Who’s Getting on the Carolina Hurricanes’ Bus? ft. Mike Maniscalco

Who’s Getting on the Carolina Hurricanes’ Bus? ft. Mike Maniscalco

Well, preseason hockey got game one already done, but who kind of stood out in that game. Who is looking to get on the bus for the Carolina Hurricanes and what are some early takeaways from Kane’s training camp? Well, luckily for this episode, we get to hear from Mike Moscow and get all of his thoughts on a Wednesday edition of Locked on Hurricanes. You’re Locked on Hurricanes, your daily podcast on the Carolina Hurricanes. Part of the Locked On Network, your team every day. Welcome to the Wednesday edition of Locked On Hurricanes. Your team every day, part of the Locked On Network. Thank you to the Everyday for making this your first listen of the day, five days a week, Monday through Friday, talking everything about your Carolina Hurricanes. I’m your host, Zach Martin, the credential Carolina Hurricanes beatriter over at the Hockeyers, also the co-host of the Searchcast, which is a weekly Carolina Hurricanes podcast along with all of my dudes here at Lockdown Hurricanes, but you’re not here to listen to me talk. You come to here enough to hear me go on for 30 minutes at a time. You’re here for my special guest, of course, friend of the pod. Been on here enough, and it’s always good to have him on. We got Carolina Hurricanes playbyplay man, Mike Manusc. Mike, how you doing today? No, I’m doing well, Zach. We actually had a hockey game, albeit preseason, to look at. So, means we’re closer to the real thing. So, ready to go. No, most definitely. And before we jump into all that said stuff on today’s show, this episode is brought to you by FanDuel. Download the FanDuel app now by visiting fanduel.com. Win $300 in bonus bets if your first $5 bet wins. And yeah, Mike, it’s it was definitely an interesting game. I think it’s chaotic hockey in its finest for the first night back. I mean, you’re talking coaches challenges in a preseason game. You know, God, misconducts being passed out, like Halloween candy, just anything that could happen pretty much happened. Like, what was your thoughts on just that whatever that was overall for game one to kickoff preseason for the Canes? It’s exactly what I expect the first game of the preseason of the NHL to look like. I mean, that’s it. I you know I know that everybody you know we are in a day and age of we need to microanalyze every shift and every game. It’s it’s one of six preseason games. There were for both sides if you count it up maybe nine regular NHL players were on that ice and I think I might be going taking the over with that number. Um, Tampa Tampa sent in AHL with some PTO guys. The Canes have guys on a PTO. They did have some regulars playing. You know, you want to see what Logan Stanovven is going to do in the middle. You want to see Jackson Blake take a step in his second year continue to move forward. You know, Alexander Nikes getting him more used to just playing the American game or the North American game where, you know, he’ll have to handle calls and things like that show that he’s got an understanding. But, you know, overall it was one of those things where, you know, if you’re Taylor Hall, you’re out there on the ice going, I’m going up against guys who don’t know where they’re supposed to be, and it makes my job that much harder. You know, anytime you talk to an established vet about playing in a preeason game like that, the toughest thing is you’re going up a bunch of against a bunch of guys who want to make an impact, who want to catch the eye of management or another team out there somewhere. So, you know, they’re trying to be a hockey hero and that means they’re not where they’re supposed to be. When you’re going against a team of full NHL caliber players, you know, that’s the one thing anytime you talk to a player who gets called up in the middle of a season and you ask them the biggest difference is everybody knows where they’re supposed to be in in the NHL. So, look, it’s a two-1 hockey game. Uh, are are we not going to plan the parade? Should we say that the season’s over, that Tampa won? Uh, no. You don’t do anything like that. This is where in the older I get and I’m getting older. Um I I don’t look at the results of preseason. You look at the performances of the players. And look, Kane’s had a lot of good chances in that game. Uh Jonas Johansson made five incredible saves. I mean, he he made a save where I’m still trying to think how he got across on Stankovven and and made the save to keep it a onegoal game. Um, you know, yeah, there’s the challenge. John Cooper, what are we doing? But, you know, come on, man. John Cooper and the the Lightning want to win the game. All those things that go with it. But on the other end of the rink, I was really encouraged with watching Kaden Primo in in the net. But again, it’s the first game of the preseason. It’s if you’re expecting a Mona Lisa, you have never watched preseason anything. Uh, so yeah, it was it was fine. and and uh I got out of it some of the things that I wanted to see out of the the Kane’s players that were in uniform for that game last night. Yeah. No, I totally agree. Yeah, it’s like it’s preseason. It doesn’t really matter. Like just get like the instant takes of like all everything that’s going on. It’s like it’s game one of a preeason. The you know the refs are in preseason mode too. Just throwing everyone out of the game it seemed like cuz it just went completely sideways in the third period. Like I said, coaches challenges. And I do want to ask you about Keenan Prima because I mean he had at least a good few highway robbery saves especially the one I don’t know who he I don’t know who he like robbed from but like going from the right side of the crease to the left side on a onetime and absolutely just throws the glove up. Boris Kachuke. It was on Boris Kachuk. Yeah. It was a I thought Yeah. Just strapped grand lararseny on him. Like what like what what did you think of Primo in his first game with the Canes? It’s I mean that’s everything you want to see out of him. I’m not going to give a really long-winded answer on it, Zach. Yeah, you you know who you know who the one two