This is nothing new for Carolina Hurricanes fans. Only once in the past decade have the Canes scored more goals than the league average (231 in 2011, two more than the average). Carolina has not finished a regular season with more goals scored than allowed since 2008-09, when they compiled a +15 rating and advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals. Since then they have had nine straight seasons with a negative goal differential and nine straight seasons with no appearance in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The postseason skein and lack of offense are not coincidental. In the five seasons since the NHL switched to two divisions from three, only three teams (Detroit in 2014 and 2016, and Ottawa in 2017) advanced to the playoffs despite a negative goal differential.