The pace is gradual but the direction is unmistakable. The Carolina Hurricanes 2013-14 season is sliding in the wrong direction right now. After a miserable start across the board, parts of the Metro Division are starting to push forward, while the Canes are slowly sinking. With Sunday's loss, the Canes are now in 6th place in the weakest division in hockey thus far.
Sunday's game against Vancouver was a strange one in many ways. The game was incredibly chippy early on and throughout which is odd for a cross-conference battle of 2 teams that rarely see each other. Was it the early boarding penalty to Drayson Bowman? The Eric Staal/Alex Edler carryover from Staal's knee injury in the offseason? Or maybe a combination of factors? Regardless, the game had a much greater edge to it than your run of the mill Sunday afternoon cross-conference game.
Despite playing a team that had played the day before, the Canes again came out flat and paid the price with a 2-goal deficit to finish the 1st. Then with the rotating great period of hockey dial currently set on 2, the Canes responded with 2 quick, literally 10 seconds apart quick goals to start the 2nd period, but any momentum was quickly sapped by a double whammy. First, the Canes gave up a goal almost immediately after tying the game. Then a few minutes later "it" happened. "It" is the Carolina Hurricanes power play. With 5 1/2 minutes of consecutive power play time including 27 seconds of 5-on-3 time, the Canes struggled mightily. The first couple minutes featured complete inability to enter and get set up in the offensive zone. The 5-on-3 portion featured a bunch of real tentative hockey. And about the time the Canes started to at least get possession of the puck in the offensive zone and try to shoot, it was all over. When it ended, any and all positive energy and momentum had been sucked out of the team and the building. The Canes did manage a handful of chances in the 3rd period, put together a much better power play midway through the 3rd period and saw Jordan Staal come within inches of tying the game when his deflection went off the post. But when the dust settled, the Canes went 0 for 6 on the power play, never scored except for the mini-outburst to start the 2nd period and had lost 3-2.
A few random notes:
--Jordan Staal. He played really well. His goal came from carrying the puck assertively off the boards, going hard to the net and then following up for a rebound. He was strong on the puck all night and as noted above came within inches of notching a huge 2nd goal in the 3rd period.
--Brett Bellemore. I liked his physical edge in this game. When the hitting and shoulder-to-shoulder combat dialed up a couple notches he looked comfortable and strong.
--Drayson Bowman. I continue to like his game. I think he is gradually turning the corner in terms of playing the game with the aim of being a difference-maker not just clinging to a temporary spot in the lineup. I would not say that he has truly broken out yet, but he seems to be on the brink.
--The 3rd line. Details are for a blog that I will probably post tomorrow, but I think we are very close to the point (if not there already) where this becomes 1 of 2 skill set/roster issues that Rutherford is/will be looking to address (the other is more offense from the back end). Skinner has not been able to pick up where he left off scoring-wise and has also regressed a bit in terms of the 2-way play that was much-improved early in the season. And more significantly, the primary options (Nash, Lindholm) to pair with Skinner have mostly been nearly invisible placeholders. I wrote about this about 10 days ago and suggested that Rutherford would give Lindholm a 1st audition in the C3 slot and then possibly Rask before looking to fill the position from the outside. I will be surprised if the Canes do not add a 3rd-line forward in the next 2 weeks with center being ideal but right wing also being possible if a better trade comes in that direction.
--Tuomo Ruutu. I have a ton of respect right now for his effort level. When he struggles or the team struggles, he consistently goes back to basics of playing a physical game. He registered 9 hits Sunday and got himself in the middle of any puck battle he possibly could. The but is that he is starting to remind me of Chad LaRose in the sense that when on top of his game he had an uncanny ability to get into puck battles and win more than his fair share and also an ability to win any short 10-15 foot races to loose pucks. Of late, I keep noticing how many of those battles and even more so the mini races he continues to lose. Now 27 games into the season, my concern is that his 2 hip surgeries and his other lower body injury have taken just enough of his mobility that he just cannot be as effective as he once was even with 100% effort level and will.
--Cam Ward. He was not horrible Sunday, but for me I think it comes down to this. Was he better than Vancouver backup Eddie Lack? I do not think so, and I think this was a game where he could have been. Looking back after the fact, I think the 3rd Canucks goal was the backbreaker. The Canes had just stormed back with 2 goals in a hurry and were trying to seize momentum. Then Vancouver struck immediately back. On that goal, Ward pushed the 1st week attempt right back out in front of him instead of clearing it or covering it which resulted in a 2nd shot where he was lucky enough to get hit by it. By the time the scramble ensued Ward has laid out covering about as little net as possible when the puck was finally deposited behind him. He also struggled with rebound control. When he is playing well this is a clear strength, so anytime I see that go awry I am inclined to think he is fighting the puck a bit. I think that is a fair assessment of Sunday's effort.
--Mike Komisarek. He continues to try to shake the rust off after a long hiatus from being in the lineup on defense. His delay of game early into a power play led pretty quickly to Vancouver's 1st tally when the team scored 5-on-3. He also continues to struggle to move the puck from his stick to someone else on his team's stick.
--Ball officially on the tee. I will save the details for a blog that I will probably post sometime Monday, but I would be very surprised if we do not see at least 1 trade and possibly multiple in the next 2 weeks. Monday will also provide an answer to the question "Does the team think anyone in Charlotte might be ready for the NHL?" With the 3rd line struggling and a few players either in or very close to Muller's dog house right now, if anyone is worth an NHL look before a trade or 2, I would think we will see him recalled Monday. Rask?
Tomorrow I hope to post a few more specific trade options. The basics of the situation have not changed much since I laid out my thoughts in a November 22 blog that you can find HERE.
Short preview: 1) I will be surprised if we do not see at least 1 trade in the next 2 weeks. 2) Shopping list includes C3 (or possibly RW3 if easier to land) and an offensive defenseman who can help transition game and the anemic power play. 3) Gleason is probably most likely player to go, but I think Tlusty and even some bigger names could be in play.
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