This team I hate so much. I love them and that's why I hate them. Guys running through the lineup real fast if I may
Number 86, Teuvo Teravainen 1LW - Teravainen had 76 points last season and often gets overlooked because he isn't Sebastian Aho, but he had 55 assists and 21 goals. He is fast becoming a great player and he gets criminally underrated around the league. He helps our team as much as Sebastian does. Teuvo was the driving force to the playoffs last season because Aho went quiet after January, Aho finished the season without a point in 14 games, and Teravainen didn't skip a beat. Teuvo pushed through and got them over the line. He can be a driving force in his own right.
Number 20, Sebastian Aho 1C - Sebastian had a breakout year last year, he put up 83 points, with 30 goals and 53 assists. He established himself as a premier player in this league, but if it's the Aho we saw from January onwards, I would expect to see a setback. Thinking back to early last year, Sebastian had a lot of his production in his record point streak to start the season, including a 4 point night against the Minnesota Wild in Minnesota, including 2 goals to tie the game and win it in OT, as well as the primary assist on the Williams last minute game tying goal. If we get the Sebastian from the first half of the season we are going to have a dependable 1C we can count on going either way. Another year working with Roddy also means he's gonna be better in the dot and better defensively. Sebastian could really boom this year from a defensive standpoint.
Number 37, Andrei Svechnikov 1RW - Svech had 20 goals 10 assists and 10 points last year as a rookie, playing predominantly 3rd line minutes all year around. If he takes that next step in his development and he can start to tuck the puck away with regularity, that goalscoring we lacked is quickly going to disapate. Svechnikov is a great player with a great shot. Giving him two sensational playmakers like Teuvo Teravainen and Sebastian Aho will only help because of the amount of chances he will get. Svechnikov's traditional powerforward feel also gives him a nice mix to the razzle and dazzle of the two Finnish playmakers
Number 21 Nino Niederreiter 2LW - Nino came in and started booming instantly. His ability to put the puck in the net became fast apparent that he isn't another Victor Rask (sorry Wild Fans). He established himself with a 23 goal 30 assist season [combined from his time in both teams]. The change of scenery has done him a world of good. He has shown his value to the team already when he quickly started fixing the scoring woes we had occured in the early season. A full season with the Hurricane over his chest should see him get to 25 hopefully. The more goals from El Nino the better.
Number 11 Jordan Staal 2C - Jordan missed a lot of the season due to a concussion, but a healthy Jordan Staal gives you in the neighbourhood of 20 goals and in the neighbourhood of 50 points almost every year, he does what he does, and he hardly ever differs. He is one of the more underrated two-way players in the game, defensively he is as stout as the come, albeit his offensive production isn't where it needs to be for an ideal 2C. I do not see Jordan being an issue in this lineup going into next year.
Number 14 Justin Williams 2 RW (?) - This is a questionmark because as this point in time, I do not know if Mr Game 7 will return for another season with the Hurricanes organisation. Should he return, the Captain put up 23 goals and 30 assists last year, idential numbers to Nino. He is going to do what he does, and he is going to be a great leader should he return. He ideally shouldn't be a top 6 player, I do understand that. He won't be for long, if he's thinking about hanging the skates up, he probably doesn't want to play until he's the age of Tom Brady. This may be Williams last year if he does return
Number 18 Ryan Dzingel 3 LW - Dzingel had 26 goals last year, 22 with Ottawa and 4 with Columbus. Yes his struggles with the blue jackets are well documented. but as someone who can score, with his speed, a scoring role on the 3rd line isn't beyond the bounds of possibility. I do think that he will succeed in Carolina. He's going to have Brind'amour coaching him, and he has a strong work ethic, so any weaknesses in his game will be ironed out pretty quickly. He had 26 goals and 30 assists for 56 points across the two franchises last season. He has a phenominal sense in the offensive zone. If he doesn't work scoring wise, he's got great speed and will be a nice forechecking option to win the puck back, a low risk signing by Carolina in these circumstances.
