The upcoming season should see several Hurricanes players reach new plateaus in their careers. Specifically, Rod Brind'Amour and Eric Staal can move up or to the top of several team and NHL lists. Here's a look at some of the records and milestones that could be accomplished in 2009-10.
Rod Brind'Amour
The Hurricanes captain already holds several team records, and entering his 20th season he has accumulated good enough numbers to move up the all-time NHL rankings in several categories. Here are the highlights:
- Currently 48th in all-time NHL points (1,165). A 40-point season this coming season would move him into a tie for 44th with Vincent Damphousse. A 50-point season would put him 41st, one point shy of Larry Murphy and the just-retired Jeremy Roenick for 40th (1,216).
- Currently 29th in games played (1,404), four ahead of Mike Modano. Mark Recchi leads all active players with 1,490 (14th). Assuming Brind'Amour plays 70 games (and Modano doesn't pass him) he would move into a tie for 16th with Doug Gilmour, passing No. 17 Glen Wesley (1,457 games).
- Currently 45th in all-time career assists (722). With a 30-assist season, he would move into at least 39th, perhaps 38th if he passes Doug Weight, who is 10 ahead of Brind'Amour heading into the season.
- Brind'amour has 165 goals as a Hurricane, 11 behind No. 1 Jeff O'Neill's total of 176 (not including Hartford). Even if Brind'Amour passes O'Neill, he will likely be surpassed this season. More on this later.
- Finally, Brind'Amour's 289 helpers is 11 assists shy of 300 in his Hurricanes career.
Eric Staal
- Staal has 164 goals, 12 shy of O'Neill and just one behind Brind'Amour. He needs 36 to reach 200 for his career.
- He currently has 194 assists, just 42 behind Ron Francis for second in Hurricanes history (Brind'Amour leads with 289).
- With 358 points, he is one shy of O'Neill for second. Brind'Amour leads with 454. With 42 points he will reach 400 for his career.
- Staal is tied with O'Neill for first in power play goals with 61.
- Staal's 1,413 shots should allow him to surpass O'Neill's 1,461 early in the season.
Cam Ward
- Ward has 120 career wins, just 10 less than Hurricanes leader Arturs Irbe (130). He has done it in 225 games to Irbe's 309, and has just 77 losses to Irbe's 122 (who also had 44 ties during his time with Carolina).
- He is second to Irbe in shutouts, registering 12 to Irbe's 20.
Best of the Rest
- Erik Cole is fourth in career Hurricanes penalty minutes with 416. Sean Hill is third with 441, Wesley is second with 442 and O'Neill has 472, the most all time. Cole has averaged 68 PIMs per season and would overtake O'Neill for first with 57 in 2009-10.
- Ray Whitney is eight games shy of 1,000 for his career.
- Chad LaRose has 85 career points (37 goals, 48 assists), 15 shy of 100 for his career.
- Tuomo Ruutu could reach several milestones. If he plays 76 games, he would reach 400 for his career, while 12 goals and five assists would get him to 100 in each category.
- Joni Pitkanen has 175 points, 25 shy of 200 for his career.
- Sergei Samsonov is six assists shy of 300 for his career.
- At 377 regular-season NHL wins, Paul Maurice is 23 shy of 400 for his career.