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Carolina Hurricanes: Blue Line Pre and Post Dougie Analytics

By William Farrow

COLUMBUS, OH - JANUARY 16: Dougie Hamilton #19 of the Carolina Hurricanes and Nathan Gerbe #24 of the Columbus Blue Jackets battle for control of the puck during the game on January 16, 2020 at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Kirk Irwin/Getty Images)
COLUMBUS, OH - JANUARY 16: Dougie Hamilton #19 of the Carolina Hurricanes and Nathan Gerbe #24 of the Columbus Blue Jackets battle for control of the puck during the game on January 16, 2020 at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Kirk Irwin/Getty Images) /
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RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA – FEBRUARY 16: Jaccob Slavin #74 of the Carolina Hurricanes moves the puck against the Edmonton Oilers during the second period at PNC Arena on February 16, 2020 in Raleigh, North Carolina. The Oilers won 4-3 in overtime. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA – FEBRUARY 16: Jaccob Slavin #74 of the Carolina Hurricanes moves the puck against the Edmonton Oilers during the second period at PNC Arena on February 16, 2020 in Raleigh, North Carolina. The Oilers won 4-3 in overtime. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /

Defense Without Dougie

Since that horrid day, the defense has combined for 30 points through 12 games without Hamilton. That’s not terrible! It should be noted though that Slavin had 8 of those points and 3 goals in those 12 games.

Other stand outs without Dougie in the line up have to be Fleury and Gardiner. These two have played defensively very well; not giving up the puck in bad situations. They have also found the back of the net and tallied a few points. Eye test, and on paper it seems to be Slavin, Gardiner, Fleury, are the Canes best blue liners right now.

Slavin has been effective with whomever he is paired with. Notching points while running lines with both Edmundson for four games, and van Riemsdyk since then. That was really the only switch Rod made, according to the Canes starting line ups: after 4 games he switched Edmundson to play with Fleury and van Riemsdyk to play with Slavin.

This switch seamed to do the trick and make both Edmundson and van Riemsdyk more offensively effective. The two combined for a single point, an assist before the switch and since then, 8 points and two goals.

The Eye Test

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – NOVEMBER 27: Haydn Fleury #4 of the Carolina Hurricanes skates against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on November 27, 2019 in New York City. The Rangers defeated the Hurricanes 3-2. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – NOVEMBER 27: Haydn Fleury #4 of the Carolina Hurricanes skates against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on November 27, 2019 in New York City. The Rangers defeated the Hurricanes 3-2. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /

As a whole the Canes defense does NOT pass the eye test. That being said, Slavin always will and surprisingly both Jake Gardiner and Haydn Fleury have played amazing in the last 12 games.

Even with some of the bottom guys stepping up, the offensive defense and, quite frankly, defensively defense has not been holistically great.

Another note to take a look at is our goalies,

Season Report. Pick Analysis. 3-3. Petr Mrazek. 109. Since Dougie, 6 games. 34. player

Pick Analysis. Since Dougie, 6 Games. James Reimer. Season Report. 4-0-2. 47. player. 109

On paper it seems that Petr has lost some of his force in the cage. Again by the eye test, the defense has just been letting them both down. That being said Reimer is playing exceptionally well as of late, getting the team a point in every game he starts.

So what should you as a reader make of all of this?

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