4.22.22 Mailbag

RALEIGH, NC. -Bring out the white flag, because we're down to just one home game remaining this regular season.
(Did I do that NASCAR reference right?)
Last night was a fun one and it was nice to see the team earn a victory when it was certainly deserved. Kudos to Eric Comrie for making it difficult, because the Canes were certainly the better of the two teams, but he kept Winnipeg in it and in the driver's seat for a while.
I digress.
The team heads north today for three games in four days against the Devils, Islanders and Rangers before coming home to round out the regular season with another meeting against New Jersey. How did we get here? This fast? We've really reached the final road games of the season, already?
Let's get to the questions.

(Please Note: Some questions have been edited for clarity.)
Why is Ethan Bear getting scratched so much? - @mattdogg53
For those who aren't up to speed, as of late there has been a three-man rotation for the final two defensive spots. One of Ian Cole, Brendan Smith or Ethan Bear has had to sit out healthy.
Why?
"We really just want to keep everyone sharp, that's why we've rotated guys in and out. Starting next week we'll definitely have to know what we're doing, but it may be one of those things where it is depending on the opponent for who we use and the pairs we use. More than anything right now, we're just trying to keep all those guys in the mix."
That's what Rod Brind'Amour had to say when asked about it after Thursday's morning skate. So, there's your answer.
Looking into D pairings. The top two pairs seem set with 74-77 & 76-22. What combination will the third pair settle in for the post season? Between Cole-Smith-Bear seems something's missing IMO. Do you see Chatfield getting a playoff shot here? I can see Smith with Chatfield. - @yyzman442
See above for the answer to the first question.
In regard to the second, I don't foresee Chatfield being called up if all three of Cole, Smith and Bear are healthy. Injuries can obviously change things, but Chatfield is an important anchor for the Chicago Wolves right now, who are about to embark on a playoff run of their own.
It's nice to see the belief in Chatfield though, I think he's going to be a very important piece come September. But let's not rush to that, there's other important things on the horizon first.
Is Pyotr Kochetkov the second coming of Cam Ward? - @chilzz919
I know there's a bit of tongue-in-cheek with this question. Or at least that's the manner I'm going to operate under with it.
I'm glad everyone's excited to see the kid play. Heck, I am too. How could you not be?
I know there's a lot of hype behind him, but the numbers reflect what the numbers reflect so far. Antti Raanta's

was a big one at that, too.
It looks like we might get a glance at him this weekend due to the impending back-to-back in Tri-State Area, so buckle up. And remember, let's not put too much pressure on him.
Do you think the Canes can hold on to first in the Metro? - @Tom\_Hannigan237
CAN they? Sure!
WILL they? That remains to be seen.
It's definitely nice to have something on the line in the final few days of the regular season though. We already know the team has locked up home ice advantage for the first round after their win last night, but the team has said that they want to keep playing sharp more than anything as the regular season schedule winds down. If the play brings a division championship along with it, great. If not, and they're still playing well, I think they'll be happy.
A lot is going to hinge on Tuesday night's big meeting at the Garden though.

For those of us who still don't fully understand how things work, can you go into a little detail about how place will be decided if we tie the Rangers in points? - @baileyycurtis
Sure can!
It's buried, but if you go to the
NHL's Standings page
and just scroll down to the bottom, there is a "Tie-Breaking Procedure" tab, which you can expand upon.
Could it be simplified a bit? Yes, but the info is there.
In your opinion, what team is the best first-round matchup for the Canes? - @Craig\_Moyer
My opinion is irrelevant, but the numbers say that the Canes have had the most success against Boston this season.
They beat them in all three meetings and outscored them by a combined 16-1.
But, on the other side of the coin, if you think that doesn't motivate Boston, you're crazy. Regardless of whom Carolina draws, it won't be a walk in the park.
Not a member of Twitter? We're always happy to take questions at [email protected] as well!
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