goalies are. It’s Freddy, it’s Pod Coachov. What you want to see out of Kaden Primo if you have to play him that he has those saves in him and he showed it and that’s really a real encouraging sign in a game like that last night or the other night. No, I totally agree. And that’s and that’s why the Hurricanes went and traded for him and the fact it was only was a 20 26 seventh for a guy who won 20 plus games. Yep. For the Laval Rocket. And I’m not taking anyway anything away from the AHL. The AHL is not an easy league to win in. So for the fact that he had like less than five losses total, that’s including overtimes for a team like that. And now you get to have him in Chicago. I think Cam Abbott and his staff are like, great, we have an amazing goalie. And then if the Hurricanes, like you said, if they need them, there’s be no issue there. So I totally agree. I mean, you saw what you need out of them. And there’s a 55 primo back on the ice which is what year is it honestly more than they think a little little different position from what his dad he played but yeah I mean it’s that’s that’s a nice tribute. It’s it’s a good thing to see. Uh but yeah I mean out of the funny thing about trying to judge goalenders in the preeason is it’s almost impossible because of what we just talked about. You have to take a look at the lineups that are in front of them. uh you know the other night you know Alexander Gorgv gets a shut out right well he had a more NHL team in front of him uh when Buffalo was playing Columbus. Now you don’t take anything away from it but uh for me it’s the in these games do you make the saves that you’re supposed to make and Primo answered that question every time that not one of the goals that I can look at can I sit there and go oh well you know maybe should have had that one. They were uh through traffic, one’s a power play goal, one’s a deflection uh on the mid slot. So, oh, he he was fine. And and look, yeah, Spencer Martin in in his time with the Canes, he gave me that sense of you know what, you can win with this guy in the net if you need to go with there’s not it’s is there a drop off? You sure it’s not Frederick Anderson, it’s not Pod Coach, but it’s not like you’re turning to a guy going, we need to score six tonight if we have any chance. Kaden Primo is a guy who not only has he won at at Laval at the AHL level, he’s won in NHL games. He knows what it takes to win. So, yeah, they’re fine. That performance was fine. And I think if you ask Rod Brymore, he’ll tell you the exact same thing. In fact, he did say the You were there last night. He did say the exact same thing. Yeah, I was the guy that asked him that question. How’d you feel about Primo? So, yeah. I mean, he’s like, he did great. Made some key saves. That’s all that’s all you can really ask for. You’re a guy who’s break glass in case of emergency. Third goal. So, nothing wrong with that. You did mention Logan Senkov. I do want to get your thoughts on this. I know it’s, you know, first NHL, you know, game experience of him being as a center, not just in training camp. I know. And Rob Brennmore said it’s kind of hard to evaluate because there’s, you know, a plethora of penalties. You can’t really assess a guy in his first world test as a as a, you know, as a center. But, I mean, he did win 56.3% of his face offs. And you know, you you know, for him, he even said it, you know, still trying to figure out how to do how to play differently as a center instead of a winger. Like what were your thoughts early on just kind of seeing, you know, it’s a small sample size, but it’s a sample size that’s like maybe it makes sense to see a Logan Stanco as a possible center. Well, I mean, this was a position that he played coming up. So, it’s not like you’re taking a guy who has never played center and you’re trying to have him play there. You know, that’s where he was as a junior. Um, and I think to give him that experience, this isn’t one of these things of, oh, we have no other options. This is a let’s see what we have in this option. And the one thing I can tell you about Logan Stanovven is he’ll put in the work. Uh, there’s there’s no question about that to want to play that position. And and I actually think the way that he app he approaches the game with his hockey IQ, he’ll be fine. Uh the only thing that the only thing that I have with the question mark that you take out of that game last night is you didn’t get enough real five on five looks at it. There were a lot of power plays and penalty kills uh for both sides. So it’s something where I don’t know what the game plan was. In fact, I actually talked with him uh earlier in the the training camp schedule and said, “Do you know what the idea is for you moving here? like are you going to play more games than you normally would have just to try to get used to it? He goes, I don’t know. We’ve talked about it a little bit. We’ll see. I wouldn’t be shocked to see him play four preseason games just because you can get more of a look and give him a look with like maybe a more NHL roster at that spot. But, uh, at at the same time, the the game w I’m gonna I’m really gonna sound old. The game’s changed, Zack. you know, the the traditional roles of, you know, where where a center plays and what they do and the how offenses flow through players. You take a look all around, it’s it’s fluid. Everybody’s moving. The D jumps into the play more than they ever have at any point in time in the history of the game. So, you have to have a guy with a good understanding of of what’s expected from his position. But really, the biggest thing that he he would probably need to work on, in my opinion, is faceoffs. It’s one game, small sample size. wasn’t Tampa’s best faceoff men that he was going up against, but if you’re on the plus side of 50%, all right, that’s a good start. So, you go from there. Yeah. And he scores scores a power play goal. I think all in all, it’s a good night. But again, I I am so hesitant to, you know, label um a player after one preseason game or hand out grades or try to predict what we’re going to see. But I can tell you this is a player who if the Canes think that he is their best option at 2C. He’s it’s if it doesn’t