Updates
The NHL will have the #Canes play short two players tomorrow and allow them two emergency exception recalls under provision 50.10(e). Those recalled under that provision don’t count against the cap, but only players with an AAV under $850k are eligible to be the emergency recall. https://t.co/5IRswFD7Ok
— Walt Ruff (@WaltRuff) December 16, 2021
The Canes will be playing with two below a full roster even AFTER using the emergency provision. This is all dependent on nobody else ending up in the protocol today.
Confirming that the morning batch of COVID-19 testing for the #Canes has come back all negative.
The team will be tested again this afternoon.
— Walt Ruff (@WaltRuff) December 16, 2021
Ruff also reported that Andersen was the first goalie off the ice, so it’s all but confirmed he’s starting.
#Canes Jack Drury ahead of his potential NHL Debut tonight: “I found out after practice yesterday I was getting called up, my family is coming and one of my friends from Harvard.”
“The message from everyone tonight is to have fun and enjoy the moment.”
— Abby Labar (@abbylabar_) December 16, 2021
Projected Lines
RED WINGS
Forwards
Tyler Bertuzzi – Dylan Larkin – Lucas Raymond
Vladislav Namestnikov – Pius Suter – Filip Zadina
Adam Erne – Joe Veleno – Taro Hirose
Givani Smith – Carter Rowney – Sam Gagner
Defense
Danny DeKeyser – Moritz Seider
Nick Leddy – Filip Hronek
Jordan Oesterle – Gustav Lindstrom
Goalies
Thomas Greiss
Alex Nedeljkovic
HURRICANES
Forwards
Nino Niederreiter – Vincent Trocheck – Martin Necas
Jesper Fast – Jesperi Kotkaniemi – Teuvo Teravainen
Derek Stepan – Andrew Poturalski
Jack Drury – Stefan Noesen
Defense
Jacob Slavin – Ethan Bear
Brady Skjei – Brett Pesce
Brendan Smith – Tony DeAngelo
Goalies
Frederik Andersen
Antti Raanta
Keys to the Game
Keep Carolina to the Outside
The Canes love to shoot the puck from everywhere and they will take every opportunity to do so. In order to minimize the damage, the Red Wings need to find ways to keep as many as they can out of the high danger areas. Look for them to potentially collapse into the middle of the ice, clog lanes and try to force a somewhat depleted Hurricanes lineup to be patient with the puck.
Quick and Smart Transitions
The other thing Carolina loves to do is to use their speed to aggressively forecheck their opponents and force them into bad turnovers, something the Red Wings have struggled with at times (especially from non-Moritz Seider defensemen). If they can transition the puck safely and quickly up to their forwards, especially when Bertuzzi-Larkin-Raymond are on the ice, they should have the space and time on the rush to find some grade A chances.
Stay Safe
The Red Wings are dealing with some of their own illness/injury issues of their own and they do not need any more.
