The Carolina Hurricanes are a professional ice hockey team based in Raleigh, North Carolina, USA. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League (NHL), and play their home games at the 18,680-seat RBC Center. They are the only major professional sports team to play in Raleigh; North Carolina's other two major franchises, the NFL's Carolina Panthers and the NBA's Charlotte Bobcats, are located in Charlotte.

The team was formed in 1971 as the New England Whalers of the World Hockey Association, and moved into the NHL in 1979 as the Hartford Whalers, relocating to North Carolina in 1997. They won their first Stanley Cup during the 2005–06 season, beating the Edmonton Oilers four games to three. On January 30, 2011, the Hurricanes hosted the NHL All-Star Game at the RBC Center.

Franchise history

In New England

The New England Whalers were established in November 1971 when the World Hockey Association awarded a franchise to begin play in Boston, Massachusetts. For the first two years of their existence, the club played their home games at the Boston Arena and Boston Garden. With increasing difficulty scheduling games at Boston Garden (owned by the rival NHL Bruins), the owners decided to move the team to Hartford, Connecticut beginning with the 1974-75 season. While waiting for the completion of a new arena in Hartford, the Whalers played the first part of the season at The Big E Coliseum in West Springfield. On January 11, 1975, the team played its first game in front of a sellout crowd at the Hartford Civic Center Coliseum, and would maintain its home there through 1996-97.

As one of the most stable WHA teams, the Whalers, along with the Edmonton Oilers, Quebec Nordiques, and Winnipeg Jets, were admitted to the NHL when the rival leagues merged in 1979. Because the NHL already had a team in the New England area, the Boston Bruins, the former WHA team was renamed the Hartford Whalers. Unfortunately, the team was never as successful in the NHL as they had been in the WHA, recording only three winning seasons. They peaked with their only playoff series victory in 1986 over the Quebec Nordiques and extended the Montreal Canadiens to overtime of the seventh game in the second round, followed by a regular season division title in 1987. 1992 was the last time the Hartford Whalers made the playoffs.

In North Carolina

Despite assurances made when he purchased the team in 1994 that the Whalers would remain in Hartford at least through 1998, in March 1997 owner Peter Karmanos announced that the team would move elsewhere after the 1996–97 season because of the team's inability to negotiate a satisfactory construction and lease package for a new arena in Hartford. In July, Karmanos announced that the Whalers would move to the Research Triangle area of North Carolina and the new Entertainment and Sports Arena in Raleigh, become the Carolina Hurricanes, and change their team colors to red and black. Due to the relatively short time frame for the move, Karmanos himself thought of and decided upon the new name for the club, rather than holding a contest as is sometimes done.

Unfortunately, the ESA would not be complete for two more years, and the only other hockey building in the Triangle was Dorton Arena, a 5,100-seat, 45-year-old building which was totally unsuitable for NHL hockey. The Hurricanes were thus forced to play home games in Greensboro, ninety minutes away from Raleigh, for their first two seasons after the move. This choice was disastrous for the franchise's attendance and reputation. With a capacity of over 21,000 people for hockey, the Greensboro Coliseum became the highest-capacity arena in the NHL, but Triangle-area fans proved unwilling to make the drive down I-40 to Greensboro, and fans from the Piedmont Triad mostly refused to support a lame-duck team that had displaced the longtime Greensboro/Carolina Monarchs minor-league franchise. Furthermore, only 29 out of 82 games were televised, and radio play-by-play coverage on WPTF was often pre-empted by North Carolina State Wolfpack basketball (for whose broadcasts WPTF was the flagship station), leaving these games totally unavailable to those who did not have a ticket. With attendance routinely well below the league average, Sports Illustrated ran a story titled "Natural Disaster," and ESPN anchors mocked the "Green Acres" of empty seats; in a 2006 interview, Karmanos admitted that "as it turns out, [Greensboro] was probably a mistake."

For 1998–99 the Hurricanes curtained off most of the upper deck, lowering the Coliseum's stated capacity to about 12,000, but attendance continued to lag. On the ice, however, the 'Canes were now out of the doldrums; led by the return of longtime Whalers captain Ron Francis, Keith Primeau's 30 goals, and Gary Roberts' 178 penalty minutes, they won the new Southeast Division by eight points and made the playoffs for the first time since 1992. However, tragedy struck hours after the team's first-round loss to the Bruins, when defenceman Steve Chiasson was thrown from his pickup truck and killed in a single-vehicle drunk-driving accident.

