Tripp Repeatedly "Calling Out" Eric Staal ...

[bonniebroad]

On every recent broadcast, I've noticed Tripp saying that, in order for the 'Canes to be at their best, Staal must be "the best player on the team" ... consistently. Is this fair to Staal or is Tripp putting too much on him?

It would be nice to have someone on the 'Canes that gives you that knot in your stomach, like you KNOW all h*** could break loose at any time (think Briere, Lecavalier, Crosby ... at the moment, anyway.) Stillman is the closest 'Cane to that recently ... Staal is definitely not, IMO.

[SoCalcaniac]

Is this fair to Staal or is Tripp putting too much on him?

It would be nice to have someone on the 'Canes that gives you that knot in your stomach, like you KNOW all h*** could break loose at any time (think Briere, Lecavalier, Crosby ... at the moment, anyway.) Stillman is the closest 'Cane to that recently ... Staal is definitely not, IMO.

Yep, it is FAIR. and Eric Staal was drafted to be that player. and if not for the crap luck we had in not landing the #1 pick outright after our crappy 02-03 season, Eric Staal would have been drafted by us, in the same #1 spot that Crosby and Pinhead were drafted.

Eric's 100 point season was no fluke. Eric is a special player. Eric has all the talent in the world to be the player that causes all hell to break loose every time he has the puck. See: 2005-2006. He is that guy. He is that dynamic. Eric is currently not displaying all of that on a nightly basis, thus the 'call out' by Tripp, who isn't exactly the most reliable source when he doesn't quiet know that Seids played with Hedican and all that mess from his interview last night. Is it fair for him to keep harping on this Eric needs to be the best player bit? Probably not. However, Eric is the franchise player. the player JR has hung his hat on to be our future. And he will be.

He has to recognize, just as a very young then- captain of the Lightning Vincent Lecavlier had to when he was Eric's age, no check that he was 18 when they made him captain, that even with God-given talent, you have to WORK. You have to understand even with ginormous talent, you still have to want it and you have to consistently perform. Not every other game, not for 10 games and then be invisible for 5. and you have to understand, that all these guys who saw you rack up 100 points, and lead all scorers in the playoffs two sesaons ago, want a piece of you so you have to fight through it. Work it out.

So yep. Too whom much is given, much is expected. We all know the hyper talented Staal and what he brings to the this team. We just need Eric Staal be that guy every night, just like the Tanned Color Analyst says ad nauseum every night.

[BrindAmourFan]

On every recent broadcast, I've noticed Tripp saying that, in order for the 'Canes to be at their best, Staal must be "the best player on the team" ... consistently. Is this fair to Staal or is Tripp putting too much on him?

It would be nice to have someone on the 'Canes that gives you that knot in your stomach, like you KNOW all h*** could break loose at any time (think Briere, Lecavalier, Crosby ... at the moment, anyway.) Stillman is the closest 'Cane to that recently ... Staal is definitely not, IMO.

I'm going with Tripp on this one. Granted, I jumped on the bandwagon too late to experience firsthand the glory that was Staal's breakout year in 2005-2006, so I'm jaded. I didn't see him produce last year, and I don't see him producing so far this year, save for brief glimpses. This is the guy who is the face of NHL08, he's our "star," and yet, with some exceptions, he plays mediocre and looks like he's skating in concrete.

I realize I'm not "hip" to all things hockey like many of you are, but from the lay perspective, I feel he's not living up to the hype.

[BrindAmourFan]

You have to understand even with ginormous talent, you still have to want it and you have to consistently perform. Not every other game, not for 10 games and then be invisible for 5. and you have to understand, that all these guys who saw you rack up 100 points, and lead all scorers in the playoffs two sesaons ago, want a piece of you so you have to fight through it. Work it out.

Well said. :)

[Guyute]

I feel he's not living up to the hype.
Forgive me if you take offense, it's not meant... but... my fingers won't let me pass by without hammering something out.

Staal, while not "fully on" this season, happens to have 26 points in 29 games.
Almost a point per game is still a pretty Damn good season. The year previous to this one, he had 70 points on a team that played very mediocre hockey. The year before that, 100 points.

I can almost understand calling him over-hyped if you've only watched him for the 29 games of this season. But like I said, he still has almost a point per game... so really... I can't get on board with calling him a do-nothing-kid or anything.

Yes he most definitely has star talent. And yes, if he finds his groove he can be a consistent 100 point guy. He Is the real deal. And when you see him throwing his body into the other team like he has done the past 2 games, he is starting to find that groove.
In the last couple of seasons, he's had decent PIMs too, either close to his point total, or almost exactly his point total (last year was 70 points, 68 PIMs). When he's playing the physical game, he puts more points on the board.

