2009–10 Carolina Hurricanes season

The 2009–10 Carolina Hurricanes season was the franchise's 38th season, 31st season in the National Hockey League and 12th as the Hurricanes. Despite their great playoff run the previous year, the Hurricanes failed to make the playoffs for the first time since the 2007–08 season.

Off-season On June 15, 2009, the Carolina Hurricanes announced that they have agreed to terms with their current coaching staff. Head coach Paul Maurice was signed to a multi-year contract. The club also announced Ron Francis will return as associate head coach and take on the additional title of director of player personnel, while Tom Barrasso has been named as an assistant coach, and assistant coaches Kevin McCarthy and Tom Rowe will remain in their roles moving forward and continue on their existing multi-year contracts.

On June 26, 2009, the Hurricanes drafted Philippe Paradis as their first-round, 27th overall selection. Prior to this, the Hurricanes had not had a first-round selection outside of the top 20 since they picked Jamie McBain in the second round, 63rd overall, in the 2006 NHL entry draft.

On June 29, 2009, the Hurricanes announced that they have re-signed forward Jussi Jokinen to a two-year contract, with him earning $1.5 million in the upcoming 2009–10 season and $1.9 million in the 2010–11 season. Jokinen was acquired in a trade on February 7, 2009. He scored just one goal, but added 10 assists in 25 regular-season games, but was tied for second on the team for playoff points with 11 points (seven goals and four assists) in 18 games.

On July 24, 2009, the Carolina Hurricanes re-acquired defenceman Aaron Ward from the Boston Bruins in exchange for Patrick Eaves and a fourth-round draft pick in 2010. Ward has previously played with the club when they won the Stanley Cup back in 2006.

On July 28, 2009, the Carolina Hurricanes announced that they have bought-out the remainder of the contract for defenceman Frantisek Kaberle. Kaberle was slated to make $2.2 million during the 2009–10 season, however, with the buyout, he will now receive two-thirds ($1,467,700) of that amount over the next two seasons. Kaberle played 214 games with the club over the span of four seasons.

Pre-season

2009 Pre-season Game Log: 2–2–0 (Home: 1–1–0; Road: 1–1–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Record Recap 1 September 18 Nashville Predators 4 – 2 Carolina Hurricanes Cam Ward (0-1-0) 0-1-0 2 September 21 Carolina Hurricanes 2 – 4 Atlanta Thrashers Michael Leighton (0-1-0) 0-2-0 3 September 25 Atlanta Thrashers 3 – 4 Carolina Hurricanes Cam Ward (1-1-0) 1-2-0 4 September 26 Carolina Hurricanes 5 – 2 Nashville Predators Michael Leighton (1-1-0) 2-2-0

Regular season

The Hurricanes had the most power-play opportunities during the regular season, with 329.

