The Carolina Hurricanes, like the Columbus Blue Jackets, moved to the Central Division last year. Unlike the Columbus Blue Jackets, the Carolina Hurricanes did not struggle - the Hurricanes went out and won the division, besting the Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning in a tight divisional race. The Hurricanes won their first round series against the Nashville Predators before falling in five games to the eventual-champion Tampa Bay Lightning.
Then the offseason began, and the Carolina Hurricanes made headlines time and again. The Hurricanes overhauled their goaltending position, remade the defense, and revamped their forward group.