Despite their move to the brand-new ESA, the Hurricanes played lackluster hockey in 1999–2000, failing to make the playoffs. In 2000–01, though, they claimed the eighth seed, which nosed out Boston, and landed a first-round date with the defending champs, the New Jersey Devils. Although the Devils bounced the Hurricanes in six games, the series is seen as the real "arrival" of hockey in the Triangle. Down 3–0 in the series, the 'Canes extended it to a sixth game, thereby becoming only the tenth team in NHL history to do so. Game 6 in Raleigh featured their best playoff crowd that year, as well as their noisiest. Despite the 5–1 loss, Carolina was given a standing ovation by their home crowd as the game ended, erasing some of the doubts that the city would not warm up to the team.

The 'Canes made national waves for the first time in the 2002 playoffs. They survived a late charge from the Washington Capitals to win the division, but expectations were low entering the first round against the defending Eastern Conference champion Devils. However, Arturs Irbe and Kevin Weekes were solid in goal, and the Hurricanes won two games in overtime as they put away the Devils in six games. Their second-round matchup was against the Montreal Canadiens, who were riding a wave of emotion after their captain Saku Koivu's return from cancer treatment. In the third period of Game 4 in Montreal, down 2–1 in games and 3–0 in score, Carolina would tie the game and then win on Niclas Wallin's overtime goal. The game became known to Hurricanes fans as the "Miracle at Molson"; Carolina won the next two games by a combined 13–3 margin over a dejected Habs club to take the series.

In the Eastern Conference Finals, Carolina met the heavily-favored Toronto Maple Leafs. In Game 6 in Toronto, the Leafs' Mats Sundin tied the game with 22 seconds remaining to send it to overtime, where Carolina's Martin Gélinas would score to send the franchise to their first Stanley Cup Finals. During this series, several Hurricanes fan traditions drew hockey-wide media attention for the first time: fans met the team at the airport on the return from every road trip, and echoed football-season habits honed for games across the parking lot by hosting massive tailgate parties before each home game, a relative novelty in the cold-weather-centric NHL. Inside the building, the CBC's Don Cherry lauded the RBC Center as "the loudest building in the NHL", praise that would be echoed in 2006.

In the Stanley Cup finals, Carolina would face the Detroit Red Wings, thought to be the prohibitive favorite all year. Though the Canes stunned the Wings in Game 1, when Francis scored in the first minute of overtime, Detroit stormed back to win the next four games. Game 3 in Raleigh featured a triple-overtime thriller (won by Detroit's Igor Larionov, the eldest player to score a last-round goal), which sportscasters called one of the best finals games in history.

The momentum from the Cup Finals appearance did not last, however, and the next two seasons saw the 'Canes drop into the cellar of the NHL rankings; many of the new fans attracted to the team (and to hockey itself) during the 2002 playoff run lost interest and attendance declined. One of the few positive results of these losing years was the team's drafting of future star Eric Staal in 2003. In December 2003, the team fired Paul Maurice, who had been their coach since their next-to-last season in Hartford, replacing him with former New York Islanders bench boss Peter Laviolette. Weekes remained tough, but the offense was suspect; center Josef Vasicek led the team with a mere 19 goals and 26 assists for 45 points.

2005–06 Stanley Cup Champions

The outcome of the 2004–05 NHL lockout led to the shrinking of the payroll to $26 million. The 'Canes, however, turned out to be one of the NHL's biggest surprises, turning in the best season in the franchise's 34-year history. They finished the regular season with a 52–22–8 record and 112 points, shattering the previous franchise records of 94 points (in the WHA) set by the 1972-73 Whalers and 93 points (in the NHL) set in 1986–87. It was the first time ever that the franchise had passed the 50-win and 100-point plateaus. The 112-point figure was good for fourth overall in the league, easily their highest overall finish as an NHL team (tied with third-overall Dallas on points, but with one fewer win than the Stars) and second in the East (one point behind the Ottawa Senators). The Hurricanes also ran away with their third Southeast Division title, finishing 20 points ahead of the Tampa Bay Lightning. Attendance increased from 2003–04, averaging just under 15,600 per game, and the team made a profit for the first time since the move from Hartford. In the playoffs, after losing the first two games of the conference quarterfinal series against the Montreal Canadiens, Laviolette lifted goalkeeper Martin Gerber - who had been struggling to regain his form after playing through a bout of intestinal flu - in favor of rookie Cam Ward. The Hurricanes went on to win both games in Montreal, tying up the playoff series and turning the momentum around, winning the series on a Game Six overtime goal by Cory Stillman. Carolina faced the New Jersey Devils in the conference semifinals, which proved surprisingly one-sided, as the Hurricanes beat the Devils in five games. Stillman struck again, once again scoring the series-winning goal.

