Five Current Carolina Hurricanes to be Thankful for This Season

Thanksgiving is right around the corner folks. And though the Carolina Hurricanes have had a rough November, there are still many things about the team that we have to be thankful for.

Thanksgiving is just a few days away guys. And what better time to take a look at some players on the Carolina Hurricanes squad that we have to be thankful for. Yeah, the team may have been going through a bit of a rough patch over the past month or so. But that doesn’t take away from what the team and organization has done to revitalize and grow hockey in not only Raleigh, but North Carolina as a whole.

Now of course we should be thankful for every member on the team but if I were to list every player and why, we’d be here until New Years. So that’s why I’m narrowing this list down to five players. These are in no particular order so don’t worry if someone is ahead of someone.

But before we get into the actual list, lets take a look at a few honorable mentions.

Erik Haula

Even though he may be injured right now, Erik Haula has been a great addition to the Hurricanes. There were some question marks regarding his ability to produce following his knee injury whenever he came to the team from Vegas. But boy did he but those to rest fast. Mr. Bo Time was integral part of the Hurricanes power play  and all around top guy for the Cane before he aggravated his old knee injury. Here’s to a speedy recovery Erik.

Teuvo Teravainen

Turbo has become a fan favorite since he came to the Hurricanes from Chicago. He was integral in last season’s success and has continued that level of play this season. Teravainen provides the Hurricanes with good veteran leadership on and off the ice. He was also a big part in helping Sebastian Aho get acclimated to life in the United States.

Joel Edmundson

While it did suck to see longtime Hurricanes veteran Justin Faulk go to St. Louis, we should be extremely thankful for who we got in return. Joel may have gotten off to a bit of a slow start when it comes to points, but now he’s riding a career high five game point streak. He’s also fit in well as one of the team’s new enforcers. Opposing players tend to back off when the see Eddy coming at them. He’s also provided us with some great gifs. Like when he fell on the ice after he forgot to take his blade guards off and when he flipped Elias Lindholm‘s helmet. Plus his win song was “Any Man of Mine” by Shania Twain, absolute banger.

Now to get things started with the list,

Petr Mrazek

Petr Mrazek has been a tremendous addition for the Hurricanes. Petr signed with the Hurricanes back in July 2018. He was a huge part in the teams success last year and has been big for the team this year. Especially at home in PNC Arena.

For years the Hurricanes struggled to find backup for Canes legend Cam Ward which in turn led to a lot of unnecessary wear on tear on his body. Then we he went to Chicago that hole became even more apparent when Scott Darling didn’t pan out the way they expected.

Though there have been some days where Petr doesn’t look his best, he has been big for the Canes. Petr has made some huge saves for the Hurricanes. One that comes to mind is his performance in the season opener against Montreal.

He has shown that he can be the guy between the post for the team. And it now seems that the Hurricanes have found Cam Ward‘s successor. And between Curtis McElhinney last season and James Reimer this season, Petr has had and continues to have quality backup as well.

Now onto one of the front runners for the Norris Trophy.

Dougie Hamilton

A definite front runner for the Norris Trophy this season, Dougie Hamilton has been one of if not the best player on the Hurricanes this season. Following Justin Faulk getting traded to St. Louis for the previously mentioned Joel Edmundson, Dougie has stepped up big time and become the number one defenseman for the Hurricanes.

In the past Dougie has been called a locker room cancer among many other things.  But here in North Carolina, that couldn’t be farther from the truth. Dougie seems to have finally found his niche with the Hurricanes.

Dougie Hamilton has tremendous chemistry with his teammates. Which is very evident by his relationships with Warren Foegele and Andrei Svechnikov. Hamilton is able to provide them, along with the rest of the team with veteran advice and leadership. He is also beloved by the Hurricanes faithful. Who’s energy he and the Cane feed off of every time they take the ice.

If it weren’t for his amazing play so far this season, the Hurricanes may not be where they are right now. He really carried the team to start off the season with other player were having slow starts. And of course he is continuing that level of play as they find their footing as the season goes on.

Speaking of Svech…

Jordan Martinook

Jordan Martinook quickly became a very prominent figure within the Carolina Hurricanes after he was acquired from the Arizona Coyotes. A solid 4th liner, Martinook provides an immense amount of leadership for the team on and off the ice.

His leadership skills were rewarded so to speak when he was given an alternate captain position on the team prior to the start of this season. He brings a crap load of heart and dedication to the Hurricanes. And that is something that can be hard to come by today.

Marty also has a deep connection with the Hurricanes fan base. That relationship is seen every time he takes the ice at PNC arena when the fans cheer and chant his name. That connection makes things a bit more bearable when things aren’t going the Canes way on the ice.

That connection and relationship with the Canaic nation not only comes from how he is on the ice and at the arena but away from it as well. He’s also a great ambassador for the Hurricanes organization. Like mentioned with Svech, he takes his time with all of the fans and has conversations with them. Which makes so many people’s day.

After the Marty Party at The Oak back in September, so many people were saying that he is one of the best things to happen to the organization and that was behavior befitting of a team captain. Well, look at him now folks!

Now onto the Montreal legend.

Sebastian Aho

Sebastian Aho has been one of the faces of the Carolina Hurricanes organization since he came to Raleigh. And with his recent contract signing this past off season, he’s poised to continue being one for the next several years.

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Aho is a superstar player that makes whoever his on the ice with him better. He’s improving steadily every season which of course is great news for the Hurricanes and their fans. And with players like Teuvo, Svech, Dooogie, and more around him, they have all the tools they need to succeed.

Aho has brought many new eyes onto the Carolina Hurricanes. Especially with that whole offer sheet situation back during the summer. But new eyes are a good thing. We are all one big family after all.

Aho is finally hitting his stride this season and is leading the team in goals as of the writing of this article. He, along with a few of his teammates could see themselves at the All-Star game in a couple months. And after that, potentially making another run at the Cup.

Question for CC readers: Who’s your favorite Canes player and why?