There was a certain defiance in the press release that the Carolina Hurricanes sent out just after noon on Tuesday. Usually the province of platitudes and cliches, general manager Don Waddell did not mince words: “Once again, the Carolina Hurricanes should not be underestimated.”
And how.
A whirlwind couple of days came to a decisive end on Tuesday, when the Hurricanes announced their intention to match the offer sheet that Sebastian Aho signed with the Montreal Canadiens less than 24 hours prior. The Hurricanes braintrust, owner Tom Dundon and Waddell, met the media via conference call shortly thereafter and left no delusions about exactly where things stand with the Hurricanes at the moment.