Hurricanes Season Considered a Success
Even though the Carolina Hurricanes are no longer in this years Stanley Cup Playoffs, their season is still considered a success. To start a recap of the 2018-2019 campaign, the Hurricanes were 33-7-3 when scoring the first goal this season. Their split was 14-4-2 at home and 19-3-1 on the road.
For a team that was in last place before the new year, their turn around to get them to the playoffs was enough to be considered a successful year.
From December the 31 to mid-February, the Hurricanes had won 15 games over a 21 game span. That was the best pace for any team within that time span.
Changed the culture. Changed the game.
— Carolina Hurricanes (@Canes) May 17, 2019
Just getting started. pic.twitter.com/xBaVja8021
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The Hurricanes made a couple of moves that helped them get into the playoff race. They filled their need for a fourth line center when they called up Greg McKegg from the Charlotte Checkers.
Carolina also traded Victor Rask for Minnesota Wild LW Nino Niederreiter. Niederreiter played 36 regular season games for the Hurricanes this year. Scoring 14 goals and tallying 16 assists to total 30 points, the LW helped get his new team back to where they wanted to be.
Warren Foegele also made the team with a full-time spot this year. Although Foegele only scored 15 points (10-5-15) in this regular season, he helped boost the Hurricanes in the playoffs. In 15 games, he was able to help score nine points for the ‘Canes (5-4-9).
Playoffs
Carolina ended up making the Stanley Cup Playoffs as the first Wild Card spot and faced the Washington Capitals. Playoff hockey is a different game than regular season hockey, everyone can see that. What nobody did see though is the Carolina Hurricanes beating the Capitals in 7 games in Washington. The Capitals have been one of the top teams in Hockey for the last several years and again won the Metropolitan division this year. Getting the right matchups, and outstanding goaltending from Petr Mrazek, the Hurricanes were able to beat the Capitals and move on to the second round and eventually the Eastern Conference Finals.
Sweeping the Islanders in round two was also another surprise that the Hurricanes gave their fans. Carolina is the better team of the two, and they were even my pick to win that matchup, but doing it in four games was something that nobody could foresee. Carolina was able to get the right matchups for the second round. Jordan Stall and Mat Barzal was probably the biggest matchup for the ‘Canes. While keeping the Islanders big guns quiet, Carolina was able to score big against the Lehner who had the highest save percentage going into the second round.
Coming into the Eastern Conference Finals, the Bruins were the favorites to head to the cup. The Hurricanes were kept to only 5 goals in 4 games against the Bruins. The Bruins are lined up with more depth than the Hurricanes. The Bruins were able to keep the comeback and get leads that the Hurricanes blew when they were not able to capitalize on critical chances.
This Bunch of Jerks is lucky to have fans like you. pic.twitter.com/V9MpDf0bbw
— Carolina Hurricanes (@Canes) May 17, 2019
Moving Forward
There are a lot of free agents on the Carolina Hurricanes roster before July first. Expect more from this team in the upcoming season. There is an immaculate amount of talent down in Charlotte. Where they can not fill in with big name free agents, they can call on the players they have in the organization already. With the right moves in this offseason, the Hurricanes can make it back to the Eastern Conference Finals next year.
Written by: Conor D Sherman @shermanconor
