After giving Carolina Hurricanes’ fans the dream of a lifetime in 2006 with a Stanley Cup championship, the hockey gods turned their backs on the Caneiacs as the hapless Hurricanes have not qualified for the playoffs for the last seven consecutive seasons, as well as nine of the last ten seasons. Overall Carolina has qualified only five times out of the 18 total years they have played.
The franchise has existed for more than 18 years, though, as before 1997 the team was known as the New England (and later Hartford) Whalers.
The New England Whalers were birthed into the World Hockey Association in 1971 and played their inaugural season at the Boston Arena (now the Matthews Arena, home of Hockey East’s Northeastern University Huskies) and the Boston Gaw-den.