Writers Roundtable: The Second Month

RALEIGH, NC. - Last week we surpassed the two-month mark of the Carolina Hurricanes' 2021-22 season. As each day passes we feel further and further away from the team's 6-3 opening night victory over the New York Islanders. A lot has changed within the last seven days, let alone the last two months. So, as we've reached holiday break, we take a moment to look back on on the team's second month of the season.

Scott Burnside: Walt, if there is a theme for the second month of this season, not just for Carolina but the entire league, it's 'we're not done yet'. And by that I mean we're not clear of COVID-19. The past week has been awful, with the league's total protocol list going from about 30 to now well over 100 in just a matter of days. In the world of silver linings the absence of those players opened up opportunities for younger players from Chicago to come up to the big club and show their wares. Who of the newcomers has impressed you?
Walt Ruff: Well, how do we not start with
Jack Drury
? Let me be clear, all were impressive. To have five players come up from the American Hockey League at once is completely unprecedented. As I've mentioned before, in a situation like that, you just want to get by. That was even truer for the Canes, who needed the first three just to be able to meet the criteria to even play a game. On Drury, two goals in two games as a 21-year-old making his debut is stunning. These weren't fluky markers either, the first he did an excellent job of getting to the open area and banging home his second chance, then his second was a lethally placed shot over Jonathan Quick. We don't know what the landscape of the league is going to look like by the time the Canes play a game next and whether he will or won't be on the roster, but whenever he pulls the team's sweater over his head again next, he's given fans plenty to be excited about going forward.
Scott Burnisde: Walt, I'm an Olympic guy. I've been lucky enough to cover three Olympic hockey tournaments in '06, '10 and '14 and was so looking forward to watching the tournament in Beijing with the chance to see a whole generation of young stars who have never played in a true best-on-best tournament. Unfortunately, after days of looking like it was heading in the unfortunate direction, we got the news officially that players will not be heading there Wednesday. Carolina would likely have been one of the top teams in terms of Olympic participation. How important would it have been for players like Sebastian Aho, Nino Niederreiter, Teuvo Teravainen, Jaccob Slavin, Andrei Svechnikov, Martin Necas, Frederik Andersen etc., etc. to pull on their national jerseys for a chance to compete for Olympic gold?
Walt Ruff: It's so, so unfortunate, although it does avoid any potential nightmare scenario of not having any of the above listed players for five weeks. Unless another World Cup of Hockey comes to life, are we really going to have to wait until 2026 to even then maybe see the NHL back at the Olympics? 12 years is a long time. We are legitimately going to see some players go their entire careers without them having the chance to play for their country on this stage and it's so sad. Heartbreaking. Especially, as you mentioned, given the Canes potentially large representation. It would mean a lot to these guys to play for their countries. As most of us know, players in North America grow up wanting to play for the Stanley Cup. Growing up overseas, it's to win Olympic gold for their countries. The sense of pride for representing their native lands and against the best players from around the world is unmatched. I'm still looking forward to watching, but we both know it just won't be the same.

Scott Burnside: Walt, I can't believe how quickly all this has unfolded. We're at the brief holiday break and then we'll move quickly into 2022 and the Winter Classic in Minnesota (and who knows maybe an announcement on a potential outdoor game in Raleigh in 2023?), All-Star Weekend in Las Vegas and then the All-Star Break. But, before that I want to know if there's a specific highlight from you from the last month of action. Maybe it was during your epic western road trip, a particular sight, sound, memory? How do you pack for that kind of trip by the way?
Walt Ruff: The experience of just being go, go, go on the road with the team for 12 days was eye-opening. As I've mentioned since returning, the equipment and training staffs deserve a lot more credit than they get. Packing for the trip was something else, but I made it. Can I confess something? Being so used to traveling in the minors - where we were only ever allowed a carry-on, so I actually successfully did the entire trip with just a duffle bag. Thank goodness for irons and good folding techniques. Finally witnessing a game at T-Mobile Arena was probably the highlight for me. That environment lived up to the hype in every way and it was a Tuesday night there. I know we're only a few years into their tenure, but having a team there has to be good for the league and the city. As for the team, I think the fact that they've remained atop the standing despite everything going on is a testament to the culture and the team's strength. Brett Pesce, one of the team's most important defenders, missed time in November due to both an injury and COVID-19 Protocols. Tony DeAngelo has been one of the best producing defenseman in the league and then he, too, was pulled from the lineup. Svechnikov had been battling through an injury before missing a game as well. There have been a lot of reasons where the team just could have thrown their arms up and said "well, we'll get back on the horse when we're healthy" - but that hasn't been the case. Not that he needs any explanation either, but Aho has been pretty darn good too, huh?
Scott Burnside: So much to like about where the Hurricanes are at as we head into the third month of the season, a month that will get us to almost exactly the mid-point of the season. As we sit down to pen this, the 'Canes at 21-7-1 boast the highest points percentage of any team in the NHL at .741. Perhaps it is because the team just recently closed out its second long road trip in the span of a month, but to me one of the key factors in separating the contenders from the pretenders as the season moves along is how does a team play away from home? Lots of teams enjoy a bump at home whether it's last change, fan support, players in their comfort zone being at home, but home ice advantage is a real thing. Or it should be. But the real deal teams don't notice a huge drop-off in productivity or success when they pack up and hit the road. And the Hurricanes are the top road team in the NHL two months in with a gaudy 12-4-1 record away from PNC Arena. Walt, you've been with the team on the road what comes to mind for you on why the Canes are so successful on the road?
Walt Ruff: Rod Brind'Amour has been asked this a few times lately, and each time his answers remains consistent. His answer is just that. Consistency. Some coaches will say that on the road you try and manage shorter shifts, getting pucks behind the defense, etc., etc. Instead, the team's head coach has said that he doesn't want anything about the team's game plan to change just because they're at PNC Arena or not. Each time they touch the ice they've been playing the same way and that's probably the factor in that.

