GDT: Canes @ Blue Jackets 11/28 7:00

Darling needs consistency-- he's at extremes. I consider the Rangers game an anomaly in the same way we've seen other goalies in the league lay eggs. That was his egg. I still prefer Darling in net to Cward. dwind made a point that he was hired to be a starting #1. I make the point that the other elements of the team are not that much better or that consistent in play. Darling has yet to play 20 games for this team and if the guys in front of him are not improving, I can't imagine Darling will. The team as a whole needs to be a bit better in their execution. It's not enough to "be in games." We need to win games and control them. Like Darling, the guys are inconsistent and streaky.

If we're expecting a young team like this to be consistently winning games and controlling games, especially against a talented team like Columbus, I think that's a lot to ask.

As for Darling, if he was over 93% in the game, but let in a softy, you can't really say that's inconsistent and streaky. Every goalie in the league lets in goals they should have stopped. Every goalie in the league lays an egg every once in awhile. How many times did we chase Brodeur? On the other hand, he's .905 for the season which is about at the bottom for Goalies with 15 or more games. And, on the other hand do seem to be giving up a lot of odd man rushes and breakaways and otherwise golden chances.

Bottom line, we need to be better than we have been. Some of that is attainable this season with the current roster, which is a plus. Some of that is likely to require an influx of size, talent, experience/leadership into the mix - or failing that, time for the current roster and system to get bigger/stronger/more experienced.

It's hard for me to get down on most of the guys because of the fact that they're so young. We need them to be better to achieve our goal of a playoff appearance/run, but they're still kids for the most part.

I do have somewhat of an issue with the coaching. We need to be better there, ESPECIALLY because we have so much youth.

I think 27 needs to dramatically improve his game, and while I can't pin all of our defensive struggles on him, he's supposed to be a reliable, proven, steady part of our defense corp. Bringing along a bunch of kids on D is that much harder when Faulk is struggling. You OUGHT to be able to put a kid with Faulk and given the quality of the kids, not have to worry overmuch, but more often than not, the kid is the one covering for Justin. Not sure what his issue is, but it's really hurting us I think.

Darling has 18 appearances so far this season with 17 of them being full games for a 0.905 SV%.

However, if the 11/22 6-1 Rangers game debacle (0.773 SV%) is tossed, along with the 3rd period comeback relief for Cam in the 11/24 Toronto game (0.889 SV%), then he has a 0.914 SV% for the remaining 16 full games.

Similarly, if Cam's two-period nightmare in Toronto (0.750 SV%) is tossed, then he has a 0.938 SV% for his 5 complete games.

Yeah, those two games are on their still small sample record. But the potential for that tandem to deliver at or above NHL average (currently 0.911 SV%) seems to be there. And that was all we were purportedly seeking.

You guys can defend Darling all you want, but his overall body of work thus far is pedestrian and his penchant for allowing bunnies is troubling to me ... even if some of you are willing to chalk it up to "stuff happens." Bottom line ... other than his puck handling, he hasn't impressed me much. He's an upgrade from Ward in a lot of ways, but I sure hope he's got more to offer than what he's shown this far.

I'm totally with you JB. The expectation is that he is a solid #1 goalie. He might settle down as that, but he's not been that so far.

Forget the sv%, that isn't all on him, its also on our leaky defense allowing too many grade A chances. I've seen little from Darling to make me think that he isn't anything more than a typical average goalie at best. I'm really really hoping there is more coming from him, because what he has given so far is just not good enough. He was good though in this last Columbus game...he has been good at times. We need 'good' and 'sometimes spectacular' a heck of a lot more from him. He's making $4.75 million....'average and sometime good' is not getting it done.

jeffbear said:

You guys can defend Darling all you want, but his overall body of work thus far is pedestrian and his penchant for allowing bunnies is troubling to me ... even if some of you are willing to chalk it up to "stuff happens." Bottom line ... other than his puck handling, he hasn't impressed me much. He's an upgrade from Ward in a lot of ways, but I sure hope he's got more to offer than what he's shown this far.

Click to expand...

