Team MVP Eric Staal - C This is goi..."/> Team MVP Eric Staal - C This is goi..."/>
Fansided

Carolina Hurricanes 2015-16 NHL Preview

By Josh Hill

Mar 26, 2015; Raleigh, NC, USA; Carolina Hurricanes forward Elias Lindholm (16) congratulates teammate goalie Cam Ward (30) after the game against the Pittsburgh Penguins at PNC Arena. The Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-2. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 26, 2015; Raleigh, NC, USA; Carolina Hurricanes forward Elias Lindholm (16) congratulates teammate goalie Cam Ward (30) after the game against the Pittsburgh Penguins at PNC Arena. The Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-2. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit

109. <p class=. Atlantic. Eastern Conference. Carolina Hurricanes. 15. player

Team MVP

Eric Staal – C

This is going to be a critical season for the Staal brothers in Carolina, most notably captain Eric Staal who needs to try and do all he can to take a team that is going nowhere and bring them somewhere. Carolina is a hot mess, but they have the talent this year to crawl out of the cellar in the East and make their presence known.

Staal will be captaining a team that includes new additions Kris Versteeg and Joakim Nordstorm — both of whom won a Stanley Cup last year with the Blackhawks and can bring much needed wisdom to the Canes. That doesn’t mean they’re going to be contenders, but it’s up to Staal to bring it all together to create a winning culture — for once — in Carolina.

Mar 17, 2015; Raleigh, NC, USA; Carolina Hurricanes forward Eric Staal (12) skates with puck against the Ottawa Senators at PNC Arena. The Ottawa Senators defeated the Carolina Hurricanes 2-1 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 17, 2015; Raleigh, NC, USA; Carolina Hurricanes forward Eric Staal (12) skates with puck against the Ottawa Senators at PNC Arena. The Ottawa Senators defeated the Carolina Hurricanes 2-1 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports /

Best Case Scenario

There’s really not a whole lot to be excited about in Carolina, but the addition of Versteeg and the potential that Eric Staal has to break the mold in Carolina is exciting. It’s a reach, but the Canes can make a push for the postseason if everything goes right — and even then it’s going to be tough.

That being said, the field in the East is wide open, and if injuries take their toll to teams above the Hurricanes then we could see a surge. But you’re already working from behind in that scenario with the best case being progress is made this year to set up a less depressing 2016-17 campaign.

Worst Case Scenario

It might be easier to count the things that will go right than the number of things that can go wrong. The Hurricanes aren’t playing with much hope this season, but at least they’re not the Buffalo Sabres.

That seems like an insult but it’s really more of a relief than anything. Buffalo is just a dumpster fire of awfulness and while the Canes might not be playing for much more than progress this season, it could be so much worse than it is. At the very least, the Canes have the Staal brothers, Versteeg and Nordstrom as well as the slight hope that the top of the Conference might get the injury bug and open up a worm hole to crawl through and to the postseason.

More from Carolina Panthers

Home/Carolina Panthers