CAROLINA HURRICANES NEWS CLIPPINGS February 12, 2019 - NHL.com
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
CAROLINA HURRICANES
NEWS CLIPPINGS • February 12, 2019
Will the Canes be buyers or sellers at the NHL trade deadline?
By Chip Alexander know we may not be able to sign him, but if we trade him we
have to go out and find a piece.
Raleigh
“I would say we’re talking to a lot of people, a lot of teams.
The Carolina Hurricanes are moving closer to their biggest But I’ve told everybody we’ll get through the (road trip) and
decision of the season: buy, sell or stand pat? see where things are.”
The NHL trade deadline is Monday, Feb. 25. On or before Both goalies, Petr Mrazek and Curtis McElhinney, are due to
that date, players will be moved as teams either stock up become UFAs after the season. So is captain Justin
with extra “pieces” for the Stanley Cup playoffs or trade Williams.
players to stock up on “assets,” the two words general
managers love to use. Waddell and the Canes already have pulled off the trade that
had the NHL buzzing, bringing in forward Nino Niederreiter
What will the Canes do? from the Minnesota Wild for center Victor Rask in a one-for-
General manager Don Waddell said the team’s five-game one deal. Niederreiter quickly moved onto the top line
road trip, which ends Tuesday against the Ottawa Senators, centered by Sebastian Aho and started scoring goals while
would give the Canes a better barometer of what direction to Rask has gotten off to a slow start with the Wild.
take. “We’ll see where we are then,” he said. “You never know when you make these trades,” Waddell
The Canes began the trip by shutting out Pittsburgh 4-0, then said. “You always hope they work out for both teams. I’ve
topping the Buffalo Sabres 6-5 in overtime. Finishing off a made a lot of trades and some work out and some don’t.
back-to-back on Friday, they went into New York’s Madison “One thing that has been missing is that we took on about
Square Garden, on a night when the Rangers were $1.7 million more a year, cash. Everyone wants to talk about
celebrating their 1994 Stanley Cup championship, and won my boss (owner Tom Dundon) being on the frugal side but
3-0. this is going to cost us over $5 million more, so obviously
Then, New Jersey. that always is a factor. It also involves giving (Minnesota)
some cap space. Again, everybody is looking for centers.
With a chance Sunday to move past the Penguins in the Centers are at a shortage right now.”
Eastern Conference standings and take over the second
wild-card playoff position, the Canes could not beat the Waddell said a rule of thumb for him in trades is: “I don’t
depleted Devils at the Prudential Center. Flat in the first worry as much about what we’re giving up as what we’re
period, their power play totally ineffective -- “It sucked the life getting.”
out of our group,” coach Rod Brind’Amour said -- the Canes “If you look at trades on paper, and that’s the job of the
fell behind 2-0 after the opening period and lost 3-2 to the media to say who won or lost a trade, I look at it differently,”
last-place team in the Metropolitan Division. he said. “Did we fill a need that our hockey club needed?
The Canes, with a 28-22-6 record, remained on the outside This position, and we’ve talked about it for a long time, we
looking in, one point shy of the playoff cutoff line after needed some goal scoring and that’s why we did it.”
Sunday’s games. Up next: the Senators, who sit in last place Waddell said his initial discussions with Minnesota general
in the Eastern Conference at 21-29-5. manager Paul Fenton began months ago and included a
The most pressing personnel decision for the Canes, who number of trade scenarios, but that the give-and-take finally
have not been a playoff team since 2009, is what to do about turned into Niederreiter for Rask. The trade was made Jan.
players who will become unrestricted free agents after the 17.
season -- and forward Micheal Ferland, in particular. “We were never going to get to that point of making a bigger
Ferland, obtained in the offseason trade with Calgary, has deal than we made,” Waddell said. “We went at it pretty hard
toughness, can play in the top six at forward and has playoff for those 48 hours before, probably talking 10 times, before
experience. He would make a good “rental,” another of those we figured out what each of us could afford to give up to
oft-used words, for a number of teams if the Canes decide to make a deal work. We finally came to the conclusion let’s
trade him. just keep it simple.”
“We’ve got some UFAs and one that has gotten some And that could be the Canes’ approach heading up to the
interest and traction,” Waddell said of Ferland. “I’ve said Feb. 25 deadline -- keep it simple. Keep Ferland, look to
maybe that’s our rental piece if things are going well. We make a run at the playoffs.
CAROLINA HURRICANES
NEWS CLIPPINGS • February 12, 2019
Gold: Taking stock of the Hurricanes
morning. After that, the next five games will determine the
By Adam Gold plan of attack for owner Tom Dundon and his leadership
There are 26 games left in the season for the Carolina team.
Hurricanes — the regular season, anyway. Six of those Let's make a deal?
come prior to the league’s trade deadline, and the Canes
have exactly two weeks to figure out who they are and what The Hurricanes are firmly in the post season race. A 13-5-1
they want from the 2018-19 season. To that end, there are stretch since New Year’s Eve coupled with the Blue Jackets
three major things on the minds of most Caniacs and I’m and Penguins falling on (relative) hard times has given
here to help you sort through them. Carolina a glimmer of hope. Three weeks ago it was a
foregone conclusion that the likes of Michael Ferland, Dougie
The road back to the playoffs Hamilton, Justin Faulk and others were strong candidates to
Hate to say this, but I kind of felt the loss in New Jersey was move. Now, with the Canes desperately trying to make the
predictable, though not necessarily for the reason you may playoffs and the apparent glut of offensive players on the
think. Yes, the Hurricanes could have moved inside the block, it appears more likely than not that Carolina will wait
playoff cut line with a win in Newark — where they’ve now all the way until the deadline to make any moves.
lost both times this year. But, I do not think that played a There was a time when Ferland was among the most
factor in the 3-2 setback. To me, the bigger issue is that even attractive rental forwards on the market, along with
in winning the first three games of the road trip, I’m not sure Philadelphia’s Wayne Simmonds. But, with Ottawa’s Mark
Carolina played more than three periods the way they truly Stone and Matt Duchene potentially available plus New
need to play in order to win. York’s Matt Zuccarello and Kevin Hayes as well as Artemi
Carolina beat Pittsburgh with a dominant final two periods Panerin of the Blue Jackets, it’s suddenly a buyers’ market.
after Curtis McElhinney bailed them out in the first. The And, unless the return for Ferland is worth taking him off your
game against the Sabres was a 60-minute fire drill in which roster, it’s probably not wise to give away a player who helps
the Canes escaped in overtime in spite of twice blowing 2- you win today. A first round pick is a given, a good prospect
goal leads. The next night, staring at longtime nemesis in and a second rounder, sure.
Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist, the group battled hard for Also, don’t be surprised if the Hurricanes re-engage
two periods, but never really imposed their will on New York Ferland’s representatives on a contract beyond this season.
until the third, when the Canes finally hemmed the Rangers The longer he’s on the roster, the greater those possibilities
in their own end and skated out a 3-0 win. become. Has his contract leverage been diminished some
Three periods out of nine, the way the Hurricanes need to with a few nagging injures, plus a 10-game drought without a
play, is not the recipe for a 3-game winning streak. Yet, goal — yes, I know he scored into an empty net in
because of — at times — spectacular goaltending, some Pittsburgh?
outstanding individual defensive plays and clutch goal- As for one of the right-shot blue liners, before the break, we
scoring from the likes of Teuvo Teravainen and Nino got an idea of what was coming when the team moved Brett
Niederretier the Hurricanes DID string those wins together Pesce to the left side on the second defensive pairing with
and put themselves in position to climb over the Penguins Justin Faulk. Now, those two, along with Dougie Hamilton —
with a win in New Jersey. who is playing his best hockey of the year — are all playing
The mirror, though, always shows the truth. top four minutes and the organization is not inclined to do
anything unless the return is substantial. They are not
Coming off the high of snapping a 16-game Madison Square moving any of them unless a bonafide 25-goal forward
Garden losing streak (deny the impact as you see fit) the comes back and those don’t just fall from the sky.
Canes would need to have their best 60-minute effort to beat
the Devils. They didn’t, falling behind 2-0 after the first, and It’s far more likely that the Hurricanes make a few smaller
they just weren’t able to come all the way back. For a team moves (Trevor van Riemsdyk, Haydn Fleury, Brock McGinn,
positioning itself for a playoff run to lose to a team positioning etc.,) as long as they get back on the winning path over the
itself for the first pick in the draft, that’s a bitter pill to swallow. next 10 days. Of course, it all depends on the market.
Now, what? Darling needs a break
The best way to put the disappointment of Sunday’s lost trip Finally, we have the situation regarding the enigmatic and
to Newark aside is to start another streak in Ottawa on embattled Scott Darling, who has just requested — and has
Tuesday. There’s nothing wrong with a 4-1-0 road trip, been granted — a temporary leave of absence from the
regardless of what the standings look like come Wednesday Charlotte Checkers. To say that Scott has struggled since
CAROLINA HURRICANES
NEWS CLIPPINGS • February 12, 2019
signing his 4-year/$16.6 million contract in the summer of not seen any improvement. He’s just 5-6-2 in the American
2017 would not do justice to the word “struggled”. Darling’s Hockey League. In five of his 14 appearances, he’s given up
statistical resume prior to arrival on Edwards Mill Road at least four goals and in another he was pulled after
suggested a player ready for a starter’s role in goal. allowing three goals in the first.
As I wrote, and stated several times prior to last season, That isn’t to say this leave is performance-based. Who
there is a responsibility that all number one goaltenders must knows what factors have contributed to Scott asking for time
bear. You are not only supposed to perform at a high level, to sort through whatever it is that is impacting his ability to
but you are expected to be able to do so night after night play at his highest level. In honesty, we do not know the
after night. More importantly, you’re tasked with doing so reasons behind the request, nor is the team at liberty to
even after a bad game. disclose them. What is certain, is that Darling has overcome
a lot — mostly his own doing — to become an NHL-caliber
ESPECIALLY after a poor outing. goalie.
Darling never could do that in his first year with the It is also certain that he hasn’t yet managed to completely
Hurricanes posting the worst save percentage (.888) and the put those demons in his past. Here’s hoping that Scott
43rd (out of 49) best goals against average (3.18) of all figures out how to get through this and get back to being a
qualified goaltenders in the NHL. This year, in eight starts for productive member of this, or another organization.
Carolina, the numbers are worse. And, his time in Charlotte,
where he was demoted to (in theory) reclaim his game, has
Preview: Hurricanes at Senators
Canes end road trip in Ottawa testament to the guys in the room. They've earned that level
of expectation from me. We're a good team."
by Michael Smith
Rebounding
OTTAWA - The Carolina Hurricanes end their season-long,
five-game road trip against the Ottawa Senators. The Hurricanes had a bad period in New Jersey - a flat first
period in which they fell down 2-0 and failed to convert on
Even after a 3-2 loss in New Jersey on Sunday afternoon, three power play opportunities - and it cost them.
the Hurricanes have a chance to capture eight out of a
possible 10 points on this trip. Moving on.
Capping the Trip The Canes got back on the ice in practice on Monday, their
first skate as a team in something other than a game in a
Assessed in a vacuum, the Hurricanes' 3-2 loss to the Devils week.
on Sunday is huge; the Hurricanes, who could have jumped
their way into a playoff spot, needed the win, and the Devils "It's always good to practice," Brind'Amour said. "We practice
didn't. for a purpose. We try to get at least one thing accomplished
and get better at."
But in taking a broader view at the road trip, the Hurricanes
still have the opportunity to take home eight of a possible 10 On Monday in Ottawa, it was brushing up on some systems
points, and they've already beaten two teams they directly to ensure mistakes weren't replicated.
competing with for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
"Working on the details," Brind'Amour said. "We got away
The loss wasn't ideal, sure, but it's not the end of the season. from one that cost us a goal. Just making sure our routes are
right and being mentally sharp."
But the reaction to it says a lot about how far this Hurricanes
team has come in 56 games. The Last Meeting
"We expect more now, and I love it," head coach Rod The Hurricanes dropped a 4-1 decision to the Senators at
Brind'Amour said after practice on Monday. "I love the fact home on Jan. 18, one of the team's three regulation losses in
that the bar has been raised. We expect to win every night. the first month of 2019. For whatever reason, it was one of
That's something that is, I think, a real positive and is a the Canes' most lackluster efforts of the season.CAROLINA HURRICANES
NEWS CLIPPINGS • February 12, 2019
"It's hard to watch and be a part of it when we know how we Recap: Canes Topped by Devils
can play. We can beat good teams, and then we come off it
and we don't like a very good team," Jordan Martinook said Canes Recall Brown from Charlotte
after the game. "Tonight, we didn't look very good for most of January Canes Prospect Profile: Jake Bean
that game. We deserved to lose. They were the better team."
Hurricanes Jersey Breakdown for 2018-19 Season
"We were so bad, I almost dressed and got out there. I might
have been as good as what we were throwing out there. We Podcast
just didn't want to play the way we were supposed to. I didn't CanesCast, Ep. 76: In the Mix
know what I was watching. That's the first time all year I can
say that," Brind'Amour said. "You're going to lose games, but Videos
that was obvious we were going to lose that one just by the
Highlights: NJ 3, CAR 2
way we were playing."
Two Floofy Doodles
The Opposition
Gameday Links
The Senators dropped five straight games after that last
meeting, but they've since won two in a row at home, First Goal Contest presented by Kayem
shutting out the Anaheim Ducks, 4-0, and besting the
Winnipeg Jets, 5-2. Despite ranking last in the Eastern WATCH, LISTEN & STREAM
Conference with a 21-29-5 record and 47 points, the Watch: FOX Sports Carolinas, FOX Sports app
Senators own a 14-11-4 record at home.
