Confirmed with Link: Petr Mrazek signed 1 year, 1.5M

[The Faulker 27]

Hammond is a bad AHL goalie who got hot for a short period in the NHL. One of the biggest flukes in hockey history. This is a disturbing post honestly.

 

[Finlandia WOAT]

Exactly. Although Ottawa (Colorado) is going to be brutal unless they do something and is a clear front runner for Hughes.

which will go to colorado lol.

 

[Sens1Canes2]

We made the most beloved goalie in franchise history walk to Chicago so we could save $1.5M on this guy.

**** my life.

Tar Heel, I go back to what Erik Cole had to say about Cam vs Scott Darling, the “command of the room” and the respect of the players, etc. It seemed like he was saying that really no goalie (or at least one that doesn’t have an extensive track record like a Fleury, etc) has a chance in that room.

Which, in my mind and yours and probably the rest of us is stupid - but it’s not stupid if it’s true. That’s the only thing that matters. The past (Khudobin, Ellis, Lack, etc) indicates that there’s *something* not right.

I do think the Mrazek pickup is fine. Cheap and one year. It’s an attempt to switch things up while giving Darling at least another year to prove his 4 year contract isn’t a huge mistake. Maybe he’ll come into camp in shape and sober. That would be good.

 

[A Star is Burns]

As meh as I am that Mrazek is our final decision, I'll still take it over Ward. Seriously, I feel like people were done with him two years ago when we re-signed him, and only because our other goalies have been bad are people now giving a **** about him again. His overall body of work was again trash, with his normal hot run sprinkled in.

I also know that people have their minds made up on Darling, and I hate that he so spectacularly blew his first year like everyone else does. But no matter how much you guys say that it's a guarantee he'll suck next year, he does have a chance to turn it around.

I don't know if either or both will work out, but I'm at least glad to move in a different direction from Ward, and hopefully Darling can find what's missing from his good years.

 

[A Star is Burns]

And seriously, the whole "Cam was our rock" thing is as much a part of the problem as anything. More like an anchor that hasn't been good enough for years. Maybe whatever voodoo curse he has on other goalies, or the shadow of his "legend" being gone, will do us some good.

 

[Drivebytrucker]

If you go into the season with Mrazek and Darling and one or both of these goalies doesn't show any improvement from last year, I hope Waddell and Dundon at least *try* to bring up Booth or AD from the Checkers.

I would hope that these guys are an extremely short leash.

 

[The Faulker 27]

And seriously, the whole "Cam was our rock" thing is as much a part of the problem as anything. More like an anchor that hasn't been good enough for years. Maybe whatever voodoo curse he has on other goalies, or the shadow of his "legend" being gone, will do us some good.

I can see the argument that Cam's presence was an obstacle for other goalies, but I also think it's just as likely this org just keeps signing duds. Legit starting Goaltenders are few and far between.

 

[A Star is Burns]

I can see the argument that Cam's presence was an obstacle for other goalies, but I also think it's just as likely this org just keeps signing duds. Legit starting Goaltenders are few and far between.

Yeah, and Ward was one of those duds. At least they're making a different mistake now.

 

[What the Faulk]

Tar Heel, I go back to what Erik Cole had to say about Cam vs Scott Darling, the “command of the room” and the respect of the players, etc. It seemed like he was saying that really no goalie (or at least one that doesn’t have an extensive track record like a Fleury, etc) has a chance in that room.

Which, in my mind and yours and probably the rest of us is stupid - but it’s not stupid if it’s true. That’s the only thing that matters. The past (Khudobin, Ellis, Lack, etc) indicates that there’s *something* not right.

I do think the Mrazek pickup is fine. Cheap and one year. It’s an attempt to switch things up while giving Darling at least another year to prove his 4 year contract isn’t a huge mistake. Maybe he’ll come into camp in shape and sober. That would be good.

