The Carolina Hurricanes have finally completed what has been characterized as the toughest part of their schedule. Over their first 14 games, they have yet to play consecutive nights in any city. Couple that with the 15,000 plus miles of travel the players have endured and some pundits wondered if the Hurricanes would survive the opening month of their season. Would the team's playoff hopes be dashed before the month of November was over?
Not so, as the Canes have earned a respectable 14 points out of their first 14 games. While that is not the highest point total of the other teams who attended this season's NHL Premiere in Europe, it's not the lowest either.
After the jump, let's take a look at the results of the other Premiere participants.
| 2010-11 Current Records as of 11/8/10 | |||||
| Team | GP | Home | Away | Overall | Points |
| record | record | record | |||
| Carolina | 14 | 3-2-0 | 4-5-0 | 7-7-0 | 14 |
| Minnesota | 13 | 5-3-1 | 2-1-1 | 7-4-2 | 16 |
| San Jose | 12 | 3-2-1 | 3-3-0 | 6-5-1 | 13 |
| Columbus | 13 | 4-4-0 | 4-1-0 | 8-5-0 | 16 |
| Phoenix | 13 | 2-2-3 | 2-3-1 | 4-5-4 | 12 |
| Boston | 11 | 2-2-1 | 5-1-0 | 7-3-1 | 15 |
| 2009-10 Records - First 14 Games | |||||
| Team | GP | Home | Away | Overall | Points |
| record | record | record | |||
| Detroit | 14 | 5-1-1 | 2-3-2 | 7-4-3 | 17 |
| St. Louis | 14 | 2-5-1 | 3-1-2 | 5-6-3 | 13 |
| Florida | 14 | 2-5-0 | 2-3-2 | 4-8-2 | 10 |
| Chicago | 14 | 6-2-1 | 2-3-0 | 8-5-1 | 17 |
| 2008-09 Records - First 14 Games | |||||
| Team | GP | Home | Away | Overall | Points |
| record | record | record | |||
| Pittsburgh | 14 | 4-2-1 | 4-2-1 | 8-4-2 | 18 |
| Ottawa | 14 | 4-3-0 | 4-2-1 | 8-5-1 | 17 |
| Rangers | 14 | 5-2-0 | 4-2-1 | 9-4-1 | 19 |
| Lightning | 14 | 2-4-3 | 2-2-1 | 4-6-4 | 12 |
As you can see above, the Hurricanes are about in the middle of the pack as far as results go for Premiere teams. While they have played a game or two more than the others this season, they have also played fewer home games than any other team, besides Boston. And while Boston has played like gangbusters on the road, (5-1), they have yet to play against anyone out West.
The Canes are finally in the midst of their first "homestand" of the season as they continue playing three games in a row at the RBC this week. (one down, two to go.) This, by the way, is their second longest homestand of the year as they play four consecutive games in Raleigh in mid-February.
If you also compare Carolina's results with teams from previous years, again they are about in the middle. But once again, they played in fewer home games than any of the other teams participating.
The big question now is, can Carolina take advantage of their more favorable schedule the rest of the way?