Hurricanes vs. Blackhawks – The Recap

Riding a six-game point streak, the Carolina Hurricanes came into tonight’s game against the Chicago Blackhawks facing some adversity.  Sebastian Aho and Taylor Hall would be unavailable, out with an illness that is apparently going through the locker room (one can only assume that Jack Roslovic was patient zero the other night in New York).  This put us down a couple of forwards – which opened the door for Ryan Suzuki to make his NHL debut.  Because of our recent send down of Riley Stillman (cap gymnastics, am I right?), we were only at 6 healthy defenseman and 11 (with Suzuki) healthy forwards.

The last time we played Chicago, we weren’t very sharp in the first period, going down 2-0 before we got to something that resembled our game.  We eventually won that game in overtime on a goal from Sebastian Aho (not playing tonight because of illness) – with a nice feed from Martin Necas (not playing in Raleigh tonight because he is no longer a Hurricane).  Let’s hope we don’t have to go to OT.

Several storylines for this game:

• The return of Teuvo Teravainen to Raleigh
• The first game in Raleigh for Mikko Rantanen
• The celebration of Frederik Andersen’s 500^th game.
• Ryan Suzuki’s first NHL game in his career.

Below are my thoughts on the game:

• Early on, I could tell Pyotr Kochetkov was off.  And during the first period, it was an adventure:
• He slipped in his crease as a Blackhawk was driving around the net.
• He left a puck behind the net for someone for the Staal line to retrieve.  Sadly, nobody was there – it was a lack of communication that was my concern.  He just wasn’t on the same page as the rest of the team.
• He played a puck that I thought had a chance to be icing but ended up being a turnover that led to a drawn penalty called on Shayne Gostisbehere.
• He tried to feed the puck out and up the center of the ice, only for it to be batted down and turned into a Grade-A chance that he barely came back to save. 
• From that point on, Kochetkov went from Mr. Hyde to Dr. Jekyll, playing such a great second period, making strong committed saves.
• I noted from the jump that the Svechnikov-Kotkaniemi-Robinson line played really well together tonight, which has become a pattern of late with Svech and KK specifically.  There were several solid chances by all three offensively and in general, doing things the right way.
• Each of the “primary” top three lines that Rod put together were dangerous at times. 
• The Rantanen-Roslovic-Blake line (who was responsible for the 2^nd goal for the Hurricanes tonight) looked good together.  The feed Roslovic made to Rantanen for the goal was next level.  Also, Rantanen playing defensively responsible to start that transition (a point Tripp Tracy pointed out in the telecast) – and then staying in a defensive posture until Roslovic was forcing the issue into the neutral zone – it was great to see.  He’s been playing the right way in Rod’s system – and tonight he was rewarded with a goal.
• Our first goal was a solid play on the penalty kill – Seth Jarvis pressured defensively and turned the Blackhawks over.  Seth then fed Juha Jaaska and stayed in the play on a 2-on-1 breakaway.  Jaaska pushed play down the ice and fed Jarvis some sweet sauce, who then buried the puck.  The added excitement from me comes from the fact that Juha Jaaska was helping with the kill.  When we lost Jack Drury to the trade, we did lose someone who could pitch in on the kill.  Not only did Jaaska provide a short shift at the end of kills, but he was also able to contribute offensively with an assist to get us on the board.  He added another assist later in the game for his first multi-point game of his career.  I like him as our 4C the rest of the way.  He uses his body well and is suited for a grinding role.  The dude belongs.
• The obligatory Jackson Blake love:
• I don’t know how not to be impressed by his play, night in, night out – he is constantly pick-pocketing someone in the neutral zone, stealing to head back on the attack after the opposition has retrieved and are trying to clear, and working to create every single shift.  For those of you out there that are calling on the Hurricanes to trade this dude or to demote him, you’re dead wrong.  This kid is Seth Jarvis 2.0 – just more advanced defensively at this point in his career than Seth was at the same point.  His finishing touch will get there - we as fans just need a little patience, and he needs continued ice time and opportunity.
• Mikko Rantanen came over in a trade and everyone (me included) felt that it would be Andrii Svechnikov opposite him.  The reality is, Jackson Blake belongs up there, given his ability to create and to be in the right position to make the right plays.  Additionally, since “Moose” has arrived, Jackson and he have created some solid chemistry – it seems they both know where each will be on the ice.  They are still working through it, but I am impressed with the early returns.
• I mention the great Roslovic feed to Rantanen for the 2^nd goal of the game – that doesn’t happen without Jackson Blake winning a battle on the boards in the defensive end and then feeding out to Roslovic. 
• It took the Blackhawks over 15 minutes to get a shot on goal to start the game – we were suffocating defensively in the early goings, with excellent sticks and good blocks on shots. We also had great puck possession and played in our attacking zone a ton.
• I thought that Ryan Suzuki played a little nervous early but settled in during the game.  His big moment came in the 2^nd when Kochetkov made a great save, and the puck parked itself above the crease in front of a pretty open net.  Suzuki came in to calmly send the puck out of the zone.  Not a stat sheet play, but it kept Chicago from burying another one.  He played a total of 8 shifts for a little over 6 minutes of ice time.  Ultimately, I think he is more of a Top 9 kind of player – not the grinder you’re looking for on a 4^th line.
• Speaking of Suzuki – he was part of the play that brought home the third goal.  Him and Juha Jaaska were battling for a puck possession in the offensive zone, and it poked out to Jackson Blake (surprise, surprise).  Jackson took the shot, and it clanged off the cross bar, but Jaccob Slavin was there, winning a race to the net to bury it to make it 3-1. 
• The second period I noticed Andrii Svechnikov using the body – he laid a few really good body blows on a couple Blackhawks, to the point one wanted to drop gloves to which Andrii laughed and kept it moving.  The next shift, he came out and had a great chance that didn’t ultimately end up scoring.  He’s playing smart and confident these days.  I really look forward to seeing him continue to pull it all together.
• Up 3-1, Hannah Yates did an in-game interview with Rod Brind ‘Amour – I don’t remember the exact phrasing, but she was getting a pulse check on how he was feeling the game was going.  His response was that the team was kind of making it easy for Chicago when we were giving the puck away in the defensive and neutral zone.  At that point in the game, it could have gone either way – and Chicago had a couple great looks.  Fortunately for us, Kochetkov did a much better job in the 2^nd period than he did in the 1^st.
• Our penalty kill is suffocating – and when the goalie is on his A-game, we are almost impossible to score against. 
• Connor Bedard is going to be a monster.  It was a solid 5-hole goal, but Kochetkov probably should have been more committed to him than worried about a pass that was well covered.  Still, Bedard has exceptional hands and is an exciting talent.  I wonder what deals Chicago can make in the off-season to make this team more competitive around him. 

