Ben Case: Metro Division Woes Continue as Caps Dominate Canes The Canes have hit some recent struggles as their last five games. Last night another disappointing outcome as the Canes lost 6-1 to the Capitals. This most recent loss drops them to a mere 1-4-0 in the past five games. Obviously, for a team that was pushing for a playoff position these results are disappointing.

Get a backup so Ward can have a night off once in awhile.

I like what they are doing, but it may be a few more years until they get to where they want to be. Knowing Staal from pgh, he is not a top 1 or 2 center.

Get a backup so Ward can have a night off once in awhile.
- DarthProbert

Or, ya know, a real goalie.

The reality is that the Canes are not a playoff team this year. As exciting as it is to see them get close in the playoff race, when it comes to competing against playoff caliber teams they come up short. They are 0 - 4 against playoff teams recently and did not look all that competitive.

Or, ya know, a real goalie.
- BINGO!

- Wildschwein

Nope. Francis will bide his time and wait for one to come to him.

In the meantime, I anticipate he's working the phones pretty hard to put together a deal that improves the rest of the roster in the Mid/long term

Nope. Francis will bide his time and wait for one to come to him.

In the meantime, I anticipate he's working the phones pretty hard to put together a deal that improves the rest of the roster in the Mid/long term
- BINGO!

Out of curiosity, if you were Francis what would you do?

Strictly hypothetical but I'm curious as I am not overly familiar with your squad.

Out of curiosity, if you were Francis what would you do?

Strictly hypothetical but I'm curious as I am not overly familiar with your squad.
- Wildschwein

Landeskog.

I'd push hard to acquire him with draft picks, giving up a 1st and a D prospect if necessary.

Then I'd dump any pending UFA's for whatever picks I can get for them. And Ryan Murphy.

Kind of a mixed bag of stuff this season. Then I'd spend the offseason trying to fix the goaltending.

Rest of the season post deadline we're looking like

Jeff Skinner - Victor Rask - Ty Rattie
Gabriel Landeskog - Jordan Staal - Elias Lindholm
Sebastian Aho - Teuvo Teravainen - Lee Stempniak
Joakim Nordstrom - Derek Ryan - Brock McGinn

Brett Pesce - Jaccob Slavin
Noah Hanifin - Justin Faulk
Klas Dahlbeck - Roland McKeown

Cam Ward
whoever.

Landeskog.

I'd push hard to acquire him with draft picks, giving up a 1st and a D prospect if necessary.

Then I'd dump any pending UFA's for whatever picks I can get for them.

Kind of a mixed bag of stuff this season. Then I'd spend the offseason trying to fix the goaltending.
- BINGO!

Anyone in specific or is it too early to tell?

Anyone in specific or is it too early to tell?
- Wildschwein

Too early at this point. Bishop might be nice, but next year he'll only be one year younger than what Cam Ward is this year.

I think you hope the cap crunch hits somebody really hard again next year and you can get a G for pennies on the dollar.

Landeskog.

I'd push hard to acquire him with draft picks, giving up a 1st and a D prospect if necessary.

Then I'd dump any pending UFA's for whatever picks I can get for them. And Ryan Murphy.

Kind of a mixed bag of stuff this season. Then I'd spend the offseason trying to fix the goaltending.

Rest of the season post deadline we're looking like

Jeff Skinner - Victor Rask - Ty Rattie
Gabriel Landeskog - Jordan Staal - Elias Lindholm
Sebastian Aho - Teuvo Teravainen - Lee Stempniak
Joakim Nordstrom - Derek Ryan - Brock McGinn

Brett Pesce - Jaccob Slavin
Noah Hanifin - Justin Faulk
Klas Dahlbeck - Roland McKeown/Trevor Carrick

Cam Ward
whoever.
- BINGO!

Next season, I think you filter more of the young guys into the lineup and hope Julien Gauthier is ready to step in on RW.

