The Hurricanes are at a point of the season where there isn't a whole lot to play for from the fan's point of view. Sure, the playoffs are still a "mathematical possibility" but it's going to take a lot of help and it's unlikely that this squad will pull it off. It's tough to figure […]

Almost everyone in Caniac Nation is familiar with the concept of "score effects" by now. It's when a team builds an early lead and opts to sit back for the rest of the game, resulting in the trailing team racking up a lot of shots on goal and ending up in the positive ledger in […]

Since the 2011-12 season, Carolina fans have had a strained relationship with goaltender Cam Ward. Although still loved by many, Ward has struggled with injuries and poor play for the last three years and while not all of it is his fault, it's contributed to many of the Hurricanes problems and this year is probably […]

If there was one game most Hurricane fans had marked down as a loss, last night's showdown against the Chicago Blackhawks was likely at the top of the list. Even at the beginning of the year when spirits were higher, not many expected the Canes to come into the United Center and escape with two […]

During Monday's practice, Carolina head coach Kirk Muller unleashed his frustration over his team's performance publicly. It was a side of him that many haven't seen before (at least during his time in Carolina), but the fact that it's coming out now isn't very surprising. Everyone knows the Hurricanes have been underachieving and I'm sure […]

Tracking zone entries has been all the rage in the hockey analytics community this year and the main thing we look at is how often a team/player carries the puck into the offensive zone as opposed to dumping it in. That is generally how we judge which players are "winning the battle" in the neutral […]

Losing to a team like the Edmonton Oilers at this time of the season would normally be something to panic over but for the Hurricanes, it was really just another game and another loss. This is a team that has lost seven of their last ten games and while the playoffs might have been in […]

If the fanbase had any optimism left in the Hurricanes, their coaching staff and most of their players, it likely disappeared after their 5-1 loss to the Boston Bruins this afternoon. The result isn't terribly surprising because the Hurricanes have been a team in disarray since the Olympic break while the Bruins are one of […]

The struggles of the Hurricanes power play are frustrating and it goes beyond just this season. The team's power play has ranked in the bottom half of the league for the last five years, so figuring out the root of the problem is a daunting task at this point. This year is especially frustrating because […]

On paper, this looks like a game that the Hurricanes ran away with. They beat the Sabres 4-2, outshot them by 32 and mauled them in the territorial game. It looks like one of the most dominant performances this team has put together in awhile, but it was actually a lot more frustrating to watch […]

Special teams are something that can give clubs a big boost and for the Hurricanes it's been the exact opposite. Both their power play and penalty kill are ranked in the bottom-third of the league and their Special Team Index (PP% + PK%) is the third worst in the NHL. For reference, most teams strive […]

There are some games where you'll catch a team on an off-night and this was the case with the Hurricanes 3-1 win over the Rangers. After all, this is the same team that wiped the floor with the Hurricanes on Friday night and is much better than them in terms of skill and depth. You […]

When people ask me why the Hurricanes have struggled so much this year, I usually point to one of two things. The first is special teams, which kind of speaks for itself at this point, and the other is depth. Jim Rutherford spent a lot of money on the team's core and it's left the […]

I've been very critical of Hurricanes head coach Kirk Muller this season for a number of reasons. He isn't the sole reason why this team's season has gone down the drain but his system and certain habits have played a role in it. Muller is very strict about having players stick to his system and […]

This year's Hurricanes team usually needs a few things to happen in order for them to win. They're usually in good shape if they can get good production out of both of their top-two lines, whether that comes in form of goals & points or territorial domination depends on the night. If that doesn't happen, […]