Carolina, 2nd in the Metro, just downgraded at the deadline

[bleedgreen]

This year no, but the outlook for this year was always make the playoffs and you never know, but use the roster flexibility of next season to make a real move in the standings again. A motivated Rantanen could have been a large part of that but that's the furthest thing from what the end result of his play here was.

If Nikishin comes over after the season as expected and with the money coming off the books from Orlov and Burns the room is most definitely there to make the needed roster additions (another top 6 F or 2, and a non-ancient RD1) to have the team as a contender next season.

I actually like Stankoven a LOT. He should be our #2C long-term. Picking up Stankoven is a great move if we want to compete for a Cup 3 years from now. Will he be that next year though? Even 2 years from now I'm not sure, and the team made no corresponding move to bolster the lineup around what's currently set to be in place next season.

If he plays center for us he doesn’t have to do much to beat out KK. If he plays as hard as he normally does he’s probably already done it. Some say he’s a winger though. I’ve watched him a bit but not enough to have an opinion of where he belongs.

 

[bleedgreen]

Of course hindsight is 20/20. But they traded one star for another. And are left with zero now.

Not exploring the possibility of that massive risk being realized seems purely irresponsible.

Well I don’t think they didn’t even ask, I think the Avs told them they couldn’t negotiate first and we accepted it. Tulsky said from day one he was ok with Rants finishing the season and walking. So it’s more about whether or not that attitude is ok in the first place. I think not because Necas could’ve brought us something more long term obviously. Necas was going one way or another though.

 

[HabsWhiteKnightLOL]

Trading Necas without an extension for Rantanen was completely stupid just to trade him away for a third line 5'8 center and first picks. Carolina GM deserves the worst GM of the year

 

[Nogatco Rd]

Of course hindsight is 20/20. But they traded one star for another. And are left with zero now.

Not exploring the possibility of that massive risk being realized seems purely irresponsible.

What make you say they “didn’t explore it”?

They took a swing and it didn’t work out

 

[Jixer19]

You’re not wrong. At all. I live in CO and watch almost as much Avs as Canes, I’ve watched Rants his whole career. He should be embarrassed. That was pure shite. The first two periods last night he would’ve been bad in the AHL. Made a few efforts in the third.

It’s saying something when as a Canes fan you can honestly say he was easily outplayed by Hall since the trade. It’s not really close. Hall has played himself into probably a contract. Rants almost played himself out of one.

I didn't watch the game, so can't say for certain but Rants at times the last couple years was like that for the Avs even. You would scratch your head because you know he could dominate out there at times, then be invisible at times, all due to lack of effort which was frustrating as a fan. I get it is a 82 game season and no player will or even can go all out all games, but at least put in the basic effort if you don't feel it that night, but shrug

 

[BoHorvat 53]

Overreaction imo, trading for someone who was touted as a borderline top-10 drafted prospect coming into this season, on pace for 40 points in his rookie season, and 2 1sts is some very clean work from Tulsky to keep the Canes as a contender. Sure, they're not all-in, but moves like this ensure that your organization is always going to be in the inner group of contenders for the next 10 years.

Hockey is such a finicky sport. In any given year, the best team almost never wins. It's about getting the right bounces, and staying healthy. The Canes underlying numbers this year still suggest they're a contender.

 

[Chan790]

I like what Carolina did. I don't care if I'm the only one. They traded for Rantanen. He didn't work out. The pieces we need to be competitive weren't there to get. This team is treading water and isn't worth spending assets on this year to not compete. The prices were too high for half-solutions.

We sold Rantanen for trade assets to spend when the solutions we need come available. Right now, they're not, so we folded up our trade currency and stuck it in our pocket.

 

[bleedgreen]

Trading Necas without an extension for Rantanen was completely stupid just to trade him away for a third line 5'8 center and first picks. Carolina GM deserves the worst GM of the year

User name still checking out.

 

[Nogatco Rd]

No pivot. Simply Stankoven in, Rantanen out.

I’m usually able to provide justification for their moves, but this is befuddling.

I can’t think of too many comps. Only Tampa trading St. Louis in 2014 comes to mind really. That was a club coming out of a rebuild, not an established playoff team.

Aren’t they 1st 2nd or 3rd in the metro every year?

Not like this is the Wings or Sens who are blowing a once in a decade chance

 

[Connor McConnor]

It's weird to me that a team this well built has failed to get over the hump. They seem content with just being a good regular season team. I don't really blame them for the Rants move, nor the pivot when they realized he wasn't going to sign. Maybe dodged a bullet tbh, not sure Rants is worth 12-13m anyways.

 

[Michoulicious]

What did you expect? Acquiring Rantanen was a bold move to get ahead of the deadline, but the player himself became a problem. They rolled the dice and didn’t get the result they were looking for.

Instead of sitting on him as a rental, they moved on quickly. It was the only move.

They could have bought with the assets acquired, like the other contenders did.

 

[qc14]

What did you expect? Acquiring Rantanen was a bold move to get ahead of the deadline, but the player himself became a problem. They rolled the dice and didn’t get the result they were looking for.

Instead of sitting on him as a rental, they moved on quickly. It was the only move.

They should have sat on him as a rental and tried to actually win for once.

Said this many times before in many places but Carolina is an unserious organization that is obsessed with how smart they think they are. They have been a top 5 team over the last five years in the regular season. Screw "cap flexibility" or "sustainable success" or a "deep prospect pool." They are in the position to play for Cups, and have repeatedly balked at opportunities to put them in the best spot to win a cup as possible.

Don't know whether it's Dundon or Tulsky or Brind'Amour or some combo of the three, but organizationally they just seem to not understand that the goal is winning a Cup. The fans deserve better

 

[tarheelhockey]

They could have bought with the assets acquired, like the other contenders did.

