Can Kristen Laviolette stay if Peter has to go?

Peter Laviolette gets canned this morning. Shock and awe prevails. I'll miss Coach Lavi and wish him the best. I'll also certainly miss his lovely wife Kristen.

Replaced by Paul Maurice? Really? Is that the best choice?

Reaction thoughts will be posted tonight.

The Annual State Fair road trip so far

Ah yes, it's that time of the year again. The leaves are changing, the air is cooler - and the NC State Fair has come once again to triumph over Raleigh. The Hurricanes have to travel for a season-long road trip every October as the world's biggest state fair is in town. From the outside of NC, this may seem silly.

'Well, they probably won't schedule their hockey games to interfere with the NASCAR race, so why not let the farmers and carnies run them out too?'

Those of us living within the vicinity of the RBC Center can understand why they don't schedule games during this 2 week Fair time. Your drives home are thwarted on the beltways and interstates by out-of-towners not sure which exit to take for the fairgrounds. Co-workers constantly ask you, "So, you make it to the fair yet?".

Well actually, no I haven't. Don't plan to make it. When the State Fair was more about farmers, food and the NC goodness - and less about too many people in one place - I was all about it. Maybe I just can't deal with scattering grounds of these:
Thus endeth the anti-carnie rant. But if there were any Hurricanes games going on during the fair time? Without a premiere parking pass - you may not have a tailgating spot. The NCSU students had to tailgate down the street at the University Club and catch buses to Carter-Finley for the Thursday night FSU game. No thanks.

So in two games out west - the Canes get caught in OT by a suddenly up-and-coming Kings team but slack their way past a sinking Duck squad 3-1. Here's what we know:

Hi-yo! - Leighton is 2-0 with a 1.92 GAA.

Cam Ward ain't been too shabby neither, with solid showings in both the Kings and Red Wings games.

Brandon Sutter is an excellent two-way player who will become even more valuable when he can win a faceoff.

Brindy is all that is man.

Matt Cullen, Eric Staal & Ray Whitney are progressing through this season nicely.

Tuomo Ruutu needs to stay healthy. :(

Coach Lavi doesn't need to be fired. No how no way.

Nic Wallin got tired of people thinking "you'd be on a different team without your no-trade clause" and is suddenly tied for 5th place in defenseman scoring in the entire NHL. He's been an extremely pleasant surprise through 5 games.

The Canes wanted 4, but will take 3 points out of their weekend with a content flight home before heading to the Mellon on Thursday.

Finally, here is what we also know - that YouTube user "alnova1" is a marketing genius while hilariously ripping off the "Is This The Year?" NHL commercials.

Well done, Caniacs.

On both sides for Coach Lavi's job status

Well then, at least the GM of the Hurricanes isn't trying to blow smoke up your butts in this time of Caniac depression.

Today, management held a press conference and nobody had asked my boy Jimmy about Coach Laviolette. Nobody had asked that is, until your boy Joe Ovies at 850 the Buzz chirped in with your money quotes:

for Rutherford, “everyone in our business is under review.”

-- Damn right! Everyone within the organ-eye-zation in one way or another is responsible for what happened.

"and into other interesting side issues such as David Tanabe’s status."

-- Does anyone else find it astounding that he was gone most of the year with a concussion from a hit that no one ever saw happen? As much ambiguity as the team showed with Matt Cullen's concussion(s), why was a team veteran's status - liked by the fan base or not - not communicated with the Caniac fan base?

Here's the argument on even keel for whether or not to can Coach Laviolette, better than I could ever explain myself:

Dr. Frank Lives:
Peter Laviolette did not trade away Jack Johnson.
Peter Laviolette did not sign Geoff Hamilton.
Peter Laviolette did not injure Justin Williams, Rod Brind’Amour, Chad LaRose, David Tanabe, Matt Cullen and Frank Kaberle.
Peter Laviolette DID coach us to a Stanley Cup two years ago.
Ridiculous to even consider firing the guy.
RIDICULOUS

& on the other side:

Canes1863:

I too wondered why coach L. changed the chemistry of the team when it was playing it’s best hockey of the season. That said, was he to sit Whitney and Williams, two of our best players? If things had worked out, nobody would have any problems with that decision.

The fact that Petey will start the 3rd year of his 5 year deal next season might be a factor here, but I'm pretty sure he'll be riding the Stanley Cup winning coach grace period for at least a few months into next season. But either way, I do believe I'm on Dr. Frank's side here.

Will JR resort to "The Arturs Irbe" treatment?

Since mid-November, nearly every game recap you read mentioned that the Hurricanes "are now 2-8-1 in their last..." or something similar. Throw those figures out. The boys lost to arguably the worst team in all of hockey last night while also losing their Southeast division lead.

Everyone has their ideas as to why such a talented team is struggling so badly.

Injuries - sure the Canes have been hit hard again this season with injuries. Per The N&O:

"The Hurricanes have now lost 148 man-games to injury, on pace to exceed last season's total of 250 and approach the 2005-06 mark of 267."

Coach Laviolette is correct with his "no excuses" approach to blaming injuries. Anyone remember what this team did that 05-06 season?

Goaltending - Overheard from co-blogger East of Here - Cam Ward, despite a strong start - has been referred to as a not-so-flattering "Cam Weekes". Strong sometimes, very fluky at others. However, it matters not who is in goal when the NHL's worst defense and penalty kill hang their goaltender out to dry.

Management - For all the wonderful things my boy Jimmy has done here, a killer right now are the amount of no-trade clauses within the Canes contract players. A large portion of players who come to Raleigh love living here and want to stay. Were these NTC's issued as a way to keep the players happy or a method of offering smaller figures in contract negotiations?

Complacency - This is the silver bullet, IMO. There is absolutely no excuse for a professional athlete to "take nights off". Arturs Irbe had a great finishing touch on his long career in the NHL with Carolina, backstopping the team to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2002. Next season after that? He's paid his full NHL level contract to play in the ECHL.

This team used to live by the slogan "Whatever It Takes". Is the Arturs Irbe treatment what it will take to get this team heading in the right direction? John Grahame was put on waivers, sent to the River Rats supposedly to "set an example". He feels that it was a slap in the face. What's more important here? - hurting a players feelings or doing whatever it takes to win?