Tom Dundon chief executive officer, owner and governor of the Carolina Hurricanes | Carolina Hurricanes Website
Tom Dundon chief executive officer, owner and governor of the Carolina Hurricanes | Carolina Hurricanes Website
The Carolina Hurricanes held their end-of-season media sessions at PNC Arena following their elimination by the New York Rangers in the Stanley Cup playoffs. Players reflected on their season, shared personal experiences, and discussed future prospects.
Frederik Andersen, who faced a significant health challenge this season due to a blood-clotting issue, expressed relief and gratitude for returning to play. "It's tough to describe the feeling of being able to walk back in the locker room," he said.
Brent Burns spoke about using this year's disappointment as motivation for the next season. "You have to accept it and use it for the next year's motivation," he remarked.
Tony DeAngelo, limited in his role this season until injuries opened opportunities, emphasized his desire for more game time next year. He stated that re-signing with Carolina is an option because of his relationship with head coach Rod Brind'Amour.
Jake Guentzel reflected positively on his experience since joining the Hurricanes mid-season and remains open about where he might play next. "I've loved my experience here," he noted.
Evgeny Kuznetsov recounted his tumultuous year, including time spent in the NHL/NHLPA Players' Assistant Program and a trade. He expressed gratitude for continuing his career in the NHL.
Dmitry Orlov candidly assessed his performance over the season's two halves, noting improvement in the latter part. Brett Pesce revealed details of a playoff injury and expressed hope for re-signing with Carolina as a free agent.
Jaccob Slavin acknowledged frustration with another close postseason exit despite having all necessary team components. Brady Skjei looks forward to potential contract discussions before hitting free agency.
Jordan Staal remained optimistic about the team's core strength moving forward, while Teuvo Teravainen felt more like himself after overcoming previous challenges to achieve a 25-goal season.
The remaining players will speak on Sunday, except Martin Necas, who is overseas competing at the World Championship for Czechia.
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