Roster Building XXVI: Picking Our Teeth Off the Ice

[Nikishin al Gaib]

true, but as I've noted several times, the Canes don't have a guy(s) with a shot(s) that puts fear into the opponents PK, let alone an important 5-star PP QB (Ghost is mediocre and as posted earlier, Burns is historically bad, bad, bad this year).

Winnipeg hired a new special teams coach this year and the unit(s) moves wonderfully in the zone. But, they have Connor and Schiefle along with a great PP QB in Morrissey that makes them a very dangerous PP squad and the results shine.

Of course, just having a sniper is not enough because even with Ovie, the Caps are currently 16th in the League at 22.0% (they don't have the other sniper plus maybe Chychrun isn't the ideal PP guy????).

It really doesn't matter if you have a sniper if you make it easy for the PK to clog up passing and shooting lanes. I have said it for years, when our PP is at its best, everyone on the ice stays in motion causing confusion with the PK. That confusion leads to backdoor passes and wide open shooting lanes. Its what teams do when they have success against us. And every year when our PP turns to shit, its because that style of play goes away and we fall into station to station passing with 2 guys on the blue line, 2 guys around the circles and someone around the net, just effectively playing a perimeter zone offense looking for an open 3. That just doesn't work in hockey, it certainly doesn't work in the playoffs, and yet that is what we settle into every year. I don't get it, and I don't understand how the coaches keep allowing us to go back to those tendencies.

I like Svech, but he has shown us what he is At this point. 25-goal type with not a ton of playmaking finesse, prone to long unproductive stretches, hits but isn’t particularly feared. Every year he seems a little less hungry to fight for that extra inch.

I’m not saying dump him for just anything, but he should absolutely be on the block by now. Frankly, he hasn’t earned job security at $7.75M.

If we want to go big game hunting, someone like Svech can still be the centerpiece of a big trade on our end. And I think its time to have that tough conversation. He's not improved his game year over year, he's still a very passive player, unwilling to take a game over on his own (which is exactly what we need him to do). We have a ton of futures from prospects to picks, it might be time.

 

[tarheelhockey]

If we want to go big game hunting, someone like Svech can still be the centerpiece of a big trade on our end. And I think its time to have that tough conversation. He's not improved his game year over year, he's still a very passive player, unwilling to take a game over on his own (which is exactly what we need him to do). We have a ton of futures from prospects to picks, it might be time.

This is exactly where he fits in, in my mind.

Contract aside, there are a lot of parallels to Necas. Unless we want to keep waiting for him to “figure it out”, we can use him as the centerpiece to bring in the next top-tier talent that gets jettisoned for whatever reason. I look at Washington shooting the lights out with Strome and PLD, who are the kind of players that a Svech trade could bring in. Or, if the timing is just right and some GM is really panicking, more like a Thornton or Pronger.

I believe our management keeps their ear to the ground for that kind of opportunity, and see no reason they’d stick with Svech if something like that came up.

 

[CanesFanBudMan]

I do think there is a good chance Svech would really blossom if traded to the right team. I feel like Rod has him playing scared of making a mistake and that has really hampered is offensive production/ development

 

[tarheelhockey]

I do think there is a good chance Svech would really blossom if traded to the right team. I feel like Rod has him playing scared of making a mistake and that has really hampered is offensive production/ development

LOL, you autocorrected from Necas to Svech. Weird.

 

[CandyCanes]

Jackson Blake hasn't scored a goal in 22 games. During that time frame he's had 56 shots on goal, 0 have gone in. Impressive.

Honestly surprising he's not getting more to go in.

 

[Blueline Bomber]

Jackson Blake hasn't scored a goal in 22 games. During that time frame he's had 56 shots on goal, 0 have gone in. Impressive.

Honestly surprising he's not getting more to go in.

Yeah, he’s got a good amount of assists in that time span (9), and his ice time has varied in those 22 games (as low as 10 minutes in a few of them), but getting a goal here and there would be nice. Though it’s not like he’s not putting forth the effort.

Aho spoke a little about that last night. Said that he and his line needs to be better about finishing the chances they get.

 

[Chrispy]

Jackson Blake hasn't scored a goal in 22 games. During that time frame he's had 56 shots on goal, 0 have gone in. Impressive.

Honestly surprising he's not getting more to go in.

Instead of focusing on the negative, we should focus on the positive.

Look how well Blake is adapting to the Hurricanes system!

 

[bleedgreen]

Well, we’ve done a good job of taking the spotlight off the lack of second line by not really having a first line currently.

 

[WreckingCrew]

Jackson Blake hasn't scored a goal in 22 games. During that time frame he's had 56 shots on goal, 0 have gone in. Impressive.

Honestly surprising he's not getting more to go in.

The perfect Hurricane player doesn't exis....WAIT

 

[Discipline Daddy]

How well have players historically improved their finishing in their first few years? Both Blake and Stankoven are excellent at creating chances, but it means a hill of beans if none of them go in. I envision in 2-3 years they'll generate fewer chances but score on a much higher percentage of them; that's at least what I dream.

