Toggle sidebar

What's Preventing The Hurricanes From Taking That Next Step?

GlitchMarner

GlitchMarner

There was a Glitch and my username was switched
Jul 21, 2017
10,030
9,572
Brampton, ON
I'm not saying they're definitely finished this year, but they're obviously in very big trouble.

Looking back, this team seems to have a hard time in the playoffs against other strong teams. This year they're down 3-0 to the Rangers. The Rangers also beat them in 2022, though that was a seven game series. FLA swept them last year. Tampa beat them in five en route to a second straight Cup. When Bergeron and Krejci were still around, the Bruins beat them quickly in 2019 and 2020.

The team looks very good and well-rounded on paper and is consistently good in terms of things like possession and shot differential. What's keeping the Hurricanes from reaching the next level?
 
  • Like
Reactions: AvStock, gab6511 and torontoblood
I mean...I think it's the "shoot everywhere and often" strategy and thinking that because they can control the puck in the ozone and wrack up a ton of low percentage shots that they're "winning" at 5v5. Yes they get goals that way...both goals tonight came from that. But when it gets tight they don't seem to get enough scoring in other ways and we're seeing how the over reliance on shot attempts is obscuring some of the actual talent they have. The Aho and Guentzel line is deadly. They could be setting up high percentage scoring plays more often. Necas is a strong player, Svech can snipe it, Jarvis is an excellent player...but IMO those guys just don't get enough good looks and you're wasting your best players on netfront scrambles and deflections.

You just gotta have a bit more to your game IMO. Even when talking about "what's wrong with the power play" Rod was saying "we need more shots and to take away Shesterkin's eyes" which to me means their gameplan is still screen and blast the puck, not create high percentage passing plays.

And a bit of bad luck overall as well, but when you kinda lean so heavily on creating favorable conditions for "puck luck" then you're at the mercy of bad luck as well.

They'll say "but we controlled 5v5 and should have won that game" but then I'd say, why didn't you? Why didn't you win the other games?

Rangers don't have the horses and style to constantly shut down the Canes offense so they're doing their best bend don't break job and capitalizing on their chances.

e: "playoff hockey" and "playoff goals" aren't just deflections and netfront scrambles anymore. Anyone thinking that's the only way to get playoff goals is stuck in the past and needs to realize you have to have some amount of balanced attack. Score off the rush, score from deflections, net scrambles, score from skilled setup passing plays and snipes. You gotta do it all, and Canes focus too much on one aspect.
 
  • Like
  • Wow
Reactions: olli, 95snipes, irishlaxburger2 and 35 others
Anton Dubinchuk said:
You really think so? I don’t.
Click to expand...
Kind of. All they do is spam shots. It works sometimes, except for when it doesn't. It isn't a strategy that will get you through four rounds of the playoffs. They don't have a net front presence. The Canes were physical yes, but I didn't see much sacrifice to make the big plays.

I don't know if that is a coach thing or a lack of experience thing. The Rangers talked about how important and vocal Jonathan Quick was in between overtimes in the last game.

There is no denying the skill of the Canes. But they are clearly missing something. Idk if it is a coaching issue or a heart/grit issue. It is something.

The series is still not over, but if they do lose, you have to do some serious soul searching. The way the Rangers did after getting waxed by the Devils last year.
 
  • Like
Reactions: BHD, SannywithoutCompy, MaWa and 2 others
Grifter3511 said:
Lack of top end talent.
Click to expand...
They don't lack for top end talent. They lack for guys who actually shoot the puck.

Aho, Necas, Svechnikov, Guentzel - I swear, I'm mesmerized by their possession skills and their playmaking skills, but aside from Guentzel, none of them actually want to score goals. They want to forecheck, to skate fast, to pass, to "cause chaos" and "play Canes hockey".

No finishers. Nobody with that killer instinct. Very, very Vigneault Rangers.
 
  • Like
Reactions: OgeeOgelthorpe, Felidae, hn777 and 5 others
Being it's a half hour after the game. I imagine they have their skates off by now.
 
BPD said:
They don't lack for top end talent. They lack for guys who actually shoot the puck
Click to expand...
lmao

I mean, I think I get what you're saying, but for a team that almost put up back to back 50 shot games it's funny for you to say that

BPD said:
.

Aho, Necas, Svechnikov, Guentzel - I swear, I'm mesmerized by their possession skills and their playmaking skills, but aside from Guentzel, none of them actually want to score goals. They want to forecheck, to skate fast, to pass, to "cause chaos" and "play Canes hockey".

No finishers. Nobody with that killer instinct. Very, very Vigneault Rangers.
Click to expand...

That's kinda what I mean though. Guys aren't getting really good quality shots that they have the talent for. They're content to let the D blast it or take longer range shots at the net and hope something happens.

Vigneault's Rangers at least started out by being more of a transition team and were deadly off the rush. Carolina doesn't have that.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Negan4Coach
Kranix said:
They don't have elite scoring. And not enough jam and mustard. and pepper.
Click to expand...
Worst sandwich ever.

I do have to agree with the elite scoring observation. When's the last time somebody cracked 90 points on their team? Aho was pretty close this year but still
 
  • Like
Reactions: ecemleafs
BPD said:
They don't lack for top end talent. They lack for guys who actually shoot the puck.

Aho, Necas, Svechnikov, Guentzel - I swear, I'm mesmerized by their possession skills and their playmaking skills, but aside from Guentzel, none of them actually want to score goals. They want to forecheck, to skate fast, to pass, to "cause chaos" and "play Canes hockey".

No finishers. Nobody with that killer instinct. Very, very Vigneault Rangers.
Click to expand...
Those are all tier 2 top end guys. Other than Aho theyre all complinentary players. Where's the 50 goal scorer? Where's the 100 pt playmaker?

Every single team remaining outside of Boston has 2-3 guys more productive and effective than Carolina.

It's fitting that you compared them to AV Rangers. There was ZERO top end talent on that Rangers team outside of their goaltender.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Negan4Coach
They don't have much talent, which has only gotten worse as the years have gone by. They rely on their defense for offense too much in the regular season which means they have exploitable players in the playoffs.
 
  • Like
Reactions: hn777
You must log in or register to reply here.

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 1 (members: 0, guests: 1)

Latest posts

Ad

Ad

Top Bottom