It comes from a spot of heartbreak. It’s arduous to not turn out to be smitten with the Carolina Hurricanes. They play quick. They’ve a rabid fanbase. They’ve numerous gamers which can be simple to love. They’ve a coach in Rod Brind’amour who’s joyful to elucidate issues to followers and isn’t a whole meatball (he additionally appears to be like like this in his mid-goddamn-50s). They’re the underdog merely due to their market. Have been they to win a second Cup, it will ship Canada into an uproar that even Dave Grohl couldn’t approve of (topical!). They’ve Teuvo Teräväinen, the one who obtained away from me. I get it.

And right here they go once more. For the reason that flip of the 12 months, they’re 11-4-2. They didn’t lose in regulation in all of December. They’ve obtained inside touching distance of the Boston Bruins for prime seed general, and the Bruins are going “Rampage!” over the remainder of the league. We’ve seen this all earlier than, and it’s definitely alluring in case you didn’t know higher. It’s a fuckin siren tune.

They’re doing it the identical means as all the time too, spreading the wealth and hurting groups from principally each line. Eight guys have 10 targets or extra; 11 have 20 factors or extra; and none of them in both class is Max Pacioretty, who was counted on to be the additional dose of frontline scoring the Canes have wanted however solely performed 5 video games earlier than blowing out his Achilles once more. It’s the lovable, faceless crew that it all the time is.

That doesn’t imply there isn’t talent right here, as a result of there’s lots, it’s simply that Carolina simply doesn’t get the highlight as different locations. Sebastian Aho won’t be a lead guitarist for a crew, however he is likely to be the perfect rhythm guitarist within the league. Andrei Svechnikov is without doubt one of the league’s finest snipers. They’ll inform you they’ve resurrected the profession of Brent Burns, as he has 38 factors in 53 video games. You simply watch although, as within the playoffs Burns will flip again into the overdressed and over-bearded turnstile he’s all the time been.

Carolina is atop the division this time round and isn’t even getting goaltending. Neither Frederik Andersen nor Antti Raanta has been capable of crack a .902 save share thus far this season. The crew’s finest goalie might be Pyotr Kochetkov, whom they presently have stashed within the AHL. They will go into the playoffs trusting Andersen, after which they’ll higher perceive the raft of sad-boy songs produced by Toronto bands over the previous few years (Freddie killed Neil Peart! Yeah I stated it!).

‘Try arduous’ works within the winter however not the spring

So why the doubt? As a result of the Canes play a mode that can catch groups chilly in the midst of the winter when the season has turn out to be an interminable slog, however appears to be like like what everybody else is doing when the playoffs begin. There’s all the time an NBA crew that shoots by way of the standings in January and February as a result of they’re nonetheless keen to protect or shut out arduous when the real-ass groups are getting their breather in. The Warriors know they don’t need to roll to the ring that onerous or rush out to the three-point line on Valentine’s Day so long as they do come Tax Day.

That’s the Canes. Final season, they went 17-5-3 between Dec. 1 and this level within the calendar. Credit score must go to Brind’amour, who retains his fees rolling by way of the dregs of the season. But it surely doesn’t make the Canes particular on the time once they have to be.

Extra to the purpose, the Canes play a heavy dump and chase/chip and cost sport with the puck. And since they work so arduous, and have numerous velocity, they’ll regain numerous pucks. They win these races persistently within the winter. But it surely’s a easy sport. They get the puck, they cycle it to the purpose, the d-men shoots, and the Canes attempt to create a ruckus across the internet. Take a look at this map of their photographs this season:

Fairly primary stuff. However come April and Might, opponents and their d-men are somewhat extra decided to get again to the puck and transfer it. That first ahead again is extra keen to assist out his d-men and be accessible for a fast breakout. In January, he is likely to be dishonest to the purple line just because it’s simpler.

The Canes make it simple for themselves to get goalie’d within the playoffs, as a result of so many photographs come from the purpose. And good goalies all the way in which tuned in in the course of the playoffs suck these up and don’t depart the rebounds the Canes thrive on. Final 12 months, once they ate it to the Rangers with out profitable a highway sport in both the primary or second spherical, Igor Shesterkin had a .949 save share over the seven video games. They scored 13 targets in whole. The earlier 12 months, when the Lightning kicked their ass pillar to submit, Andrei Vasilevskiy had a .956 save share over 5 video games. In 2019, Tuukka Rask managed the identical quantity in a four-game sweep.

Come this spring, the Canes very effectively might need to undergo Shesterkin and Vasilevskiy once more. Or perhaps Shesterkin and Linus Ullmark, the present clubhouse chief for the Vezina. 

Defensively, it’s sort of the identical story. The Canes are essentially the most man-to-man crew in their very own zone, and they are often as a result of all their d-men can actually transfer together with their beforehand talked about speedy forwards. They’re the crew most able to harassing gamers all around the d-zone. However when that further effort kicks in for the opponents come the playoffs, the Canes don’t have an additional gear to kick to. They’ve already been enjoying it for seven months. And so they lose simply sufficient of these races or get beat simply sufficient to lose.

The Canes aren’t wanting expertise, they usually’ll in all probability membership whoever they get within the first spherical. However are they actually set as much as beat a beefed-up Rangers crew this time round (I’m shorting the Devils, I do know, however they’re initially of their arc and have rather a lot to show, particularly with an ouchy Jack Hughes)? They might actually use a prime-era Patrick Kane to provide them one participant who can simply conjure one thing exterior of their agricultural methods. Sadly, the Patrick Kane on supply this season isn’t the prime one. Timo Meier is sort of the idealized model of a winger they have already got, scores out of straight strains and such.

Benefit from the wins, Caniacs. We’ve seen all of it earlier than.

For those who’d like extra odes to Teuvo, observe Sam on Twitter @Felsgate