Tweetmail No. 199: Traverse City, Upgrades & Rumors

Hello and welcome to Tweetmail, a weekly feature on CarolinaHurricanes.com in which I take your Twitter questions about the Carolina Hurricanes or other assorted topics and answer them in mailbag form. Hopefully the final product is insightful to some degree, and maybe we have some fun along the way.
Let's get to it.

Tweet from @coryfogg: What players/combos are you most looking forward to watching at the Traverse City tournament?
We're just about two weeks away from the NHL Prospect Tournament in Traverse City, Mich., one of my favorite times of the year because 1) Traverse City is an amazing place, and 2) It's essentially the unofficial start of hockey season, as the tournament leads right into the beginning of training camp.
I'm looking forward to seeing Martin Necas and Andrei Svechnikov together on the ice again. They were intriguing to watch as a duo in Prospects Development Camp, and I have to imagine they'll be paired together again in this tournament. Their performances in this tournament could also give us a more accurate barometer of their games, too; it makes sense they stood out among the Canes' prospects in development camp, but what happens when they match up against other top prospects in the league? It should be fun.
First-round selections Jake Bean and Julien Gauthier will each make their third appearance in the tournament. Bean will begin his professional career this season, and Gauthier is coming off his first season with Charlotte; both could potentially be difference-makers for the team, especially Bean with the defense featuring a number of tournament invitees. Nicolas Roy is the tournament veteran of the group in his fourth appearance, and he could be a key piece down the middle.
The Canes undoubtedly have a
stacked roster
, especially up front, and could be in contention for their third tournament title. We'll have live coverage from Traverse City beginning Thursday, Sept. 6.

Yes. In fact, there are upgrades being made in PNC Arena as I type this sentence.
One big project happening now is seat replacement in the upper bowl. All seats in the 300 level are being swapped out, and you'll notice the more black-heavy color scheme with the new seats. This project should be complete by the Canes' first preseason home game on Wednesday, Sept. 19.

Another ongoing project can be found on the south end of the main concourse outside section 126, what will be dubbed the "Game Day Marketplace." This new grab-and-go concept will offer fans an alternative to traditional concessions stands. Fresh-cut fruit and hummus will be among the healthy snackable items offered, in addition to your usual candy and gum and more sugary snacks. Plus, coolers will be stocked full of beverages, both non-alcoholic - juices, energy drinks, soda, Starbucks, flavored water and water - and alcoholic. And, if you happen to need some aspirin or earplugs, this stand will have it.
A new video board will not be installed this season, but it is in future arena plans.
And, it's not public-facing, but the Hurricanes' locker room has been undergoing renovation this summer. It's just a few weeks away from completion, and we've documented the process
here
and
here
.

Sorry, Canada. Jordan Staal isn't going anywhere. He's a critical piece down the middle for the Hurricanes, and I don't think they'll be parting ways with him anytime soon.

I don't get the sense that the team is in any rush to move Justin Faulk. I know his name, along with Jeff Skinner, was oft mentioned in trade rumors earlier this summer, but that didn't mean anything was imminent. That continues to be the case. Faulk is under contract for this season and next, and it's certainly not a detriment if he remains on the roster. In fact, the Hurricanes' defense becomes outright imposing with Faulk still in the mix.
Between Dougie Hamilton and Faulk, the Hurricanes' blue line has the potential to be potent offensively, and both could figure to be key pieces on the team's power play.
Plus, there's depth. With Haydn Fleury coming off his rookie season, the Hurricanes could potentially carry seven NHL defensemen. If an injury were to occur, there's an extra body that can transition seamlessly. If there's a match-up the coaching staff prefers, there are different pairs and options. It's a good problem to have.
"To have another guy with a big shot back there who can bring offense from the blue line is not so bad," Hurricanes President and General Manager Don Waddell told me in early July. "I don't feel any urgency or need to say we have to trade this player for sure."

Soon! Very soon!
I know I teased last week pretty much the same timeframe, but it will indeed be soon.

Dope, defined by Merriam-Webster, "Slang: excellent - used as a generalized term of approval."
You can potentially still get your hands on one, but demand for these has been very high.

Thursday, Aug. 23 is
Hockey Night at Durham Bulls Athletic Park
. The Bulls will be outfitted in the jerseys and hats above; the game-worn jerseys will be auctioned off, and all proceeds will benefit the Kids 'N Community Foundation. Stormy will be hanging with Wool E. Bull, plus the Pepsi Storm Squad and Hurricanes' promotions team will be on hand. It should be a fun night, and limited tickets remain!

Great question. We should throw a party. Check back in September!
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Join me in September for more questions and more answers!
If you have a question you'd like answered or you want to volunteer to bring balloons for #Tweetmail No. 200, you can find me on Twitter at
@MSmithCanes
or drop an email
here
.