During the month of August, our friends over at Puck Daddy have been promoting a summer series entitled, "The Summer of Disappointment". You can read the Hurricanes version here, in case you missed it.
In honor of the series, the staff here at Canes Country decided to put together our own listing. When you have not made the playoffs in five years, there is plenty of disappointment to share! But of course, there was some disappointment even before that.
Bob Wage - Managing Editor
I'm sure Paul Maurice and Jim Rutherford got tired of answering questions about why they did not suspend their goalie for his actions and as you could guess, Burke was soon traded.
Karmanos threw Peter Laviolette under the bus in an interview after the coach was fired and many were upset and terribly disappointed in that. It seemed to show no class, respect, or gratitude for the greatest and most successful time in franchise history and it tainted the Cup win for many. With his rant, the owner also seemed to foolishly discredit his own general manager, players, and his entire franchise as he more or less called winning the Cup a fluke in a ridiculous attempt to denigrate his former coach. Perhaps coming one point short of winning the President's Trophy was also a fluke?
Most Disappointing Hurricane: There are quite a few big-name defensemen that could fit the bill here, but perhaps none was more disappointing than Sandis Ozolinsh. Carolina acquired the puck-moving defender from Colorado and the 32nd overall pick that became blink-of-an-eye NHLer Tomas Kurka for Nolan Pratt and three picks in the 2000 draft (Nos. 14, 47 and 63). While the picks never panned out for Colorado, Ozolinsh was never the player then-GM Jim Rutherford expected, and certainly didn't live up to the big-money deal he signed in Raleigh. After a 44-point season in 2000-01 that included an array of defensive miscues, Rutherford jettisoned Ozolinsh to Florida halfway through the following season. The bright side is Rutherford turned Ozolinsh and Byron Ritchie into a couple key pieces on the 2002 Cup runner-up and 2006 championship teams: Bret Hedican and Kevyn Adams.
Most Disappointing Moment in Hurricanes History: After missing the playoffs in 2006-07, the Hurricanes controlled their own destiny in their 2007-08 season finale at home. All that was standing in the way of a Southeast Division title and a playoff spot was the Florida Panthers, who had nothing to play for except for pride. Carolina couldn't come through, falling 4-3 to the Panthers -- who got a combined 43 saves from Tomas Vokoun (who left due to back spasms) and Craig Anderson -- and completed a collapse that saw them throw away a five-point division lead in the season's final six games. The Capitals then did what Carolina couldn't, beating Florida 3-1 in their final game, clinching the Southeast Division title and eliminating the Canes from postseason play.
Most Disappointing Hurricanes Transaction: Oft-injured Justin Williams had been a key --and underrated -- part of Carolina's 2006 championship. But Rutherford had grown tired of two straight seasons of Williams being in the press box more than he was on the ice. So Rutherford swung a trade at the 2009 deadline that sent Williams to Los Angeles in exchange for Patrick O'Sullivan and a second round pick. O'Sullivan was then shipped to Edmonton for former Hurricanes winger Erik Cole and a pick swap. The deal did ignite the Hurricanes, who reached the postseason and made it all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals. But the team has seemingly never replaced Williams, an all-situations, clutch performer who has gone on two win two more Cups with the Kings and was named playoff MVP this past offseason.
Most Disappointing Hurricanes Coach/Executive: Rutherford struck gold the first time he replaced long-time coach Paul Maurice, hiring Peter Laviolette in a decision that helped bring the Stanley Cup to Raleigh in 2006. He was hoping for more of the same outsider influence when rising coaching star Kirk Muller was tabbed to take over after Maurice's second go-around ended in November 2011. Instead, Muller's two-and-a-half-year stint behind Carolina's bench was riddled with disappointment, underachievement and more questions than answers. The knock of Muller when he was hired was that he came across as a bit aloof: a solid assistant coach who maybe couldn't lead a team on his own. Despite having two former head coaches as assistants in Dave Lewis and John MacLean, Muller never created an identity for his team and seemed to lose them when his answer to why the team struggled was always," work harder." In the end, the initial concerns about Muller's "aw shucks" demeanor seemed to be what ended his run in Raleigh.
