If one were to judge the Carolina Hurricanes season based on the regular season, it would have to qualify as a success.
Winning the Metropolitan division and placing second in the Eastern Conference behind the Boston Bruins' record-setting season with a 52-21-9 record was an excellent showing across North Carolina sports betting. The playoffs started well, with series wins over the New York Islanders and New Jersey before they wound up getting swept in the Eastern Conference Finals by Florida.
Despite all the success and being one of the final four teams standing in the playoffs, the way Carolina exited the postseason left it disappointed. While every game was close, the Canes inability to score in the crucial moments of games was their undoing.
Part of the reason was the absence of game-breaking talents Andrei Svechnikov and Max Pacioretty for the playoffs, but the strong team system that usually saw them grab and hold leads all year also hurt them when they were chasing and needed to push for goals.
Changes Coming, But Core Intact
There will be changes for Carolina this offseason, as both of its goalies are unrestricted free agents, and the general feeling is at least one of them will be let go as Pyotr Kochetkov is ready for a spot with the big team. The good news? The Canes play a very goalie friendly style of play, so filling that role shouldn’t be difficult.
The key players for Carolina are all returning with Sebastian Aho, Svechnikov, Martin Necas, Brent Burns and Jaccob Slavin all under contract for 2024. With that core intact for at least one more year, Carolina should once again be loading up for a run at the title. Captain Jordan Staal is unsigned as of now, but is expected to be back with the club as well.
With such little change year over year, it’s no surprise Carolina is one of the betting favorites already for the 2024 Stanley Cup at +1200 at DraftKings Sportsbook. Keep an eye out for a DraftKings North Carolina promo code ahead of next season as well.
MORE: NHL Betting in North Carolina
Championship or Bust Next Season?
For a team that had as much success as Carolina did last year, it has a surprising amount of salary cap room to work with, meaning it should be able to target any areas they deem to be a weakness over the offseason.
The playoffs showed the Canes need some more high-end scoring and perhaps a bit more sandpaper up front, but overall the bones of the team are strong and won’t need to be messed with too much.
Perhaps most frustrating for Canes fans was their reluctance to do much at last year's trade deadline, when they didn’t acquire any replacement scoring despite losing key snipers to injury. An acquisition at the deadline could have bolstered the Canes' odds on hypothetical NC betting apps significantly. With a stockpile of draft picks, cap space and prospects the Hurricanes brass should recognize that this team could make another run for the cup and be prepared to load up at the deadline in 2024.
Consistency is the norm for this Carolina franchise and no wild changes should be expected this year. The team will likely be in the mix for a division title once again and should be a lock for a playoff berth. But with another season passing without an appearance in the Stanley Cup Finals, fans will be hoping for some more aggression from management as it looks to make a push to get it over the hump.
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