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Today's afternoon matinee has the distinction of being a possible watershed moment in the history of the Carolina Hurricanes.
Not to put too fine a point on it, but the stars are aligning in such a way that a loss today in Montreal could set the course of the Canes for this, next, and many future years to come.
-- Carolina will not play again until Friday, meaning many teams will be catching up with their games in hand.
-- A loss, coupled with wins by the Islanders and Flyers today, puts the Hurricanes four points out of the final wild card spot. That gap could be as high as 6-8 points by Friday.
-- Such a gap with 28 games left for Carolina may be too much to overcome. Fortunately for the Canes, the teams immediately surrounding them in the standings (Philly and the Isles) are the only ones who have sizable games in hand left (three each). A win by Carolina keeps them closer to Pittsburgh (who will take on the Canes on Friday) and New Jersey, who could only be 1-4 points ahead by then. They still control their own destiny, but they cannot afford ill-times losses, especially against conference rivals.
-- Eric Staal is playing in his 900th NHL game today, all with the Hurricanes. With such a gap in between games, it's not entirely impossible that his future will be determined before Friday.
And how ironic it would be if Staal were to either be signed or traded by Friday. Setting aside the logistics of a trade for the moment, Carolina will be celebrating their 10-year Stanley Cup championship anniversary next weekend. It would be a fitting close to that chapter of Caniac lore if Staal's future was solidified - one way or the other.
It's been pretty quiet in the past ten days regarding Staal. Ron Francis gave indications that he would meet with Rick Curran, Staal's agent, at the end of January or in early February to kick the tires on a possible contract extension. So far, there's been no official word from either side on if those talks took place, and how they went if they did.
Even if Carolina wins today in Montreal, the sentiment among many is that it would be surprising if the club made the post season. A loss, as illustrated above, could put them in a tough spot before their Friday matchup against the Pens at PNC Arena. Does this put the writing on the wall for Francis?
The question has been posed and the responses vary depending on who you ask. But it's clear that Staal is not the dominant centerman he once was. He's still a leader, and his loss would definitely signal an abrupt change in the Hurricanes locker room. And while change can be confusing and disruptive in the short term, if done right, it can propel a franchise that most feel is headed in the right direction already.
Personal opinion: I don't believe Francis truly desires to keep Eric Staal. It's nothing personal and it's not meant to belittle the captain's skill and leadership. But Staal represents the masthead of the Jim Rutherford regime - which, as will be on display next weekend, did bring a Cup to Raleigh along with many years of futility - and Francis has made it clear (if not in words than in action) that he has his own style and makeup in mind on what makes a long-term winner in today's NHL.
Staal still brings value and could net a solid return for a team on the cusp of a breakthrough. But as has been on display most of this season, relying on skill alone is not enough in Bill Peters' system. Staal is a great team player and his loss will send shockwaves through the organization and the fan base. But depending on the return, it could very well signal the end of the 2006 era and bring about the change needed to bring more than a single Stanley Cup to Raleigh in the coming years.
I'll be live-tweeing line-up and other notes from now throughout the day. #KeepPounding
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