work out, it’s not going to be from lack of effort and and lack of of hockey IQ. The only only concern I would have with that and he’s not I hate to use the word he’s a small player. He’s short. He’s not small. He is a big man. You’ve been around him. He is He’s a fire He’s a fire hydrant. He is a uh thick with two C’s as the kids would say, right? Is that what it comes out to? So So like that. You’ve seen it. He doesn’t get moved off of spots easily, right? Not at all. And he wins battles. So I I again I think it comes down to the system that the Canes do play offensively. What are you going to get out of it? But I think you can really accentuate the parts of his game that we didn’t see a lot last year, even with Dallas, where this is a guy you give him speed, you give him open ice, he can create space, he can create really, really tough situations for the defenseman to defend because he can distribute the puck and he goes to areas where you need to score. Yeah. No, I completely agree. And like he’s he’s Yeah. He’s short, but you know, he’s a guy, like you said, he’s built like a brick house essentially, and it’s kind of hard to knock him off the buck. There was times, you know, last night where it’s like he’s it’s him on a oneon two or a oneon whatever, and he’s beating guys on board battles. And I think, yeah, it’s a small sample size, but give him, you know, a few more preseason games and who knows, maybe we’ll figure it out. And if not, there’s other guys on the line to play center. It’s it’s just it’s seeing what what does your deck of cards look like? what hand can you play that you know makes sense for your team. So all that said, we are going to talk about who’s trying to get on the bus because Rod Burnmore said in his, you know, preamp, you know, talk with the team, he’s like, “Hey, who’s going to get on the bus? Who’s going to find a seat to get ready for the regular season?” So stick around. We’ll talk about certain guys who are looking to make some noise and hopefully get on that bus here in a second on a Wednesday edition of Locked on Hurricanes. The NFL season is here and FanDuel’s making sure you’re ready for kickoff with a can’t miss offer. Right now, new customers can bet just $5. And if your bet wins, you’ll get $300 in bonus bets to use across the app. It makes every game more exciting whether you’re watching your team or just keeping an eye on your fantasy lineup. It’s quick and easy and the best way to add a little more energy to your Sundays. So, are you ready to play? Download the FanDuel app now by visiting fanduel.com to get started. That’s fanduel.com to place your first $5 bet. Welcome back to a segment two of locked on hurricanes your team every day. So like we said going into the break real quick kind of mentioned you know there’s this three different races to you to go through. You got the preseason, you got the 82 game marathon and we got the playoffs and who’s trying to get on the bus. And for me I think it’s more of like you know we you know the AHL guys are going to make it. Most of the roster seems pretty set, but there’s all those bubble guys or maybe those guys that maybe were under the radar that could surprise a lot of people. From one of them, for me, I think that it’s Charles Alexis Lgo is kind of almost put himself into a position for a right-handed shot defenseman that the Hurricanes are kind of thin in that area. Like what what have you seen for him that, you know, he’s 6’4, 215, gives that size, but also has a little bit more offensive side to him? What have you seen from Charles Alexis LGO that could be like maybe this guy could make some noise and maybe push his win out of the roster at some point if it’s not out of camp? He’s 64. He’s 215 and he’s a right-handed shot Zack. That’s that’s what I’ve seen so far in training camp. Now what I will he’s he’s a player I have to go back to last year and you know his time around the team and his time in camp and then what you see and then did he apply any of the things that he had learned in camp in that prospect tournament during the course of the year. You know he held his own in in Chicago in the AHL and and we brought that up a little bit earlier for my money and this isn’t disrespect there are a lot of really good leagues around the world now. I mean, the Swiss League is good. The Swedish Elite League is still good. KHL is phenomenal. We we know that with talent. The AHL, for my money, is the second best league in the world because you are one step away from playing in the NHL when you get to that level. not and you know and again that’s not dismerging any of the other leagues but for me for Lego I watched that prospect tournament this year and he you want in those situations your guys to look different than the other team’s guys meaning oh he’s skating better he’s reading the play better he jumps up in the play he passes better he accepts passes better all of those little things that you’re looking for Lego to me it wasn’t that he was a different player everything that he did well he did better this year in the prospect tournament. And I thought that in that game on Monday night against Tampa, he didn’t do anything that I looked at and said, “Oh, well, he’s not ready uh for the NHL.” I just think that he’s 20 years old. He’s going to need more. Uh and there’s nothing wrong with with, you know, letting I there’s the the saying, let someone cook. Well, in this case, let somebody bake a little while longer. You know, don’t don’t take it out until it’s ready to go. And could he play this year? I I wouldn’t be shocked to see him in a Canes uniform at some point this year. Is he ready now? Is that what’s best for the Carolina Hurricanes? Well, there’s a lot of other things and you’ve already brought it up that uh we will get to. Um but I look at the way that this defense is set if everybody’s healthy, let him play the big minutes in in Chicago and then get ready to to get the call up here. But he is the player who I think that you have to you keep an eye on. Another player on on the blue line is Dominic Vensori. Um he’s he’s in that he’s in that same situation uh that we could talk about with some other players. If Dominic Vensori was 6’1, I don’t