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Carolina Hurricanes: Goaltending a Top Priority in Offseason

By Andrew Ahr

Feb 25, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Cam Ward (30) during a break in the action against the Toronto Maple Leafs during the second period at the Air Canada Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 25, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Cam Ward (30) during a break in the action against the Toronto Maple Leafs during the second period at the Air Canada Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Carolina Hurricanes had a lot of salary tied up in net minders this season, yet still boast some of the worst goaltending statistics in the league. Goaltending talent needs to be at the top of General Manager Ron Francis’ offseason wish list.

The Carolina Hurricanes season is officially over again at the 82 game mark. While the fact that the Hurricanes will be golfing in April for the seventh straight year is disappointing, the organization and its fanbase have a lot to be excited about in the near future.

The year should not be looked at as a failure to make the playoffs, but rather as a success for being so close to the postseason with a roster in full rebuild mode.

More hurricanes: To Compete the Canes need some Big Bodies

While the Hurricanes roster was not built for a playoff berth this season, great leadership from Head Coach Bill Peters, coupled with strong play from young faces in the organization, almost carried the team to the postseason.

Promising young talent is dominating the face of this organization for the first time in a decade. The changing of the guard is well underway in Carolina, and every fan of hockey in the Carolinas ought to be excited about it.

While the team had a realistic chance of a postseason berth for much of the second half of the season they were always chasing those playoff spots, never one of the teams being chased. What was holding them back? Scoring was definitely an issue for the Hurricanes, as the final statistics for the season show.

With only one player breaking the 50 point mark and none breaking the 30 goal threshold (Jeff Skinner 28-23-51) it’s clear they lacked an elite level of scoring. They just didn’t have that lethal offense to finish off games that so many playoff caliber teams have.

Dec 19, 2015; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Carolina Hurricanes goalie Cam Ward (30) stands for the national anthem against the Pittsburgh Penguins during the first period at the CONSOL Energy Center. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 19, 2015; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Carolina Hurricanes goalie Cam Ward (30) stands for the national anthem against the Pittsburgh Penguins during the first period at the CONSOL Energy Center. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports /

While that may be true on the offensive side, the final season statistics also support the claims that the Hurricanes currently have some of the worst goaltending in the league. And with a higher level of goaltending maybe the Hurricanes are playing playoff hockey for the first time in seven years.

Cam Ward has been the starting goaltender in Carolina for close to 10 years now. While he is certainly prone to hot streaks (see 2006 and 2009 playoff runs), he is equally prone to cold streaks. Cam has been below average for a starting goaltender throughout his career with a save percentage of .910 and a goals allowed average of 2.70.

This season Ward has amassed a save percentage of .909 and a goals allowed average of 2.41 through 52 games played. For reference his save percentage is 31st in the league and his goals allowed average is 20th in the league compared to goalies who have played more than 30 games.

At this juncture in Ward’s career it is safe to say that we know exactly what he is capable of.  If the 32-year-old Ward is healthy and playing well he can function as a below average starting goaltender or a capable back up in the NHL.

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Ward’s lengthy and lucrative contract is expiring this summer as he will become an unrestricted free agent.  Should the Hurricanes resign him? To put it simply, no. Any and every contending team in the NHL has an outstanding starting goaltender that leads the way to the playoffs.

Cam Ward has led this franchise between the pipes with character and class for nearly a decade; there is a good chance his number will be in the rafters of PNC Arena someday. I and every Canes fan owe him the utmost respect. But if the Hurricanes want to be a contending team in the future they need to be hunting for a true starting goaltender this summer.

Carolina traded for goaltender Eddie Läck on draft day last summer to fill a void. Eddie is a strong character goalie who showed flashes of starting goalie potential on the Vancouver Canucks last season. However this season has definitely been a step back for him.

The likable Swede was seriously struggling for the first half of the season and as a result his starts were definitely limited. While he began playing better after the new year, he was wildly inconsistent the entire season. Eddie compiled a save percentage of .901 and a goals allowed average of 2.81. That was good for 41st and 40th in the league respectively for goalies who played more than 30 games.

Jan 6, 2016; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Eddie Lack (31) awaits the start of play against the Vancouver Canucks before the start of the first period at Rogers Arena. The Vancouver Canucks won 3-2. Mandatory Credit: Anne-Marie Sorvin-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 6, 2016; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Eddie Lack (31) awaits the start of play against the Vancouver Canucks before the start of the first period at Rogers Arena. The Vancouver Canucks won 3-2. Mandatory Credit: Anne-Marie Sorvin-USA TODAY Sports /

When Francis brought Läck on board this was certainly not what he expected to see. Just last season Eddie built impressive numbers for the Canucks with a SV% of .921 and a GAA of 2.45. The painful truth for Hurricanes fans is that if Eddie had repeated this type of performance PNC Arena may have been packed for some playoff hockey this week.

Eddie Läck is signed for one more year here in Carolina, and given his weak regular season numbers he is unlikely to be traded anywhere this offseason. Eddie is an impressive guy and a great locker room character. I have no doubt that he will be working hard this summer to ensure that he comes back next season much more comfortable and locked in. A new year could be exactly what Eddie Läck needs.

Between Ward and Läck this season the Carolina Hurricanes are 18th best in goals allowed average and 29th out of 30th in save percentage. The only team with a lower SV% are the Calgary Flames, a team also on the outside looking in this postseason.

The Hurricanes were playing some of their best hockey between early December and the end of the season, going 27-18-12 and moving up from 30th in the league on December 5th to finish in 18th. We can only predict how much better they could have been playing with a solid starting netminder who was there at the start and converted some of those overtime losses to wins.

Next: Canes should consider a trade for Nail Yakupov

With the absence of Eric Staal and Cam Ward’s big contracts, and dozens of draft picks in his pocket, Ron Francis will have plenty of assets to work with this summer. Look for him to address the goaltending crisis in Carolina and make us a strong playoff team next season.

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