In the end, we scored more than we gave up, winning 3-2.  That makes seven straight games where we have collected points and ten of eleven.  After the game, Rod mentioned that it wasn’t just Taylor Hall and Sebastain Aho not feeling well – that there were a couple others that gutted it out.  While we still haven’t played the way we typically do, we have done what we have needed to do to bank points. 

Up Next:  The Hurricanes stick around in Raleigh (and hopefully can rid themselves of this illness) for a date with the Los Angeles Kings.

 

 

Hurricanes at Rangers – The Recap

Coming into the night, the Carolina Hurricanes were riding a 5-game point streak.  While each of the games have had their ups and downs, in the NHL, you bank your points when you can.  In the last game against the Islanders, we were able to secure a point – after getting ahead of the game 2-0 early, the Islanders quietly and patiently came back to win 3-2 in overtime on a turnover by Andrii Svechnikov in his own offensive end.

The idea would be to see if we could get some added chemistry with our new guys – Mikko Rantanen and Taylor Hall.  Having the luxury of two practices over the last couple days (a morning skate and a formal practice yesterday), the hope would be that these two would start to feel more comfortable with the rest of the team and that they would feel more comfortable with the system that Rod Brind’Amour employs. 

Below are my thoughts on the game:

• The game started with the Blake-Aho-Rantanen line – and to me, this should be expected.  Additionally, it should be expected that on the road, this line will see the other teams top shut down line.  All that to say – it appeared that this line was in the offensive zone more than they were the defensive zone tonight and generating solid chances.  If we can get this in all games, I can’t wait to see what our games at home look like, where we can alter matchups at times.
• The Svechnikov-Kotkaniemi-Hall line is the real deal – they look great together.  Excellent chemistry all game.  Some notes on this line: 
• They were strong the entire game.  Hall looks absolutely rejuvenated, zipping down the ice, providing excellent feeds, including a feed to Andrii for the first goal of the game.  The secondary assist went to Kotkaniemi, who had a great screen in front of Igor Shesterkin, who couldn’t see the puck until it was in the back of the net.
• The size of this line can’t be ignored – three dudes that have size, good speed and can each distribute and create.  Furthermore, this line can all make life difficult for the goalie, parking in front of the net.  This line is going to be a real matchup problem for teams.
• This line is the bump up line after the penalty kill – all three penalties were killed and each of them were bumped up by this line.  None of those guys are penalty killers, so it makes sense.  But to have this sort of offensive flair after a penalty kill that can change some game momentum – again, I think this line could be a problem for teams.
• I have asked for it and got it – we are playing 11 and 7 tonight due to a Jack Roslovic illness prior to game time.  I understand how challenging it can be to roll two sides of the odd numbers, but in these circumstances, you can allow for some defenders to get a little bit of a blow mid-season.   I don’t hate it.  Sadly, the dude that could probably use a blow and some added relief from his legs the most – Brent Burns – led all defensemen with 20+ minutes of ice time.  Oy vey!
• Let’s give Frederik Andersen some love:
•  Freddie made several excellent saves in the 1^st period, including two gems against Alexis Lafreniere, to keep the game at 1-0.
• I noted this while watching, but he looked sharper tonight.  One thing on his mind may have been Game 6 from last seasons’ playoffs.  He stopped Kreider a couple times tonight, which I am sure felt good.
• In the 2^nd period, he had other brilliant saves – without them, the game could have gotten away from us a little. 
• His counterpart, Igor Shesterkin, also played magnificently through two periods – Andersen was just better.  Just a next level game for him.  He probably stole at least 3 goals tonight.
• Juha Jaaska has been more than a slightly better than a replacement level player on the 4^th line – he’s played quality minutes, had a real good neutral zone steal, and had some good passes, including a great past to Robinson not once but twice (an outlet pass and a feed from behind the net) that set him up at point blank range – sadly Igor was up to the task.
• The Canes did much better in the face-off circle tonight – we looked like we were winning more than we were losing and, sure enough, we went 56% tonight.
• I thought our team defense looked real solid tonight.  With two new players on the ice learning the system, it could take a few games to feel out the way our team does it defensively.  Credit again to Eric Tulsky for identifying two guys that can provide offense, have solid frames, but can also do it on the defensive end.  Both clearly have good IQ, because neither looked out of place defensively.  In fact, Rantanen had a great stick play in the 3^rd to prevent a Panarin chance – helping to preserve the shutout. 
• The first and second period, in my estimation, was a wash.  Both teams had their chances, the game was up and down in stretches, and both goalies were rock solid.  The difference really was Freddie Andersen.
• In the middle of the 2^nd, Seth Jarvis had a 2-on-1 with Shayne Gostisbehere and, instead of shooting the puck, he passed it off to Shayne.  It appeared that Igor was leaning towards the pass anyway, which is why I think Seth should just let it rip.  Easy for me to say from my couch, but I think if/when Jarvy watches the replay, he’ll see he had a little daylight on the top shelf blocker side for a chance.
• A little on Andrii Svechnikov:
• Andrii looks like he’s taken a step forward – and credit to Rod for putting him on a line with Kotkaniemi and Hall.  Hall has fit with Svechnikov like a glove.  These two seem to feed off each other.
• He had two goals and one assist tonight – and played a complete game.
• Defensively, he literally saved a goal with his stick in the 2^nd to keep it 1-0.
• I said it in the Dallas recap – if Svechnikov can figure it all out (offensive zone role, defensive zone role, playing a complete 200-foot game), look out.  It has been fun to see him unlock a little of his offensive potential these last couple games.
• Some Mikko Rantanen love – he delivered offensively on a complete undressing of Igor Shesterkin – Igor had committed to a Rantanen shot when Mikko calmly passed the puck to a charging Andrii Svechnikov to make it 2-0.  Such a smooth play.  He’s as much of a threat to shoot as he is to pass.  It must be menacing to goalies.  He also made that great defensive play mentioned above.  Overall, he’s been what I’ve expected to see two games in.  Final note on Rants – he drives with the puck and has such a big frame; it should be able to open the ice a little – Tripp Tracy made this point during the broadcast, and I think it holds true. 
• Both power play units had decent looks – ultimately neither scored, but you love to see solid opportunities on the man advantage.  The dam is going to break sooner or later.
• The third period goal by Sebastain Aho was an absolute snipe – such a great pass from Svechnikov, who was on the ice with Taylor Hall in the middle of a line change.  Aho was finishing his shift and buried the puck short side. 
• Not to be outdone, with 17:30 to go in the 3^rd period, Seth Jarvis sent one top shelf glove side after being left all alone in the slot on a breakdown by the Rangers D.  The Jordan’s did a lot of the lift for this one – Staal with the initial leave down low for Martinook, who lost and then recovered the puck to feed Seth for the goal.  A phenomenal start to the period that essentially put the game away.