Number 56 Erik Haula 3C - Haula had a bad injury last year that limited him to just 15 games, although he had 30 goals the season before the injury. He was acquired from Vegas for Nicholas Roy and a conditional 5th round draft pick. Waddell has stated that the concept of picking up Erik Haula was to improve at the 3C spot in the lineup which they did nicely utilising Vegas' cap issue against them. Erik is another low risk acquistion because he is a pending UFA. If he doesn't work let him walk away. If he does work, it'll cost you a 5th round pick to resign him, it's a very low risk high reward deal.
Number 88 Martin Necas 3 RW - This is a pure guess. Necas has 2 points in 8 career NHL games, including a goal against Tampa early last year. He was a 12 overall pick in the 2017 NHL draft. He may not start the season on the roster, but he will make an appearence on the roster at some point. He is too good a player to not to. He is one of 2 right handed shots in the forward core I have selected here (the other being Williams). Although he may not make the roster, I have included him here becuase to say he will not play a part in this season at all would be short sighted of me
Number 13 Warren Foegele 4LW - Foegele is such a streaky player. He had 7 points in 5 games to start kast season and then went 25 games without a point. He came alive in the playoffs at the end of last season, scoring 4 goals in the first round as the Hurricanes triumphed over the Washington Capitals in 7 games. Should we see the Warren Foegele that we saw in the playoffs, Carolina have a dangerous player like him on the 4th line, and that could cause issues for a lot of teams. He has great speed and is a good peanlty killer, still on his entry level contract.
Number 48 Jordan Martinook 4C - Martinook had 15 goals last year, including a hat trick against the Florida Panther in a 4-1 win at home. It is clear that he knows how to put the puck in the goal, he had done this before. He can clearly score. Martinook is also a great guy in the locker room. Paying him 2 mil per year for the next 2 years isn't exactly great from a contract standpoint, but I'd rather have him then not have him.
Number 23 Brock McGinn 4 RW - Brock, similar to Warren, is a streaky player. McGinn struggled last year, only managing 10 goals and 16 assists for 26 points, but the year prior Brock McGinn had 16 goals. If McGinn can find that shot again, and he gets going on Carolina's 4th line, all 12 forwards can score goals, all 12 forwards can put the puck away. Brock McGinn probably scored the most iconic goal of last season among canes fans, tucking in a Williams pass in game 7 against Washington to win the series in double overtime.
Number 71 Lucas Wallmark HS - Wallmark had 10 goals and 18 assists last year for 28 points, he is a great defensive talent, and if he can be a little more productive in the offensive zone, then he could be a great player for Carolina as a 4th liner. He also makes less than league minimum at 675k because he signed a 2 year league minimum contract last year, and league minimum was raised with the cap inflation.
That is the forward core. Overall talented. This is a forward group that can for sure put the puck in the net, that isn't their issue. Ideally that forward core gets them into the top 10 in goalscoring.
Defensively we all know the canes are stout.
Number 74 Jaccob Slavin 1LD - There needs no questions be asked here. Slavin came ALIVE at the end of last season with 11 points in the playoffs. He also made enough goal line saves last year to qualify for a save percentage. Slavin is a top 20 d man in the league at this moment in time, he is great in his own end, he can hold his own offensively. Jaccob is a great player and, mark my words, the future captain of these Carolina Hurricanes.
Number 19 Dougie Hamilton 1RD - Dougie is an offensive dynamo. Going forward, there is very little question about the capabilites of Dougie and what he can produce. He is capable of a moment of magic, and for a defenceman, that is quite a feat. He is going to partner Jaccob Slavin as he did in the tale end of last season. He managed 18 goals and21 assists last year for 39 points. He is capable of so much more, he had 2 goals and an assist going into the game on New Years Eve against Philadelphia so you can understand just how great the second half of the season he had was. Dougie Hamilton could make or break the canes season next year. If he has 20 goals and 50 points being the offensive Dynamo that he is, he could very well find himself earning a nice payday when his contract his up in 2 years time, but if he plays poorly like he did prior to that game in PNC Arena on December 31st against the broadstreet bullies, he could find himself on the trading block again.
