Canes vs Islanders: Game 1/Round 1 tomorrow!

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Grainger. For the ones who get it done. Tomorrow afternoon, the Carolina Hurricanes will host the New York Islanders Game 1 Eastern Conference Quarterfinal Series. If it feels like we just did this a year ago, we did. Hurricanes beat the Islanders in six games last year.

Will it be different this time around? To start talking about that and the rest of the East, and who knows where else we go, the Hall of Fame voice of the Hartford Whalers and Carolina Hurricanes for 39 years, the one and only Chuck Caton joins us. Sir, it is an honor. How are you? I'm doing great. Thank you for that wonderful introduction. I don't know if I deserve it. You deserve more.

You got the facts right, though. 39 years. 39 years.

Gosh, I don't think I've done anything for 39 years. Well, I breathe. That's good.

Will it be? When you look at this series, do you look at two teams that are the same as they were a year ago, or are there serious differences from 365 days, roughly? Well, I think there are only two differences. One is an injury difference because I don't think the Islanders had their full complement of talented defenseman. And I mean, Adam Pelic, part of that at this time last year, from what I recall. And I don't think the Islanders were playing as well coming in to the playoffs this year as they did last year. I mean, they haven't lost a game in regulation over the last nine. But then again, take nothing away from the hurricanes because they've been fantastic, too, other than the blip against Columbus. And that was because lots of guys were arrested by Rob Rindamore, as you know. So, you know, two top teams going in.

And I think those are the only differences for me. And I would have to think that the Islanders probably have an incentive, as all underdogs do, of trying to turn around not only the series last year, but the fact that they were swept in 2019. I said hurricanes. So again, but I also think there's a lot of pressure on the I think Rob Rindamore would admit this, too. There's a lot of pressure on the favored team, especially when you're not even just favored to win this series, but your favor to win the Stanley Cup overall by the odds makers. So that's going to be interesting to see, Adam, how everybody handles that. And I'm going to be interested to see. I heard you talking about Freddie Anderson, whom I would expect will be the starting goaltender in the series for the hurricanes and how he is going to play.

Because I don't think you can. And actually, I also have a question about Semyon Varlamov, who I think Patrick was going to play because he's been the better of the two over Sorokin lately. So it's going to boil down to goaltending and special teams again. Yeah, well, special teams, I can't recall.

I mean, I don't remember. I could go back and look at it, but I can't recall the hurricanes going into the playoffs this good in both areas of special teams, second ranked power play in the NHL. And since December 12th, it's over 30 percent effective. That's a long sample size last 55 games.

It's about 31 percent. And the penalty kill in the last 55 games again since that game in Ottawa, where Piotr Kaczetko established himself, started to establish himself as the goaltender of the future and maybe even the present. The penalty kill is at 90 percent. I mean, those numbers are just staggering to me. The Islanders special teams have not been good. It's amazing that they have won as many games as they have. Their penalty kill is last in the league.

And the power play, even over this hot stretch the last 13 games, the power play is only clicking at about 14 percent. I'm not sure it matters, but those are indications. Well, you're right.

Does it matter is the question. And I say that, yes, it does, to a great extent, because everybody can say you have a clean slate when the playoffs start and you can forget about the regular season statistics. And that's true to a certain extent. But when you've got the confidence and the manpower that Rod Rindamore has at his disposal, especially on the power play and especially their style of penalty killing, which is very aggressive, I don't see that vacillating away at any time soon. You know, there may be an aberration in one particular game, and that's possible in a seven game series when you meet the same team. But I would be worried if I was Patrick Waugh about this, especially from the penalty killing standpoint.

It is something that you can somewhat control staying out of the box. You can say that till you're blue in the face as a coach. But I think it's easier said than done when you come under for checking pressure and zone time and all these little analytical things that everybody seems to chart today in the offensive and defensive zone. That mean a lot. I mean, I do the eye test.

