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Good morning and happy April! March was one of the weirdest months in the history of ever, but I fear April is going to say “hold my beer.” This writer has a feeling things are going to get worse before they get better. With that, here is your COVID-19 free news roundup. Thanks for hunkering down with us.
Program note: You may notice I included quite a few articles from The Athletic today. Typically when I pull together a Story Advisory, I try to avoid overloading folks with paywall articles since I know not everyone subscribes. That said, The Athletic continues to put out a ton of relevant content, plus they’re currently offering a 90-day free trial. So if you’ve considered subscribing or just want access to more articles while we’re in downtime mode, now is probably a good time.
- Speaking of which, hockey writers across The Athletic asked readers to weigh in with opinions on the best and worse local NHL broadcast teams. The results were published yesterday, and not to play spoiler but it should come as no surprise that the Hurricanes broadcast team of John Forslund and Tripp Tracy were rated pretty well.
- As it should be, after the article was published Tripp had a story to tell.
Hey @MikeSundheim , @MSmithCanes and All of The Great Caniacs! Thank you so so much for all of the very meaningful comments this morning. Back in ‘98 after a game in Greensboro, @JohnForslund asked me to go to a Partner Bonding Journey Concert , and he said that night
— TrippTracy (@TrippTracy1) April 1, 2020
“Establish a work ethic and always- no matter who you are- be yourself on TV.” That always has stuck in my mind, even as JF said it as he was jamming to Don’t Stop Believin. Will try to keep getting better for you Caniacs when hockey returns! Stay safe Caniacs and Go Canes !! ❤️
— TrippTracy (@TrippTracy1) April 1, 2020
Steve Perry. HUGE Caniac.
- Meanwhile, Forslund joined Mike Maniscalco and Michael Smith for this week’s CanesCast.
- In case you were wondering which shows Rod Brind’Amour is binge watching on Netflix, he joined Joe Ovies and Joe Giglio Tuesday on the OG (Mar. 31 episode, first 12 minutes). [WRALSportsFan]
- Some accolades for Rod’s son. Is anyone surprised by his faceoff prowess?
What a rookie season for this guy! Skyler Brind'Amour has been voted our 2019-20 Rookie of the Year! He scored 4 goals and led all Quinnipiac rookies with 13 points while his .575 faceoff percentage was 2nd among #ECACHockey Rookies! #BobcatNation pic.twitter.com/O5CpvFQyib
— Quinnipiac Men's Ice Hockey (@QU_MIH) March 30, 2020
- Let’s take a look into the future, 2020-something, and another Stanley Cup championship for your Carolina Hurricanes. [The Athletic $]
- “Always an Eagle.” Team captain David Cotton shares his thoughts as he wraps up his college career. [Boston College]
- Former Hurricane Eddie Lack officially called it an NHL career this week, in typical Eddie fashion.
It time for me to RETIRE. The next 7 minutes are a tribute to All of you that were with me during this crazy ride and my way of saying - THANK YOU.
— Eddie Lack (@eddielack) March 30, 2020
P.S. Luongo might be in the video ... (1/4) pic.twitter.com/bCsc93QCRD
- Eddie led the Vancouver Canucks to the playoffs in 2015 and was traded to the Hurricanes during the off-season. He had more than a few interesting memories about his time in both places. [The Athletic $]
- Who is the Hurricanes’ fantasy MVP? Unsung hero? Biggest surprise? Here’s a snapshot. [NHL.com]
- Each team had a feel-good story this season. Let’s remember them. [ESPN]
- Those crazy kids from the Canes social media team were at it again on Wednesday.
A lot of people are binge watching The Office, so here's every NHL team as a scene from the show: pic.twitter.com/cAifQsQh3A
— Carolina Hurricanes (@Canes) March 31, 2020
- Hey, remember that time an EBUG beat the Leafs? [ESPN]
- It would be super cool if the NHL and NHLPA could find a way to approach their upcoming labor talks with a long-term view. [The Athletic $]
- In honor of April Fools Day (which came and went uneventfully), Charlotte Checkers players dish about their favorite pranks.
In honor of April Fools' Day, we asked the guys what the best prank they pulled/had pulled on them was
— Charlotte Checkers (@CheckersHockey) April 1, 2020
Here's Part 1 of this @ceenta Through The Senses! pic.twitter.com/6XK1jeZxkJ
From the classic "saran wrap on the toilet" to some hotel shenanigans, we asked the guys about their favorite pranks
— Charlotte Checkers (@CheckersHockey) April 1, 2020
Here's Part 2 of this @ceenta Through The Senses! pic.twitter.com/wAkA9duHzp
- If you want to be the best, you have to beat the best, and here’s your chance. Register for a chance to show off your Fortnite skills against Checkers expert Alex Nedeljkovic. [Checkers.com]
- The ECHL and Professional Hockey Players’ Association (PHPA) announced a relief fund to assist ECHL players and their families suffering financial hardship following cancellation of the 2019-20 season. [ECHL]
- Go behind the scenes to see how a manufacturer makes the switch from hockey gear to frontline safety medical gear. [The Athletic $]
- Finally, if you’re in need of a little stress relief:
Feeling stressed?
— Carolina Hurricanes (@Canes) April 1, 2020
Head Strength & Conditioning Coach @BillBurniston is here to help you feel more calm and focused
@RexHealthcare pic.twitter.com/zchbvNUNW6