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Since the first round of the 2010 NHL Playoffs were finally set last Sunday night, Bleacher Report has been utterly flooded with articles and slide shows with predictions after predictions. Some previewed all the series; others focused on one conference's slate or just one Best-of-Seven battle. Some just gave their predictions and games won in; others wrote out a 500-word preview including each team's Keys to Winning the Series. Some of ...
With the Carolina Hurricanes falling 4-2 in Boston today, they wrapped up a season full of impressive wins and even more disappointing losses. They started out terrible, rebounded some by spring, but ended up falling just short of the playoffs by just three or four wins. The 2009-2010 campaign for the Hurricanes also included a captaincy change, a youth movement, a nomination for the 2011 NHL All-Star Game, and 82 unpredictable, ...

NHL Free Agency 2010: 14 Major Upcoming UFA’s

Posted: 8th April 2010 by Mark Jones in NHL
With the NHL regular season coming to a close in just a few days, 14 NHL teams will be done with their 82 games and move onto the summer offseason—a time that, despite its slow-moving pace, can often make the difference for a team's success for seasons and seasons to come. Soon handfuls more teams eliminated from the postseason will join them, and quickly enough the free agent market will ...
With just three games left in the NHL 2009-2010 regular season, the Carolina Hurricanes are going to miss the playoffs for the third time in four years since their Stanley Cup victory in 2006. Following last year's run to the Eastern Conference Finals, the 'Canes started off this year on a low note, tying a franchise record with 14 consecutive losses in October and November, and were unable to fully recover despite ...
Six teams. Three spots. And one week to stake your claim in the Eastern Conference playoffs. Just days ago, it seemed as if the postseason race to the finish in the East might be fizzling out, but a few results in the right direction and suddenly we have six teams, or probably five teams, fighting for the last three playoff spots in the East's field of eight teams. The top five spots in the ...
The 2009-2010 season was one of the most anticipated years in the history of the Hurricanes time in North Carolina. It was also one of the most disappointing. The season began with a franchise record-tying 14 game losing streak in October/November, and things didn't begin to look up until late January, when any hope of success was all but out of the question. Although the 'Canes did find a consistent winning ...
As the NHL reaches its final weeks of the regular season, not only does anticipation usually build for the playoffs, but also for the last crucial games in each conference's playoff races to determine who even gets in to the postseason. This year, however, that may not be the case. In the Western Conference, the playoff bubble is almost non-existent. The race, if you could call it that, involves only the seventh ...
Photo credit: Scott Pilling/Getty Images With the Carolina Hurricanes entering the third round of the shootout, Ray Whitney knew he had a lot to do if he wanted to single-handedly keep the 'Canes alive and still fighting for the extra point. After blowing a 2-0 lead built in the first 10 minutes of regulation, Carolina struggled throughout. Fortunately for the Hurricane faithful, they held on every time they needed to Thursday night in ...
Just a few weeks ago, at the Olympic break, all eyes on hockey were tuned to two battles for position: the playoff races. In the West, Calgary, Detroit, Anaheim, St. Louis, and Minnesota were all right on the brink of the bubble for the last playoff spot, while in the East, Boston, Montreal, New York Rangers, Tampa Bay, and Atlanta were all clambering for the eighth seed. Now, just a mere 20 ...

Carolina Hurricanes Moving Forward: Defense Showing Potential

Posted: 20th March 2010 by Mark Jones in NHL
With the Carolina Hurricanes' season winding down and playoffs all but out of the question, it's time for the 'Canes organization and followers to begin looking forward. The Hurricanes have already shown that it is what they want to do. Several trade deadline moves back in early March that rid the Hurricanes of four players 31 or older and the acquisition of three prospects and seven draft picks in return are sure signs ...