Carolina Hurricanes Can Wait For the Panic Button Despite Opening Night Defeat

The NHL season is in full swing and the Carolina Hurricanes have just one game played to this point. Just one of three teams to only play one game thus far, the Canes fans are restless and hungry for success. Tonight game 2 will be played at Lenovo Center as the Canes host Metro Division rival, New Jersey Devils.

A long 82-game season can wear on the players emotionally and physically, but the fan base feels it as well. Some fans take such emotional distress from their team that they feel the losses far worse than the players and coaches. Because of this, the lack of patience and irrationality sets into a fan base.

The only game played to date was a 4-1 defeat to the Tampa Bay Lightning on home ice and that is not how you would like to start a season. The first period was nice, with a goal from the captain, Jordan Staal, to take a 1-0 lead into the break but beyond that, things need improvement. Improvement will come from simply playing games and naturally additional practice time.

Even teams that win the Stanley Cup will start the season 0-1. Thankfully for many teams, the Cup is not raised in the first week of the season. Just as the Lightning fans should not be overly celebrating their undefeated season thus far, it is time to remember patience for all Caniacs across the globe.

Despite familiar faces returning to the ice this season, the team is in the process of a transition from some players departing and younger players taking a bigger role on and off the ice. The time to panic will be heading into the holiday season without seeing an improvement in the play.

Every team in the NHL will need at least 10 games to get a fair evaluation of how things are going. Even at the 10-game mark, the team can change drastically over the remaining 72 games. The Canes did not look great on Friday and lucky for them, they have one of the best coaches in the league in Rod Brind'Amour.

Many fans only see teams as rebuilding or a contender. That is not the only way to judge a team or an organization realistically. The Canes are not rebuilding, but they are in a transition period that many experts consider to be detrimental to winning this season. The difference between a rebuild and transition is that the way this team responds over the next couple of weeks could make those very experts change their minds quickly.

Tonight the season continues against another strong opponent. The Canes may lose but that does not mean the season is over, but to seeing positives will go a long way for this team as a unit and individually.

Deep breaths and patience!