Curtis McElhinney

Deadline Primer: Calgary Flames

February 1, 2019 at 7:59 pm CDT | by Zach Leach 1 Comment

With the trade deadline fast approaching, we will be taking a closer look at the situation for each team over the coming weeks. Where do they stand, what do they need to do, and what assets do they have to fill those needs? As we begin to examine the Pacific Division, here is a look at the Calgary Flames.

The Calgary Flames are the kings of the Western Conference so far. With 71 points in 51 games, the Flames hold a commanding six-point lead with a game in hand over the San Jose Sharks in the division and are three points up on the Winnipeg Jets overall. In fact, the Flames trail only the Tampa Bay Lightning in the NHL standings right now. The team has been rolling on all cylinders this season, finding success on both offense – No. 2 in goals per game – and defense – No. 7 in goals against per game. However, Calgary is not without fault and will be looking to add in several areas at the deadline.

However, GM Brad Treliving and company must be methodical in their approach. The Flames have just over $7MM in cap space to work with and need to be sure of their priorities when it comes to the market. The team also needs to avoid trading one of their most valuable trade assets, this year’s first-round pick. With only five selections scheduled for this June, losing their first-rounder could see Calgary make their draft debut in the late third round. As such, the Flames need to do what they can to capitalize on the strong regular season and improve before the postseason, but will be forced to be more strategic than a typical all-out buyer.

Record

33-13-5, first in the Pacific Division

Deadline Status

Buyer

Deadline Cap Space

$7.09MM in full-season cap hit, 0/3 used salary cap retention slots, 45/50 contracts per CapFriendly

Upcoming Draft Picks

2019: CGY 1st, CGY 3rd, NYI 4th, CGY 5th, CAR 7th
2020: CGY 1st, CGY 2nd, CGY 3rd, CGY 4th, CGY 5th, CGY 6th, CGY 7th

Trade Chips

If the Flames indeed take this year’s first-round pick off the table, it will have repercussions in their dealings with sellers. Depending on the team and target, some may be happy with next year’s first-rounder or, in a buyer’s market, a later pick. Others could look for a pro-ready piece to substitute the immediate boost of a first-round talent in the system. If that’s the case, Calgary has to be prepared to listen to offers including Sam Bennett. Bennett, the 2014 fourth overall pick, is struggling through another disappointing season. Now in his fourth year with the Flames, Bennett has yet to crack 20 goals or 40 points in a single season and looks likely to fall short yet again. It is far from the output that Calgary expected, but they have stuck with the frustrating forward thus far. Bennett’s ability is apparent and he’s shown flashes of brilliance from time to time, but he has been unable to put together a complete game. Even as the 22-year-old has tried to embrace a more physical, high-energy style over the past season plus, he has again missed his mark and has become a penalty liability far too frequently, especially for a team with a poor penalty kill. Bennett may reach his potential one day, but it seems unlikely to be with Calgary. In a season where the Flames have a legitimate chance to win the Stanley Cup, they need to finally give up on Bennett if that’s the price of a much-needed addition. Another castoff who has yet to meet expectations is Curtis Lazar, who could still have some intrigue for sellers.

One of the Flames’ current young defenseman could also be a trade deadline target. With five capable veterans on the back end signed through at least next season and three promising young defenders itching for more NHL responsibility, someone is going to be the odd man out next year. Juuso Valimaki, the team’s top defensive prospect, seems like a safe bet to stay put. However, the current bottom pair of Rasmus Andersson and Oliver Kylington may not stay together much longer. Both have more than proven themselves as capable pros this season, but if the Flames want to land a big fish at the deadline, they may have to give up one or the other. Losing Kylington would hurt slightly less than Andersson.

Among other prospects, first-year pro forwards Matthew Phillips and Glenn Gawdin are sure to draw interest, but the Flames may be hesitant to move either. However, with Dillon Dube out of the question, the pair could be next up among Calgary’s top minor league pieces. The Flames could try to capitalize on the breakout season of USHL star Martin Pospisil to sell high on the recent fourth-rounder.

Finally, with Jon Gillies officially losing out to David Rittich in the battle of young goaltenders in Calgary, the Flames would likely be open to moving the struggling 25-year-old. Especially if they are in pursuit of a replacement goalie of their own, the seller may like the idea of taking a waiver on another young goalie and Gillies fits the bill. So too may Tyler Parsons.

