Carolina hurricanes- inept moves somehow against the odds make for a solid team

[yave1964]

Don Waddell the architect of the debacle in Atlanta was a shocking hire by Carolina in May of 2018. Since then Carolina has become one of the better teams in the game, a serious cup contender but with his list of moves I simply do not understand how. Here are his major moves since he too over as GM

 

TRADED ELIAS LINDHOLM AND NOAH HANIFIN FOR DOUGIE HAMILTON, MICHAEL FERLAND, AND ADAM FOX. lINDHOLM IS ONE OF THE LEAGUES top scorers, Hanifin is a steady influence on the back end playing big time minutes and Carolina has nothing to show for it. They did get a few good years out of Hamilton before allowing him to walk, Ferland had his career shortened by injuury and when Fox would not sign they dealt him for two second rounders niether of whom is listed among Carolinas top prospects. So they have nothing to show excepting two meh prospects for a top pair minute eater who plays in all situations and a guy who is a dynamic scorer.

 

JEFF SKINNER TO THE SABRES FOR THREE DRAFT PICKS Skinner signed for too long and too much but is still a 30 goal a year guy, the picks havent amounted to much. Only one has appeared in the NHl none are a big part of the teams future.

 

NINO NEIDERREITTER FROM THE WILD FOR VICTOR RASK Big win for Carolina, Rask atrophied as a player, Nino provided solid middle six numbers until leaving as an UFA this offseason.

 

ADAM FOX TO THE RANGERS FOR TWO SECOND ROUNDERS Fox is the reigning Norris winner, the two picks are not more than C prospects. To be fair it is hard to blame Waddell who was over the barrell but he made the Lindholm trade adding Fox to sign him only to lose him for nothing.

 

ANTON FORSBERG FROM CHICAGO FOR CALVIN DE HAAN This coulda been a win as Forsberg developed into a very underrated goalie but they let him go before it happens, he now is the primary goalie in Ottawa given away for nothing

 

NICOLAS ROY TO THE KNIGHTS FOR ERIC HAULA Roy has developed into a solid nhl winger while Haula continues to search for a role. I would take Roy for two Haulas right now.

 

REIMER FROM THE SHARKS FOR A 6TH ROUNDER Great trade, Reimer had a fantastic season with the Canes. Unfortunately they let him walk after only a year.

 

JUSTIN FAULK TO THE BLUES FOR JOEL EDMUNDSON Faulk won a cup with the Blues and has settled into the perfect role for him, second pairing and QB of the second power play. Edmundson was gone after a year to the Habs. Awful trade.

 

JULIEN GAUTHIER TO THE RANGERS FOR JOEY KEANE Keane not a real prospect, Gauthier a former first rounder wanst developing as the Canes wanted but has done a decent job as a 4th liner for the Rags.

 

TROCHECK FROM THE PNTHERS FOR hAULA, WALLMARK AND LUOSTARINEN When this deal was made a lot of people thought it was a terrible deal but it worked out very well for Carolina and not so much for Florida. Luostarinen is now the only player for either team still in place as a 3rd line winger with some potential, Vinnie was a great add for Carolina but just left for nothing to sign with the Rangers.

 

VATANEN FROM THE DEVILS FOR FUTURES Vatanen added for a playoff run and was a  non entity, none of the futures really panned out. Daws a meh prospect in net for the Devilsstill.

 

CHUCKIE FOR DZINGEL nothing for nothing. Dzingel was a poor signing as a free agent he simply did not fit. So this offseason Waddell signed him again.

 

JAKE BEAN TO COLUMBUS FOR A SECOND ROUNDER Bean had a nice year with 9 goals on the second defensive unit and second power play,kind of like Faulk before him. An unforced error, no reason to have given up on him before he really got a fair shot in Carolina.

 

NEDELJKOVIC FOR A THIRD ROUNDER Ned a mixed bag in Detroit last year but still considered a very solid NH goalie for little if any return

 

ETHAN BEAR FROM EDMONTON FOR WARREN FOEGELE Both players performedexactly as they should have, pretty even deal.Maybe slight edge for Edmonton excepting that Holland signed him for too much for too long.

 

DOMI AT THE DEADLINE FOR NOTHING Domi had a fine postseason for Carolina before leaving as a free agent

 

DEANGELO TO THE FLYERS FOR THREE PICKS DeAngelo can score and run a power play, this move forced them to do 

 

BURNS FROM THE SHARKS FOR LORENTZ AND A THIRD Burns aging and a poor defender but can still run a power play. Lorentz a 12th,13th forward. Frankly it is name value, without Burns used to be something it is relatively even.