Most Disappointing Hurricanes Fashion Choice: The Hurricanes haven't had many missteps in this category. The new uniforms unveiled prior to 2013-14 were an improvement over the previous incarnation, and while their alternate black jerseys present some issues (hard to read numbers and name plates), the use of the secondary logo as the main crest is appealing. There's no denying that the Hurricanes main logo, however, is among the least liked in the NHL (The Hockey News staff ranked it dead last this summer). While I don't believe it's as bad as many portray it to be, its unveiling upon the team's relocation from Hartford was met with mostly disapproval. The Whalers colors and logos -- some of the league's best at the time -- were completely washed away when the franchise was reborn in North Carolina, and the team has never been able to erase the Whalers logos and traditions from the public's mind.
After that comes anything with a camo motif. It's all a tie. It's all terrible. There has to be a better way to say "we support the military" then just throwing a logo on some camo cloth. It is so common place now it requires no thinking. It's like saying "we really appreciate you and we want to show you by doing this thing that requires absolutely no though. Just remember, it's the thought that counts."
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Matt Krombach - Intern
Most Disappointing Team:
2002-2003 was quite a dissapointment. Although I was very young at the time, every home game I went to it seemed like the opposing team scored on Arturs Irbe within the first five minutes of the game. Sometimes within the opening 30 seconds. They finished last in the Eastern Conference even after losing to Detroit in the Stanley Cup Finals the previous season.
Most Disappointing Hurricane:
I hate to point fingers, but I’m going to anyway. Eric Staal hasn't helped the hole the ‘Canes have dug themselves over the past five seasons. Sometimes when thinking of the most disappointing player one thinks of a player who had the world’s potential in his hands but never lived up to it. Or maybe a player that never showed their worth. What makes Staal an interesting case is that he came, he saw, he conquerd, and then he stopped. We stopped seeing the fire and the passion in his game that we saw in his 100-point season in 05-06. Since becoming captain we haven’t seen much leadership from him on the ice nor have we heard word of him be a vocal captain in the locker room. He only had one power play goal last year and he’s getting paid $9.25 mil next season? Something has to change.
Most Disappointing Moment in Hurricanes History:
Drafting Cam Ward. Easy, tiger, I was only kidding.
I remember it like it was yesterday. It was April 9, 2011 and the Hurricanes needed to beat the Tampa Bay Lightning in order to advance to the Stanley Cup playoffs. The ‘Canes won five of their six last games of the season while earning a point in each prior to their game against Tampa Bay. They managed to shut out Detroit in Joe Louis Arena, but by the time they came home they were so out of gas that they couldn't fight off the Lightning. With only one game left and that game being the deciding factor of their season, it was discouraging to see a hard fought fight come to an displeasing end.
Most Disappointing Hurricanes Transaction:
After losing Justin Williams to Los Angeles while retaining Erik cole, the long-term benefits would not be on the hurricanes side. That season of 09-10 would be the last time the hurricanes made the playoffs. Erik Cole bounced from Carolina, to Montreal, to Dallas and has found himself in a nice spot to contend for the cup this year. Also, since sealing the deal in 2006 for the Stanley cup, Williams would go on to win two more with Los Angeles serving as a versatile role player of the Kings’ offense.
Most Disappointing Hurricanes Coach/Executive:
Many don't like the acquisition of Kirk Muller as head coach but if it weren't for Jim Rutherford, Muller as head coach may not have happened. For the 20 years in Carolina and the experience under his belt it’s surprising how little the franchise made the playoffs. Some trades were questionable, others were solid. But what comes in to question is how he values his players. Semin should have been signed for three years, not five. Should Jordan Staal have been inked for ten years? It’s like he purposely gave players contracts that no one else would want to give or even think of handing out. Some probably disagree but Rutherford should have ended his tenure with the ‘Canes a while ago.
