The Carolina Hurricanes are a team in transition. They have shed salary, cultivated a young group of defensemen, and reshaped their roster to generate more scoring. After a 15-point improvement last season, Carolina wants to take the next step and bring the Stanley Cup Playoffs back to a fan base feeling renewed optimism after a seven-year absence.
"It's a realistic goal now," center Jay McClement said of making the playoffs. "Part of that is the younger guys growing, but it shouldn't be that far on the horizon. It's something we should expect to do."
The Hurricanes ranked 27th in the NHL in scoring in each of the past two seasons, so general manager Ron Francis moved aggressively to bring in new forwards. Teuvo Teravainen, 22, who had 35 points (13 goals, 22 assists) last season with the Chicago Blackhawks, was acquired along with Bryan Bickell in a June 15 trade. Lee Stempniak, who had 51 points (19 goals, 32 assists) with the New Jersey Devils and Boston Bruins last season, agreed to a two-year contract as an unrestricted free agent on July 1, the same day Viktor Stalberg agreed to a one-year contract after a 20-point season with the New York Rangers.
Those additions give coach Bill Peters an upgrade in a several areas: speed, scoring touch, playmaking ability and net-front presence.
The wild card for Carolina is Sebastian Aho, a 19-year-old Finnish forward the Hurricanes believe can make the jump to the NHL this season. Aho, selected in the second round (No. 35) of the 2015 NHL Draft, led Karpat of Liiga, Finland's top professional league, with 45 points (20 goals, 25 assists) in 45 games last season. He also finished second in scoring at the 2016 IIHF World Junior Championship.
The defense underwent an earlier-than-expected makeover of its own last season. Jaccob Slavin, Brett Pesce and Noah Hanifin became lineup fixtures as rookies early in the season and rarely faltered as the season progressed. The only concern is that none of the three is older than 22; Hanifin is 19, Pesce is 21, and Slavin is 22. It's not uncommon for second-year defensemen to level off in their development, but the Hurricanes are willing to roll with this core group.
"They can all skate, but one of their biggest strengths is they're all intelligent," said defenseman Ron Hainsey, the veteran at age 35. "[Last season] they didn't let a mistake bother them, and they didn't make the same mistakes twice."
Cam Ward is back for his 11th season as the starting goaltender, though his grasp on that job could be tenuous. The Hurricanes signed Ward to a two-year contract on June 16 but only after evaluating the free agent market and pursuing trade options. He and backup Eddie Lack combined for a .906 save percentage.
The new forwards will be just one element of Carolina's makeover. It eventually will name a new captain following the trade of Eric Staal to the Rangers prior to the 2016 NHL Trade Deadline. Don't be surprised if the next captain reflects the Hurricanes' status as one of the youngest teams in the League.
Francis is eager to end the playoff drought, but he is equally determined to build a team for the long run. In his two-plus seasons running the front office, he has shed veterans with high salaries in favor of young players and prospects. The youth movement has given fans hope for the coming years, but a brighter future is likely to unfold slowly.