Listen: 99.9 The Fan, Hurricanes app, Hurricanes.com/Listen
WORTH A CLICK
News
With new craft brewery, de Haan helps revitalize hometown
Hurricanes defenseman teamed with friends to invest in, looking around and saying 'This building is cool, I like it here,'
transform historic building and I do," Bill de Haan said. "My wife and I try to go there
once a week. Even though I've spent five or six or seven
by Cristina Ledra hours there already, I'll go there and be a customer and it's
CARP, ONTARIO -- Every morning around 5:30 a.m., Bill de great."
Haan opens the doors to Ridge Rock Brewing Company and The building, which everyone in Carp has passed countless
gets to work cleaning the 150-seat craft brewery and times since it was built in the 1860s, is a standalone cinder
restaurant from top to bottom. block structure that you can't miss on the most prominent
This four-hour daily undertaking followed by a couple more corner of a village of 2,000 people. Over the years it's taken
hours of repairs and errands might not have been what he many forms including a car dealership, a bank, a bus repair
envisioned for semi-retirement after almost 40 years in station, a gas station and a pharmacy. For Calvin de Haan,
construction and landscaping, but the 56-year-old is loving 27, and his co-owners, Jake Sinclair, Jason Lalonde, and
every minute of supporting his son, Carolina Hurricanes Ryan Grassie, they grew up with it as a furniture and cabinet
defenseman Calvin de Haan, who co-owns the place with business whose owner kept dirt bikes and go-karts in the
three friends from their neighborhood near Ottawa. basement.
In just less than two years with enthusiastic help from the Sinclair and Lalonde had their eye on the historical building
community, they've turned the formerly ramshackle building for a while, knowing there was massive potential in the
into their hometown's newest attraction. cavernous space, but the owner was never interested in
selling. When he had a sudden change of heart two years
"I'm there by myself and when I go in there every morning, I ago, the pair jumped on it so quickly the listing never made it
like going into the building and turning on the (music) and to the open market.CAROLINA HURRICANES
NEWS CLIPPINGS • February 12, 2019
Around that time, Sinclair and Lalonde had been discussing "We're trying something different, trying to get people to stick
opening a brewery with Grassie and de Haan, and the plans around," he said. "If it's playing some random board games
started falling into place. or whatever, it's to get people in and we want them to stay."
They wanted to give people in their hometown a spot to hang By the time they were ready to open in September, about 14
out and enjoy a beer, which hadn't really existed in their months after they started, just about every employee, no
lifetimes. For the adults in town, a night out meant traveling matter what their official title, had picked up a paint brush or
around 10 miles to Kanata where the Ottawa Senators play hammer or some other tool to help bring the place to life.
their home games, or 25 miles to downtown Ottawa.
"We had full-time crews every weekend and through the
As commercial and residential development made its way week," Grassie said. "We didn't have slow contractors or
closer to Carp, the four friends saw an opportunity to make a anything. Everyone was hustling during that time. It was just
new destination in their village, which was mostly known for so much to do."
the annual Carp Fair in the summer and the Diefenbunker,
Canada's Cold War Museum. To say the locals were impressed would be an
understatement.
When they took ownership of the building, its condition was
nowhere near the intimate, rustic hangout it is now. In their first month in business, they ran out of beer twice.
They've since upped their production and added two large
"The transformation was wild," Calvin de Haan said. "There capacity beer fridges.
was literally nothing. It was four walls and a roof."
Brewmaster Jamie Maxwell had come up with a signature
The renovation was a long list of big ticket items, including line of approachable beers that he and the owners wanted to
tanks for brewing the beer, a commercial kitchen, walls, help introduce their community of blue-collar workers, with
additional roof structure, patching adult human-sized holes in beer tastes to match, to the world of craft beers.
the cement floor, and putting in all new plumbing and an
HVAC system. De Haan himself hadn't ventured much into craft beer until
this project started, but has since grown to love it, especially
The budget for the project probably never stood a chance, in North Carolina where there are more than 300 craft
but it was important for them to use Canadian-made breweries, many of which are in the Hurricanes' Raleigh
equipment and local contractors, and pull as much of the home.
history of the building into the design as possible.
"I appreciate the time and effort that people put into it," he
There are winks and nods to old tales they unearthed after said. "Now that I know the process, it's wild. Our brewmaster
they took ownership. The building was involved in one of takes mega-pride in his beer. It's his creation and he's very
Canada's most notorious bank robberies, in which 72 safe proud of it. He's one of the best in Ottawa for that reason."
deposit boxes were stolen in 1947 through an underground
tunnel that began underfoot. They installed a bank vault door The live music and open-mic nights have further involved the
in the basement that opens to a conference room with a community, and Maxwell's special seasonal brews have
smart TV and beer tap that's available for businesses to rent. become an attraction as well.
"There are all these crazy stories," Grassie said. "And just But the real testament to the brewery are its patrons, many
when we think we've heard them all, a couple of local older of whom were already invested in it before it even opened.
people come in and have lunch and tell us stories that we'd "We wanted everyone to, when it was done, feel like they
never heard. " had a part in it and they would come there and be able to
The foot railing at the bar is from a Carp train track from the enjoy it," Grassie said. "There are a lot of contractors that
late 1800s. The picture just inside the front door is of the helped build that place that I see in there every weekend with
building in its original state, a two-story building that was their families or their kids or their friends, so it's really cool
gutted in a fire and rebuilt as one spacious floor. The two- and they're proud of the place that they helped build."
story facade is the inspiration for the brewery's logo. The de Haan family moved to Carp more than two decades
Among the finishing touches are red steel beams to match ago, and many of their neighbors have been there for
de Haan's Hurricanes jersey, which hangs above the bar, a generations watching the village go from the bustling center
large graffiti-style mural in Carolina red, white and black in of Ottawa to a rural community on the outskirts, always with
the main dining area by local artist Candice Wei, various old this big cinder-block building with ever-changing purposes.
photos of Carp in its formative days, and a nook with a big "We moved here when Calvin was a year old, so almost 27
square wooden table, bench seating and board games. years now and the building was always kind of an eyesore,
The deep brown leather armchairs and couches by the like what's anybody gonna do with this?" said Bill de Haan,
entrance were de Haan's idea for an area where customers whose new job at the brewery has helped him slim down by
could relax away from the crowd. So to was Wei's mural, a 20 pounds and resulted in well-rested nights for a change.
signature part of some of de Haan's favorite establishments "What he and his partners have done is great. We needed a
from his time with the New York Islanders. place to come to and it's right on the main corner of the
village. The building looks so much better. Hopefully it'll be a
go-to place."CAROLINA HURRICANES
NEWS CLIPPINGS • February 12, 2019
Evaluating every new head coach in the 2018-19 NHL season
Greg Wyshynski of anonymity while LeBron and the Rams suck up all the air
in L.A." move by management. Whether the Kings would
On Sunday, Anaheim Ducks general manager Bob Murray have cycled back up in play with him behind the bench, as
fired coach Randy Carlyle and replaced him with someone they somewhat have for Desjardins, is debatable. That this
he knew quite well: himself, jumping behind the bench for the disaster of a season is a problem with construction -- the
first time in his career so he could feel the heat of this Kings being an old, slow team in a young, fast league --
dumpster fire. rather than coaching isn't debatable. An interim coach wasn't
"I didn't feel it was right to bring anybody in at this point in going to change that.
time," Murray explained. "I had to be here. I had go 9. Scott Gordon, Philadelphia Flyers (Dec. 17, 2018)
downstairs and live it with these guys. I have to find out
everything going on down here. It's more problematic than I Record: 13-8-3 | Hot-seat rating: 8
thought a while ago."
