Top 3 Legendary Players in Carolina Hurricanes’ History
The Carolina Hurricanes, having been in North Carolina since 1997, have had their fair share of absolutely legendary players listed on the roster. The era of legendary players in the NHL is far from over, though, as the Canes have had some legends pass through relatively recently.
What makes a player ‘legendary’ in the NHL? Goalscoring prowess? Blistering speed? Silky smooth hands? The ability to skate circles around opponents? Laser-like accuracy? The ability to flash the leather or make a brilliant, last second cross-crease kick save?
Turns out, it’s all those things and then some.
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As far as franchise legends go, the Canes have admittedly had a few less than, say, a team like the Buffalo Sabres. After drafting Taro Tsujimoto in the 1974 NHL Entry Draft, the Sabres would never look back, and remain a competent and competitive team to this very day.
To their credit, though, the Canes have managed to cultivate some pure legendary-status players in their own rite. Players who have broken the mold and surpassed all odds to become absolute franchise leaders in more than one category.
Today, we’re going to take a quick journey down memory lane as we pay homage to some of the Carolina Hurricanes’ most legendary players since moving down from Hartford.
3. Jack Johnson
The legendary defenseman Jack Johnson was drafted 3rd overall by the Carolina Hurricanes in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft, just behind Sidney Crosby (PIT) and Bobby Ryan (ANA).
Johnson would set franchise records his first year as a Carolina Hurricanes, most notably of which was the franchise record for most games not played for the Carolina Hurricanes as a 3rd overall draft pick.
Johnson would go on to become a complete stud, putting up 0 points and 0 assists in 0 games played in Carolina.
Unbeknownst to the world until a few years ago, Jack Johnson is also a twin.
His twin brother, Jack Johnson, has an impressive discography, and is noted as the singer/songwriter of the hit song (also from 2005) “Banana Pancakes”.
It is believed that, upon hearing “Banana Pancakes”, GM Jim Rutherford immediately got on the phone with his top scouts and demanded a scouting report on the man who sang this song, as he wanted to sign him if not for anything but to have some juicy locker room tunes for pre-and-post-game listening pleasure.
The scouts got confused, and drafted Jack Johnson’s twin brother, Jack Johnson, instead. It all worked out in the end, I suppose.
2. Frederik Andersen
The Carolina Hurricanes would draft this absolutely legendary goaltender 187th overall in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft.
Frederik Andersen would also break records in his rookie season with the Carolina Hurricanes, most notably best (and worst) save percentage by a completely invisible goalie, alongside a franchise-best 0.00 GAA in his 0 games played in Raleigh.
Freddie Andersen, considered a huge whiff by guys like Craig Button and Tim Peel, is arguably on of the Canes’ best goaltenders in franchise history.
Andersen would also go on to be the first goaltender in NHL history to both be beaten by the team that drafted them, while simultaneously posting a shutout for the team that drafted them; this would give him the moniker of ‘Goalie So Nice, He Was Drafted Twice’ around the NHL.
Stick taps all around for this absolute beauty of a netminder.
1. Patrick Marleau
Canes’ legend Patrick Marleau rounds out my Top 3 Legends in Carolina Hurricanes history. How could he not?
Marleau is a monster in his own right; I mean, the man has one of the coolest backyard hockey rinks in the entire world.
Aside from that, though, Marleau would do more for the Canes than almost any other retiree-aged center would do in the years that remained in their careers.
Marleau, despite playing a single game for the Carolina Hurricanes, would lead to the Canes’ stealing the Toronto Maple Leafs’ 1st round pick (13th overall) in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft, just for buying out his $6.25M contract.
Enter Seth Jarvis.
Jarvis was, for most scouts, a Top 10 pick in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft; the Canes got lucky as he fell to them at 13th overall. Jarvis would then go on to light the AHL on fire as the top point-getter and goalscorer before having to go back to the WHL because of dumb, arbitrary league rules.
Jarvis is a likely candidate to make the NHL squad out of training camp next year; this kid is a next-level hockey player.
So, on behalf of the Carolina Hurricanes’ fanbase, I’d like to extend a massive “Thank You!” to Canes’ legend Patrick Marleau and the Toronto Maple Leafs for allowing the Canes to pick up a potential franchise-level prospect in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft.
In my opinion, retire the #12 immediately; Eric Staal switched to #21 in his move to the Montreal Canadiens, so why not?
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