[KaniacFever]

Agree with Guyute.

Also wanted to add that this year, Staal is starting to become that all around player. No, he's not quite there yet, but I've noticed that he's really picked up his defensive side of the game. In my mind, he's starting to round out his game to be a complete player. He has ways to go, but this is the first year he has taken that step, IMHO.

[SoCalcaniac]

Guy, can I move you to 121? please? I will happily move the dude who sits in the row in front of us who, when all play goes to the toilet and to hell for the Canes screams in his big boy voice- "STAAL's ALL HYPE!!" to the horror of all the people around him. You'd surely be a breath of fresh air from that dude.

My thing on Staal is this- he's got all the talent and the tools and we still have to remember he just turned 23. Joe Thornton, The Pinhead and Eric's closest peer Jason Spezza have all gone through "this". Guy is right, when Eric bring the physical element, he brings another dimension to his game which is still a finesse game, but you get the 6'4/6'5 body thrower with skill, it changes how a team plays you.

Many teams would be thrilled to have Eric on their team with his 26 points in 29 games. It's just that we all know that he has more to give, and with a 100 point season there comes expectation and hilariously 70 points 'doesn't cut it'.

[Guyute]

If you're buying the tix I'll sit anywhere you want. LMAO ;)

[Shell]

dang, and here I thought Guyute would post "Only if you bring my wife and kid too!'.. but no, he's just a ticket whore :lol:

[Guyute]

You like to start fights for me to finish. Sounds like I'd have my hands full in snooterville without you. ;) lol

[Shell]

puh-lease.. I haven't done that in the last 3 years since we bring a kid to the game now :lol:

[SoCalcaniac]

I really started something eh? :lol:

Shell, I didn't mean to leave you and the cutie out intentionally now.... just trying to make my little Staal fan bashing rant/point. LOL.

[BrindAmourFan]

It's just that we all know that he has more to give, and with a 100 point season there comes expectation and hilariously 70 points 'doesn't cut it'.

I guess this is where I'm at. It would be foolish to discount the contributions he's made thus far, but he's been made out to be so much more than that. I find myself tapping my foot and waiting to see all that potential come to fruition. I guess it's not his fault that others are hyping him up so much, but there's never any fine print to those glossy NHL ads that implore our patience while we wait for Staaly to grow into the player we all know he can be. :lol:

Still, it's a team effort, and it's clear the team is (for the most part) not firing on all cylinders.

[Shell]

I really started something eh? :lol:

Shell, I didn't mean to leave you and the cutie out intentionally now.... just trying to make my little Staal fan bashing rant/point. LOL.

Oh, no worries at all! I totally got it :D Cole would probably stand up to him too though, he takes his Canes very seriously lol. He got mad at my mom and I at dinner last night when we were talking smack about Grahame.

[Kahz]

Staal is currently 78th among forwards in average powerplay time among with 3:53.

That's right around the PP time of centers like Robert Lang, Daymond Langkow, Tim Connolly, David Legwand, Travis Zajac and Brendan Morrison. Does anyone expect them to put up 100 point seasons or be the "best players on their team"?

Staal is on pace for 52 even strength points this season compared to the 56 he scored in 05-06. It's his powerplay production which is on pace to decline from 40 to 22 (Staal averaged 5:30 of PP time in 05-06, which was 27th among forwards).

I don't expect Staal to start producing at a 100-point pace as long as I constantly see him trotted out for the last 40 seconds of the PP with Seidenberg/Walker manning the points.

[gocanes0506]

Guyute you do bring up a good point about his point production. I think the reason he isnt be perceived as the best player on this team is he seems to disappear during periods. He shows his flash of greatness that is needed to be seen all the time for the team to become a force in the NHL. His points are there his effort just isnt. Sometimes, the only way I know he is on the ice at times is because I see his linemates in on a play. He just doesnt command the puck like he used to in 05-06. He just seems to be complacent with his teammates battling it out on some shifts. I guess for him to be the "best guy on the team" he needs to stick his nose in every play. I believe this is what Tripp was meaning.

I think this may be the only time when I think Tripp might actually know what he is talking about and not sounding completely stupid.

[SouthernHockeyChick]

He doesn't command the puck like he did in 05-06 because then he didn't have to battle it out for the puck because the game was being called completely differently. He hasn't yet developed the strength to win those battles, IMO. Until he really grows into his body or until they get back to that post-lockout standard of enforcement, his game will certainly suffer.

[caneshockeychick]

Does Eric need to step it up? Yes, he does. However, he's not "sid the kid" and I don't expect him to be. I've never thought of him as this team's "saviour."

The whole offense needs to be called out (with the exception of Stillman as we never expected him to do anything to begin with :lol: )

It's a team game and the whole damn team needs to step it up. Most of them got nice little contracts after the SC and IMO, I expected so much more from them after that fact. I'll forgive last year because it's over and done wth but this year...I want production dammit!!!

[nccanes]

Kahz brings up some interesting points about Staal's PP time. Given that the PP hasn't been lights out lately, seems fair to shake that up as well.

[Squeaky]

Kahz brings up some interesting points about Staal's PP time. Given that the PP hasn't been lights out lately, seems fair to shake that up as well.

I'll add a couple of points:

1. Numerous media pundits claimed a large part of the reason the Canes failed to make the playoffs last year was the disappointing years of Staal and Ward. They pointed out we needed these two to step up. Now look at Staal's effort and production in October, and look at it now. Look at our record in October, look at it now. Hmmmmmm. Trip is fair and right.

2. PP time. Lavi is easy to understand--You work your ass off or you produce and you will play more. Staal hasn't shown much on the PP this year, doesn't seem to want to get hit or put himself down near the crease to corral rebounds like he did in the SC year. He's therefore not getting the time. He was the bomb down low catching rebounds and getting deflections two years ago...

3. Our most gifted scorer, and a tie for most accurate shot during the All Star Hoo Hah, was Staal. Does he lead the team in shots?? No Williams does now. Did he lead in October?? Yes. Can't score unless ya shoot.

4. Yes his all around game is improving, but that has to be an addition to, not a subtraction from, his offensive game. He was billed as a Ron Francis type player, with good view of the ice. He made wonderfull passes and assists in 05/06. And he scored 40+. Now assists are now where near the top on this team.

SO I'm not convinced his effort is anywhere near where it was. It certainly doesn't look like it. I also don't fully buy the refs and other teams focusing on the kid. BY the second half of 05/06 they all concentrated on his and Cole's line--those guys had thirty goals each by then... Yes there is more clutching, but it's no where near what it was pre lock out. I just see too much coasting, with brief flurries of desire and drive--and then no where near the frenzied desire to score and taker over a game like he showed two seasons ago (ref the Philly game for his first Hat trick--tip right in front of the goal, sniper goal, and a hard work in front fighting the entire team for his third)

[AbNormal27]

I've wondered out loud a number of times this season if Eric was playing through an injury. He doesn't have that "jump" that he's had in the past. I'm not agreeing or disagreeing with Tripp, but I do think Staal's not been himself this season. In the Tampa Bay game this week, he seemed to be just going through the motions. There wasn't that "Whatever it Takes" effort that he's been known for. Just my 2¢.

Aaryn

[Kahz]

I'll add a couple of points:

1. Numerous media pundits claimed a large part of the reason the Canes failed to make the playoffs last year was the disappointing years of Staal and Ward. They pointed out we needed these two to step up. Now look at Staal's effort and production in October, and look at it now. Look at our record in October, look at it now. Hmmmmmm. Trip is fair and right.Two words: penalty kill.

It's kind of sad that some people think that Staal has to consistently score at a 100 point pace in order for this team to even make the playoffs. And perhaps they are right, which only shows the disastrous defensive problems we have.

BTW, when do we start blaming Rod's "lack of effort" for our brutal PK?

2. PP time. Lavi is easy to understand--You work your ass off or you produce and you will play more. Staal hasn't shown much on the PP this year, doesn't seem to want to get hit or put himself down near the crease to corral rebounds like he did in the SC year. He's therefore not getting the time. He was the bomb down low catching rebounds and getting deflections two years ago...He started out on the second unit and has been there the entire year. Hard to "show much" on the PP when he barely has time to set up in the zone before it is over AND is playing with grossly incompetent pointmen + Erik Cole.

There's a big dropoff in powerplay points from the first unit (Whitney-Brind'amour-Stillman) to the second unit (Williams-Staal-Cole). Is that because the second unit "doesn't care" and isn't showing "effort" or because they are the second unit?

3. Our most gifted scorer, and a tie for most accurate shot during the All Star Hoo Hah, was Staal. Does he lead the team in shots?? No Williams does now. Did he lead in October?? Yes. Can't score unless ya shoot.Well, good on Williams for shooting a bunch. He still has five fewer goals than Staal and 1 goal in his past 11 games.