know if we’re having questions about does he go to the AHL? The question is where does he slot in as a power play player or wherever for an NHL team. Um so to back to your original question for LGO, he might not be on anybody’s radar. he should be and I think he’s going to get plenty of opportunity this preeason to continue to play better. You know, he wasn’t perfect on Monday night. He had a few things that I’m sure and they’re good teachable moments, but teachable moments that you want to have corrected, but at the same time, he’s got he’s got the natural ability when it comes to the measurables. He’s a good skater. The right-handed shot is, I think, something that’s important. Every team is looking for it, and the Canes really do like to have that balance on the blue line. Uh he’s a player who I don’t know if he is going to find himself on the NHL bus this year, but uh he’s definitely going to be at the bus station at some point on the tour. Yeah. No, I completely agree. And and I know you know guys should give a shout out to Matt S. Those guys from Kane’s prospects, they’ve been on him for a while and I’ve been kind of watching you like you said last year and even through the prospect showcase. He’s popping off the screen a lot more and like okay yeah he’s 6’4 215 but he’s he uses his size. he’s getting a little bit more offensive minded, you know, bite to his game. So, it’s gonna be fun to watch him play. You mentioned Dominic Fensori, you know, was a captain at BEu, you know, played last year, like you said, with Chicago as well. And, you know, you got to give, you know, An um Spyro Anastasio a lot of credit for what he’s done as the defense coach in Chicago to get these guys ready. And, you know, he prides on his guys being ready for a call up if they need to be. So, yeah, definitely two guys to keep an eye on. And it’s interesting too because you know if we’re talking defense and when you go and talk about forwards the the name that comes up a lot is Bradley Ndau and got to give you know credit to Ryan heckle he’s said it a lot we know the kid can score goals it’s just how’s the rest of his game going to play out you know how is he going to be on the PK how’s this two-way game going to be and I still you know there’s still some room to grow there but I think you know with Bradley Nadau or even you know Justin Robot the Hurricanes are in a spot with if they need to reach down to the AHL, bring their guys up. There are some players that Yeah. Again, have a chance. But Zach, we’re talking about another player who what just turned 20 years old, right? Which is crazy to think. Yeah. So, again, there’s there’s no reason to rush and let them figure out the hardest part of playing in the NHL. You know, we can sit there and say it’s it’s scoring goals. It’s all the other stuff. It’s playing off the puck. And also, by the way, um I have learned this week that anything that Matt S from uh Kane’s Prospects, it’s all from his dog. We’ve learned that it’s on Twitter. You can go check that or whatever that site is. Great stuff by the dog. I mean, that that is the most truthful dog I’ve ever seen in my life. Uh no, really good stuff. There’s so many good sites now around this team that that’s the exciting thing for me. You go there. Ryan Hankle, if Ryan is watching, he knows I call him a yellow journalist, but he’s outstanding at his job. Uh and He, you know, he’s one of these guys who they’re at practice every day. You know, guys like Ryan, Cory Lavallet, and I’m I’m there every day. Those are the people you’re going for sources, the people who scour over the film, uh, like Matt, where he has that time to to do that. You can pick up something, like I said, you’re looking for something for a prospect that they do exceptional. And for Bradley Nadau, there are guys in the NHL that wish they could shoot the puck the way he can. It’s It is heavy. is off the stick in a blink and he knows where to put the puck. It’s accurate. He is he is not gonna have a problem finding the back of the net in the NHL. Now, I’m not predicting him to be Mike Bossy or Yarm or Yagger or Brett Hall. Like, I’m I’m not saying he’s going to step in and score 40 or 50 because here’s the thing. Guys like that, they’re in the league. But for a player like Bradley Nadau, it’s you’re that good in junior. You don’t have to play defense because you always have the puck, right? you. That’s the one thing when you you talk about young players who were so good and they put up all these points. They have to learn how to defend. They have to learn how to play in their own zone. They have to and here’s the harder part. They have to learn how to play away from the puck. Meaning, they’re not cheating for offense. They’re not out of position. They’re where they’re supposed to be. And once he figures it all out, I mean, he has got a top six forward with his skill set written all over him. So, he’s the guy who I I again, if we’re playing this game of do you think we’re going to see him this year? Yeah, I do think we’re going to see Bradley Nad. We saw him last year, real small sample size, but if he continues to put the work in in the job that this organization does, that Peter Herald does working with these players in the organization, it’s this is for and in my tenure since I’ve been around the team, this goes all the way back to 2007. This is the deepest the organization has ever been. Meaning, if you do have to go to your 14th, 15th forward, you’ve got guys who can play in the NHL. If you need to go to your ninth or tth defenseman, you’ve got guys who can give you minutes and can play in the NHL. Now, you don’t want to go there and I don’t want to send anything different, but a player like Nadau, a player like Roba, it it’s you watch them against their age group, you know, that prospect showcase when they were on the ice, they were the best line. You know, they were getting their opportunities and they were very good in their own zone. Now, it’s can you start to do it at that next level. That’s the question that’s out there. And look, Nidau has a a bad turnover in that game against Tampa the other night. Now, do you shake it off? Do you learn from it? Uh, I like Felix Unerstorm back to the