2. Darling and Ward are a great one-two punch
Having a goalie as experienced and talented as Cam Ward as a backup is a luxury to have. He was a huge reason why the Canes won the Stanley Cup in the first place in 2006. Now, he can pass on some of that valuable experience to Scott Darling.
Francis did a great job in acquiring and signing Darling to a contract extension during the off-season. Not only has Darling taken advantage of the opportunity to become a starting goalie in the NHL, he’s getting visibly more comfortable between the pipes.
Darling now has his save percentage above .910 and should only get better from here. Ward also had another big effort in net with 25 saves on 26 shots in the win over the Jackets. Only one of four starts for Ward has really been a letdown. The other three have been very solid.
Darling also brings some very valuable experience over from a championship winning squad in the Blackhawks. Him and Marcus Kruger should boost the mood in the locker room and get a playoff mindset instilled with the rest of the Canes.