The dawning of a new NHL season brought heightened expectations to Raleigh. Rewarding the faith of their fanbase, the Carolina Hurricanes hit the ground (ehm, ice) running, winning their first five games and six out of their first nine.
Things haven’t gone without trouble, as familiar bugaboos (poor passing, flaccid power play) have reared their heads at times. Thankfully, there has been plenty of good to offset the bad. Where the power play has fallen off a cliff, the penalty kill has improved from the first week of the season.
The offseason additions that general manager Don Waddell brought in have integrated well with Rod Brind’Amour‘s system.