They’ll always be welcome in Raleigh, always celebrated as a big part of the Carolina Hurricanes’ 2006 Stanley Cup run.
On Thursday, Eric Staal was at PNC Arena.
On Saturday, it will be Peter Laviolette.
For Staal, it was a second return since the Canes traded the former team captain to the New York Rangers just before the 2016 NHL trade deadline. This time, Staal was with the Minnesota Wild and the Canes again sent him away disappointed, winning 3-1.
Staal was the leading scorer in the 2006 playoffs and Laviolette the Canes coach in Carolina’s relentless run to the Cup.