GDT: Motor City Canesmen!

[TheReelChuckFletcher]

Also, Kotkaniemi was real good tonight. Made simple play after simple play. That to me looks like a low end but a capable hold-down-the-fort 2C. He won't be a JT Miller 2C who can score 100 points, but he looks like about as quality a 40, 45 point guy as you can find. Of course if we can upgrade there, you make the trade, but I don't see that being an option unless someone like Felix Unger Sorem can be that guy way down the line.

I agree. He's looked very good this year and especially recently when it comes to two-way play. I've been talking about this recently, but the Canes may be able to get through a bridge phase with Staal and KK via acquiring a high FO% RH center like a Sissons or especially a Pageau. It'll make for an interesting and unorthodox lineup of three very good-to-great 3Cs in one lineup, but in a Brind'Amour system, it could be exactly what the doctor ordered when it comes to diversifying the bottom three lines while maintaining an elite defense.

 

[CandyCanes]

Two wins in a row and all of a sudden we’re thinking KK is an acceptable 2C again. Funny the perspective of the team starts changing after a few wins. I love you guys.

 

[Blueline Bomber]

I know Aho has the next captaincy all but wrapped up, but if we want to talk about a player that leads by example, look no further than Slavin.

 

[CandyCanes]

I know Aho has the next captaincy all but wrapped up, but if we want to talk about a player that leads by example, look no further than Slavin.

I’m good with either Slavin or Aho as the next captain.

 

[TheReelChuckFletcher]

Two wins in a row and all of a sudden we’re thinking KK is an acceptable 2C again. Funny the perspective of the team starts changing after a few wins. I love you guys.

Oh, you laugh, but I've never changed my stance on this! At least acknowledge my consistency!

 

[AD Skinner]

I’ve been saying for years if it was up to me I’d give it to slavin. Would not be at all upset though if it goes to aho and I think it likely will

 

[Borsig]

Slavin will deal with the refs better, and be a better captain, but he might be too kind and quiet.

As to the game, it was ok. It bothers me we only had 2 goals with all those chances. Andersen absolutely won us this game. It was won on a flub by Lyon.

 

[CanesFanBudMan]

Give it to Nikishin the day he comes over

 

[Nikishin al Gaib]

Give it to Nikishin the day he comes over

Legend says when he arrives he will know our ways as if he was trained in them

 

[Nikishin al Gaib]

Didn’t he get in a fight last game?? Or is that not the hammer? Either way, 1-0. Way to set the f***ing tone!

Hammer of body, not hammer of fist. Hammer that cleanly knocks Lindholm out for an entire playoff series, not one that lands him in the penalty box for 25% of a period

 

[Stickpucker]

Legend says when he arrives he will know our ways as if he was trained in them

Legend has it he trains every off season with Lidstrom, Bourque, and Pronger to round out his game but he had nothing left to learn after age 9.

 

[The Faulker 27]

I just want to go on record and say KK could be a 2C in the AHL. He doesn’t have any business being one in the NHL. I realize he’s there out of necessity, though.

Great win keep em coming.

 

[Discipline Daddy]

I just want to go on record and say KK could be a 2C in the AHL. He doesn’t have any business being one in the NHL. I realize he’s there out of necessity, though.

Great win keep em coming.

Yeah, I go back and forth on this one. I understand this is hyperbole, but he is easily an NHLer. Kotkaniemi is 72nd in the NHL for 5v5 points for centers. This includes a handful of guys like Roslovic, Jarvis, and Teravainen who are listed as C but don't play there. So he's probably right around 50-60. That's bottom tier 2C production. He is at worst a 3C.

He can be frustrating to watch at times because he doesn't flash top 6 skill most of the time. He's pretty strong defensively but he's no Staal or Martinook or Jarvis in that regard. His salary is fair for his production but there are better, cheaper 2Cs out there like O'Reilly.

To be honest I go back and forth wanting to trade him one game and then thinking "THIS GUY IS A LEGIT 2C WE HAD IT RIGHT ALL ALONG" the next. He's having a legitimately good year this year. We just all remember him being awful in 23-24 (and the playoffs that year).

