Hurricanes' Rod Brind'Amour honored by North Carolina governor
12/16/2024 10:55 AM
The Carolina Hurricanes beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-1 on Sunday. The Canes now have 39 points in 30 games and are on their way to a seventh straight playoff berth. Head coach Rod Brind’Amour has been behind the bench for all seven of those seasons and has quickly become one of the best in the league. North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper honored Brind’Amour for all of his contributions to the Hurricanes on the ice and the bench.
“Brind’Amour received the Order of the Long Leaf Pine, which is given to people who have made significant contributions to the state and their community,” per ESPN.
The Order of Long Leaf Pine is the highest honor bestowed by the state of North Carolina. Cooper said Brind’Amour’s impact on the Hurricanes and North Carolina earned him this award.
“What he has meant to North Carolina is extraordinary, both as a player, as a coach, as a parent, involvement in youth hockey. When you think about all of the jobs the Carolina Hurricanes have brought to North Carolina and their success. … This guy has created a culture of winning.”
Brind’Amour was the captain of the 2006 Stanley Cup title team and is now the second-winningest coach in Hurricanes history. While they have not won the Cup with him behind the bench, he has created a competitor in North Carolina.
The Hurricanes are in contention because of Rod Brind’Amour
While the regular season has been kind to Brind’Amour, he has struggled in the playoffs. The Hurricanes have made the Eastern Conference Finals twice but were swept both times. Before the 2018-19 season, Brind’Amour’s first, it had been nine seasons without the playoffs for the Hurricanes. Now, they are in the Stanley Cup conversation.
This season has been solid for the Hurricanes but nothing spectacular. They have dealt with goalie injuries this year and lost Jake Guentzel in free agency. But Martin Necas has come through as the elite scorer they’ve been looking for during Brind’Amour’s tenure.
The Metropolitan Division is weak this season, with the Flyers, Penguins, Rangers, and Islanders all struggling to get off the mat. The Capitals currently lead the division and the Devils have been solid as well. Carolina sits between the Devils and the mushy middle of the Metro. The Hurricanes are benefitting from this, beating some of these brutal teams and staying afloat.
Another great story from this game was Dustin Tokarski, who made his first start in almost two years. With Frederik Andersen and Pyotr Kotchekov hurt, Tokarski will be important for a while.
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