The Flyers were 13-15-4 on Dec. 18. Since then, they've
Every team has its problems. It's just a matter of how team gone 12-8-3. That date may end up being significant in
management chooses to address them. Usually, it ends up Flyers history. Not because it was the debut of interim coach
as it did in Anaheim, with a coach losing his job. Scott Gordon, promoted from the AHL after new GM Chuck
Fletcher cut loose the old GM's last coaching hire, Dave
Murray will be the 12th new coach to step behind the bench Hakstol. But instead because it was the NHL debut of
in the NHL since the end of the 2017-18 regular season. We another AHL call-up: Carter Hart. Hart has started 17 of
figured it was a good time to take a look how the rest of them Gordon's 24 games as head coach and is responsible for 11
have impacted their teams, whether these changes have of his 13 wins, with a .926 save percentage and a 2.45
been for better or worse, and how hot their seats are going goals-against average.
forward. Starting with our least effective ...
Gordon deserves credit for parts of this Flyers surge back up
11. Ken Hitchcock, Edmonton Oilers (Nov. 20, 2018) the Eastern Conference standings. His approach to the
Record: 15-16-4 | Hot-seat rating: 10 players is a total 180 from the tension convention under
Hakstol, for example. But the Flyers are scoring less on
In the most general sense, Hitchcock replacing Todd average under him (2.83) than they were under Hakstol
McLellan after 20 games this season is an abject failure (3.00), yet they are winning more thanks to the stabilization
because it fell short of its one particular objective: saving the of their goaltending. Gordon is not the first coach whose
job of general manager Peter Chiarelli, who was fired on Jan. success is manufactured by stellar goaltending, but that's the
22. scenario here.
More specifically, it was supposed to turn the Oilers around His interim status and the Flyers' tenuous re-entry into
into a playoff team, and Hitch is running just ahead (.486 playoff contention make his seat a bit toasty as Fletcher
points percentage) of where McLellan (.475) had the team. looks to make his first coaching hire. But anything goes if the
The offense outside of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl is Flyers actually make the cut.
paltry. The goaltending, which Hitchcock used to repair
through his mere presence during stints with other teams, is 8. Jim Montgomery, Dallas Stars (May 23, 2018)
third worst in the NHL (.893 save percentage). Record: 28-22-5 | Hot-seat rating: 6
Sure, there's still a chance the Oilers could make the playoffs Montgomery doesn't have the strongest case for having
because the West wild-card race has slightly more teams improved the Stars. Their points percentage (.555) is off last
involved than a March Madness bracket. But even if they did, year's pace (.561). Their possession metrics, as well as
would the next general manager want Hitchcock as his offensive and defensive numbers at 5-on-5, are down from
coach? Or, more to the point, would Hitch want another last season under Ken Hitchcock. One could argue that the
season of this? (And by "this," we of course mean "Mikko year goalie Ben Bishop is having -- a plus-15.44 goals saved
Koskinen.") above average in 34 games -- is the reason the Stars are
10. Willie Desjardins, Los Angeles Kings (Nov. 4, 2018) currently in a playoff sport.
Record: 19-19-4 | Hot-seat rating: 10 But the bottom line is that they're in a playoff spot. After team
president Jim Lites savaged stars Tyler Seguin and Jamie
Firing John Stevens just 13 games into the season remains a Benn in the media. After Montgomery himself proclaimed "I
panicky, reactionary, "Please don't let us slip into the abyss haven't been able to change the culture of mediocrity" inCAROLINA HURRICANES
NEWS CLIPPINGS • February 12, 2019
early January. After a 2-6-0 run in December had Quenneville in the summer -- the Blackhawks started finding
Montgomery admitting that he had lost his way as a coach. some structure they lacked this season. Their possession
numbers went from being in the toilet to being middle of the
He's kept this ship sailing and has gotten better in the job as pack. He gave some players more responsibility, challenging
the season has gone on -- witness recent lineup changes them. And Stan Bowman gave him a few new toys to play
that sparked a five-game winning streak. Dallas is looking with.
like a playoff team.
They're riding some heavy power-play and shooting
(For the record, his hot seat is at six because we're not sure percentage bumps through this winning streak, and will still
what happens to GM Jim Nill if Dallas falls short of the likely fall short of the playoffs. But Colliton looks like he might
playoffs this season. A new GM could mean a new coach.) be a keeper, and the fact that the Blackhawks are even in
7. Todd Reirden, Washington Capitals (June 29, 2018) the playoff conversation now is stunning.
Record: 28-18-6 | Hot-seat rating: 3 4. Rod Brind'Amour, Carolina Hurricanes (May 8, 2018)
It's difficult to rate and rank Reirden. The Capitals aren't Record: 28-21-6 | Hot-seat rating: 4
winning (.609 points percentage) as they were last season If the season ended today, the Hurricanes would have a
under Barry Trotz (.640). They're scoring more goals, but are better points percentage (.564) than they've had since 2008-
also giving up more on average. Their special teams 09, aka the last time this franchise appeared in the
percentages are down from last season while their 5-on-5 postseason. So give Brind'Amour credit. For all the questions
metrics are up. about his hiring as a total head-coaching novice, he's gotten
The defensive issues are, by far, the biggest concern for something out of this squad, especially on offense. Their
Capitals fans, although they do seem more systemic to the expected goals percentage (56.98) is way up from last
team's personnel changes over time than anything Reirden's season (53.12) while their possession numbers are higher
done systems wise. The bigger issue might be that Reirden than they were in Bill Peters' last year. That the Hurricanes
is learning as he goes as a first-time head coach, which are 21st in goals per 60 minutes at 5-on-5 (2.36) despite
includes how to handle slumps and how to manage egos, having the third-worst shooting percentage (6.81) is a heck
especially on a championship team, to maximize effort. It's of a trick.
not coming together quite yet. Off the ice, Brind'Amour has cracked the whip but also
6. David Quinn, New York Rangers (May 23, 2018) allowed for rewards of the team's effort, like the Hurricanes'
goofy victory celebrations. He's worked smartly with team
Record: 23-23-8 | Hot-seat rating: 0 consigliere Justin Williams to manage this roster with an ex-
This year was a mulligan for the Rangers and Quinn, who player's insight. But let's face it: In Tom Dundon's world, it's
walked into what he knew was going to be a slow and steady all about the results. And Brind'Amour's Hurricanes aren't yet
rebuild. He's gotten more out of this Rangers team than a playoff team.
