Is it time to push the dreaded panic button?

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  • shepherdofwolves Jan 8, 2010
    All Star

    Cam Ward is not the problem. His save % is better this season than it was his first two years in the league. Mikka Kiprusoff's last year in San Jose his save % was much worse than Cam's this year, and he's gone on to become one of the premier goalies in the league. San Jose had injury problems that year and stunk it up defensively, so Mikka looked bad, much like Cam does at times.

    Cam is a good goaltender. I've never thought, and will never think, (unless he shows otherwise) that he is on the same level as guys like Brodeur and Hasek were. Or Kiprusoff/Luongo today. But that doesn't mean that Cam isn't a valuable player. I think he's every bit as good as Tom Barrasso or Grant Fuhr or Ed Belfour. And those guys won a lot of Cups.

    Staal isn't the problem either.

    The Canes have been a team that always started slow and needed to build up continuity and chemistry to be successful. This team has never had a good year if beset by injuries, just not enough depth or the ability to adjust to new personnel. The team got off to a slow start, like it has in many years, and this time around injuries and age caught up to them.

    Anybody watch the Nashville game last night? Of the Canes 12 forwards only half were guys that are really ready to contribute in NHL every night. And two of those were Brindy who's showing some age, and Sutter, who is still very young and inexperienced, but a bright spot. We basically had 4 rookie forwards last night. And it's been that way much of the season. Injuries have killed this team. This season is probably done, but be patient. We saw what this team could do last year when they were healthy. Sometimes the difference between the Conference Finals and the cellar is simply injury, and nothing more. Maybe Mo needs to go. I don't think we should have ever canned Laviolette personally. And maybe Ronnie's time will come. But we don't need to rush a trade of our franchise players.

  • gwnunn Jan 8, 2010
    Veteran

    These guys are so small it is ridiculous. They get bounced around like a rubber ball from everyone in the league. Don't they lift weights or anything? Also, Cam Ward let all that money he received go to his head. If he is one of the top goal tenders in the league then the league is very weak. When you get high priced people to work for you they seem to not perform like they used to. I would say trade him now while you might can get some defense for him. The back up goalie has played much better than Cam so far.

  • StunGunn Dec 25, 2009
    Sports Legend

    View quoted thread



    Agreed, and I think it comes down to coaching. Every player can't be giving up. If they're out of position, not moving the puck, etc., I think its on Mo's shoulders. There's too much heart in that locker room for me to believe the guys have given up, but it must get discouraging to lose night after night. the guys seem so downtrodden in post game interviews. I feel for them.

  • Ken D. Dec 25, 2009
    Sports Legend

    At the game Wednesday night, it was hard to tell if it was lack of effort or lack of experience on the part of the new guys, but the Canes almost never had a man in front of the net in the Habs' zone. Their goalie stopped 46 shots, but he had such a good look at most of them it wasn't all that hard.

    If they aren't going to do the dirty work inside, they aren't going to escape the cellar this year.

  • VT1994Hokie Dec 25, 2009
    Sports Legend

    I truly don't see much happening in this season. They have not delivered. Maybe some are not trying nor care enough at this point.

  • StunGunn Dec 25, 2009
    Sports Legend

    View quoted thread



    Yeah - I don't think we'll see the day the Canes trade their star player. Staal may be having a down year, but the Canes have designated him as the future of the team. He's not going anywhere.

  • kennywalters Dec 25, 2009
    Sports Legend

    View quoted thread


    Caps Lock much?

  • kennywalters Dec 25, 2009
    Sports Legend

    View quoted thread


    Yeah, I'm sure they're going to trade Staal.

    This made me laugh.

  • larrys080 Dec 25, 2009
    Sports Legend

    When did hockey season start?????

  • evenflow2005 Dec 24, 2009
    Veteran

    View quoted thread



    Get outta here with all that.

  • gwnunn Dec 24, 2009
    Veteran

    The year is caput. Bring up the young guys now, they are better than some of the old guys.

