Get To Know Carolina Hurricanes: Kevin Dineen

Jump in our time machine and look back at the history of the Carolina Hurricanes

This is the first in a series of articles here at Cardiac Cane that will take a look at interesting or unique former Hurricane’s players.  For some of our readers this will be a stroll down memory lane, but with others, it will be an interesting look at the history of the Carolina Hurricanes.  This week Cardiac Cane takes a look at Right Winger Kevin Dineen.  Dineen was the Hurricanes first to wear the “C” for the new franchise and scored Carolina’s first goal.

According to Hockey Reference, Kevin Dineen was drafted by the Hartford Whalers in the third round of the 1982 NHL draft.  Other notable players from that draft include Scott Stevens, Ulf Samuelson, and a little-known guy by the name of Ray Ferraro.  I know I’ve never heard of him either but people keep saying he’s a big deal.  Going first overall in the draft was defenseman Gord Kluzak who went to the Boston Bruins.  Yeah, Gord Kluzak.  Awesome name, not so awesome pick.  Canes fans can’t be too mad over the Elias Lindholm pick now right?  At least Jim Rutherford didn’t blow a number one overall on a guy who was out of the league in four years.

So back to Kevin Dineen.  Dineen played a total of 1,188 games and amassed 355 goals and 405 assists for a total of 760 points.  The majority of his games, 708 to be exact, Dineen spent playing with the Hartford Whalers/Carolina Hurricanes.

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Dineen also made stops in Philadelphia for three and a half seasons, Ottawa for one season, and the Columbus Blue Jackets for the last three seasons of his career.  Which is fitting due to the fact Columbus is the place where all hockey careers go to die.  Another cool fact about Kevin Dineen’s hockey career is that Dineen scored the last goal ever by a Hartford Whaler in a 2-1 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning.  Let’s listen to the incomparable John Forslund make the call

In case you’re wondering why that goalie just fell down instead of actually trying to make a save, that was just the way goaltending used to be.  The 90s were a crazy time kids.  The US beat Canada at hockey.  Pants like these were the height of style.  You had to physically beat your bracelets onto your wrist.  And nobody tried to pretend Purple Rain was a good movie!

Kevin Dineen’s Coaching Career

After retiring from hockey Dineen became a hockey coach.  Wikipedia says that Dineen began coaching with the Portland Pirates who at the time was the Anaheim Ducks Affiliate.  Kevin spent six years coaching the Pirates.  At the end of the 2010-11 season, the Florida Panthers hired Dineen for the 2011-12 season.  He coached the Panthers to a surprise Southeast Division title.  Canes fans will remember that year as the year Carolina had the privilege of playing their first “home” game in Finland.    After the Panthers initial success, the buzz was that the Panthers had finally broken through and become a consistent contender.  That buzz was wrong.  They missed the playoffs the next season and Dineen was fired 16 games into his third season after going 3-9-4. Currently, Dineen is an assistant coach for the Chicago Blackhawks having joined the staff in 2014.

Dineen is an assistant coach for the Chicago Blackhawks having joined the staff in 2014.  He helped them to their 2015 Stanley Cup victory.  Furthermore, the head coach of the Blackhawks is Joel Quenneville and interestingly enough was a teammate of Kevin Dineen on these Hartford Whalers/Carolina Hurricanes.  This wraps up our first edition of “Better Know a Canes Player.”  Stop by next time when the spotlight is on Pavl Brendl and his unhealthy obssesion with Krispy Kreme donuts.