During the season, Checkers broadcaster Jason Shaya checks in each week with his 10 Thoughts - a series of observations about the team and the hockey world in general.
1. Warren Foegele stepped up the last few weeks of the regular season and not only scored some huge goals, but played all-around great hockey. No one brings more energy to the game than Warren. His size and speed, in combination, make him difficult for opposing defensemen to deal with. A kid who plays like he does can absolutely be a factor in a seven-game series. I wouldn’t be surprised if he comes up with some big moments against the Caps.
2. The final two games in Cleveland won't have any impact for Charlotte in the standings. They will have home-ice advantage for however far they progress in the playoffs. That is the complete opposite of the Monsters, who are battling for their lives this weekend. They are one point up on the fifth-place Belleville Senators with a game in hand. Cleveland will essentially be in playoff mode come puck drop on Thursday night.
3. The Checkers took some much needed rest this week and I assume head coach Mike Vellucci will give them a day or two off after the regular season is officially over. There are players who need to heal some nagging injuries before the grind of the postseason begins. At this moment, no injury seems bad enough to sound an alarm. But the depth of this team is already being tested and we haven't even reached game one of the first round.
4. Zack Stortini was announced as part of the starting lineup on Sunday afternoon and the fans in the Coliseum started roaring. The same happened after he wrestled Bobby Farnham to the ice and flexed his bicep skating to the bench. Stortini was moved to the first line with Morgan Geekie and Alexi Saarela in the third period and nearly scored his first goal of the season while finishing a hit on anything that moved in a Springfield sweater. As the game ended in victory, Stortini took a lap as the number one star and everyone stood to applaud the best player on the ice that night. A great moment that won't soon be forgotten.
5. The Hurricanes and Capitals go to battle in game one on Thursday night. If the Caps look past the Canes thinking it's going to be an easy series, they're going to be surprised. Justin Williams, Jordan Staal, Micheal Ferland are just a few of the Hurricanes who aren't going to be intimidated – even by the defending champs. Petr Mrazek is playing the best hockey of his career right now and the hockey world will soon realize that the Canes are maybe the fastest team in the league. This might look like David vs Goliath on paper but remember – David won that fight. It will take Carolina’s best effort to defeat Washington and Sebastian Aho must rise to the challenge to make it happen. The Hurricanes made a living this season surprising everyone, so why stop now?
6. By the time the weekend is over, I am predicting Aleksi Saarela, who is making his case to be an NHL player every game, will have scored over 30 goals this season. When he shoots the puck with confidence and hits the net, he's a threat to score every single time. But the best part of this season for Aleksi is that he rounded out his game and became more of a complete player. He told me in an interview earlier this season that his dedication to the defensive side of the game made it possible for him to have the puck more in the offensive zone. If the Checkers make a run in the postseason, he will be relied upon heavily by Vellucci.
7. Senior VP of Hockey Ops for the Checkers Derek Wilkinson helped find college recruit Scott Davidson out of Quinnipiac University. Wilkinson says Davidson is an energy guy who skates well and is physical. He is a solid penalty killer who was relied upon by a top team all four years of college. The team also signed Northeastern defenseman Eric Williams to a PTO and with Roland McKeown out this weekend, it's possible Williams makes his pro debut in Cleveland.
8. Last year, Charlotte's penalty kill ranked 24th in the AHL. This year, it will likely end as the league's best. One of the key factors is assistant coach Ryan Warsofsky, who is in charge of the PK. Warsofsky, working in tandem with Vellucci, has really helped propel this team to it's record breaking season. He is a young coach who will be at the helm of his own AHL team soon enough.
9. Bob Cole has retired from hockey broadcasting after 50 years. He's the greatest of all time. Here is my tribute to the man that I wrote in 2014. Not to pump my own tires but I've always believed I am a writer first and whatever else I do is a distant second.
10. The final two games of the regular season take place in Cleveland so tune in for them! The pregame show starts at 6:45 p.m. both nights. The next time we talk here, we'll be in the playoffs... and then, it's a whole different story.
