Carolina Hurricanes: They May Not Like Us, And We Don’t Care

The Year Carolina Found Their Place

There wasn’t much expected from the Hurricanes entering the 2019 season. There was a changing of the guard, and a new regime was making their presence known. An involved owner, a formerly failed general manager, and a potential future Hall of Famer trading in his skates for a clipboard.

This was perceived as an impending disaster. There where teams who had less talent, and perhaps teams projected to underperform, but there was no team that started the season with such a certain ceiling placed on them as this one.

Consider the other teams of the now coined ‘Wild Card Chaos Squad’. Dallas has three superstars, Colorado sported one of the seasons most dominant lines to start the year, and Columbus was a team that faltered late, but invested in a roster that was built to hoist Lord Stanley’s Cup.

The Carolina Hurricanes overcame adversity; they took their talent, took their chances, and came away with a team facing the Boston Bruins in the Eastern Conference Finals. This is a story that should be celebrated but isn’t by the hockey media. The resentment is palpable. The Hurricanes, after all, didn’t spend in free agency or tank for top picks like other, high-profile, Canadian teams did.

That seems to be where the problem lies. The Canadian media hasn’t given Carolina their due.  After all, it was supposed to be Calgary that fleeced the Hurricanes in their draft day trade. It was supposed to be Calgary that utilized former Hurricanes coach, and players, to dominant and show this team how inept they are.

And so the Canadian media looks at Carolina with, what one commentator calls an, “uncomfortable”, look. They mock our attendance, never once considering the 14,000 fans they insist aren’t worthy of winning. They fail to recognize the unity that we share, the community that we’ve created.

But what creates this rift for Carolina, what makes these analyst so “ uncomfortable”, is what made this season so darn fun.

They Called us Jerks, and We Loved It

The Storm Surge. What has become one of the greatest bridge’s between player and fan that I have ever witnessed. Something that was debated heavily. Sure, there were commentators in favor of it, but plenty who absolutely despised it.

This celebration renewed the market, it gave us our identity. Maybe not just the celebrations, but what came after. ‘The Year of the Jerks’, the year that the Hurricanes went from being just another NHL team to becoming a team that could pack 19,000 screaming Caniacs into one building.

Again, It isn’t just celebrations, it’s the way this team plays. There are no league-recognized superstars on this team. Our best player isn’t featured in any NHL commercials or promo packages. This team just plays their game. They play hard, they play smart, they play disciplined, and they play together.

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But What’s most important is that these players aren’t doing it for a leaf on their chest, a flaming C, or for a market that seems to ‘deserve’ it more; they are playing hard because The Hurricanes logo means something to them.

It means something to Rod Brind’Amour, one of the games greatest leaders, and a man who found a home in this city. It means something to Justin Williams, one of the games greatest playoff performers who gave away surefire contention for the chance to win in Carolina.

It means something to Curtis McEhlhinney, a goalie who was told he was too old for a spot on the world’s most prominent team. It means something to Petr Mrazek, a player who was told he was damaged goods, on his third team before his 27th birthday, who asked for nothing more than a chance.

It means something for Jordan Martinook, a fourth line grinder with the heart of a champion; and Greg McKegg, a career American Hockey League player who was asked to contribute on the sports grandest stage. It means something to every player who has been here during the ten year drought, and felt how difficult the trek to PNC was, knowing you’ll be spending another summer watching hockey instead of playing it.

And it means something to us. The 14,000 that became 19,000. The fans who forged a community. A group who embraced their place in the hockey landscape as outsiders. A group who never stopped cheering, never stopped showing up, and held down the fort till the rest of us could find their way back.

Now Here we are; four wins from a Stanley Cup Championship appearance. A Cinderella story has unfolded before our very eyes; and even if it ends here, it would have all been worth it. What this team has done is special, and one thing is for sure…

The 2019 Carolina Hurricanes are a team I’ll tell my kids about.