be cool. Then when a player pulls one off fans at the rinks can shout out, " What an Aho!"

That might catch on.

 

[Advanced stats]

Bubble team this year, best potential defense in a few years.

Agreed with the "Nashville of 5 years ago" statement.

 

[Mikeyg]

I might have to patent that nashville of 5 years saying. Great top 4? Anemic offence? Looks like the '12 preds are at it again!

 

[Zegras Zebra]

Staal, sure, but that statement makes little sense with respect to Skinner or Rask.

Skinner's one of not many forwards who are easy money for 30+G per season, and he's rounded out his game to silence his critics. Was anyone expecting him to be more than one of the better goal scorers in the league with adequate two-way play?

Rask... I mean he was a 2nd round pick who didn't make all that much noise in juniors. Who was expecting him to be more than a regular top-6 center at the NHL level?

I am confused.

Skinner won the Calder, so many expected him to progress into a star player that could lead the Hurricanes into the future, but looking at his numbers, he does tend to score around 30 goals per season, but the most points he has ever gotten in a season is 63 in his rookie season and last year which in my opinion is below expectations. I'll admit maybe I'm being a bit harsh on Victor Rask though.

 

[Big McLargehuge]

I don't think about the Hurricanes much at all...and I have a feeling that is going to change in a big way pretty quickly.

 

[Bleedred]

Not a playoff team IMO.

Outstanding D but the forwards are lacking and I'm not sure why people are expecting Darling to be a huge improvement in goal.

Because Ward has been the worst starting goaltender in the league since the last lockout, so I'd say almost anything is at least somewhat of an improvement. Perhaps Darling's play regresses a bit, with the heavier workload and more games played, as he was just a backup in Chicago. I expect him to be at least a few points into the .910's somewhere and not struggling to break .910, which Ward has been unable to do since 6 years ago.

 

[MessierII]

Their forward group still sucks so bad. Lots of work to do yet. They should take some strides this year though.

 

[Revelation]

They were supposed to be back to a playoff team 5 years ago when they sold the farm for Staal and got Semin. Every year they're considered the most underrated team in the league by all the hockey hipsters and every year they can't make the playoffs.

 

[Roboturner913]

Their forward group still sucks so bad.

They were among just a handful of teams in the league with 7 or more 40 points scorers last year, and they added Justin Williams. Skinner was #6 in the entire NHL in goals. Aho is an excellent young 2-way player who almost hit 50 points his rookie season. Staal is one of the league's elite defensive forwards, PKers and faceoff men and still manages 45-50 points a year. Lindholm had 45 points despite missing 10 games and is also a very good defender and PKer. And Rask and Teravainen are both solid young guys who are only going to get better. Kruger and Nordstrom should the basis for one of the better 4th lines in the league. There is depth and talent here throughout the lineup. They may not have a household name but they certainly don't "suck so bad".

 

[DudeWhereIsMakar]

I think they make the playoffs and are in top five for fewest goals let in. Don't think they'll be super offensive though.

 

[Stickpucker]

Remind me in some ways of Minnesota before they got Dubynk. Can Darling be a Dubynk?

 

[tarheelhockey]

Skinner won the Calder, so many expected him to progress into a star player that could lead the Hurricanes into the future, but looking at his numbers, he does tend to score around 30 goals per season, but the most points he has ever gotten in a season is 63 in his rookie season and last year which in my opinion is below expectations.

That's not unfair. I guess it's a matter of whether you're marking him from draft day or from his Calder performance. Based on draft day expectations, he's definitely turned out well. If you're measuring him from after his rookie year, injuries and a very unfavorable environment have kept him from becoming an upper tier star.

 

[Roboturner913]

and having said that, there aren't too many places a player could average 30 goals (actually 29.6 so I rounded up) per 82 games of his career and still be "under the radar."

 

[hagelin1381]

I think they have a decent shot at the postseason if they have league average goaltending

 

[belair]

They should trade for Zetterberg.

 

[Hockeyholic]

Peters will undoubtedly be fired if they miss the playoffs. Four years is more than atiquite time.

 

[Machinehead]

They should sign Jagr

 

[Surrounded By Ahos]

Peters will undoubtedly be fired if they miss the playoffs. Four years is more than atiquite time.

Well that's just not true.

They should sign Jagr

God I ****ing wish. I'd buy a Jagr jersey in a heartbeat.

 

[Headshot77]

They just need a 1C.

Trade for Zetterberg

 

[Mr Hockey]

Good young team!