The Carolina Hurricanes and head coach Rod Brind’Amour put pen to paper on a brand new deal, keeping the coach and former team captain in the fold for another three years, reportedly. Prior to this deal, he was a common name thrown out in the rumor mill for other coaching vacancies around the league. Team owner Tom Dundon and general manager Don Waddell did well to keep the fan-favorite in town with this new deal.
Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reported that the deal carries an annual salary of $1.8 million. While it was reported that a “handshake agreement” was in place sometime ago, Brind’Amour insisted that his entire staff be brought back as well. A finalist for the Jack Adams Award as the NHL’s top coach this season, he finished this season, his third behind the Hurricanes’ bench, with a career record of 120-66-20. Under his tutelage, Carolina finished atop the Discover Central Division this season with a record of 30-12-8, good enough for third in league standings, behind only the Vegas Golden Knights and the Colorado Avalanche.
Brind’Amour and the Hurricanes were knocked out of the playoffs in the second round for the second time in a row, this time by the Tampa Bay Lightning. In his first season as the team’s head coach, he led Carolina to the Eastern Conference Final before losing to the Boston Bruins. Overall, the Hurricanes have a 17-17 playoff record under Brind’Amour. Before becoming the head coach, he spent a few years as an assistant coach for the team under former coach Bill Peters. Brind’Amour took over after Peters was removed due to misconduct.
With a good, young roster that includes Sebastian Aho, Jaccob Slavin, Andrei Svechnikov and Calder Trophy-nominee Alex Nedeljkovic, the Hurricanes are looking to take the next step under Waddell and coach Brind’Amour. Under the coach, the Hurricanes play an aggressive style that reflects the way he used to play. The only captain in team history to hoist the Stanley Cup – which he did back in 2006 – he is a well-liked figure due to his success as a player and coach, as well as his overall candor with fans and the media. He shared his sentiments about staying within the Hurricanes’ organization after signing his new deal:
Brind’Amour is the fifth head coach in team history following the club’s move from Hartford in 1997.