Divisional standings

Conference standings

Game log

2009–10 Game Log October: 2–7–3 (Home: 2–2–1; Road: 0–5–2) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts 1 October 2 Philadelphia 2-0 Carolina Hurricanes Ward 18,680 0-1-0 0 2 October 3 Carolina Hurricanes 2-7 Boston Ward 16,592 0-2-0 0 3 October 6 Tampa Bay 1-2 Carolina Hurricanes SO Ward 16,186 1-2-0 2 4 October 9 Florida Panthers 2-7 Carolina Hurricanes Ward 13,597 2-2-0 4 5 October 10 Carolina Hurricanes 2-5 Tampa Bay Ward 14,212 2-3-0 4 6 October 14 Pittsburgh 3-2 Carolina Hurricanes SO Ward 14,053 2-3-1 5 7 October 17 Carolina Hurricanes 0-2 New Jersey Ward 15,021 2-4-1 5 8 October 21 Carolina Hurricanes 3-4 N.Y. Islanders SO Ward 9,122 2-4-2 6 9 October 23 Carolina Hurricanes 4-5 Colorado Avalanche Ward 13,673 2-5-2 6 10 October 24 Carolina Hurricanes 2-3 Minnesota Wild OT Ward 18,145 2-5-3 7 11 October 28 St. Louis 5-2 Carolina Hurricanes Ward 15,549 2-6-3 7 12 October 31 Carolina Hurricanes 1-6 Philadelphia Leighton 19,076 2-7-3 7 November: 3–10–2 (Home: 3–5–1; Road: 0–5–1) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts 13 November 1 San Jose 5-1 Carolina Hurricanes Ward 15,089 2-8-3 7 14 November 4 Carolina Hurricanes 0-3 Florida Panthers Ward 12,424 2-9-3 7 15 November 6 Toronto 3-2 Carolina Hurricanes Ward 14,164 2-10-3 7 16 November 7 Carolina Hurricanes 2-3 Columbus Leighton 14,850 2-11-3 7 17 November 11 Los Angeles 5-2 Carolina Hurricanes Legace 13,510 2-12-3 7 18 November 13 N.Y. Islanders 4-3 Carolina Hurricanes OT Legace 14,163 2-12-4 8 19 November 15 Minnesota Wild 4-5 Carolina Hurricanes SO Leighton 12,194 3-12-4 10 20 November 17 Carolina Hurricanes 2-3 Montreal SO Legace 21,273 3-12-5 11 21 November 19 Toronto 5-6 Carolina Hurricanes SO Legace 13,502 4-12-5 13 22 November 21 Tampa Bay 1-3 Carolina Hurricanes Legace 13,224 5-12-5 15 23 November 23 Carolina Hurricanes 0-2 Dallas Legace 16,243 5-13-5 15 24 November 25 Carolina Hurricanes 2-3 Anaheim Legace 14,766 5-14-5 15 25 November 27 Atlanta 6-4 Carolina Hurricanes Legace 14,463 5-15-5 15 26 November 28 Carolina Hurricanes 1-5 Buffalo Leighton 18,690 5-16-5 15 27 November 30 Washington 3-2 Carolina Hurricanes Leighton 12,797 5-17-5 15 December: 5–6–2 (Home: 3–3–1; Road: 2–3–1) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts 28 December 5 Vancouver 3-5 Carolina Hurricanes Legace 14,990 6-17-5 17 29 December 7 Carolina Hurricanes 3-2 Pittsburgh Legace 16,964 7-17-5 19 30 December 9 Carolina Hurricanes 2-4 New Jersey Ward 12,013 7-18-5 19 31 December 11 Carolina Hurricanes 3-4 Washington OT Ward 18,277 7-18-6 20 32 December 12 Carolina Hurricanes 2-4 Ottawa Legace 16,229 7-19-6 20 33 December 16 Dallas 3-5 Carolina Hurricanes Ward 13,954 8-19-6 22 34 December 18 Carolina Hurricanes 3-6 Florida Panthers Ward 15,107 8-20-6 22 35 December 19 Florida Panthers 2-3 Carolina Hurricanes Ward 12,758 9-20-6 24 36 December 21 N.Y. Rangers 3-1 Carolina Hurricanes Ward 16,514 9-21-6 24 37 December 23 Montreal 5-1 Carolina Hurricanes Ward 14,820 9-22-6 24 38 December 26 Philadelphia 4-3 Carolina Hurricanes SO Ward 16,288 9-22-7 25 39 December 28 Carolina Hurricanes 6-3 Washington Ward 18,277 10-22-7 27 40 December 31 N.Y Rangers 2-1 Carolina Hurricanes Ward 16,947 10-23-7 27 January: 8–5–1 (Home: 5–2–0; Road: 3–3–1) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts 41 January 2 Carolina Hurricanes 2-1 N.Y. Rangers OT Ward 18,200 11-23-7 29 42 January 7 Carolina Hurricanes 2-4 Nashville Ward 14,910 11-24-7 29 43 January 8 Colorado Avalanche 1-2 Carolina Hurricanes Ward 14,071 12-24-7 31 44 January 10 Ottawa 1-4 Carolina Hurricanes Ward 16,892 13-24-7 33 45 January 12 Carolina Hurricanes 4-2 Toronto Ward 19,120 14-24-7 35 46 January 14 Carolina Hurricanes 1-3 Detroit Ward 20,066 14-25-7 35 47 January 16 Atlanta 5-3 Carolina Hurricanes Ward 14,812 14-26-7 35 48 January 18 Tampa Bay 3-2 Carolina Hurricanes Ward 16,031 14-27-7 35 49 January 21 Carolina Hurricanes 5-2 Atlanta Ward 10,472 15-27-7 37 50 January 23 Carolina Hurricanes 2-4 Philadelphia Ward 19,732 15-28-7 37 51 January 24 Boston 1-5 Carolina Hurricanes Ward 13,512 16-28-7 39 52 January 27 Carolina Hurricanes 5-1 N.Y. Rangers Ward 18,200 17-28-7 41 53 January 28 N.Y. Islanders 1-4 Carolina Hurricanes Ward 15,473 18-28-7 43 54 January 30 Chicago 2-4 Carolina Hurricanes Ward 6,896 19-28-7 45 February: 5–2–0 (Home: 3–0–0; Road: 2–2–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts 55 February 1 Carolina Hurricanes 2-4 Edmonton Ward 16,839 19-29-7 45 56 February 3 Carolina Hurricanes 1-4 Calgary Ward 19,289 19-30-7 45 57 February 5 Carolina Hurricanes 4-3 Buffalo Legace 18,690 20-30-7 47 58 February 6 Carolina Hurricanes 3-1 N.Y. Islanders Peters 12,709 21-30-7 49 59 February 9 Nashville 1-4 Carolina Hurricanes Legace 18,393 22-30-7 51 60 February 11 Buffalo 3-4 Carolina Hurricanes OT Legace 15,527 23-30-7 53 61 February 13 New Jersey 2-4 Carolina Hurricanes Peters 16,466 24-30-7 55 March: 9–5–2 (Home: 4–4–0; Road: 5–1–2) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts 62 March 2 Carolina Hurricanes 5-1 Toronto Peters 19,096 25-30-7 57 63 March 4 Ottawa 1-4 Carolina Hurricanes Legace 17,048 26-30-7 59 64 March 6 Carolina Hurricanes 1-4 Florida Panthers Peters 16,202 26-31-7 59 65 March 7 Carolina Hurricanes 4-0 Atlanta Legace 15,306 27-31-7 61 66 March 10 Carolina Hurricanes 3-4 Washington OT Legace 18,277 27-31-8 62 67 March 11 Pittsburgh 3-4 Carolina Hurricanes OT Peters 16,426 28-31-8 64 68 March 13 Phoenix 4-0 Carolina Hurricanes Peters 17,690 28-32-8 64 69 March 16 Boston 5-2 Carolina Hurricanes Legace 15,832 28-33-8 64 70 March 18 Washington 3-4 Carolina Hurricanes OT Peters 18,144 29-33-8 66 71 March 20 Carolina Hurricanes 3-2 Pittsburgh OT Peters 17,090 30-33-8 68 72 March 21 Buffalo 5-3 Carolina Hurricanes Peters 15,311 30-34-8 68 73 March 23 Carolina Hurricanes 2-3 Tampa Bay OT Legace 13,009 30-34-9 69 74 March 25 Washington 2-3 Carolina Hurricanes SO Legace 18,046 31-34-9 71 75 March 27 Atlanta 4-0 Carolina Hurricanes Legace 16,108 31-35-9 71 76 March 29 Carolina Hurricanes 4-1 Atlanta Ward 13,440 32-35-9 73 77 March 31 Carolina Hurricanes 2-1 Montreal Ward 21,273 33-35-9 75 April: 2–2–1 (Home: 1–1–0; Road: 1–1–1) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts 78 April 1 Carolina Hurricanes 3-4 Ottawa SO Legace 19,152 33-36-10 76 79 April 3 New Jersey 4-0 Carolina Hurricanes Ward 16,073 33-36-10 76 80 April 6 Carolina Hurricanes 8-5 Tampa Bay Ward 12,454 34-36-10 78 81 April 8 Montreal 2-5 Carolina Hurricanes Ward 18,680 35-36-10 80 82 April 10 Carolina Hurricanes 2-4 Boston Ward 17,565 35-37-10 80