The Rangers had a couple additional chances in the 3^rd, but again, the team defense really stepped up and got the job done in front of Freddie.  Frankly, though, Andersen earned the 4-0 shutout.  He worked admirably in net, saving several shots that fell into the Grade-A category.  I suppose a good defense can make a goalie look good and a good goalie can make a defense look good.  Tonight, I thought our team defense was solid, but Freddie worked hard as well – just a total team effort. 

Up Next:  We’re back home for the Taylor Hall/Teuvo Teravainen/Petr Mrazek revenge game against Chicago. 

Hurricanes at Islanders - The Recap

The Carolina Hurricanes entered the evening riding a four-game winning streak and they put that streak on the line tonight against the New York Islanders.  The vibes were already good heading into the weekend but were made even better by the additions on Friday night of Mikko Rantanen and Taylor Hall.  It was a move that most were surprised at, but in the end seemed to make sense. 

Raleigh, of course, was buzzing and was looking forward to seeing their new stars in action.  My questions heading into the game were how the lines would be situated and then if we could ensure a fast start to not get behind the 8-ball early, as we have in so many games recently.  If we could stay away from chasing the game, it could provide an opportunity for us to get some much-needed ice time with the new members of the team and the re-vamped lines that were put together in advance of the game without the pressure of coming from behind.

Below are my thoughts on the game:

• Many were speculating prior to the game about what the line combinations would look like, specifically that top line.  This is how Rod settled on everything:
• Blake-Aho-Rantanen
• Martinook-Staal-Jarvis
• Svechnikov-Kotkaniemi-Robinson
• Hall-Jaaska-Roslovic
• Some notes on the line combinations:
• As you can probably guess, I was beyond excited to see Jackson Blake keep his spot in the top line.  He’s really done an admirable job playing a 200-foot game, and I think it is admirable that Rod honored that.
• I know that Svechnikov and Kotkaniemi have played together some in the past and, if memory serves, they had decent chemistry when playing together.  Add Eric Robinson to that mix, who has seemed to make all his line-mates look better this season, and that is a pretty formidable line.
• The Staal line, as expected, stayed put for the time being.  Some were asking for Jarvis to move around on another line, but this seemed to make sense to see some already created chemistry after seeing all the new faces inserted.
• I think overall Rod will have some options on how he will want to deploy the forwards up and down the line-up.
• I thought it was cool that Mikko Rantanen and Jack Roslovic came to an agreement on the number 96 (Jack made the switch to 98).  Taylor Hall also reached out to the injured Jesper Fast to get the go-ahead to wear 71
• The Canes had some early jump, where we saw all the lines in action over the first 5 minutes of the game.  In particular, the Jaaska and KK lines looked solid, getting good chances and working hard to get on the puck early.
• The first goal of the game came on a great feed from Jesperi Kotkaniemi in the defensive end to Jack Roslovic who was darting through the zone on a partial line change, and he buried the puck top shelf to make it 1-0 early.  The play started with a 3-on-2 the other way for the Islanders, but Kotkaniemi got back in time to insert himself in the play, finishing off a shift with a seed on an outlet pass to Roslovic – the KK story continues.
• Less than 90 seconds later, our top line enters the plus column, starting with a pinch in the offensive zone by Jalen Chatfield, who fed down low to Sebastian Aho.  Seabass then found Rantanen and sent a pass his way, which ricocheted off an Islanders skate right through the five hole and into the back of the net.  The puck never reached Rantanen.  2-0 good guys.
• Pyotr Kochetkov has been solid throughout this game, calmly saving several high danger opportunities once the Islanders got to their game.  The two goals that were given up in regulation were a redirect off Sean Walker as he was coming across to stay on his man and a rebound opportunity after a solid save.  On that goal, Anders Lee beat Jaccob Slavin to the spot and tipped it in.  I generally liked the way PK played in this game, the 100^th game of his career.
• Jesperi Kotkaniemi was noticeable in good ways again tonight.  In addition to the primary assist on the Roslovic goal, he had some great shifts backchecking and forechecking and was sent to the box for a five-minute fighting major.  He came to the defense of Andrii Svechnikov on what looked to be a trip high (near the knees) by JG Pageau.  One thing that wasn’t his best effort – face-offs (which was a theme).  He was 1-8 at the face-off dot.
• Taylor Hall bounced around a couple lines tonight but finished with Kotkaniemi and Svechnikov.  That line looked great in the 3^rd period – Hall and Svechnikov seemed to feed off each other and had good chances.  In addition to the speed of Hall, he has a larger frame and really positioned his body well to maintain puck possession.
• I don’t usually comment on the intermission reports, but I thought Eric Tulsky talking through the trade, the departure of Necas and Drury and the situation being different with Rantanen than it was with Jake Guentzel last season was great.  It is nice that he is out in front of it and is looking ahead to our future.
• I thought Jaaska had good shifts tonight, winning some face-offs for us and getting some good minutes in with Jack Roslovic as a primary line-mate.
• The power-play looked decent – we didn’t score on the one opportunity we had, but did have some good chances.  With a 20% change in personnel on both units, we shouldn’t expect a ton in their first game.  That said, both Hall and Rantanen looked the part, and I’d expect them to be high-level contributors on each unit.
• I thought from about the halfway point of the first period until the end of the second period, the Islanders really took it to us.  They had several chances, which PK was up to the task in saving, but the big story was their advantage in the face-off circle.  At one point in the 3^rd period, the Islanders had a 71/29 advantage.  This is very unlike the Hurricanes, but the Islanders do own one of the best face-off groups in the league. 
• I don’t intend to make all these blogs Jackson Blake lovefests, but that dude looked every bit the part of a top line winger.  He was someone consistently a menace on the defensive end and in the right places on the offensive side of things alongside Aho and Rantanen.  For Rod to keep him in the top line grouping is a testament to how much he has grown this season, but also the teams trust in his 200-foot game.  Additionally, his IQ continues to grow with each game.
• More on the top line, the Rantanen-Aho-Blake line got progressively more comfortable together through the game.  By the third period, this line was buzzing around the ice and creating chances.  The third period was our best period by far, and I’d argue that this line had our best chances.
• The Staal line didn’t really get much going throughout the game, being pestered by the Islanders top line of Lee-Horvat-Barzal. 
• In the third, New York tied it at 2 –Anders Lee collected the puck when he beat Slavin to the net and ultimately sent a rebound tip over Kochetkov.  None of this happens if we win the face-off in our own end.  It’s been a story – the face-off draws have not gone anywhere near our favor.  The added element to this is that the draw in our zone is because of a high stick poke out by Brent Burns that we touched up which led to a defensive zone draw.
• The game winner was a Brock Nelson goal – it started with a great play by Andrii Svechnikov behind the net in his offensive zone to turn over the Islanders, but he proceeded to turn it over behind our net on what Tripp Tracy described as a ‘hope play’ pass to try beat two Islanders to get the puck out to Shayne Gostisbehere.  We must value puck possession there.  Of course, the Islanders regain possession and down the ice they go on a 2-on-1 breakaway.  Game, set, match.