  • 4tarheels Dec 21, 2009
    Sports Legend

    Wow, I just checked the NHL standings and the Hurricanes are the worst team in hockey. Pitiful, go back to Hartford, melt the ice, and put the hardwood in to stay. This is college basketball country!

  • stejust Dec 21, 2009
    Towel Boy

    DONT YOU GET IT ? MAURICE IS THE PROBLEM,,HIS ONE MORE PASS PLAN DOESNT WORK IT DIDNT WORK WHEN HE WAS HERE BEFORE AND DOESNT WORK WHEN HE CAME BACK,,PETER HAD THEM THROWING IT AT THE NET WHEN EVER POSSIBLE, BUT AFTER LOOSING 4 GAMES, BACK COMES MAURICE WHO AT THAT TIME DOESNT CHANGE ANYTHING AND GETS ALL THECREDIT FOR TAKEN THEM .DEEP INTO THE PLAYOFFS,BUT WHAT HAPPENS WHEN HE STARTS OUT THE NEXT YEAR,YEP SAME STRATGY
    I THINK HE HAS A VERY VALUABLE PICTURE OF JIM HIDDEN SOMEWHERE,FRIENDSHIP CAN ONLY GO SO FAR,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

  • jackcdneh1017 Dec 2, 2009
    Towel Boy

    View quoted thread


    I note your name is evenflow. Isn't that the baby bottle company? Maybe you are this way because you weren't breastfed.

  • jackcdneh1017 Dec 2, 2009
    Towel Boy

    Rutherford is about to pull the plug on this thing. Losing Joe Corvo, their only bona fide puck moving defenseman makes it necessary to make a dreaded trade. Straight up, Thomas Kaberle of the Leafs for Eric Staal. Staal has been a minus player for us over his career, Kaberle is one of the smoothest heads up defensemen in the league. His first pass is nearly always perfect. Do the deal Jim!

  • StunGunn Nov 6, 2009
    Sports Legend

    View quoted thread



    Yeah - the worst fans in the NHL.

  • evenflow2005 Nov 6, 2009
    Veteran

    View quoted thread



    Oh. I'm sorry Jethro, I didn't know it was you. The NHL is going under? Maybe you better talk that over with with Jed.

  • evenflow2005 Nov 6, 2009
    Veteran

    View quoted thread



    Look, it's a Kings fan ! They come out of the woodwork when they think there having a good year. Where were you last year when the Kings were dead last? What, did you parents move to Beverly Hills or something? Your either retarded or 12.

  • edwardocorrochio Nov 6, 2009
    Rookie

    duhhr. hey billy bob, i like that thar hockee game. rick flair is the coach. let's go on down to the loudest arena in sports (even though it's only 1/4 filled) and cheer for the team that hasn't won in a month. good luck keeping the team when fans wont' even go to the games. go back to hartford where hockey should be played.

    it doesn't matter who the former whalers put out there, second rate team, second rate building.

    NHL has about 4 years left before it goes under.

    GET BRIND 'AMOUR SOME GERITOL STAT!

  • redistrumps Nov 6, 2009
    Sports Legend

    Oh my goodness, I hope he didn't have kids to carry on this bitterness

  • evenflow2005 Nov 6, 2009
    Veteran

    Evidently he's been to one game anyway. He must have hated it enough to get on here and just wants to protest against it. Poor fella, I feel sorry for his kids.

  • kornisgreat Nov 6, 2009
    All Star

    Could be but he says he is not a hockey fan and posts on hockey articles I think he is a lonely man with nothing else to do but hate on hockey and nothing else, I never see him on any other articles but Hurricanes articles.

  • redistrumps Nov 6, 2009
    Sports Legend

    It's obvious, he's from Buffalo and can't help himself :)

  • unc96 Nov 6, 2009
    All Star

    View quoted thread


    Why would you go to their games if you feel this way? Incredible!

  • evenflow2005 Nov 6, 2009
    Veteran

    View quoted thread



    Just shut-up with all that. Evidently your not a fan of professional sports. Especially hockey. Go follow your college teams.

