Matt Karash: Carolina Hurricanes Game Day Preview: @NYR -- The end is near

Hey Karash, is Sekera playing tonight? Need to know for my fantasy lol, thought I'd come here and ask

I think the best we could do with Columbus is tie them in points, and the number of wins is the 1st tie-breaker, i think, which they would win! Does that fit what you've figured out? At any rate...we've got next to no chance!
Have you any idea what Joni's status is? If he is healthy, will they sign him?
Do you follow the players eligible for the June 27/ 28 Entry Draft? If so, we've got a shot at getting a pretty good forward (if we pick in the top 10...which seems likely)!
According to RLR (Red Line Report)...likely 1st pick in draft would be Dman- Ekblad, followed by forwards Bennett(C), Reinhart(C), Draisaitl(C), dalColie(LW), Virtanen(LW), and Fabbri(C), who all rank high!

Hey Karash, is Sekera playing tonight? Need to know for my fantasy lol, thought I'd come here and ask
- Flyers_V88

Per Twitter, Sekera and Tlusty are both out tonight.

I think the best we could do with Columbus is tie them in points, and the number of wins is the 1st tie-breaker, i think, which they would win! Does that fit what you've figured out?
- randycane

I believe the 1st tie breaker is regulation/overtime wins. CBJ only has 35 and the Canes have 33. So if CBJ loses out and the Canes win out, they would win that tie breaker. But as you pointed out, leapfrogging 5 teams with 4 games to go would be nothing short of a miracle.

The Canes could send Lindholm and Murphy to help with the final 4-game push that starts Thursday.
- Matt Karash

Lindholm wasn't on the Checkers roster at the time the playoff rosters were set. So I don't think he can be sent down any more this season. I agree about Murphy though as long as the Canes have enough healthy bodies to field a lineup.

randycane's question about Pitkanen is an interesting one. As far as I know, his contract will still expire after this season even though he did not play. Obviously his healthy will play a major role in whatever happens, but he is a bit of a wildcard that none of the "insiders" have spoken about. Would he sign a cheap 1 year deal here to prove he can still play? If not, would anyone trade for him at the draft with his health uncertain?

Per Twitter, Sekera and Tlusty are both out tonight.
- icemutiny

Justin Peters is also not playing tonight.

I think the best we could do with Columbus is tie them in points, and the number of wins is the 1st tie-breaker, i think, which they would win! Does that fit what you've figured out? At any rate...we've got next to no chance!
Have you any idea what Joni's status is? If he is healthy, will they sign him?
Do you follow the players eligible for the June 27/ 28 Entry Draft? If so, we've got a shot at getting a pretty good forward (if we pick in the top 10...which seems likely)!
According to RLR (Red Line Report)...likely 1st pick in draft would be Dman- Ekblad, followed by forwards Bennett(C), Reinhart(C), Draisaitl(C), dalColie(LW), Virtanen(LW), and Fabbri(C), who all rank high!
- randycane

I do not track junior age hockey closely, so my draft analysis largely relies on reading the experts' opinions on players.

The last report I read on Pitkanen was the 1 on the Canes' web page a couple months back. It sounded like there was a chance he could play or at least try next season. With his situation, he is not a guy you can count on as a sure thing anywhere in your top 6. But this said, I think it would be the right thing to do from a simple treating people right perspective. It would need to be a near minimum salary for 1 year for him to try to work his way back. Could the Canes' winning back to back Masterton trophies? I think Malhotra has a decent chance this year. If Pitkanen can return next season, he would be an early frontrunner.