The One Off Season Hot Take You’ll Hear From Me

Let the off-season mania begin! I am sure all the other podcasters and pundits will have hot takes for days this off-season. Trade rumors, calls for firings, disappointments..you name it!

Caniacs upset top-tier scoring went elsewhere at the trade deadline, will be saying “I told you so” all summer.

Not surprised they are at the early onset of the off-season.

We’ll forget that for a brief second they were the same ones professing “We like our room” when the Canes made it to the third round.

Don’t think we didn’t notice.

The “FIRE RBA” crowd started before the Eastern Conference Finals ended, but I steer clear of them on principle. In 5 seasons with Rod Brind’Amour at the helm, the Hurricanes have made it to the playoffs…ummm…5 times. That’s easy math. 100%.

At least one podcast has said the Canes need to trade Aho and Necas in the off-season. (Yall do your own homework, but I will say it ends with a “T”). Not just because I still hear about it, but I think trading Aho or Necas is a terrible idea.

From every angle, we’re going to be hearing ad-nauseam about what the Carolina Hurricanes should be adding, or subtracting until the puck drops next season.

With that in mind, I will share my one and only hot take for the off-season. I’ll say it once.

Let Frederik Andersen walk.

This is the offseason the Canes should thank Mr. Andersen for his service and send him on his way. I don’t care where. If the Canes trade for a massage table and a used puck bag, then that’s an addition by subtraction.

I have pointed to the following stats before, but I will again, just in case the podcasters in the back couldn’t hear me over their squawking.

Frederik Andersen lets in at least one or two goals so often, it is worthy of a meme.

In 33 first periods, Frederik Andersen was scored on in 16. By my math, slightly less than half. 48.48% to be exact. Of those 16 first periods, 11 ended with the Hurricanes down. The Hurricanes never had the lead in 11 of Frederik Andersen’s starts by the way.

But that is just the first period. What, pray to tell, about the second period?

Well, things do not get much better. Andersen gave up at least one goal in 21 of the 2nd periods he played in. 21 of 34 is, again by my math, 61.7%. In those 34 periods, Andersen gave up 32 goals, and the Hurricanes ended the second period down in 17 of Andersen’s starts. Math is not my strong suit but that’s 50%.

Third periods, if possible, were worse for Andersen. In fact, they were much worse. Andersen gives up a goal in 19 of his 34 third periods. He also ended the regular season with a goal-per-third-period average. That’s 34 goals in 34 third periods. Talk about not finishing strong!

Certain podcasters can argue with me about defensive break downs in front of Frederik Andersen or the lack of offensive production.

But his stats do not lie. He is a middling goalie on a top-caliber team. It’s clear.
21 Wins- 25th in the NHL
747 Saves- 44th in the NHL
82 GA- 42nd in the NHL
.903 SV%- 50th in the NHL, 3rd on team
2.48 GAA- 20th in the NHL, 3rd on team
1 SO- tied for 30th in NHL, 3rd on team

I can appreciate what Andersen did for the Hurricanes in their playoff series against the New Jersey Devils.

Though he dumped his bad start on Pyotr Kochetkov, who took the loss, he was still very good.

Then Florida and Sergei Bobrovsky came along. Match a goalie who is not going to let Attila The Hun in, and Freddie’s usually one or two were the difference in the Eastern Conference Finals.

I hope the Hurricanes take the off-season to notice that the future of goaltending is upon us. With Antti Raanta fitting in PERFECTLY as a second netminder and Pyotr Kochetkov having gained more than enough experience to surpass Frederik Andersen it is time for him to walk. The Hurricane’s crease is Pyotr Kochetkov’s now it is best we recognize the attornment.

So that will do it for my off season hot takes. Trade Frederik Andersen.

Everyone else can spend their summer wrapped in a camel’s hair shirt of worry, but I have said my only hot take. The Hurricanes can add or subtract anything else they want this off-season and I won’t be anything but excited. There are players I would hate to see leave on a trade. But if so goes the Hurricanes band, I will march in that direction.