My All-Time Carolina Hurricanes Team
It is no secret to anyone that I am a die-hard Carolina Hurricanes fan and have been for most of my life. Through the highs, like the '06 Cup win and ECF runs in '09 and '19, and the lows, like the decade long playoff drought, I've seen many players come and go. The task I have given myself is to put together my 23-man roster that represents the best the Hurricanes organization has to offer. The roster will be comprised of four centers, eight wingers, six defensemen, two goalies, three extras (a forward, a defenseman, and a goalie), and a head coach. The choices have been made by myself, so there is a bit of bias in some of my picks, but I tried to make my decisions based on their numbers with the team as the main criteria. There will be some notable exceptions seeing as everyone can't make the final list. It is also worth noting that this does not take into account the history of the Hartford Whalers. This is purely from 1997 onward once they moved to North Carolina.
Before I get to my final roster, here are some of the names I didn't include.
Andrei Svechnikov- It is way too early to tell on Svech. After being drafted 2nd in 2018, he has provided more than his fair share of memorable moments. But it's only his second season in the league. He'd be on this roster if this were five years from now. At the moment, however, he'll just miss out.
Dougie Hamilton- He has been amazing since the trade that brought him over from the Flames in the Lindholm and Hanifin deal. If not for the injury he sustained this season, he'd likely be in the Norris conversation at the rate he was going. He will need another year or two before I put him on this list.
Chad Larose- Larose played 508 games for the Canes from 2006 to 2013, the 16th most in Whalers/Hurricanes history. He was always a fan favorite with the crowd in Raleigh and was a part of the Cup team. The forward group was pretty heavy, which means someone needed to be left off and he was the last name off.
Frank Kaberle, Aaron Ward, and Mike Commodore- These names comprise of half of the defensive core that won the Cup. Each had memorable moments during that run. Ward and Kaberle both scored in Game 7 and Commodore's hair and robe became huge amongst the fans during the run. Much like Larose, they were all right on the cusp of my roster but just missed the cut.
Now we're getting into the 23-man roster. The way I'm going to present this will be in the order of centers, left wingers, right wingers, defensemen (each two is a pairing), goalies, the extras, then the head coach. So let's get on with it.
Centers
Eric Staal (909 GP 322 G 453 A 775 PTS 4-time All-Star)
When Staal was traded in 2016 it was truly the end of an era for the Hurricanes franchise. The 2nd overall in the 2003 draft by the Canes, he scored 100 points (45 G 55 A) in his sophomore campaign in 2005-06, leading the Cup team in points both in the regular season and postseason. This is not unique to that season. Since relocation in 1997, Staal leads the franchise in points in the postseason with 43 points. There are a few players on this list that were no-brainers he was the first.
Rod Brind'Amour (694 GP 174 G 299 A 473 PTS 2-time Selke Winner)
There is a multitude of reasons why Rod Brind'Amour's name deserves to be on this list. The captain of the Cup-winning team is the epitome of what the Hurricanes have represented. He played the game the right way at all times and led by example. Winning two Selke trophies for Best Defensive Forward, Brind'Amour was never going to put up flashy numbers. He was on the right end of some historic moments during the Cup run. He scored the game-winning goal in the ECF in Game 7 against Buffalo, then completed the comeback in Game 1 of the SCF by capitalizing on a mistake from the goalie and giving the Canes the win. The image of his hoisting the Cup will forever be burnt into my mind. He will no doubt enter the Hall of Fame in the future.
Ron Francis (472 GP 118 G 236 A 354 PTS King Clancy & Lady Byng Winner)
Originally, Ron Francis was going to be the first center on this list, but then I looked at his numbers strictly from the relocation to Raleigh. There is no denying Francis' brilliance in Hartford and Pittsburgh, but he only spent six seasons in Raleigh. He captained the Canes to SCF in 2002 and his point total is good enough for 6th in franchise history. In that 2001-02 season, he won both King Clancy and Lady Byng trophies. While his legacy is tied to Hartford for sure, he was still good as his career was winding down in Carolina.