Five Players To Watch For: F Sam Bennett, F Curtis Lazar, D Oliver Kylington, F Martin Pospisil, G Jon Gillies

Team Needs

1) Starting Goaltender: Most contenders don’t get to that point if they have a need at starting goaltender. This year’s Flames are a rare exception. Incumbent starter Mike Smith has struggled all year long and has a sub-.900 save percentage and a goals against average up over 3.00 in 25 appearances. Young David Rittich has take over as the go-to option and has performed admirably in 30 appearances, but has faded since his hot start to the season. Most likely, Calgary’s Cup hopes live and die by what they do in net. Doing nothing at all will likely cost them their chance barring a heroic return to form from Smith. Adding a third goalie to at least compete for starts will let them continue their current trajectory. Carolina Hurricanes’ keepers Petr Mrazek or Curtis McElhinney could fall into this group, as could Cam Talbot from the rival Edmonton Oilers or old friend Brian Elliott, if healthy. If the Flames instead opt to upgrade the position with one of the three main goalies on the market – Sergei Bobrovksy, Jimmy Howard, and Semyon Varlamov – one would have to think that their title chances would improve significantly. The trick will be adding one of these three at a reasonable price while also keeping enough cap space open to add in other areas. Moving Smith in another deal could be an option.

2) Top-Nine Winger: Michael Frolik, Sam Bennett, James Neal, and Austin Czarnik simply haven’t panned out as expected this season. As dominant as the Flames’ top line and two-thirds of their second line has been, they have needed help on the wing in the middle six for much of the year. If they can add a forward that can also help out their 21st-ranked penalty kill, that would be even better. If they can add two such capable two-way wingers? That would be ideal. Again, the Flames lack of cap space and bigger need in net make this a likely result, but Calgary has a serious need for depth on the wing and it could be exposed in the postseason if not addressed. Some of the more cap-friendly outside options are likely to be targets, such as Jakob Silfverberg, Richard Panik, Ryan Dzingel, or Patrick Maroon. However, the possibility of a return to Calgary for Micheal Ferland remains one of the most intriguing possibilities at the deadline. Ferland seemingly would be a great fix for what ails the Flames.

3) Veteran Depth Defenseman: Even though depth on defense has been identified as a strength for the Flames moving forward, there are some concerns at present. Michael Stone is currently sidelined with a blood clot issue and there is no definitive timeline for his return. Meanwhile, rookies Rasmus Andersson, Oliver Kylington, and Juuso Valimaki have played a little over 100 career NHL games combined and the other young options in the AHL aren’t instilling any confidence. Calgary has an impressive top four that they will no doubt lean on in the playoffs, but just one injury could leave Dalton Prout as the team’s top replacement option and that is a problem. The Flames need to add another experienced veteran to the blue line and, even if the right-handed Stone returns to health, could use an extra body on the left side preferably. Treliving would have to get creative, but Detroit’s Niklas Kronwall would be a great fit. More affordable options include Jordie Benn and Brandon Davidson among others.

Atlantic Notes: Toronto Goaltending, Sergachev, Chabot

January 13, 2019 at 12:32 pm CDT | by Holger Stolzenberg Leave a Comment

Sunday’s practice in Toronto seemed like old times as both of the Toronto Maple Leafs injured goaltenders, Frederik Andersen (groin/illness) and Garret Sparks (concussion) could be found on the ice. The team had already sent Kasimir Kaskisuo back to the Toronto Marlies in the AHL and Michael Hutchinson was seen after practice working on his own.

TSN’s Mark Masters reports that Andersen said he feels fine and is ready to return. However, Toronto head coach Mike Babcock said that he had to refer to the staff before naming a starter for Monday’s game against Colorado. Andersen hasn’t appeared in a game since Dec. 22. Andersen has been the team’s rock in goal as he has a 2.50 GAA and a .923 save percentage in 30 games this season.

Masters adds that Sparks said he’s been medically cleared to return to the team and it’s now up to the staff to determine whether he can return to the roster on Monday. Toronto has to be hopeful that both goaltenders can take over some of the workload as Hutchinson has now played in nine games this season. If he reaches 10 games, the team will have to pass him through waivers when both their goalies are healthy and there is a likelihood the team could lose another goaltender there. The team already lost both Curtis McElhinney and Calvin Pickard to waivers at the beginning of the year.

