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Revisiting the 1998-99 Carolina Hurricanes

By Jeb Bohn

19 Nov 1998: Goalie Arturs Irbe #1 of the Carolina Hurricanes prepares to make a stop during a game against the New Jersey Devils at the Continental Airlines Arena in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The Devils defeated the Hurricanes 3-2. Mandatory Credit: Al Bello /Allsport
19 Nov 1998: Goalie Arturs Irbe #1 of the Carolina Hurricanes prepares to make a stop during a game against the New Jersey Devils at the Continental Airlines Arena in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The Devils defeated the Hurricanes 3-2. Mandatory Credit: Al Bello /Allsport /
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Carolina Hurricanes center Keith Primeau
8 Apr 1998: Center Keith Primeau of the Carolina Hurricanes in action during a game against the Buffalo Sabres at the Marine Midland Arena in Buffalo, New York. The Sabres defeated the Hurricanes 3-1. Mandatory Credit: Rick Stewart /Allsport /

The Offense

The second-year Hurricanes closed out the 1998-99 season with 210 goals for, good for 15th out of 27 teams.  This was ten goals more than the prior season and six positions higher.  They scored 5 or more goals in 7 games, winning all but one (a 5-5 tie against the Phoenix Coyotes).

On the opposite end of the spectrum, they were held to 1 goal or less 16 times (one less than the prior season), including being shut out on 6 occasions (two more than in their first year).  There were improvements, but things were far from ideal.

The Hurricanes were once again led by Keith Primeau and Sami Kapanen.  The top-5 scorers were:

  1. Keith Primeau – 30g; 32a; 62p
  2. Sami Kapanen – 24g; 35a; 59p
  3. Ray Sheppard – 25g; 33a; 58p
  4. Ron Francis – 21g; 31a; 52p
  5. Gary Roberts – 14g; 28a; 42p

The blueline didn’t offer much offensive support, with Glen Wesley (7g,17a,24p) being the only defenseman to break the 20-point mark.  Steve Chiasson, who had led the defense in scoring the year before, missed all but 28 games due to injury, limiting his output to 1 goal and 8 assists.

The biggest area of concern was once again the power play.  Yikes.  The Hurricanes finished the year with a 10.99% conversion rate, almost 3% lower than the year before and dead-last in the NHL by nearly a full percentage point.  Unlike the previous season, this ineptitude didn’t keep the Hurricanes from qualifying for the postseason, as they finished first in the newly formed Southeast Division.

The Hurricanes also suffered a slight drop in shots for, finishing the season with 2142 (26.12 per game), putting them 23rd in the league.  They were led by Kapanen (254), Sheppard (188), Primeau (178), Roberts (138), and Robert Kron (134).

The Hurricanes made up for the lower shots by finishing 7th in the NHL in shooting percentage, capitalizing on 9.8% of their shots.  Andrei Kovalenko (28.6) led the way, followed by Primeau (16.9), Francis (15.8), Bates Battaglia (13.5), and Paul Ranheim (13.4).

The Hurricanes added 5 shorthanded goals, led with 2 by Ranheim.

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