Carolina Hurricanes: Three Keys to Regaining Momentum vs. Florida
2. Can We Not Scratch Fleury or Gardiner
Is this beginning to sound familiar? I feel like I’m repeating myself. I think I actually am repeating myself. As long as the same problems surface, I’m gonna talk about ’em, so buckle up.
You guys know how excited I was when the Carolina Hurricanes traded for Brady Skjei. I was over the moon. If any coach could deploy Skjei in the right capacity, it’d be Rod. Turns out, Skjei has been slightly less misused in Carolina, but given far more minutes and responsibility than he was afforded with the New York Rangers.
That being said, I don’t entirely think Brady Skjei has been terrible this season. He’s just been the worst of the Carolina Hurricanes defenseman. This is a bit like saying a base model Mercedes-Benz S-Class is the worst on the lot, given that the Carolina Hurricanes’ defensive lineup is disgustingly talented.
Jake Bean had a game-high seven shots on goal on Monday, including this one, where he used his dynamic skating abilities to work into open ice and create a shooting lane. He also has five assists in five games and is proving why he belongs in the NHL.https://t.co/PySNBeNsOx pic.twitter.com/62xvHpiVCe
— Michael Smith (@MichaelSmithNC) February 23, 2021
At any rate, though, if there is a defenseman on this team that needs a rest and to be a healthy scratch for a game or two, it’s Brady Skjei at this point.
I was a big fan of pairing Haydn Fleury with Jake Bean, and a Jake Gardiner – Brett Pesce pairing is usually incredibly fun to watch. Again, keeping my fingers crossed we don’t just end up seeing the same defensive pairings but with 1st line Warren Foegele or something as the only change in the lineup. I really hope I didn’t just jinx it.