The Department of Player Safety announced that they have fined Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Mikhail Sergachev $2,403.67, the maximum fine allowable by the CBA, for cross checking Buffalo Sabres forward Johan Larsson Saturday. The incident occurred at 13:24 of the third period and Sergachev received a double-minor penalty on the play. Despite the fine, the 20-year-old has seen an improvement from the offensive end as he has a goal and four assists in his last five games with a plus-two rating. Despite the fact that many feel that Sergachev has taken a step back this season, he has actually increased his ATOI from 15:22 last season to 17:44 this season.
While it’s vague, Ottawa Senators head coach Guy Boucher responded positively when asked about the injury status of second-year defenseman Thomas Chabot, saying that “Chabot is doing terrific,” according to Ottawa Sun’s Ken Warren. Chabot has been out since Dec. 28th after taking a hit from New York Islanders’ Matt Martin with an upper body injury and was deemed to be out “long-term.” While the update gives no projection on when he’ll be back, the team has been crippled without him as he has developed into the team’s No. 1 defenseman after the team traded away Erik Karlsson. Chabot was averaging a point a game so far this year with 10 goals and 28 assists in 38 games.

Maple Leafs Could Face Another Goalie Dilemma

January 12, 2019 at 12:41 pm CDT | by Zach Leach 12 Comments

It has been two weeks since the Toronto Maple Leafs acquired Michael Hutchinson from the Florida Panthers to combat the outside chance that both starter Frederik Andersen and backup Garret Sparks could miss significant time. In those two weeks, the only goalie to appear in the Toronto net has been Hutchinson, as that outside chance has turned into reality. Tonight, Hutchinson makes his fifth straight start and again it is unproven emergency recall Kasimir Kaskisuo as his backup. Andersen is still recovering from his groin injury and now has the flu on top of it, while Sparks has returned to practice but has not been cleared to play yet as he fights concussion symptoms. A short-term stopgap solution has turned into a lengthy stretch with Hutchinson as the starting goalie and as a result more problems could be headed Toronto’s way.

Sportsnet’s John Shannon made note today that when Hutchinson takes the ice tonight against the visiting Boston Bruins, it will be his ninth NHL appearance of the season – he made three starts and a relief appearance for the Panthers. When that number hits ten, which could be as early as Monday if one or both of Andersen and Sparks are not yet ready to return, Hutchinson will require waivers to be sent to the AHL. Waivers has been a thorn in the side of the Maple Leafs all season, as it is what originally cost them both Curtis McElhinney (CAR) and Calvin Pickard (ARI) before the campaign even began and what prevents them from moving Sparks to the minors without risk. Should that happen, more of a when than an if, Toronto will again face a goalie conundrum in which they would either have to carry three goaltenders or potentially lose Hutchinson on waivers. While Hutchinson struggled in Florida to begin the year, he has vastly improved since landing in Toronto, posting a .919 save percentage and 2.53 goals against average. He would likely be an attractive option on the waiver wire for many teams in need of depth in net. By no means is Toronto guaranteed that he would clear.

The injuries to Andersen and Sparks could linger and, even if they didn’t, losing Hutchinson would be a blow to their depth in net. Toronto would yet again need to acquire a goaltender if Hutchinson is lost to waivers. On the other hand, keeping three goalies on the roster through the trade deadline late next month, after which roster limits expand, would also hamstring the team at other positions. There is no easy answer to the potential problem, as the waiver status of the team’s goaltenders continues to plague the Maple Leafs this season. During the all-important stretch run, and even more so the postseason, the team needs to be prepared for all possibilities, including one of their keepers going down yet again. While they had hoped Hutchinson would be that security blanket, that likely won’t occur without taking a major risk or making sacrifices.

San Jose Sharks Could Pursue A Goaltender

January 8, 2019 at 7:31 pm CDT | by Zach Leach 6 Comments

The San Jose Sharks are hot right now. The team has won three straight and 12 of 17 dating back to December 1st. They are within striking distance of the Pacific Division and Western Conference lead, just three points back of the Calgary Flames. After a slow start, both Brent Burns and Erik Karlsson are playing Norris-caliber hockey and the offense is among the best in the league. Everything appears to be going well.