  • StunGunn Nov 3, 2009
    Sports Legend

    Well, I like Rutherford and I trust his decisions. I was so excited when he kept the players and signed others to strengthen the weak spots on the team. I feel like Rutherford is the one who is truly being let down. I think he'll act this week on what he has said.

  • kornisgreat Nov 2, 2009
    All Star

    Welcome back morton nice to see you again way to come out of the woodshed Mr. Rookie.

  • mortonlipschitz Nov 2, 2009
    Pro

    Welp, nobody can say i didn't try to warn them.

    I can't wait for this franchise to relocate. The greed is astounding. Its not enough to bilk us for a couple hundred $$$ to take the family to a game. Then blare acid rock at every stoppage of play to the point where you can't even hold a conversation with your kids....of course designed to fool the masses into over-inflating the ~entertainment~ value of it.

    Then Sham Ward goes home and rolls around naked in his 36 mil after another shoddy performance. And he smiles and tells reporters how much he loves living in the Triangle. Of course he does.

  • kornisgreat Nov 2, 2009
    All Star

    It says on the Canes website that Rutherford is looking for changes but he is not being really vague about it. He talks about Boychuk and Bowman and bringing them up and he also takes full responsibility for the slow start and is as dissapointed as every fan if not more.

  • StunGunn Nov 2, 2009
    Sports Legend

    Rutherford better be stomping it as I type. There's something rotten in Raleigh and the powers that be need to figure out what that is and act swiftly to correct it.

  • bpayne80 Nov 1, 2009
    All Star

    I wouldn't push it as much as stomp on it

  • BIGDAWGShouse Nov 1, 2009
    Sports Legend

    season over

  • evenflow2005 Oct 31, 2009
    Veteran

    Hockey is a chaotic game and so far the Canes are getting close to mastering it.
    The panic button must be pressed or we will never catch the top teams especially when you consider we are currently in 29th place in the league.

    Maurice better do something quick to get these guys motivated or someone else is going to do it for him. I don't think there minds are on the game while there playing. It's as though there skating around wondering what there going to do after the game or where there going to eat or something. The figure skaters that were out there after the 2nd period at the last home game against St. Louis really made the Canes skating look so unprofessional. We really looked sloppy. Not just the skating, but the passing was pathetic, the shots were aimed right at the goalies glove. With 36 shots on goal in that game only 2-goals came from it. We need some imagination on our shooting. The idea is to try and hit the top shelf once in awhile or work on a good play or something.

  • StunGunn Oct 30, 2009
    Sports Legend

    Well, it's time to push something! I don't understand how the same players can play so well the end of last year and struggle this year. Mo may go. This may be the second December where we have a coaching change. I hope Rutherford doesn't wait that long though. Ward shouldn't be blamed for the losses. He doesn't get much help from his team, and he's kept us in a lot of games.

  • VT1994Hokie Oct 29, 2009
    Sports Legend

    The next few games may tell the tale about this team. I hope they can snap out it soon. Maurice pull some magic man.

  • baconricky Oct 29, 2009
    Towel Boy

    I'm sure the Lions said that last year too: this is TOTALLY our last win, now we'll get something rolling.

    Also, it's really hard to blame 1 or 2 players. They depend on the rest of the team being there for them to do their job.

    No defense == goals against, it doesn't matter who the goalie is.

  • redistrumps Oct 29, 2009
    Sports Legend

    I am concerned, but hopefully we will get all of this out of our system the first half of season and then get on our 'roll' going into playoffs.

  • CaniacTarHeel1983 Oct 29, 2009
    Towel Boy

    they switched up the lines, didnt change their play much. hate to say it but brind'amour and others seem to be all talk. cam, seems to me he got his money and doesnt care about stopping pucks. we lost to the islanders!!!!!! dont forget that. but hopefully we get this losing streak over with now so we can pick up momentum heading into the playoff race.

  • kornisgreat Oct 28, 2009
    All Star

    <p>You guys tell me but I am real close to pushing it. This team looks pitiful on the ice. They are slow, the chances are there but we are not finishing them. I'm glad they are doing this early in the season, and not later but man it is time to change something. What do u guys think?</p>

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