21 years ago, the Hartford Whalers franchise packed their bags and shipped out
to an unproven hockey market in Raleigh, North Carolina to become the
Hurricanes. Since then, the Hurricanes and the city of Raleigh have proven that
 hockey can not only work in the Old North State, but it can thrive under the
right circumstances.

Many NHL greats have donned the Hurricanes' red and black over the years, as
well as many players that have been instrumental to creating a culture of
success and an identity of hard work and devotion. In discussing who were/are
the most important players to the Hurricanes franchise, it is not only the top
scorers or most skilled players that will be considered, but also the most
influential to team culture and identity.Arturs Irbe

A personal favorite of mine, Arturs Irbe was a fan favorite everywhere he went
during his NHL career. From his quirky goalie mask, to his ability to give his
team a chance to win most nights, it's easy to see why Irbe was a popular
figure in professional hockey. The Latvian-native joined the Hurricanes in 1998
 following their first season in Raleigh, and it was with the ΓÇÿCanes that
Irbe had the best years of his career.Arturs Irbe, Carolina Hurricanes,
1998-2004 (Photo courtesy Carolina Hurricanes)

While his stellar performance with the 1994 San Jose Sharks that helped them
upset the powerhouse Detroit Red Wings was a notable moment in his career, he
stole the show when he came onto the Raleigh scene in 1998. First he took the
starting job from a 25-year old Trevor Kidd, and then helped the Hurricanes
reach the Stanley Cup Final in 2002, only five years after they moved to
Raleigh.

Irbe never saw prolonged NHL success, but he helped put the Hurricanes on the
map of relevancy very soon after their move from Hartford, and for that, the
city is forever grateful for the man known as "The Wall."Erik Cole

An original Hurricanes draft pick in 1998, Erik Cole was both tremendously
skilled and dedicated to winning. Even though he had a top-end quality shot and
 incredible skating ability, he was never afraid to get into the corners and
battle or stand in front or near the net to bang away and cause havoc for
opposing netminders.

Cole spent his best years with the ΓÇÿCanes, playing nine of his first 10
seasons in the NHL in Raleigh and enjoying the most success there in the
process. As a rookie in 2001-02, Cole played all 82 games and helped Carolina
reach the Stanley Cup Finals. Four years later, Cole had a great regular season
 campaign that helped the ΓÇÿCanes win the Southeast Division, and ultimately
capturing the Stanley Cup, despite Cole missing most of the playoffs due to
injury.Erik Cole (BridgetDS/Flickr)

After spending the back nine of his career with three other NHL clubs, Cole
signed a one-day contract with the Hurricanes last September to retire as a
ΓÇÿCane. Cole now serves as a club ambassador.Ron Francis

Wherever Ron Francis went, winning followed him, as he played playoff hockey in
 17 of his 22 NHL seasons and was a part of three Stanley Cup Finals, winning
two championships with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Francis was not only a leader
on and off the ice, he was one of the most prolific hockey players to ever lace
 them up, putting up 1,798 points in 1,731 NHL regular season games.

While Francis didn't join the Hurricanes until he was 35-years old, he left an
indelible mark on the franchise. His veteran wisdom and high level of skill
were instrumental in helping the Hurricanes franchise prove their worth in
North Carolina. He helped the team reach the postseason in three of his first
four seasons with them, during which they reached the Finals in 2002. Even in
his relatively short time with the ΓÇÿCanes as a player, Francis was still
essential for developing a culture of winning in Raleigh.Ron Francis (James
Guillory-USA TODAY Sports)

Upon retirement, Francis held a role with the Raleigh Youth Hockey Organization
 in their efforts to help develop young hockey players in the area and, more
recently, he served as associate coach of the ΓÇÿCanes, president of hockey
operations, and as general manager. You can say what you want about the quality
 of his tenure as a front office executive, but Ron Francis gave his heart,
soul, and body to the Hurricanes organization, and that will go down in
history.Eric Staal

As the Hurricanes' highest-ever draft pick before Andrei Svechnikov, Eric Staal
 had massive expectations on him before he ever even played an NHL game - and
he lived up to them.

As a large man with incredible ability, Staal's ceiling of potential was
seemingly limitless upon entering the NHL. He had an average rookie campaign,
but following an AHL stint during the 2004-05 lockout, Staal returned as a man
possessed. He led the ΓÇÿCanes in scoring in 2005-06 with 100 points, following
 that up with 28 points in 25 playoff games en route to the Hurricanes' first
Stanley Cup in franchise history.

Staal not only delivered on the playoff stage during the Cup run, he scored one
 of the most iconic goals in Hurricanes' history when he scored on Martin
Brodeur with 32 seconds left in Game 7 of the 2009 Eastern Conference
Quarterfinals, giving the Hurricanes a 4-3 lead and, ultimately, sinking the
New Jersey Devils en route to an improbable run to the Eastern Conference
Final. Staal was not only a leader, captaining the team for more than six
years, but he was a clutch performer and the face of the franchise until his
departure in 2016.

Cam Ward

An obvious choice here, Cam Ward will live on as the greatest goalie in
franchise history for a long time.

A Hurricanes first round draft pick in 2002, Ward sought to solidify the team's
 goaltending situation when he broke into the league in 2005, but that was not
initially apparent. Ward struggled in a backup role behind Martin Gerber, but
issues were largely masked by a high-powered ΓÇÿCanes offense.Hurricanes
goaltender Cam Ward looks on. (Hammersmith Studios- Greg Thompson)

During the playoffs, though, when they fell into a 0-2 hole against the
Montreal Canadiens in the opening series, head coach Peter Laviolette turned to
 Ward, and the rest is history. Carolina captured the Stanley Cup, and Cam Ward
 earned the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP, quelling any doubts that he was
the right man for the job.

Ward was the Hurricanes' goaltender for more than a decade, and while the team
only made the playoffs one other time during that stretch, Ward often gave his
team a chance to win no matter the circumstances. He was an all star in 2011
when the All Star Game made its way to Raleigh and he played a total of 668 NHL
 games in a Hurricanes sweater. This summer, upon his departure via free
agency, he officially passes the torch to the next generation of ΓÇÿCanes
goaltenders.Rod Brind'Amour

As if there was any doubt.

Brind'Amour wasn't a Hurricanes draft pick, but he made the Hurricanes
organization his tribe. Acquired from the Philadelphia Flyers in 2000,
Brind'Amour quickly became a fan favorite and franchise legend with his stellar
 on-ice performance, as well as his unparalleled leadership. This was a man who
 could not only dominate the scoresheet, but could also rally his troops and
dive headfirst into battle ahead of those he led.

Every championship team needs a Rod Brind'Amour. He was a player that is the
perfect center of a franchise and the perfect captain to lead a great team.
Brind'Amour was vital to the Hurricanes' appearances in the Stanley Cup Finals,
 their championship in 2006, and he helped usher in the new era of Hurricanes
hockey, playing until age 39. He even recovered from an ACL tear as a 37
year-old in 2008, and came back to play 80 games the following season. He was
simply as tough as nails.

Only about a year after his retirement, Brind'Amour was brought on as an
assistant coach for Carolina, where he remained at that position until he took
the head coach position in May of 2018. Even after he finished his playing
years, Brind'Amour continued to be involved in the development and identity of
the Hurricanes organization, and he looks to make an even bigger impact as head
 coach in the upcoming 2018-19 season. Brind'Amour will bring that same work
ethic and drive into the locker room on a nightly basis this season, and
hopefully for ΓÇÿCanes fans it will pay dividends on the ice.

*All statistics from HockeyDB.com

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