What’s the Carolina Hurricanes weakpoint right now?
By Conor Power
With the Carolina Hurricanes moving to 13-2 with a win in Anaheim, there’s one question on the minds of opposing coaches, players, and fans. How do you beat the 13-2 Carolina Hurricanes right now? When opponents can’t see an obvious flaw to exploit, that is the mark of an excellent team. Through 15 games, Carolina has only been stifled by a goaltender and a game the refs took away from them.
When you look at the team, what sticks out? Their forwards are among the deadliest core in the NHL. They’re currently 11th in goals, and they’ve played a lot fewer games than some of the teams above them. They’re going to move up that list. While not to the top, you cannot deny their ability to put the thing in the net is there with the best in the NHL.
Defensively, Carolina is the premier team in the league. Allowing only 28 goals in 15 games, the Carolina Hurricanes have the best combination of defensive structure, guys on the back end, and goaltenders in the NHL. Yes, they haven’t played as many games as other teams in the NHL around them in this stat, but they’re right there at the top of the league in terms of team defense.
Where else really is there? Behind the bench, Carolina boasts the reigning Jack Adams winner. He’s the coach of the year, and he’s steering one of the best regular-season teams in the NHL over the course of the last two years. Yes, they’ve had some playoff difficulties, but they’re one of the best teams in the NHL for the here and now. What is the weakness in this lineup right now?
Arguably, it’s the forward core. That’s a ridiculous statement when you’re talking about a team that has scored 51 goals in 15 games. It’s not like they’re not scoring, but it’s probably the weakest area on the team. So, when the trade deadline comes around do they look to strengthen the bottom six? I don’t even want to think about the options the front office can take.
There’s a wealth of talent on display in Carolina and the Hurricanes are proving that they are indeed a Stanley Cup contender. They’re playing arguably the best hockey of any team in the NHL right now, they’ve only lost 2 games. What more do they have to prove to the doubters and haters of this team?
You guys tell me. Let me know on Twitter, or on Facebook. This is something that I cannot seem to judge, and a lot of people have a lot of different opinions on this subject. Is it the defending, is it in the paint, is it the forward core? Where are the team’s struggles? Right now, you could maybe argue it’s the 2nd line not scoring as it should, but they’re still scoring. I just can’t quite put a finger on it.
Question for Cardiac Cane readers: What is the Canes’ weakness right now?
dark. Next.