In the end, after being up 2-0 early, we squandered a lead and ultimately lost 3-2 in a game where we never really got to our game.  Credit to New York for absolutely obliterating us in the face-off circle.  One thing to note – Rantanen and Hall got better and appeared to be more comfortable by the 3^rd period.  Both were buzzing – Hall being promoted to get more ice time and Rantanen starting to click some with Aho and Blake.  In a game where we didn’t know what we would have with our chemistry, we at least walked away with a point. 

Up Next:  We stay in New York and head to MSG to take on the Rangers.

Electric Feel

It was March 8, 2024 when things got exciting as a Carolina Hurricanes fan last season.  We were officially going for it.  Our leadership, after years of making modest deals at the deadline, decided it was time to make a move to go for it.  Jake Guentzel was coming to Carolina.

The fit was great!  He immediately gelled with Sebastian Aho, which wound up being a potent 1-2 punch through the remainder of the season and into the playoffs.  Sadly, our season ended in Game 6 against the New York Rangers, free agency happened and as quickly as Jake entered our lives, he was gone.  

Disappointment set in, as Jake decided to leave Raleigh and head to the friendly confines of Tampa, Florida – equipped with new linemates Nikita Kucherov and Brayden Point as well as a $0 state income tax.  Who knows the ultimate reasons why he left – maybe it was the state income tax or the linemates as mentioned.  Maybe it had to do with the system fit.  Who knows the true reasons?  But he was gone.

As people smarter than me have said, though – good is sometimes the enemy of great.  The Carolina Hurricanes pulled off a stunner in the early evening of Friday night when they made a deal with the Colorado Avalanche and Chicago Blackhawks to acquire Mikko Rantanen (COL) and Taylor Hall (CHI) for Martin Necas, Jack Drury and three draft picks.  The inspiration for this blog comes from the song “Electric Feel” by MGMT, because frankly, this feels like an electric jolt to the organization.

The breakdown of the deal is highlighted below:

• Carolina Receives:  Mikko Rantanen (1/2 salary), Taylor Hall, Nils Juntorp
• Colorado Receives:  Martin Necas, Jack Drury, 2025 2^nd rounder, 2026 4^th rounder
• Chicago Receives:  3^rd rounder, ½ of Rantanen salary retained

The move sets the stage for a legitimate Stanley Cup run this season and puts us in the driver’s seat to get a longer-term deal done with Rantanen, who is a perennial 100-point player.  Partner him alongside fellow Fin Sebastian Aho, and Aho could be in for a career year himself. 

Sebastian Aho, for his part this season, has been a point per game player already, playing alongside the likes of Jack Roslovic, Andrii Svechnikov and Jackson Blake.  And while I like what each of those players have done at certain stretches of time through the season, Jack Roslovic and Andrii Svechnikov are going through it a little bit currently, and Jackson Blake is a rookie.  This move is a huge upgrade for Seabass and is as much of an investment in the team and our ability to run down a Stanley Cup as it is a nod to Sebastian Aho and giving him a high-level partner on his line that is a proven producer. 

As for the second part of this deal for Carolina – Taylor Hall was someone I was quietly interested in at the deadline as a middle tier, middle six player that could provide a little bit of offensive spark.  Chicago was reportedly floating his name out there for only a 3^rd rounder, which is precisely what we gave up for him.  Chicago didn’t have to retain any of his salary, but did have to retain half of Rantanen’s this season as the price of doing business. 

Hall hasn’t had the best of seasons in Chicago but looking back at his time in a good system in Boston, he played responsibly and put up solid numbers in a 2^nd line role.  Taylor is one of two players who may get a crack at the top line to flank Aho and play opposite Rantanen.  The other would be one Andrii Svechnikov, who has played solidly recently, but hasn’t produced the way you would like to see in the box score.  If something isn’t clicking on the left side, Taylor Hall can be inserted and possibly be that producer he has been in the past.  Perhaps this move unlocks Svechnikov, though, and his production starts to increase (both 5-on-5 and on the power play, where Rantanen is almost assuredly set to slot in where Necas was).

