The Hurricanes' season came to an end on Wednesday, falling in the Eastern Conference Finals to the Florida Panthers in five games. It marks the team's fourth straight conference finals loss, dating back to 2009. The beginning of the series was very ugly, but the Canes showed a little fight near the back end. They snapped a 15-game conference finals losing streak in Game 4, avoiding another sweep.
With most series losses comes a litany of trigger-happy responses from the fans explaining what the team needs to do to avoid this happening again in the future. Some of these overreactions would've been better suited if the team had been swept, but some of them still apply. Here are five overreactions to avoid as the Hurricanes begin summer vacation.
1. This series loss is on the goalies
The voices blaming the goaltending have been few in number, but there are likely some who believe Frederik Andersen and Pyotr Kochetkov should shoulder the blame. While the goaltending department lacked compared to their efforts in the first two rounds, the bulk of the ire should fall on the group in front of them not pulling its weight.
Andersen entered the conference finals as the league's hottest goalie, but not even he could control the Panthers' high-octane offense. After allowing just 12 goals against New Jersey and Washington, Andersen conceded 13 goals in four games, though he managed a shutout in Game 4 to keep the season alive. The goalies weren't good, but they're hardly the leading contributor to the loss.
2. Scott Morrow should never play in the NHL again
Scott Morrow made his postseason debut during Game 1 of the conference finals, playing in Jalen Chatfield's place. To say he had a rough game would be an understatement. He was a -3 in the opening game, screening Andersen on one goal, pinching at the wrong time on the game-winning goal, and throwing the puck over the glass before Florida scored on the power play in the third.
One game should never define a player's value, let alone a rookie blueliner playing in the most meaningful games of their career. There are plenty of bright days ahead for Morrow. Harping on his performance during the series also overshadows the good things he did during the regular season. Morrow should be a regular next season, and this experience will help him for the better.
3. The Hurricanes should fire Rod Brind'Amour
There are few takes on the planet more dumbfounding to me than "fire Rod Brind'Amour". This sentiment has been around for years now, and it always comes when the team is fighting through a rough patch in the regular season, or after they've been eliminated from the playoffs. "The system doesn't work" almost always accompanies it.
The system works. It has worked at least once every postseason for the last seven years. Sometimes, it works twice, like it did this year. The problem isn't the system. It's the opponent. His 1-12 record in conference finals games gets held against him. 2019's loss to Boston was an inexperienced team losing steam, and 2023's loss to Florida was four one-goal losses. I urge everyone remain patient.
4. Mikko Rantanen would've made a difference
Did you know the Hurricanes traded Martin Necas to Colorado for Mikko Rantanen in January only to trade him to Dallas at the deadline? Well, they did. It was the story of the season for about two months. After the trade, Rantanen finished the regular season strongly with the Stars. His postseason started slowly, but he was a major force in helping the Stars beat the Avalanche and the Jets.
Like the Hurricanes, Rantanen and the Stars have hit a wall in the conference finals. He has just two assists against the Edmonton Oilers through four games as the Stars sit in a 3-1 hole. He could miraculously turn it back on, but that's pure speculation. It's not like the Canes made out poorly in the deal. Logan Stankoven was one of the best Hurricanes during the five-game loss to Florida.
5. Blow it up and start all over
There is no justification for the Hurricanes to go nuclear and start from scratch. There is a core in place that can win a championship. At the center are Sebastian Aho, Seth Jarvis, Andrei Svechnikov, and Jaccob Slavin. Add incredible young up-and-coming pieces like Alexander Nikishin, Logan Stankoven, Jackson Blake, Scott Morrow, and Bradly Nadeau, and the team is in business.
This season was supposed to be a down year. Instead, the group finished among the final four teams in the NHL. With their aforementioned strong core and a ton of cap space to play with this offseason, the Carolina Hurricanes could become far more dangerous heading into next season. They're a game-changing piece or two away from reaching the peak, but it is within sight.