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2019 Carolina Hurricanes Off Season Thread

jeffbear said:
I mean ... I get that. Smith is erratic at best, but up until this season his overall numbers have always been pretty much league average or better. And he was very good for the Flames in the playoffs while the rest of the team fell apart. That said, he's as likely as not giving in to age and has always been a hothead. He's NOT my first choice, but he's a guy you at least talk to if you're in Carolina potential situation. I mean, it all depends on how you see Ned. If you see Ned as a year or so away, a guy Smith's age lets you sign a short term vey to bridge the gap. If not, then he's just a stop-gap or one part of a 1A/1B tandem.
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My problem with Smith is that he’s a chronic over-handler of the puck. He costs his team a handful,of goals a year with mishandles. It would be dangerous to pair him with Ned, they’re peas in a pod
 
andyt said:
My problem with Smith is that he’s a chronic over-handler of the puck. He costs his team a handful,of goals a year with mishandles. It would be dangerous to pair him with Ned, they’re peas in a pod
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Trust me ... I've never been a fan. Then again, I've never been a fan of Mrazek before either. He grew on me ... sorta.
 
Forget Mike Smith please, that is crazy talk.

As for Matt Duchene, I suspect he is talking to the Canes because we expressed interest, we just made the playoffs, and he wants at least one team with a LOT of cap room to play his contract demands off of as Nashville courts him. Are we really going to squeeze Aho as hard as possible but go all in on Duchene and pay him $10-11 million per for 6 or 7 years? I would be stunned if that really happens. I would add that it would be helpful if Duchene was a legit #1 center and not a #2.

Fun to talk about, but I can't see us signing ANY UFA to a big money contract.

I agree with andyt that Josh Wesley is the only one of our RFAs that will not be given a qualifying offer.
 
Smith and Mrazek are emotional type goalies. They can give momentum and they can suck it up and leave teams dry. My preference are for those cerebral goalies who quietly go about their work and are pretty steady. I guess both can work, but Smith is an option and you have to consider him. I just don't see that working if Ned is expected to be the back up. Again, my preference is a guy who's business on the ice and can steady a team. I guess we should be grateful that Reimer's name isn't being tied to the Canes.
 
The NHL Network panel of EJ Hradek and Ken Daneyko speculated that Mike Smith is at this point of his career a 30-35 game backup that is worth about $2 million a season...no wonder why Dundon and Waddell may like him...
 
They're gonna do the State Fair home game again, Saturday the 26th at 1pm. (They did one last year right? I didn't go if they did.)
 
StormChaserBH said:
They're gonna do the State Fair home game again, Saturday the 26th at 1pm. (They did one last year right? I didn't go if they did.)
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Yes, against the Islanders IIRC. And it wasn’t nearly as bad as I feared it would be.

In the meantime, that 2/8 game at Vegas is awfully tempting for my long debated, much awaited Napa Valley/Vegas long weekend.

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Yeah ... I think the State Fair game went way better than anyone here would have guessed. Otherwise doing it again would be begging for trouble.

I already know at least four people making plans for that Vegas roadie, so you'll be in good company Andy. Looks like the roadie at Tampa falls near the shoulder of one of my Florida trips, so I might get to see that one. I haven't managed a road game in years, and the fact that I'm even thinking about signals significant progress.
 
Waddell presser started at 2:30. Some highlights so far from what I’ve seen on Twitter:

Daily discussions with Mrazek’s agents, not so much on Mac.

All RFAs will be qualified, shocking in Josh Wesley’s case.

He wants McKegg, Brown and Poturalski back, their agents are shopping them.

The call to de Haan was on of the hardest he ever made. Thinks Fleury is deserving of a spot in the lineup, his and Bean’s progress factored in. Fleury is no longer waivers exempt either. Also gave them cap flexibility.

He’s leaning toward buying Darling out. Decision will be made in next few days (June 30 deadline). Exploring trade options.

Contracts with Forslund and Tripp are basically complete. Good news there.