Speaking of Necas, this trade means the end of the Martin Necas era in Carolina.  Over the years, I have been a Necas fan and have supported keeping him here in Raleigh.  Coming into the season, I thought this would be a make-or-break year for him.  Speaking with Greg Wyshynski of ESPN before the season began, he and I agreed that Necas could be a potential trade candidate given his extra year of term, his overall value to other teams across the league and how the organization and he had to mend fences over the offseason.  To Necas’s credit, he delivered high-level play early on and proved his value.  He and Eric Robinson have played great together playing with Jesperi Kotkaniemi recently, building some good chemistry as a unit (as noted in a couple recap blogs).  At the time of the deal, Necas was our team leader in points with 55 (16 G, 39 A). 

All of that to say – Mikko is a clear upgrade on the right-hand side of the ice for us.  He will slot in as the top line Right Winger, a place where Martin Necas never did get comfortable (Jackson Blake was playing up in that spot instead).  Necas will likely slot in with Nathan MacKinnon on the Avalanche top line and should provide ridiculous speed (and hopefully finish) for that unit.

The other piece to the deal heading to Colorado is Jack Drury, who I have enjoyed watching in a Carolina Hurricanes sweater.  He’s been a monster in the face-off circle, winning at a 59% clip, facing off typically against the 3^rd or 4^th best on the opposition.  Against whomever, a nearly 3:2 advantage winning face-offs isn’t something to be ignored.  The production piece has been a bit of an issue of late.  He missed some time but hasn’t had a goal or assist since his assist on December 5^th against…the Colorado Avalanche.  He does a lot of good things on the ice that doesn’t hit the stat sheet, though, and I expect he’ll be a solid 3^rd line center for the Avs.

My expectation is that Jack Roslovic will take over our 4^th line center responsibilities.  Alongside him could be a potential mixed bag – Will Carrier is injured and will be out for a couple months at least, but I would expect him to be a part of that 4^th line grouping when he returns.  Where everyone else slots in remains to be seen.    

One name that didn’t move but was rumored to be out there and was mistakenly reported as being part of this trade early on was Jesperi Kotkaniemi.  KK has played extremely well these last few games and overall, most of the season.  He has started producing, getting to the right areas to bang home goals and has done a great job with Robinson this season getting to the dirty areas to dig out pucks, using his frame well.  We have some options with him – he has a team friendly deal (in my opinion) and is someone with size that is prime for the 3C duties.  As it stands right now, he would be slotted with Eric Robinson (which has been a solid partner with him) and probably Taylor Hall to start.  This line could have some moving parts, though, as we work to see what combinations make sense. 

The big trick here is getting Mikko Rantanen signed long term.  It is no secret that Sebastian Aho and he are good friends.  The word is that he was looking at Leon Draisaitl type money, about $14M per year.  If the masses knew that, my hope would be that Eric Tulsky has this knowledge.  I am sure he does, as Tulsky is a dude that plays 3-D chess when everyone else is playing checkers.  Case in point – to not have to give up a 1^st rounder or a high-end prospect (Nikishin, Morrow, Nadeau) in this deal for someone of Rantanen’s skill is borderline robbery and malpractice on the part of the Avalanche.  Necas is a high-level player, but I would have expected more draft capital or another big-time prospect to pull this one off.  The Avalanche did have some cap crunch issues, so I get the urgency to do a deal for them.  Still, for us to be in that sort of position to bring in a player of Rantanen’s caliber and not have to really lose any major piece of the pool of assets and talent is impressive.

We have until the trade deadline (March 7^th) to get an extension in place, so the clock is ticking.  Considering the salary cap is going up (some say as much as 4-5M next season, although I am not convinced of that) a larger deal to retain him for term in his prime to go along with fellow Fin’s Sebastian Aho and Jesperi Kotkaniemi, Andrii Svechnikov and Seth Jarvis would be a wise move – and from the looks of it, we’ll have the cap space to do it.  With Jackson Blake and, likely, Bradley Nadeau up and coming with our forward grouping as well, this has the makings of the official opening of the Cup window for the Canes. 

Hurricanes vs. Blue Jackets – The Recap

Early in the season, I will sometimes look at the schedule to see where the Canes may have some “softer areas” over the course of the season.  I have been called by some of my closest friends as “Schedule Guy”.   Early on, in looking at this stretch of games leading up to the Four Nations event, I thought this could be a good “get right” section of games.

We all know there are no easy games in the NHL.  And over the course of the season, I have learned that the Columbus Blue Jackets are anything but a “soft” game.  In addition to their commitment to playing hard every night, they have come into this game pretty hot, with a 7-1-1 record giving up an average of 2 goals per game during that stretch, including their game last night where they dispatched the Maple Leafs (in Toronto) 5-1.  It wouldn’t be easy, that’s for sure.

Below are my thoughts on the game:

