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Carolina Hurricanes: Five Bold Predictions for 2019-20

By Matthew Nidiffer

RALEIGH, NC - MAY 16: Fans of Justin Williams #14 the Carolina Hurricanes celebrate during pregame warmups in Game Four of the Eastern Conference Third Round against the Boston Bruins during the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs on May 16, 2019 at PNC Arena in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Gregg Forwerck/NHLI via Getty Images)
RALEIGH, NC - MAY 16: Fans of Justin Williams #14 the Carolina Hurricanes celebrate during pregame warmups in Game Four of the Eastern Conference Third Round against the Boston Bruins during the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs on May 16, 2019 at PNC Arena in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Gregg Forwerck/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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RALEIGH, NC – APRIL 04: Carolina Hurricanes Center Lucas Wallmark (71) and Carolina Hurricanes Goalie Petr Mrazek (34) celebrate after the Carolina Hurricanes clinch their first playoff birth since 2009 during a game between the New Jersey Devils and the Carolina Hurricanes at the PNC Arena in Raleigh, NC on April 4, 2019. (Photo by Greg Thompson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
RALEIGH, NC – APRIL 04: Carolina Hurricanes Center Lucas Wallmark (71) and Carolina Hurricanes Goalie Petr Mrazek (34) celebrate after the Carolina Hurricanes clinch their first playoff birth since 2009 during a game between the New Jersey Devils and the Carolina Hurricanes at the PNC Arena in Raleigh, NC on April 4, 2019. (Photo by Greg Thompson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

Hurricanes Will Make the Playoffs

This is obviously a no-brainer for most of us, but I felt that it needed a place in this list. As I’ve mentioned before, Don Waddell is focused on keeping the team’s core together. The very same core that endured chides from Don Cherry and banded together to become the Bunch of Jerks that cemented themselves firmly in team history.

If this core group made the playoffs once, they can absolutely do it again. This time, however, they will have a single goal to rally around. Last December, very few people believe the Hurricanes would make it to the Eastern Conference Finals, let alone make the playoffs. This group did.

Having come so close and having fallen short in the final round of the Eastern Conference Championship has done nothing but ignite a fire under each and every player on the roster, and they will have all summer to work on their own individual game(s), and to work together to build even more chemistry and playmaking ability between themselves.

This offseason is a chance for the Hurricanes to not only take a much-needed break, but also a chance to regroup, analyze what they could improve on (powerplay, powerplay, powerplay), and come back all the more intelligent, competitive, and determined next season.

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