So the question now becomes, what's wrong with the room? I can understand it under an Eric Staal captaincy, but he's gone. Many players have turned over. Jeff Skinner and Justin Faulk are two of the longest tenured Hurricanes right now, so maybe they're at fault (especially if Faulk really did slack off last summer), but there are a ton of players that have only been there for a handful of years.

I know it's hearsay, but my mom ran into Kirk Muller shortly after he got fired and he said something along the lines of "boy, what a sensitive bunch." Something doesn't seem right. And we've seen them come up short time and time again in games where they have a chance to really take a step forward in the playoff run. If Skinner is still the petulant child that he displayed on the ice when he was younger, maybe he's having a bigger negative impact behind the scenes than we realize. If that's the case, as much as I do think it'd a be a mistake to trade his scoring, he needs to go.

f***, I hate spreading rumors, but something seems off.

 

[A Star is Burns]

Maybe that's why they've talked up culture change so much. The proof will be in the pudding if we get further turnover and still the same results.

 

[Unsustainable]

I’m hoping for a .910 from Mrazek, and a .915 from Darling.

Mrazek is a skilled goalie that can get hot. I’m hoping for a Darling break out season. If he’s mentally stable, and focused, and plays his game, maybe we’ve got something.

But this f***ing division....

 

[Svechhammer]

Oh the understood message behind the "culture needs to change" message was that we would be better without Skinner and Faulk than with them. The team wasn't going to come out and say it, but those guys could be lockeroom cancers that has been allowed to fester for way too long.

At least that's how I always took it.

 

[Anton Babchuk]

Oh the understood message behind the "culture needs to change" message was that we would be better without Skinner and Faulk than with them. The team wasn't going to come out and say it, but those guys could be lockeroom cancers that has been allowed to fester for way too long.

At least that's how I always took it.

Skinner seems like someone who could easily be a huge problem. The amount of on-ice whining he's done makes me wonder what it's like behind the scenes when things aren't going right or if he's not getting his way. What if Skinner is like one of his online fanboys/girls who cry nonstop when he's not getting the right linemates (even though he never utilizes them anyway), or not playing in OT (even though he sucks there) or the shootout (even though he sucks there). It would be unbearable.

 

[WreckingCrew]

I REALLY hope we're still going after Hurton, Lehner, or something else. Mrazek/Darling screams tank as bad as Ward/Darling

 

[Big Daddy Cane]

In this 9 season drought, the Canes have not at any point had a Top 10 offense or defense. In each of the past 9 seasons, the team has been either Bottom 10 in offense or defense. 3 different coaching staffs have presided over 125 players during this span.

At a certain point, you come to the conclusion that the buzzwords of culture and leadership mask what has truly ailed the team: a lack of talent. When a borderline elite, franchise center and legit #1 goalie were in the lineup, the forward group lacked depth and the talent wasn't there on the blueline. When the forward depth was found and the talent on the blueline emerged, the borderline elite, franchise center had become an average 2C and departed, and the legit #1 goalie was no longer that.

Everything has yet to align for this organization. However, I feel more optimistic about the potential for that happen in the future because of the Svechnikov win than at any point in recent years. That has the potential to be a franchise changing moment.

 

[The Stranger]

Tar Heel, I go back to what Erik Cole had to say about Cam vs Scott Darling, the “command of the room” and the respect of the players, etc. It seemed like he was saying that really no goalie (or at least one that doesn’t have an extensive track record like a Fleury, etc) has a chance in that room.

My take on the Cole interview and the discussion of "command of the room" was that Ward did the things necessary for command of the room and Darling did not...as opposed to Darling did everything right (or even close) but Ward just cock-blocked him.

There are plenty of examples of teams that have good performance from two goalies in the same season. There's no reason a team can't respect and play hard for both goalies.

Which, in my mind and yours and probably the rest of us is stupid - but it’s not stupid if it’s true. That’s the only thing that matters. The past (Khudobin, Ellis, Lack, etc) indicates that there’s *something* not right.

These guys are all backup grade and were playing behind bad teams in Carolina...what were the expectations?