Sebastian Aho (310 GP 121 G 142 A 263 PTS 1-time All-Star)
This was a close call between Aho and Jordan Staal, but ultimately I picked Aho for the impact he's made offensively in a short period. In just four seasons, he's already moved into 8th place in franchise history in goals and 11th in points. His numbers might not leap off the page, but he has played exceptionally well for the last few years. He finished with a career-high in points in 2018-19 to help lead the team to the postseason, then followed it up by scoring 38 goals in 2019-20, good enough for 6th in the league. He promises to be one of the most essential parts of the franchise moving forward.
Left Wings
Ray Whitney (372 GP 119 G 215 A 334 PTS)
It was a matter of how I was going to order Whitney and Jeff Skinner, but I ultimately chose Whitney for what he accomplished during his time with the team. He's a Cup winner, in case you haven't noticed a theme, but also had some of his best seasons with the Hurricanes. With his 334 points in 372 games, Whitney has the highest points per game total in franchise history since relocation. The margin for me is paper-thin, but Ray Whitney's contributions in the SCF make him my first-line winger.
Jeff Skinner (579 GP 204 G 175 A 379 PTS 1-time All-Star, Calder Trophy winner)
Skinner has the edge in many categories when compared to Ray Whitney. He made an All-Star team with the Canes. He won the Calder Trophy for his 31-goal performance in 2010-11. In his time with the Canes, the former 7th overall pick scored 30-goals three times and finished with 204, second to only Eric Staal since relocation. He had some inconsistencies during his eight seasons, which led to him being traded, but there is no denying his impact when he was on.
Erik Cole (557 GP 168 G 195 A 363 PTS)
Cole never lit the league up with points. He only scored 30-goals twice in his career, once with the Canes, and his career-high in points was 61. The Erik Cole that I'll always know is that of the man who was slammed into the boards from behind by Pittsburgh's Brooks Orpik, taking him out for the last 22 games of the regular season and most of the playoffs. He had 59 points (30 G, 29 A) in the 60 games he'd played, but it was all cut short. He came back to play the last two games of the SCF and followed it up with a 61-point campaign in the next season.
Cory Stillman (191 GP 52 G 113 A 165 PTS)
For me, this is more of a personal pick. Cory Stillman was my favorite player when I first got into hockey in 2006. Stillman only played two full seasons and parts of two more before he retired in 2011. He was simply magical in the postseason run to the cup. He had 26 points (9 G, 17 A), including the series-winning goal in OT against Montreal to complete the series comeback and the OT goal in Game 5 of the ECF. He was nearly a point per game player and he'll always be the player that got me interested in the game.
Right Wings
Justin Williams (449 GP 128 G 188 A 316 PTS 1-time All-Star)
He could go on this list for what he did in his first run or what he has done during his current run but put them together and Justin Williams is one of the best to come through this organization. Willy's first run with the team culminated in a Cup and his only All-Star appearance. But the legend of Justin Williams grew once he returned to the organization in 2017. He became the captain in 2018 and helped lead the team to the ECF with his heroics in Game 7 against Washington. After sitting out most of the beginning of the '19-'20 season, he returned for 20 games, scored eight goals and won three games in the shootout. He was always good, but his recent legacy
Jeff O'Neill (536 G 176 G 183 A 359 PTS 1-time All-Star)
O'Neill was a draft pick of Hartford who came to Carolina with the move. O'Neill's NHL career was short, only 11 seasons, and retired at the age of 30. During his time with the team, he was a pure goal scorer. He ranks third in franchise history in goals and fifth in points. He had one 40-goal season and one All-Star nod in 2003 on route to a 30 goal, 60 point campaign. It's a shame he was traded during the lockout to Toronto right before the team won a Cup.
Sami Kapanen (440 G 127 G 187 A 314 PTS 2-Time All-Star)
Kapanen, the father of current Maple Leaf Kasperi Kapanen, entered the league with O'Neill, first with Hartford, then Carolina during relocation. He was a two-time All-Star and a two-time Fastest Skater at the All-Star game. Kapanen played in 100 fewer games than McNeill, but only 44 fewer points. The reason I rank him lower than O'Neill because of goal scoring. Kapanen was a playmaker and is deserving of being among the best in franchise history.
