Carolina Hurricanes culture exudes commitment to hard work and attention to detail

Peter Koutroumpis, Triangle Sports Network

Peter Koutroumpis (pksport)

editor@trianglesportsnet.com

RALEIGH, NC – Getting acquainted on and off the ice usually takes time for new teammates.

For the Carolina Hurricanes, they’ve got a Welcome Committee plan of action that gets new team members acclimated faster than most NHL teams might.

From the coach to the players, there is no lack of communication.

“It helps when you have a group that gets it,” head coach Rod Brind’Amour said.

“The older guys are really good about making sure anyone that gets brought in kind of feels comfortable, whether it be systems (on the ice), whether it be just getting used to the area. You know, I think our guys take care of that pretty well.”

Not just idle chatter

On Sunday at PNC Arena, Day 4 of on-ice sessions at training camp, there was ample discussion on the ice as the power play units went to work.

Brent Burns wasn’t short of conversation with Brind’Amour and teammates like Sebastian Aho before, during, and after each sequence.

As the expected swivel point in extra-man situations for the coming season, he appeared to get it following that banter back and forth.

“Yeah, I mean, I think again, because most of the guys we brought in have been around – you know, there’s tweaks here and there – there’s verbiage that are a little bit different. There’s a little more aggression (of playing style) to maybe some or not so much (to others), but everybody’s played hockey,  there’s nothing really too new. It’s just maybe like I said, maybe you’re more aggressive (on the puck) here than we’re used to; okay, but it’s the same stuff. So there’s not a lot I think that’s that different. It’s just, you know, little details here and there.”

Getting up to speed

Assistant captain Jordan Martinook feels this group has been putting things together pretty well in a short period of time.

That was the intended goal.

“Whatever makes everybody feel welcome as quick as they can; I feel like the good part about our group is a lot of guys came in pretty early so we’ve been kind of doing this for two, three weeks already. So you get familiarity that way and then obviously we’re going to try and plan some events early on get get families acquainted, everything like that. Yeah, I think we’ve done a pretty good job of it.

Peter Koutroumpis, Triangle Sports Network

“I think out here just doing the practices and stuff, everybody’s out here working hard. And I feel like that’s the number one thing behind everything is work ethic. That’s something that I feel that’s a focal point on our team and then kind of the rest comes after it. We’re learning a little bit as we go every day. I think it’s been a good mix with guys on each line that it’s easy to have a new guy ask a question – instead of going to a coach – just go to another guy. Which is I feel like that’s probably one of the cooler things about our culture. It’s like the coaches don’t really (need to) talk to the guys so much, and we keep it kind of internal with the guys, which is something I think a lot of a lot of us pride ourselves on.”

Cultural shifts

Defenseman Dylan Coghlan has appreciated the commitment and attention to detail on and off the ice, and feels he’s made an easy adjustment into the Carolina groove, particularly in coming from a locale like Vegas.

“Culture wise, every team’s a little different,” Coghlan said.

“I feel like they take it very, very seriously here which is what you need. There’s a lot of a lot of accountability in this room and everyone holds each other accountable, so yeah, it’s a great place to be. I heard nothing but great things when I got traded here.  The staff was great and the players were great as well, so it’s been really easy to adjust.”

“There’s no egos or anything in this room,” Martinook concluded.

“And I know there hasn’t been for a long time. It’s been pretty smooth. And whenever everybody gets along off the ice, it does correlate out there and everybody wants to play for each other.”

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