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The team's feelings about KK are they signed him to an offer sheet with $4.82M for the next 6 years. He's a C and that's where he'll be next year. RBA did everything from benching him to tweaking lines to playing him at both wings to see what works. And, apparently, nothing has. RBA has to be frustrated, and Necas's future in Raleigh depends on how frustrated. Drury will be on the roster next year. The issue is he's only a center and has no experience on the wing. He'll stay in Raleigh next year if Domi isn't re-signed.

I don't agree with screwing around with a group of blue liners that aren't the problem. Cole (UFA) and Smith (UFA) are both gone with Bear (RFA) and Chatfield stepping up. TDA gets a new deal and the decision needs to be made on Jake Gardiner. Defense: Slavin, Pesce, Skjei, TDA, Bear, Chatfield and add 2 more (Gardiner, LaJoie, Keane, FA) Trocheck will get paid more than the Canes can afford and he'll be gone. Derek Stepan is also gone. I think both KK and Domi are better centers than wingers. Domi may be one of the best distributors of the puck on the team. He sees all the ice and there is a very noticeable difference in his play when he's at center versus wing. If Domi is the odd man out, Drury will replace him. Centers: Aho, Staal, Domi, KK Every one of the wingers under contract will be back next season. Nino gets a new contract while both Lorentz and Necas are both question marks. RBA has tweaked lines, benched and done just about everything imaginable to get Necas going. It's safe to say the future of Necas in Raleigh is somewhat dependent on just how frustrated RBA is. Lorentz, because he was a healthy scratch for a good part of the playoffs, maybe gone as well. Although he started to show some grit, it was toward the end of the season and, with his size, it needs to be part of his game- every game. Fowards: Svech, TT, Martinook, Fast, Jarvis, Nino and add 2 more (Noesen, Leivo, FA)

Thought there was an off-season thread to keep up with this. That being said, I'll post over there....

The Canes took 2 teams to 7 games with a 32-year old career backup goalie. The only way NY could score was on the PP and Carolina kept giving them those opportunities. And, while we're on that subject, the officiating was inconsistent, to say the least. Raanta was shell shocked from the previous game when he was pulled- I said that 2 days ago and I also said I'd be very surprised if Carolina could come back from that. Raanta was done after game 6- his confidence was gone.

Gonna go finish watching "Inventing Anna." See ya.

Raanta's glove is almost behind him, deep in the crease. Shows he has no confidence. Problems early.

Another softie.

So, who's starting Monday night? Raanta looked shell-shocked on the bench after getting yanked last night, so his confidence is probably shot. Kochetkov gave up 2 himself last night, granted one came with a 5-on-3 PP, but he's a kid with a few games under his belt. Andersen is obviously not ready, otherwise he would have been the backup, not Pyotr. I'll bet he's a scratch Monday. I said yesterday "The only way it happens is injury or he gives up 4 in the first." Well, he gave up 3 softies in a little more than 20 minutes and away he went.

I'll be surprised if Carolina wins Monday. They have nothing left.

Name a goalie on the roster who is ready for this game right now. There isn't one.

Game over.

Just stop with pulling Raanta. The only way it happens is injury or he gives up 4 in the first. Andersen comes in with no game speed in a month and you may as well write the game off.

That was soft.

The Canes will lose with Andersen in net tonight. Not only will his game speed be slow, but the rest of the lines on the ice will have a sliver of doubt in their minds and want to sag back on D to help him out, which results in no forecheck- the one dominating factor that changed the complexion in Game 4. Here's the scenario Andersen plays: Carolina gets past NY and goes won to face TB. Carolina goes up 2-0 at home and Andersen then starts Game 3 in TB. Otherwise, we're going with Raanta. And if the Canes close it out tonite, he's deserved and earned the right to face TB for at least the first 2 home games.

I don't think it matters at this point. I don't think it serves anyone well to change up net-minders at this juncture. You dance with the date you brought and, hopefully, Raanta shares some of the Canes confidence after last night and takes a little Raleigh goal-tending to NY with him. That's all he needs- the same games he's played in Raleigh will get him a win in NY.

We all watched. We all celebrated. So, the day after means we look ahead to tomorrow and see how what happened last night carries over to Madison Square Garden. The Rangers were out-shot 34-17. That's what a forecheck does and that's what puck control creates. Winning puck battles in the O-zone and digging along the boards. Defense standing up at the blue line and not allowing easy entry. Only 5 of the Rangers 17 shots were from inside the dots, while nearly half of the Cane's 34 came from inside the dots. The Hurricanes spent almost 57% of the game in the offensive zone. That may not sound like a big deal but it's over 34 minutes of a 60 minute hockey game. It's 8 more minutes than NY spent in the Carolina zone. That's 8 more minutes of Igor having to play on his toes, 8 more minutes of NY players on their heels. That equates to 5-6 shifts! If you don't think that will wear a goalie and the defense down.... Carolina's forwards were on the ice less than NY's. Despite the fact the Canes spent the majority of the game in NY's end, the Canes leading time on ice guy last night was Vinny Trocheck at 18:52. The Rangers had 5 forwards with more ice time than Trocheck last night. This demonstrates depth. Carolina's top 3 lines were all on the ice from 15-18 minutes. NY's top line was on the ice a full 3 minutes more than Carolina's. That's a couple shifts. Carolina is able to easily rely on 3 lines and can match any of NYs top 2 lines. The Zibanejad line is on the ice for nearly 20 minutes and whenever they got an O-zone faceoff, RBA just sends out the Staal line to completely neutralize it. I have a feeling a fairly well-rested (relatively speaking) Canes team will roll into NY with some renewed confidence against a NY team that may be running out of gas.

The Canes take 75% of last night's game to NY tomorrow and they win.

Just when you thought the Canes had enough pieces to fill whatever injury issues they may encounter, you see what a difference having Martinook back on the ice is. He had a solid return last night.

I said they would need a defining win... That was defining.

Refs better start making some calls both ways.

Helluva pass saucered over by Staal.

Star of "Goodfellas" and "Field of Dreams," just to mention a couple. Wow... gonna have to watch Goodfellas again this weekend.... for the 200th time.

No change in the lines with the exception of getting Martinook back. A little surprised we haven't seen that much of Derek Stepan as he brings an element of maturity and leadership to the game. And, if I'm being honest, the top 2 lines on this team seem to be playing with the jitters or, as golfers call it- the yips. Let's hope home ice settles them down and they come away with a defining win. Forwards: Teravainen - Aho - Jarvis Svechnikov - Trocheck - Necas Niederreiter - Staal - Fast Martinook - Kotkaniemi - Domi Defensemen: Slavin - DeAngelo Skjei - Pesce Smith - Cole Starting Goalie: Raanta Injuries: Frederik Andersen Scratches: Ethan Bear Steven Lorentz Derek Stepan

Vincent D'onofrio's best role: