When the Hurricanes went down in Game 1 of these Conference Finals, it brought their recent record in the ECF to 1-17. While some used this as proof that this team “chokes,” they failed to consider the flip side: Only four teams make it to the Conference Finals every year.
That the Hurricanes consistently made it to three rounds, often only to fall to the Cup-winning Panthers, was frustrating. It was especially frustrating if you feared their window was about to expire.
But the whole 1-17 narrative clouded our better judgment to an extent. Each year, GM Eric Tulsky tweaked the team, adding depth to every position, chipping away at depth scoring issues with players like Logan Stankoven, Taylor Hall, and Nikolaj Ehlers, and making the Canes’ airtight defense even stronger with additions like K’Andre Miller.
It’s understandable that it can be hard to keep the faith in a league with such parity, and every failed trip to the Conference Finals can feel like “the end” in this way. Instead of blowing it all up, though, the Hurricanes doubled down on their style of play, patiently added the right players, and finally landed in the Stanley Cup Final.