Teuvo Teravainen (313 GP 74 G 171 A 245 PTS)
I look back on the trade that brought Turbo to Carolina fondly. In four seasons with the team, Teravainen has been a consistent playmaker and a mastermind at distributing the puck. He had already won a Cup in Chicago a few years earlier. But he has been absolutely dynamite over the last four years. With the extension he signed last season, he'll be around for a long time. Hopefully, he, Aho and Svechnikov have some magic up their sleeves for the years to come.
Defensemen
Glen Wesley (729 GP 35 G 120 A 155 PTS)
In my opinion, there is no defenseman better than Glen Wesley in Hurricanes' history. Wesley's best years were arguably in Boston before being traded to Hartford for three 1st round picks. Wesley's 729 games are 2nd-most in franchise history, behind Eric Staal. He never put up huge numbers, but he stuck in there and was an essential part of the defensive core that won a Cup. There is only one player that I think could challenge Wesley for his spot at the top...
Justin Faulk (559 GP 85 G 173 A 258 PTS 3-time All-Star)
and that would be Justin Faulk. Faulk's numbers during his eight seasons were amazing. He is the franchise leader in points by a defenseman by over 100 points. He was a top-pairing defenseman which is why it was weird when he was traded during the offseason. If not for how well Joel Edmundson has played this season, I'd argue the Canes lost the trade. He was often the only representative at All-Star games, but the accolades were all well-deserving.
Jaccob Slavin (377 GP 29 G 122 A 151 PTS 1-time All-Star)
Even after replacing Dougie Hamilton at the All-Star Game this season, I think Slavin is one of the most underrated players in the game today. His placement on this list speaks to how good I think he is now and how good he will be in the future. He is already tasked with playing against the top lines of every opponent. He set a new career-high in points (36) before the season was stopped. I think he deserves to be in the Norris conversation and will win one eventually.
Joni Pitkanen (266 GP 24 G 116 A 140 PTS)
Pitkanen's career was derailed by injuries. When the Canes shipped out Erik Cole to Edmonton for Pitkanen, it was a head-scratcher, but it was a deal that looked good for the Canes in the long run. He was crucial in the run to the ECF in 2009 and he tied a career-high in points the following year. It would've been interesting to see how his career plays out had he not have gotten hurt. He was on pace to do some good things for the team. His placement here is less about what could've been than what he was able to do for the team.
Brett Pesce (350 GP 20 G 82 A 102 PTS)
I said Slavin is one of the most underrated defensemen in the league, but I think Pesce is THE most underrated player. I loved the pairing of Slavin and Pesce last season. While Slavin gets the top line, Pesce is usually responsible for the next best line. His numbers won jump off the page, but his defense is amazing. His numbers have fallen off a bit this season, but his ice time has increased. He and Slavin will be the two pillars of the defense for the near future.
Nicolas Wallin (517 GP 18 G 51 A 69 PTS)
Much like my addition of Stillman, this pick has nothing to do with his regular-season numbers and everything to do with his postseason heroics. In four playoff appearances with the team, he scored three goals, all OT winners. Wallin was a magician in clutch moments in the playoffs. For reference, the three goalies he scored on were Jose Theodore, Curtis Joseph, and Martin Brodeur. That's three pretty good goaltenders. His career wasn't that sterling, but when the moment needed it, he was ready.
Goalies
Cam Ward (318-244-84 .909 SV% 2.70 GAA 1-time All-Star, Conn Smythe Winner)
No argument can be made to suggest there has been a better goalie in the history of this franchise. Cam Ward was a staple of this franchise through all the bad years, but his legacy began with that magical Cup run in 2006. After serving as the back-up to Martin Gerber for the 2005-06 season and the first two games of the 2006 playoffs, Ward began his decade-plus reign in the net in Game 2 of the ECQF. He won 15 of the 16 games that postseason. He also is credited with a goal, though it wasn't like he shot it down the ice. Ward's number needs to be put into the rafters soon.