Yet, one can’t help but notice that the Sharks continue to get poor results from their goaltending. As they countdown to the Trade Deadline next month, TSN notes that San Jose could certainly be in the market for another goalie. San Jose is dead last in even strength save percentage and starter Martin Jones is among the worst starting goaltenders in the NHL statistically this season. Jones has an .899 save percentage and 2.82 goals against average in 32 games so far, while backup Aaron Dell has struggled even more, holding an .890 save percentage and 3.10 goals against average. Both keepers are fortunate to be playing in San Jose, where the Sharks allow a league-low 28.1 shots per game, but against superior competition – such as in the postseason – Jones and Dell will be exposed if they don’t improve.

The current trade market, unquestionably a buyer’s market, is likely to feature many legitimate goalies for the Sharks. Even if the team doesn’t want to meet the price for a keeper like Detroit’s Jimmy Howard or Colorado’s Semyon Varlamov, the options are aplenty. Cam Talbot (EDM), Craig Anderson (OTT), Keith Kinkaid (NJD), Petr Mrazek and Curtis McElhinney (CAR), and Brian Elliott and Michal Neuvirth (PHI) should be available for the Sharks to scoop up. While Jones and even Dell may have been better than the majority of this group in recent years, the season is more than halfway over and the Sharks keepers’ numbers speak for themselves. San Jose won’t be the only buyer in the goalie market, but they are seemingly guaranteed to land another keeper if they want one and the cost shouldn’t be too high. The team will have close to $4MM in cap space available at the trade deadline and would just have to find a way to carry three goaltenders for the rest of the season while staying cap compliant.

The more interesting question is whether the Sharks will also look into a more long-term solution, either ahead of the deadline or in the coming off-season. Jones and Dell, both 29 years old, each played well last season and were superb in 2016-17. However, if the team is losing faith in the duo, they may try to move Jones – in the first season of a six-year, $34.5MM deal – and replace him via trade or with a top free agent, such as Sergei Bobrovsky or even Los Angeles Kings rival Jonathan Quick. The team may also opt to simply upgrade his backup, moving on from Dell, who is signed through next season, in favor of a superior veteran option. So long as the Sharks play to their current level, that of a real Stanley Cup contender, GM Doug Wilson and company will have to do everything they can to give the team a shot at its first title.

Toronto Maple Leafs Acquire Goaltender Michael Hutchinson

December 29, 2018 at 12:12 pm CDT | by Zach Leach 1 Comment

With Frederik Andersen currently day-to-day with a groin injury, the Toronto Maple Leafs had already been forced to call up Kasimir Kaskisuo – and his .866 AHL save percentage. The team was a Garret Sparks injury away from having the struggling Kaskisuo as their starter in the short term. Depth in net had become a dire need for the organization and today GM Kyle Dubas was quick to address that need. The Maple Leafs have announced that they have acquired goaltender Michael Hutchinson from the Florida Panthers in exchange for a 2020 fifth-round pick.

Hutchinson, 28, is a shrewd pickup for Toronto, especially for a future late-round selection. Hutchinson is not far removed from being a regular fixture in net for the Winnipeg Jets from 2014 to 2017. While Hutchinson lost that job in Winnipeg last season, making only three appearances, he managed to play in 76 games over the three seasons prior. In a total of 106 NHL appearances, including four with Florida this year, Hutchinson has a .907 save percentage and 2.70 GAA. Hutchinson has had his fair share of struggles at both the NHL and AHL level this season and has not been the reliable third-string option to injury-prone Roberto Luongo and James Reimer as the Panthers had hoped when they signed him this past off-season. However, his minor league play has been vastly superior to Kaskisuo’s and his career NHL numbers are quite similar to Sparks’. The Leafs still don’t have a stalwart backup goalie to Andersen, but have cheaply acquired an experienced veteran keeper that is a clear upgrade to their depth in net.

Perhaps the best part about adding Hutchinson is that he has already cleared waivers this season and may be moved back and forth between the Maple Leafs and Marlies at will. Toronto’s goaltending depth issues began just prior to the start of the season, when both Calvin Pickard and Curtis McElhinney were claimed on waivers when the Leafs opted to protect Sparks. Pickard had a rough experience with the Philadelphia Flyers early on, but the Maple Leafs nevertheless tried to reclaim their lost property when the Flyers also placed him on waivers. However, they failed to bring Pickard back in as he was claimed by the Arizona Coyotes. McElhinney, on the other hand, has been the best of the Carolina Hurricanes’ trio of goalies and is unlikely to be up for claim again this season. Hutchinson was likely one of the top two-way keepers available and apparently one of the more affordable.

