When we moved down from Ohio, we were in the midst of selecting our seats for season tickets to the minor league Cleveland Lumberjacks hockey team. Then, in November 1996 when we finally moved to Greensboro, we discovered the minor league Greensboro Monarchs, who then folded in favor of the Greensboro Generals, who then moved away when the NHL's Hartford Whalers relocated to North Carolina and became the Hurricanes. Their home in Raleigh was not ready, so the Hurricanes played in Greensboro for two years. The head coach who oversaw the move? Paul Maurice.Maurice took the 'Canes to the Stanley Cup in 2002 and we lost 4-1 to Detroit. Still, it was thrilling to have a local team play for all the marbles. After an underwhelming post-finals stretch, Maurice was fired and replaced by Peter Laviolette.
Laviolette took the 'Canes to the Stanley Cup finals and actually won the whole damn thing over Edmonton in 2006. Hooray! Hockey fever gripped Dixie! It was pretty cool to see the celebrations and the general gaiety over Lord Stanley's Cup presiding in NC for a year.
Then, for the first time ever in the ancient National Hockey League, a reigning Stanley Cup champion misses the playoffs completely two years in a row. Two years. Ugh.
Things began to look bright for 2008-09: a promising team, some up and coming youngsters, a heady veteran to lead the way, and "Ronnie Franchise" Ron Francis as assistant GM. But an awful stretch in November leads to a paltry 12-11-2 record with a lackluster team that cannot score a power play goal and are always playing from behind.
So, gone goes Laviolette. The winningest U.S.-born coach gets the ax.
The new coach? Meet the new boss, same as the old boss. Paul Maurice. The story.
Odd.
Coaches are hired only to be fired. And sometimes, they get RE-hired.
Their 2nd game with their new old coach will be Saturday night against the Philadelphia Flyers and I will be there with tickets. I'll be interested to see if there's a marked increase in intensity.
Sing with me: Come on, come on, come on, let's go 'Canes!
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