The Carolina Hurricanes' recent struggles in conference finals have become a running joke. Since winning the Stanley Cup in 2006, the Hurricanes have returned to the Eastern Conference Finals four times. In those four trips, they've combined to win one game, snapping a 15-game losing streak against the Panthers this season.
Each series went south for different reasons. In 2009, the Canes were completely outmatched by the Penguins after grueling seven-game series against New Jersey and Boston. In 2019, the upstart group's inexperience showed against the Bruins. In 2023, the series with Florida could've gone either way in four one-goal games. This season, the Panthers simply kicked their faces in.
But what happens if the Hurricanes' fortunes were reversed? What if they won each of those series to advance to the Stanley Cup Final? Would they have a chance against whoever the Western Conference threw at them, or would they come out of it as empty-handed as they already were after losing in the conference finals?