Carolina Hurricanes Victory A Reminder of Team's Blue Print to Success

Last night's victory for the Carolina Hurricanes has fans taking their hands off the panic button...for now. The 4-2 win over the New Jersey Devils was refreshing after three days off from the opening night 4-1 defeat at the hands of the Tampa Bay Lightning. The first win is always the hardest to start a season because the longer you go without a win, the more pressure is created around the fan base and the organization. This victory was a reminder of how Rod Brind'Amour's team can play.

Having the talent to win a Stanley Cup can cause a team to forget its identity. Brind'Amour is a top coach in this league and always has his teams ready to play, but having skill can make up for mistakes and cause a team to get away from their game.

A culture has been build in Raleigh with the way Brind'Amour runs his squads and the attention to detail. That hustle, heart, and commitment put this team on the map with Metro Division titles and playoff runs. Many of those players are still in this locker room and have been the foundation of the recent success.

Don Waddell was in a "win now" mode last season and doubled down at the trade deadline with the acquisitions of Evgeny Kuznetsov and Jake Guentzel. With star contracts expiring in Teuvo Teravainen, Stefan Noesen, Brett Pesce, and Brady Skjei it was the right decision to put all your chips on the table. Unfortunately, it did not work, but the team was arguably the most skilled in the history of the franchise.

The ways the Hurricanes will need to win this season, especially early on, will not be as flashy as in the past but will resemble the hard-nosed style that brought this team to the top of the standings. The important role players play will bring stability to the younger players so they can excel offensively.

The mix of experience, speed, grit, and skill will allow this team to win games against good and bad teams throughout the season. If the players buy into the team game night in and night out then the Canes will have a chance to win most nights. If the forwards try to do too much it will cause turnovers and create odd man rushes that will cut up any defense in the league.

The hope is that Sebastian Aho can lead the way offensively and bring along Andrei Svechnikov with him to create a powerful top line for years to come.