Honorable Mentions
As I’ve said before, in this article and many others, every single player on this team has contributed to the Hurricanes’ current success. There have, however, been quite a few standouts that may not be considered a Conn Smythe finalist, but deserve recognition nonetheless.
Jordan Martinook is the first of these individuals. Similar to Justin Williams, Jordan Martinook has brought a whole new level of energy to the Carolina Hurricanes. Martinook has been dubbed a ‘glue guy’ by head coach Rod Brind’amour, and I couldn’t agree more. Jordan Martinook is beloved by both the fans and his teammates, and I personally am excited that Waddell has managed to sign him for another 2 years.
The next honorable mention goes to both Petr Mrazek and Curtis McElhinney. A huge reason why the Hurricanes have missed the playoffs in seasons past has been the lack of solid, consistent goaltending.
Mrazek and McElhinney have both delivered and provided the Hurricanes with the confidence to play their game without worrying about the net. Both goalies have been phenomenal this season and in the postseason, and it would be an absolute crime to leave them out of this article.
The final honorable mention has to go to Brock McGinn. His postseason heroics in Game 7 against the Washington Capitals have more than earned him a spot in this list. You could argue, very easily, that without Brock McGinn’s diving save in the late 3rd period of Game 7, the Hurricanes would’ve been eliminated from playoff contention.
Not only did McGinn save the game in that particular play, he scored the game-winning goal in double overtime of Game 7 off of a pass from Justin Williams, effectively eliminating the defending Stanley Cup Champions, and securing the Hurricanes’ spot in Round 2 of the playoffs.