• After playing so well in Dallas, playing disciplined in the defensive end, we started this one out sloppy.  Sloppy puck management and the passing wasn’t crisp – we looked like we just were skating out the string in the first period.  Just be smart with the puck and get to the forecheck.  Use your sticks wisely.  It looked like a different team from the team I saw the other night playing against the Stars.
• A couple notes about the first period:
• The two goals that we gave up were on turnovers at or near our own blue line – the first one on a turnover by Jackson Blake where he took a little extra time with the puck to try to find a play instead of just feeding it out of the zone and continuing to move things forward. 
• The second one was a goal that was given up to Marchenko, who was wide open in the left slot, and he buried the puck top shelf.  Brent Burns cheated over to kind of double up on Fantilli where Slavin was already covering – Fantilli sent an excellent pass to Marchenko, who sent to Blue Jackets to a 2-0 lead.
• The Brent Burns conversation needs to happen – I love the guy and appreciate everything he has done for the organization.  But I have no idea why he didn’t peek over to see if anyone was coming down Broadway.  And it was Kirill Marchenko of all people coming through.  Brent hasn’t really been as productive on the offensive end and has been a step slower on a lot of nights than the opponents on the defensive end.  I know he is chasing milestones – at some point, though, we must recognize that there are things happening with his game that are a detriment to the team.  Not to pile on, but early in the second period, he had a puck get past him at the point and we ended up having to deal with Marchenko in our own end.  This was clean ice – the puck was sent calmly.  How does this happen? 
• The power play finally got on the board, going 1-for-3 on the night against the 26^th best penalty kill unit in the league.  The first power play (in the first period) was a struggle to get anything going.  The goal we had on the man advantage in the second was stellar.  It was a great feed from Aho to Jarvis to get us on the board.  The space Aho had was a direct result of Martin Necas’s work.  Just a solid PP goal, and probably the way it should look more often.  The third power play was abbreviated, but we couldn’t gain entry and never got a good shot on net.  So, in the end, it was a mixed bag.  Two for our last 37 on the power play now.  
• Tripp probably made a bigger deal about the lines being a little jumbled towards the end of the first period than he should have.  I believe (and he passingly mentioned) the lines looked different because the first power play unit was on the ice the entire two minutes of time during our first power play.  That unit includes guys from three different lines.  He gave credit later in the broadcast for Rod leaving the lines alone.  And Rod could very well have thrown everything in a blender during that intermission after that start, but I believe that Rod uses that as a last resort – for him to mix things up after a poor period in the middle of a three-game win streak…let’s just say I would have been surprised if he did that.
• The second period is where, if I were a bartender, would have cut the game off from any more alcoholic beverages, because it was officially drunk.  SEVEN GOALS SCORED IN THAT SECOND PERIOD!  The highlights:
• We started the period with a much better net front presence and forecheck.  Tarasov had to make a couple grade A saves, including one against Jarvis who seemed to be super-human by this point.  Tarasov also made a couple of other great saves in the first.
• The aforementioned power play goal got us off and running – Jarvis right at the edge of the crease with a great goal on a feed from Aho that was a dart right to the tape.
• Freddie Andersen took a puck behind his net and promptly fed Seth Jarvis who was moving down the ice on a breakout.  Seth then fed Eric Robinson, who he caught driving down the middle of the ice.  Eric had beaten his man down the ice and buried it to tie the game.  Seth looked and saw Eric coming on the rush and made a great pass to allow for the backhand goal. 
• Jackson Blake – 11^th of the season – and it all starts with a face-off win in the offensive zone by Aho and ends with Svechnikov driving to the net for a rebound opportunity.  I said it a couple games ago, but this is an instance where Jackson made his own luck – when you put the puck on net, these things can happen.  The puck bounced back off Tarasov and went just over the goal line.  Svechnikov was there to clean up any rebound – first lead of the game for the Hurricanes.
• Literally thirty-five seconds later, Sebastian Aho buries the puck on a steal by Jackson Blake.  Doing it all the right way in our zone.  The ice was clearly tilted our way at this point. 
• Jordan Staal took a penalty and once the penalty was over, he came out of the box with a purpose, leveling Provorov and stealing the puck in the process.  He fed Seth Jarvis who was, again, hustling down the ice.  Seth fed Jordan Martinook some sweet sauce who sent the puck to the back of the net.
• The lowlights:
• We allowed not one but two goals on tip ins from the net front that Columbus got back to.  First it was van Riemsdyk and then Voronkov.  I was a little disappointed that we couldn’t body those guys out down low – it is something to be a little concerned about.  By the end of the period, it was 5-4 and a last call for alcohol.
• I want to talk about Freddie Andersen a little bit.  Freddie gave up four goals this game, but two of those goals were tip-in bounces and the other two were shots that Columbus had wide open looks at.  I am going to give Freddie a pass these last couple games, though.  I have been tough on him in the past, but he had a long layoff and is getting back up to game speed.  I asked Pierre McGuire the other day about getting back to “form” after some time off rehabbing an injury, and he agreed with the notion that it takes time to get your timing back, to get back to game speed and to get back to full “form”.  Let’s be patient with him.  And congratulations on winning number 300 in your career big guy!
• A note on Jackson Blake – I love what he’s been up to, but he showed at times tonight that he’s still a rookie.  The way he plays makes you forget that fact – he’s consistently in the mix to pick up the loose change in the offensive zone and that can’t be understated.  Consistent energy and pressure in the offensive zone are welcome.  Jackson is continuing to grow – how he responded to some of his mistakes by stepping up his play during the game is probably what I am most encouraged by. 
• “Sniper” Jesperi Kotkaniemi buried another one, and this line in particular has been buzzing.  The play all started with a great job by Eric Robinson getting the puck deep and Martin Necas hustling to create a turnover.  He sent an absolute dot over to KK in the slot and the rest is history.  That’s four goals in three games for KK, but the play of all three as a unit on this line has been strong.
• A sidebar on Jesperi – watching the post-game interview with him, he looks like he is having some fun.  He was smiling, laughing and showing some personality.  Better yet, he looked extremely confident.  A happy and confident KK is a good KK.
• Of all the players that deserved the empty netter, it was Seth Jarvis – who earned his first 4-point night in the NHL.  He had an incredible night and was clearly the best player on the ice.    

After all the madness, it was a 7-4 win against what I would consider a good Columbus Blue Jackets team.  We needed a swift kick to the tail at the first intermission to get things rolling, but once we got going, we were absolutely dominant.  For the first 12 minutes of that 2^nd period, we outshot the Blue Jackets something like 17-0 and controlled the puck for nearly that entire stretch.  I would argue that we had three dominant lines at three different times through the evening – the Jaaska-Drury-Roslovic line didn’t really get a lot of run tonight, but all other lines put in a great 40 minutes of hockey after the first period.

Up Next:  A visit to Long Island to take on the New York Islanders on Saturday night.

Hurricanes at Stars – The Recap

Coming off the Hurricanes 4-3 OT win against the Blackhawks yesterday, one thing lingered in the back of my mind – while I am happy that we won, we left a lot to be desired when it comes to our start in these past few games.  True, it is a sign of resilience – if we don’t have these tough moments starting the game behind the 8-ball in season, how can we possibly know we can handle tough moments when the games get tougher?  I’ll take the win – but I would really like it if we could get off to better starts.

