Around the NHL 2023-2024

[Stealth JD]

meh - Stars defensive short-comings are overstated. Sure, it's not ideal to have to rely on 5-guys; but their top-4 is stacked and their number 5, Suter, is a wily vet. That team is so deep everywhere else, that you have to forgive them for not being stacked 20-players deep. They've got a nice group of 18 though, and I fully expect them to get to the Final. Whether they have the juice to get past the East is another matter. But that's only because Florida/NY/Carolina are equally deep and talented. They've at least got a chance. Class of the West for sure.

 

[AVictoryDive]

Man, the Rangers just look so dang sloppy and like they forgot to play hockey.

 

[Xerloris]

Lol I love how they showed that kid crying because the Rangers took a 4-3 lead.

 

[simon IC]

Rangers with the comeback!! I really like that team!

 

[BrokenFace]

Tough break Carolina. Can I offer you a gently used, robustly retained Krug as an upgrade over DeAngelo? What he lacks in defense he more than makes up for with past-the-2nd-round intangibles.

 

[PJJJP]

Didn't see the Canes Rangers game but what a collapse by the Canes. Seems like they are the Sharks of the 2010's

 

[ScratchCatFever]

Man, the Rangers just look so dang sloppy and like they forgot to play hockey.

Then, suddenly, the Canes forgot how to hockey.. That goal Andersen let slip through on the edge of the post was absolutely brutal. The energy being vacuumed out of that rink over the course 7-8 minutes was palpable just watching it on TV.

 

[TheOrganist]

Watching Vancouver and Edmonton all I can think is how horrendous our defense is at moving the puck compared to these teams. Great hockey in the second period.

 

[Brian39]

Man I wanted the Canes to get that series to game 7.

I thought that Carolina was the better team overall that series, but their goalie(s) got noticeably outplayed by their opponent's goalie. They held the Rangers to 25 shots or fewer in 3 of their 4 losses in this series, yet the goalies allowed 4, 3, and 4 goals in those games. They allowed 39 shots in the double OT loss where Freddie allowed 4 goals on 39 shots.

Carolina scored 3+ goals in 5 of the 6 games this series even with Shesterkin playing extremely well. Unlike past years, the offense scored goals. They put 18 goals past Shesterkin in 6 games and allowed just 156 shots (just 26 per game despite playing an 'extra' 29 minutes of OT in the series).

The goaltending simply wasn't good enough. I don't see any way to break this series down other than the conclusion that their goaltending lost it for them.

Carolina has a number of decisions to make regarding extensions this offseason, but they also have $27M in cap space with 17 players still under contract. They have spent years trying to take the next step by building an elite team in front of a low-budget tandem. I thinkit is time to abandon that plan and try to invest in a legit #1.

 

[Drubilly]

Man I wanted the Canes to get that series to game 7.

I thought that Carolina was the better team overall that series, but their goalie(s) got noticeably outplayed by their opponent's goalie. They held the Rangers to 25 shots or fewer in 3 of their 4 losses in this series, yet the goalies allowed 4, 3, and 4 goals in those games. They allowed 39 shots in the double OT loss where Freddie allowed 4 goals on 39 shots.

Carolina scored 3+ goals in 5 of the 6 games this series even with Shesterkin playing extremely well. Unlike past years, the offense scored goals. They put 18 goals past Shesterkin in 6 games and allowed just 156 shots (just 26 per game despite playing an 'extra' 29 minutes of OT in the series).

The goaltending simply wasn't good enough. I don't see any way to break this series down other than the conclusion that their goaltending lost it for them.

Carolina has a number of decisions to make regarding extensions this offseason, but they also have $27M in cap space with 17 players still under contract. They have spent years trying to take the next step by building an elite team in front of a low-budget tandem. I thinkit is time to abandon that plan and try to invest in a legit #1.

Yep but I still want K'Andre Miller in a Blues jersey.

 

[Brian39]

Yep but I still want K'Andre Miller in a Blues jersey.

Me too, but I think that ship has fully and completely sailed. They got the bridge done with him last summer to avoid him being a cap casualty and they will have the space to pay him fair market value if they want when he is owed his extension. He has become their #2 D man this year and that has continued into the playoffs.

Even if one of the RFA LHD becomes the cap casualty, I think that it will be Lindgren and not Miller. Which is a bummer, because he is one of my favorite D men in the league.

 

[Xerloris]

Man I wanted the Canes to get that series to game 7.

I thought that Carolina was the better team overall that series, but their goalie(s) got noticeably outplayed by their opponent's goalie. They held the Rangers to 25 shots or fewer in 3 of their 4 losses in this series, yet the goalies allowed 4, 3, and 4 goals in those games. They allowed 39 shots in the double OT loss where Freddie allowed 4 goals on 39 shots.

