The Carolina Hurricanes Have Now Lost 15 Eastern Conference Final Games In A Row, Which Is Equal Parts Impressive And Pathetic
Carmen Mandato. Getty Images.The Carolina Hurricanes gutted their way through the first two rounds of the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs. The beat New Jersey in 7 games in the first round. They took down the Bruins in 7 games in the 2nd round. They were back in the ECF for the first time since winning the Cup in 2006, and they were facing Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Obviously we all know the Penguins went on to win the Cup that year. And that was after sweeping Carolina 4-0 in that series, and the Hurricanes didn't even qualify for the playoffs for the next 9 seasons after that.
10 years later, they were not only back in the playoffs but also back to the Eastern Conference Final. They were swept in 4 games by the Boston Bruins in 2019.
In 2023 they advanced to the Eastern Conference Final again. This time they were swept in 4 games by Florida.
It's pretty impressive how many times the Carolina Hurricanes have been one of the last 2 Eastern Conference teams standing at the end of the year over the years. 4 Conference Finals in 16 years isn't bad at all, especially considering the 9-year stretch where they didn't even make the playoffs. This year they are back in the Conference Finals for the 3rd time in the past 7 years.
But it's also extremely pathetic once they get there…
It doesn't make a lick of sense, yet somehow it makes complete and total sense. The Carolina Hurricanes have all the talent you need to beat inferior teams. They have the speed, they have the skill, they have the system to make sure they don't lose to inferior opponents.
But once they go up against a team that is at least equal, if not better? They don't have the heart, the grit, or the determination to even compete in a series.
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They just fold. Because they're not a tough hockey team. They're a bunch of analytical driven dorks who care more about choreographing their post-game "Storm Surge" than sticking up for their teammates on the ice when they're getting obliterated by the likes of Matthew Tkachuk and Sam Bennett.
You can make it to the Eastern Conference Finals based on skill alone. But there's not a chance in hell this team is ever going to win a Stanley Cup the way that they play. Not today, not tomorrow, not ever. It's a $100 million roster with a $0.10 heart. Maybe, just maybe, there's a chance they sack up enough to win game 4. But something tells me these guys will back home in Finland by the middle of the week.