I think, at least to open the season, it looks like

Jeff Skinner - Victor Rask - Elias Lindholm
Gabriel Landeskog - Jordan Staal - Ty Rattie
Sebastian Aho - Teuvo Teravainen - Julien Gauthier
Phil Di Giuseppe - Lucas Wallmark/Nicolas Roy - Brock McGinn

Jaccob Slavin - Brett Pesce
Noah Hanifin - Justin Faulk
Haydn Fleury - Roland McKeown/Trevor Carrick

New Goalie/Cam Ward
Alex Nedeljkovic/Daniel Altshuller

(The hope in this situation is that Colorado is willing to take Jake Bean in a Landeskog trade.)

Next season, I think you filter more of the young guys into the lineup and hope Julien Gauthier is ready to step in on RW.

I think, at least to open the season, it looks like

Jeff Skinner - Victor Rask - Elias Lindholm
Gabriel Landeskog - Jordan Staal - Ty Rattie
Sebastian Aho - Teuvo Teravainen - Julien Gauthier
Phil Di Giuseppe - Lucas Wallmark/Nicolas Roy - Brock McGinn

Jaccob Slavin - Brett Pesce
Noah Hanifin - Justin Faulk
Haydn Fleury - Roland McKeown/Trevor Carrick

New Goalie/Cam Ward
Alex Nedeljkovic/Daniel Altshuller

(The hope in this situation is that Colorado is willing to take Jake Bean in a Landeskog trade.)
- BINGO!

Might be a bit of a stretch on that one, but I'm not Sakic so who knows.

Pesce has supplanted Faulk?

Might be a bit of a stretch on that one, but I'm not Sakic so who knows.

Pesce has supplanted Faulk?
- Wildschwein

Slavin has, and he can play either side.

Pesce, Faulk and Hanifin all can only play one side. So if you play Faulk and Slavin together on their natural sides, then one of Pesce or Hanifin has to play their off side. So Switch Pesce and Slavin because I put them on the wrong sides.

That said, I don't know that it's a huge stretch to say that, at least defensively, Brett Pesce has been better than Justin Faulk this year. He's been way better than anticipated.

Slavin has, and he can play either side.

Pesce, Faulk and Hanifin all can only play one side. So if you play Faulk and Slavin together on their natural sides, then one of Pesce or Hanifin has to play their off side. So Switch Pesce and Slavin because I put them on the wrong sides.

That said, I don't know that it's a huge stretch to say that, at least defensively, Brett Pesce has been better than Justin Faulk this year. He's been way better than anticipated.
- BINGO!

Remember when we had discussed trading Yak for him? Lucky you.

Remember when we had discussed trading Yak for him? Lucky you.
- Wildschwein

Right? Man I feel stupid about that one now.

Thank god it didn't happen.

Right? Man I feel stupid about that one now.

Thank god it didn't happen.
- BINGO!

For you yes.

Sooo Reinhart for Murphy?

For you yes.

Sooo Reinhart for Murphy?
- Wildschwein

No thanks.

Isn't Reinhart more expensive?

At least Murphy can pretend to play in the NHL.

Or, ya know, a real goalie.
- BINGO!

Coreau and a 2nd for Murphy?

Coreau and a 2nd for Murphy?
- Feds91Stammer

Done. No take-backsies

Done. No take-backsies
- BINGO!

- Feds91Stammer

All I need now is Liljegren and my D is set

Liljegren - Hronek
Ouellet - Murphy
Cholowski - Saarijarvi
Hicketts - Russo

If RF doesn't wake up to the need for a topnotch keeper... the other things are only treading water, where we can't outscore too many teams!
Sitting on his wallet this year yielded the expected results... no consistency and too many midgets out there!

If RF doesn't wake up to the need for a topnotch keeper... the other things are only treading water, where we can't outscore too many teams!
Sitting on his wallet this year yielded the expected results... no consistency and too many midgets out there!
- randycane

You don't think this was by design? He knew what he was getting in Cam Ward.

Chances of Canes playoff...now less than half.