RALEIGH – The honeymoon is offically over.
After a miracle beginning to the season which saw the Carolina Hurricanes dominating the entire league with a potent offence and solid goaltending, the reality bug has bitten. The Hurricanes, 2-7-1 in their last 10 games, currently sit 7 points out of a playoff spot in the highly competitive Eastern division. For months the 'Canes have been in an absolute freefall, and any optimism gleaned from their impressive 6-3 victory over Vancouver a few nights ago has been erased by the back to back shutouts they've given up to Ottawa and Toronto.
Critics and the local media have pointed out many reasons for the team's recent performance. Early in the season they were hampered by injuries to Justin Williams and Alex Tanguay, and just as they returned Josef Vasicek – the lynchpin of the Hurricanes offence – suffered a broken elbow and was on the shelf for over a month. Neither he nor the rest of the forwards have gotten their game back since. The defensive corps hasn't overachieved like it had in the first twenty games, and the cracks in their games have become giant, rupturing fissures through which pucks pass freely and often. Although Mike Dunham has performed admirably since being traded for Kevin Weekes, he has given up untimely goals which have eroded the team's confidence in his abilities, and he simply hasn't been able to step up and win games for them on a consistent basis.
Most of the blame – and public ire – has been focused on general manager Norm Donovan, who orchestrated the trading of popular veterans such as Weekes, Sean Hill, Glen Wesley, Rod Brind'Amour and Jeff O'Neill. His unwillingness to sacrifice prospects and picks for veterans who can help immediately seems matched only by his inability to refuse a deal in which youth is thrown at him. Although he has built a strong and talented core of young players and prospects, he has left head coach Joel Quenneville with a squad lean on depth and experience.
"We are a fairly young team and as such we need to rely on the veterans we have a little more heavily," admitted Quenneville, "but I'm not here to make excuses. All of these guys are OTHL calibre players and they need to start playing the part. We can't just roll over and say 'I'm giving up until the team brings in some more help'. We can't be waiting for some white knight to appear on the horizon and rescue us."
Indeed, Donovan's attempts to acquire veteran help to shore up his roster has hit brick wall after brick wall. With very little players available to be moved who would generate significant interest, Donovan has been forced to try to add without subtracting – not an easy feat under any circumstance.
"We've been trying very hard to get some immediate help," said Donovan, "but shipping out a top 6 forward to shore up the defence would only create new deficiencies. We have found, though, that acquiring proven talent with prospects and picks to be a sellers market, and we're not in a position to unload top end prospects for mid-level veterans."
Time, however, is quickly running out for the Hurricanes. If they are unable to find some affordable help soon, they will be so far out of playoff contention that it won't make a difference. The decision needs to be made – are they gunning for a playoff spot or building for next year?
"They need to sh*t or get off the pot," was the blunt assessment of one hockey insider, "If they are willing to fork over some young guys to get better veterans they need to do so soon or they risk not making the playoffs and the whole thing being for naught. If they aren't willing to do it, they need to look at unloading the few veteran guys they have left and just start preparing for next season. Either way, a decision has to be made, and be made soon."