Carolina Hurricanes

Hurricanes hope new faces lead to end of playoff drought

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 6:41 p.m. ET

share

facebookxredditlink

CAROLINA HURRICANES

LAST SEASON: 36-35-11, 83 points. Sixth in Metropolitan Division.

COACH: Rod Brind'Amour (first season, first NHL season).

ADDED: F Andrei Svechnikov, D Dougie Hamilton, D Calvin de Haan, G Petr Mrazek.

LOST: G Cam Ward, F Jeff Skinner, F Elias Lindholm, D Noah Hanifin.

PLAYER TO WATCH: C Sebastian Aho. The 21-year-old led the team last season with 29 goals and 65 points. He's entering his third season, and figures to be the team's top offensive threat — especially now that Jeff Skinner has been traded to Buffalo — though it will be worth watching to see how he adjusts to playing center instead of the wing.

OUTLOOK: With each passing year, the Hurricanes grow more tired of talking about their lengthy run of playoff absences. Either way, they'll make history this season — either by finally ending the drought, or by missing out yet again and matching the longest dry spell in NHL history. They have the defensive corps of a playoff team, but will need improvement from G Scott Darling and their young scorers to generate offense to finally make the postseason.

share

Get more from Carolina Hurricanes Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more

in this topic

Carolina Hurricanes

National Hockey League