Injury Report: Micheal Ferland (Upper Body)

[ChuckW]

Realistically, the only ways that Ferland plays a major role here is if Williams takes a big step back or retires this summer.

Which may be more likely than anyone thinks. If we win the Cup, it's actually very likely. If we don't, it's still a distinct possibility. Then BAM, Ferland becomes a very valuable asset.

 

[Borsig]

I've been saying that.

If we do win, jwilliy goes out on top probably, and takes a development role

 

[The Faulker 27]

I can see it now Justin Williams, Director of Player Hopes and Dreams.

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

The day JWilly retires, I wouldn't be shocked to see Rod hire him as the assistant coach (assuming Rod is still coach).

 

[The Faulker 27]

Sounds like Ferland still isn't a lock for game 1. Did anyone see an update after he visited the specialist?

 

[NotOpie]

Tripp is IIRC the one who started all this **** speculating about Ferland supposedly "not fitting in" or "not playing hurt" or whatever people are calling it.

My guess is that it's just Tripp being Tripp because Rod doesn't seem the type to go around badmouthing anybody on his team to a reporter, but the problem with somebody like Tripp spouting off the way he has is people think he has a special insight into the locker room and they assume somebody with the team is feeding him this stuff.

The whole Ferland thing is weird....mostly because of baseless speculation. But the Tripp thing, in my mind, has gotten more play than is should have. I took that more to mean that Tripp felt the team was playing well in his absence and he didn't "want to mess with a good thing". Remember, this is the guy who wore the same clothes for several broadcasts because he felt they were "lucky".

Going forward, a healthy Ferland is no different than adding a Top 9 scoring forward in free agency. When I think about his contract, I'm guessing he'll sign a multi-year deal for a year or two shorter than was originally speculated and for $500,000 to $1 million a year less... unless he rocks the remainder of the post-season, staying healthy throughout.

[EDIT] That contract probably won't be with us, but I wouldn't be totally shocked if it was.

 

[ChuckW]

[EDIT] That contract probably won't be with us, but I wouldn't be totally shocked if it was.

I'll go out on a limb and say Ferland re-signs with us.

 

[Borsig]

That's a long limb.

How can he be 'on the bubble'? Wtf does that even mean. He went to the doctor didn't he? Will he break into pieces if he plays or won't he? Wtf diffence will 2 days make at this point?

 

[The Faulker 27]

Maybe Rod is trying to muddy the waters for Boston. Ya know not show all his cards just yet.

 

[Borsig]

Not sure that it matters really. Teams will ice their lines and the home team will work the matchup to their favor best they can.

Goalies I get, because different goalies have different weak spots

Bostons game plan at this point will be trying to draw penalties and have Marchand try and get under peoples skin by doing ticky tacky rat boy shit, so someone takes a stupid penalty.

 

[Drivebytrucker]

If Ferland can get back into the line up, are we going to see early season Ferland or March Ferland?

He had 0 points / 5 assists and was -3 in March and April.

If that's what we can expect coming back, I couldn't care less if he plays.

I don't think he's actually recovered enough to make a difference in this series.

Prove me wrong though Mikey

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

If Ferland can get back into the line up, are we going to see early season Ferland or March Ferland?

He had 0 points / 5 assists and was -3 in March and April.

If that's what we can expect coming back, I could care less if he plays.

I don't think he's actually recovered enough to make a difference in this series.

Prove me wrong though Mikey

So you are saying you care a lot right now?

 

[tarheelhockey]

That's a long limb.

How can he be 'on the bubble'? Wtf does that even mean. He went to the doctor didn't he? Will he break into pieces if he plays or won't he? Wtf diffence will 2 days make at this point?

I still think it smells like a shoulder separation, which is something where you want to hold off on contact until you're absolutely sure it's ready, or you're back to square 1 on recovery.

 

[bleedgreen]

We can find a spot for him in the top 9 still, even if Necas makes the team for good next season. Whether we'll be able to afford it is a different question.

Even with Foegele's emergence this postseason, Ferland is still more proven as a top 9 player. Who knows if Foegele will keep this up next season.

Having “too many” top 9 forwards is a problem every coach in the league would like to have. It’s one thing to say you’re worried about the health issues and signing the deal, I get that concept. We won’t have room for him? That’s nuts. Whether Williams stays or not there’s plenty of room, and Williams won’t be here long enough to justify letting go of Ferland for him.

 

[3CanesInTheBox]

I've been saying that.

If we do win, jwilliy goes out on top probably, and takes a development role

That's my literal dream/daydream for him: Lifting the Cup, coming full circle, and retiring on top.