many expected, as their 5-on-5 numbers are slightly better 3. Craig Berube, St. Louis Blues (Nov. 19, 2018)
than they were last season under Alain Vigneault. But the
most positive change between the former and current Record: 19-13-2 | Hot-seat rating: 8
coaches is in the way Quinn handles young players. Look no When Berube was hired on an interim basis, after the Mike
further than Pavel Buchnevich. When Vigneault would Yeo 'hired your next coach to be on the bench with your
scratch him, the moved seemed arbitrary; when Quinn does, current coach' experiment failed after parts of three seasons,
it seems like part of a larger, concerted effort to cultivate his his Blues promptly went 3-5-1. By Jan. 3, they were in last
talent. Quinn has answered the hype from his BU-to-NHL place in the NHL. Rumors that the entire roster, including
leap and has proved effective in a no-stakes Year 1 for the Vladimir Tarasenko, was available circulated.
Rangers.
And now they're in a playoff seed, having won six in a row.
5. Jeremy Colliton, Chicago Blackhawks (Nov. 6, 2018) What a league.
Record: 16-18-6 | Hot-seat rating: 1 While the goaltending of rookie Jordan Binnington (1.72,
Much was made about Colliton being 26 years younger than .931) stabilized this team in his 13 games, this turnaround
the man he replaced, Joel Quenneville. Heck, at 34 years can't just be credited to the crease. Berube has gotten this
old, he was one year younger than Duncan Keith, too. But offense going through a reinvigorated forecheck, line juggling
that youthful optimism has served him well during this most and an activated defense. Under Yeo, the Blues averaged
unlikely of resurgences from the Blackhawks, as they climb 2.95 goals per game. Since Jan. 3, they've scored at a 3.11
the standings with a seven-game winning streak. Chicago is goals per game clip under Berube.
having fun and playing meaningful hockey, two things they More importantly, he's managed to help the Blues locate
seemed miles away from having when Quenneville's historic their defensive responsibility again. Jake Allen saw a parade
run with the franchise ended after 15 games. It felt rather of odd-man rushes and choice scoring chances early in the
impossible as late as January. season. In contrast, Binnington is seeing just 3.07 high-
How much of that falls to Colliton? A good part of it. After danger shots per game.
getting a few weeks under his belt -- a "training camp" some Despite all of this, we have to keep the temperature turned
argue he should have had in September had Chicago fired up on Berube's hot seat. He's an interim coach. Granted, ifCAROLINA HURRICANES
NEWS CLIPPINGS • February 12, 2019
the Blues rally for a playoff spot, there's a compelling case to the hockey world. They find each other out of necessity, and
keep him. But with so many big-name coaches available wouldn't you know it, they made magic together.
(and the biggest, Quenneville, having some St. Louis ties),
his status as the next coach of the Blues isn't on solid footing But seriously: Trotz has helped tighten up the Islanders'
yet. defense significantly. They're averaging five fewer shots
against per game over last season. Their goals-against per
2. Bill Peters, Calgary Flames (April 23, 2018) 60 minutes of 5-on-5 play is 1.8 vs. 2.54 last season. Much
of this is their system, but the play of Robin Lehner and
Record: 34-15-6 | Hot-seat rating: 0 Thomas Greiss in goal -- thanks in no small part to goalie
The Flames are a better possession team under Bill Peters. guru Mitch Korn's influence -- has been outstanding.
But that was sort of a given, wasn't it? His Hurricanes teams They're 10 points clear of the playoff bubble. Barring
were always top of the pops in Corsi, but were always catastrophe, Trotz is going to do what no other hire will do in
torpedoed by either a sputtering offense or bad goaltending. his first season at the new helm: Win the Jack Adams.
So the pleasant surprise here for Peters in Calgary is an
offense that's the second-most potent in the NHL (3.67 goals Bob Murray, Anaheim Ducks (Feb. 10, 2019)
per game) and goaltending that features 33 solid games of
David Rittich being dragged down by 27 games of .889 It's impossible to judge Murray as an NHL coach, given that
goaltending by Mike Smith for a passable .901 team save this Lou Lamoriello cosplay is his first time behind the bench.
percentage. We can, however, judge him as a general manager.
How much of the offensive spark can be credited to Peters? Is this an ideal roster for 2019? No. It's too plodding and
A bit, we think. The Flames are averaging over two more punchless for the current incarnation of the NHL, which isn't
shots per 60 minutes at 5-on-5 (30.97) to go along with the helped by the second line being anchored by a cicada shell
upticks in possession metrics and a plus-9.02 in expected that used to house Ryan Kesler. But the Ducks were also
goals. coming off seven straight seasons of over .600 points
percentage hockey, and the West playoff bubble is so
But there's a bunch more beyond the numbers here for mediocre, so this should be a team that's in a playoff spot
Peters. The Flames talk about his attention to detail and right now.
preparation. "What we do in a game, what other teams do in
a game, faceoffs, any small detail ... We have it covered," That it isn't falls on two things. First, goalie John Gibson's
forward Garnet Hathaway told the Calgary Sun. "Every drill back broke from carrying the team for three months, and his
in practice, there are a few details that have to be hit. .900 save percentage and 3.26 GAA in January contributed
Otherwise, you're up in the stands so you see that when we to their 19 losses in 21 games run. Second, Gibson's
don't get the details rights, we'll start the drill over. I think that collapse ultimately meant he could no longer be the air
has helped us stay accountable and I think it's helped us freshener covering up the stench of this team's play under
stay structured in our whole game. You can build off the Randy Carlyle. Even in their best moments this season, the
small things. When you have those pretty strong foundations, Ducks were a house of cards built on terrible possession
I think it's easier to keep improving." metrics and an expected goal differential at 5-on-5 of minus-
30.07, the worst in the NHL.
He walked into the Calgary room and addressed their issues
from last season head-on and has their attention on and off Like we said, we can't judge Murray as head coach, but we
the bench. There's a lot that's gone right for Calgary this can judge him as a general manager. And in our judgment,
season (and GM Brad Treliving should be credited as well), he waited far too long to fire a coach whose team was being
but Peters' arrival isn't coincidental to it. propped up "Weekend At Bernie's" style by a goalie pushing
for a Hart/Vezina sweep while the rest of the team withered.
