The last six years have been a trying time, to say the least, for the Carolina Hurricanes and their fans. The team has failed to reach the NHL’s Stanley Cup Playoffs every season since advancing to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2009, and that year was the only playoff appearance since winning the Cup in 2006.
This lack of success led to the replacement of long-time general manager Jim Rutherford by former captain and Hall of Famer Ron Francis, who in turn replaced head coach Kirk Muller (2012-2014) with ex-Red Wings assistant Bill Peters prior to the 2014-15 season. Many fans have clamored for major personnel changes from the new regime, but it has at first seemed content to build through the draft, with few major additions or departures of veteran players.
This is about to change one way or another, however. Francis now faces a massive decision, one that will determine the course of the franchise for years to come. A decision has to be made on the franchise’s two cornerstones since 2006, the only players leftover from both the 2006 and 2009 teams, captain Eric Staal and goaltender Cam Ward.
Both players’ contracts will end after the 2015-16 season, and they will become unrestricted free agents. Francis has two choices in front of him: sign the two to extensions to keep them in Raleigh for years to come, or move on, trade them, collecting a bounty of draft picks and prospects and committing to at least a few years of a full rebuild.
There are definitely pros and cons to trading/extending each player. Staal would be able to net the team a great package to further its youth movement, likely a good young roster player, first round pick and at least a decent prospect.
While the past two years have definitely been down years for the 30-year-old center, particularly last season’s 54 points, the lowest since his rookie year, he would still be a highly sought-after commodity as a proven top-line scorer capable of playing both center and left wing with a Cup ring on his finger.
It might also be best for the Hurricanes to simply move on. The team has missed the playoffs every season since Staal took over the captaincy from Rod Brind’Amour in 2010, and the past two seasons he simply has not brought what the team desperately needs from its captain and highest paid player. It might be best to move forward with a full-blown youth movement.
All that being said, there are also a multitude of reasons to keep him. Before the past two seasons, he scored at least an 82-game pace of at least 70 points every season since his rookie year, and at age 30 it is certainly reasonable to expect him to bounce back to those levels. This level of production is not easy to replace.
Staal has certainly proved in the past that he can lead the team deep into the playoffs, leading the entire league in postseason scoring during the 2006 cup run and again leading the team in goals and points on the way to the conference finals in 2009. Also clouding the issue is the fact that Eric’s younger brother Jordan is signed through 2023, and he might not enjoy his older brother being traded.
On top of all this is the fact that the team would lose one of its most marketable players. Go to a game at PNC Arena, and try to count all the No. 12 jerseys you see in the stands. You’ll lose track quickly. Staal sells tickets and merchandise and puts fans in the seats.
The issue of should he stay or should he go is not as clear cut with Ward as it is with Staal. The goalie is coming off a solid performance in 2014-15, but this was preceded by two injury plagued seasons where he performed below both the standards of his past seasons and his more than $6 million salary. The team might be wise to trade him while he has regained some value.
Also compounding the issue is the acquisition of young netminder Eddie Lack from the Vancouver Canucks on draft weekend. The 27-year-old goalie (Ward is 31) had a great season for Vancouver last year, finishing with a .921 save percentage compared to Ward’s .910. Lack is also a free agent at the end of the season, and there is every chance he outperforms Ward and the team decides he is their future in net.
There are also reasons to keep Ward. Like Staal, he has proven his worth as a playoff leader, winning the Conn Smythe Trophy as a rookie in 2006, playing a key role in the 2009 run and having a career regular season in 2010-11, a season in which the team missed out on the playoffs on the final day. Much like Staal, Ward jerseys can be seen all throughout the stands on 1400 Edwards Mill Rd. Trading him would definitely be a disappointment for many fans just as with Staal.
Simply put, Francis is faced with a monumental decision as training camp begins for the 2015-16 seasons, whether to hold on to his two franchise cornerstones and continue to build the team around them, or tear it down, move on and wipe the slate clean with a young core.
The question as to what happens with Staal and Ward will be asked time and again in the coming months, and the answer may well determine the team’s long term future, along with playing a huge role in shaping Francis’ legacy as Hurricanes general manager. Here’s hoping the final decision is able to pave the way for future success for a team that has seen precious little since the calendar turned to 2010.
