Canes players and Rod Brind'Amour address their 'lethargic' start to the season, tell me about this news today
03-10-2026
The Carolina Hurricanes and head coach Rod Brind’Amour addressed a slow, disjointed start following their tight season opener.
The Hockey NewsThe main takeaways from the team’s remarks focus on early-season rust, emotional distractions, and offensive execution:
Sloppiness and Rust: Brind’Amour acknowledged that the team lacked its typical sharp execution and offensive flow. Both the coaching staff and veterans noted that finding timing, rhythm, and crispness at game speed takes a few outings to settle in.
The Hockey NewsDisrupted Flow and Special Teams: A stop-and-start contest filled with penalties made it difficult for Carolina to roll their lines or build sustained forecheck pressure, leaving their 5-on-5 game feeling stagnant at times.
The Hockey NewsBanner Ceremony Distractions: The emotional high of opening night and pre-game festivities proved tricky to balance immediately before dropping the puck. Players noted the challenge of channeling that adrenaline straight into game-intensity focus.
NHL.comAccountability: Leadership, including Jordan Staal and Sebastian Aho, emphasized that the group needs to be more direct, shoot instead of over-passing in high-danger areas, and re-establish their high-work-rate identity to set the standard moving forward.
The Hockey News