This is not the same Carolina Hurricanes team that has gone through the motions
 over the past four seasons producing the same frustrating results. There are
new faces on the ice and upstairs in the corporate offices. The overarching
issue for fans of this new model of Hurricanes is will they finally make the
playoffs again?

The "experts" in Las Vegas are not impressed with the offseason moves, the
Hurricanes were one of the busiest teams in the league. They set the total
points line, for those wishing to wager, at 84.5, eight points lower than the
sportsbooks predicted them to have prior to the start of last season.Jeff
Skinner, now a former Carolina Hurricane, Mar. 1, 2018 (Amy Irvin / The Hockey
Writers)

There are two burning questions as the season approaches. Can the Hurricanes
score consistently - an issue made larger after dumping Jeff Skinner - and will
 the goaltending be improved? Answering 'no'; to even one of these questions
will likely mean another playoff-less year. A 'yes'; answer to both could see
this new-model Hurricanes team in the playoffs and making a significant run.

2017-18 Record: 36-35-11, 83 Points (6th in Metropolitan Division, 10th in
Eastern Conference, 21st in NHL Standings)Offseason MovesKey Roster Additions

Dougie HamiltonMicheal FerlandCalvin DeHahnPetr MrázekJordan MartinookCliff Pu

Elias Lindholm, Carolina Hurricanes, Mar. 1, 2018 (Amy Irvin / The Hockey
Writers)Key Roster Losses

Elias LindholmNoah HanifinJeff SkinnerJoakim NordstromDerek RyanCam WardKlas
DahlbeckMarcus Kruger

2018 NHL Entry Draft

Andrei Svechnikov (1st Round, 2nd overall)Jack Drury (2nd Round, 42nd
overall)Luke Henman (4th Round, 96th overall)Lenni Killinen (4th Round, 104th
overall)Jesper Sellgren (6th Round 166th overall)Jacob Kucharski (7th Round,
197th overall)

Organizational Changes

The Hurricanes'; new owner, Tom Dundon decided to look in-house to replace
former head coach Bill Peters. Peters exercised a clause in his contract that
allowed him to leave a year early. He left for the Calgary Flames in April and
Dundon was ready. He promoted assistant coach Rod Brind';Amour to head coach
rather than look outside of the organization for a candidate with head coaching
 experience.Tom Dundon, center (Carolina Hurricanes)

Since Dundon had ousted former general manager Ron Francis roughly a week prior
 to hiring Brind';Amour, it made sense that Dundon would also look inside the
organization for Francis'; replacement. He found Don Waddell who had been
serving as president since 2014. The Hurricanes are a changed group from top to
 bottom with the owner, general manager and head coach all different from this
time last year.

Jeff Daniels is back in the role of an assistant coach which he held from
2003-08. He has served as manager of pro scouting and as head coach of the
Canes'; minor league affiliate Charlotte Checkers. Also serving as an
assistant coach is Dean Chynoweth, his first season as such.

The Hurricanes also lost Steve Smith who resigned on July 10. They named Darren
 Yorke director of player personnel and promoted Eric Tulsky to vice-president
of hockey management and strategy.Projected Lines: Forwards

Teuvo Teravainen - Sebastian Aho - Andrei Svechnikov

Valentin Zykov - Jordan Staal - Michael Ferland

Brock McGinn - Victor Rask - Justin WilliamsJordan Martinook - Martin Necas
- Phillip Di Giuseppe

This is a completely arbitrary projection. My colleague with The Hockey
Writers, Carter Fricano, penned his opening night projections recently and they
 are different from what is projected herein.Sebastian Aho, Carolina
Hurricanes, Mar. 1, 2018 (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

However, Sebastian Aho moving to center has been talked about for some time
and since most other aspects of the team are new going into this season, why
not make Aho a center and see if he shines even more.Projected Pairings:
Defense

Jaccob Slavin - Dougie Hamilton

Calvin De Hahn - Brett Pesce

Haydn Fleury - Justin Faulk

The Hurricanes also have Trevor van Riemsdyk who could alternate with Fleury
while Michael Fora, Roland McKeown, and Trevor Carrick are trying to nab a
spot. It is unlikely that they will.

Many view this defense as one of the best in the NHL. Discussing Darling';s
chances at having a better year, Adam Gretz wrote at NBC Sports on Sept. 3,
"The Hurricanes have definitely given him some help by assembling what should
one of the league's best defenses around him (they have been one of the best
shot suppression teams in the league in recent years) and adding to it this
summer with the acquisitions of Dougie Hamilton and Calvin de Haan." There
is no question that the defense is the team';s strength.TAMPA, FL - JANUARY 11:
 former Calgary Flames defenseman Dougie Hamilton should bolster an already
stout Carolina Hurricanes defense. (Photo by Mark LoMoglio/Icon
Sportswire)Between the Pipes

In goal, Scott Darling and Petr Mrázek are vying to be the starter. For now,
Darling is presumed to be the first string. He has been doing the work to get
in shape for the season. He admitted that he was not in shape last season. He
is essentially getting a mulligan.Carolina Hurricanes goalie Scott Darling.
(Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports)

If Darling has not improved, Mrázek will be ready to step in. At least
that';s the plan. J.J. Regan at NBC Sports thinks it might be a questionable
plan. In his Hurricanes season preview, he wrote, "Ward and Darling both had
subpar years, but to replace Ward the Hurricanes picked up a goalie who was
worse."

Mrázek has been good and he has been not so good, inconsistency is the word
that best describes his game. If the Hurricanes are to have any chance of
sniffing the playoffs, both he and Darling will have to play much better.What
to Expect

In his Hurricanes season preview for The Athletic on Sept. 12, Dom
Luszczyszyn wrote, "Without poring over video and better data it's hard to
tell exactly what's really been going on in Carolina the past few seasons. The
team's expected goal share hasn't been much lower than its shot share over the
past few seasons meaning the problem likely lies outside the realm of public
data. However, a coaching change may answer some questions this season as it's
possible Peters' systems put too much weight on shot quantity and not quality,
hindering the team's goal share," (from '2018-19 NHL Season Preview: Carolina
Hurricanes';, The AthleticNHL - 9/12/18).

It';s a fair assessment. The Hurricanes have been shooting the puck at a torrid
 pace, leading the NHL last season. But, it is true that many of those shots
were not quality shots. Luszczyszyn';s point is one that Peters screamed about
but it fell on deaf ears: The players need to go after rebounds, crash the net,
 and put themselves in position to score a goal rather than blast away.

The bottom line for this year';s model of the Hurricanes is that they will need
 to score more - a task more difficult after trading away Skinner - and they
must have better goaltending. I';m taking a "show me" stance, especially for
the goaltending. I believe it will be better which is one positive in trying to
 make the playoffs.One of the new "young guns", Hurricanes forward Martin
Necas. (Perry Nelson-USA TODAY Sports)

I';m not as sold on the scoring and am taking a "show me" stance on this also.
Aho should light it up again and Hamilton should help make up for the loss of
Skinner. But for all their glistening, the new "young guns", Necas, Svechnikov
 and even Zykov (if he makes the roster), have not proven anything at the NHL
level yet.

I';m not of the same mindset as the oddsmakers with their mid-80 points
projection. I think, if the goaltending improves, the team will reach a higher
point total. But, I don';t think at this stage that the Hurricanes will make
the playoffs this season. I';d love for them to prove me wrong.

2018-19 Record Prediction: 42-32-8, 92 Points (7th in Pacific Division, 13th in
 Western Conference, 19th in NHL)

The post Carolina Hurricanes 2018-19 Season Preview appeared first on The
Hockey Writers.

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