Arturs Irbe (130-122-44 .906 SV% 2.49 GAA 1-time All-Star)
The space between #1 and #2 is huge, but so is the space between #2 and #3. Irbe was a part of a great duo in net during the 2001-02 playoff run to the SCF. What stands out to me is the GAA, which is way better than I expected from a goalie with a record so close to .500. Irbe was a solid goaltender for the first five seasons before moving into a back-up role in the final season of his career. I don't put him on near the pedestal I put Cam War on, but Irbe is the clear-cut second best.
Extras
Jussi Jokinen (288 GP 68 G 117 A 185 PTS)
It was hard to keep him off the four lines but it's hard to ignore the immediate impact he made once he was traded to the team before the 2009 playoff run. His heroics in the playoffs, especially in the first round against New Jersey, took the team to the ECF. But his follow-up season was just as good. In 2009-10, he recorded his only 30-goal season and set a career-high in points (65). His numbers fell off in the next few seasons, which prompted him to be traded.
Bret Hedican (369 GP 19 G 82 A 101 PTS)
Hedican was traded to the team at the deadline before the 2001-02 playoffs. He was a staple on the blueline for both runs to the SCF. He wasn't known as an offensive defenseman with his numbers hovering anywhere from 17 to 27 points for most of his time. He was a solid blueliner whose presence could be felt all throughout the Cup run in 2006.
Petr Mrazek (44-30-5 .909 SV% 2.54 GAA)
The Canes don't have a ton of great options for in the net throughout the history of the franchise. Ward and Irbe are the clear leaders, but after that it gets tough. To me, it came down to Kevin Weekes and Mrazek. Weekes' record is nothing spectacular, but his SV% and GAA are both exceptional. Despite only being in his second season with the team, the job he did to get the Canes to the postseason for the first time in a decade is enough for me to put him on this list. This season was a tad rockier than last, but his reaction to making the playoffs was priceless.
Head Coach
Peter Laviolette (167-122-28-6 1 Stanley Cup Win)
There was no discussion as to who this honor was going to. He coached the team to its only Stanley Cup win, which made him the no-brainer choice to be the head coach. The only other people I'd make an argument for would be Paul Maurice and Rod Brind'Amour. For Maurice, there was too much inconsistency during his tenure. Brind'Amour is still early in his coaching career, plus it'd be weird to have him on here as the coach and a player.
Before I get to my final roster, here are some of the names I didn't include.
Andrei Svechnikov- It is way too early to tell on Svech. After being drafted 2nd in 2018, he has provided more than his fair share of memorable moments. But it's only his second season in the league. He'd be on this roster if this were five years from now. At the moment, however, he'll just miss out.
Dougie Hamilton- He has been amazing since the trade that brought him over from the Flames in the Lindholm and Hanifin deal. If not for the injury he sustained this season, he'd likely be in the Norris conversation at the rate he was going. He will need another year or two before I put him on this list.
Chad Larose- Larose played 508 games for the Canes from 2006 to 2013, the 16th most in Whalers/Hurricanes history. He was always a fan favorite with the crowd in Raleigh and was a part of the Cup team. The forward group was pretty heavy, which means someone needed to be left off and he was the last name off.
Frank Kaberle, Aaron Ward, and Mike Commodore- These names comprise of half of the defensive core that won the Cup. Each had memorable moments during that run. Ward and Kaberle both scored in Game 7 and Commodore's hair and robe became huge amongst the fans during the run. Much like Larose, they were all right on the cusp of my roster but just missed the cut.
Now we're getting into the 23-man roster. The way I'm going to present this will be in the order of centers, left wingers, right wingers, defensemen (each two is a pairing), goalies, the extras, then the head coach. So let's get on with it.
