Who is your favorite Cane?

[HisIceness]

I liked legendary Hurricanes forward Brad Fast. 1 game 1 goal.

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

I dunno. It might even out in the end. Its true that he did put up more points in the top 6, but I'd say his career was shortened by the decision to put him there. He was a very effective 3rd/4th liner, and probably could have remained as such for years longer than his Top 6 stint

Instead, he was put into a role he wasn't suited for, which projected him as a less effective player, and ultimately caused them to not renew his contract, which led to his departure from the league.

He'd have been lucky to be in the NHL 8 years as a 3rd/4th liner. Those guys get replaced easily and often with cheaper and younger talent. Getting put in the top 6, scoring goals and getting a big salary did more to keep him in the NHL than anything. He was 31 years old when he walked away from the game. Not many guys like him stick around that long in a 4th line role.

 

[Novacane]

I was a big fan of Scott Walker, no lie. Also Eric Staal and Brindy. But let’s not forget Jakub Nakladal

 

[Cane mutiny]

I liked legendary Hurricanes forward Brad Fast. 1 game 1 goal.

He injured his shoulder celebrating that goal, if I remember correctly, lol. He was a Staal cousin, I believe. Yes?

 

[Wolfpuck]

No love for Brett Carson?

 

[Cane mutiny]

I picked Jamie Storr, for those who remember, because he used to sit on the bench with his goalie mask on for the entire game, so he wouldn't get hit in the head with the puck. We laughed at the thought of it driving JR crazy. He was only here a very short time.

 

[DougieSmash]

Justin Williams, Rod Brind'amour, Jordan Staal, Cam Ward and Teuvo Teravainen.

 

[cptjeff]

He'd have been lucky to be in the NHL 8 years as a 3rd/4th liner. Those guys get replaced easily and often with cheaper and younger talent. Getting put in the top 6, scoring goals and getting a big salary did more to keep him in the NHL than anything. He was 31 years old when he walked away from the game. Not many guys like him stick around that long in a 4th line role.

Not all of them. If you're good at your role and have facets to your game that allow you to remain effective if you lose a step, and LaRose definitely did, you can stay around as a 4th liner for a very long time. Look at a guy like Craig Adams. 14 years in the NHL, all of it on the 4th line. LaRose easily could have been an NHLer longer than he was, but his emotional burnout probably had more to do with his career ending early than being overslotted. Glad he's in a better place now, even if he couldn't pull off the comeback.

But yeah, this team needs a guy like LaRose now. I occasionally talk about players who can drive play, who can take their own energy up a notch and help their team take control of a game where everyone has fallen into a bit of an energy rut. A lot of the time it's in the context of skill guys, the difference between a Brind'Amour and a Staal. LaRose never had the hands, but he always had that. Each and every shift he'd insert energy into the game and pick the team up. He'd hit, rough guys after the whistle or along the boards, he'd trash talk, and he'd never stop skating. If your team has guys like that you don't have the late game collapses we so often had this season, and you find ways to do things late when you're trailing instead. I also really loved Nathan Gerbe for similar reasons, and Ruutu was popular because he did that AND had real skill. Scott Walker, too. Scott Walker and Chad LaRose on a line was always a way to get the Canes back into a game emotionally, and it's been too long since we had that dynamic.

One more edit, because why not: That dynamic was also the biggest change in Skinner between last season and this season, too. Last season, Skinner was that guy. Never gave up, routinely created something from nothing, would hop off the bench and take over a game. This season, he was checked out, and never had that drive.

 

[The Faulker 27]

Aho is my new favorite. Stormy, a close second.

 

[Surrounded By Ahos]

I was a big fan of Scott Walker, no lie

Scott Walker was a god among men. Him KTFOing Ward in 09 was epic. After he left the Canes never really have had a guy who is such a pain in the ass to play against. I’m hoping McGinn can be that guy.

One more edit, because why not: That dynamic was also the biggest change in Skinner between last season and this season, too. Last season, Skinner was that guy. Never gave up, routinely created something from nothing, would hop off the bench and take over a game. This season, he was checked out, and never had that drive.

Yep. It was so frustrating to watch. It’s not like him trying to dipsy doodle around one on three is a new thing, he just gave up sooooo easily this season. In the past he would go after pucks like a demon and cause turnovers, even after giving the puck up himself.

 

[Cane mutiny]

BP also used a fav move of his...down by one he pulled his goalie with 3 min left and allowed 2 goals. Yeah, Bill

 

[The Faulker 27]

BP also used a fav move of his...down by one he pulled his goalie with 3 min left and allowed 2 goals. Yeah, Bill

He wants a cool nickname like Riverboat Ron.

