There have been incredible personalities that have cycled through the organization. I think of guys like Mike Commodore in that regard. Sometimes, it leads to interesting television spots, like the one featuring Trent from Kinetico or a genuinely terrifying UNC Health spot, where four Hurricanes sing a baby to sleep as a mobile.
Among my favorite personalities to grace the organization was Eddie Lack. He only played two seasons with the Hurricanes, backing up Cam Ward from 2015 to 2017, but Lack had an excellent commercial for Gonza Tacos y Tequila. It's no secret how much Lack loves tacos, sporting a tattoo of his favorite dish.
Lacko Taco Tuesdays are back at @Gonza_Tacos! Get 50% off Lacko Tacos for #CanesTacoTuesday away gamedays. Info: https://t.co/5PTR0abKSb pic.twitter.com/IML0lyeADJ
— Carolina Hurricanes (@Canes) October 18, 2016
The Hurricanes acquired Lack from the Vancouver Canucks during the 2015 offseason, trading a 2015 3rd-round pick and a 2016 7th-rounder to complete the deal. With Anton Khudobin being traded to Anaheim the day after, Lack was expected to slot behind Ward.
Signing with the Canucks out of Sweden in 2010, Lack tore up the AHL during his first three seasons in North America. He finally earned his chance to shine with the Canucks in 2013. Lack backed up Roberto Luongo, starting 37 games while posting a 2.41 GAA and a .912 save percentage. He added four shutouts and earned a few Calder Trophy votes.
Lack improved on his numbers in Year 2, winning 18 of his 35 starts with an improved .921 save percentage to show for it. He added four starts in the 2015 playoffs, though he lost three of those four as the Canucks were eliminated in the 1st Round by the Calgary Flames. With Jacob Markstrom's emergence and Ryan Miller also on the roster, the Canucks moved Lack to free up space.
Lack's performance and numbers took a hit with the Hurricanes
His time in Raleigh didn't go nearly as well as it did in Vancouver. Starting 31 games in 2015-16, Lack went 12-14-6 with a .901 save percentage and a 2.81 GAA, all the worst of his career. How much of that can be attributed to the team in front of him not being very good? I'm sure a good portion. Several of his losses that season saw the team score one goal or fewer.
Lack's second season was filled with some unfortunate luck. A concussion during practice forced him to miss three months of the season. Then, there's Bill Peters' harsh words about Lack's performance when he was healthy. After a 4-3 overtime loss to Tampa on March 1st, in which Lack only stopped 12 of 16, Peters tore into his backup, adding a few choice words.
That criticism sparked an incredible turnaround for Lack the rest of the way. He finished the season with six wins in his final ten appearances and a .925 save percentage during that stretch. Despite this turnaround, Lack was part of a package traded to the Calgary Flames that offseason. He spent time with Calgary and New Jersey before hip injuries forced him to step away and retire from the game.
The trade didn't have much of an impact on Vancouver. With their picks, the Canucks selected Guillaume Brisebois in 2015 and Brett McKenzie in 2016. Brisebois has made 30 appearances over five seasons with the Canucks, scoring three points. McKenzie never played for the Canucks, floating around the minor leagues for the last several seasons.
In terms of memorability, Eddie Lack is among the most memorable backups during the Cam Ward era with the team. He was usually a fun interview and was a great follow on Twitter. The love extends past the Caniacs, too. He was voted Canucks fans' favorite backup goalie in a poll by Canucks Army last week. He seems to be a genuinely nice guy, and the world needs more of those.