Centers
Eric Staal (909 GP 322 G 453 A 775 PTS 4-time All-Star)
When Staal was traded in 2016 it was truly the end of an era for the Hurricanes franchise. The 2nd overall in the 2003 draft by the Canes, he scored 100 points (45 G 55 A) in his sophomore campaign in 2005-06, leading the Cup team in points both in the regular season and postseason. This is not unique to that season. Since relocation in 1997, Staal leads the franchise in points in the postseason with 43 points. There are a few players on this list that were no-brainers he was the first.
Rod Brind'Amour (694 GP 174 G 299 A 473 PTS 2-time Selke Winner)
There is a multitude of reasons why Rod Brind'Amour's name deserves to be on this list. The captain of the Cup-winning team is the epitome of what the Hurricanes have represented. He played the game the right way at all times and led by example. Winning two Selke trophies for Best Defensive Forward, Brind'Amour was never going to put up flashy numbers. He was on the right end of some historic moments during the Cup run. He scored the game-winning goal in the ECF in Game 7 against Buffalo, then completed the comeback in Game 1 of the SCF by capitalizing on a mistake from the goalie and giving the Canes the win. The image of his hoisting the Cup will forever be burnt into my mind. He will no doubt enter the Hall of Fame in the future.
Ron Francis (472 GP 118 G 236 A 354 PTS King Clancy & Lady Byng Winner)
Originally, Ron Francis was going to be the first center on this list, but then I looked at his numbers strictly from the relocation to Raleigh. There is no denying Francis' brilliance in Hartford and Pittsburgh, but he only spent six seasons in Raleigh. He captained the Canes to SCF in 2002 and his point total is good enough for 6th in franchise history. In that 2001-02 season, he won both King Clancy and Lady Byng trophies. While his legacy is tied to Hartford for sure, he was still good as his career was winding down in Carolina.
Sebastian Aho (310 GP 121 G 142 A 263 PTS 1-time All-Star)
This was a close call between Aho and Jordan Staal, but ultimately I picked Aho for the impact he's made offensively in a short period. In just four seasons, he's already moved into 8th place in franchise history in goals and 11th in points. His numbers might not leap off the page, but he has played exceptionally well for the last few years. He finished with a career-high in points in 2018-19 to help lead the team to the postseason, then followed it up by scoring 38 goals in 2019-20, good enough for 6th in the league. He promises to be one of the most essential parts of the franchise moving forward.
Left Wings
Ray Whitney (372 GP 119 G 215 A 334 PTS)
It was a matter of how I was going to order Whitney and Jeff Skinner, but I ultimately chose Whitney for what he accomplished during his time with the team. He's a Cup winner, in case you haven't noticed a theme, but also had some of his best seasons with the Hurricanes. With his 334 points in 372 games, Whitney has the highest points per game total in franchise history since relocation. The margin for me is paper-thin, but Ray Whitney's contributions in the SCF make him my first-line winger.
Jeff Skinner (579 GP 204 G 175 A 379 PTS 1-time All-Star, Calder Trophy winner)
Skinner has the edge in many categories when compared to Ray Whitney. He made an All-Star team with the Canes. He won the Calder Trophy for his 31-goal performance in 2010-11. In his time with the Canes, the former 7th overall pick scored 30-goals three times and finished with 204, second to only Eric Staal since relocation. He had some inconsistencies during his eight seasons, which led to him being traded, but there is no denying his impact when he was on.
Erik Cole (557 GP 168 G 195 A 363 PTS)
Cole never lit the league up with points. He only scored 30-goals twice in his career, once with the Canes, and his career-high in points was 61. The Erik Cole that I'll always know is that of the man who was slammed into the boards from behind by Pittsburgh's Brooks Orpik, taking him out for the last 22 games of the regular season and most of the playoffs. He had 59 points (30 G, 29 A) in the 60 games he'd played, but it was all cut short. He came back to play the last two games of the SCF and followed it up with a 61-point campaign in the next season.
Cory Stillman (191 GP 52 G 113 A 165 PTS)
For me, this is more of a personal pick. Cory Stillman was my favorite player when I first got into hockey in 2006. Stillman only played two full seasons and parts of two more before he retired in 2011. He was simply magical in the postseason run to the cup. He had 26 points (9 G, 17 A), including the series-winning goal in OT against Montreal to complete the series comeback and the OT goal in Game 5 of the ECF. He was nearly a point per game player and he'll always be the player that got me interested in the game.
