Ben Case: GMRF Needs To Cut Ties with Marcoux Today, I want to address why I think it is time that the Hurricanes part ways with goalie coach David Marcoux. Many people will merely point to Cam Ward as the reason for his results, however, that is merely lazy and way overgeneralized of an explanation.

Ben Case: GMRF Needs To Cut Ties with Marcoux
Today, I want to address why I think it is time that the Hurricanes part ways with goalie coach David Marcoux. Many people will merely point to Cam Ward as the reason for his results, however, that is merely lazy and way overgeneralized of an explanation.
- BenCase

Marcoux hasn't been great, but Cam Ward has been poop almost literally his entire career.

Beef up and free up cap space for a sniper.

Beef up and free up cap space for a sniper.
- Philly17RB

Canes already have an almost infinite amount of cap space.

Curious....who should the Cane's go out and get for goaltending: Player and coach ?
And what players would you target for scoring....
And will management spend any $$ in free agency....building within is great, but still need a mix.

Curious....who should the Cane's go out and get for goaltending: Player and coach ?
And what players would you target for scoring....
And will management spend any $$ in free agency....building within is great, but still need a mix.
- CappyJr.

Marc-Andre Fleury. Let CuJo take over as full-time goalie coach in Raleigh instead of Charlotte.

Marc-Andre Fleury. Let CuJo take over as full-time goalie coach in Raleigh instead of Charlotte.
- BINGO!

Fleury is pretty much the same age as Ward. Is he really the answer? There is not any goalie free agent option out there that excites me. CuJo would be an upgrade as goalie coach but I am not convinced on how much difference a goalie coach makes to a goalie's success in the NHL. I don't think it has the same impact that a pitching coach in MLB makes.

Fleury is pretty much the same age as Ward. Is he really the answer? There is not any goalie free agent option out there that excites me. CuJo would be an upgrade as goalie coach but I am not convinced on how much difference a goalie coach makes to a goalie's success in the NHL. I don't think it has the same impact that a pitching coach in MLB makes.
- Barbecued Hockey

Age is not the relevant thing here. Fleury has, historically, been a better goaltender than Cam Ward for essentially the entirety of their careers.

If he can post even a .915 over a full season, it's worth it, because Ward hasn't done that in five years.

Not only that, but Pittsburgh has to do something with Fleury before the expansion draft or they risk losing Murray for nothing. He can likely be had for cheap, and with only two years remaining on his contract, he shouldn't be a hinderance to the development of Nedeljkovic.

Goaltending is about 80% mechanics. Something as simple as head positioning can vastly impact your ability to make saves. I don't know that Marcoux has neessarily done a bad job, but I do think he mishandled Eddie Lack.

Age is not the relevant thing here. Fleury has, historically, been a better goaltender than Cam Ward for essentially the entirety of their careers.

If he can post even a .915 over a full season, it's worth it, because Ward hasn't done that in five years.

Not only that, but Pittsburgh has to do something with Fleury before the expansion draft or they risk losing Murray for nothing. He can likely be had for cheap, and with only two years remaining on his contract, he shouldn't be a hinderance to the development of Nedeljkovic.

Goaltending is about 80% mechanics. Something as simple as head positioning can vastly impact your ability to make saves. I don't know that Marcoux has neessarily done a bad job, but I do think he mishandled Eddie Lack.
- BINGO!

I know that you are on the Ward is awful bandwagon, but I don't hang it all on him. 17 games in a row is too much for him at this stage in his career. His stats were pretty good prior to that run this year. He was also hung out to dry by one of the worst 3rd pairing defense corps assembled. The rotation of Dahlback, Tennyson and Murphy is a disaster for any goalie's stats. I place Ward as a middle of the road goaltender when not overused and with an average defense in front of him.

Fleury is an upgrade but would not have great success statistically if the 3rd pairing isn't upgraded. Also Hanifan and Faulk need to improve on the backend. They surrender far too many breakaways.

I know that you are on the Ward is awful bandwagon, but I don't hang it all on him. 17 games in a row is too much for him at this stage in his career. His stats were pretty good prior to that run this year. He was also hung out to dry by one of the worst 3rd pairing defense corps assembled. The rotation of Dahlback, Tennyson and Murphy is a disaster for any goalie's stats. I place Ward as a middle of the road goaltender when not overused and with an average defense in front of him.

Fleury is an upgrade but would not have great success statistically if the 3rd pairing isn't upgraded. Also Hanifan and Faulk need to improve on the backend. They surrender far too many breakaways.
- Barbecued Hockey

The third pairing was an issue, but that's got nothing to do with Wards individual statistics. Eddie Lack had a good run near the end, but overall was also abysmal.

In the end, Cam Ward was the worst starting goaltender in the NHL this season by nearly every measure. He has been below average nearly his entire career.

Others are not blameless, but acquiring a more stable goaltender is the easiest way to make the biggest immediate impact on the standings for the club at this juncture.

You just got your wish, as RF just announced on the podcast that Marcoux won't be back next season. I sure hope CuJo is promoted to the big club.

I don't consider myself to be a Ward hater, but it is definitely time to cut ties. Yes, he did have a run this year, as he does every year, but that just goes further to mask his overall subpar play. As for him getting too many starts at this stage of his career, maybe, but look at the starts that Fuhr put up in St. Louis when he was around Ward's current age. No, I am not saying Fuhr and Ward are equal, but before ending up in St. Louis, Fuhr had bounced around and many thought he was washed up.

One big issue I have with Ward is his positioning. Maybe some of that can be chalked up to Marcoux, but it has been abysmal at times. Look at Jack Johnson's goal in the last game against Columbus. Ward was completely overplaying the short side, leaving nearly half of the net on his glove side open. Guess where Johnson went with the shot. One of the first thing goalies learn is positioning and how to use markings on the ice to gain reference to where they are in front of the net. Ward's seeming inability to stay on top of that is incredibly concerning.

Yes, MAF is Ward's age, but, as Bingo pointed out, his track record and mechanics are undoubtedly ahead of where Ward is. Besides, GMRF doesn't need to sign a long-term solution in net, but with the strides this team is making in developing youth, we need a goalie that can be counted on to at least be average. Think of how depressing that sounds. What this team has gotten from Ward and from Lack, with a few streaks as the exceptions that prove the rule, is below average goaltending.

Goaltending is not this team's only Achille's Heel, but it must be addressed. If the team in front of them doesn't have confidence in their ability to stop the puck, it's going to show, and not in a positive way.

This team needs to shore up the bottom D pairing and add some more pop up front. They also need to nail down the consistency of their efforts and not take a period off for every good one that they play.

All that said, I am high on the future of this team. For the first time since the Whalers moved south, there has been a concerted effort to develop youth and it's paying off. If the depth that has been cultivated is accentuated with a few savvy additions, grinding out points here and there instead of squandering them, then the playoffs next year are a legitimate possibility. Yes, people bemoan the "maybe next year" as the Canes unofficial slogan, and I get it. It's been dead on in the past, but it is impossible to argue against the way this team has been developing. They are on the right track, we just need a few more pieces.

It's incredible to read silly arguments about the Canes goalies... CAM WARD IS A REALLY GOOD PERSON... His goalie stats are GREAT... FOR JUNIOR LEVEL HOCKEY... LACK. ....
The Canes need a good NHL GOALIE... Can we move on? Why can't RF FIND WHAT IS NEEDED?
If he can't... LET'S FIND A GM WHO CAN! Both goalies have been inconsistent... find someone who can D O ...T H E... J O B...!!!!!
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