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Carolina Hurricanes: Where Will the Motivation Come From?

By Austin Blum

RALEIGH, NC - FEBRUARY 15: Warren Foegele #13 of the Carolina Hurricanes celebrates during the team Storm Surge following a victory over the Edmonton Oilers during an NHL game on February 15, 2019 at PSNC Arena in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Gregg Forwerck/NHLI via Getty Images)
RALEIGH, NC - FEBRUARY 15: Warren Foegele #13 of the Carolina Hurricanes celebrates during the team Storm Surge following a victory over the Edmonton Oilers during an NHL game on February 15, 2019 at PSNC Arena in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Gregg Forwerck/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA – MAY 03: The Carolina Hurricanes and the New York Islanders shake hands after Game Four of the Eastern Conference Second Round during the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at PNC Arena on May 03, 2019 in Raleigh, North Carolina. The Hurricanes won 5-2 and won the series, 4-0. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA – MAY 03: The Carolina Hurricanes and the New York Islanders shake hands after Game Four of the Eastern Conference Second Round during the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at PNC Arena on May 03, 2019 in Raleigh, North Carolina. The Hurricanes won 5-2 and won the series, 4-0. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /

2. The Taste of the Playoffs

For a team that made the playoffs for the first time since 2009 last season, the team can use this to push themselves. The Eastern Conference Finals were a huge accomplishment for a team that was projected to miss the playoffs. Bout now knowing they can get that far, that may not be enough for them.

The players, however, are not satisfied with last years finish to the season. The team feels like it has the foundation to build on the success in order to keep the championship window open for some time. Don Waddell feels the same and feels like the Hurricanes have a roster that can compete on hockey’s biggest stage.

The players know they will be expected more. The 2018-19 season provided some valuable experience to a rather inexperienced, but talented group of players. Now that they know what the grind of an NHL playoffs feels like, they know exactly what they need to do to get back and succeed in the playoffs.

Getting back to the same place they finished would seem like an accomplishment, but in the players eyes that may not be good enough. This is where the motivation comes from. Getting so close, but coming up with nothing hurts, but in order to get to the championship, you have to work hard to get that opportunity.

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