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Right after clinching a place in the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs and days from kicking off a series against the New York Rangers, drama hit the Carolina Hurricanes.
The Hurricanes offered head coach Rod Brind’Amour an extension to keep him past his contract’s expiration date of July 1, 2024. The franchise, however, has pulled that offer, according to TSN’s Darren Dreger.
“Rod Brind’Amour’s future as Carolina’s coach is up in the air,” Dreger tweeted on May 1. “Recently, a deal seemed close, but It’s believed the offer to extend the highly respected coach has been pulled.
“Sources say Brind’Amour wants to stay, but may have to test the market if an agreement can’t be reached,” Dreger wrote.
The report came just one day after the Canes defeated the New York Islanders in Game 5 of the first-round series, with Carolina punching its ticket for a second-round meeting with the NHL-best Rangers.
Hurricanes’ President Confident About Reaching an Agreement
This developing story features conflicting statements made by different parties.
Dreger’s initial report informing about the contract extension being pulled was confirmed later on Wednesday, May 1, by Raleigh News & Observer’s Luke DeCock.
“Confidants say (Brind’Amour) has become unsure about his future in Carolina,” DeCock reported on May 1.
A day earlier, Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon told the same DeCok, “I think [the extension] is all but done.”
Dundon expanded on his explanation, telling DeCok that as far as he knows, “[General Manager Don Waddle] and [Brind’Amour] are working on it. I don’t think there’s anything there. We’re in the playoffs, and they haven’t focused on it. They’re doing it together. They’re just getting through the last little stuff.”
GM Don Waddell told Chip Alexander (of the same media outlet) on May 1 that he remains “very confident” about an extension being eventually reached with Brind’Amour.
“Rod wants to be a Hurricane for life. There will be a solution here quickly, I feel,” Alexander quoted Waddle telling him.
What Could Rod Brind’Amour Do If He Leaves Carolina?
The Hurricanes will hate to part ways with Brind’Amour after what he’s achieved with the franchise since he took over as the head coach of Carolina six years ago.
In that span, the Hurricanes have won at least one postseason series every year (including the 2020 bubble qualifier), including two trips to the conference finals in 2019 and last season.
Brind’Amour won the 2021 Jack Adams award given to the best coach “adjudged to have contributed the most to his team’s success,” and it’s fair to assume that if he enters the coaching carousel in July when his deal runs out he won’t lack suitors.
The Seattle Kraken, St. Louis Blues, New Jersey Devils, Los Angeles Kings, Ottawa Senators, and San Jose Sharks have already fired their coaches or are operating under the guidance of an interim coach.
The Toronto Maple Leafs might have no other option than firing Sheldon Keefe after the playoffs, opening one of the most alluring positions in hockey.
Brind’Amour sent a text message to News & Observer saying his contract extension “is in Tom’s hands,” according to DeCock’s article.
The journalist, however, wrote in his column that “confidants say [Brind’Amour] has become unsure about his future in Carolina, according to sources familiar with those conversations.”
The Hurricanes will face the Rangers in the Eastern Conference Semifinals with Game 1 still not having a date set at the time of this writing on the morning of Thursday, May 2.
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