Canes at Preds preseason, 9-23

[Sasha Cares]

Originally Posted by ncpuckhog

If healthy, I see no reason Cole can't be a 20/20 guy. The 2 questions for me are 1) Will Maurice really use him in that mode and 2) if he is used as a forechecking winger, can he stay healthy?

I am not a big Cole fan, but I wouldn't classify myself as a hater either as I'd really like to see him do well. If he'd play the "forechecking winger" style more often rather than try that same move at the blue line, if he backchecked hard, and if he skated harder to the bench during shift changes, etc... I'd have no problems with him.

All players have their warts so I don't want to sound like I am picking on him specifically, but when you get paid $3M, aren't staying healthy, and aren't producing points...those warts stand out more.

You expecting 15 ENG I assume

[bleedgreen]

Originally Posted by Blueline Bomber

He's proving the haters wrong by getting injured before the season begins and being able to score into empty nets?

Just stating my opinion. I've been right more than wrong around here, ill put my money on Cole and eat some crow if I'm wrong.

[caniac247]

Originally Posted by Hurricane_SVT

I just got home and saw Cole scored... I said, I bet it's an empty netter... LOL...

Give him some credit. He did have to beat the other guys on the ice to grab the puck and put it in the EN.

[Boom Boom Anton]

Originally Posted by Hurricane_SVT

You expecting 15 ENG I assume

No..but the real variable is really if he can stay healthy. I don't have confidence that he can, but if he could, I can see 20 goals.

[Blueline Bomber]

Originally Posted by bleedgreen

Just stating my opinion. I've been right more than wrong around here, ill put my money on Cole and eat some crow if I'm wrong.

But I don't see how his performance last night affected that opinion. Nor do I see that opinion being a point of controversy either.

Even the "haters" realize that Cole's rarely, if ever, going to play the 4th line this year, and with the exception of the tests we'll run with him playing on Staal's line, he'll be "a second or third line forechecking winger with maybe occasional second unit pp duty'.

The point of contention is how much goals/points he'll put up and how many games he'll play, the latter greatly affecting the former. If you believe Cole's going to have the injury troubles he's had in the past (and he's off to a great start so far ), the 20-30 goal predictions seem a little high.