In the Eastern Conference finals, the Hurricanes faced the Buffalo Sabres, who had finished just one spot behind the Hurricanes in the overall standings. The contentious series saw both coaches — Lindy Ruff and Laviolette — taking public verbal shots at each other's team, but in the deciding Game Seven, the Hurricanes rallied with three goals in the third to win by a score of 4–2. Rod Brind'Amour scored the game winner as the Hurricanes reached the Stanley Cup finals for the second time in team history.

The Cup finals were against the Edmonton Oilers, the first time in NHL history that two former WHA franchises had played against one another in the finals. The Canes rallied from a 3–0 deficit in Game 1 to win 5–4 after Rod Brind'Amour scored with 30 seconds left. In Game 2, the 'Canes shelled the Oilers 5–0 to take a two-game lead.

The Oilers won Game 3 in Edmonton, 2–1, as Ryan Smyth scored the game-winning goal with 2:47 left to play. Carolina rebounded in Game 4 with a 2–1 victory, and came home with a chance to win the Cup on home ice. However, game five saw the Oilers come back with a stunning 4–3 overtime win on a shorthanded breakaway by Fernando Pisani. In Game 6 in Edmonton, Carolina was soundly defeated 4–0; the only bright point for the Hurricanes was the return of forward Erik Cole from a broken neck that had sidelined him since March.

In Game 7, before the second-largest home crowd in franchise history (18,978), the Hurricanes won 3-1, sealing the Hurricanes' first Stanley Cup championship in franchise history. Ward was honored with the Conn Smythe Trophy for the playoffs' most valuable player, becoming just the fourth rookie to be honored with the award. Several Canes raised the Cup for the first time in long NHL careers; Rod Brind'Amour and Bret Hedican had both played over 15 years without winning the Cup, while Glen Wesley — the last remaining Hartford Whaler on the Hurricanes' roster — had waited 18 seasons.

The Hurricanes' Stanley Cup championship marked the first professional major league sports title for a team from North Carolina. As well, they are the first NHL team in history, and only one of two teams to lose nine or more games in a year's playoffs, yet still win the Stanley Cup. The 2011 Boston Bruins also accomplished the feat.

After the Cup

The Hurricanes were not able to follow up their success. In 2006–07, the Hurricanes finished third in the Southeast and eleventh overall in the Eastern Conference. This finish made them the first champions since the 1938–39 Chicago Blackhawks to have failed to qualify for the playoffs both the seasons before and after their championship season. In 2007-08, Carolina again missed out as Washington stormed back to take the division title on the last day of the season, leaving the Hurricanes second in the division and ninth overall in the conference, and making the Canes only the second club in NHL history to miss the playoffs for two seasons running after a Cup triumph.

2008-09 - Present

After a slow start to the 2008-09 season, Cup-winning coach Peter Laviolette was fired in early December and replaced by his own predecessor, Paul Maurice. Teetering on the edge of the playoff picture again, the club, on February 7, acquired utility forward Jussi Jokinen from the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for Wade Brookbank, Josef Melichar and Carolina’s fourth-round draft pick in 2009, then reacquired winger Erik Cole from Edmonton at the March trade deadline and proceeded on a 12-3-2 run to close out the season. The stretch run included nine straight wins, matching a franchise record from the 2005-06 season, and capped off a streak of 12 straight home wins, which set a new franchise mark. The team finished sixth in the Eastern Conference with 97 points, the second-most points in franchise history.