In the short term we've been scoring a decent clip of goals, but they're disproportionally coming from Hall and Jankowski. I think that will flip in time. However, we will have big scoring problems in the postseason if we can't improve our powerplay.

 

[CanesFanBudMan]

How well have players historically improved their finishing in their first few years? Both Blake and Stankoven are excellent at creating chances, but it means a hill of beans if none of them go in. I envision in 2-3 years they'll generate fewer chances but score on a much higher percentage of them; that's at least what I dream.

In the short term we've been scoring a decent clip of goals, but they're disproportionally coming from Hall and Jankowski. I think that will flip in time. However, we will have big scoring problems in the postseason if we can't improve our powerplay.

It definitely happens (see Morgan Geekie) but can’t be relied upon.

 

[QuebeCaniac]

Nadeau has to be on our lineup next year, right?

so, with ELC-players like Blake/Stankoven/(Nadeau?)/Morrow/Nikishin all playing key roles on our lineup next year... once we sign Hall, we will have 30M$ left under the cap with an almost-complete lineup (12F-6D-1G). Only a goalie and depth players missing. That is crazy.

How will we spend that money? Crazy one-year contract to a RFA? Trade cheap players packaged for expensive players? Who are the expensive players we should target?

Gibson looks like a logical option
other potential options: Dobson - K Miller - Rossi - Saros
My suggestions: go crazy and aim for Pastrnak?

 

[baconandbread]

Nadeau has to be on our lineup next year, right?

so, with ELC-players like Blake/Stankoven/(Nadeau?)/Morrow/Nikishin all playing key roles on our lineup next year... once we sign Hall, we will have 30M$ left under the cap with an almost-complete lineup (12F-6D-1G). Only a goalie and depth players missing. That is crazy.

How will we spend that money? Crazy one-year contract to a RFA? Trade cheap players packaged for expensive players? Who are the expensive players we should target?

Gibson looks like a logical option
other potential options: Dobson - K Miller - Rossi - Saros
My suggestions: go crazy and aim for Pastrnak?

I'd be very surprised if Nadeau isn't in Chicago for another 1-2 years. His shot is NHL ready, but the rest of his game needs seasoning and he could gain some muscle

 

[CanesFanBudMan]

I'd be very surprised if Nadeau isn't in Chicago for another 1-2 years. His shot is NHL ready, but the rest of his game needs seasoning and he could gain some muscle

if any of the guys on the edge in Chicago don’t spend the whole summer in the gym knowing Rod is the coach I would question their intelligence

At his age I wouldn’t be surprised if Nadeau could put on 10 lbs of muscle this summer

 

[chaz4hockey]

 

[BadgerCane58]

if any of the guys on the edge in Chicago don’t spend the whole summer in the gym knowing Rod is the coach I would question their intelligence

At his age I wouldn’t be surprised if Nadeau could put on 10 lbs of muscle this summer

That’s what Blake did last summer.

 

[chaz4hockey]

Some Red Wing fans debating the teams fall off again this year suggest Larkin should be traded. Anyone on board with Nadeau + 2 acquired firsts for him?

 

[spockBokk]

Some Red Wing fans debating the teams fall off again this year suggest Larkin should be traded. Anyone on board with Nadeau + 2 acquired firsts for him?

In a heartbeat

 

[AhosDatsyukian]

I have a weird feeling that we will see Bedard in a Canes jersey one day. It may be 3 years from now, it may be 15 years from now. But I just have a feeling. He doesn't seem long for Chicago as much as they will want him to be their face of the franchise for the next 20 years

 

[baconandbread]

if any of the guys on the edge in Chicago don’t spend the whole summer in the gym knowing Rod is the coach I would question their intelligence

At his age I wouldn’t be surprised if Nadeau could put on 10 lbs of muscle this summer

It's not just that though. Blake is a different type of player/an energy guy that is equally good on the first line as he is the fourth. Nadeau isn't that player, he doesn't fit in on the fourth line at all and if RBA puts him there or with Staal he likely won't produce. He's best playing with a passer and I don't see RBA putting him with KK or Aho right away.

 

[Chan790]

Some Red Wing fans debating the teams fall off again this year suggest Larkin should be traded. Anyone on board with Nadeau + 2 acquired firsts for him?

Yes, though I swap out Nadeau for one of the other forward specs if possible.

I know others disagree, but I move even Blake before Nadeau. Blake's skillset we have in spades. Nadeau's offense is unique in our system. I'll risk Blake breaking out big...I question his ceiling and think we should sell high.

 

[Sigurd]

Some Red Wing fans debating the teams fall off again this year suggest Larkin should be traded. Anyone on board with Nadeau + 2 acquired firsts for him?

If Larkin became available, he should 100% be Carolina's number 1 trade target in my opinion.

I just checked, and he also has a good face off percentage rate too. Most seasons he has over 50%.

Again, getting a center man that can not only put up a good amount of points, but also be respectable-good defensively is great, but with Staal's retirement not too far off, I think it's even more important that whatever future center man we acquire, he ideally needs to be successful on face offs too.