Offseason Performance

[Morphine Boy]

I've been on the CH.com forums for a while.... but they're down, which means they suck, and lgc.com is the new place to be. :D

Regardless...

A lot of people have been saying that this offseason so far is a great one, and I'm going to have to agree with them. Our defense has been boosted and is in MUCH better condition than it was last year... *now all we have to do is get rid of Ward*

My one and only dispute so far is that while boosting our defense looks great, we STILL have yet to address the problem of scoring.

If we could just get some offense into the mix, I think that we'd be back to top shape and a run to the Finals might be feasible again...

*Also, on TSN message boards, someone mentioned *while calling themselves crazy* that we might pick up CuJo in the waiver draft. I'm gonna agree with the whole crazy thing. Do we have enough $ to even THINK about signing CuJo for a little one year deal?

[Shell]

I think we have improved our roster in the off-season, not to mention what an improvement having Brindy, Cole, et al back in the lineup will be. I disagree on trading Ward, and would be happy to keep him.. though I am glad Tanabe is gone. I sure wish we would have signed Markov's but que sera sera.

I don't think there is any way in hell we would sign Cujo.

Why don't you like Ward?(keep it nice please, this isn't ch.com ;))

[Guyute]

I too think our offseason has been great. I was very excited about Danny, and still hope something can be worked out. But, if he wants NO LESS than 3 mill, I don't see it happening. oh well.

Why don't you like Ward?(keep it nice please, this isn't ch.com ;))

thanks for adding that shell, just incase. ;) although, if we get some folks in here thinking it is ch.com, it'll give me something fun to do. lol

I really like Ward. the only reason I could see dealing him away, would be if we were signing markov and needed to free up some salary. that's an acceptable move, imho.

[Morphine Boy]

Why don't you like Ward?(keep it nice please, this isn't ch.com ;))

To me, Ward always looked a little confused on the ice. Don't get me wrong, he's a great hitter, and has his moments. But there are better defensemen that we could get if we freed up his salary*

*And FASTER skaters as well. He's a bit slow for me*

[rkbrasse]

Ward is a good defensman for the last line, probably not on the second or first D line. With our current D, as is, we are munch better than before. Now if we get Markov aswell, look out. I would expect Ward to be traded then. Right now though we are in great shape.

[Shell]

cool, i can respect that.. out of the d-men still available (http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/feature.asp?fid=6805), who would you want most? (excluding players like Brian Leetch since Ward makes 2 million and Leetch makes almost 10 million and was the 7th highest paid in the NHL last season)

[Morphine Boy]

cool, i can respect that.. out of the d-men still available (http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/feature.asp?fid=6805), who would you want most? (excluding players like Brian Leetch since Ward makes 2 million and Leetch makes almost 10 million and was the 7th highest paid in the NHL last season)

Yushkevich has always been a favorite of mine.

I mean, he's a little closer to $3 Mill, but *sigh* a guy can only dream can't he? ;)

[folgersnyourcup]

I've got to agree with Morphine boy here. I like Ward, I really do, but if for some reason trading him frees up the money necessary to acquire the services of Markov (as in we get the 2 million freed up from Ward being gone and JR trips and falls on a million-dollar bill or something akin to that) then I'm all for it. Unfortunately, we're still paying Irbe and Ozo as well I believe so that ties up a bit of money (a very large amount with Irbe, they really need to find a place for the little guy). I don't know what's going to end up happening. I really hope that Markov ultimately signs with the Canes this season though I suppose I could live with it if does not.... ;)

Still I don't like to think we just gave away two prospects for nothing...

[Morphine Boy]

I've got to agree with Morphine boy here. I like Ward, I really do, but if for some reason trading him frees up the money necessary to acquire the services of Markov (as in we get the 2 million freed up from Ward being gone and JR trips and falls on a million-dollar bill or something akin to that) then I'm all for it. Unfortunately, we're still paying Irbe and Ozo as well I believe so that ties up a bit of money (a very large amount with Irbe, they really need to find a place for the little guy). I don't know what's going to end up happening. I really hope that Markov ultimately signs with the Canes this season though I suppose I could live with it if does not.... ;)

Still I don't like to think we just gave away two prospects for nothing...

That was the problem. Tanabe had been playing for a while and you still consider him a prospect, see what I mean?

But yeah, I'm not too happy about the trade either. I'm glad we got the Boogie man. :D

[olivia1299]

So far this offseason has gone pretty well. Signed Wes, added Murray and Boughner and got rid of some dead weight. But there still some issues that need to be resolved. This is my wish list.

1. sign Markov, that would give us 8 D-men and enable us to move Ward to free up close to 2mil.

2. Use that money to bring in a left wing to play with Francis and O'Neil on the first line. Suggestions, Whitney( not cheap), Arvedson, or Hlavac.

3. move Irbe, if for no other reason than to close the door.

Then this would be my Line-up.

Whitney/Arvedson - Francis - O'Neil
Cole - Brindy - Vrabata
Bayda/Svoboda - Vasicek - Brendl/Heerema
Murray/Boulerice - Adams - Adams

Markov - Hill
Wesley - Boughner
Hedican - St. Jaques

Weeks
DesRoches

I like it, I like it alot. Now I hope that I wake up and find the dream is real. Go Canes!! :smoke:

[cmw00]

Markov - Hill
Wesley - Boughner
Hedican - St. Jaques

Who knowa about offense especially on the 3rd and 4th lines.

But if and thats looking like a big If, we signe markov, the trade Ward or Wallin which would most likely happen. I'd say you'd have to put Hill in the third Pairing with St. Jacques.

Although I think if we sign Markov our deffense would be right up their with Detroits defense. And like detroit I think we could do alot of rotating in the pairings. Master Yoda (aka Scotty Bowman) wanted his defense to be able to play with eachother in any situation, and Detrout continued this method some what last year. I think if we sign markov that the canes should do that. I say this because if we sign markov I'd say that gives us, 5 dmen that could easily make the top 3 dmen on most any other team in the NHL.

If we could sign Markov that would just give us one awesome defense. The physicality of Hill, Markov, and Boughner, (St. Jacques doesn't seem to be no slouch either), the great total package in Wesley and sort of in Hedican, and the awesome youngin who seems like he one day might be able to do it all in St. Jacques!

Man IF we could only sign markov!!!

[Morphine Boy]

I say "Later Markov".

Our defense is looking good right now w/o him. True, it could look better with him, but why beomce an amazingly defensive team that can't score?

Keep the defense as is right now. *GOOD*

Free up some salary *whether it be trading Hlavac or someone similair and get some good forwards*

*Last night I had a dtream that I was watching hockey and Staal was playing. Prophecy of things to come?

[Shell]

Free up some salary *whether it be trading Hlavac or someone similair and get some good forwards*

Hlavac is not ours to trade. We did not sign him and he is an unrestricted free agent with no job currently.
(http://www.letsgocanes.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=799&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0)

a waste in my opinion, but I guess I already said that in the other thread ;)

[Guyute]

Our defense is looking good right now w/o him. True, it could look better with him, but why beomce an amazingly defensive team that can't score?


well, except the thing is... Markov was acquired (or so we all thought anyway) largely because of his talent on the blue line. he could be a PP quarterback at the line. The thing we were Worst Off in.... is Dmen who can play a decent PP. That's where Markov would help us.

as for being a defensive team... well... we are (and have been) already that. but if you're going to be a defensive team... you need some defense to do it. ;) heh