The Canes' 2009 playoff run featured two tight series with dramatic finishes. Game 4 of the first round matchup with the New Jersey Devils saw Stanley Cup playoff history when Jussi Jokinen scored with .2 seconds left in regulation to win the game, the latest regulation game winning goal in NHL history. Then in Game 7, the Devils took a 3-2 lead into the final two minutes of the game at the Prudential Center in Newark before the Canes struck. With 1:20 to play, Tim Gleason saved a puck on his knees at the right point, passed it to Joni Pitkanen on the left boards, who then hit Game 4 hero Jussi Jokinen at the far post for the tying goal. Just 48 seconds later, Chad LaRose sprang Eric Staal for a solo down-ice rush to give the Canes 4-3 game and series wins; Staal's goal was the latest regulation Game 7 winning goal in playoff history. In the second round matchup with top-seeded Boston, the Canes ran out to a 3-1 lead before the Bruins battled back for two wins; in Game 7 in Boston Scott Walker scored the game and series winner 18:46 into overtime to send Carolina to the Eastern Conference finals against Pittsburgh. The Penguins, though, put a decisive end to the Canes' string, sweeping the series 4 games to 0 on the way to their own Stanley Cup championship.

As a result of their surprise run, very few changes were made in the off-season. Veterans such as Aaron Ward, Andrew Alberts, and Stephane Yelle were brought in to help drive the team further, but things did not go according to plan. The Hurricanes experienced a fourteen-game losing streak spanning October and November, and midway through the year, the Canes replaced their only post-lockout captain Rod Brind'Amour with Eric Staal. Despite improved play during the second half of the season, they could not overcome the deficit from early on in the season. The Hurricanes would end up with the 7th overall pick in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, eventually selecting Jeff Skinner from the Kitchener Rangers of the Ontario Hockey League. Brind'Amour retired over the 2010 offseason to take a coaching job with the club.

The 2010-11 year was widely expected to be a transitional year from the veteran-heavy, high-salary club that opened 2009-10 to a younger, cheaper base. The Canes, though, contended for a playoff slot for the entire season, aided by Skinner's emergence as a an offensive phenomenon who, as the youngest player in the league, would lead all rookies in points. Raleigh hosted the 2011 NHL All-Star Game in January, and Eric Staal captained a team he selected (opposite a team selected by the Detroit Red Wings' Nicklas Lidstrom) that featured Skinner (the youngest All-Star in NHL history), Cam Ward, and (for the SuperSkills competition) defenseman Jamie McBain. The Hurricanes went into the final day of the season able to determine their own fate, but lost 6-2 to the Tampa Bay Lightning to finish ninth in the East. A bright spot would have to wait for June, as Skinner was awarded the Calder Trophy as rookie of the year, the first player in franchise history to receive that honor.

Whaler history

The organization retains many Whaler connections among its off-ice personnel; in addition to many members of executive management and the coaching staff, broadcasters Chuck Kaiton, John Forslund and Tripp Tracy (at the time a minor-league player), and equipment managers Wally Tatomir, Skip Cunningham and Bob Gorman all made the move to North Carolina with the team. Finally, the old goal horn from the Hartford Civic Center remains in use at RBC Center.

Affiliation History

1979-1980 Springfield Indians

1980-1990 Binghamton Whalers

1990-1994 Springfield Indians

1994-1997 Springfield Falcons

1997-1999 Beast of New Haven

1999-2001 Cincinnati Cyclones

2001-2006 Lowell Lock Monsters

2006-2009 Albany River Rats

2009-Present Charlotte Checkers

Season-by-season record

''This is a partial list of the last six seasons completed by the Hurricanes. For the full season-by-season history, see List of Carolina Hurricanes seasons''

''Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, OTL = Overtime Losses, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against''

Records as of the end of the 2010-11 season.

GP 82 82 82 82 82

Season	|	W	L	OTL	Pts	GF	GA	Finish	Playoffs
2006–07 NHL season	2006–07	|	40	34	8	88	241	253	3rd, Southeast	Did not qualify
2007–08 NHL season	2007–08	|	43	33	6	92	252	249	2nd, Southeast	Did not qualify
2008–09 NHL season	2008–09	|	45	30	7	97	236	218	2nd, Southeast	Pittsburgh Penguins>Penguins)
2009–10 NHL season	2009–10	|	35	37	10	80	230	256	3rd, Southeast	Did not qualify
2010-11 NHL season	2010-11	|	40	31	11	91	236	239	3rd, Southeast	Did not qualify

Players

Current roster

Team captains

''Note: This list of team captains does not include captains from the Hartford Whalers (NHL) and New England Whalers (WHA).''

