Canes Gearing Up for Preseason

It's about that time.
After four days of on-ice work at training camp, the Carolina Hurricanes have a back-to-back, home-and-home set against the Tampa Bay Lightning on deck to begin their six-game preseason schedule.
"After five months, I think we're all excited to get some action in. Some guys had Traverse City, but for the rest of us, there's only so much you can scrimmage," forward Phil Di Giuseppe said. "Practice has been good, high-tempo. I think the guys are going to be ready for the pace."
"Guys are getting anxious now. They want to actually go play," head coach Rod Brind'Amour said. "They're tired of systems and all the boring stuff, which I get. I remember very well. It's not the most fun stuff to go over, but it's necessary. We've got a lot of new guys. I think they're just anxious to start playing."

It's nearly impossible to replicate game action in practices. Practice drills and scrimmaging can only accomplish so much, and game action is where some players will separate themselves from the pack.
"I really like what's going on with the group as a whole coming together, the stuff Billy (Burniston) is doing. You can really feel a positive vibe," Brind'Amour said. "The ice stuff I'm not really seeing a lot yet, like, oh, these guys look good playing together, but that doesn't really matter right now. We'll start seeing stuff in games and make more of an assessment."

Team Grit and Team Grind were shuffled in advance of the Canes' first two preseason match-ups. The game and non-game groups will be finalized shortly, but Tuesday night's lineup is expected to be light on veterans; it will be a young contingent, an opportunity for perhaps someone unexpected to grab the spotlight.
Di Giuseppe is expected to be one of the "veterans" - having played 126 games across three seasons - in the lineup on Tuesday. He believes the elevated tempo and hard work evident in the training camp skates will carry over to the preseason.
"There are a lot of young players. If you mix high-end skill with that work ethic and never taking a shift off, even in practice, I think a lot of guys will benefit that," he said. "Just little habits that add up."
Those little habits start at the top with the first-year head coach and work down through the lineup.
"He's been really good when someone doesn't understand it, clearing it up and taking the steps to make sure everyone is on the same page. He's been good about that," Di Giuseppe said. "Obviously, he has the reputation as a hard-working guy, and you can see all around the room guys stepping up, as well. That's a good sign of things to come."
The Hurricanes will again practice in two groups on Tuesday morning at PNC Arena, this time in designations of game group and non-game group, with the game group then catching an afternoon flight to Tampa. Faceoff against the Lightning is set for 7:30 p.m.
It may only be the preseason, but it's almost time to drop the puck and play hockey.
"At the end of the day, you've got to go play and make plays," Brind'Amour said. "If you're going to err right now, err on being aggressive and just going for it. It's not necessarily a recipe for winning hockey, but right now, that's the recipe to see who can play. To get the best out of the guys, you just turn them loose and see how it goes."