I do think the Mrazek pickup is fine. Cheap and one year. It’s an attempt to switch things up while giving Darling at least another year to prove his 4 year contract isn’t a huge mistake. Maybe he’ll come into camp in shape and sober. That would be good.

This is the crux of the matter...all explanations for his poor performance are noise.

 

[Finlandia WOAT]

I've been thinking about it, and dundon didn't do the cheapest possible certain option here. The PK/JR special, send Chiraq a 3rd to take darling at 33% retained for a tennis ball signed by a random central division player ("is it toews? is it laine?!? is it- oh, it's zucker, darn."), then calculate the one point #satin a year for the next 3 years into the internal budget and be done with it. same with just buying him out.

so one of

1) they really think he can get into shape and play commensurately to his contract.
2) they hope he hits a hot streak and they can dump him for free (if it fails and they have to buy him out next year, it's a 1.6 mil loss over buying him out this year- which coincidentally is the dif. in ward and mrazeks contracts )
3) Dundo really is philosophically opposed to paying guys to not work for him.

 

[Dishface]

We moved on from Ward which should be a good thing at this time. We signed Mrazek to a one year deal, not sure any other goalie besides Johnson would do that deal. They are going all in on this duo this year then sign one of the big names next year.

It'll be a success if that is the plan and we still make the playoffs this year. They must have a lot of faith Darling can come back to form.

 

[Cane mutiny]

I read thru some of the posts (not all), and numerous times people have said 'well if it doesn't work out, we try again next year' and true enough, that's how it works. But we NEED to get this team rolling now. We can't afford to let this new crop of youngsters get used to losing, like the last crop they're now trading away did. And how many new fans are gonna come in all excited about Svech and Necas then get turned off cuz the team bottoms out again. Not to mention, the team has to start making strides if the want to resign those two in a few years. Great players won't stay mired in complacency for long. I saw this season as a time that it's imperative they take a big step forward. I hope they can work this out.

 

[MinJaBen]

But we NEED to get this team rolling now. We can't afford to let this new crop of youngsters get used to losing, like the last crop they're now trading away did.

We should send both Svech and Necas back and save a year of their ELCs. To burn a year playing in front of 0.890 duo is a disservice to them both and is counter productive to the obvious tank job they are setting us up for.

 

[Moosetache]

new theory....instead of getting a guy who has been good somewhere else who then comes here and stinks.....lets get a guy who has struggled recently and hope he comes here and turns it around....I like it.

In reality, I wanted Hutton. After that maybe Bernier but he is hurt all the time. Lehner is a whacko from everything I have heard. There just weren't any options.

 

[Blueline Bomber]

The idea that we can "try again next year" is hilarious. Yes, the goalie pool looks stronger for next off-season. But take away the ones that will likely re-sign with their current teams (IE: All the good ones), and you're left with basically the same pool that we struck out on this season.

So other than adding yet another year to the streak, wasting a year on the contracts of our good players, and adding even more ammunition to the growing reputation of a goalie graveyard, what's going to be different next year?

 

[Chrispy]

The idea that we can "try again next year" is hilarious. Yes, the goalie pool looks stronger for next off-season. But take away the ones that will likely re-sign with their current teams (IE: All the good ones), and you're left with basically the same pool that we struck out on this season.

So other than adding yet another year to the streak, wasting a year on the contracts of our good players, and adding even more ammunition to the growing reputation of a goalie graveyard, what's going to be different next year?

For the record, I don't like that theory, but it seems like an obvious conclusion when you look at a 1-year contract for Mrazek and the crop possibly available next year.

I agree most of the top 4 will re-sign with their current teams, although I can see Nashville moving on from Rinne.

 

[go comets]

I think this is a stop gap until Nedeljkovick is ready... Which can not happen soon enough.......

 

[MinJaBen]

I think this is a stop gap until Nedeljkovick is ready... Which can not happen soon enough.......

It may never happen. What then?