I'm an old school, right? The analytics can be whatever they are. But when you see the puck in somebody's end for the majority of the game, you know they're playing well and you're under duress on the other side of it. So it's pretty simple to me. I mean, this isn't rocket science, right?

Stretch of the imagination. But you're right. I mean, again, it's goaltending and special teams that special teams is going to be a very big key, but I don't think you can turn it on and off. I mean, maybe the Islander power play can get better if they move the puck quicker and doing things they need to do with their personnel.

They've got some good people. You know, Anders Lee, Brock Nelson, Kyle Palmeri go down the list. But we also have John McClain's son killing penalties and he's been a good story to the former hurricane assistance. Of course, what a Patrick was assistant and I'd like to see a little Kyle in the Stanley Cup playoffs. I'm happy for that kid who grew up here for the several years that John was here.

Chuck Caton is joining us Hall of Fame voice 39 years of the Hartford Whalers and the Carolina Hurricanes. The hey, it's Adam Golden. I'm in studio with my friend coach Peter Rudder with the Capital Financial Advisory Group. Is it ever too soon to seek out you and your expertise? Really, there's no too soon. It's time to get serious. So if you're 50 or over, we call it the financial red zone. And that's when really it's time for you to take control of your money and make sure you have a firm on your side. That's a fiduciary planning firm, which means they take your side at all times. Now we'll do this for the next interview call.

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Investment advisory services offered by Capital Financial Advisory Group, a North Carolina registered investment advisor. The Cain's adding Jake Gensle at the deadline and Yevgeny Kuznetsov. What are your thoughts on any comparisons to an addition of a Doug Waite or a Mark Recke when they add those two pieces?

Waite was added much earlier, obviously back in January. The Recke addition was really the reaction to the Eric Cole injury. But when the Hurricanes added Jake Gensle, what did that say to you? Well, it said to me that they're extremely serious because it seems out of character from the last several years that I've been away of what the Hurricanes were going to do at the trading deadline to bolster their Stanley Cup chances, and they never really dip their foot in the water for potential rental players or guys that would potentially spend a short time. But I thought they made a brilliant trade in that deal with Pittsburgh, and I think that the bottom line on Gensle is a playoff performer. I mean, there's no doubt about it. He's got that track record, and he's won the Cup. So an excellent move. It was certainly something out of the ordinary, but I think it shows the fans here that the Hurricanes are very serious about making that full run this year, even though it's going to be difficult as it is for all 16 teams in the playoffs every year.

But that's a little different. I mean, the question you asked me was about how did that compare with weight and recce a little different here, because that team, if you'll recall, could score goals, and they were very responsible defensively. I mean, Peter LaViolette had basically the same style that Rob Rindamore does, except they were scoring goals then, and they were having a little more trouble this year scoring, even though they would dominate with 40 shots a game umpteen times this season.

It didn't translate. Well, now they've got some legitimate goal scorers there, especially Gensle. I don't know how Kuznetsov's been playing lately, but I mean, his claim to fame, obviously, was the big 2018 playoffs with the Capitals, where he was prominent in that series. So that's, I think, what the Hurricanes are hoping from him again. So I think this is more bolstering an offense here and really loading up on a power play that I think can be devastating if the Islanders and any other team they face in the playoffs take too many penalties. Yeah, even when the Hurricanes power play hasn't looked good, it's generated goals. Again, over 30% over the last 55 games.

Last couple of minutes with Chuck Caton. Who do you think the biggest threat is to Carolina? Obviously, the Islanders are the first big threat, but who else do you like out of the East? Well, I mean, that's kind of obvious for me, and I think it would be, although, you know, there are some wildcard teams in there, like, will the Toronto Maple Leafs ever play well defensively? They've got a team, but I also thought it was interesting that Auston Matthews never scored a goal against the Hurricanes, right, this season? Yeah, I don't think he did score against Carolina this year.