 

[Hinterland]

That's my literal dream/daydream for him: Lifting the Cup, coming full circle, and retiring on top.

Besides Brown, Williams is the only righty forward on the team. Unless Waddell has concrete plans how to fix this, Williams cannot retire. Takes options away if you don't have a single scoring forward. I suggest he comes back for one more season to win another cup.

 

[Vagrant]

ferland isn't staying here. when your head coach eye rolls about your playoff availability multiple times during a deep run, the writing is on the wall. ferland is playing for money elsewhere. we probably gave him our best pitch when we were trying to sign him earlier in the season. if people want to call what is obviously not being said about some of these things "baseless speculation" they're entitled to that. it doesn't change my perception of events.

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

I'll go out on a limb and say Ferland re-signs with us.

I’ll be surprised if Ferland is a Hurricane next year. Regardless of the speculation on the boards, someone is going to pay him more than the Canes will be willing to.

 

[bleedgreen]

Oh I don’t think he’s staying. I wouldn’t. The rest is just baseless speculation.

 

[NotOpie]

My take is that the vast majority of us would like to see Ferland, as his old self, play this game, this series. Micheal Ferland playing well is a net positive for the team. Whether he signs back w/the Canes makes not a whit of difference until the 3rd week of June or so.

 

[Chrispy]

This is my kind of post! And, for the record, I agree with this 100%. Once, a long time ago, Ray Whitney and even Justin Williams were "the scapegoats". I remember it well. Doug Weight. Erik Cole. All had their turns. You are right bleedgreen, and you were here back then too. You remember it as well as I do.

Williams was never a scapegoat, that's revisionist history at its finest. Williams was a business/sports calculation that was incorrect.

Where Williams and Ferland have similarities is the question of whether a budget team can afford to use a sizable amount of its budget on a player who is regularly unable to contribute. That's not a knock on a player as being "soft" or "unwilling to play through injury." I believe Ferland is trying like hell to get out there and can't go, or gets out there and aggravates the injury and then can't go any more.

Williams had a series of freak major injuries (ACL tear in Philly, ACL tear in Carolina, torn Achilles in off-season workout, back injury, broken hand from a shot) that made it hard for the Canes to have $3.5M/yr committed to him in 2008-09 dollars. Williams turned around his injury luck in LA but it was hard to believe that was a guarantee based on:

07-08: 37 games played
08-09: 44 games played (32 Carolina, 12 LAK)
09-10: 49 games played + 4 playoff games in LA

Since then Williams has turned it around, playing over 70 games in 8 of 9 seasons between 10-11 and now.

Do I think Ferland is a similar to Williams in that if he can stay healthy he'll be a major piece in someone's Stanley Cup run? Yes. But the difference I see between Williams and Ferland was that Williams had a lot of freak injuries early in his career that were unrelated to each other and also not related to his playing style. Ferland gets injured in part because of his aggressive physical style of play. That makes it harder for me to believe he'll be able to avoid these types of injuries in the future.

 

[Borsig]

Again, I'd like to see a Ferland here, but he is after the money. And he probably needs to be, with the way he plays.
I'm almost positive someone will pay him more. The question is, who, and how likely are they to make a run, when we are here now. Is it all about money? Or is it about money + a cup chance? I almost think he's more likely to go if we win. Which, again, is fine.

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

Again, I'd like to see a Ferland here, but he is after the money. And he probably needs to be, with the way he plays.
I'm almost positive someone will pay him more. The question is, who, and how likely are they to make a run, when we are here now. Is it all about money? Or is it about money + a cup chance? I almost think he's more likely to go if we win. Which, again, is fine.

99% of NHL players are after the money. A lot of times, they use their leverage to get it from their existing team, but that's why they have agents in the first place, to get them the best deal.

 

[Borsig]

Despite all the noise, if he does go, we need at least one guy to replace his physical presence and talent. Who among UFA's has that this year? The smart play would be replacing him with a RIGHT shooter that brings the same game. But does someone like that exist on the UFA market? Im not even sure I want to see faulk go at this point anymore

 

[Chrispy]

99% of NHL players are after the money. A lot of times, they use their leverage to get it from their existing team, but that's why they have agents in the first place, to get them the best deal.

That's even more important for a player like Ferland who didn't start playing in the NHL until 2015 and wasn't a regular until 2015-16.

Ferland has only made around $5.5M in NHL salary in his career ($5.15M for his 4 full seasons + whatever he made on his ELC, mostly in the minors.) This is his shot at a major payday, and I don't fault anyone for going for that when they have the opportunity. Ferland is probably only going to get one shot at a big contract at 27.