wing. I think that that’s going to be a place where he is not built for, but he’s more comfortable. I know he can play the middle. They were trying that out last year, but you put him in a position where he’s comfortable. All you want out of these young guys is to get better in the aspects of the game that don’t really translate to the stat sheet for us, Zack. And that’s where this organization has really come a long long way in developing players because for many years, you know, Bradley Nadau would have already been in the lineup because the Canes would have needed him. Now you have a chance to let him play and he’s he’s fine with it. He he’s like, “Yeah, when I’m ready, I’ll be ready.” And he wants to he’s either going to get his way on the team because he’s earned the spot or the spot’s there and he goes and he takes it. Yeah. And and that’s the great thing to have with that mentality. Like you said, it’s like, hey, whenever they were ready for me, I’ll be there ready to do. And like you said, shout out to the development guys over at the Hurricanes for doing what they do. And also, how about, you know, with the fact Darren York and the amateur staff drafting so late, late first, maybe they trade out of go to the second and third and they’re finding all these gems. Like you said, this is the deepest team to have and that’s a this is a great problem to have. We have so many guys, not enough roster spots. What do we do? Well, we have a plethora of guys to pick from. who’s ready to take that next step. So, it’s definitely a good thing to have for sure. So, and I’m glad that you mentioned Darren I’m glad that you mentioned Darren York, too, and the phenomenal job he has done with the amateur scouting department for the Carolina Hurricanes and the players that, you know, they get a bunch of darts, but they know exactly where on the board they want to throw them. Exactly. Some It’s just pinpoint accuracy and it’s like, all right, who’s who’s the next guy in the in the, you know, hay bell that we’re gonna find that maybe people didn’t have on their radar. So definitely a good thing to have. So all that to be said, what are some early takeaways from camp when it comes to just who’s with like who is with a certain trio, who’s paired with who and all that stuff. So stick around. We’ll talk about some early takeaways in a second on a Wednesday edition of Locked on Hurricanes. Welcome back to a segment three of Locked on Hurricanes, your team every day. All right, so Mike, I want to get your thoughts on a few things. What’s some early takeaways from camp? You know, we kind of already mentioned it with Logan St at the 2C. He is with Andre Fetchov and Jackson Blake. And I actually did get to talk to Jackson Blake after their main group morning skate and try to get his thoughts on, you know, what it’s like playing with, you know, him, you know, talking about Stink Coven and Fetchov. And he mentioned the fact that he’s had some time with Fetch. He’s had also time with Taylor Hall and Sebastian Najo, but he’s really enjoying playing with Logan St. What have for you from what you’ve seen for the last few days and I know it’s a small sample size and all that but what is kind of like your takeaway for early on with Spetch Stanov and Blake kind of being that second line for the Hurricanes behind the line that seems like a it’s getting a lot of att Andre especi talking about players trying to continue to to take that step forward that something unlocks in him and you know we’ve all been waiting for does he have that you know 35 40 goal season but the way he’s built he’s going to be the locomotive on that line with Stanovven and Blake and it’s it’s practice Zack I would love to tell you that you know this looks like the you know the second coming of the legion of doom uh the Lindro Uh, if only if only. I mean, I’m just I’m I’m going I’m going down these roads, but you know, it’s practice. There’s only You just want to see do they mesh? Do they gel? And yeah, in practice they do because you’re almost supposed to if you’re an NHL player, right? You’re almost supposed to do it’s almost supposed to look like this. You’re you’re supposed to do the job the way that it looks. So again, it’s an early return. Now, does that mean that you can’t put a Taylor Hall up on that line? here’s a guy who was drafted overall and you can throw throw things out there, but I mean for right now, yeah, it’s that’s the second line on paper and and that’s how they are are going about it. Yeah. It’s it’s I I would much rather say um it’s it’s a line, you know, it’s everybody is looking for the two, whatever. I like the parts of it. You’ve got a guy who I think can be a a really good playmaker. In fact, two of them uh when you’re looking at it in Sankov and Blake, Andre Feschnikov’s a pretty good playmaker, too. Uh we put we put the added onus on him of being the goal scorer, but you know, there’s a right mix that’s right there. You just have to see how it’ll work together. And again, it’s more than just the offensive side of things. Is this a group that you can start in your own end and and trust them to, you know, be that kind of complete line? So, again, small sample size. Um, it’s it’s one of my favorite things. Uh, I think I’ve said this to you in the past before. You’re like, “What does this guy look like?” I’m like, “He looks like a defenseman. What do these three look like?” They look like a line. Exactly. It’s like what that what that project that projects to I would like to see I need to see that play together in a game then whatever I can far it out of it for practice. You know it again practice is fine but you know that is really it’s a controlled set of circumstances uh that it’s it’s for the scientist nerds who are out there right it’s the it’s the control group of the experiment it’s not the it’s not the wild cards who are here but uh it’s I like the mix of it but again it’s something before I can I think even Rod will tell you before you can say oh yeah I think this is what it’s going to be. You really need to see it in real competition. No, 100%. It’s like we’re talking about practice. So, yeah, it’s not a game. Not a game. Practice. But, yeah. So, I mean, it’s just it’s