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2017-18 Miscellaneous Canes News Thread

I keep waiting to see improvement in the on ice product and the promised re-build. I guess progress is incremental-- we're a .500 team for the month of October and that's been one of our better starts, I think. But this idea that Derek Ryan is better than any player in Charlotte is perplexing.
 
I keep waiting to see improvement in the on ice product and the promised re-build. I guess progress is incremental-- we're a .500 team for the month of October and that's been one of our better starts, I think. But this idea that Derek Ryan is better than any player in Charlotte is perplexing.

What's also perplexing is how Peters continues to march out Derek Ryan on the power play...the guy is a fringe NHL player that should not be in anyone's top 9 period. The Canes gave him a very nice raise and somehow thought he was going to suddenly become a 50 point player...wrong and wrong. Skinner has some crazy stat that he has the second most goals in the entire NHL going back to the last 20 games of last year and the first ten of this year and what is he rewarded with...Derek Ryan as his center man...STFU!
 
I said it before, a bit harsh round these parts. Ryan would be a good winger option on a line that has size and grit. An offset. He does have decent talent - but gets pushed off the puck to easily. Absolutely no business playing center position.

Peters has his own 'ticks' evidently. I find he's a better coach that Maurice was, but marginally? We see our youth looked at a little more than back in the Maurice/JR days, not sure if that's more on RF or otherwise though. We used to have 5-6 players handily overslotted, compared to now having 2-3. There's improvement, as stated, but marginally. The other thing is, I don't think all the changes are worth it. My 4th line would be Nordstrom, Kruger and McGinn or Jooris. That is an excellent line in itself. That being said, can you honestly see a fit for Ryan that works and is not a 'reach' on any of the three other lines? Square in a round hole? So he's useless to us cause he can't nail down the wing usefully with the combinations we have (putting him with Skinner and Kuakkanen? Skinner is your beast physical player out of those 3. Right. Something wrong there. At least put Staal on the 3rd line with Ryan and let them do their non magic together.) nor the center position. You can't blame the guy. But everywhere else, the options ARE better.

Honestly, I would much prefer having a guy with size AND talent, even if albeit still a little raw - playing on that 3rd line. Like Julian Gauthier. I know he has somewhat underwhelmed thus far this season, but a young player with size and good hands who wont necessarily get pushed off the puck so easily? And that's inferior, even with the risk rush - to playing Ryan?Who give us...????
I mean, that could be tried easily. But no. They call up Patrick Brown. Yay. I guess Julian hasn't played well enough. You know its nice to sometimes give a kid a chance, promote his confidence. THIS, right NOW, would be a good time to try something like that. NOT when it don't count anymore. That kinda mentality has NEVER changed with this org. Wouldn't hurt to try. At all.
Instead... at the end of the day... not much change.

Look at other teams around the NHL who will try out players more readily than we have. We've actually improved, still... right now I see an opportunity for some guys in the AHL to get quality time playing with us, to take hold of a good opportunity - but wasted because of Ryan, Stempniak or too many McGinn's/Jooris...

Makes the fact that the rest of the lines are not quite consistent even more madenning. With their own issues. Like that of Staal.

rant over
 
Derek Ryan is a decent 13th forward. His rightful position should be in the press box, filling in for short term injuries only, maybe playing 20 - 30 games per season.

To have him as a top 3 center and a regular on one of our PP units is really difficult to understand and excuse. He's not good at anything but faceoffs. He is not a great passer, He is not a great scorer. He's not an outstanding defender. He is quick but so is most everyone else in the league.

I'm weary of the calls for Gauthier and Roy or even Foegele....these guys are just getting their feet wet as pros. But Zykov? Or Wallmark? What exactly are we waiting for? For Ryan to only have 10 points and be -10 by the end of the calendar year? How about actually trying to do SOMETHING to spur our offense before we play ourselves right out the playoffs again by the end of November?