Tonight, less than 24 hours after that win in Chicago, the Hurricanes were back in action to take on the Dallas Stars.  Earlier this season, we beat Dallas at home 6-4 – and ideally, it would be nice if we could get off to a good start and come away with two points. 

Below are my thoughts on the game:

• The Svechnikov-Aho-Blake line has been noticeable in different ways this game – for the whole line, they looked dangerous and hungry early on, dominating offensive zone time when on the ice in the 1^st period.  Svechnikov, in particular, came out with a little bit of jump early on, keeping pucks in the zone.  As the game wore on, Andrii was called for not one but two slashing penalties that we ultimately had to kill off.  While Aho and Blake continue to play solid hockey, their linemate is still, after all these years, getting put in the box for stick infractions.  Overall, good shifts for this line.  I just would love to not see Svech in the box as much.
• More on Andrii Svechnikov – his first shot on goal came with 14:00 to go in the 3^rd period.  He had a lot more puck possession than that – I noticed many times during the game that he was looking for a high-level pass instead of putting the puck on net.  In the type of game that was being played – direct shots to the net with Blake providing net front could provide a spark (and potential goal) we need.  One final bow to this Svechnikov rant – yes, he took two penalties.  And yes, he has been a pass first guy as of late.  But with about five and a half minutes to go, he made a key stick play in his own end to nullify a chance for Dallas.  He is going to eventually pull it all together – and when he does, look out.
• Pyotr Kochetkov got the start in net tonight.  As with any back-to-back situations, you’ll see one goalie on the front end and the other on the back end.  Throughout the game, PK was nothing short of brilliant.  He didn’t see a lot of shots his way through two, but when he did see shots, they were typically of the high danger variety, and he was every bit up to the task.  A few examples to highlight:
• An early power play netted a couple chances for the Stars, which Kochetkov was able to snuff out calmly and keep them from getting on the board.
• With about 1:20 to go in the first period, he made an excellent save to keep it scoreless
• He made another stellar save in the 2^nd period on Jamie Benn from point blank range.
• While we were on the power play, the Stars jumped a pass for a breakaway and Kochetkov made a great save to, again, keep it scoreless.
• Finally, in the third, when the Stars were buzzing with around 13:00 to go, PK kept cool and steady in net, even creating his own luck.  There were a couple of stick plays by our defense that he was in position to make the save anyway, even if we had not gotten a stick to it.  Another instance a puck rang off the post – but again, PK was coming across and likely makes a save if it is on net. 
• The goal PK did give up, he was out of his crease a good bit and kind of overcommitted – ultimately giving up a tap in on a puck that was sitting behind him in the goal crease. 
• Jaccob Slavin could be the first star of the game most games.  This dude rarely has a big night on the score sheet, but he does all the dirty work on the defensive end – whether it be a smart stick play, a backcheck to steal the puck or the high IQ play of popping it out of the zone and having the puck die right before the goal line to prevent icing.  All the things you can’t quantify – yet all the things that are so important in a game.  Being paired with Brent Burns has been a challenge some for him this season – Slavo does his job night in, night out. 
• The Robinson-Kotkaniemi-Necas line really stepped it up the 2^nd and 3^rd periods – both goals for Kotkaniemi.  Robinson and Necas just work well together – I wouldn’t adjust that at all.  This line was our best line offensively late in the game.
• More on Eric Robinson:
• This guy didn’t get credit for an assist on the first goal of the game for the Hurricanes, but he was a large reason why we got on the board.  His pressure in the offensive zone to create a turnover was great.  The next level piece to it was when Necas retrieved the puck at the left dot and sent it to the right dot to KK for the shot and goal, Eric Robinson is driving full speed to the net to, if nothing else, freeze Oettinger for possibly a split second.  KK dusted and settled the puck before shooting top shelf, but Oettinger could have easily thought that puck was being fed to Robinson who was in the process of beating his man to the net.
• Additionally, he beat an icing which led to a grade-A chance for KK that ultimately didn’t see the back of the net in the early goings of the 2^nd period. 
• A final note – his pressure in the offensive zone forces his opponent into a quick feed out and, in some instances, a turnover in the neutral zone.  A turnover from his pressure happened on at least more than one occasion tonight.
• Our power play is a collective 1-for-34 recently.  I get to a certain extent why the 1^st unit hasn’t generated much lately.  The 2^nd unit has played OK, but I’d consider injecting someone like a Jordan Staal on that unit to try to get a big body in front of the net and have Jackson Blake use his skill and shot a little more and be the net front on that unit a little less.  Might be worth considering moving Staal in and either Roslovic or Drury out.
• Kevin Weekes and I can disagree – he believes we should run with Andersen if the playoffs were to start today.  As I have mentioned before, Kochetkov (in my opinion) should be the guy in net.  It’s OK to disagree.
• I was a bit surprised to see that we had the third best odds to win the Stanley Cup according to the oddsmakers.  I’m not sure what they know that I don’t – and I don’t want to get overly excited about that.  Just a reminder to me (and to the masses) that while we may be going through “a slump” in our play at times, we are still a Top 5 team even in a “down year”.
• Dallas really put the pressure on us, starting in the 2^nd and really keeping it up through the 3^rd.  The difference in the game was we were defensively sound in our own end and clogged things up in the neutral zone when Dallas needed to bring it through.  They had their chances – a hand full of grade-A’s – but Kochetkov was dialed in.
• I thought the ESPN team of John Buccigross and Kevin Weekes did a great job calling the game – never once did I feel that either one of them tilted their excitement one way or the other.

This game was well played from the opening puck drop.  Both teams came to play, played a tight game, and in the end, it was an even game.  Both teams had their chances – in the end, it was another Carolina Hurricanes win, with a score of 2-1.  When the Hurricanes play this type of game where they are committed to a 200-foot game, they can play with pretty much any team.  I felt that they got there tonight and did it against a team that is kind of a mirror image of us in the way each team plays.  I also thought that this was the first time in a while that our goalie won us the game.  Great game by PK!

Up next:  The Canes are back home on Thursday to play the surging Columbus Blue Jackets.

Hurricanes at Blackhawks – The Recap

After a two-day layoff, the Carolina Hurricanes were back in action – this time in Chicago to take on the Blackhawks.  In net for the first time in 38 games was Freddie Andersen, who had been rehabbing a lower body injury.  It was a toss up as to who might be in net – and with Rod, you can never really get a good read, but this made sense.