As for the Panthers, when healthy the duo of Luongo and Reimer have the roster spots in Florida locked up. Hutchinson was never going to overtake either keeper, especially given his performance this season. The team also hoped to get young Sam Montembeault some NHL experience this season and the Springfield Thunderbirds starter now takes over as the organization’s No. 3. It makes sense that the Panthers got what they could for a disappointing signing. However, if injury does strike Luongo again, Reimer’s struggles and Montembeault’s inexperience become of greater concern for Florida, especially if they are fighting for a playoff spot. Expect the Panthers to keep an eye on waivers and the goalie market for the remainder of the season.

Minor Transactions: 12/16/18

December 16, 2018 at 9:04 am CDT | by Gavin Lee Leave a Comment

Alex Ovechkin scored again for the Washington Capitals last night, his seventh goal in his last three games and likely a spot on the Three Stars list this week. The superstar forward now has 29 goals in 32 games this season and is setting new career highs of one sort or another nearly every night. Now 33, Ovechkin sits 15th all-time in NHL goals and could very well pass Dave Andreychuk in the next few games. While we wait to see his next trick, stick right here to follow all the minor moves around the league.

The New York Rangers recalled Boo Nieves last night in preparation of their afternoon tilt with the Vegas Golden Knights today. Nieves has seven points in 12 games for the Hartford Wolf Pack, but has yet to make his NHL debut this season. The 24-year old has just 29 games under his belt at this level and is still looking for a real opportunity to show what made him a second-round pick in 2012.
After the team’s 4-3 overtime loss to Vegas Sunday, the Rangers made more moves as they announced they have recalled goaltender Alexandar Georgiev from the Hartford Wolf Pack, while assigning Matt Beleskey and Dustin Tokarski to the AHL team. Georgiev has split time between the Rangers and Hartford, but the 22-year-old has struggled in both places so far this year. Beleskey has appeared in four games this month and has a goal, while Tokarski has yet to make an appearance for the Rangers this season.
The Ottawa Senators announced they have assigned defenseman Erik Burgdoerfer and Stefan Elliott to the Belleville Senators of the AHL. That likely suggests that Ottawa is close to getting back Mark Borowiecki and/or Dylan DeMelo back from injury. Burgdoerfer appeared in three games on this callup, while Elliott appeared in two games and had an assist.
After the team’s 3-0 victory over Arizona today, the Carolina Hurricanes have assigned three players to the AHL as the team announced that goaltender Scott Darling and forwards Clark Bishop and Janne Kuokkanen have been returned to the Charlotte Checkers. With Carolina not playing again until Thursday, the team may just be giving playing time to all three, although the team might also have the hope that Micheal Ferland, Jordan Staal and Curtis McElhinney might all be healthy enough to play then.
The Minnesota Wild have returned winger Luke Kunin to Iowa of the AHL, per the AHL’s Transactions Page. He played in three games with Minnesota after being recalled earlier in the week, averaging just shy of 13 minutes per night of playing time. However, with both Mikko Koivu and Jason Zucker expected to return on Tuesday, there’s no longer a spot in the lineup for Kunin. He’ll return to Iowa where he sits fifth in scoring with 15 points in 21 games.

Carolina Hurricanes Recall Scott Darling From Charlotte

December 9, 2018 at 1:56 pm CDT | by Holger Stolzenberg 5 Comments

The Carolina Hurricanes on again, off again relationship with goaltender Scott Darling continues as the Hurricanes have recalled him with current starter Curtis McElhinney dealing with a lower-body injury. The team hopes that the 29-year-old, who was placed on waivers on Nov. 29, can regain his form this time around.

Darling has hardly been a success since the Hurricanes picked up Darling in an offseason trade in 2017. Carolina immediately signed the heralded backup in Chicago to a four-year, $16.6MM contract, but he struggled when he took over as a full-time starter with a 3.18 GAA and a .888 save percentage in 43 games. The team had high hopes that Darling would bounce back this season as there was constant talk during the offseason that Darling had been working out incredibly hard. However, the results weren’t impressive early in training camp and the team claimed McElhinney off waivers from Toronto to help out in net, giving the team three goaltenders with backup Petr Mrazek in tow as well. However, his numbers were just as bad during the regular season in seven appearances as he posted a 3.14 GAA and a .892 save percentage.

