By Mark Bergin, WRAL senior multiplatform producer

Raleigh, N.C. — The Carolina Hurricanes enter the 2024-25 season having made the playoffs in six consecutive seasons but are still vying to win their first Stanley Cup since 2006.

Canes head coach Rod Brind’Amour is entering his seventh season as the team’s head coach. The Canes have twice made it to the Eastern Conference Finals, but got swept in 2019 and 2023.

In a Wednesday interview with on “Next Up with 99.9 The Fan,” Brind’Amour said the goal is “Stanley Cup or bust.”

“That’s obviously the goal,” Brind’Amour said. “It’s been that every year and it’ll continue to be.

“Even if we had won [the Stanley Cup], that’s the goal every year you’re coming in. Otherwise, what are you doing it for?”

This season’s Canes are different from the front office to the ice. Longtime general manager Don Waddell took an offer to run hockey operations for the Columbus Blue Jackets.

To replace Waddell, the Canes promoted assistant general manager Eric Tulsky to general manager. Doug Warf will handle business operations and oversee the redevelopment of PNC Arena.

The Canes made several offseason signings, including:

• Forward Seth Jarvis signed an eight-year, $63.2 million contract
• Defenseman Jaccob Slavin signed an eight-year, $51.69 million contract extension
• Forward Martin Necas signed a two-year contract extension worth $13 million.
• Defenseman Jalen Chatfield re-signed on a three-year deal.
• Forward Jordan Martinook signed a three-year deal to return.
• Defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere resigned on a three-year deal.
• Colorado Avalanche defenseman Sean Walker signed a five-year contract.
• Las Vegas Golden Knights forward William Carrier signed a six-year contract.

There are also reports the Canes will sign 35-year-old forward Sam Gagner to a professional tryout contract.

On Wednesday, Brind’Amour described what he wants to see Necas this season.

“Everyone sees the talent there,” Brind’Amour said of Necas. “I think, obviously, he’s kind of our one player that’s … I would say is kind of like that home-run hitter that you might have on your team.

“If you put him the lineup, he might strike out a little bit, but he has that potential to end the game for you, and that’s what you want. You want a player like that. For us, it’s figuring out how to maybe hit a single once in a while too.”

Necas, 25, played in 77 games in the 2023-24 season, scoring 53 points (24 goals and 29 assists). The season before, Necas played in all 82 games and had 71 points (28 goals and 43 assists).

Several well-known names have left the Hurricanes in the offseason, including:

• Forward Jake Guentzel got traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning
• Defenseman Brett Pesce signed a six-year contract with the New Jersey Devils
• Defenseman Brady Skjei signed a seven-year contract with the Nashville Predators
• Forward Teuvo Teravainen signed a three-year contract with the Chicago Blackhawks
• Forward Stefan Noesen signed a three-year contract with the New Jersey Devils.

“We had a really special group,” Brind’Amour said. “Everyone recognizes we have good people here, and they spent a lot of money to go get them.

“That’s the nature of sports.”

Also, winger Jesper Fast will miss the entire 2024-25 season after having neck surgery in August.

“The core pieces are still intact,” Brind’Amour said. “We’re excited about the new guys we brought in.”

The Hurricanes begin the preseason at 7 p.m. ET Tuesday, Sept. 24 on the road against the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Canes host the Lightning to open the regular season on Oct. 11 at PNC Arena.

Source: wralsportsfan.com