GDT: Canes @ Sharks 12/5 10:30

It's on repeat, isn't it? All the optimism of a new owner, new management, new coach, scuttling of some weighty pieces and yet, here we are again. A team that still doesn't have the pieces it needs, trying to do things on the cheap (over slotting players, filling in with AHLers and rushing some rookies) and now, to distract, we're looking to the league to give us a bone in the form of an outdoor game versus truly focusing on the on ice product. I know it's a a process, but Dubdon's timelime and my timeline are different...he's a newby and I've been here since 2003.

I am also wondering if Aho is dinged up. JB commented a few games back about him not being able to get anything on a one-timer and the last few games, he is losing the puck really easily on the boards with no zip in passes or shots.

Is Jack Hughes becoming another dream for us?

Aho is fine at center, but if you slot Tuevo with him (and there's really noplace else that works for Teuvo as we're constructed) then you need someone with size with them, which limits our options to less than stellar offensive talent. They need someone that can make room and finish, and if it's going to be your only offensive line, then they need to be big and dangerous physically and offensively.

Nothing new to see with our roster issues. If we don't have any legitimate offensively talented centers, you can't make offense work. If on the other hand, you had a legit offensively capable 2C, you can overslot him as a 1C. Our problem is we're overslotting centers into the 1C and 2C roles and also putting one of them in the wrong role (11).

Fix the Center issue and our roster looks a lot better than it does now. Had we fixed the center issue before last season, Peters would probably still be here and so would Lindholm and Skinner and Hanifan and we'd have likely made the playoffs last season even with the goalie situation.

SlapShots said:

It's on repeat, isn't it? All the optimism of a new owner, new management, new coach, scuttling of some weighty pieces and yet, here we are again. A team that still doesn't have the pieces it needs, trying to do things on the cheap (over slotting players, filling in with AHLers and rushing some rookies) and now, to distract, we're looking to the league to give us a bone in the form of an outdoor game versus truly focusing on the on ice product. I know it's a a process, but Dubdon's timelime and my timeline are different...he's a newby and I've been here since 2003.

Click to expand...

I don't think they're trying to do anything on the cheap so much as they're trying to fix a problem they don't know how to fix. We need 1 or 2 offensive centers. We don't really have a ton of depth that's tempting anyone to give us one, and the fact that our guys are failing here (Skinner, Lindy, Hanifan) means that we're selling talent low. Had Skinner produced last year here like he is this season, we might have been able to get more for him than we did. It doesn't make sense to spend money on something that's not the solution.

Here's the thing that really rubs me the wrong way of late with this org...so last year a guy like Zykov was firmly parked in the AHL for his development, the guy scored a ton of goals in the AHL (led the league), he scored a lot of power play goals, he was a big body with a net front presence, they let him develop all year there! He gets his one way contract he earned, he gets all of 13 games this year with the Canes, of those 13, maybe 2/3 of those he is limited in ice time and opportunity, he gets waived. So I read some of the comments about he had his chance, he cannot defend, he's nothing special, etc. But here's the thing, for a team that struggles so much to score goals, for a team that has a shit power play, for a team with offensive defensemen like Hamilton and Faulk that take a lot of shots with rebounds available...a guy like Zykov deserved a helluva lot more than 13 games to show what he could do here.

Another example, PDG, more chances than brains to do something with the Canes, useless for the most part, might have a few good shifts over a 10 game span, pretty much an AHL lifer with no upside, yet he plays and sticks over Zykov and he also stays up with the big club yet a handful of Checkers with far more offensive upside like Janne K deserve a chance now. This is not about development at this point, it's about doing something different with the offense to generate something, anything...It's like nails on a chalkboard listening to Brindy's comments on scoring...he pretty much sums it all up by saying you cannot teach goal scoring and we have had as many chances as anyone in the league every game and simply cannot finish. Well, no shit Sherlock, trot out the likes of Bishop, PDG, Rask, McGinn, etc every game and no one is shocked you cannot score goals.

Didn't watch this game and I'm glad to have missed it. So many of our players are underperforming - even if you accept (as I do) that we don't have the greatest amount of talent to begin with. That early start to the season seems like light years ago. We're quickly finding ourselves back at the lower level of the food chain where we seem to be most comfortable.

Captain Obvious stating the reality that it's pretty clear that Lindholm and Skinner's production issues were not them...they were who is around them. It is early in Svechs career, but it sure looks like a similar path.

Until we fix the center and make Jordan a 3rd liner....the cycle will continue....

cmon3 said:

I don't think they're trying to do anything on the cheap so much as they're trying to fix a problem they don't know how to fix. We need 1 or 2 offensive centers. We don't really have a ton of depth that's tempting anyone to give us one, and the fact that our guys are failing here (Skinner, Lindy, Hanifan) means that we're selling talent low. Had Skinner produced last year here like he is this season, we might have been able to get more for him than we did. It doesn't make sense to spend money on something that's not the solution.

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I would suggest that in the long term, you only need one. Necas SHOULD be able to fill that second slot eventually. I'd say next season he'll be ready for the secondary scoring line we gambled on him filling this season. But you need to get to that point, so it puts the pressure on the front office to address that other hole NOW. And again, people thinking we need a Tavares type jump right over the fact that the current best option is Aho ... who is probably a winger playing out of position. Clear that VERY low bar and you're on the right track.

Oh, and I'm getting pretty close to the point where I don't see what we're doing hanging on to Jordan Staal. It's not about last night either ... although that was maybe his worst game as a Hurricane. He's expensive, isn't really all that good a checking center, and couldn't score regularly if he lived in a brothel. At some point you have to cut bait on him as an asset. I mean, he's a good locker room presence and it's not like he doesn't give you anything, but ... the cost of keeping him grows as his market value shrinks. Somebody smarter than me needs to do some serious cost/benefit analysis on that guy.

cmon3 said:

Aho is fine at center, but if you slot Tuevo with him (and there's really noplace else that works for Teuvo as we're constructed) then you need someone with size with them, which limits our options to less than stellar offensive talent. They need someone that can make room and finish, and if it's going to be your only offensive line, then they need to be big and dangerous physically and offensively.

Nothing new to see with our roster issues. If we don't have any legitimate offensively talented centers, you can't make offense work. If on the other hand, you had a legit offensively capable 2C, you can overslot him as a 1C. Our problem is we're overslotting centers into the 1C and 2C roles and also putting one of them in the wrong role (11).

Fix the Center issue and our roster looks a lot better than it does now. Had we fixed the center issue before last season, Peters would probably still be here and so would Lindholm and Skinner and Hanifan and we'd have likely made the playoffs last season even with the goalie situation.

Click to expand...

Don't have much time until after a webinar that begins shortly.

So what he said. :iagree:

I'm thinking healing thoughts for Micheal Ferland. He appears to be what makes things with this team tick like we expect it to. His absence is blatantly obvious and there doesn't appear to be a player of that caliber in the system to take his place. Ferland provides skill and grit not found in other Hurricanes. I've been wrong before, but I don't think so this time.

Jim

Pucking Lamplighter said:

I'm thinking healing thoughts for Micheal Ferland. He appears to be what makes things with this team tick like we expect it to. His absence is blatantly obvious and there doesn't appear to be a player of that caliber in the system to take his place. Ferland provides skill and grit not found in other Hurricanes. I've been wrong before, but I don't think so this time.

Jim

Click to expand...

I think you’re correct in your assessment— he’s the guy who,stirs the drink! He’s been a pleasant surprise and he’s missed.