Re:Dobber Ramblings - Carolina Hurricanes

I have to disagree with your analysis in today's ramblings. Carolina's depth may be thin in some areas, but mostly on D. That is where it really hurt them. It wasn't just 2 players who were injured this year, as you mentioned, it was a plethora of rotating injuries: Cole, Hedican, Wesley, Gleason, all missed significant time, and it killed their blueline especially.

But when you say if they don't have a hot young player impress in camp they will most likely miss the playoffs - I think you are off base. Eric Staal had a disappointing year - a 90 point player who turned into a 60 point player. He is too talented to have that become a regular thing. Justin Williams is developing into a 40 goal scorer. No one expected it from Blake this year but I expect it from Williams next year. And Andrew Ladd really started to heat up in the last quarter of the season - he is the young guy to watch on that squad.

For depth up front, the Canes really miss Matt Cullen. Eric Belanger was not a suitable replacement. But look at their top 2 lines: Brindy, Williams, Whitney, and Staal, Cole and Stillman - how is that not a very solid 2 line offense? Vasicek and Ladd are developing quite well with Walker on the third line.

I too am worried about their farm system, but this is hardly a team to give up on, playoff-wise, for next year and beyond.

Defense is the one place they are deep. I'm talking quantity not quality.

Look at this depth chart:

LINK

100 defenseman and beyond four forwards at each position, they have nobody. Who can they recall? Ryan Bayda? C'mon.

The Sabres force guys like Stafford to the minors, and even the Leafs have a player or two to call up...the Pens are scratching Thorburn and Ekman daily...

Every team out there has three NHL forwards they can rely on. The 'Canes have one - Anson Carter. And they didn't even have him before the deadline.

Two injuries killed them. The Gleason injury and Wesley injury hurt, but it was Stillman and Kaberle that killed them. This team needs all players to play 80 games to be a superpower. That kind of luck happens every 100 years. They already used that luck last year!

I'm counting Ladd as a part of the team. When I say "young guy" I mean Harrison Reed or Bobby Hughes


Playoff wise - they're toast for awhile unless they address this depth.

The current eight playoff teams, the Caps and the Panthers all have better futures. They need some studs in their farm system. Maybe some will step up in camp, but right now it does not look good.

I can agree with you re: a dim future in the minors. Perhaps they can deal some of their overstocked D for some prospects. I know that guys like Babchuk may not be there much longer due to attitude conflicts.

I am very upset that they got rid of Johnson - not the first time this franchise has traded away a blue chip D prospect. At least in the past they let them play a bit first.

They can trade some D for prospect, but those prospect won't be high talented prospects !

Like Dobber said, they have a lot of depth at D, but they don't have a super star defenseman or a good young D (Jack Johnson anyone ?).