Scott Burnside: So, what else has jumped out for you over this second month, Walt? I know people were a bit on edge when the 'Canes went a little sideways losing five of six leading into early December. Yet what strikes me is just how good this team has been defensively. Even during that slide they allowed only 15 goals in the five losses. The Hurricanes are tops in the NHL in goals allowed per game at a paltry 2.13 goals allowed per game and, not surprisingly perhaps, lead the league in fewest shots allowed per game at 27.1. Kind of a yin and yang thing, no? Keep the puck from the opponent, don't allow too many shots, get solid goaltending and you pile up the wins. In short, this is a team that doesn't necessarily need to play firewagon hockey to win games and that's been critical during a period when the offense wasn't as dynamic as it was earlier in the season. Thoughts?
Walt Ruff: I agree to your point about the defense, Scott. That's remained incredibly strong throughout. What's stood out to me is that we're now in the ballpark of 30 games played and the team hasn't put up one absolute stinker of a performance yet. I would think by this point in the season most teams have. I touched on a bit in my
November Performance Review
, but the team's losses all had reasoning's to them, and understandable ones at that. In the team's seven regulation defeats, Carter Hart, Braden Holtby, Philipp Grubauer and Anton Forsberg have all put on performances of 35-saves or more. Sometimes goalies are just going to have their nights and we all know that. Penalty troubles landed them on the wrong end of things in both Florida and then against Washington, but that's a correctable area of the game. There hasn't been a single game this season where everybody on the team has been flat out bad and I think that's really impressive.
Scott Burnside: Okay, last one from me Walt, what are you most looking forward to in the coming month? Me? I never get tired of the outdoor games so I'm looking forward to a frosty Winter Classic in Minnesota with the surprising Wild and their Central Division foes the St. Louis Blues at Target Field. As for the Hurricanes I'm looking forward to seeing how Andrei Svechnikov continues to work through what has been a dry spell in terms of goal-scoring. Even though he's gone through a stretch that has seen him score just twice in 20 games Svechnikov continues to hold down second in team scoring with 21 points and is also second behind Aho with shots on goal with 82. That, to me, is the key. Given his skill set at some point you have to believe Svechnikov will get rewarded as he continues to get quality looks. But it must be a grind for the young star. The team's balanced scoring is one of its strengths and as the season moves having one of your most skilled players humming along is also going to enhance the chances of a long playoff run. What about you Walt?
Walt Ruff: Well, I'm hopeful that the next month hopefully brings the entire league fewer positive COVID-19 tests. When things get going again for the Canes, I, too, am eager to see how "Svech" breaks out of his rough patch. It's not if, it's a when. He and Jordan Staal both, actually. They're going to come. Both have expressed outwardly their frustrations. Beyond that though, I'm just looking forward to seeing everybody back on the ice healthy. Do you know when the last time this team had a fully healthy roster was? Saturday, November 20. Almost a full month ago. Do you know how long they were healthy for? Two games. That was since Brett Pesce had returned from his injury and before Bear hit the COVID-19 Protocol. I know injuries happen to every team but the Canes are starting to rack up the "man games lost to injury".
Worth A Click:
Holiday Break Come Early: Reflecting On The Canes Joyful Start
Update: Postponed Games & COVID-19 Protocol Tracker
Ten Canes Prospects Selected For World Juniors
All-Star Fan Voting Open Now