Carolina Hurricanes: Can the Canes Build a Dynast Part 2

Lessons of Dynasties Past

There aren’t many past teams who have been successful when reeling away from this idea. The Pittsburgh Penguins have been one of the most successful teams of this hockey generation. Landing generational talents Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin; while developing youthful supporting casts consisting of players like Kris Letang and Marc-Andre Fleury that would form the backbone of this dominant NHL force.

What Pittsburgh added to these developing talents was experience. Players like Marian Hossa, Chris Kunitz, and former Carolina Hurricane Matt Cullen are the first that come to mind. These are players that would bring the experience that Crosby and Malkin lacked, until those players could gain their own. This balance was an undeniable factor to the dynasty that that team created and sustains to this day.

Another prime example of the balance between youth and experience was the dominant and dynastic New York Yankees of the 2000’s. This team was formed around young talent. Jeter, Petit, Posada, and Rivera; this fearsome foursome presented the team with a group that would lead the next wave of baseball stardom.

The team’s quest for greatness did not allow the Yankees to stand pat with such talent however. At every opportunity, the New York front office added talented experience to this already stacked roaster. Players like Alex Rodriguez, and Roger Clemens where the type of veteran additions that helped this team reach the unforgettable heights they achieved.

It is unlikely the Carolina Hurricanes can add talent on the level, but the idea of balance. Retaining players like Williams, Ferland, and Faulk while also adding certain veterans to fulfill lower line roles can be a very important step the Canes take in future off-season’s. As their young players continue to learn, these veterans can help form a well balance and difficult to deal with roster.

In Part 1 of our series we spoke about the necessity of developing the youth on a roster that carries it in abundance. In part 2 we emphasized how that talent can be helped by the lessons learned by those involved in some of its toughest arenas.

In Part 3, the final part of our series, we will discuss the most vital position that every potential NHL dynasty must inevitable address; a position that has seemed to plague this franchise since its inception, a position that may already but taken.