1. Barry Trotz, New York Islanders (June 21, 2018) He did so because the coach was his friend, to the point
where it took a 2-15-4 run and his team quitting on him to
Record: 32-16-6 | Hot-seat rating: Negative-10 finally end his tenure. Look, they don't give ticket refunds if
In hindsight, it was like a hockey rom-com. The Stanley Cup- your team loses, but darn, if Ducks fans wouldn't have a
winning coach, jilted by his team over money and a desire to class-action suit for dereliction of duty here ...
trade in for a younger model. The hapless franchise, jilted by Anyway, good luck to Coach Murray in his multiweek
their franchise player and summarily written off by much of evaluation process. And to the next guy he hires to take over
the Ducks as well.CAROLINA HURRICANES
NEWS CLIPPINGS • February 12, 2019
Hurricanes seek to bounce back at Senators
Field Level Media to have success. ... We came out pretty good 5-on-5 (at New
Jersey)."
The Carolina Hurricanes likely arrive for Tuesday night's
game with the Ottawa Senators with a sour taste in their But Brind'Amour said troubles on the power play "sucked the
mouths. life out of us."
"We've got to bounce back," Carolina coach Rod The Senators have allowed 201 goals, the second-most in
Brind'Amour said, referring to Sunday's 3-2 loss at New the NHL after Sunday's games. Yet they have shown strong
Jersey. "That's one way to look at it. The past is done." offense at times with 172 goals, posting a better scoring
average than nine other teams in the Eastern Conference.
Carolina is on the cusp of a playoff spot in the Eastern
Conference, so every point matters. The game against New Ottawa's breakdowns in the defensive end are sometimes
Jersey notwithstanding, there haven't been many blunders glaring. It took Anders Nilsson's 44 saves to fend off the
lately for the hard-charging Hurricanes as they try to finish a Winnipeg Jets in Saturday's 5-2 victory.
solid road trip with the game at Canadian Tire Centre in
Ottawa. "He kept us in the game for a few stretches," left winger Zack
Smith said. "They had a lot of puck possession, but we did a
Carolina is 3-1-0 on this trip and 6-2-1 in its past nine games. pretty good job of keeping them on the outside."
"We have to focus on the next game and we have to find a The recent uptick for the Senators is reason for optimism.
way to get that one," Brind'Amour said.
"We're starting to get back to where we were in the middle of
The Senators have won two in a row as part of a three-game December, when we were playing our best hockey," Stone
homestand. said. "I think we're starting to get that confidence back."
"We've been right in hockey games most of the year," Carolina is the only team in the league with the same
Ottawa right winger Mark Stone said. "We've played pretty number of goals scored and goals allowed -- 163 in each
hard most nights and given ourselves a chance to win. The case.
last couple of games we've done a good job of getting the
lead and playing with the lead." Ottawa won 4-1 at Carolina on Jan. 18, less than two weeks
after the Hurricanes posted a 5-4 road victory against the
Yet like the Devils, the Senators are a last-place team in their Senators.
division. So with consecutive games against bottom teams,
the Hurricanes are desperate to salvage a split. Ottawa goes on a four-game road trip after this game,
starting Thursday at Detroit. The Hurricanes start a three-
"The problem with this group is the margin is so tight," game homestand on Friday against Edmonton.
Brind'Amour said. "Got to play 60 minutes or you're not going
--Field Level Media
Carolina Hurricanes vs. Ottawa Senators: Game Preview and Storm Advisory
The Hurricanes take on the worst team in the Eastern TV: Fox Sports Carolinas
Conference in the final game of their road trip. Radio: 99.9 The Fan
By Andrew Ahr SBN Opponent: Silver Seven Sens
Carolina Hurricanes (28-22-6) vs. Ottawa Senators (21-29-5) The Hurricanes take on the struggling Ottawa Senators
tonight as they try to secure four wins on their five game
Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2019 - 7:30 PM ET Eastern Conference road trip and rebound from a tough
Canadian Tire Centre - Ottawa, ON afternoon in New Jersey two days ago.CAROLINA HURRICANES
NEWS CLIPPINGS • February 12, 2019
Vital Statistics Goaltender #2
Category Hurricanes Senators Category Curtis McElhinney Anders Nilsson
Record 28-22-6 21-29-5 Record 13-6-1 9-12-1
Points 62 47 Save % .915 .916
Division Rank 5 Metro 8 Metro GAA 2.50 2.70
Conference Rank 9 EC 16 EC
Game Notes
Last 10 Games 6-3-1 4-6-0
Tonight’s game is the third and final between the teams this
season. The Hurricanes took the first game of the season in
Streak Lost 1 Won 2 Canadian Tire Centre by a score of 5-4, while the Senators
took the January 18th matchup in Raleigh by a score of 4-1.
Goals/Game 2.89 3.13 The Hurricanes are 21-7-5 in their last 33 games against the
Senators.
Goals Against/Game 2.88 3.65
Dougie Hamilton scored his 10th goal of the season in New
Jersey on February 10th, reaching a double-digit goal total
Shots/Game 35.5 29.8 for the fifth consecutive season. He is one of the five
defensemen in the NHL to post at least 10 goals in each of
the last five seasons, in good company with Brent Bruns,
Shots Against/Game 27.9 36.6
Mark Giordano, Roman Jose, and Aaron Ekblad. He’s been
hot lately, scoring seven goals in his last 18 games. That’s
Faceoff % 48.8% 50.0% the most among NHL defensemen in that span.
Sebastian Aho recorded his 100th career NHL and
Power Play % (Rank) 16.1% (26) 21.2% (T11) Hurricanes assist in Sunday afternoon’s loss to the Devils.
He currently is tied for the Metropolitan Division lead in
Penalty Kill % (Rank) 80.1% (15) 77.5% (25) points with 63.
Micheal Ferland misses practice yesterday with what Rod
ES Corsi For % 55.58% 44.42% Brind’Amour called some bumps and bruises, and while
Brind’Amour expects Ferland to be available tonight, the
Hurricanes recalled Patrick Brown from Charlotte as
ES PDO 98.4 100.1
insurance.
PIM/Game 7:38 8:46 Storm Advisory
LeBrun: The buyers, sellers, and TBD teams ahead of the
Goaltender #1 looming trade deadline. [The Athletic]
Calvin de Haan visited his old stomping grounds yesterday.
Category Petr Mrazek Craig Anderson
And Mike Maniscalco was there to document it.
The Hurricanes are hosting a Prescription Drug Take Back
Record 12-12-3 14-17-3 night on Friday.
The Penguins got robbed.
Save % .897 .904
The Senators might be in trouble this offseason.
GAA 2.73 3.55CAROLINA HURRICANES
NEWS CLIPPINGS • February 12, 2019
Behind Enemy Lines: Previewing the Senators, Oilers and Stars
The Canes end their road trip, then play host to two Western Despite producing what has been mostly a terrible brand of
Conference foes. hockey, terrible enough to get GM Peter Chiarelli fired (as
well as Todd McLellan earlier this season), the Edmonton
By Andy House Oilers remain on the periphery of the Western Conference
Ottawa Senators wild card discussion. Even at 24-26-5, the Oilers sit just six
points out of a playoff spot. With that in mind, the question
Tuesday, 7:30 p.m. at Canadian Tire Centre swirling around Edmonton is whether or not the Oilers should
The trade deadline looms large over the Ottawa Senators as attempt to provide some sort of band-aid for a roster that has
they enter play on Tuesday night. With multiple names fallen into disrepair in an attempt to salvage a playoff berth,
rumored to be on the move, the Sens roster could look a lot or to trade away assets that might have some value in an
different in a very short period of time. Pending UFA’s Mark attempt to build for a stronger future. While it would seem
Stone, Matt Duchene (rumored to be close to signing an fairly simple to decide to build a more sturdy roster in the
extension), and Ryan Dzingel are heavily involved as the future, a rabid fanbase and the otherworldly talents of
deadline nears and the Senators continue to languish in last Connor McDavid might persuade the organization to take
place in the Eastern Conference. their chances in trying to get into the dance.