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Quotes indicate the Canes are wading through 120 applications for the goaltending coach job. So much for the nobody wants to work here narrative. At least 120 morons are up for it.
 
And I'll reiterate my thoughts on Fleury. I don't especially like Fluery at the NHL level but it's time to fish or cut bait on the kid. He's got nothing left to learn, prove or accomplish in the AHL. They've got to sign him and he's no longer waiver exempt. He either plays in Raleigh or they trade him and I doubt his trade value would ever be lower than it is right now. Welcome (back) to the third pairing, son. Now ... don't pair him with freaking Faulk this time.

Bean can and should be continuing to learn how to run a power play in Charlotte. If the Canes need him, he's a phone call away. Ditto McKeown.
 
Wesley was not tendered, he becomes a UFA on July 1.

The hang up on Forslund’s contract is related to his NBC availability but money and term are set.
 
So as we cruise towards Monday Madness and July 1st in the NHL, what's the priority in terms of how the Canes conduct their shopping and housekeeping between now and then?

I would assume the Canes have their goaltenders ranked based on $$$ and term, if no deal gets done with Mrazek by Sunday then maybe they immediately pull the trigger on another guy quickly on Monday when free agency opens, however, one NHL GM was quoted yesterday as saying the free agent goaltending market will sort itself out in the next 24-48 hours whatever that means.

I honestly do not see the Canes being very active on much from the UFA pile unless it was surprising move on Duchene. I still think the best way to target a center is a team up against the cap that may want to move one to free up cap space...Vegas is one team that comes to mind with Eric Huala. I just dont see a 1C of any kind being made available so everyone needs to temper their enthusiasm for more of a 2C or 3C via trade or free agency.
 
andyt said:
Shocking no one, it appears the Canes will affiliate with the Greenville Swamp Rabbits in the ECHL. Bon Secours Wellness Arena in beautiful downtown Greenville is a little more than a 100 mile drive to the Boj.

https://twitter.com/swamprabbits/status/1143640008500236289?s=21
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Great news. Bon Secours is one of the better arenas in the ECHL, Greenville is a MUCH better city than the average in that league, the Rabbits already have a rivalry established with the South Carolina Stingrays out of Charleston who are a Caps affiliate, which couldn't be more perfect ... and I'll probably get to catch a game every so often since we're down there during the season with our daughter at least twice a year.
 
jeffbear said:
Great news. Bon Secours is one of the better arenas in the ECHL, Greenville is a MUCH better city than the average in that league, the Rabbits already have a rivalry established with the South Carolina Stingrays out of Charleston who are a Caps affiliate, which couldn't be more perfect ... and I'll probably get to catch a game every so often since we're down there during the season with our daughter at least twice a year.
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I haven’t been there in years, my oldest daughter had a dance competition at the Hyatt every January. Even 15 years ago, it was ahead of where Raleigh wanted to be with downtown revitalization. I went to the circus at Bon Secours, it’s an easy walk from downtown.


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Growing up in South Carolina, Greenville was NOT a town you wanted to visit. However, all that has changed and today, it's got a beautiful downtown. I love that fact that Greenville and Charleston (one of the most unique cities in America) can get some healthy competition for ECHL hockey going.
 
ThinIce said:
Growing up in South Carolina, Greenville was NOT a town you wanted to visit. However, all that has changed and today, it's got a beautiful downtown. I love that fact that Greenville and Charleston (one of the most unique cities in America) can get some healthy competition for ECHL hockey going.
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Greenville is probably my favorite inland southern city that isn't in the mountains ... hello Asheville. And yeah, they were WAY ahead of the revitalization curve in the south. Downtown Greenville is as pleasant as any small-ish city center I've ever spent time in.
 
Having grown up in Hendersonville, about 30 minutes away, Greenville and Spartanburg both were not the height of pleasant living. But now, great arts, good healthcare and hockey! BMW really helped revitalize both of them.
 
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