Three Heroes the Carolina Hurricanes Must Rely on for Playoff Success

Dougie Hamilton

Returning star Dougie Hamilton must take advantage of a second chance.

They say you don’t realize what you have until it’s gone.  I certainly didn’t fully appreciate Dougie Hamilton until his season-ending injury.

He was on his way to a career-defining season prior to the injury and has been given a second chance to cap off his career-defining season because of the playoff delay.

In his playoff appearance with the Canes last season, Dougie exceeded almost every single statistic from his past playoff games. He recorded 7 points in 15 games during the playoffs last year, and the Canes will need to utilize this dual offensive and defensive threat to overtake the Rangers in the first round.

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Although the Hurricanes have been able to overcome some immediate struggles that came after Dougie’s injuries with standouts like Haydn Fleury and the newly signed Brady Skjei, there can be no replacement for the depth that comes with a roster that includes Dougie Hamilton.

The Canes power play was lethal with Dougie Hamilton, who recorded two power-play goals and ten power-play assists this season. The Canes struggled to capitalize on power-play opportunities, evident in games like the February 5 contest against the Dallas Stars where the Canes did not score despite four power-play opportunities.

Dougie Hamilton’s return from injury will be key to the Canes playoff run.