GDT: Carolina @ Tampa Bay 4 PM EDT USAN

[surfzone365]

Overall I hate to read all things such "maybe Brindy is not the right guy", "Bean is the worst ever", "the core is mediocre", "you can replace Hamilton with Borer" and "Svech is not good, not to mention he's friend with Hamilton"

When you see garbage like that, just chalk it up to inexperienced “fans” that are new to winning and that are not seasoned in the understanding of what a team must go through to win the Cup. Some of it is just merely frustration and venting, but either way don’t put any stock into it

 

[Roboturner913]

I think a lot of people were mislead by our divisional success this season into thinking we are further along our development than we are. The presidents trophy thing was a bit of a giggle. We arent that good yet

Exactly. I think the regular season may have inflated some expectations. Do I think this years team was better than last year’s? Absolutely.....do I think they’re going to contend for the Presidents Trophy again next year? Probably not. I think in a “normal” year we would’ve been a 4 seed in the East , maybe a 3 seed. This was a really good team but not an elite one and not ready to take on the true heavyweight teams in a deep playoff run. Again, this is year 3. If we’re in year 6 or 7 and still show the same failings, then it’ll be time to start asking the hard questions. But not yet.

 

[Big Daddy Cane]

I'm curious to see the energy level in Game 5. They have every excuse to just fold, looking at a daunting comeback against a top tier team after a devastating loss capping a very trying 10 months or so for the bulk of the team. I'd feel a bit better about this season overall if they bring their A+ game in the possible home finale. It doesn't sound significant, but this team hasn't defeated Boston or Tampa by more than a goal through 13 playoff games over the past 3 seasons. They're better than that, at least I hope.

 

[surfzone365]

I recall the Chicago Cubs being down 3-1 in an important series in 2016. If a team as cursed as that organization can do it, it has shown me that ANYTHING in life is possible. Never lose hope.

 

[Tryamw]

In regards to GDT's it's mostly people seizing it by the horns..

 

[surfzone365]

Let’s hear the Big Jake Gardiner chants!

 

[LostInaLostWorld]

In regards to GDT's it's mostly people seizing it by the horns..

 

[Ole Gil]

Exactly. I think the regular season may have inflated some expectations. Do I think this years team was better than last year’s? Absolutely.....do I think they’re going to contend for the Presidents Trophy again next year? Probably not. I think in a “normal” year we would’ve been a 4 seed in the East , maybe a 3 seed. This was a really good team but not an elite one and not ready to take on the true heavyweight teams in a deep playoff run. Again, this is year 3. If we’re in year 6 or 7 and still show the same failings, then it’ll be time to start asking the hard questions. But not yet.

I think Tampa is just the best team in the league by a fair margin. I don't think losing to them says anything about any team other than they are #2 at best.

Canes and Tampa were even in the regular season. Now Canes lose their #2 and #3 goal scorers, and Tampa adds a top 3 player in the league in a bit of Cap fluke. This is what you'd expect.

Tampa is just icing a better team than everyone else right now.

 

[Canes]

I just took my family for a beach trip to Edisto Beach which is a beach outside of Charleston that you need to travel through a few rural areas to get to. We stopped at a gas station and I had on my Hurricanes hat with the two flag logo. The clerk asked me what team it represented, and I told him it was just a hockey team called the Carolina Hurricanes. He looked at me incredulously then asked if it was a NHL team. I told him yes and he was so surprised there was actually a team in the Carolinas. I told him we were in the playoffs and to check them out and he seemed genuinely excited to do so. I didn’t tell him our current predicament because I was just so excited to have someone ask and be interested about the team. Somehow it kinda renewed my faith in the team for some reason which is why I had to share.

 

[Roboturner913]

I think Tampa is just the best team in the league by a fair margin. I don't think losing to them says anything about any team other than they are #2 at best.

Canes and Tampa were even in the regular season. Now Canes lose their #2 and #3 goal scorers, and Tampa adds a top 3 player in the league in a bit of Cap fluke. This is what you'd expect.

Tampa is just icing a better team than everyone else right now.

I feel mostly the same way, but I think that last game showed us there's still a pretty significant chink in the Canes' collective armor.

But I also don't feel like it's something that can be overcome by roster moves. The core of this team is still young and have only been competing in the top half of the league for 3 years. They are going to have to get through these growing pains and learn from it.

I remember reading Gretzky's autobiography many years ago and one of the things he talked about a lot was how those Oilers teams had to take their lumps for a few years before they really understood what it took to win on that level. Even in back to back years when he had 200 point seasons they still didn't have the mental makeup to get past those hardened veteran teams in their way. I think the same kind of thing is happening here, not that we're the 80s Oilers by any means, but there are a lot of parallels IMO.

 

[Anton Dubinchuk]

What did last game show about the Canes that it didn’t also show about the Lightning, aside from we don’t quite have the swagger of a former champion yet?

That second period was ultimately played to a tie. Whatever we showed in giving up the lead, we also showed in building it in the first place.

I don’t think there is anything fundamentally “wrong” with the roster except that we don’t quite have the killer instinct of the Lightning and there’s no shame in it.

 

[Sens1Canes2]

It's a 4 game sample size, 2 of which were "close". I don't know if that was a deliberate plan on Tampa's part to play down to Carolina, bank on the high end talent/elite goaltending to win the day, and only activate the buzzsaw if necessary, or if Carolina was genuinely that close to Tampa in those two home games. It's near impossible to hash out what is a genuine problem that needs to be corrected and what is a knee jerk reaction to a frustrating situation in a small sample size.

