There is something to be said when sports can become so poetic that they feel like more of a fictional story than reality. A person gets traded to a new city, becomes embraced by the people of the new fanbase, and eventually builds a legacy that is not seen very often. But when it is reality, it’s a stuff of legends that are viewed in awe from a distance. That can be said for Carolina Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind’Amour. Jan. 23, 2000, saw what would become future Hurricanes Hall of Famer be traded to Carolina for Keith Primeau, with other assets from them and the Philadelphia Flyers. From there, the legacy of Brind’Amour started.
He helped the Hurricanes become the 2002 Eastern Conference Champions and take on the Detroit Red Wings in the 2002 Stanley Cup Final. After losing to the Red Wings in six games, he captained them to the 2006 Stanley Cup Final against the eighth-seeded Edmonton Oilers. This time, the Hurricanes won the whole thing in seven games at home in front of a raucous Caniac fanbase. The franchise won its first-ever Stanley Cup.
When Brind’Amour called it a career, the Hurricanes retired his jersey. This was a nod to the man who became the face of the franchise for his work ethic and love for the game.
However, that was not the last time Brind’Amour and the Hurricanes continued to write more of the story. The former captain became an assistant and development coach on June 7, 2011. He eventually became the head coach on May 8, 2018, and from there, the next chapter in the Brind’Amour legacy began.
Brind’Amour’s Road to 300 Wins
Brind’Amour became the fifth different head coach in Hurricanes history (since relocation) and he achieved his first win behind the bench on Oct. 5, 2018, against the Columbus Blue Jackets. The game was in Columbus and his side ended up winning the game 3-1 in what began the march to 300 wins as head coach.
Later, that 2018-19 season saw him, his coaching staff, and his leadership of captains lead the Hurricanes to their first playoff appearance in 10 years on April 4. Less than two years later, the first milestone was achieved by Brind’Amour as he won his 100th game on March 4, 2021, in just 173 games coached.
From there, the accolades and milestones kept piling up for the Ottawa, ON native. The 2020-21 season saw him win the Jack Adams Award, which is given to the NHL’s Coach of the Year. February 2022 saw him become the first Hurricanes/Hartford Whalers coach to be the bench boss during the All-Star Game. On Jan. 12, 2023, Brind’Amour achieved win number 200 as coach in just 330 games.
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During all of this, he was leading his team to three straight division titles and two Eastern Conference Final appearances (2019 and 2023). As each season came and went, he was cementing his legacy as possibly the best head coach in Hurricanes history. Moreover, the most consistent coach, with multiple division titles, six straight first-round wins in the playoffs (only the second coach ever to do so), and long playoff runs in each of the six seasons.
Another impressive milestone that was accomplished in 2023 was on April 19 when he won his 26th postseason game as head coach, which became a new franchise record. Finally, as of Saturday, Dec. 28, he won his 300th NHL game as a head coach. Another massive milestone was achieved for the highly decorated Brind’Amour, who keeps cementing his legacy 24 years later in Raleigh, NC.
Brind’Amour: Top of the Mountain
Brind’Amour’s 300th win as the head coach put him into some elite company. However, he is in a class of his own as he was the fastest coach to ever reach that milestone. He accomplished this feat in 488 games behind the bench and became only the eighth coach since 2000 to reach his first 300 wins with a single franchise. Winning 300 games in 488 regular-season matchups gives him a .615 win percentage, which is mind-blowing.
The next closest coach in games to achieve 300 is Bruce Boudreau, who accomplished this in 496 games. Others in the top five coaches to get 300 wins include Jon Cooper (500), Todd McLellan (515), and Dan Bylsma (517). That is some high company to be with to achieve that many wins quickly.
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When asked after the Dec. 28 game about the milestone achievement, of course, Brind’Amour was humble about it, citing the players who helped him get to this moment in the second phase of his hockey career. He stated, “Coaching is interesting. You get way too much credit when your team wins, and you just get abused when it doesn’t,” he said. “It’s the group that you have (that makes you successful). I’ve been blessed, we’ve talked about it a lot, (and) we’ve got a really good group. Win or lose, you can count the times on one hand where it wasn’t a solid effort. They give you what they can every night, and that’s something I take the most pride in.”
It goes to show that even when it comes to his own achievement, even as a head coach, he cites the players who go out and get the job done and he just benefits from their effort. Either way, it is something to celebrate as Brind’Amour continues to add to the story of his legacy in Carolina.
Legacy Continues to Grow for Brind’Amour
It is not often that the head coach is the face of a franchise, but the Stanley Cup-winning captain turned head coach is. It only adds to the “Legend of Rod Brind’Amour” and his impact on not only Raleigh but North Carolina as a whole. To be able to win 300 games the fastest is something to honor and celebrate for the man who has made huge strides to make the Hurricanes organization what it is now. Huge congratulations to Rod Brind’Amour for winning his 300th game as the head coach and being the fastest to accomplish it.
The next goal, win a Stanley Cup as a head coach.