Kevin Dineen, 1997–98

Keith Primeau, 1998–99

Ron Francis, 1999–2004

Rod Brind'Amour, 2005–10

Eric Staal, 2010 - ''present''

Honored members

''Officially retired numbers'': #2 - Glen Wesley, D, 1994–2003, 2003-2008, number retired February 17, 2009

#9 - Gordie Howe, LW, 1976-1980 (with the New England/Hartford Whalers) - no banner at RBC Center; see notes below

#10 - Ron Francis, C, 1981-1991 (with Hartford), 1998–2004, number retired January 28, 2006

#17 - Rod Brind'Amour, C, 2000–2010, number retired February 18, 2011 ''Out of circulation''

#3 - Steve Chiasson, D, 1997–1999, following his death

#99 - Wayne Gretzky, C, retired throughout the NHL

When the Whalers moved to Carolina to begin the 1997-98 NHL season, the previously retired #2 for Rick Ley (D, 1972–1981) and #19 for John McKenzie (RW, 1977–79 for the New England Whalers) were returned to circulation, while Gordie Howe's #9 was not. Howe's number is considered officially retired by the Hurricanes, although there is no banner to recognize it. #2 was issued only once, to Wesley for two different stints, before being re-retired for Wesley in 2009, but #19 has been issued to several players since the move, currently Jiri Tlusty.

''Hall of Famers'': Ron Francis, who captained the team in both Hartford and Carolina and spent 15 years with the franchise overall as a player before joining its staff in 2006, was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2007. He is the third Hall of Famer to have earned his credentials primarily with the Whalers/Hurricanes franchise. The only other Hall member to have played in a Hurricanes jersey is Paul Coffey, who spent one and a half seasons in Carolina near the end of his career (as well as, two seasons prior, twenty games in Hartford). In the franchise's history, WHA and NHL Whalers Gordie Howe, Mark Howe, and Dave Keon are all members, as is Bobby Hull, although he only played nine games in Hartford. In addition, longtime franchise radio play-by-play announcer Chuck Kaiton received the Foster Hewitt Memorial Award in 2004, an honor granted by the Hall of Fame.

Broadcasters

John Forslund, TV play-by-play

Tripp Tracy, TV color analyst

Chuck Kaiton, radio play-by-play

First-round draft picks

''Note: This list does not include selections of the Hartford Whalers.''

1997: Nikos Tselios (22nd overall)

1998: Jeff Heerema (11th overall)

1999: David Tanabe (16th overall)

2000: ''none''

2001: Igor Knyazev (15th overall)

2002: Cam Ward (25th overall)

2003: Eric Staal (2nd overall)

2004: Andrew Ladd (4th overall)

2005: Jack Johnson (3rd overall)

2006: ''none''

2007: Brandon Sutter (11th overall)

2008: Zach Boychuk (14th overall)

2009: Philippe Paradis (27th overall)

2010: Jeff Skinner (7th overall)

2011: Ryan Murphy (12th overall)

Franchise scoring leaders

These are the top-ten point-scorers in franchise (Hartford and Carolina) history. Figures are updated after each completed NHL regular season.

''Note: Pos = Position; GP = Games Played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; P/G = Points per game; * = current Hurricanes player''

Points	Goals	Assists
Pos C RW C C RW RW RW LW LW C style="text-align:left;" Player | GP G A Pts P/G style="text-align:left;" Ron Francis | 1186 382 793 1175 0.99 style="text-align:left;" Kevin Dineen | 708 250 294 544 0.77 style="text-align:left;" Eric Staal* | 560 226 278 504 0.90 style="text-align:left;" Rod Brind'Amour | 694 174 299 473 0.68 style="text-align:left;" Jeff O'Neill | 673 198 218 416 0.62 style="text-align:left;" Pat Verbeek | 433 192 211 403 0.93 style="text-align:left;" Blaine Stoughton | 357 219 158 377 1.06 style="text-align:left;" Geoff Sanderson | 479 196 173 369 0.77 style="text-align:left;" Erik Cole | 557 168 195 363 0.65 style="text-align:left;" Ray Ferraro | 442 157 194 351 0.79	style="text-align:left;" Player Pos style="text-align:left;" Ron Francis C style="text-align:left;" Kevin Dineen RW style="text-align:left;" Eric Staal* C style="text-align:left;" Blaine Stoughton RW style="text-align:left;" Jeff O'Neill C style="text-align:left;" Geoff Sanderson LW style="text-align:left;" Pat Verbeek RW style="text-align:left;" Rod Brind'Amour C style="text-align:left;" Erik Cole LW style="text-align:left;" Ray Ferraro C	style="text-align:left;" Player Pos style="text-align:left;" Ron Francis C style="text-align:left;" Rod Brind'Amour C style="text-align:left;" Kevin Dineen RW style="text-align:left;" Eric Staal* C style="text-align:left;" Andrew Cassels C style="text-align:left;" Jeff O'Neill C style="text-align:left;" Ray Whitney LW style="text-align:left;" Pat Verbeek RW style="text-align:left;" Sami Kapanen LW style="text-align:left;" Erik Cole LW