The Hurricanes have four of their next five games on the road, starting with this game – so a good start was paramount. 

Below are my thoughts on the game:

• Over a couple power plays in the game, it really looks like the 2^nd unit has the chemistry and are getting the best chances on net.  This isn’t to say they are the better unit – right now, because Gostisbehere is just coming back from injury, it seems as though the 1^st unit isn’t as in sync as they were earlier in the year.  To further compound things, there aren’t as many opportunities to practice together except for in games.  Simply put, getting the chemistry back may take a couple more games. 
• I thought Freddie looked very sharp throughout stretches of the game.  He saw several Grade-A opportunities early on and was up to the task.  It was good to see.  A breakdown of the three goals Chicago scored:
• The pass to Kurashev from Donato was a great look – it did go through the paint, to which Tripp said it could have been a potential stick play for Andersen to alter the pass a little.  Instead, it was a seed right to the tape and a tap lifted just above the stick heel to the back of the net.
• Bertuzzi pops a goal off Andersen’s back.  Nifty move by Bertuzzi – Andersen probably needs to get back to his net – he seemed to not know where the puck was and when he realized, it was too late.
• The third goal was another goal that was scored by a pass through the paint.  Brent Burns played the role of spectator, though, watching a play that was covered by Slavin turn into a pass that went right past him and into the back of the net. 
• More on Frederick Andersen – a lot has been talked about needing another goalie to work alongside Kochetkov.  Assuming Andersen can stay healthy, I think they can be an OK 1-2 punch in net heading into the playoffs.  Unfortunately, Andersen’s health has been the question mark.  I stand by my statements before the season started – I’d rather see Pyotr Kochetkov in net and a first-round exit than Frederick Andersen in net and we bow out in the Conference Semis.  Kochetkov can’t develop into the guy we want him to be without the opportunity to work the playoffs.  With all that said, I hope Freddie can stay healthy the rest of the way.
• I thought Eric Robinson and Sean Walker (offensively) were noticeable in the 1^st period.  Robinson, in particular, with his ability to use his speed to create issues below the goal line and then to muck things up in the neutral zone.  Not a lot of stat sheet things for Eric – just doing things the right way.  Robinson was rewarded with a primary assist in the 2^nd on a nifty feed to Kotkaniemi. 
• The combination of Martinook-Staal-Jarvis has created a lot of opportunities and, in my eyes, is the “1^st line”, if we are grading lines.  This line continues to grind and work and it is paying dividends.  The third goal to tie things was a great example of how the group of forwards battle, not just below the goal line but also in front of the net.
• Speaking of Seth Jarvis – two specific areas I want to highlight:
• The short-handed goal was sweet – that got us off the mat, because frankly, after the first 20 minutes, it really didn’t feel like we were imposing our will the way we should against an opponent like Chicago.  Credit to Sebastian Aho for the defensive play and the sweet pass to Jarvis for the goal.
• Tied at two, Seth had a backcheck that altered a chance for Chicago.  His growth on the defensive end can’t be overstated – when we lost Teuvo Teravainen, I thought we may take a little bit of a step back on the wing defensively (and clearly lose some goal scoring).  Seth Jarvis is becoming/has become that guy.
• Jackson Blake is becoming a mini-Seth Jarvis in the way he plays.  He’s continuing to work hard and earn the trust of not only his teammates but the coaching staff.  He’s doing some great things that aren’t showing up on the stat sheet (backchecks, hustle plays to avoid icing, getting in front of the net) and playing with a lot of energy.  Keep it up kid!
• Former Hurricanes Petr Mrazek and Teuvo Teravainen both had solid nights against us – and it  seemed like Petr Mrazek got up for this game against us.
• Was it me, or did I see a Slavin-Chatfield pairing in the closing minute of regulation?  Could this be a change in approach of how we play defensively in the final minutes with a lead/tied?  This is something to keep an eye on.
• Mike Maniscalco said it with us on Incident 2 – when it’s 3-on-3 hockey, Martin Necas is someone at the top of the list in a fantasy draft.  The Chicago Blackhawks apparently felt the same way – they had three dudes looking straight at him with the puck when he fed Aho for that game winner.  Excellent pass with pace.  Necas is such a weapon with more available ice.  This is why I believe that Necas and Robinson should be married at opposite wings and then figure out if KK or Drury (or someone else – more on that in a second) will center it.  Robinson, as discussed on the Podcast, can really open up just the slightest bit of space for someone like Necas, who has the finishing skills to bury the puck.
• Sebastian Aho – the quietest point per game player in the league. 
• The rumor mill:  There has been a lot of talk about the trade deadline and there have been some grumblings about a move to bring in JT Miller from Vancouver.  Of course, to add someone, you must subtract one or a couple people.  Reading the tea leaves, it sounds as though Vancouver might have some interest in Jesperi Kotkaniemi, Jack Roslovic (who has come up kind of small these last several games – putting up a 0-for-2025 – 0 goals, 0 assists so far this calendar year) and I can only assume a prospect.  If that prospect has to be Felix Unger-Sorum, I say do it.  A center grouping of Aho, Miller, Staal and Drury works for me.  That puts Felix Unger-Sorum as someone who will likely be second man up (with Suzuki doing great work in Chicago currently).  Putting the pairings at something like:
• Svech-Aho-?
• Robinson-Miller-Necas
• Jarvis-Staal-Martinook
• Blake-Drury-Carrier
• I have a question mark at the top wing because I just don’t know if there is another deal to be made to bring in one other piece or if we give someone like Bradley Nadeau a chance.   We could also run with Blake on the top line and Tyson Jost on the 4^th line with Drury and Carrier.  I could also see 11 and 7 as a potential option to get more ice time to your primary playmakers and allow some release of pressure on the right side of the D with a Morrow call up. 

After all was said and done, the Canes eventually got to their game and won 4-3.  I do have some concerns, though.  In our last three games, we have started behind the 8-ball, giving up early leads and eventually have to chase the game.  Let’s hope we can start the game on time tomorrow night in Dallas against the Stars.