For whatever reason I'm drawn to Rod bitching about the refs has led the refs to refuse to give Carolina any benefit of the doubt. Maybe it's because it's something I've watched, game after game, for 3 years. Maybe it's something that is easily corrected and it's only nonsense. But I like it. /shrug

To suggest such a thing is blasphemy!!!

 

[The Faulker 27]

So I wonder if Rod does his leave them in as a show of faith thing with Mrazek or we see Ned again.

Last game sucked hard. A gut wrencher. Who really knows how this shakes out but 3 seasons ago we were just excited to make the playoffs. Perspective I guess, but regardless of the outcome this team is good and hopefully getting better. f*** Tampa, f*** the refs. I hope they bring the fire on Tuesday.

Anywho, about that perspective thing...

 

[3CanesInTheBox]

Light your candles y’all

 

[Atlanta Thrasher]

Hey guys, not trying to be off topic, but I have a Hurricanes goalie helmet (brand new with tag), Hurricanes polo and red beanie with swirl logo that I can no longer use. Where’s the best place for me to sell or give to a charity to a fan in need who can’t afford this? I’m in Atlanta and faaaaar from being local around the Triangle.

 

[MrazeksVengeance]

I am still HUNGOVER.

 

[3CanesInTheBox]

I just took my family for a beach trip to Edisto Beach which is a beach outside of Charleston that you need to travel through a few rural areas to get to. We stopped at a gas station and I had on my Hurricanes hat with the two flag logo. The clerk asked me what team it represented, and I told him it was just a hockey team called the Carolina Hurricanes. He looked at me incredulously then asked if it was a NHL team. I told him yes and he was so surprised there was actually a team in the Carolinas. I told him we were in the playoffs and to check them out and he seemed genuinely excited to do so. I didn’t tell him our current predicament because I was just so excited to have someone ask and be interested about the team. Somehow it kinda renewed my faith in the team for some reason which is why I had to share.

That is awesome. Sounds like a great day.

 

[HisIceness]

@Atlanta Thrasher

Carolina Hurricanes Foundation

Try the contact link,, they might be able to help you out.

I just took my family for a beach trip to Edisto Beach which is a beach outside of Charleston that you need to travel through a few rural areas to get to. We stopped at a gas station and I had on my Hurricanes hat with the two flag logo. The clerk asked me what team it represented, and I told him it was just a hockey team called the Carolina Hurricanes. He looked at me incredulously then asked if it was a NHL team. I told him yes and he was so surprised there was actually a team in the Carolinas. I told him we were in the playoffs and to check them out and he seemed genuinely excited to do so. I didn’t tell him our current predicament because I was just so excited to have someone ask and be interested about the team. Somehow it kinda renewed my faith in the team for some reason which is why I had to share.

I've told this story before. I stopped at a truck stop on I-26 south of Orangeburg but before the junction with I-95 while going to Charleston, 2011-ish. Bowman I think is the town. While filling up, guy in a jacked up truck with the lift kit and diesel stacks pulls up behind me. Big confederate flags flying from the back.

I'm wearing a long sleeve shirt with the primary Hurricanes logo on it. No writing. He gets out of his truck wearing cowboy boots and a flannel sleeveless shirt and jeans, looks at me and says "Ah so you like that yankee sport huh?, We got no ice down here you know" and laughs.

I have to admit, I was not only impressed he recognized the shirt, he even knew what sport it represented. I've had instances where people get confused with U of Miami or they think it's a soccer team or something.

 

[3CanesInTheBox]

 

[The Faulker 27]

That's not nothing.

 

[Roboturner913]

So I wonder if Rod does his leave them in as a show of faith thing with Mrazek or we see Ned again.

Last game sucked hard. A gut wrencher. Who really knows how this shakes out but 3 seasons ago we were just excited to make the playoffs. Perspective I guess, but regardless of the outcome this team is good and hopefully getting better. f*** Tampa, f*** the refs. I hope they bring the fire on Tuesday.

Anywho, about that perspective thing...

Imagine being 10 years old and going to a hockey tryout and out comes Rod the motherf***in' Bod to give you some pointers.

 

[Blueline Bomber]

Imagine being 10 years old and going to a hockey tryout and out comes Rod the motherf***in' Bod to give you some pointers.

And being 10 years old, you don't realize the significance of it until much later in life

 

[HisIceness]

Rod coaching 10 year olds means that those kids will be unbeatable 10 years from now. The front office will then draft those kids and the Stanley Cup will make Raleigh its permanent home. The 31 other teams will be so jealous of the success that they will leave the NHL in protest.

 

[The Faulker 27]

Rod coaching 10 year olds means that those kids will be unbeatable 10 years from now. The front office will then draft those kids and the Stanley Cup will make Raleigh its permanent home. The 31 other teams will be so jealous of the success that they will leave the NHL in protest.

And somehow Chara will still be signing 1 year contracts.

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

And being 10 years old, you don't realize the significance of it until much later in life

In 2005/6, when I coached a youth hockey travel team in Raleigh, we shared the ice with a younger travel team that had Sklyer Brind'Amour and Peter Laviolette JR. on the team (I think Riley Stillman was on the team as well). For the first 20 minutes, the coach of that team and I would combine the teams for 20 minutes of full ice drills before splitting the ice in half for the last 40 min. I'd run the full ice session one week, he'd run it the next week, etc..

I didn't know that those kids were on his team and the first practice, I line up the kids to start some drills I had planned and look over and see Brindy and Laviolette standing at the glass watching. Talk about intimidating.