 

[WhiteTrashAmerican]

Serious ones: Irbe, Brind A'Mour, Samsonov(ferreal), Babchuk, Pitkanen, Jokinen

 

[sheriff bart]

What's not to love about Scott Walker?

I really like gritty, pesky, bottom 6 LaRose. Anything above that on a regular basis is overslotted.

Pitkanen doesn't get enough love. The game was changing to fit his skills right when he got hurt.

Gleason is one of my favorites, but he wasn't fast enough for the direction the game went.

Brindy, Francis, Williams, and Whitney need no further explanation.

Currently Aho of course.

Can I pick an actual favorite? Nope

 

[tarheelhockey]

Slavin’s getting there fast for me. He’s a genuinely good person who plays the game right. Obvious future captain material, never takes a game off, and is probably our best overall defenseman for the next decade.

I find myself thinking “damn were we ever lucky to draft this guy” on a pretty regular basis.

 

[2Minutes4Surging]

Stu Grimson.

 

[Kaljis]

Jokinen and EStaal

 

[sheriff bart]

Jokinen and EStaal

Jussi was criminally misused as a checking line center at the end of his run with the Canes. He was better on the wing in more of a scoring role.

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

Not all of them. If you're good at your role and have facets to your game that allow you to remain effective if you lose a step, and LaRose definitely did, you can stay around as a 4th liner for a very long time. Look at a guy like Craig Adams. 14 years in the NHL, all of it on the 4th line. LaRose easily could have been an NHLer longer than he was, but his emotional burnout probably had more to do with his career ending early than being overslotted. Glad he's in a better place now, even if he couldn't pull off the comeback.

Yeah, that's true there are some that carve out a role like that, but Adams is more of the exception than the rule. 8 years for a small, undrafted guy that wasn't particularly fast, had some skill but wasn't overly skilled, and got by on effort is a damn good career by any measure. Adams was even less skilled, but much more physical in that role, but I get your point about potential burn-out. Maybe a better comparison for me is Pat Dwyer, who was faster than LaRose, better defensively than LaRose, about the same size as LaRose, but not as skilled offensively as LaRose. He tried to carve out that 3rd/4th line role, was never really slotted much over his head yet was easily replaced and had a much shorter NHL career. Like I said, LaRose was 31 when he stepped away. Maybe he could have held on for another year or two, but not much more.

But yeah, this team needs a guy like LaRose now. I occasionally talk about players who can drive play, who can take their own energy up a notch and help their team take control of a game where everyone has fallen into a bit of an energy rut.

I think Mcginn has the potential to be that type of guy. He plays with an edge, likes to hit, and had 16 goals (and probably a dozen posts) in his first full season this year. I think as he becomes more mature and confident, more of that might come out. Aho has such a desire to win that I can see dragging the team along. Other than that though, the rest of the guys (Staal, Lindholm, TT, Slavin, Pesce etc..) don't seem to be that type, at least I haven't seen it. EDIT: Small sample size, but Foegele seems like another guy that might become that.

One more edit, because why not: That dynamic was also the biggest change in Skinner between last season and this season, too. Last season, Skinner was that guy. Never gave up, routinely created something from nothing, would hop off the bench and take over a game. This season, he was checked out, and never had that drive.

If what Forslund said is true, it sounds like that Peters had lost the team and they were mentally drained.

 

[My Special Purpose]

BP also used a fav move of his...down by one he pulled his goalie with 3 min left and allowed 2 goals. Yeah, Bill

Absolutely incapable of acknowledging something doesn't work despite a mountain of evidence. Just keep being you, Bill.

 

[tarheelhockey]

Absolutely incapable of acknowledging something doesn't work despite a mountain of evidence. Just keep being you, Bill.

I thought the numbers supported early goalie pulls?

 

[Unsustainable]

All time, Ray Whitney

Current, Aho (who is likely to become my all time)

 

[Joe McGrath]

I thought the numbers supported early goalie pulls?

Do they when you’re the Canes and you only have maybe 3 players who might score a goal?

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

Do they when you’re the Canes and you only have maybe 3 players who might score a goal?

Very True. On the flipside, the chances of our goalies stopping a goal isn't much better either.

 

[tarheelhockey]

Do they when you’re the Canes and you only have maybe 3 players who might score a goal?

I don’t know if there are nuances to the numbers. All I know is there was a prevailing theory in recent years that pulling the goalie at 3 minutes was better than waiting.