Cardiac Cane
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Carolina Hurricanes: Keys to CBJ matinee game

By Conor Power

COLUMBUS, OH - JANUARY 16: Martin Necas #88 of the Carolina Hurricanes is congratulated by Joel Edmundson #6 after scoring a goal during the second period against the Columbus Blue Jackets on January 16, 2020 at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Kirk Irwin/Getty Images)
COLUMBUS, OH - JANUARY 16: Martin Necas #88 of the Carolina Hurricanes is congratulated by Joel Edmundson #6 after scoring a goal during the second period against the Columbus Blue Jackets on January 16, 2020 at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Kirk Irwin/Getty Images) /
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CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – FEBRUARY 04: Ryan Dzingel #18 of the Carolina Hurricanes looks to pass against the Chicago Blackhawks at the United Center on February 04, 2021 in Chicago, Illinois. The Blackhawks defeated the Hurricanes 6-4. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – FEBRUARY 04: Ryan Dzingel #18 of the Carolina Hurricanes looks to pass against the Chicago Blackhawks at the United Center on February 04, 2021 in Chicago, Illinois. The Blackhawks defeated the Hurricanes 6-4. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) /

Skating woes

During the entire 125 minutes played at the United Center, it looked like the Carolina Hurricanes were skating in quicksand. It was just not up to scratch. Everything seemed to be in slow motion, and that just isn’t good enough. Carolina got away with one in Chicago due to the high-end talent, but that will be shut down in Columbus. They need to get back to racing around the ice.

I know this is going to be far more difficult without, potentially, the best skater in the organization, but it has to be done. You need some of the faster guys lower down the lineup such as Warren Foegele, to get back to skating like their lives depend on it.

Something with Foegele and a couple of others is that they were obviously out on the NHL’s COVID-19 list. There is going to be some rust, and it’s going to take some time for the 4 guys who have been back to get up to speed, but this is the time when you need them to step up. You need them to find their legs again if the Canes are going to get something out of Columbus.

It’s not just in terms of speed either. Some of the slower skaters on the team just need to get their legs moving again. Someone specifically that I saw coasting around the ice far more than head coach Rod Brind’amour would like is Haydn Fleury. I’m well aware that we all love the story of how hard he’s had to work, but he’s not exactly been great this season so far.

This is not me personally attacking him, more than half the roster seemed to be off in terms of their skating. I’m just wanting to use Fleury here specifically to illustrate the point I am trying to make. Everyone needs to be better. Whether it was fatigue or if it was something else, it needs to be eradicated if the Canes are going to get 2 points from Columbus.

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