Right Wings
Justin Williams (449 GP 128 G 188 A 316 PTS 1-time All-Star)
He could go on this list for what he did in his first run or what he has done during his current run but put them together and Justin Williams is one of the best to come through this organization. Willy's first run with the team culminated in a Cup and his only All-Star appearance. But the legend of Justin Williams grew once he returned to the organization in 2017. He became the captain in 2018 and helped lead the team to the ECF with his heroics in Game 7 against Washington. After sitting out most of the beginning of the '19-'20 season, he returned for 20 games, scored eight goals and won three games in the shootout. He was always good, but his recent legacy
Jeff O'Neill (536 G 176 G 183 A 359 PTS 1-time All-Star)
O'Neill was a draft pick of Hartford who came to Carolina with the move. O'Neill's NHL career was short, only 11 seasons, and retired at the age of 30. During his time with the team, he was a pure goal scorer. He ranks third in franchise history in goals and fifth in points. He had one 40-goal season and one All-Star nod in 2003 on route to a 30 goal, 60 point campaign. It's a shame he was traded during the lockout to Toronto right before the team won a Cup.
Sami Kapanen (440 G 127 G 187 A 314 PTS 2-Time All-Star)
Kapanen, the father of current Maple Leaf Kasperi Kapanen, entered the league with O'Neill, first with Hartford, then Carolina during relocation. He was a two-time All-Star and a two-time Fastest Skater at the All-Star game. Kapanen played in 100 fewer games than McNeill, but only 44 fewer points. The reason I rank him lower than O'Neill because of goal scoring. Kapanen was a playmaker and is deserving of being among the best in franchise history.
Teuvo Teravainen (313 GP 74 G 171 A 245 PTS)
I look back on the trade that brought Turbo to Carolina fondly. In four seasons with the team, Teravainen has been a consistent playmaker and a mastermind at distributing the puck. He had already won a Cup in Chicago a few years earlier. But he has been absolutely dynamite over the last four years. With the extension he signed last season, he'll be around for a long time. Hopefully, he, Aho and Svechnikov have some magic up their sleeves for the years to come.
Defensemen
Glen Wesley (729 GP 35 G 120 A 155 PTS)
In my opinion, there is no defenseman better than Glen Wesley in Hurricanes' history. Wesley's best years were arguably in Boston before being traded to Hartford for three 1st round picks. Wesley's 729 games are 2nd-most in franchise history, behind Eric Staal. He never put up huge numbers, but he stuck in there and was an essential part of the defensive core that won a Cup. There is only one player that I think could challenge Wesley for his spot at the top...
Justin Faulk (559 GP 85 G 173 A 258 PTS 3-time All-Star)
and that would be Justin Faulk. Faulk's numbers during his eight seasons were amazing. He is the franchise leader in points by a defenseman by over 100 points. He was a top-pairing defenseman which is why it was weird when he was traded during the offseason. If not for how well Joel Edmundson has played this season, I'd argue the Canes lost the trade. He was often the only representative at All-Star games, but the accolades were all well-deserving.
Jaccob Slavin (377 GP 29 G 122 A 151 PTS 1-time All-Star)
Even after replacing Dougie Hamilton at the All-Star Game this season, I think Slavin is one of the most underrated players in the game today. His placement on this list speaks to how good I think he is now and how good he will be in the future. He is already tasked with playing against the top lines of every opponent. He set a new career-high in points (36) before the season was stopped. I think he deserves to be in the Norris conversation and will win one eventually.
Joni Pitkanen (266 GP 24 G 116 A 140 PTS)
Pitkanen's career was derailed by injuries. When the Canes shipped out Erik Cole to Edmonton for Pitkanen, it was a head-scratcher, but it was a deal that looked good for the Canes in the long run. He was crucial in the run to the ECF in 2009 and he tied a career-high in points the following year. It would've been interesting to see how his career plays out had he not have gotten hurt. He was on pace to do some good things for the team. His placement here is less about what could've been than what he was able to do for the team.