While it is possible that the Hurricanes could be interested in For a deeper look at the roster issues the Oilers face, check
acquiring one of these options, the more immediate concern out the breakdown from the Behind Enemy Lines prior to the
for the Canes is their ability to take care of business closing Canes trip to Alberta just before the break. The bottom line
out what has been a fine road trip up to this point. After for the Oilers is that wasting the prime years of McDavid
pushing out to three impressive wins at the outset of the trip, (who has an astounding 80 points in 54 games) has added
closing it with back-to-back defeats to Eastern Conference significant stress from the fanbase. Openly discontent fans
also-rans would be a legitimate disappointment. Combine have taken out their frustration on social media and at
that with the Canes’ desire to make amends for their listless Rogers Arena. One fan hurled his jersey on the ice in protest
performance at home against the Sens almost a month ago last week during another defeat to the Chicago Blackhawks,
in what was Nino Niederreiter’s first game as a Hurricane, and Connor McDavid has expressed that he understands the
and Carolina has every reason to come prepared and ready fans are angry and frustrated at what has become an
to dig in for what should be a tough battle against a team that underachieving team, which was just a win away from the
has proven they can at least score with some regularity. Western Conference Final just two seasons ago.
After their win in Raleigh on January 18th, the Senators With so many holes within the roster, it is difficult to decide
immediately embarked on a five-game losing streak that was where the Oilers would need to add to stabilize themselves
just recently snapped with wins on home ice over the for a playoff berth. Goalie has been a serious issue with Cam
hapless Anaheim Ducks, and more interestingly, the Talbot providing his worst season in the final year of his deal.
Winnipeg Jets. Therefore, the Canes need to look no further His .893 save percentage has gotten him into basically a
than the last game to be warned of the type of effort required timeshare with Mikko Koskinen, who has been better at .906,
to earn two points. The two victories have showcased the but would not appear to be a long term solution in net.
talents of the rumored trade bait, as Duchene and Stone Quality on the blueline and NHL-caliber depth at forward are
each posted four points (three goals, one assist) over the two also issues, but addressing those would come at a significant
contests. If Carolina is to be effective, corralling Stone and cost due to the cap-strapped nature of the Oilers payroll
Duchene will go a long way towards success. The depth that would mean significant draft compensation would be needed
the Canes have played with recently with all four lines to help the Oilers move salary in a deal to improve the roster
contributing is also crucial against a team that has as it stands.
unquestionably high-end talent, but lacks in the depth Regardless, the Oilers will enter Friday night’s contest in
department. Turn this game into a fast-paced four line battle, need of clarity as the deadline approaches. Clarity that can
keep special teams on the sidelines for the most part, and only be resolved by a streak, whether it be winning or losing.
the Hurricanes will have a decided advantage.
What to Watch For
What to Watch For
As is said mostly every time the Canes take on the Oilers,
The Canes power play has continued to struggle, and was a what to watch is Connor McDavid. Arguably the most
serious factor in their defeat in New Jersey on Sunday. talented player in the NHL, McDavid has world-class speed.
Ottawa is a bottom-six penalty kill in the NHL, and spend an His matchups with Jaccob Slavin have been terrific in the
average of 8.8 minutes per game shorthanded. Can Carolina past, so look for that to continue.
take advantage of their opportunities?
With last change at home, and no Jordan Staal available to
Who will be in net for Carolina? Petr Mrazek has seen two match up with McDavid, it will be interesting to see how
consecutive starts, but Curtis McElhinney started the first two Brind’Amour manipulates his forwards when McDavid is iced.
contests of the trip. Rolling the four lines has been successful for Carolina, but
Edmonton Oilers will he look to play matchups against a top-heavy opponent?
Friday, 7:30 p.m. at PNC Arena Dallas StarsCAROLINA HURRICANES
NEWS CLIPPINGS • February 12, 2019
Saturday, 8:00 p.m. at PNC Arena But in the tandem of Bishop and former Cane Anton
Khudobin in net, Dallas has iced the most formidable goalie
The Dallas Stars have continued to deal with the injury bug, group in the league as they have each provided a .924 save
most recently with starting netminder Ben Bishop being percentage and a goals against average under 2.50.
sidelined for an undisclosed amount of time, but have Khudobin will have to take on the heavy lifting in the near-
managed to stay relevant in the Central Division playoff race term, making even a reasonably long absence a serious
where they currently hold third place. Powered by a recent issue for this defensive-heavy team. Fortunately for the
five-game winning streak, the Stars appear to be in prime Stars, they are in the midst of a stretch that only sees them
position to claim a playoff spot, but may need to add some play back-to-back games once until mid-March. If Bishop can
reinforcements to account for some significant losses. While return by then, they will be able to focus their trade deadline
Bishop’s length of absence has not been disclosed, the Stars attention on adding some scoring and blueline depth.
do know that key defenseman Marc Methot will not return
this season, and that Centers Martin Hanzal and Tyler Pitlick For Carolina to have success against Dallas, they must
continue to miss significant time. The question is, will the capitalize on the offensive opportunities that present
Stars have the means to pull off another trade after they themselves. In the past, a more defensive style may have
acquired Andrew Cogliano from the Ducks almost a month suited the Canes fine against the Stars, but pushing the
ago and re-acquired Jamie Oleksiak from the Pittsburgh action and playing with pace and flow should help the Canes
Penguins for their blueline? open up the neutral zone against the tight defensive
structure of the Stars. If the Canes settle into the Stars
This season has been a strange turnabout for the formerly adopted style of play, it could be a long and frustrating
high-octane Stars. Just four seasons ago, they led the NHL Saturday night at PNC Arena.
in offense, while surviving with suspect defense and goal-
tending. Now, after trending in this way for the past few What to Watch For
seasons, they have morphed into the inverse of their
previous identity. Sitting at 29th in the NHL in goals scored, We discussed the top end offensive talent that the Stars do
but 2nd in goals against, the Stars are a tight-checking, in fact possess. It is apparent most on the powerplay where
defensive oriented team despite elite offensive players in the Stars rate a solid 14th in the league, despite being only
Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin being the face of the 29th in offense.
organization. Toss in Alexander Radulov, who is second on In the second of a back-to-back, how will Carolina manage
the team with 44 points this season, and you would think that their minutes in both of the games to make sure they remain
a slumping offensive season across the board would have fresh? The rolling of lines and pairings served them well in
spelled certain doom for the Stars. Buffalo and New York this past weekend, but can they
recreate that at home?