 

PACIORETTY FROM THE KNIGHTS FOR NOTHING Damaged goods Pax to miss at least half the year Vegas probably came out ahead with the cap relief

 

lets look at the ins and outs 

 

DEFENSE

OUT Faulk, Hanifin, Bean Deangelo, Fox

IN  bear, Burns

 

FORWARDS

OUT Lindholm, Skinner, Roy, Gauthie, rFoelgele, Lorentz

IN PACIORETTY

 

FREE AGENTS LOST FOR NOTHING 

Nino, Reimer, Forsberg, Domi, Hamilton,, Trocheck

 

FREE AGENTS ADDED BY WADDELL

Andersen, Raanta, Kotkaniemi, Fast

 

The Kotkaniemi add could take up its own article. Huge win for the Habs IMHO.

 

He inherited Aho, Svechnikov, Terravainen, Slavin, Pesce, Staal, a very nice core and a few other holdovers. Necas was drafted before he joined the front office.

 

   Drafting, the Canes are one of the teas that always adds extra picks  a lot of extra second/third rounders. In four years under Waddell the only draft pick who is an established nhler is Seth Jarvis. Jack Drury will likely make the squad this season as a middle six winger. Ryan Suzuki is a possibility for the 4th line but coming off a dreadful year.

 

SO trades, a D minus at best, free agents a D plus at best, drafting still out but for all the draft picks the Canes never get mentioned as one of the top farm teams. YES the Wolves won the Calder cup in the AHL but that was with mostly a veteran core and only a few of the players are true prospects.

 

 Somehow this team keeps winning. I really thought they were gonna slip last year but they had a damn fine year. I dont believe what they are doing is sustainable, the line of Terravainen, Aho and Svechnikov is a brilliant line, all inherited by Waddell. But can you imagine a second line of Lindholm, Trocheck and Jarvis? The defenders are led by the criminally underrated Slavin and Pesce, but a second pair of Bean and Hamilton or Faulk, wow. 

 

IMHO the Waddell era can be summed up by the addition of Kotkaniemi and the loss for nothing of Adam Fox. That sums up Waddell transactions perfectly.

 

  I think they will slip this year. The East is too deep, Burns in, Vinnie, Nino, DeAngelo, Domi, Brendan Smith out. The organizational depth is gone, they win so Waddell keeps his job but my God is he an awful GM.

 

 

[radoran]

54 minutes ago, yave1964 said:

IMHO the Waddell era can be summed up by the addition of Kotkaniemi and the loss for nothing of Adam Fox. That sums up Waddell transactions perfectly.

 

Waddell is in over his head. Again.

Carolina is similar to Atlanta in that players don't necessarily "want to play" there. When a player like Fox, Deangelo, or Hamilton forces his way onto the trade block, there's not a lot you can do.

 

I think the best thing that can be said is that he didn't get himself tied down to any ridiculous $9+M long term deals to late 20s guys. Sure Skinner potted 33 last year and he averages ~30 goals a season, but for the ones that have 33, 40, and 37 there are seasons of 18, 24, and he had 21 goals over 112 games the past two years. I get that Buffalo used him terribly, but the 18 and 24 weren't in Buffalo.

 

Aho might be something of a bargain - at a price that Waddell didn't set and allowed to be set for him.

 

He did get Svechnikov done, and at a solid price and term.

 

Carolina's done well because they have a really good coach and some really good/great players who buy into his vision for the team.

 

It's the way you like to see it.

 

But, yeah, they deserve better.

[thegx.ca]

Yeah I don't understand how they keep winning either...not just because their roster is underwelming each year but also because of yeah those crappy GM moves...only thing I can think of is having a good coach like in Las Vegas first year having good coach made an overlooked team/roster overachieve...

[thegx.ca]

Now Carolina signed Statsny for only 1.5M that's a good deal...better than paying that for Kessel like Vegas just did man Vegas is going in opposite direction as Carolina in every category now...

[yave1964]

45 minutes ago, Villella McMeans said:

Now Carolina signed Statsny for only 1.5M that's a good deal...better than paying that for Kessel like Vegas just did man Vegas is going in opposite direction as Carolina in every category now...

I do like this one, quite a lot. He is what he is, a 40 point a year 3C good faceoff man responsible in every zone, can play the wing. He absolutely cannot and will not replace Vinnie but if oneof Necas/Kotkaniemi can step up into the 2C role, a trio including the brilliant Aho will be more than fine.

[Samifan]

Just relocated to Raleigh for work. Big difference from upstate NY. Will be interested to see how the Canes fans are? Wondering if they are as invested and passionate as Sabres fans?

 

 

[fan4ever]

On 9/25/2022 at 8:24 AM, Samifan said:

Just relocated to Raleigh for work. Big difference from upstate NY. Will be interested to see how the Canes fans are? Wondering if they are as invested and passionate as Sabres fans?

 

 

Good Luck down there with the job....and your 'new team'!

 

 

[pilldoc]

On 9/25/2022 at 8:24 AM, Samifan said:

Just relocated to Raleigh for work. Big difference from upstate NY. Will be interested to see how the Canes fans are? Wondering if they are as invested and passionate as Sabres fans?

 

 

 

Good Luck with the new job!

 

Your 1st mission .....find a local Applebee's and Lumina Dealership.