Most Disappointing Hurricanes Fashion Choice
The Marketing team made a bad decision by not adding the laces to the new white away jersey.
Jamie Kellner – Editor, Phoblographer
Editorial Note: Thanks for letting me weigh in late. Hellish work and travel week. Also a caveat... I did not follow the team prior to moving here in 2004. I know there are many important prior disappointments, but not having experienced them myself I have to base my opinion from 2005-06 forward.
Most Disappointing Team:
I agree with those who named the 2009-10 team and won't belabor points already made. After reaching the ECFs the prior season, expectations were high, and on paper the incoming team was certainly viewed to be as good (if not better) than the one who went deep the prior season. Until they stunk up the joint. Injuries, suspensions, 14 straight losses before the month of November was over. To be honest, I'm not sure we've yet recovered from that season.
Most Disappointing Hurricane:
I won't call you out by name, but you know who you are. I applauded your return here and despite the fact that you obviously weren't the same player who brought the Canes success in the Cup year, I never disparaged you on this blog or anywhere else. Yet you blocked me on twitter because you thought I (and many of my friends and colleagues) was being unfairly mean to you. The thickness of your skin disappoints me greatly. At least now, through the magic of CanesVision, every time I think of you I can associate you with the word 'shrinkage' ;)
Most Disappointing Moment in Hurricanes History:
April 4, 2008 is one of the few dates I can recall off the top of my head. LOOK AT THE GRAPH. Win and you're in. That's all they had to do. It was the freaking Florida Panthers. We always beat the Panthers, especially at home. The Panthers were playing for nothing but pride. They lost their starting goalie mid-game to injury, we shelled them with 43 shots, and still lost the game (Radek Dvorak scored their game-winner, by the way). The players were in tears as they gave away the jerseys off their backs. Peter Laviolette was too upset to conduct exit interviews, paving the way to his eventual dismissal. Outside of Dale hitting the wall at Daytona, it was without a doubt the most devastating sports moment in my life.
Most Disappointing Hurricanes Transaction:
The Williams → O'Sullivan → Cole trade was my first thought but that one has been discussed several times already so I'm going to take a totally different and bitterly painful tack. This disappointment is personal.
How about the bargain sum of $31.62 million for 238 games and 108 points? That works out to $293k per point scored and $133k per game played, and it's the Canes' return on investment from the last contract extensions given to Jussi Jokinen, Joni Pitkanen, and Tuomo Ruutu. Combinations of bad luck, bad timing, bad performance, and bad asset management did them in. Jussi's lackluster results in 2012-13 got him traded when his value was at his lowest; he at least rebounded in Pittsburgh and is thriving with an even bigger deal with the Panthers. Tuomo's contract was already a risk based on his injury history and style of play, but two subsequent hip surgeries left him a shell of his former self and it's undetermined if he can ever regain or retain his past glory. Joni will probably never skate again, although prior to the injury that likely will end his career he had played sparingly due to other injuries. Each player is only 31 years old. I endorsed each of their contracts loudly at the time, and while their departures were necessary, the end of The Finns leaves a gaping wound in my hockey heart. Hyvä Suomi, Hakkaa Päälle, and whatever the Finnish translation is for FML.
Most Disappointing Hurricanes Coach/Executive:
They've all disappointed me from time to time, but I can't call out Karmanos because he brought hockey to my home state, and Jim Rutherford built a Stanley Cup winner. I wasn't around for Paul Maurice 1.0 so I wasn't as passionate about him. I have to agree on Kirk Muller. My expectations for him were so high. Kirk is work. Just wait until he gets a full season with his own training camp. No passengers. But we didn't get a coach, we got a captain, with a bunch of platitudes and sound bites and no direction or strategy other than to work harder. That bitter pill is still stuck in my throat.
Most Disappointing Hurricanes Fashion Choice:
I like our new jerseys (both sets) and I like our primary and secondary logos. But I'm a picture-taker, and in addition to being difficult to read, black jerseys on white ice wreak havoc on dynamic range and exposure compensation.