No team claimed Darling as his poor numbers and high-priced contract was too much for any team. However, he has fared much better with the Charlotte Checkers in the AHL over the last couple of weeks as he has made five appearances and has a 2.35 GAA and a .911 save percentage. He was pulled in last night’s game against the Springfield Thunderbirds, but it was likely because the team learned of the call-up then.

Carolina Hurricanes Recall Alex Nedeljkovic

December 7, 2018 at 9:12 am CDT | by Gavin Lee 2 Comments

As if the Carolina Hurricanes haven’t had enough goaltending problems this season, the team has seemingly lost Curtis McElhinney for tonight’s matchup against the Anaheim Ducks. The team today recalled Alex Nedeljkovic from the minor leagues, while placing Micheal Ferland on injured reserve. McElhinney left yesterday’s practice early, though there was no update yet from head coach Rod Brind’Amour. With Scott Darling down in the minors already, tonight’s start will likely go to Petr Mrazek.

Nedeljkovic, 22, was a high draft pick for the Hurricanes, selected 37th overall in 2014 out of the OHL. At the time he was coming off an outstanding season with the Plymouth Whalers, but has since struggled a bit to find much consistency. He never did repeat his 2013-14 numbers as he found himself in two other OHL organizations to finish his junior career, and then had minimal success in his first year as a professional. Despite making his NHL debut during the 2016-17 season, he spent time in the ECHL trying to develop his game.

When watching Nedeljkovic, it’s easy to see why scouts still believe he can be an NHL goaltender. His agility in the crease allows him to make some highlight reel saves, and there is an innate ability to battle through traffic and find the puck. Unfortunately, his quick movements can also sometimes get the better of him and over the last season and a half he’s struggled to put up exceptional statistics in the minor leagues. Those stats may be a bit misleading though, as Nedeljkovic always seems to find a way to win for the Charlotte Checkers and may actually be better suited to the NHL in the long run. It seems unlikely that he’ll get another chance right away, but if McElhinney’s injury is anything more than a few days we could see the Hurricanes turn to their young netminder.

Carolina Hurricanes Place Scott Darling, Valentin Zykov On Waivers

November 29, 2018 at 10:33 am CDT | by Gavin Lee 7 Comments

With Curtis McElhinney playing well, the Carolina Hurricanes have made a decision on which of their three goaltenders to send to the minor leagues. Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic is reporting that Scott Darling will be placed on waivers today. The goaltender is not at Hurricanes practice today, and will likely be sent to the minor leagues should he clear. The team has also placed Valentin Zykov on waivers, after his conditioning loan ended this week.

Darling, 29, is almost certain to clear given his hefty contract. The former Chicago Blackhawks goaltender signed a four-year, $16.6MM contract with the Hurricanes in 2017, but has basically done nothing to deserve NHL playing time since. In 50 games since inking his big deal, Darling has an .889 save percentage and 3.17 goals against average. His 15-25-8 record is incredibly poor given the team’s overall 48-44-14 mark over the same time frame. Given the fact that McElhinney has taken the net and run with it since being claimed from the Toronto Maple Leafs before the season began, there was little reason to keep Darling on the NHL roster any longer.

If he does clear and reports to the minor leagues, the Hurricanes will save $1.025MM in cap space (prorated) while Darling remains in the AHL, though the team is still on the hook for his entire salary. For a club like Carolina, the cap space doesn’t make much of a difference, meaning this was purely a hockey move to get the best 23-man roster. Darling could potentially find his footing in the minor leagues, or the Hurricanes could try to trade him in order for him to get a fresh start.

Zykov on the other hand is a very interesting waiver addition. The 23-year old forward has just three points in 13 games this season for Carolina, but was a 33-goal man in the AHL just a season ago and was originally selected 37th overall by the Los Angeles Kings. There’s reason to believe that he could still be of use to an NHL club, but his overall body of work with Carolina hasn’t been enough to earn him a full-time role just yet. If someone does take a chance on the young forward, they’d need to keep him and his $675K cap hit in the NHL.

