By Ryan Bisesi, WRAL multiplatform producer

Raleigh, N.C. — The Carolina Hurricanes are headed to the playoffs for the sixth straight season and attempting to win what’s arguably the hardest trophy to acquire in professional sports.

The Hurricanes defeated the Detroit Red Wings 4-0 on March 29 to clinch a playoff berth and ensure another season of playoff hockey at PNC Arena. The team’s motto this season has been ‘Cause Chaos,’ and they’ve held themselves to that mantra, going 27-11 during January, February and March. The acquisition of Jake Guentzel at the trade deadline has paid off, and 24-year-old goalie Pyotr Kochetkov blossomed in the absence of Frederik Andersen, who has played well in his own right after returning from a blood clotting issue.

With a talented core group of players and successful regular seasons, the Hurricanes have had Stanley Cup aspirations since coach Rod Brind’Amour took over. They haven’t reached the finals since 2006, but enter the postseason as favorites in Vegas. Currently, OddsShark has Carolina with the best odds of winning at +650, edging Edmonton (+700) and Dallas (+750).

The Hurricanes reached the Eastern Conference Final last season, but were swept by the Florida Panthers during a masterful performance from goalie Sergei Bobrovsky.

The Hurricanes have won one Stanley Cup – in 2006 when they were the eastern conference’s No. 2 seed. Entering that postseason, they were not viewed as favorites, with the juggernaut Detroit Red Wings winning the Presidents’ Trophy and the Ottawa Senators earning the top seed in the east. In the finals, the Hurricanes outlasted the Edmonton Oilers in seven games, taking a 3-1 series lead and winning a dramatic Game 7 on home ice. Goalie Cam Ward won the Conn Smythe Trophy, which is awarded to the most valuable player during the Stanley Cup Playoffs, and Eric Staal was the postseason scoring leader with 28 points.

Carolina Hurricanes leaders in 2023-24 season

A look at who’s guided the Hurricanes back to the playoffs.

• Sebastian Aho (89 points, 36 goals, 53 assists)
• Jake Guentzel (77 points, 30 goals, 47 assists with Penguins and Hurricanes)
• Seth Jarvis (67 points, 33 goals, 34 assists)
• Martin Nečas (53 points, 24 goals, 29 assists)
• Andrei Svechnikov (52 points, 19 goals, 33 assists)
• Teuvo Teräväinen (53 points, 25 goals, 28 assists)

In net, Kochetkov got the most time with Andersen missing much of the season. Kochetkov played in 42 games and holds a 23-13 record with a .911 save percentage.

Who do the Hurricanes play in the NHL playoffs first round?

This season’s playoffs begin Saturday, April 20. The Hurricanes will face the New York Islanders in the first round for the second straight year. The Hurricanes defeated the Islanders in six games in last year’s first-round series, with Paul Stastny’s overtime goal in Game 6 giving Carolina a 2-1 win.

This season, the Hurricanes went 2-2 against the Islanders during the regular season. The Hurricanes won 4-3 in overtime on Nov. 4, and 4-1 on March 19. The Islanders won 5-4 in overtime on Nov. 30, and 5-4 on Dec. 23. The Islanders hired legendary goalie Patrick Roy as head coach on Jan. 20 and are hot, having won seven of eight games as of Wednesday with one game left in the regular season.

In 2019, the Hurricanes swept the Islanders in the second round.

What is the first-round playoff schedule?

The Hurricanes-Islanders schedule will be announced sometime later in the week. When it’s officially announced, it will be added to this story. The Hurricanes will host games 1 and 2 at home and potentially games 5 and 7.

The playoffs will be televised on ESPN, ABC, TNT and TBS.

Can the Canes snap the eastern conference slide?

Should they reach the Eastern Conference Final, the Hurricanes will be looking to snap a 12-game losing skid dating back to 2009. The Hurricanes were swept in the eastern final in 2009, 2019 and 2023.

A look at Hurricanes’ playoff stats

Stanley Cups: 1 (2006)

Prior NHL playoff appearances: 10

• 1998-1999: Lost in eastern conference quarterfinal to Boston 4-2
• 2000-2001: Lost in eastern conference quarterfinal to New Jersey 4-2
• 2001-2002: Lost in Stanley Cup final to Detroit 4-1
• 2005-2006: Won Stanley Cup final against Edmonton 4-3
• 2008-2009: Lost eastern conference final to Pittsburgh 4-0
• 2018-2019: Lost eastern conference final to Boston 4-0
• 2019-2020: Lost first round to Boston 4-1
• 2020-2021: Lost eastern conference semifinal to Tampa 4-1
• 2021-2022: Lost eastern conference semifinal to New York 4-3
• 2022-2023: Lost eastern conference final to Florida 4-0

Playoff record since 1997: 73-68

2024 record: 52-23-7, 111 points – finished second place in Metropolitan Division. The Hurricanes crossed the 100-point threshold for three straight regular seasons.

Coach: Rod Brind’Amour

• Coaching record: 278-130-44 overall | 32-21 in the playoffs

Source: wralsportsfan.com