Adam Proteau makes the case for the Carolina Hurricanes as a stronger Stanley Cup contender than the dominant Boston Bruins.
The Boston Bruins have been the class of the NHL this season, but not far behind, and somewhat in the Bruins’ shadow, are the Carolina Hurricanes.
The Hurricanes currently have the league’s second-best record (34-9-8), but there are very good reasons to believe they’re the team with the best chance of knocking off Boston in the post-season.
We can, of course, point to the 2022 playoffs, in which Carolina eliminated the Bruins in an extremely competitive, seven-game first-round series. Boston is a better team than they were last year, but you can say the same thing about the Hurricanes.
But here’s where the Canes could have an advantage in the coming weeks and months: they’re in a terrific position to make major additions before the NHL’s March 3 trade deadline.
Indeed, as per the invaluable CapFriendly, Carolina is projected to have more than $10.1 million in salary-cap space by the deadline. And that cap flexibility extends into next season when the Hurricanes have more than $29.9 million in cap space.
That makes them a major player on the trade front. Not only could they acquire a top forward to bolster their presently-very-potent offensive attack, but they could bring in an above-average blueliner to improve the league’s fourth-best defense. It’s not at all difficult to envision Hurricanes GM Don Waddell making deals to land Coyotes D-man Jakob Chychrun and, perhaps, a forward such as Vancouver’s Brock Boeser.
Imagine how much better that would make an already-imposing Carolina team.
Waddell has the assets to outbid other teams at the deadline – the Hurricanes have all three of their first-round draft picks in the next three years, and their prospect pool, while not the very best in the game, still has sufficient depth to tap into in a trade or two. They don’t need to deal away NHL-level talent to make moves fit under the cap. They can simply add to the group they have right now.
The other advantage the Hurricanes have over the Bruins – the Carolina market itself. While many NHLers would love the challenge of playing in a hockey-mad city like Boston, there are players attracted by the comparatively laid-back environment of Raleigh. This is not to suggest Hurricanes fans aren’t just as passionate or expectant about their team. Rather, we’re merely pointing out the reality of life in a town where you can get away from the sport for some peace of mind.
We’re also not arguing that the Bruins shouldn’t be the odds-on favorite to win the Stanley Cup this season. They’ve earned that designation thus far, and it’s entirely possible Boston GM Don Sweeney can go out and land an important veteran by the deadline.
But the fact is the Bruins are projected to have $3.25 million in cap space – one-third of what Carolina has. Boston will have to be creative to be the winning bidder in the fight for elite veterans, and the Hurricanes have a clear leg up on the Bruins in that regard.
The margin between winning and losing in the first round last season was only one game and one goal, as Carolina edged out Boston in a 3-2 Game 7 victory. The same showdown could come to be this year – not in the opening round, but in the Eastern Conference final. That would be a marvellous series, and arguing that the Bruins would easily beat the Hurricanes is folly.
In their two meetings this season, the Canes and Bruins have split the wins, but most recently, Carolina beat Boston 4-1. That’s even more evidence that, while the road to the Cup likely goes through Boston, the Hurricanes have what it takes to be the team that beats them when it counts.