What Your Team Is Thankful For: Carolina Hurricanes

November 28, 2018 at 4:50 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee Leave a Comment

As the holiday season approaches, PHR will take a look at what teams are thankful for as the season heads past the one-quarter mark. There also might be a few things your team would like down the road. Let’s take a look at what’s gone well in the early going and what could improve as the season rolls on for the Carolina Hurricanes.

What are the Hurricanes most thankful for?

Various struggles from the entire Metropolitan Division.

Big things were expected out of the Carolina Hurricanes after some bold moves in the last calendar year, including new ownership, front office and coaching staff. Key players like Jeff Skinner, Elias Lindholm and Noah Hanifin were all shipped out while fresh faces like Andrei Svechnikov and Dougie Hamilton joined the lineup. Even with all of that and a nice five-game point streak to start the year, they finished their first 15 games with a 6-7-2 record caused by many of the same stumbling blocks they’d experienced in the past.

Goaltending wasn’t as good as it needed to be, the solid defensive group was underperforming and the team wasn’t scoring enough despite excellent shot metrics. They’ve since gone on something of a hot streak, winning six of their next nine and head into their last game of November with a 12-9-3 record. That’s not outstanding, but it’s certainly good enough to keep them in the hunt at this point of the season. Every other team in the Metropolitan Division has experienced their own struggles, including the Pittsburgh Penguins who at one point found themselves at the very bottom of the division. Carolina now sits just four points behind the Washington Capitals for top spot, something that would have seemed impossible during the previous dominant Metropolitan years.

Who are the Hurricanes most thankful for?

Curtis McElhinney.

There’s no doubt that Sebastian Aho has been the team’s early MVP, recording 25 points in 24 games to pace the offense while moving to the center ice position without any trouble. Aho is an exceptional talent that looks like he can be a true superstar for the Hurricanes, but he was drafted and developed by the team. Who they’re truly thankful for, is McElhinney who dropped into their laps just before the season started when the Toronto Maple Leafs placed him on waivers.

Though he has looked shaky at times, McElhinney has been everything the Hurricanes could have hoped for when they picked up for free to help out while Scott Darling dealt with injury to start the year. The 35-year old goaltender now has a .930 save percentage through his nine appearances and leads the trio of Carolina goaltenders with a 7-2 record. Seeing how Darling and Petr Mrazek have combined for an .887 save percentage and 5-7-3 record, it’s easy to see where the team would be without McElhinney on the roster.

What would the Hurricanes be even more thankful for?

A resurgent Jordan Staal.

Despite Aho moving to the middle and performing admirably, the center position has still been a struggle for the Hurricanes this season. Victor Rask has only played four games because of a kitchen accident that injured his hand, and Lucas Wallmark can’t seem to find the back of the net to save his life—his 1.9% shooting percentage is one of the worst in the league among regular forwards. Even accepting those issues as flukes that could resolve themselves, the issue of Staal may have the biggest impact.

The 30-year old center has just 11 points in his first 24 games of the season and is on pace for his lowest total (38) in a full season since he was 19. A huge part of that is his lack of powerplay production, where he has just a single assist and no goals despite averaging more than two minutes with the man advantage. It’s not that Staal is a net negative for the Hurricanes, as his defensive ability is still excellent and he’s among the best in the league at faceoffs, but they absolutely need more offensive production from him given his price tag. Staal carries a $6MM cap hit this season, and will continue to do so through the 2022-23 season.

What should be on the Hurricanes’ Holiday Wish List?

Forward help, in one way or another.

Since they’re already carrying three goaltenders, one of whom makes more than $4MM per season and is under contract for another two years, there seems little chance of the Hurricanes making a big splash in net. Accepting that, the best place for them to upgrade would be up front, whether that’s on the wing or at center. The team has been generating more than enough scoring chances through the first quarter of the season, but with the exception of Micheal Ferland and his 11 goals, they haven’t been able to convert nearly enough.

It sounds funny after an offseason in which they sent Jeff Skinner packing—the red-hot Buffalo Sabres forward has 19 goals in 25 games—but Carolina could really use a pure finisher to help them on the powerplay and give their forward group a little more swagger. Svechnikov looks like he might eventually become that, but relying on an 18-year old to take a jump like that in the second half of the season is more than a little risky. They don’t need another Alex Ovechkin—though, they certainly wouldn’t turn one down—but someone to complement their stable of playmakers could go a long way in pushing them further along in the playoff race.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

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