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GDT: Canes v. Golden Knights 2/1 7:30

A

andyt

Canes Moderator
Staff member
Does everyone remember how to get to PNC?

The break came at a bad time for the Canes. After 3 solid games in western Canada, taking 5 of 6 points, the 8 day break could be a momentum killer. And the games come fast and furious from here...32 games in 65 days with 7 back to backs. The Canes are 5 points behind Columbus and 6 behind Washington and Pittsburgh. Haydn Fleury was recalled from Charlotte, Ned was not, we’ll see what the break has done to line combos, although I don’t think there will be anything dramatic.

These are not last year’s Golden Knights. They’re 3rd in the Pacific with 62 points in 52 games, 9 behind Calgary but solidly in the playoffs, 8 points ahead of Dallas. Jonathan Marchessault leads with 17 goals, Alex Tuch has 24 assists and 40 points. Valentin Zykov has no points in 1 game. Marc-Andre Fleury has played 45 games and carries a 2.49/.911 stat line. Vegas is 17th on the PP, 5th on the PK.

Fox Sports Carolinas for TV.
 
At least Vegas had the same long break the Canes did. You don't want to come off of a long layoff like that and play a team that has already shaken off the cobwebs (see Tampa's 1st period against the Pens Wed night).

With William Carrier on IR, that somewhat blunts Vegas' ridiculously physical pairing with Ryan Reaves, which of course the Canes cannot in any way match, even less so if Ferland is still out. Even without Reilly Smith and Erik Haula, Vegas still has enough firepower to back up MA Fleury and a decent D. They play hard, really hard. We better be ready to match that.

Oh, and they also called up DMan Jake Bischoff from the AHL. If he plays tonight it will be his first NHL game and we all know what that means.
 
Gooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaal
 
Simple Just win. Ugly or not I don't care... be prepared VGK won't go gently into the good knight even when they haven't played since we have. Give a #$@$ and Skate hard... This is the new beginning of the season and we have no time to doddle. Come out hard and fast and Win We need more Storm surges.
 
Fleury was re-assigned to Charlotte. So I guess they had a concern with one of the dmen after practice yesterday that was alleviated this morning?


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Apparently everybody on the active roster other than Justin Williams took the morning skate. Williams is expected to play, though. Staal is still out. Mrazek looks to be the starter tonight.

So, Ferland is back and I guess they went with the standard six on D, having sent Fleury back down to the Checkers. Having watched bits and pieces of some really crappy games as everybody shakes off the ASG break rust the last three nights, the bar for this one is pretty low. I can't make it in person, so I guess I'll dial it up when I get home tonight. This is definitely a "get it done" kind of game. No style points are likely to be on offer.
 
andyt said:
Fleury was re-assigned to Charlotte. So I guess they had a concern with one of the dmen after practice yesterday that was alleviated this morning?
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That was the only explanation I can come up with too, although JB is correct that another possibility was that we were considering playing 7 Dmen if we were still short a healthy forward.
 
cmaleski2 said:
That was the only explanation I can come up with too, although JB is correct that another possibility was that we were considering playing 7 Dmen if we were still short a healthy forward.
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I mean, yeah .... but it's not like I have even the first clue why you'd dress 7 D coming off of an 8 DAY BREAK. That would be idiotic.
 
I'm just so glad we have a break-against-break matchup.

Now it's on coaching to get 'em going.
 
Projected lineup from Michael Smith. The D pairings are...interesting. Mrazek in goal.

Niederreiter-Aho-Williams
Ferland-Wallmark-Teravainen
Svechnikov-Martinook-McGinn
Foegele-McKegg-Maenalanen

Slavin-Hamilton
Pesce-Faulk
de Haan-TVR


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First game after a break and we’re getting the backup goalie. Maxime Lagace gets the start. He’s 6-7-1 with Darling-esque stats, 3.92/.867


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Jordan Staal ever going to play again? The time has come to move him out, this team cannot afford a $6 million dollar a year guy that lives in the press box on IR.
 
CanadaCanes said:
Jordan Staal ever going to play again? The time has come to move him out, this team cannot afford a $6 million dollar a year guy that lives in the press box on IR.
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1.) can't unload a guy on IR;
2.) insurance is likely covering his salary;
3.) our face off percentage is suffering because of his injury;
4.) not sure I'd classify him as a guy who lives in the press box. With two significant exceptions, I believe he is usually over 70+ games per season-- last season played 79 games;
5.) Chip tweeted that JS has not skated and has only been working out.

I know there is a lot of chatter that the team is better without him. I am not so sure I wholly agree.
 
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SlapShots said:
1.) can't unload a guy on IR;
2.) insurance is likely covering his salary;
3.) our face off percentage is suffering because of his injury;
4.) not sure I'd classify him as a guy who lives in the press box. With two significant exceptions, I believe he is usually over 70+ games per season-- last season played 79 games;
5.) Chip tweeted that JS has not skated and has only been working out.

I know there is a lot of chatter that the team is better without him. I am not so sure I wholly agree.
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I was more referring to the long term outlook of keeping Staal and that cap hit moving forward as opposed to right this minute...the team does seem to be better off this year when he has been out of the lineup, you cannot have a guy making $6 million and his biggest asset is taking key faceoffs, a third or fourth line defensive center making $6 million is a luxury this team simply cannot afford in my opinion, the money can be better spent!
 
CanadaCanes said:
I was more referring to the long term outlook of keeping Staal and that cap hit moving forward as opposed to right this minute...the team does seem to be better off this year when he has been out of the lineup, you cannot have a guy making $6 million and his biggest asset is taking key faceoffs, a third or fourth line defensive center making $6 million is a luxury this team simply cannot afford in my opinion, the money can be better spent!
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This has been the case for several years now. The Canes signed Staal to his current deal based on the premise that once he was freed from 3rd line duty behind Crosby and Malkin in Pittsburgh, his offense would bloom. Yeah ... sure. Still waiting for that check to clear. Honestly, a more cutthroat outfit (cough, cough, Philly) would have dumped Jordan a long time ago. Carolina took a big risk and it blew up on them, which was in line with how things were going in general back in those years.

And poor old Pesce gets to be today's lottery loser in the "make Justin Faulk look good to some other team" sweepstakes.
 
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TheBigKahuna said:
I'm not convinced that this team needs Jordan and that 6m could be better spent.
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This team needs a center, and Staal is one. Can the $6 million be better spent? Yes, but those two are completely different things. You can't just waive a magic wand and replace the guy. You'd have to find someone willing to eat that contract for what Jordan does AND you'd have to find another center. This team has struggled mightily to do the latter and I suspect the first part is a heck of a lot harder than people think.

And if I hear somebody blithely remark "just dump him on the Penguins" again, I'm going to lose it. IT'S NOT THAT EASY in the real world.
 
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