Carolina scored 3+ goals in 5 of the 6 games this series even with Shesterkin playing extremely well. Unlike past years, the offense scored goals. They put 18 goals past Shesterkin in 6 games and allowed just 156 shots (just 26 per game despite playing an 'extra' 29 minutes of OT in the series).

The goaltending simply wasn't good enough. I don't see any way to break this series down other than the conclusion that their goaltending lost it for them.

Carolina has a number of decisions to make regarding extensions this offseason, but they also have $27M in cap space with 17 players still under contract. They have spent years trying to take the next step by building an elite team in front of a low-budget tandem. I thinkit is time to abandon that plan and try to invest in a legit #1.

I thought it was a bad move to use Anderson after he missed so much of the season with blood clots. Just seems like they should have rode the goalie(s) that got them there.

 

[Drubilly]

Me too, but I think that ship has fully and completely sailed. They got the bridge done with him last summer to avoid him being a cap casualty and they will have the space to pay him fair market value if they want when he is owed his extension. He has become their #2 D man this year and that has continued into the playoffs.

Even if one of the RFA LHD becomes the cap casualty, I think that it will be Lindgren and not Miller. Which is a bummer, because he is one of my favorite D men in the league.

Oh yeah, I feel that shipped sailed some time ago as well. I became fixated on him during his draft year and thought "he's the PERFECT Bouw replacement!" Nothing flashy just big, rangy, mobile, and smart. Sighhhhh

 

[STL fan in MN]

I thought it was a bad move to use Anderson after he missed so much of the season with blood clots. Just seems like they should have rode the goalie(s) that got them there.

Hard to justify not going with Andersen. Small sample size because of the missed time but he actually led the NHL in SV% at .932. Raanta was downright bad this season and Kochetkov was just ok (and not good in the one playoff game he played). In retrospect, perhaps Andersen wasn’t quite ready yet but not sure Kochetkov would’ve been a better option.

Agree though that the difference in the series was goaltending. I’d agree that to get over the hump, that’s what the Canes need - quality goaltending. But I’m not sure they’re going to find someone better than Andersen out there. He’s a good goalie. Not one of the top ones but probably better than any that are available. I’m willing to give him a bit of a pass here given he was coming off a lot of missed time but they really need solid goaltending from someone, anyone, to take that next step.

The Canes were the team I was rooting for. Sucks another one of their promising seasons once again comes up short.

 

[WeWentBlues]

Man I wanted the Canes to get that series to game 7.

I thought that Carolina was the better team overall that series, but their goalie(s) got noticeably outplayed by their opponent's goalie. They held the Rangers to 25 shots or fewer in 3 of their 4 losses in this series, yet the goalies allowed 4, 3, and 4 goals in those games. They allowed 39 shots in the double OT loss where Freddie allowed 4 goals on 39 shots.

Carolina scored 3+ goals in 5 of the 6 games this series even with Shesterkin playing extremely well. Unlike past years, the offense scored goals. They put 18 goals past Shesterkin in 6 games and allowed just 156 shots (just 26 per game despite playing an 'extra' 29 minutes of OT in the series).

The goaltending simply wasn't good enough. I don't see any way to break this series down other than the conclusion that their goaltending lost it for them.

Carolina has a number of decisions to make regarding extensions this offseason, but they also have $27M in cap space with 17 players still under contract. They have spent years trying to take the next step by building an elite team in front of a low-budget tandem. I thinkit is time to abandon that plan and try to invest in a legit #1.

After watching all of the games but not digging into the stats as you have done, the eye test concludes the same. Let in too many softies.

Given where the Canes and Blues are in their perspective timelines, I would consider making Binnington available to them if the price is right. His personality would fit that team and city like a glove.

 

[Brian39]

After watching all of the games but not digging into the stats as you have done, the eye test concludes the same. Let in too many softies.

Given where the Canes and Blues are in their perspective timelines, I would consider making Binnington available to them if the price is right. His personality would fit that team and city like a glove.

I'm still not interested in moving Binner for anything less than a haul, but if we are shopping him I think the Canes are a destination that makes a ton of sense. We could take back Freddie's contract to help make the money work for them, they have a couple really good D prospects, and they still own all of their picks this year. I could also see them being interested in Leddy/Buch (with retention), so there is potential for a real blockbuster.

I would be pretty surprised if Carolina is on Binner's 18 team no-trade list that kicks in this summer. The taxes are about the same as MO taxes, they are a contender, they play a system that is very goalie-friendly, and Raleigh isn't exactly an undesirable location.

 

[Hrkac Circus]

Since Vancouver’s Silovs’ name sounds like “Shelob”, I thought this might be a nice concept for a new mask.

 

[Brockon]

Man I wanted the Canes to get that series to game 7.

