Tempered Expectations

[Anybodyhome]

If anyone thought for a minute the Canes were going to storm the gates this season, I don't know what to tell you. The off-season saw an exodus of players who accounted for 30% of last year's goal scoring during the regular season. They lost one of the better 2-way defensemen in the league in Brady Skjei and one of the best net-front guys in the league in Stef Noesen.

I'm hoping for a .500 season, anything better will be a worthy accomplishment in my mind. I'm not even thinking playoffs this season- I'll be happy if they can gel and start playing as a team. I'm not making this assessment based off one game, because the Canes never played best-on-best in their preseason schedule, so we didn't know what to make of it all.

[GamecockSmitty4]

I agree that this is not going to be a season where we’re battling for the top spot in the East. But I think we’ll be much better than .500. Rod certainly has some flaws but I go back to the 2018 season when nobody expected anything and he guided the team to the ECF. He’s still a great coach and we have some talent. 

[KillerKat]

I knew since after the playoffs, that was our last best shot and its going to be pain for the next year or 2. Too bad this team kept screwing up the goalie situation and the TDL, besides last season, which didnt help us get over the hump.

[organicrusty1201]

2 hours ago, KillerKat said:

I knew since after the playoffs, that was our last best shot and its going to be pain for the next year or 2. Too bad this team kept screwing up the goalie situation and the TDL, besides last season, which didnt help us get over the hump.

So true, we wasted our best shots at the cup because of trying to win with retread goalies

[Rocky Davis]

6 hours ago, Anybodyhome said:

If anyone thought for a minute the Canes were going to storm the gates this season, I don't know what to tell you. The off-season saw an exodus of players who accounted for 30% of last year's goal scoring during the regular season. They lost one of the better 2-way defensemen in the league in Brady Skjei and one of the best net-front guys in the league in Stef Noesen.

I'm hoping for a .500 season, anything better will be a worthy accomplishment in my mind. I'm not even thinking playoffs this season- I'll be happy if they can gel and start playing as a team. I'm not making this assessment based off one game, because the Canes never played best-on-best in their preseason schedule, so we didn't know what to make of it all.

Agreed, hope everyone realized how much this team changed in the off-season.

I will just note that the right decisions were made with Pesce, who is hurt again, and Skjei who got his bag and deserves it.  I am going to be watching Skjei's numbers with interest as his first game with the Preds was not good for him.  I think he's a solid d-man, but I also think he needs the right system and pairing to be as good as he was with us. 

Still stung about Guentzel, but it was probably our FO's hesitation that led to him leaving for the same contract in tax free Florida.

Noesen we'll miss.