Can the Carolina Hurricanes get their chemistry back with all the replacements from injuries?

Can the Carolina Hurricanes get their chemistry back with all the replacements from injuries?

Jane Willis, FanDuel Sports Network, joins us on the Adam Gold Show. I know we’re going to get to the game in a in a larger picture in a second, but the silver lining for me, the biggest one is that Andre has entered the chat for the 2025 26 season. I liked his game last night. I did, too. I mean, everyone, you know, I’m getting text messages like, “Oh, you got penalty.” I’m like, yeah, they’re just those ticky tack penalties. He get called every sit. I mean, probably could have got called the other way, too. And I loved his effort last night. I thought his first 10 minutes were the best 10 minutes he’s played all season. Yep. You know, to get that many shots and Mike and I were just doing Kane’s cast a little while ago and I said, Andre is the type of player that when he’s skating and into those holes, four or five shots a night is where I want to see him on a consistent basis. Anybody’s getting that? Then the puck starts going in and starts rolling the other direction. I’m not concerned about those penalties last night. He wasn’t running around out of position and um you know, so from a good point, I like the way and liked his game last night and where he was. Yeah. And for me, yes, they were penalties, letter of the law, but by the same token, both of them could have not been called. They were. And maybe that’s just because it’s Andre. I don’t know. Maybe it’s because Carolina got the first power play and they scored immediately on it. Uh I’m not even I I’ll ask you about the power play in a second. Uh so, you know, should both of them have been called? Probably not. I thought the second one was actually more of a penalty than the first one. I thought the first one was embellished by whoever uh had his hand brutally slashed by the uh the tap of the skate of the stick blade uh from Andre. Uh, what did you think about uh Carolina’s awesome power play? Uh, two seconds. Only took two seconds to score. I love it. Just win the face off and shoot in the net. Um, yeah, we can’t get much more read on the power play last night because that was all we saw, right? Um, it’s obviously the talk of the locker room, you know, they’re looking at, they’re working on it, and it’s one of those things that just is surprising to me because of the amount of talent that you have on the ice. um the ability these players have, this goal scoring, all those type of things that it’s just not connecting at this point, plenty of time left to turn it around as you continue to watch video and look at things. Um but that’s probably the one surprise for me. I mean, the way I look at it, and look, I’m not an expert. You certainly know more about this than I do. Uh there there’s there’s puck movement, but there’s not as much player movement. I watched Vegas’s power play, and we saw four opportunities. They scored on one. Um there’s just so much player movement for them. You never know where Mitch Mner or Jack Eel or Pavle uh Dorv, you just never know where they’re going to show up. Uh they they move throughout the offensive zone so much. I’m I don’t believe that it’s uh it’s taught to be stagnant. So I just think that it’s maybe the players they just need to I don’t I I have no idea. But that to me is the biggest difference. Yeah, they definitely have a ton of movement in their power play. You know, you could argue the fact if you watch the Caps power play, they don’t move at all because they just got the shooters off the side. They’re just trying to find a seam and they’re unloading, right? which is a little bit more of a simple play, but to me when I watch the Canes, the puck movements around and who you just kind of want somebody to take the reins and rip it, right? And continue to shoot and continue to kind of almost cause, go back to our theme last year, cause chaos, right? Get two or three shots, keep getting the puck back, pass around, shoot again, and continue to just fire, fire, fire. Right now, you know, it seems like they move the puck around. Great. and it’s one shot and it’s kind of that one and done scenario we hear talked about a lot, right? Um, but yeah, I’d love to see a little bit more chaos, a little bit more movement, but definitely more shots, an abundance of shots, I guess you will and kind of quicker. I’d love to see the power plays just roll both units just back back to back. Um, and not get, you know, whistled, then you stay out there for a minute, then they get shot down, then you get a, you know, the second unit gets 20. I I just think it needs a little bit more. Shane Willis is joining us here on the Adam Gold Show. a couple of more minutes. Uh Alexander Nikeshan played 2733. I don’t think it’s a stretch to say that was his best performance as a hurricane. The uh