I thought that Carolina was the better team overall that series, but their goalie(s) got noticeably outplayed by their opponent's goalie. They held the Rangers to 25 shots or fewer in 3 of their 4 losses in this series, yet the goalies allowed 4, 3, and 4 goals in those games. They allowed 39 shots in the double OT loss where Freddie allowed 4 goals on 39 shots.

Carolina scored 3+ goals in 5 of the 6 games this series even with Shesterkin playing extremely well. Unlike past years, the offense scored goals. They put 18 goals past Shesterkin in 6 games and allowed just 156 shots (just 26 per game despite playing an 'extra' 29 minutes of OT in the series).

The goaltending simply wasn't good enough. I don't see any way to break this series down other than the conclusion that their goaltending lost it for them.

Carolina has a number of decisions to make regarding extensions this offseason, but they also have $27M in cap space with 17 players still under contract. They have spent years trying to take the next step by building an elite team in front of a low-budget tandem. I thinkit is time to abandon that plan and try to invest in a legit #1.

The Canes have Kochetkov signed for 3 more years at 2m AAV (4 years at 2m AAV deal). That to me implies they're looking to move on from the Raanta/Andersen tandem after this season, possibly re-signing one of the 35 year olds (Andersen turns 35 Oct 2), but also leaving them free to pursue someone this summer to play with Kochetkov who turns 25 this summer. I think Kochetkov needs a vet partner, but he's not far from being the guy in net for Carolina moving forward.

Kochetkov got 42 games this year, largely due to the injuries both the older guys dealt with...

Kochetkov 42gp 2.33gaa, 91.1 SV%
AHL 3gp 1.63gaa, 93.2 SV%
P/O 1gp 2.96gaa, 88.0 SV%

Raanta 24gp 2.99gaa, 87.2 SV%
AHL 8gp 3.54gaa, 87.3 SV%

Andersen 16gp 1.84gaa, 93.2 SV%
P/O 10gp 2.62gaa, 89.5 SV%

Edit: didn't notice that Capfriendly had rolled their contract years over... Andersen/Kochetkov will be their tandem this next year as Raanta is a UFA.

Sigh. Disregard this post...

 

[ChicagoBlues]

Roope Hintz out for the Stars. As of right now, PDB is running the same lineup tonight.

 

[Brian39]

The Canes have Kochetkov signed for 3 more years at 2m AAV (4 years at 2m AAV deal). That to me implies they're looking to move on from the Raanta/Andersen tandem after this season, possibly re-signing one of the 35 year olds (Andersen turns 35 Oct 2), but also leaving them free to pursue someone this summer to play with Kochetkov who turns 25 this summer. I think Kochetkov needs a vet partner, but he's not far from being the guy in net for Carolina moving forward.

Kochetkov got 42 games this year, largely due to the injuries both the older guys dealt with...

Kochetkov 42gp 2.33gaa, 91.1 SV%
AHL 3gp 1.63gaa, 93.2 SV%
P/O 1gp 2.96gaa, 88.0 SV%

Raanta 24gp 2.99gaa, 87.2 SV%
AHL 8gp 3.54gaa, 87.3 SV%

Andersen 16gp 1.84gaa, 93.2 SV%
P/O 10gp 2.62gaa, 89.5 SV%

Edit: didn't notice that Capfriendly had rolled their contract years over... Andersen/Kochetkov will be their tandem this next year as Raanta is a UFA.

Sigh. Disregard this post...

Kochetkov is definitely in their medium-to-long term plans and he will for sure be in the NHL all year next year. But I'm not sold that they are going to be willing to make him their #1 or that they are content running a tandem with him and Freddie.

Unless they are looking to take a step-back, retooling season I think that their best bet is to find a way to shed Freddie and bring in a legit #1 with 2-3 years of remaining term. That gives Kochetkov time to improve and (in their perfect world) steal the #1 job in a period where they have complete cost-certainty in net.

I think they could do a hell of a lot worse than a Binner-Kochetkov tandem for 3 years starting in 2024/25. I think that 'fixes' the goalie problem in the short term, gives you multiple years of damn good goaltending and then Binner would come off the books before Kochetkov is owed a raise if he wins the job and proves to be a legit #1.

Edit: Friedman talked about the Hurricanes on 32 Thoughts and discussed Kotkeniemi as a buyout candidate, his belief that Necas won't work in Carolina long term, and that they probably won't be re-signing Pesce. Sounds like the Hurricanes might be active and could very well have a ton of cap space to make a large move.

 

[Bobby Orrtuzzo]

 

[PJJJP]

Good for Berube. I think he can do good with the Leafs provided they greatly improve their defense and goaltending in the offseason

 

[BlueDream]

That’s gonna be fascinating to follow. I’m very interested to see how he does there, and I really have no idea what to expect.

 

[STL fan in MN]

It’s official now.

 

[Vladys Gumption]

Can’t lie I’m rooting for Berube to take them on a run. I think he’s a good fit for what they need.