This isn't some kid who is only going to get better through more playing time. This isn't some guy with some tremendous skill that if unleashed will be a revelation for the Canes. Derek Ryan is not going to get any better than he is now. He's not very good. Enough already, get the guy out of the top 9 NOW and lets see what Wallmark can do in that spot. If Wallmark proves to not be ready and there really is no other option that we have courage to try, then fine, stick Ryan back in there and allow him to continue to be below average.

Things are not going to get much better if/when Stempniak is back. He's going right on that line with Ryan and Skinner.
 
Yeah, it's "early", but 10 more games and we'll be Twenty Games In , where we were batting 0.500 last season, just like we are now. And you know how that turned out.

Sure, win the next two or three "winnable" games and we all will feel better, including team, coach, and GM. 7-4-2 would look pretty good after 13 games. Solid wild card material and flirting with a top 3 spot since we hold games in hand on everyone in the division but the Devils. That would be the second-in-the-division Devils, by the way, with 16 after 10. So, hey, apparently anything can happen.

Half-full version: Aho, still the bearer of the team's dead monkey paw, has yet to catch fire, as he did last season after a cold start. Doing all the right things. He will trend to the normal. The Swedes awake as the temps drop. Whole team dodges a bullet with the tough schedule and rocky start with enough points to be in striking distance with several other division teams also struggling. Team gels, gains individual and group confidence. Begins to run teams down as Checkers continue to dominate and depth becomes just that. We do make the playoffs and gain fresh new enemies there. Good times.

Half-empty version: "Old Men" Faulk and Skinner are just 25 and still don't quite get it. Rest are still in their wilding years and are just having fun. No killer instinct. Francis quietly plugged some holes this off-season (TY for Kruger), but we just don't have the horses. Another season just out of the playoffs. Groundhog Day.

I don't know what to think just yet. Ask me after 10 more games.
 
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I understand the Brown call up because we've been getting the crap beat out of us physically. Maybe he's just here for two more Western teams then we bring in talent for whatever comes next. Now that would be the right way for call ups, bringing in your bangers when you need to and then bring in your skill when you need to. I wonder if this is really what's going on though. Edited to add..Maybe just need someone to ride in the press box.
 
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Stempniak practiced without the yellow jersey today so that will be the boost the lineup needs. :rolleyes


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McKeown announcement (w/background info)

Not mentioned is that he was named captain of his major junior team (Kingston Frontenacs) his last two seasons there.


EDIT: Also included in that article, a reminder that the Sekera 2015 deadline trade to the Kings yielded not only McKeown (2014 2nd round 50th overall), but Gauthier via the 2016 1st round (21st overall) pick that accompanied him.
 
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menage à trois Canes send Faulk and a pick or prospect to Avalanche who send Duchene and a pick to the Predators who in turn send us Ryan Johansen. Maybe just that (with no pick).
 
AND make a move for Tavares. He's not playing another season in Long Island after this one. As with many, I think he'd make a terrific addition to our team. High end talent aside, his skillset would likely link up a lot of pieces on this roster.

At this point I am ready to move anybody not named: Skinner, Aho, Lindholm, Slavin, Pesce, Hanifin, Fleury and Darling. Oh and Derek Ryan. Cause no matter what - that guys gonna be playing somewhere on the roster so long as Peters is at the mast. No point in saying he's gonna be traded. He won't. He's a lifer. Officially taken the Chad LaRose cloak of all effort and no results, straw weight style. Back on track, you'd think you might be able to get something from the likes of:

- J. Staal
- Turbo
- Rask
- Faulk

Edmonton is going to have the face the reality of having so much bottled up in McDonna, Drisletoe, Nugget-Hoppskotch and Milan Punic. Annulax Batteries? Harbulary Batteries? But they need some talent on the wing. And still could use some defense. Greedy lot need to make us an offer of Drisletoe for Faulk, Turbo and Derek Ryan. Just kidding. Derek ain't going nowhere as stated. But Faulk and Turbo, a pick say for Drisletoe?