the ice time. I always tell people uh you want to know what the head coach thought of somebody’s game, look at his ice time. Um and I mean it didn’t have to be Alexander Nesh playing 2733. Could have been Shawn Walker playing that because he’s done that already this year. Uh but I thought that was the best he’s played. I agree. I think there’s still, you know, the young guy mistakes that he’s going to make, but I think the conversation he’s been having with Tim Gleason is everyone who comes in wants to play more. He’s like, “Play me more. Play me more.” And, you know, obviously circumstance last night initiates that with, you know, the injuries in and out and then the penalties. But playing that amount of ice time, as I’ve always said from a player standpoint, it’s hard to get better if you’re sitting on the bench. So being thrown into a game like that against a very strong Western opponent in Vegas allows him to continue to gain that speed and knowledge of the NHL. There is a huge difference KHL to NHL in my opinion still a huge difference and everyone thought it was going to be a magical, you know, transition in for him. There are going to be, you know, learning curves and bumps for him along the way. But I agree with you. I liked his game against Vegas. I thought he was physical. I thought he played well defensively. And now you go in against the Islanders team, you just now want to see him start building that consistency with the amount of minutes he gets on the ice, continuing to find those areas and utilize that great shot he has as well offensively. All right, one more thing for Shane Willis. Uh you’ve scored in this league. Nick Eers has scored in this league, but he’s with a new team and he hasn’t scored through nine games. Um give me give me a sense of what he’s going through right now. I thought last night that he looked like he was pressing and he kind of crossed up Sebastian Aaho I don’t know how many times certainly two or three that led to turnovers and just loss of possession even if it wasn’t dangerous the other way. Uh that line’s got to be more dangerous. Yeah, that’s the sense I had for the whole team last night as I watched in the corner and it was tied and they had the lead. I still didn’t like the feel. I thought all of them to a whole were, you know, forcing plays and not just, you know, putting it to their strengths. And there were shifts when you saw what Rod Brenmore wants to see. But then it was just a little bit too loose with what they were doing with the puck, the way they were managing and things like that. And for a player like Elers, I looked at his stats last night before the game and talking on FanDuel and the pregame show. Same number of shots right now he has compared to last year through eight games. So I’m not really concerned about that. I think the line continues to build chemistry and he’s such a great playmaker. I think that’s one thing probably that stood out to me the most. You know, coming in, I think everyone thought about goals and scoring, but didn’t maybe realize how good of a playmaker he was. Was he a little bit off last night? Sure. Was the line a little bit off? Sure. But I still like the creativity of that line and what he brings to those two. And eventually it’s going to flip back. Someone’s going to find him. He’s going to score one and he’ll have two or three on the score sheet. I think that line is too dynamic for him not to have a goal sooner than later. But he is a playmaker, so I’m not concerned about that. I love the way he possesses the puck, but agree with you. His game along with a few others was a little too loose last night and not responsible enough with the puck. Yes, we will uh we will leave Taylor Hall alone for the rest of the day. Shane Willis, uh Hurricanes color analyst, FanDuel Sports Net. Uh I’ll see you at the rink tomorrow. Big game against Matthew Schaefer and the Islanders. I can’t wait to watch that kid. I think the youngest player in the league and he is absolutely killing it with New York. Yeah, he’s been dynamic for the Islanders. They suffered a tough loss last night in Boston after having a a solid run at home, but he is really dynamic. Bo Orvat is redot right now with his stick shooting pucks in the back of the net. So, it’s going to be a tough test. And, you know, Vegas leaves, you’re not really concerned about the West, but a Metro Division rival coming in, you want two points and kind of to write the ship. um after two straight losses. Shane Willis, my friend, I appreciate your time and see you later. Thanks, A. You got it.

Shane Willis, Carolina Hurricanes Color Analyst, joins the Adam Gold Show to discuss the Carolina Hurricanes, their recent losses, and injuries, and what they need to do as a team to turn things around with this limited roster.

This podcast is presented by Hempie’s, North Carolina’s premium hemp dispensary. Order online at hempies.co.