Hurricanes hope new faces lead to end of playoff drought
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.
