30 Teams/30 Days: Carolina Hurricanes

Outlook: They weren’t supposed to defeat the New Jersey Devils in the 2009 Eastern Conference quarterfinals, but the Carolina Hurricanes did just that in dramatic fashion. They weren’t supposed to defeat the Boston Bruins in the Eastern Conference semifinals, but the Carolina Hurricanes did just that…in dramatic fashion. While the ‘Canes made it to the Eastern Conference finals last year, they lost the energy in the end and got swept by the eventual Stanley Cup Champion Pittsburgh Penguins. However Paul Maurice—who took over in Carolina on December 3, 2008 for his second stint—helped the team fight through adversity throughout the season. It is true that some people thought Scott Walker got away with only a slap on the wrist after game five of their series with the Bruins. It was also true that in December many people thought the ‘Canes would miss the playoffs for the third year in a row. By now, I hope everyone got the point that the &lsqu...