Brett Pesce (350 GP 20 G 82 A 102 PTS)
I said Slavin is one of the most underrated defensemen in the league, but I think Pesce is THE most underrated player. I loved the pairing of Slavin and Pesce last season. While Slavin gets the top line, Pesce is usually responsible for the next best line. His numbers won jump off the page, but his defense is amazing. His numbers have fallen off a bit this season, but his ice time has increased. He and Slavin will be the two pillars of the defense for the near future.
Nicolas Wallin (517 GP 18 G 51 A 69 PTS)
Much like my addition of Stillman, this pick has nothing to do with his regular-season numbers and everything to do with his postseason heroics. In four playoff appearances with the team, he scored three goals, all OT winners. Wallin was a magician in clutch moments in the playoffs. For reference, the three goalies he scored on were Jose Theodore, Curtis Joseph, and Martin Brodeur. That's three pretty good goaltenders. His career wasn't that sterling, but when the moment needed it, he was ready.
Goalies
Cam Ward (318-244-84 .909 SV% 2.70 GAA 1-time All-Star, Conn Smythe Winner)
No argument can be made to suggest there has been a better goalie in the history of this franchise. Cam Ward was a staple of this franchise through all the bad years, but his legacy began with that magical Cup run in 2006. After serving as the back-up to Martin Gerber for the 2005-06 season and the first two games of the 2006 playoffs, Ward began his decade-plus reign in the net in Game 2 of the ECQF. He won 15 of the 16 games that postseason. He also is credited with a goal, though it wasn't like he shot it down the ice. Ward's number needs to be put into the rafters soon.
Arturs Irbe (130-122-44 .906 SV% 2.49 GAA 1-time All-Star)
The space between #1 and #2 is huge, but so is the space between #2 and #3. Irbe was a part of a great duo in net during the 2001-02 playoff run to the SCF. What stands out to me is the GAA, which is way better than I expected from a goalie with a record so close to .500. Irbe was a solid goaltender for the first five seasons before moving into a back-up role in the final season of his career. I don't put him on near the pedestal I put Cam War on, but Irbe is the clear-cut second best.
Extras
Jussi Jokinen (288 GP 68 G 117 A 185 PTS)
It was hard to keep him off the four lines but it's hard to ignore the immediate impact he made once he was traded to the team before the 2009 playoff run. His heroics in the playoffs, especially in the first round against New Jersey, took the team to the ECF. But his follow-up season was just as good. In 2009-10, he recorded his only 30-goal season and set a career-high in points (65). His numbers fell off in the next few seasons, which prompted him to be traded.
Bret Hedican (369 GP 19 G 82 A 101 PTS)
Hedican was traded to the team at the deadline before the 2001-02 playoffs. He was a staple on the blueline for both runs to the SCF. He wasn't known as an offensive defenseman with his numbers hovering anywhere from 17 to 27 points for most of his time. He was a solid blueliner whose presence could be felt all throughout the Cup run in 2006.
Petr Mrazek (44-30-5 .909 SV% 2.54 GAA)
The Canes don't have a ton of great options for in the net throughout the history of the franchise. Ward and Irbe are the clear leaders, but after that it gets tough. To me, it came down to Kevin Weekes and Mrazek. Weekes' record is nothing spectacular, but his SV% and GAA are both exceptional. Despite only being in his second season with the team, the job he did to get the Canes to the postseason for the first time in a decade is enough for me to put him on this list. This season was a tad rockier than last, but his reaction to making the playoffs was priceless.
Head Coach
Peter Laviolette (167-122-28-6 1 Stanley Cup Win)
There was no discussion as to who this honor was going to. He coached the team to its only Stanley Cup win, which made him the no-brainer choice to be the head coach. The only other people I'd make an argument for would be Paul Maurice and Rod Brind'Amour. For Maurice, there was too much inconsistency during his tenure. Brind'Amour is still early in his coaching career, plus it'd be weird to have him on here as the coach and a player.
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