The Carolina Hurricanes, under the Rod Brind’Amour era, with Tom Dundon at the helm as owner, have been focused on establishing the right culture within the locker room and the organization. Over the last couple of weeks, that has been put to the test. David Pagnotta posted on X about the Hurricanes possibly signing forward Michael McLeod and also checked in about goaltender Carter Hart. McLeod and Hart are part of the Hockey Canada 5 (HC5), who were defendants in the Hockey Canada sexual assault trial. (The Athletic – Hailey Salvian and Sean Gentille: All 5 players found not guilty in Hockey Canada sexual assault trial) With that being said, the Hurricanes are at a crossroads and must decide whether to change the course of the franchise for the foreseeable future.
What Road Is Worth Traveling?
Following the news from Pagnotta, Mark Lazerus of The Athletic recently published an article about traveling to both the Vegas Golden Knights and the Hurricanes to gain any insight into the rumors surrounding McLeod and Hart. While the Golden Knights revoked his credentials, Lazerus did get some quotes from Brind’Amour and players from the Hurricanes. When asking about McLeod and Hart, Brind’amour stated, “Obviously, that’s news to me. Rumors are rumors. Every time there’s a player out there, they always say that our team’s involved. I haven’t given it much thought, but any player that comes here would be welcomed with open arms. That’s the only reason we’re bringing someone into this family. You’ve got to treat them like that. You’re talking about a hypothetical, but that’s how I would approach it.” (The Athletic – Mark Lazerus: As Hockey Canada players’ NHL return nears, how will they be embraced by their new teams?)
When asking the Hurricanes captain Jordan Staal, he stated, “Everyone makes mistakes, including myself. As an 18-year-old kid, I’ve done some stupid stuff. I went to jail. I had to go through a lot of crap because of it, and it wasn’t fun. I had to go through some crappy times, but I owned it.”
When it comes to signing anyone from the HC5, teams can sign them starting on Oct. 15, but are not allowed to play until they are reinstated on Dec. 1. (The Athletic – Chris Johnston and Sean Gentille: NHL to reinstate players acquitted in Hockey Canada trial, make them eligible for games Dec. 1) The players involved will have to go through conditioning stints until then before they can join their NHL team in December. What makes all of this complicated is that they were acquitted legally; however, there is a dilemma if teams want to sign these players, due to the NHL brass delaying their return to the league. Regarding Carolina, the question is whether they are willing to improve their team and give a player another chance, versus dealing with the PR backlash from some of the fans.
As of now, the Hurricanes have not publicly addressed the matter regarding the rumors and signing either McLeod, Hart, or both. If they don’t sign either player, is the damage already done within the fanbase? Where is the proverbial line that is drawn in the sand? The ramifications of this go far beyond hockey, and there is no telling where it could end, whether within the fanbase or on the business side. For a team that has wanted to be a model of a good culture and a tight-knit locker room, this will put that to the test. Are they willing to go down a path of doing whatever it means necessary to win, or stay the course with the roster they have now and not sign anyone from the HC5?
Related: Carolina Hurricanes Begin Roster Cuts Entering the Final Week of Camp
While 14 days still loom until players of the HC5 can be signed, speculation will only ramp up over the coming days. The silence from the organization raises the anxiety as fans wait for the shoe to drop on the situation. Matters like these extend beyond the ice. This could seep into the locker room, the front office, the fanbase, and beyond. The media will ask questions at every stop about the signings if they occur. “Media guys all want a little piece of them, and everyone wants to write their own little snippet and not miss out on the juicy stuff,” Staal said. “That’s part of making mistakes, too.”
Something like this could drag out throughout the whole season and it probably would not end after that. Signing someone from the HC5 could change the course of a franchise, whether it’s the Hurricanes or another NHL team. It comes down to whether a team is willing to give a player another chance and make their roster better despite some fans possibly not buying tickets, merchandise, and more. The other path, not signing anyone from the HC5 and striving to win the Stanley Cup with the roster they currently have, would be a continuation of what the Hurricanes been doing for the last seven seasons.
Ultimately, it is the Hurricanes’ decision whether to sign either or both of the HC5 players they’ve been linked to. It’ll be a tense few days as everyone waits with bated breath to see if the rumors are true. If they do sign McLeod or Hart, there could be fallout. If they decide not to sign them, what does it mean for the Hurricanes and how can the team and fans come together to move past this? Only time will tell, as we’re 14 days away from any news of possible signings. The question remains — what road will the Hurricanes go down regarding the future of the franchise on and off the ice?
The Hockey Writers reached out for a comment, but got no response.