Number 22 Brett Pesce 2LD - Brett played 2LD a good chunk last year. He also produced 7 goals and 22 assists for 29 points in 77 games. The goals he scored were also impressive. He didn't score any point blasts he scored tips and backhands. The goals he scored would have made a genuine top 6 forward proud, it's confusing. Everyone knows Brett Pesce and defensively he is just a phenominal player. In his own end he is as competent and sound as they come. He hardly ever makes a mistake.
Number 27 Justin Faulk 2RD - Going from someone who hardly ever makes mistakes to the University of Minnesota-Duluth graduate.... the offensive defenceman isn't everyones favourite player, and that is to be expected. He is predominatly an offensive dynamo, although in recent years his offensive prowess has been sacrafised a little for some stability in his defensive game. He is still a very capable powerplay quarterback and he still established himself as a good player with 11 goals and 24 assists for 35 points last year.
Number 4 Haydn Fleury 3LD - This is a make or break year for the 2014 7th overall pick. He has to prove he is an NHL player here, or he will be waived or moved for someone like Jake Bean. If Haydn can hold down that 3LD spot and play well, not make a ton of mistakes and keeps his game clean. Ensuring that he EVENTUALLY gets his 1st NHL goal (it's been 87 games.... it can't be much longer) he may find himself as a player on this blue line for years to come, but if he has any issues, Jake Bean will likely take his place.
Number 57 Trevor van Riemsdyk 3RD - TvR is going to be healthy to start the regular season, he's going to be back by the end of preseason and he should be healthy for game 1 on October 4th at PNC Arena against the Montreal Canadiens. He is what he is at this point. He is in a contract year as a UFA so he will be extra motivated to get in some great performances because if he doesn't he may find himself in the situation of someone like Jake Gardiner at this moment in time, without a team and with no signs of interest. He is a great D man in his own end granted he isn't as talented as Pesce Faulk Hamilton or Slavin. TvR is not going to hinder this team.
The defence is up there with the best in the league, for skaters, this is a pretty solid team the issue is with the guys who wear the pads.
Number 34 Petr Mrazek - Could Mrazek be a great goalie? Absolutely. Did he overachive last year? Yes and no, he was league average he didn't exactly go streaking away, it isn't even his best year as a starter, but the recovery he made statistically was incredible. Mrazek just needs to play like he did at the end of last year, and there will be no worries with him in goal.
Number 47 James Reimer - Reimer needs to have a bounce back year. Florida isn't a great team for goalies. Even the great Roberto Luongo couldn't sort them out. If Reimer can come out of Florida and prove that it was the team around him responsible for his stats, and that he still has some gas left in the tank, than that Darling trade looks even better at this point in time. He has been a great starter before, he can be a great tandem goalie. In Carolina he isn't going to be overworked because they always give their goalies such a limited work load, all the shots usually come at the other end of the ice. He isn't going to need to have a shutout to have a chance of winning either. The forward core can give him goal support, it is just a matter of can he still stop the puck? If he can, then great. If not I wouldn't be surprised to see Nedeljkovic get a nod to the backup position relatively quickly.
All in all, I feel that this is a strong team on paper, everywhere outside of the crease is strong, and even if Mrazek repeats what he did last year, Carolina are a strong team. They still sit on a whole host of talent in Charlotte and juniors. The likes of Jake Bean, Alexander Nedeljkovic, Janne Kuokkanen, Ryan Suzuki, Jack Drury and so on. They are a goaltender away from being a cup contender. The issue with this team is they could finish 2nd in the division or miss the playoffs and neither event would surprise me.... I hope that they win the division and the cup obviously, but I'm not sold. What do you think?
BuFfaLOFaN liked this.
Reply
CapFriendly
CapFriendly