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2010/11 Carolina Hurricanes Predictions – Odds – Season Preview

Shea Matthews weighs in with his 2010-2011 Carolina Hurricanes Season Gambling Picks and NHL Preview, plus he provides the lastest NHL odds, Hurricanes future lines, and Stanley Cup predictions…

2010-11 NHL Predictions/Previews: Carolina Hurricanes

CappersPicks.com NHL Betting and gambling site provides the BEST Online hockey predictions for you to bet on for the 2010/11 NHL hockey season! Stick with us all season long!

2010-11 NHL Predictions/Previews: Carolina Hurricanes

CAROLINA HURRICANES
Stanley Cup odds: +6500

Is there tougher hockey team to handicap year in, year out than the Carolina Hurricanes? They win the Stanley Cup in 2006 and miss the playoffs the next season. They reach the conference final as a powerhouse in 2009 but sit out the big dance entirely in 2010.

What does 2010-11 have in store for Carolina? The ’Canes are younger but are they better?

Hurricanes general manager Jim Rutherford has made a concerted effort to make his team younger in recent years, gradually shipping out vets like Ray Whitney, Cory Stillman and Frantisek Kaberle.

The team’s offensive core is indeed now one of the league’s youngest. Eric Staal is the unquestioned star and leader of this team; a long, lanky guy who drives to the net hard, he’s entrenched as a front-line NHLer and will be for years to come. He’ll be just 25 years old on opening night yet already has four 30-goal seasons to his name.

Staal gets support from other twentysomethings like Tuomo Ruutu, a skilled yet injury-prone power forward, and the silky-handed Jussi Jokinen, who broke out with 30 goals and 65 points last season.

After that top three, however, Carolina’s attack gets a little thin. The ’Canes are younger, sure, but not necessarily all that good yet. Brandon Sutter looks like a checking center with some goal scoring ability, but he’s more Jordan Staal than Eric Staal. 2008 first-rounder Zach Boychuk has plenty of potential but the soon-to-be 21-year-old is no guarantee to succeed yet at his age.

The rest of Carolina’s forwards are a brittle, rag-tag bunch that includes Erik Cole, Sergei Samsonov and Chad LaRose. This isn’t the physical group it was just a few years ago.

I don’t really like what I see on Carolina’s back end either. Joni Pitkanen is a horse who should keep getting better; he led the NHL in minutes per game last year. Jamie McBain also flashed some major power-play potential in his brief audition late last season. After those two, however, the Canes’ blueline is no sure thing. Joe Corvo is a puck-mover but absolutely horrendous defensively; Anton Babchuk has a big shot but isn’t as capable in his own end; Tim Gleason plays hard but just isn’t all that talented.

At least Carolina’s goaltending looks solid. Cam Ward is all-world when healthy and Justin Peters was decent filling in for him last season.

Overall, I’m not sure what the fuss is about with Carolina this season. Some pundits laud Rutherford for his recent efforts and think the Hurricanes are due to bust out. I see a young team seriously lacking physicality, depth and experience. Carolina is also a house of cards given all the injury risks currently occupying pivotal roles.

Carolina will keep stockpiling young talent and eventually return to the playoffs but I definitely don’t think that will happen this season.

2010 Preseason Schedule

Day Date Opponent Time MT Venue
Tue. Sept. 21 Florida RBC Center 7:00 p.m.
Thu. Sept. 23 at Nashville Bridgestone Arena 8:00 p.m.
Fri. Sept. 24 Nashville RBC Center 7:00 p.m.
Sat. Sept. 25 at Atlanta Philips Arena 7:00 p.m.
Wed. Sept. 29 at Florida BankAtlantic Center 7:00 p.m.
Fri. Oct. 1 Atlanta RBC Center 1:30 p.m.
Mon. Oct. 4 at St. Petersburg Ledovy Arena TBA

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One reply on “2010/11 Carolina Hurricanes Predictions – Odds – Season Preview”

Gleason isn’t all that talented? WTF! Put the bong down now. He was on the Olympic team. Do ya think they just draw random names to play those games? Let’s not forget the guys who played for the bronze medal team as well. You also failed to mention anything about, what will be, the rookie of the year, Jeff Skinner. Getting this kid was nothing short of brilliant. I, like many Caniacs, are fairly new to the sport, but what I do know is that the recent rule changes make the game more about skill than they do about brute force. If they stay healthy, they will make the playoffs, and probably go to the conference finals.

Respect the swirl! Go Canes!

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