Player statistics

Skaters Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; +/− = Plus/minus; PIM = Penalty minutes

Regular season Player GP G A Pts +/− PIM 70 29 41 70 4 68 81 30 35 65 3 36 80 21 37 58 -6 26 71 6 40 46 -11 72 72 21 19 40 -1 2 ‡ 60 12 28 40 0 26 54 14 21 35 -4 50 72 14 15 29 -15 32 56 11 17 28 -2 24 82 8 13 21 4 106 80 9 10 19 -29 36 61 5 14 19 0 78 40 11 5 16 -9 29 58 7 5 12 -3 6 54 2 10 12 5 12 ‡ 34 4 8 12 -6 10 22 1 10 11 -4 8 ‡ 60 1 10 11 -17 54 14 3 7 10 6 0 ‡ 62 2 8 10 7 74 31 3 6 9 1 2 ‡ 59 4 3 7 -6 28 38 1 5 6 -8 50 † 18 1 5 6 2 6 ‡ 33 3 2 5 -4 23 ‡ 47 0 5 5 -5 26 † 20 1 3 4 -8 11 9 2 0 2 -1 4 7 0 2 2 -1 10 6 0 0 0 -2 5 12 0 0 0 -5 24 2 0 0 0 -1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 † 9 0 0 0 2 6

Goaltenders Note: GP = Games played; TOI = Time on ice (minutes); W = Wins; L = Losses; OT = Overtime losses; GA = Goals against; GAA= Goals against average; SA= Shots against; SV= Saves; Sv% = Save percentage; SO= Shutouts Regular season Player GP TOI W L OT GA GAA SA Sv% SO G A PIM 47 2651 18 23 5 119 2.69 1409 .916 0 0 3 0 28 1472 10 7 5 69 2.81 745 .907 1 0 1 0 9 488 6 3 0 23 2.83 241 .905 0 0 0 0 ‡ 7 350 1 4 0 25 4.28 164 .848 0 0 0 0

†Denotes player spent time with another team before joining Hurricanes. Stats reflect time with Hurricanes only. ‡Traded mid-season Bold/italics denotes franchise record

Awards Regular Season Player Award Awarded Eric StaalCrosby, Staal, Backstrom are NHL's Stars of the Week NHL Second Star of the Week April 12, 2010

Transactions

The Hurricanes have been involved in the following transactions during the 2009–10 season.

Trades