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2026-27 Canes Miscellaneous Thread

Exit plan-wise, I'll probably just stay where I am until I no longer have the patience to deal with being at the arena for games. I've moved to the cheapest lower bowl option already, and at this point the only way I'd move is to the 200 level to get away from the herd a bit. But sooner or later I'll get like I am for State football ... fed up with the hassle of getting in and out and of the other people's nonsense. I only go to State games to keep my Dad out of trouble. Once he's done, I'll happily watch on TV. Eventually, I'll get there with the Canes as well.
 
Back to hockey ...

I'm finding the goalie play pretty encouraging so far. Both Kochetkov and Bussi are bubbling around break even in combined saves above expected goals against. Bussi has the only stinker (Washington, Game 2) bot otherwise both of them have been pretty good. Considering what they collectively cost in salary ... VERY good. I'm still not convinced that going through the whole season is going to magically turn either of them into something they're not, and I'm also still not convinced that going into the playoffs and filliping a coin is the best way to go either.

Whether or not NY is a viable destination for Hellebuyck (it isn't), having Shesterkin out so soon DOES jack up the prices in the goalie market. Not convinced that Carolina is ever going to get in that sweepstakes in a real way, so I am left wondering if there's another play to be made. Looking around at the early dead enders in the standings, you do wonder if Chicago (Knight), Detroit (Gibson on an expiring deal) or Vancouver (Demko now looking likely to be back) might cash in on the market. Detroit would probably be a deadline play since their GM might still have pretensions of getting their course corrected, but the other two seem kinda likely to be available to me ... especially should somebody be able to offer an NHL keeper going the other way.
 
jeffbear said:
Back to hockey ...

I'm finding the goalie play pretty encouraging so far. Both Kochetkov and Bussi are bubbling around break even in combined saves above expected goals against. Bussi has the only stinker (Washington, Game 2) bot otherwise both of them have been pretty good. Considering what they collectively cost in salary ... VERY good. I'm still not convinced that going through the whole season is going to magically turn either of them into something they're not, and I'm also still not convinced that going into the playoffs and filliping a coin is the best way to go either.

Whether or not NY is a viable destination for Hellebuyck (it isn't), having Shesterkin out so soon DOES jack up the prices in the goalie market. Not convinced that Carolina is ever going to get in that sweepstakes in a real way, so I am left wondering if there's another play to be made. Looking around at the early dead enders in the standings, you do wonder if Chicago (Knight), Detroit (Gibson on an expiring deal) or Vancouver (Demko now looking likely to be back) might cash in on the market. Detroit would probably be a deadline play since their GM might still have pretensions of getting their course corrected, but the other two seem kinda likely to be available to me ... especially should somebody be able to offer an NHL keeper going the other way.
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I don't think any of those 3 you listed are an upgrade
 
Demko was a Vezina finalist, so it's hard to say he wouldn't be an upgrade if and when he's healthy. But heck, half of the Canes fans I've talked to aren't sure that Hellebuyck is an upgrade.
 
Fayettenamcanesfan said:
I don't think any of those 3 you listed are an upgrade
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I tend to agree. I think I lean toward trusting the brain trust that’s been making the decisions. They don’t make many bad ones.

I also don’t want a guy holding out on a contract even though he might be an upgrade. I’d rather keep our options open and see what develops.
 
jeffbear said:
Demko was a Vezina finalist, so it's hard to say he wouldn't be an upgrade if and when he's healthy. But heck, half of the Canes fans I've talked to aren't sure that Hellebuyck is an upgrade.
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If and when…. And if he gets back to that form. Goalies are odd ducks. Seems like put your eggs in the strong defense in front of a reasonably good tender. You can find a fair number of them.

HellEbuyck is an upgrade probably, but he’s a ton more money and he’d cost us assets.

and he’s not exactly a team guy. Do we want guys like that on the team that would hold out? Heck Nikishin doesn’t even have a contract in place and we don’t want him because of a similar attitude.
 
jeffbear said:
Demko was a Vezina finalist, so it's hard to say he wouldn't be an upgrade if and when he's healthy. But heck, half of the Canes fans I've talked to aren't sure that Hellebuyck is an upgrade.
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He's been hurt A LOT....like Fred Anderson A LOT...... and he's not getting any younger....he's an upgrade for the booth extra position I guess
 
jeffbear said:
Yeah ... one day I'll learn not to talk goalies on the board. Today wasn't that day.
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We’re not all supposed to agree about everything. Sometime you guys are wrong about things😁

I hear you. I think Hellebyke is better than either of ours. But is he worth the difference better?

CH $8.5 per until 2031 when he will be 38.

PK is 3.9 per for 2 years
BB 1.9 per for 3 years

Plus to get CH would cost us something like
Nikishin
Bussi
Nadeau
1st rounder
Maybe more than that

And he’s proven to be something less than a team player.

Are we better with him and whatever his attitude is and without all of the above that we’d give to get him, and the reduced roster flexibility and agility we’d have? Maybe, maybe not. How much better is he than what we have?
 
I think Hellebuyck hasn't helped himself, in the same way guys like Edvinsson, Larkin and Nikishin haven't helped themselves. Someone would still overpay and grab them up, but many teams may turn their cheek to guys who are obviously "me first" or clearly more concerned about paychecks than winning. You have to types of player, one who wants to be the highest paid, and is more concerned about adding zeros to his salary, and one who wants to win, knowing he will retire a multimillionaire either way. As a GM, I'd be wary of guys who only chase big paydays.
 
Fayettenamcanesfan said:
Or just be ok when people don’t agree 🤷‍♂️

We can agree that the market for a top goalie is very limited so unless it’s a clear cut upgrade they should stick with the goalie you know
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Oh ... it's not that I disagree with most of you about goalies. I'm 100% fine with being the only person with any particular opinion. It's just that I don't enjoy goalie conversations for a variety of reasons that I'd rather not get into. I forget that sometimes.
 
perfectstormhits said:
Gave up my full season tickets in section 102 after the 08 season because I had to save for my son's college education.

He graduated Magna Cum Laude in '24 with an engineering degree without any college debt.
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I gave up my 128H8 seat next to T and Reaper in 2013, partly for that same reason.

When my daughter walked in 2025 (NCSU structrual engineer) she was near the head of the line w/ things on her robe. WTF??? Damned if she wasn't one of the 6 valedictorians and the only girl, to boot. I knew she had a 4.0, but the valedictorian part just never crossed my mind.

And thank heavens for scholarships! Plus, as a School of the Arts high school grad, the State of NC paid all tuition. That sort of made up for all the lost sleep.

I'm sooooooooo glad her academic apple got up and ran like hell from my academic tree!
 
I had sec. 109 row F seat 2 for 13 years beside a great friend who I turned on to hockey. We had 5th row seats in Dorton Arena for the Raleigh IceCaps. The reason I had to bail on my seats was the bright lights and loud p.a. system triggered too many migraines. I never used to leave games early, but was forced to start doing that from sensory overload. Sometimes it would trigger a 3 day migraine attack that would wreck me. I have to wear a ball cap and earplugs to attend a concert for the same reason. It sucks, but it was the hand I was dealt.

*side note* We also had great seats in Greensboro (if you didn't, you weren't paying attention) that I found superior to the ESA, Lenovo, whatever you want to call it. We tried out front row balcony in Greensboro for one game just for the hell of it and they were much closer to the ice than even the club level in Raleigh.

Jim
 
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