BREAKING NEWS, OILERS CANE PULL OFF BLOCKBUSTER OF THE AGES!!!: Canes send Oilers Faulk, Staal and Terravainen to the Oilers for Drisletoe and Puljurjarvi coming back...
I. WOULD. BE. DOWN. WITH. THAT.
Is that a bad deal? Would that be a good things for the Oilers? I mean, their D is still iffy albeit marginally better since they got Larsson.
Down the middle? Well they got a lot of depth locked in with McDonna, Drisletoe, Nugget-Hoppskotch, Stroom and LeTesticle. Swap out Drisletoe for J. Staal. That's not a bad lineup if Staal plays 3rd line and Hoppskotch man buys some confidence playing as a 2nd line center.
Of course Skinner would probably make this a real conversation with the Oilers, at least any start of a conversation would have to include him for the Oilers - but that's not happening.
 
AND make a move for Tavares. He's not playing another season in Long Island after this one. As with many, I think he'd make a terrific addition to our team. High end talent aside, his skillset would likely link up a lot of pieces on this roster.

At this point I am ready to move anybody not named: Skinner, Aho, Lindholm, Slavin, Pesce, Hanifin, Fleury and Darling. Oh and Derek Ryan. Cause no matter what - that guys gonna be playing somewhere on the roster so long as Peters is at the mast. No point in saying he's gonna be traded. He won't. He's a lifer. Officially taken the Chad LaRose cloak of all effort and no results, straw weight style. Back on track, you'd think you might be able to get something from the likes of:

- J. Staal
- Turbo
- Rask
- Faulk

Edmonton is going to have the face the reality of having so much bottled up in McDonna, Drisletoe, Nugget-Hoppskotch and Milan Punic. Annulax Batteries? Harbulary Batteries? But they need some talent on the wing. And still could use some defense. Greedy lot need to make us an offer of Drisletoe for Faulk, Turbo and Derek Ryan. Just kidding. Derek ain't going nowhere as stated. But Faulk and Turbo, a pick say for Drisletoe?

BREAKING NEWS, OILERS CANE PULL OFF BLOCKBUSTER OF THE AGES!!!: Canes send Oilers Faulk, Staal and Terravainen to the Oilers for Drisletoe and Puljurjarvi coming back...
I. WOULD. BE. DOWN. WITH. THAT.
Is that a bad deal? Would that be a good things for the Oilers? I mean, their D is still iffy albeit marginally better since they got Larsson.
Down the middle? Well they got a lot of depth locked in with McDonna, Drisletoe, Nugget-Hoppskotch, Stroom and LeTesticle. Swap out Drisletoe for J. Staal. That's not a bad lineup if Staal plays 3rd line and Hoppskotch man buys some confidence playing as a 2nd line center.
Of course Skinner would probably make this a real conversation with the Oilers, at least any start of a conversation would have to include him for the Oilers - but that's not happening.

James, I admire your persistence for Draisaitl and he sure would look great in Canes red but he is exactly the type of big, young center around the league that everyone craves, which I think is why the Oilers would never move him. I personally think it's going to take a package of Faulk or Hanafin along with Rask and a high pick or high end prospect to land a top center...but the million dollar question always becomes "what high end, established center really ever become available that often and why on earth would an established center with trade rights in his contract ever really want to come here"?
 
Brown and McKeown still at practice this morning. Stempniak skating in a regular sweater, Pesce is in yellow.
 
Canes defensive depth was being discussed on XM just now and they mentioned rumblings that Hanifin wasn't Interested in signing a long term deal and might be an obvious trade target.
 
Well then, if there is any truth to that and he somehow thinks he is too good to play here, then by all means send Hanifin packing when the right offer comes along. I'm not convinced that is true, I think its more likely that his agent has convinced him that a big season will give him a big payday. Ronnie probably didn't want to do a long term big money deal because Hanifin hasn't been all that good so far. We will know lot more after this season is over (OR earlier if none of this is true and Hanifin signs an extension).
 
Yeah, can't see Hanifn getting anywhere near a big pay day with what he's bringing. Could be a case of making the big club too soon. Once again Canes over slotting someone.
 
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