The Carolina Hurricanes are on the path to another April with the upcoming draft and how to fix the team as the key points of discussion for those of us who do not just check out until we try again next October. But along the way, the schedule offers a regular helping of measuring stick games in which the Canes get to play against some of the league's elite to see how they stack up and maybe more significantly where they do not. First up was Boston last weekend. Tonight is Chicago. The final leg is an upcoming road game in Pittsburgh.
The Boston game served to emphasis something that I think everyone already knew. The Canes need to build a team more capable of winning battles and outworking opponents. It is not about adding the proverbial "grit" in the form of old-time hockey goons. It is about building a roster that has more big, strong and capable of winning on the walls when necessary in the form of players who can also skate and play the game.
It will be interesting to see what the game in Chicago brings tonight. Chicago does have some big and physical but not in the extreme sense that Boston does. But Chicago very much matches Boston in terms of being deep, solid across the entire roster and capable of scoring and winning games due to contributions from anywhere on their roster.
With my emphasis shifting more to 2014-15 than winning individual games, I have taken a more "what I am watching" tact to game previews of late. Today's set includes:
1) Chris Terry 2.0. He was not bad any means in Tuesday's game in Columbus, but he did not do anything that came close to saying "I am making a claim to a 2014-15 NHL roster spot right here and now." He should get another chance to do that tonight and probably with decent minutes and line mates. At this stage of his career, he has more chances behind him than in front of him. If he is going to take a step up, find a higher level and stick in the NHL, the time needs to be soon, real soon.
2) Brett Bellemore. He has been quietly sound and solid of late. I would love to see him get more minutes next to Sekera and/or Hainsey against some of the Hawks' best. Bellemore has obviously played his way into the mix for 2014-15 at this point. The question is whether he can fill a role in the top 4 if the Canes need to go that route. My idea world has Sekera/Faulk and either Hainsey +1 or otherwise 2 more top 4 defensemen pushing guys like Murphy, Harrison, Bellemore and Liles to the 3rd pairing, but that is probably overly optimistic budget-wise.
3) The Anton Khudobin show. If you did not watch Tuesday's game and/or read my recap blog, have a look HERE. In a disappointing season overall, I think the single best Canes story going right now is Khudobin's rapidly rising role. In about 70 games (with a long injury layoff in the middle), he has gone from being an upgraded backup goalie to being the starter out of necessity to being a very good starter to becoming the fire and lightning that this team needs to find a higher gear. Best guess is that Khudobin and Ward split the back-to-back starts, but I have not seen word to confirm that or who gets which one.
Up against a full slate of NCAA tourney action including games at PNC Arena, who is still watching the Canes tonight? I am actually away from the TV altogether with another commitment but am enough of a glutton for Canes punishment that I will catch up on the DVR.
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