just interesting when you kind of look at because, you know, that was one of the big questions. And now it’s like, you know, if you don’t have Stanov in there, you know, where do you put one of the other wingers farther down the line because you have so many wingers and stuff like that, but you get Jackson Blake who’s kind of in the top six after a great rookie season. He, you know, said he feels relieved knowing that he can just focus on hockey for the next nine seasons and just take it day by day and get better. And, you know, great guy to talk to, you know, was awesome being able to talk to him for a little bit, just kind of get his mindset of going from I tried to make the team last year. Now it’s just get better and that’s all you can really ask for out of him. And now looking on the defense and I know a lot of people have been kind of concerned with the fact that there’s been a lack of Jaylen Chaffield. We did see Jacob Slavven for the first time on the ice in a yellow no contact on Monday. You know, kind of just, you know, going through the motions, participating somewhat, but not a lot. And people are wondering, well, why are they out? You know, is this going to be, you know, maybe a problem come opening night? And from guys I’ve talked to, it doesn’t seem like anyone’s really concerned. It’s just, you know, they’re sore. They went hard in the off season. there. Why push two of your top four defenseman into a preseason game that doesn’t really matter? Like, why should people not be so worried about not seeing Slavven and Sheffield in the first few days of camp and maybe not even see them in some preseason games? You’ve already answered it. I mean, you just you really did. There’s no reason to push these guys now. None. Zero. Uh for Jacob Slavven, uh he is a player who I can honestly tell you I don’t think has to play one single second of a preseason game and I don’t think he needs too many practices and you can drop him in the game and he’s going to be good to go. His hand eye coordination’s for my money the best amongst any blue liner in the NHL when it comes to the things that he does and how he defends. Uh for Jaylen Chhatfield, you know, he did play a little bit early in training camp and now just a few things here and there. And the reason why you shouldn’t be concerned is because the team’s not concerned. You know, if there was a concern, you would be hearing, you know, you would be hearing the Canes are kicking the tires to look for, you know, another defenseman or, you know, this is something that isn’t out there. You haven’t heard that. And again, they’re around the team. It’s not that they’re not here or they’re, you know, having to deal with something and they’re all of a sudden you hear somebody’s in Switzerland having to deal with something. No, they’re all here. They’re all around the team and whatever is nagging them. And the other part about it, folks, it’s this is going to be counterintuitive because we’re in the middle of it, but preeason, every passing year with the way that these athletes take care of themselves is becoming less and less important than what it used to be. Like, you used to need a month and a half in 10 games in the preseason to get in shape and get ready to play because of just the way things are. Now you need I think a week and a half I if that. Um some of these guys just play one or two games to get their hands back to get their timing uh with how they you know the timing mechanisms of the game making changes things like that. But these guys are are elite athletes and you know what if somebody’s had a procedure in the off season why rush him back? You know if if the doctors say you know six weeks he’s fine but if you can give him seven will he be better? All right then give him seven. And you don’t have to push. You know what you’re getting too in Chatfield in Slavven and I know that Keandre Miller has, you know, been in and out with the yellow jersey in training camp, but he’s been on the ice. You know, you’ve had a chance to see him and see what he can do. In fact, there was a drill the other day where I was just marveling why I was watching him specifically and his footwork is unreal. Like he picks him up and puts him down and gets to where he needs to go. But again, if these guys, if something doesn’t feel right, why are you pushing it now? These games mean nothing. No, nobody nobody gets a free pass to the Stanley Cup playoffs because you went 4-0 in the preseason or 6-0 in the preseason. You want to be as healthy as you possibly can for opening night. You want your your roster to be set. So, that’s why there should be no concern about this at all. again because there’s no concern coming from the team. And I know that I work for the team, I get that, Zack, but if if there was something to be worried about with these guys, you know, if if there was no timeline, if Rod Brymore would address us after every practice and be like, “Well, I don’t know about the start of the season.” When he’s saying if we needed him to play tomorrow, he could, that’s good enough, I think, for me, for everybody. Because that’s the way it is. But you don’t need them to play tomorrow. You need them to play October 9th. So, let these guys get to the spot where they need to be physically because this season, especially when we get past the Olympic break and you get to that really condensed schedule, you’re going to need everybody to be as healthy as they possibly can be. And a player like Jacob Slavven, we know he’s going to the Olympics. So, give them time to be ready and and be at his best when you keep score. You know, if you keep score, you want to win the game. But when the games really do count, when they attach points to him at the end of it, that’s when you need Jacob Slavven. That’s when if there was a a any thought that Slavven or Chatfield might not be ready for the regular season, there’d be a concern. But from what I’ve seen in the way that they’ve been around the team, there’s there’s no concern about it. At least at the time of you and I talking about this right now. Yeah. No, and I completely agree. And like I said, for me it’s if the team is saying that, hey, we’re just, you know, let them rest up and