4. Yes his all around game is improving, but that has to be an addition to, not a subtraction from, his offensive game.IMO, Staal was looking like a better offensive player than he really was in 05-06 by leaving his defensive assignments in order to hang out at center ice. He was a -8 that season despite those 100 points.

I'll have too look it up again sometime, but I believe Staal was on the ice for ~75 even strength goals against that season...which is really, really bad.

He was billed as a Ron Francis type player, with good view of the ice. He made wonderfull passes and assists in 05/06. And he scored 40+. Now assists are now where near the top on this team.I'd bet that a good number of Staal's (and Stillman's) assists came off making ten-foot passes in the neutral zone to Cole, who then went up the ice and scored by himself. Now Cole does nothing but get pokechecked at the blueline and isn't even on pace for 15 goals.

And again, look at the powerplay time. Staal has one less even strength assist than Brind'amour and three more than Whitney.

[guinevere]

I realize the topic has been Staal but I need to get this out there since it was mentioned in a quote. Though Ward did not have a stellar year last year, we actually had less goals against last year than we did the year we won the big shiney thing.

253 in 2006-2007
260 in 2005-2006

Not that he couldnt have done better but our lack of scoring last year was the bigger issue.

As you were

[SouthernHockeyChick]

4. Yes his all around game is improving, but that has to be an addition to, not a subtraction from, his offensive game.

Yep. And it takes most players YEARS to find a way to put both pieces of their game together consistently. Years.

[SouthernHockeyChick]

Oh, look at that! Third period of the Rangers game, late hit, WELL after the whistle, by Couton Orr on Eric Staal and, surprise, surprise, no call!

[WillLikeWhoa091]

Yep. And it takes most players YEARS to find a way to put both pieces of their game together consistently. Years.

Aye, I think we're forgetting that Eric's only 23.

Yeah, he's gotten bigger. And yeah, he's gotten better at his over-all game...

But I don't think we'll see his best years until around 26-29.

And with Rod as an example... it could go well beyond that.

[nccanes]

I don't disagree with the patience aspect.

But I also think that if he doesn't improve his output from last season, it will be considered by most to be a huge disappointment. Despite his stellar Oct, his production has tailed off enough to have him on pace for 71 points. One more than last year.

Certainly I hope he's not going to play in a < 1 point/game pace for the remainder of the season. But he had all the reasons last year (along with everyone else) to see a drop off. He has none of those reasons this season.

Not saying it's fair or whatever, but it's the reality. Staal is expected to produce closer to 05-06 than 06-07...regardless of whatever else he does out there that's good.

[Squeaky]

[quote=Kahz]Two words: penalty kill.

Granted we give up MOre PK goals--but we haven't been scoring either. And if we're dominating the puck in their offensive zone, we take less penalties. But PK doesn't cut the lack of scoring we had in the same losses...
He started out on the second unit and has been there the entire year. Hard to "show much" on the PP when he barely has time to set up in the zone before it is over AND is playing with grossly incompetent pointmen + Erik Cole.
Again--if hes shows more during those opportunities, or on the ice with offensive flair--he'd not be second unit... Lavi doesn't play #1/#2, he plays whomever produces--whether it is actual points or at least better looking attempts. Moot point either way. But look at the Habs game with Eric keeping a spot in front of the crease--he gets the tip and scores. How often is he willing to pay that price??

Well, good on Williams for shooting a bunch. He still has five fewer goals than Staal and 1 goal in his past 11 games.

Again--SO?? We need our best scorers to shoot more. If STaal isn't leading in shots, but had a ton of asissts, no worries. He needs to be and has in the past shown to be a dominant type of player. Therefore he should lead the team in shots. Whether Williams has more or less goals isn't material to the point...

I'd bet that a good number of Staal's (and Stillman's) assists came off making ten-foot passes in the neutral zone to Cole, who then went up the ice and scored by himself. Now Cole does nothing but get pokechecked at the blueline and isn't even on pace for 15 goals.

Actually they were fairly evenly distributed, and a lot even came from drop passes to defensemen joining the rush... Again, going to the PP, he had more assists there as well. A lot coming from his rebounds (I.e. shoot more...) Again--looking at your last point, if he got the goals or the assists he'd have more PP time. He hasn't looked like he has the drive and desire at even strength, not on the PP consistently like he did two years ago. Therefore he hasn't earned it--therefore thr Trip call out...

See how he played in Montreal?? Where is that every night??

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