Zizing 'Em Up: Brind'Amour remains resolute with Hurricanes ahead of playoffs

NHL.com staff writer Mike Zeisberger has been covering the NHL regularly since 1999. Each Monday he will use his extensive network of hockey contacts for his weekly notes column, "Zizing 'Em Up."

TORONTO -- Rod Brind'Amour's tenure as coach of the Carolina Hurricanes is indeed a tale of being so close and yet so far.

Since he was hired May 8, 2018, the 55-year-old has helped make the franchise one of the most successful in the NHL. They've won at least one Stanley Cup Playoff series in each of his seven full seasons and will likely vie to do it again starting next month.

But for all those deserved accolades, they haven't gotten over the playoff hump.

Three times in Brind'Amour's tenure the Hurricanes have been on the cusp of reaching the Stanley Cup Final only to come up decisively short in the Eastern Conference Final. In fact, they'd lost 15 consecutive games in the conference final under his watch until defeating the Florida Panthers 3-0 in Game 4 last year, a series they'd end up losing 4-1.

That hasn't changed his faith in the team's core. Anything but. Instead of rebuilding, it's just strengthened his belief in the group of players who have been on most of this wild journey with him.

So, here they come again, knocking at the door again, hoping this is the year they'll finally knock it down.

"The adversity we've been through together, that's one of the big points I've always advocated keeping this group together as much as I have," Brind'Amour told NHL.com in a 1-on-1 chat.

"We understand it's a business, but because we've gone through what I call a shared mutual hardship, when you go through it as a group, you get stronger. And you learn about things. And about yourself. And I think that's important to have that, because that disappointment is what fuels these guys. For me, if you're changing (personnel) all the time, you lose a bit of that.

"So, I really do think that's one of the things that, when all is said and done, will benefit this group."

It's a group Brind'Amour finds easy to endorse when it comes to those players who have been with him for much of, if not all of, this topsy-turvy eight-season roller coaster ride.

Consider that forwards Sebastian Aho, Andrei Svechnikov, Jordan Staal and Jordan Martinook, and defenseman Jaccob Slavin, have been with the Hurricanes for Brind'Amour's entire body of work. Forwards Seth Jarvis and Jesperi Kotkaniemi, and goalie Frederik Andersen, all came on board in 2021 and were part of the teams that reached the conference final two of the past three postseasons only to be handily eliminated by the Panthers on both occasions. 

Management has done its part in augmenting the core with talent in the quest to push the team over the hump, including bringing in stars like Jake Guentzel and Mikko Rantanen in what proved to be short stints. This season the hope is that additions forward Nikolaj Ehlers, defenseman K'Andre Miller and feel-good story Brandon Bussi, the goalie Carolina claimed off waivers from the Panthers on Oct. 5, 2025, will finally lead Carolina to represent the Eastern Conference in the Final for the first time since 2006, the year they won the Cup for the only time in Hurricanes/Hartford Whalers history.

Make no mistake about this, either. Each and every playoff disappointment digs deep in Brind'Amour's gut. 

You want incentive to keep coming back, to keep trying, to keep pushing the envelope? 

For him, this is it.

"I don't think you ever really get over it," Brind'Amour said. "Like, you're always like, 'Man!' It fuels you. At the same time, you have to ask things like, 'What were the reasons we didn't get it done? Why are we not getting to that next level?' And then you try to relay it, and to figure out, 'OK, how do we improve on that?' And then, I mean, it's just a challenge, right? At least for this group it is.

"Look we obviously haven't reached that final stage where we want. But I've never looked anyone in the eye and go, 'Man, they haven't brought everything they could.' The reality is, we just haven't been good enough. It would be different if we felt that, man, we were better than that team, but again, the reality has been that we're just not quite there yet. And so that's what's fueled us. That's why we're continuing to grab players that we can grab and tweak this and that to finally, you know, get over that last step."

The Hurricanes have positioned themselves to do just that when it comes to making another deep run. They lead the Pittsburgh Penguins by 10 points for first in the Metropolitan Division and are in good shape to secure home-ice advantage for at least the first two rounds of the playoffs.

Of course, Brind'Amour isn't looking that far ahead. He never does.

"I mean, the NHL, if you look at big picture, it's really hard," he said. "It wears you right out. Like, it can be too much, so we don't even look at standings. If you did that every day, it would kill you.

"We try to just focus on being the best version of what we are. And if that didn't work out, let's figure out why and try to improve the next day. And then when it's all said and done that, if that's not good enough, then it's not good enough.

"The bottom line: It's really hard in this league, especially this year, with the compressed schedule the way it is, to be, you know, worrying too much about other things."

One thing the Hurricanes don't have to worry about: the passion and ability of their coach to lead their team. Because when things don't work out, no one takes it harder than Brind'Amour, the 2021 recipient of the Jack Adams Award voted as NHL Coach of the Year.

ZACH OF ALL TRADES

He writes children books.