get ready for game one. Okay, they’re getting ready for game one. I’m not worried about them. We know how good they are. And there’s that conversation. You know, Jacob Slavven should have some Norrises by now, but that’s a whole different time for another 50-minute podcast. Talk about how great Jacob Slavven is because he’s just that great. One other, you know, guy, a couple other guys I want to talk real quick with you before we go is the fact that, you know, we talked about the defense. You know, they want that balance of lefties and righties. But unfortunately, right now, you got really I think if the math is correct, you’re talking five lefties and two righties. And they got to figure out who are we going to put on the offside. Four and two. Sorry. Yeah. So, well, I think the seventh defenseman of Mike Riley. Look at you. All right. Yeah. You’re going you’re going way into it all. I’m just talking about the top six. Yeah. Yeah. Top six. Yeah. Well, yeah. Top six. Yeah. you’re going four and two, but if you’re looking at your possible seventh and if it’s Mike Riley, he can’t play on both sides. But that leads into my question. You know, we we know if they have put if they have to put Jacob Slavven over there, he’s going to be he’s going to be fine. It’s Jacob Slavven. He’s the best defensive defenseman in the league. There’s no argument. It’s just facts. But let’s say that there is someone else who might have to go there. Why does it make sense to look at maybe Shane Gossphere being that guy to go on to the right side because he’s done it before? And if you have to pair him with the Kishian, which we’ve seen so far through camp, why does that make sense? If it’s not Slavven, why could it be Ghost to be on that right side to play on his offh hand and just roll with it? Because that would be, and again, part of the answer was in your question, he’s done it before. Uh, but the the other the other part of it is the Shane Gosses Bear, Alexander, Nikeshan pairing, you can give them sheltered minutes, especially at home. Uh, and and I think that’s why you do it. And I think the top four is set. The top four is whatever the mix of Shawn Walker, Jacob Slavven, Jaylen Chhatfield, Kandre Miller. That’s your top four. And I know that Alexander Nikes had an unbelievable hit on Monday night in in the game on Dylan Duke. Welcome. Welcome to Raleigh. Both Dylan Duke and Alexander Nikian with Oh, yeah. Again, the the reason why that makes sense is you let Nikeshan play his his normal side. He gets to play his natural side. Gospar, he can play his offside and you’re not counting on them to go play 20 minutes a night against the other team’s top line. So, that’s why it’s one of the things that makes sense if that’s going to be the pairing that the way you go with it. And plus, you need Goss to spare. He’s going to quarterback your top power play. And it gives Nikeshan more room to grow in in in the league and with the team. So that’s why I mean I’m not Could you put Miller and Slavven together? Absolutely you could. Oh yeah. Whoever wants to play their offside could do it. Um but you know then you’re you’re going to put Nikes probably with Chatfield and you’ll keep Goss with Walker like we saw last year. That’s the one good thing too about this Zach is the Canes do have those possibilities if they want to. Yeah. Um, but I did like what I saw last year, albeit in the playoffs of Walker playing with Slavven. I thought that that was a a pairing that looked good. I like Every year Jaylen Chatfield takes another step up in his game. Oh, he does. So, we’ll see. We’ll see where that goes. But just naturally, it’s you want to give you want to give especially young players every opportunity to succeed. And for me, for Nikesian, you play him on his natural side and you let him play. And I know that people are gonna if if somebody has a giveaway and they’re not named Alexander Nikian, fans are going to say he should be playing in this role or he should have more minutes. But you want him to play and then get to the point where everything that he does, there’s no thinking about it. He’s just playing the game, playing the game the way that he can. And that’s why partnering him him up with an NHL veteran and Shane Gostaspar making Shane Gospare having Gospar play his offside. It’s the the one thing right now the way that the team is built that you’d look at and say, “Okay, that one it makes the most sense to start the season that way.” No, I completely agree. It does because they, like you said, gives them, you know, you’re not having to throw them out there to the wolves of, you know, excess amount of minutes and stuff like that. But there is that flexibility if you need to go and Shane seems up. There is that chance and you know that leads into the power play of like yeah you got Shane Gospar as your power play one quarterback. But you look at the power play two group that you’ve we’ve seen a little bit. You know it’s Miller and Aeshan. That’s that’s not a bad duo to have as your power play two defense because you don’t really see a lot of teams roll with two defenseman on your second power play unit. But with Miller and Aesian, hey, that’s not bad at all. You’ll be happy with that. You still have your forward group of Hall St and Blake. Okay. Then you look at the top power play in it. It’s Eer’s, AO, Jarvis, Fesikov with Ghost. Now you’re playing with house money at that point. Now you’re looking at two stacked power play groups instead of one. And uh we’ll see how it works out. So yeah. So I think there’s there’s a lot there’s a lot of great versatility and flexibility with the Hurricanes. That’s what that’s what’s so great about this team that I still think that people aren’t realizing is that yeah, there’s rules, but there’s flexibility within the roles for the Hurricanes because they can just move guys around if they need to to make it work. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, that’s the it’s the strength of the team, Zach. Yep. 100%. But Mike, this was a lot of fun. I appreciate you taking the time to talk to me. I know you’ve, you know, we’re kind of ramping into the season a little bit more into the preseason before we get to the actual marathon run and all that stuff and doing all that, but before we let you go, you know, obviously people can kind of know where to find you, but if they don’t know, where can they find you? And, you know, what would you say to fans right now as we’re kind of, you know, starting the preseason, as we’re just now, I think we are about when this drops on Wednesday, 15 days away from the start of the season. What would you say to the fans right now? Uh, get ready. It’s going to be, again, it’s a marathon, not a sprint. Um, it’s I know how disappointing it is when your favorite team doesn’t go 82 and 0 to join all those other great teams that did. Um, but this is a this is a really, now that the the sarcasm’s out of the way, this is a really good team and I’m expecting a really good season for the Canes for 82 games. But again, we know what they’re going to be measured on. fair or not, it’s their success in the postseason. But, uh, this is a team that again, if everything stays the course the way that it should, you’re talking about going to a postseason for an eighth consecutive year. Um, that alone, and think about it, it’s they’ve gone seven straight years, right, Zach? B, by my math on this one, they’re going for going for an eighth. Um, you you’ve got so many young players on this roster who can continue to develop, but you’ve got that really good veteran mix. Uh now it’s just all about getting out and and playing the regular games and this team playing the way that they know that they’re capable every night, which is they play hard and they have a chance to win every night. Rare is the game where the Canes are really on the wrong side of a lopsided score. Uh they give you a chance every night. They give themselves a chance to win. So it’s a really good team and you know there are not questions for me per se like oh my gosh this is if this doesn’t happen what happens here? But there’s a few things that need to happen and you know there’s some storylines that’ll probably by the time we hit November, you know, after the first 10 11 games of the season, we’ll have everything answered for where the Canes are as a team. But a lot of good young players to keep your eye on. And again, this is for my money. If they’re not if they’re not a Final Four team, again, I’m going to be really shocked. Uh there’s one team I always you’re the champ until somebody beats you. So I give the respect to the Florida Panthers for that. the the team that’s right behind him in the East is the Carolina Hurricanes. Yep. No, couldn’t agree more. Yeah, it’s you know, we’re talking two of the last three seasons, the Eastern Conference Finals, three of the last seven. I mean, hey, and you’ve won a first round or qualifier, seven out of seven. That says a lot for the Carolina Hurricanes. And you know, the error of Rod Baltimore and you know, there’s the questions of does the system work? It’s proven that it does when you’ve gone the distance multiple times. It’s just are you getting the luck? That’s kind of where are you getting the bounces? And that’s hockey for you. It’s weird. Stuff happens. But either way, it is what it is. But like you said, like I’m ready for the marathon. The summer’s been on too long. Thankfully, we have less preseason games next year and all that stuff. But for right now, we’re like I said, 15 days away. It’s going to be fun. Get ready for that marathon, everyone. With that being said, this is the Wednesday edition of Locked on Hurricanes. Thank you for making your first listen in the day. If you’re a second listener, check out the Locked Onel podcast where there is no offseason bringing you the daily white stories that matter the most with the local covers you love from Locked on Fil on YouTube or listen to your podcast. If you want to keep up with me, I’m a one year Zach X. I’m also on blue sky at the Zachary Martin and the podcast is l_hures. If you do click the link tree in my bio, you can find all of my ring content at thehocker.com. Just did some with Jackson Blake the other day. Going to do some recaps and takeaways from the game from Monday night and a lot more coming as we get closer to the season. If you want to check out my other podcast, it’s the search cast on all podcast platforms and on YouTube for Locked on Hurricanes. We’re on Spotify, Google, Apple, iHeart Radio, wherever you listen to your podcast. Leave a fivestar rating review cuz I might just radio on the show for YouTube. Locked on Hurricanes. Subscribe. Hit the bell notification so I miss a show. Hit the thumbs up to let me know if you like the episode as well, especially with Mike Moscow on the show. It’s always a good time. So, make sure to hit that thumbs up button for that. Share with other Keniacs who become everyday just like you. But hope everyone enjoyed the Wednesday edition of Lock on Hurricanes with Mike. Enjoy your Wednesday. Get ready for another preseason game as they take on the Florida Panthers in the community game. So, make sure if you are going, do so. If not, make sure to watch or listen on the radio because it’s always a good time hearing Mike and Trip calling your Carolina Hurricanes. And until next time, as always, let’s go Kes.

We’re one preseason game down after a chaotic start. What are the takeaways from the game and even during the first few days of training camp? There are some storylines that need an inside perspective, especially about guys who are looking to jump onto the Carolina Hurricanes bus for the 2025-26 season. On the Wednesday Edition of Locked On Hurricanes, host Zach Martin and Hurricanes Play-by-Play Announcer Mike Maniscalco start the show by discussing what they saw in the first preseason game for the team. Who stood out and what caught their eyes following a wild start to the preseason? Secondly, Zach and Mike discuss certain players who are trying to fight their way onto the bus. Who on the defense and forwards are making a case so far? Finally, Zach gets Mike’s thoughts on what he’s seen through the first few days of camp. The guys talk about the forward lines and who will be paired with whom on the defense. All of that, and more, on the latest episode of Locked On Hurricanes.

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