Maybe. But my answer to that question is obviously the New York Rangers under good friend Peter Laviolette and the Florida Panthers under good friend Paul Maurice. We're everywhere, Chuck.

I mean, it's amazing. They're calling Laviolette's playoff the reunion tour, because if they beat the Washington Capitals and the Hurricanes beat the New York Islanders, it's going to be Laviolette against two of his former teams. Well, he coached everywhere in the division. That's true. So, but the answer to your question to me is, I see the winner of the Florida Tampa series being a big threat in the Eastern Conference, besides the obvious two that I just mentioned, the Rangers and the Panthers. Yeah, I think if Carolina advances twice, I think they're going to see the Tampa Bay Lightning.

That's just my hunch. I think that even though they're a little top heavy, they're not the same, I mean, top to bottom dominant team that they've been in the past. I just think that the way they have played the last two months is a very big indicator that they are ready to kind of storm back after last year. Out west, Vegas could have been the third seed in the Pacific, except that they lost to Anaheim. So now they're the wild card too, and they draw Dallas in the first round. That is a wild first round series.

Who's the best in the west in your estimation? Well, I would have to say the Dallas Stars right now are the odds on favor to come out of there. But you know what I also thought was interesting was last night, even though the LA Kings had so much trouble, at least on the scoreboard, and the way they had to beat the Blackhawks last night in overtime with a late goal and then the overtime goal by campaign, they now have a date with the Edmonton Oilers, the Oilers having home ice. And skeptics would say, why did they want to win that game and do that? Right. This is the third straight year they've played the Oilers in the first round. They've lost the previous two. So, you know, I mean, saner heads prevail is the question. But I got a better one for you, Adam. I've heard so many people talk on your show and other hockey talk shows about the playoff format.

And I liked the one to eight, you know, ranking and then, you know, going with not the bracketing that we see today. Right. Receding. Without the ones like you who work tirelessly to keep things running, everything would suddenly stop. Hospitals, factories, schools and power plants, they all depend on you, no matter the weather, emergency or time of day. You're the ones who get it done at Grainger. We're here for you with professional grade industrial supplies. Count on real time product availability and fast delivery.

Call click Grainger dot com or just stop by Grainger for the ones who get it done. Right. But do you realize and maybe some of your listeners do that of the eight meetings, six of them would not have changed had we got that other format, right?

I mean, you've probably gone over this. The only aberration from that was that L.A. would play Winnipeg and Colorado would play Edmonton instead of vice versa. So I don't like staying in divisions.

I wish it would go one date, but I grew up when it was one through 16 and we seated because like when I grew up as an older fan, their first Stanley Cup was against the Flyers. Right. There you go.

I've done that. Well, you're that lasted for the first two years of my career. So that tells you how old both of us are. Fans didn't already know. My gosh, I shouldn't have done that. I shouldn't have made us feel so lost to the Montreal. We being the Hartford Whalers lost that year to Montreal and didn't make the playoffs the next year.

So of that format that you're talking about, the one to 16. I agree with you. I don't think it'll ever happen.

Now, you know why? Because travel coordinators will kick and screams the Brian Tatum's of the world. Our great services map of the past would have said, OK, I got to make reservations in nine different cities for my team. If we if we advance, so maybe that's one of the reasons I don't know. I agree with you.

I wish it was. It was not because it doesn't seem right to me to put a team that was not in your division. It's not a total division playoff like we knew in the old Adams division in Hartford. I mean, you had the first two rounds in your division. But now, if you're going to bring an Atlantic division team into the metro, depending on who wins, that doesn't seem right to me.

So I totally agree with you on that format. All right, Chuck. I appreciate your time. I will call you again. You are the best Chuck Caton Hall of Fame voice of the Whalers and the Hurricanes for thirty nine years. We will talk again throughout the playoffs. Hope it's a long run for all of us. All right.

I agree with that. And thank you very much, Adam. It's always great to be with you and have a great weekend.

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