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Ron Francis, Bill Peters, and the Carolina Hurricanes deserve an A+

March 19, 2016, 11:32 AM ET [5 Comments]
Thomas Gidlow
Carolina Hurricanes Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT


A quick look at the Eastern Conference playoff race as we head into the final days of the regular season.



Six points separate the Hurricanes and the final wild card spot. The Canes will have to nearly run the table to get in, with the projected playoff bubble points total hovering between 93 and 94 points.

But being on the outside looking in doesn't mean the season has been a loss for the Carolina Hurricanes. After a 8-13-4 start to the season, coach Bill Peters has piloted his club to a 23-14-9 record since with a hodge podge lineup full of young upstarts, struggling stars, and well traveled vets.

If this was a playoff team, Peters would deserve consideration for the Jack Adams. The club has played solid defense with a unit featuring three rookies, an injured All-Star, several callups from Charlotte and reliable if not spectacular group of veterans. Carolina currently ranks eighth on the penalty kill, sixth in SAT%, second in faceoffs, fourth in shot attempts when behind, and second in penalties taken.

Peters gets maximum effort from his players every shift. It's a welcome change of culture from the previous regime (Kirk Muller anyone?), and more practical in terms of systems and styles than Paul Maurice could bring in his second stint with the team.

The Hurricanes have left a lot of points out there, but were competitive in every game. The club has 13 overtime or shootout losses, and if that number was cut in half, this is a playoff team. It's a game of inches, and The Canes were in the fight every night. No one expected this team to be anything but a lottery selection, and Carolina has shown the league they will be a force in due time.

Ron Francis deserves an A+ for his time to date as GM. He's taken the mess left by Jim Rutherford and has manuevered the organization to a point in which they can be re-tooled for long term success. He was able to move out long time star Eric Staal and pending free agents John-Michael Liles and Kris Versteeg for good-looking prospects and a host of draft picks. Cam Ward's $6.3 million cap hit comes off the books at the end of this season. And the Hurricanes have just $39 million in cap hits tied into 14 players heading into the 2016-17 season.

Francis has given himself a canvas to work on. It includes a solid coach who gets the most he can out of the group in front of him. He has options, plenty of draft picks to restock the cupboards or use to bring in solid talent, and young players on the roster with NHL experience.

It may not be the promised land just yet. But if you're a fan of the Carolina Hurricanes, the future has never been brighter.

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Ryan Murphy will be a game time decision for today's 2pm matinee with the Minnesota Wild. Murphy is suffering from an apparent upper body injury; Trevor Carrick was recalled last night in case Murphy can't go.

Cam Ward is likely to get the start in net after Eddie Lack faced 48 shots against Pittsburgh on Thursday.

The Canes are 3-1-3 post deadline and wrap up a 5-game road trip with today's game. Here's the probable lineup:

Nordstrom - Staal - Lindholm
Skinner - Rask - Di Giuseppe
Terry - Nash - Gerbe
Malone - McClement - Sutter

Scratches: Andrej Nestrasil (IR)

Slavin - Hainsey
Hanifin - Pesce
Jordan - Carrick

Scratches: Ryan Murphy (upper body), Justin Faulk (lower body), James Wisniewski (IR)

Ward
Lack
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