Hurricanes Trade Deadline Primer: Ferland, Hamilton, Faulk, Pesce, and endless
possibilities
With rumors swirling and the Canes in contention, the 2019 Top-nine center
trade deadline should be one for the ages.
When you look at the current state of the Hurricanes, the
By Brett Finger biggest hole is in the middle of the ice.
Ron Francis always had a patient approach to key deadline Lines one through four at the center position go like:
days on the NHL calendar. He also had a go-to phrase; Sebastian Aho, Lucas Wallmark, Jordan Martinook, Greg
“More GMs get fired because of trade deadline and day one McKegg. You’re going to be able to get away with that top-
of free agency than any other days.” six. Aho is a bonafide first-line center and Wallmark is a
capable NHL center who can handle defensive assignments
In saying that, he meant that NHL general managers spend and contribute sporadic 5-on-5 offense, though I think you’d
too much money and make too many risks. Ironically, he was be better off slotting the young Swede in the bottom-six.
fired for doing the opposite.
Martinook has been a good stopgap on the third line and his
Two weeks separate the Carolina Hurricanes and the other game caters well to the center position, but he’s far from a
30 NHL teams from the February 25 trade deadline, and great face off taker and his natural position is the wing. As for
there are a lot of decisions to be made by Don Waddell and McKegg, I think you have to be pretty impressed by what he
company with regards to their defensive log-jam, rumored has been able to do in the role he’s been put in. He’s a
interest in another top-six forward, and pending unrestricted veteran player who knows what he has to do in order to stick
free agent winger Micheal Ferland. around. His offensive touch has been on display and he
What will the Canes do? What should they do? What options plays a strong north-south game. Analytically, there really
do they have? Let’s explore those questions. aren’t any red flags. There’s no real reason to seek out a
better fourth-line center.
Here is your 2019 trade deadline primer.
Ideally, the Hurricanes get Jordan Staal back from injury
Biggest Needs sooner rather than later, but while he has experienced some
progress as of late, acquiring a top-nine center should be aCAROLINA HURRICANES
NEWS CLIPPINGS • February 12, 2019
priority for the front office if they really want to be competitive season and has, in my eyes, moved up near Jaccob Slavin
down the stretch. in the “untouchable” category.
Forward Depth If you’re going to trade Pesce, a 24-year-old shutdown right-
handed defenseman under an unbelievably team-friendly
Carolina’s organizational depth has been cut down this long-term contract, you have to be getting a bonafide top-six
season through the losses of Phil Di Giuseppe and Valentin forward in his early 20’s coming the other way. That cuts
Zykov on the waiver wire and the call-ups of McKegg and down Pesce’s market dramatically, which leads me to think
Saku Maenalanen. In the next two weeks, the Canes need to that the Canes won’t even come close to trade Pesce in the
re-stock the shelves. next two weeks, or maybe ever.
This means seeking out guys like a McKegg or a Di Dougie Hamilton
Giuseppe - guys who provide depth for the NHL club and can
aid the Checkers’ playoff run. Charlotte has really started to Hamilton’s first-half struggles were well-documented. He
slow down as of late, and I don’t think it’s a coincidence that was, largely, a defensive liability and his offense wasn’t
it happened right as their depth chart got gashed. prevalent enough to make up for those shortcomings.
Whatever happened for him around the New Year, it’s totally
A Spot for Fox changed him for the better.
Perhaps the most important thing for the Canes to do is Since January 3, Hamilton has netted seven goals and 12
create an opening on the blue line for Harvard defenseman points in 18 games. He had just three goals and ten points in
Adam Fox. The right-handed blueliner has had a remarkable the 38 games prior. That’s a pretty huge disparity for the
year and appears to be ready for real NHL minutes right former Flame, and on top of that, he has put together some
now. downright dominant defensive performances.
In order for him to sign, though, there has to be a spot for We all knew the real Hamilton would arrive eventually, and
him. Fox has said on multiple occasions that he just wants to while it took a little longer than we hoped, he’s here. And his
play NHL hockey as soon as possible, and the Canes trade value has shot up because of it. Like Pesce, Hamilton
believe that he will sign if there’s a spot for him. That means needs to fetch a really good forward if he is to get traded.
one of Carolina’s right-handed defensemen has to get Given how well he has played as of late, it’s tough to
shipped out. envision him getting moved.
The addition of Fox shouldn’t be overlooked. His offense Justin Faulk
from the back end should add more scoring depth and help
the Canes’ horrific power play. As long as he has a spot in If you follow me on Twitter, you know that I have had a tough
the lineup when he signs in March, there shouldn’t be any time with Faulk for a good number of reasons. What it comes
issues. down to is this: this player should not be played the way he is
being played. I don’t know why he is still getting preferential
Best Trade Assets treatment over Hamilton. In no world should Faulk be getting
Micheal Ferland several more minutes than Hamilton and Pesce on a nightly
basis. That’s outrageous.
The Ferland drama has been a common talking point about
the team for months now, and there’s a real possibility that it On top of having a negative relative corsi share at 5-on-5, he
won’t end any time soon. has been the second-least productive power play
defenseman in the Eastern Conference this season, yet he is
For a few weeks now, the potential of a trade has grown less still on the first power play unit despite Hamilton’s huge
and less likely to the point that, now, I think the odds are breakout as of late.
against him getting shipped out by the February 25 deadline.
The Hurricanes are just one point behind the Pittsburgh What that doesn’t mean is that he hasn’t been better
Penguins (who they beat 4-0 in Pittsburgh last week) for the defensively this year, because he has. He has been a more
final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. The idea of reliable defender, and good for him. Good for everyone.
Ferland being a “self-owned rental” has been floated around, Right now, though, it looks painfully obvious that the Canes
and as long as the Canes are right at the doorstep of the value Faulk more so than some other defensemen on that
playoffs, he won’t get traded. depth chart, and for that reason, he probably won’t get
traded. He also has the least trade value of any of their top-
If the Canes fall out of the race in dramatic fashion over the three RHD.
next week or so, maybe things change. If the team feels like
they can secure a valuable asset (like a first-round draft Trevor van Riemsdyk
pick), it wouldn’t be difficult to convince themselves to make I think TvR is the most likely defenseman to be moved
a move. between now and the deadline. While he holds the lowest
Regardless of what happens, Ferland will almost absolutely value of Carolina’s defensemen, he is probably the easiest
hit the open market on July 1. guy to move on from and, in doing so, create a spot for
Adam Fox.
Brett Pesce
It’s hard to imagine the Canes getting anything more than a
Though he had a rough game in New Jersey on Sunday, mid-round pick or a depth forward in a return for van
Pesce has been playing some extremely good hockey this Riemsdyk, but that value is boosted even more in theYou can also read