 

[Blueline Bomber]

It's a weird time for the KK discourse, since he's probably been one of our better forwards since the 4 Nations. That line is generating a lot of chances.

 

[Nikishin al Gaib]

KK will be a very good 3C for us when Jordo retires. That's his role, and that's what we are waiting for so that he has a natural fit in the roster.

 

[Anton Dubinchuk]

It's a weird time for the KK discourse, since he's probably been one of our better forwards since the 4 Nations. That line is generating a lot of chances.

Yeah that line is a fun mix.

 

[AhosDatsyukian]

The issue with Koko is Staal's presence. Koko is a great 3C on a decent long term deal that will get better as the cap goes up. I'd be completely fine moving him in the right deal but I suspect we will keep him long term with the plan being to keep trying to get an actual 2C and have Koko slot in as 3C once Staal retires (or himself slots down to 4C, though that's not likely with Rod coaching).

As long as Staal is here and Rod is playing him like a 2/3C, Koko doesn't really have an ideal spot, hence the lack of continuity for him the last several years.

 

[CanesUltimate11]

I’m convinced that the last person who scored a penalty shot for us was Jeff Skinner

Kuzy in the playoffs last year.

Slavin will deal with the refs better, and be a better captain, but he might be too kind and quiet.

As to the game, it was ok. It bothers me we only had 2 goals with all those chances. Andersen absolutely won us this game. It was won on a flub by Lyon.

I'm good with either getting the C but wouldn't mind seeing a bit more a fiery captain follow after Staal. Mix up the method perhaps.

 

[Rad ChaLose]

Back to KK discourse - must’ve been a pretty good game by the Canes.

Aho needs to be the next captain. Love Slavo with the A but he doesn’t have the fire/gumption we need. We’ve had passive/quiet captains for too log minus Willy.

Slavin absolutely dominates and takes over on the D end but who do we look to to drag us into the fight/make a clutch play to take the lead or get back into a game…Aho.

 

[Nikishin al Gaib]

Back to KK discourse - must’ve been a pretty good game by the Canes.

Aho needs to be the next captain. Love Slavo with the A but he doesn’t have the fire/gumption we need. We’ve had passive/quiet captains for too log minus Willy.

Slavin absolutely dominates and takes over on the D end but who do we look to to drag us into the fight/make a clutch play to take the lead or get back into a game…Aho.

I want our next captain to be unhinged. Someone that leads the team into seeing red in the playoffs with a take no prisoners mentality. Slavin is a little too nice for my liking, if we're being honest.

 

[Unhinged Finn]

I want our next captain to be unhinged.

I'm honored, but I must say that I haven't played in an actual team since late 90s.

 

[AhosDatsyukian]

Guys who are we kidding, Rod is going to be playing Staal 15min a night in 2035. Our next captain is probably like 15 years old right now

 

[robbieberns]

Legend says when he arrives he will know our ways as if he was trained in them

Since I used this site on dark mode, it makes usernames almost impossible to read. Coming back to see the name + post combo really makes this an A+ post.

 

[TheReelChuckFletcher]

The issue with Koko is Staal's presence. Koko is a great 3C on a decent long term deal that will get better as the cap goes up. I'd be completely fine moving him in the right deal but I suspect we will keep him long term with the plan being to keep trying to get an actual 2C and have Koko slot in as 3C once Staal retires (or himself slots down to 4C, though that's not likely with Rod coaching).

As long as Staal is here and Rod is playing him like a 2/3C, Koko doesn't really have an ideal spot, hence the lack of continuity for him the last several years.

The thing about the Hurricanes is that they prioritize the future and roster succession more than many contending front offices do (the only other club that historically does something similar is Winnipeg. Florida and Vegas act more like pro-scouting vultures, which is also a highly successful strategy but also fundamentally a different art). Most front offices that deal in our current situation tend to mortgage their chips for right-now adds, but the Canes seem to like having young guys as understudies far more than the typical contender and they also notoriously draft in huge quantities as a sort of dart-collection strategy. This is why we simultaneously have the second-oldest roster in the league and nobody is making any sort of claim that the Canes are anywhere close to needing a rebuild any time soon.

 

[Blueline Bomber]