Tagged: Carolina Hurricanes

Eric Hodge: The Carolina Hurricanes have a new coach. Kyle Muller has been chosen to lead the Triangle’s only major sports franchise. Dave DeWitt reports.

The Canes entered the season hoping to battle for the southeast division title in the NHL – or, at least, make the playoffs. But after winning just 8 of their first 25 games, the Hurricanes have the second-worst record in the division. That led team management to fire head coach Paul Maurice.

General Manager Jim Rutherford says it’s time to make a change.

The Carolina Hurricanes have extended the contract of General Manager Jim Rutherford. Rutherford is the only G-M the franchise has had since moving to North Carolina 14 years ago.

The tenure of many professional sports general managers can be measured in months. But Rutherford has been at the helm of the franchise for 18 years – the second longest tenure in the National Hockey League.

In that time, the Hurricanes have a winning record overall, have hosted an NHL All-Star game, and won a Stanley Cup in 2006.

When the Carolina Hurricanes won the Stanley Cup in 2006, the team had a young, Czech player on the ice named Josef Vašíček. “Big Joe,” as ‘Canes fans called him, was drafted by the team in 1998 and before his career in North Carolina was over, Vašíček was a key member in the Hurricanes’ success. The 30-year-old player died in a plane crash in Russia on Wednesday, along with 26 members of the Yaroslavl Lokomotiv, the hockey team Vašíček joined in 2008.

The Carolina Hurricanes are welcoming two new coaches to their staff. Former team captain Rod Brind’Amour and NHL head coach Dave Lewis will be assistant coaches for the team. Brind’Amour was appointed the team’s director of development last year after 20 years as an NHL player. Head Coach Paul Maurice says that year of experience will make Brind’Amour well suited for the job. 

Rod Brind'Amour will be honored tonight before the Carolina Hurricanes take on the Philadelphia Flyers. He will have his jersey retired.

Rod Brind'Amour was known as one of the hardest working and toughest players in a sport that places a high value on both. He attributes his drive to his father, a pipefitter in Campbell River, Canada.