I didn't intend to defend him... He has been OK. He needs to be better. He's not our biggest problem though. I know most of us would like to see a move for a legit #1 center and an earth mover Righty for the D, but I'd be happy for a mid season marginal upgrade of Ryan's spot. He's just on the ice too much in too critical of situations for his abilities. Not putting that on him, he's just being asked to do more than he can physically do. If we could make a move for someone bigger and edgier, even of he's just third line talnet, I think it would smooth us out a bit. He has a definite skillset, but we need more beef and sand in general and he lacks in that area and we don't make up for it elsewhere. Maybe a move with a western team that has extra size and could benefit from his skills?

cmon3 said:

I didn't intend to defend him... He has been OK. He needs to be better. He's not our biggest problem though. I know most of us would like to see a move for a legit #1 center and an earth mover Righty for the D, but I'd be happy for a mid season marginal upgrade of Ryan's spot. He's just on the ice too much in too critical of situations for his abilities. Not putting that on him, he's just being asked to do more than he can physically do. If we could make a move for someone bigger and edgier, even of he's just third line talnet, I think it would smooth us out a bit. He has a definite skillset, but we need more beef and sand in general and he lacks in that area and we don't make up for it elsewhere. Maybe a move with a western team that has extra size and could benefit from his skills?

Click to expand...

At some point Francis is going to have to wake up and smell the coffee when it comes to the ample amount of size in Charlotte that deserves a look over the likes of Ryan, Jooris, etc...

Roy, Gauthier, Zykov, Foegele...there is more than enough size and big bodies down in Charlotte that at the very least deserve a look and would certainly bring some size and sand to the forward lines.

CanadaCanes said:

At some point Francis is going to have to wake up and smell the coffee when it comes to the ample amount of size in Charlotte that deserves a look over the likes of Ryan, Jooris, etc...

Roy, Gauthier, Zykov, Foegele...there is more than enough size and big bodies down in Charlotte that at the very least deserve a look and would certainly bring some size and sand to the forward lines.

Click to expand...

Ryan yes, Jooris no. We've been down the "plug a top line Charlotte player on the 4th line and watch him fail" route. All the guys you mention need to be playing top 9 minutes in the NHL or they're better off in Charlotte. And Roy, Gauthier and Foegele are first year pros. Zykov is just back from injury, but I can see him being the next wing up from Charlotte. He's tied for 7th in goals and tied for 2nd in PPG in the AHL. He's also -9, 2nd worst on the team.

Gauthier hasn't exactly lit it up down in the minors so far (3 points in 15 games). He's going to be a work in progress for at least a few years I think. Roy appears to be more seasoned and maybe can push for a spot in camp next season. Wallmark is probably going to need an NHL spot first I think though. Ryan really should already be a goner, but its going to be pretty pathetic if he is holding on to a top 9 spot next season while Wallmark, Zykov, Saarela, Roy and the rest of the crew all remain in the minors.

As long as there are no top 9 spots available, the only forward callups we will see for now are the Patrick Brown and PDG types for an extra body. Kuokkanen has 11 points in 12 games down in the minors. Wallmark has been hurt (15 points in 12 games).

I'd be perfectly content to have Wallmark on the big club as soon as he's healthy, taking Ryan's spot at center with Ryan shifting to healthy extra/gap plugger mode. He was absolutely comfortable with the NHL game during his stint late last season. What he needs to more NHL exposure so his game can grow, not to keep learning the same lessons in the A.

But, alas. That's been an issue here for as long as I can remember. If a prospect doesn't absolutely storm the gates in camp, the Canes have always been VERY shy to bring them up during the season for reasons other than injury fill-in duty. Frankly, I'm not sure what more we want Zykov to learn in the minors either.

Ryan, Stempniak and Jooris are UFAs after the season. Maybe RF re-signs Jooris, but the other 2 should be cut loose. But who else from the top 9 gets cut loose to free up a spot?

andyt said:

Ryan, Stempniak and Jooris are UFAs after the season. Maybe RF re-signs Jooris, but the other 2 should be cut loose. But who else from the top 9 gets cut loose to free up a spot?

Click to expand...

Player to be named in future trade...*cough*VictorRask*cough* :sarcasm

Elsker said:

Player to be named in future trade...*cough*VictorRask*cough* :sarcasm

Click to expand...

Rask is an obvious "man out" candidate. Frankly, Lindholm could be trade bait at any moment and it wouldn't surprise me. He's ... fine. Same as Victor, but Lindy is "on" more regularly. Still doesn't produce much.

Dang, you're right.