With at least 2 new players in the mix, it will take some training camp tinkering and trial and error to figure out what works best in terms of defense pairings for the 2013-14 Carolina Hurricanes. But in the name of Canes hockey topics to fill up a few more days of offseason here are my thoughts on how it all sorts out and why in the end.
The general consensus is that the top 4 defenseman will be Justin Faulk, Joni Pitkanen, Tim Gleason and Andrej Sekera with Jay Harrison and Mike Komisarek filling out the bottom pairing and a player from the system (Ryan Murphy, Brett Bellemore and Mark Flood) filling out a #7 spot.
At least to start the season, I think that makes sense.
--I would not anticipate any of the veteran AHL/NHL depth (basically Flood or Bellemore) making a huge leap into the top 4, and per my previous blogs, I think Murphy will need some time to round out his game.
--As much as I like Jay Harrison as a 3rd pairing defenseman, I just do not think he is an every night top 4 on a playoff-bound NHL team. He is today’s Niclas Wallin. And coming off a couple-year train wreck in Toronto, Komisarek just needs to focus on taking small steps forward steps to get his feet under him in a simple role playing 13-16 minutes per night and maybe filling the role of clearing the front of the net and blocking shots on the penalty kill.
So who plays with whom?
--Andrej Sekera/Justin Faulk: I really like the idea of giving this pairing a long look for a few different reasons. First, you have 2 pretty well-rounded, solid defensive players. Both skate pretty well. Both move the puck reasonably well. And while not pure blue line offense creators, both have enough offensive ability to contribute. If they can develop chemistry, the duo has the potential to become one of those top pairings that is just really solid minus a ton of flash and bunches of scoring. This is EXACTLY the kind of stability and predictability that the Canes have lacked in their top pairing for a few years now. If you can get 22-24 minutes of every night solid play in any situation from your top pairing, it becomes much easier to pick spots and matchups for the remaining minutes. In addition, there is the potential to play them as a unit the entire night. The Canes are light on pure power play defenseman, so Sekera/Faulk with a left and a right shot might be as good of a 2nd option as any after Pitkanen/____. The unit could also form a penalty kill unit. Not needing to shuffle things around a ton when penalties mix up the rotation is an added benefit. And with Faulk destined to be in the mix long-term and Sekera at least signed through next year, there is the potential to develop something that can last. Finally, I hate the idea of forcing Justin Faulk into the role of stay-home defenseman paired with Pitkanen. For both better and worse, Pitkanen can become a bit of a one-man puck-carrying show at times which forces his partner into an odd role reading and reacting to the sometimes unorthodox. I think Faulk’s continued development is better served playing in a more standard pairing and minus the need to spend too much time in a safety valve role.
--Joni Pitkanen/Tim Gleason: If you go with the top 4 as penciled in above, someone has to play on his off side. Of the top 4, Gleason is the player who gives up the least of his game offensively by stepping into the role of pure stay-home defenseman with Pitkanen and also by playing on his off side. Moving the puck up the ice has never been Gleason’s strong suit anyway. Whenever possible, Gleason’s job would be to win pucks in his end, get the puck on Pitkanen’s stick and then trail the play a bit as a safety valve and defensive backstop if the freelancing goes awry. So puck movement-wise, playing his off side should impact Gleason as little as possible. For the challenge of keeping a squibbling puck in the zone along the boards at the offensive blue line with an opposing forward pressuring you and disadvantaged by having to play it on your backhand, there is no better option than Pitkanen to chase down a potential breakaway.
--Jay Harrison/Mike Komisarek: When Kirk Muller can dictate matchups, this big 3rd pairing will match up well against physical, grinding 3rd and 4th lines. The duo could be a bit challenged moving the puck up the ice. It is on the forwards and the system to recognize situations and personnel and (a la Cory Stillman) provide short outlet passes to get the puck moving north/south on a forward’s stick. There is also potential for this pairing to stay together and form a penalty kill pairing. It is a bit of an aside, but if he can get comfortable and find his game from pre-Toronto, his skill set is similar to Gleason’s such that with more confidence and enough successful ice time he could grow into plan B for a partner for Pitkanen.
I wrote a blog awhile back voting against using Ryan Murphy long-term in a limited role as a #7 defenseman. I think his long-term development is much better served playing 20+ minutes per game in the AHL rounding out his defensive game versus filling a bit role at the NHL level. Because of this, I would vote for and expect that the #7 slot goes to the best depth player not named Ryan Murphy. Brett Bellemore is probably the front-runner based on his decent performance in 2012-13. Mark Flood also has the resume and experience level to compete for this job.
When you net it out, it comes down to 3 things for me:
1) I really like the idea of trying to build a solid, well-rounded 1st pairing in Sekera/Faulk.
2) The “Pitkanen partner” job has been a tricky 1 to fill because of his sometimes unorthodox play with the puck on his stick. I would rather not send Faulk down this road, and I think Gleason’s skill set minus a ton of puck-moving/carrying ability anyway gives up none of his game in this role.
3) While I expect Ryan Murphy to get some NHL ice time when injuries open up spots, I continue to vote against a full season limited role for him, so for me he needs to win regular ice time in the top 6 to climb above the other options for #7 depth.
What say you Canes fans? Does anyone else excited about the potential to pair 2 fairly young but experienced with well-rounded games in Faulk and Sekera to create the sound and solid all-situation pairing that the team has lacked? Am I right that Gleason’s stay-home game is the best option to backstop Pitkanen? Would you use Murphy as a #7 possibly at the expense of his development? Or even better, do you think he can seize a top 6 spot in camp?
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