Per a comment from Tulsky, would seem that was their plan, but the Rantanen trade took so long to close that they missed out on the relevant targets.

Rantanen really ****ed the Canes through this process and it could have ended a lot worse for them.

 

[Michoulicious]

Per a comment from Tulsky, would seem that was their plan, but the Rantanen trade took so long to close that they missed out on the relevant targets.

Rantanen really ****ed the Canes through this process and it could have ended a lot worse for them.

Then he should have traded Rantanen faster, what the heck is that excuse.

 

[tarheelhockey]

They should have sat on him as a rental and tried to actually win for once.

Said this many times before in many places but Carolina is an unserious organization that is obsessed with how smart they think they are. They have been a top 5 team over the last five years in the regular season. Screw "cap flexibility" or "sustainable success" or a "deep prospect pool." They are in the position to play for Cups, and have repeatedly balked at opportunities to put them in the best spot to win a cup as possible.

Don't know whether it's Dundon or Tulsky or Brind'Amour or some combo of the three, but organizationally they just seem to not understand that the goal is winning a Cup. The fans deserve better

He had 2-4 in 13 games, was visibly just floating around waiting for his time to expire, and had already stated his intentions not to return to the team. Sitting on that as a rental instead of getting a roster player and two 1sts would be negligence.

 

[tarheelhockey]

Then he should have traded Rantanen faster, what the heck is that excuse.

Did you not get online today? Canes lined up a trade with the Stars that was contingent on an extension. Rantanen walked away from the table for most of the day and only got something done at the last minute.

 

[qc14]

He had 2-4 in 13 games, was visibly just floating around waiting for his time to expire, and had already stated his intentions not to return to the team. Sitting on that as a rental instead of getting a roster player and two 1sts would be negligence.

Canes played into that by leaving the door open to flipping him basically as soon as the original deal was done and playing out the entire contract negotiation/trade flip threat in the media

 

[tarheelhockey]

Canes played into that by leaving the door open to flipping him basically as soon as the original deal was done and playing out the entire contract negotiation/trade flip threat in the media

At the time of the trade, Tulsky openly stated that he’d be fine taking Rantanen into the playoffs un-signed even if it meant he walked in UFA. Tulsky believed in him that much, especially his playoff presence. This is the kind of trade that shapes a GM’s career, he was all in.

Rantanen responded by sulking and scoring 3rd line points.

At THAT point the door was opened to a flip trade. Which is beyond fair.

 

[qc14]

At the time of the trade, Tulsky openly stated that he’d be fine taking Rantanen into the playoffs un-signed even if it meant he walked in UFA. Tulsky believed in him that much, especially his playoff presence. This is the kind of trade that shapes a GM’s career, he was all in.

Rantanen responded by sulking and scoring 3rd line points.

At THAT point the door was opened to a flip trade. Which is beyond fair.

Should've stuck to his guns instead of letting Dundon bully him then.

Rantanen was playing fine in Carolina too, just getting unlucky. Is Mikko Rantanen a bad fit with Hurricanes? Only if you’re not paying attention

 

[Hale The Villain]

They took a swing at acquiring a top player, it failed, so they pivoted and acquired a haul of future assets that will ensure they remain a playoff threat for the next decade.

They did very well. This year may not end up being their year, but they now have a crap ton of futures they can use in the off-season and at next trade deadline to improve their team's playoff chances.

What they did this deadline was infinitely smarter than what a team like Colorado did. Not sure why they are getting so much hate.

 

[Bruce Granville]

Trading Necas without an extension for Rantanen was completely stupid just to trade him away for a third line 5'8 center and first picks. Carolina GM deserves the worst GM of the year

He tops it with taking too long to get the deal done and missing out on deals they would have made on top.

Edit: it was Rakell, I heard…

 

[tarheelhockey]

Should've stuck to his guns instead of letting Dundon bully him then.

Stuck to his guns for what purpose? To watch Rantanen make him look like an ass?

People say Dundon gets too involved, but this is a case of the boss coming downstairs to make it perfectly clear that he doesn’t care what you did yesterday, it’s what you do today that matters. Took a big risk and ended up hiring the wrong guy? Cool, don’t burn the organization down to try and justify your mistake. Just fix it, do what needs to be done.

Today the Canes woke up in basically the same position they’d have been if they had never had Rantanen at all. Say what you will about Dundon, I get that he’s not popular in some circles, but a LOT and I mean a LOT of owners in this league would have sat by and let their GM “stick to his guns” with catastrophic consequences. This was a clear-cut case where someone needed to set things back on the right track.

Rantanen was playing fine in Carolina too, just getting unlucky. Is Mikko Rantanen a bad fit with Hurricanes? Only if you’re not paying attention

Rantanen was not playing fine. The analytics excuse worked for a couple of weeks but it was increasingly obvious that he simply checked out and, if anything, was playing worse and worse every game.

 

[HabsWhiteKnightLOL]

He tops it with taking too long to get the deal done and missing out on deals they would have made on top.

Edit: it was Rakell, I heard…

That's some Marc Bergevin type of excuse. That's rough.

 

[Bruce Granville]

That's some Marc Bergevin type of excuse. That's rough.

Oh yeah, MB was funny for all the fans of other teams.

I was wondering why Boeser and Rakell were not moved…might have been both. And maybe a mean Ristolainen for the battles in front of your own net. He loves it when the stakes are high.
Now he will get the trophy for most games without playoff appearance.

 

[Uncle Scrooge]

This chain of events might've been a blessing in disguise if they flipped a pick for a 2C.

2C + Stankoven would've probably made the team better than what it's been as Rantanen just didn't do a whole heck of a lot. And even with Necas they still had the 2C problem.

But yeah in the end, you can't win the cup with those centers.