He's helped the Edmonton Oilers reach the Stanley Cup Final the past two springs and is part of their bid to make the postseason this time around.

And now he's the owner of best team of the Ontario Hockey League, at least as far as the regular season is concerned.

Keeping that in mind, the question needed to be asked of him.

"Are you, Zach Hyman, the most interesting man in the world … or, at least in the hockey world?"

Well …?

"I don't make the claim," the Oilers forward said with a chuckle during a phone interview from Edmonton. "But yes, I like to do things that I'm passionate about and that I have an interest in."

Including the Brantford Bulldogs of the OHL.

Just 14 months after Hyman purchased the franchise in conjunction with his family, the Bulldogs clinched the Hamilton Spectator Trophy as 2026 OHL regular season champions with a 6-5 victory against the North Bay Battalion on Friday. In the process, the Bulldogs clinched home-ice advantage for the entire playoffs in the quest for a berth into the Memorial Cup tournament, the four-team round robin to determine the champion of the Canadian Hockey League to be held in Kelowna, British Columbia, on May 21-31.

Though Hyman's primary focus obviously is on his day job with the Oilers, he closely monitors the Bulldogs on a daily basis and is in regular contact with his brother Spence, the team's general manager who's done an outstanding job helping build the franchise on the ice and in the community.

"You're playing career is only so long," Zach said. "I want to play as for as long as I can, but I know that there will come a time when I am no longer able to play. And I love hockey so much I want to be involved. And an opportunity for Brantford came up, and it was an opportunity that was just perfect timing.

"It's been a great outlet for me. I love hockey. I love playing hockey. I love being on the other side of things, too, really understanding the game from the management side of things, from the ownership side of things, so it just gives me a different perspective on the game.

"The Oilers are my No.1 priority and job, but I think it's important that you have other ways to destress, so this is an amazing way for me to kind of just see the game from a different perspective. I watch Bulldogs games on the road when I can. I'm heavily involved with the trade deadline, and recruiting players for next year."

Zach was also key in bringing in retired NHL forward and fitness guru Gary Roberts as a co-director of player development.

"For me, it's all about giving our kids the best opportunity to make the NHL and to become professional athletes," he said. "I try to instill everything I've learned on my journey, and try to help them and give advice here and there when I can.

"Honestly, I let Spence handle the handle the day-to-day operations and everything that comes with it. He's done and continues to do an incredible job. I'm just an outlet for him and a sounding board, but it's been a really fun journey."

One that will continue when the Bulldogs face the Sudbury Wolves in the first round of the OHL playoffs. Of course, the Hymans' influence has been felt off the ice as well. In December, the Brantford city council approved plans for a new 5,235-seat facility that would house the team, a vision the Hymans had for the franchise.

As such, all is good for Zach on the ownership front.

Now, about those Oilers ....

WHO'S HOT

F Cole Caufield, Montreal Canadiens

What a special weekend it was for the 25-year-old forward. His third NHL hat trick, part of a five-point night (three goals, two assists) in a 7-3 victory against the New York Islanders. Doing it at Bell Centre, arguably the sport's most cherished cathedral. Accomplishing it on a Saturday night on "Hockey Night in Canada." Having 21,000-plus chanting his name. And now having the chance to become the first 50-goal scorer for the Canadiens since Stephane Richer had 51 in 1989-90. Caufield needs seven goals in Montreal's remaining 13 games to reach that mark. Given the way he's playing right now, don't bet against it.

QUOTE/UNQUOTE

"I've heard about it. And ya, it can be hard playing in a Canadian market with the exposure. It's not for everyone. At the same time, is it any different than playing for, say, the Dallas Cowboys, Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees? I mean, it's not like Aaron Judge can just walk into a supermarket in New York without being noticed. It's part of the deal. Some guys can handle it, others can't."

-- Hurricanes F Taylor Hall on the debate of how the pressure of playing in a Canadian market can make some players shy away from joining one of the seven teams north of the border. Hall knows all about the fishbowl a player is in while playing in Canada, having been selected No. 1 by the Oilers in the 2010 NHL Draft.

THE LAST WORD

It was once said of sportswriters that if the world is a giant department store, those of us in our profession get to work in the toy department.

Truer words have never been said. 

We get to watch sports and cover them. And get paid for it.

To that end, sometimes there are colleagues who would remind you of just how fortunate you really are.

No one was a better example of that than Jessi Pierce.

This weekend, we were devastated to learn that Jessi and her three children -- Hudson, Cayden and Avery -- passed away in a fire at their home in White Bear Lake, Minnesota. It sent shockwaves through our NHL.com family, not to mention the entire hockey world.

Being an independent correspondent for NHL.com was one of a number of jobs Jessi had in terms of covering the sport. Only it never came across as a job when Jessi was doing it. It was more like a labor of love.

Jessi always made it seem as if we all should feel lucky to earn a living as part of the sport we love.

She was right.

Just like we were lucky to have known her.

RIP Jessi, Hudson, Cayden and Avery.