this and that (catching up)...

Obviously it's been an eventful first half (almost) of the season for the Hurricanes and their fans. Some good, some bad, and some ugly. Here are few comments off the top of my head in catch up mode...

1) Doldrums...the Canes got off to a decent start this season, sitting atop the southest division standing for nearly a month before the November doldrums returned.
By late October the Canes seemingly returned to the uninspired inconsistent play that cost them dearly in 2007/2008. Soon the Caps had caught the Canes and left them in their rearview mirrors...leaving GM Jim Rutherford to pull the trigger on a coaching change that, to be honest, seemed inevitable before the season even started...

2) The surprise move...I was not at all surprised that coach Peter Laviolette was fired after a lackluster start to the season...the writing was on the wall for that one all the way back to the way things ended last season...I was sad to see Lavi go, but not surprised, and grudgingly admitted at the time that SOMETHING had to be done...but the re-hire of the once banished Paul Maurice took me (and presumably most of the hockey) world off guard...SAY WHAT??? Though I have to admit, I've been impressed with the turnaround in attitude and effort that Coach Mo has been able to foster so far.

3) Change begets change...I suppose the jury will be out on the coaching change until the season is over, but I have to admit that so far I have liked what I've seen from the Maurice Era Mach II...the team has played with grit, tenacity and defensive accountability...all things that were, for whatever reason, lacking under Laviolette. The power play continues to struggle and the team is definitely not lighting up the scoreboard...but both of those things were true under Lavi...the difference over the last month has been a team that plays hard over 60 minutes, does not beat itself on most nights, and gives their goaltender chances to steal games from time to time. 2-1 wins might not be as pretty as 5-4, but I'll take the wins for now.

4) Have I Become A Curse?...up until the 3-2 win over the Canadians on Dec 16th, I was 0 for 5 at games I attended this year. Let's hope that the partial season ticket package that I cannot really afford (BTW) sees more wins in the new year.

5) Where Did You Go Rod Brind A'mour?...to say that "The Captain" has struggled this season is an understatement. The two time Selke Award winner is last in the league in +/- and seems a shell of his former self. It's been more than a little depressing to watch. Sure, Roddy is coming off a serious injury, and seemingly is still a ways from being 100%, but he still racks up major ice time and it's difficult to watch at times. Turnovers, key faceoff losses, defensive miscues and a lack of any sort of physical play or speed have left many fans wailing for decreased ice time and (god forbid) a stripping of the "C". I wouldn't go that far, but I don't really have any answers. My boy Cullen has been playing really well of late, and might warrant some time on the second line. Brandon Sutter and the fourth line also seem to warrant some more ice time, perhaps at the captain's expense. Roddy's play has picked up a bit of late, but it's still nowhere near where he once was. Here's hoping that he finds some semblance of his old form in the new year.

6) The Return Of The Real Eric Staal...after getting off to a slow start...perhaps due to an injury that was never really reported???...the "future captain" has been a beast over the last few weeks. Back to his old form of playing with passion on both ends of the ice, and seemingly gelling with his new linemates, here's hoping that Staal continues to play like an all star in 2009. No matter what other players are doing, or what other factors are involved, this team cannot win without Staal playing at the top of his game on a consistent basis. He is "The Franchise", no and in the future.

7) The Death of Lord Stanley's Blog...RIP...just before the season started the folks over at the N&O announced that Canes beatwriter and blogmaster Luke DeCock had been promoted to columnist and that long time ACC writer Chip Alexander would be taking over the duties as hockey writer. Chip got off to a rough start with the Caniac Nation when his first post to Lord Stanley's Blog referenced how much more he knew about basketball than most Caniacs. I'm sure it was meant in good natured fun, but hockey fans who have had a chip on their shoulder about playing second fiddle to college basketball in the sports pages did not take kindly to the remark. I decided to hold off on passing any judgement. It obviously would be a whole new world for Mr Alexander, and Luke has developed over time into a respected and admired voice in the hockey world. Not easy shoes to fill, but I wanted to give the guy a chance. And who knows, Chip Alexander might still one day develop into a decent hockey writer, but the report card has to be a failing grade across the board at the half way point of his first season. Lord Stanley's blog has become nothing more than a posting board for press releases from the Canes, and Chip had done little to involve himself in the discussion and build credibility. It's really sad. Recently the N&O announced that they were changing the name of the blog to CANES NOW, which is just humorously ironic in that there is rarely anything on the blog that could even be considered "news" to anyone who reads any other Canes or NHL blog/website. Over the last month or so the natives on LSB have grown a bit restless and the whole thing has devolved into a cacophony of negative comments about the team or the coverage thereof. Sigh. Here's hoping that Chip or someone finds their stride at the N&O in the new year and at least improves their coverage of the Canes. If not, a valuable resources for fans will be reduced to irrelevance.

(That said, I would be remiss if I did not commend Bubba and Corey over at Cane's Country who have become an invaluable resource for Canes news and coverage. At least it's the first place I go each day. Great work guys! What does it say that a non-professional blog manages to scoop the area's major daily paper on Canes coveraqe? Kudos. Keep up the great work!)

Canes vs Thrashers tonight!!

Go Canes!

-m