The Carolina Hurricanes earned 99 points last season, their most since the 112 they had the year they won the Stanley Cup. They lost very little over the summer in terms of the scoring punch, the defensive acumen and the goaltending prowess that got them to that point. For all of the front office melodrama, the Hurricanes that take the ice October 3 will look a whole lot like the team that was last seen on May 16.
Yet if you listen to certain pundits, the Hurricanes took a step backward this offseason. BetOnline and the Westgate SuperBook have the Hurricanes to finish at around 95 points.