The Anatomy of a Series: The Hurricanes Return in the Bubble by Sweeping New York

After a few months on the couch, the league returned to action in the playoff bubble, with the Canes making quick work of the Rangers in Toronto.

New York Rangers v Carolina Hurricanes
New York Rangers v Carolina Hurricanes | Andre Ringuette/Freestyle Photo/GettyImages
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The Aftermath

Zdeno Chara, Rod Brind'Amour
Carolina Hurricanes v Boston Bruins - Game Five | Elsa/GettyImages

The Hurricanes' fun in the bubble quickly disappeared in the first round when Carolina ran into a familiar foe, the Boston Bruins. For the second year in a row, the Bruins would end their season, winning in five games. The Canes' top line continued to carry the team, but it wasn't enough to exercise their Boston-sized demons. The exorcism would come in 2021 after the Canes beat the Bruins in seven games in the first round.

The Rangers' series loss turned out to be a blessing in disguise. With 24 teams playing in the postseason, only seven teams were locked into the draft lottery for the upcoming draft. The eight losing teams during the Qualifying Round would round out the lottery field. If one of those eight teams won the first phase of the lottery, a second phase would be initiated between those eight teams. The Rangers would win the second phase, earning them the top overall pick, using it to select forward Alexis Lafreniere.

This series would also mark the final NHL appearance of Henrik Lundqvist. With Igor Shesterkin and Alexandar Georgiev establishing themselves in New York, the Rangers bought out the final year of Lundqvist's contract. Lundqvist would sign a one-year deal with the Capitals during free agency, but he'd never play in D.C, missing the 2020-21 season after needing open-heart surgery. After the season ended, Lundqvist officially retired, marking the end of his Hall of Fame career.

The Hurricanes and Rangers have crossed paths twice more in the postseason since Carolina's sweep in the bubble. In 2022, the Rangers prevailed in seven games, dominating the Canes in Game 7 to win the series in Raleigh. In 2024, New York did it again, this time getting out to a 3-0 series lead before needing a Chris Kreider hat trick in the third period to complete a comeback in Game 6 to win it in Raleigh for the second time in three years.

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