NHL awards and trophies

Franchise records

(Note: these records include those from the Hartford Whalers)

Individual

Most goals in a season: Blaine Stoughton, 56 (1979–80)

Most assists in a season: Ron Francis, 69 (1989–90)

Most points in a season: Mike Rogers, 105 (1979–80 & 1980–81)

Most penalty minutes in a season: Torrie Robertson, 358 (1985–86)

Most points in a season, defenceman: Mark Howe, 80 (1979–80)

Most points in a season, rookie: Sylvain Turgeon, 72 (1983–84)

Fastest hat trick: Ray Whitney, 1 minute 40 seconds, 8 February 2007 vs. Boston Bruins

Most hat tricks in a season: Eric Staal, 4 (2008–09)

Most wins in a season: Cam Ward, 39 (2008–09)

Most shutouts in a season: Arturs Irbe; Kevin Weekes; Cam Ward, 6 (1998–99 & 2000–01; 2003–04; 2008–09)

Most career postseason goals: Eric Staal, 18

Most career postseason points: Eric Staal, 40

Most points in one postseason: Eric Staal, 28 (2006)

Most shutouts in one postseason: Kevin Weekes; Cam Ward, 2 (2002; 2006 & 2009)

Team

Most wins in a season: 52 (2005–06)

Most points in a season: 112 (2005–06)

Most consecutive wins: 9 (2005-06 (twice), 2008–09)

Most consecutive home wins: 12 (2008–09)

Best shot differential in a game: 45 (57-12), 7 April 2009 vs. New York Islanders

See also

List of NHL players

List of NHL seasons

List of Stanley Cup champions

References

External links

The Official website of the Carolina Hurricanes

Category:Sports clubs established in 1972 Category:Ice hockey teams in North Carolina Category:Southeast Division (NHL)

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name	Chuck Kaiton |
birth date	|
birth place	|
death date	|
death place	|
occupation	Radio broadcaster for the Carolina Hurricanes|
salary	|
networth	|
footnotes	| }}

Charles "Chuck" Kaiton is the radio play-by-play announcer for the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League. He has been with the team since 1979–80 season, their first in the NHL while they were still the Hartford Whalers.

Career

Kaiton began his broadcasting career in 1969 at his alma mater, the University of Michigan, and then, in 1975 moved on to broadcast sports at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. In 1979, he was named Wisconsin's Sportscaster of the Year. That same year, he made the jump to the NHL, joining the Hartford Whalers. He has been with the team ever since, following them to North Carolina in 1997–98. In 1986, he was elected president of the NHL Broadcasters Association, another job he has held ever since.

Unlike most broadcasters, who typically work in tandem with an analyst or color commentator, Kaiton normally calls games alone. However, John Forslund, the Hurricanes television play-by-play broadcaster, will join him when he is not needed for a broadcast. This only typically happens during the postseason.

Kaiton is widely considered one of the best broadcasters in the league. Much of his notoriety comes from having been heard across much of the eastern half of North America on Hartford's WTIC for most of the team's run in New England. His trademark is the use of large words, such as triskaidekaphobia whenever any number 13 comes up, as well as his exuberant play calling in the most exciting moments of the game. He is quite unbiased in how he does this, often calling opposing teams' goals as loudly as Hurricanes' goals.

However, his most well known trait is the proper pronunciation of player names, as opposed to using the Anglicized version most broadcasters use. He ensures accurate pronunciation of names by talking to the players themselves. For instance, while most broadcasters pronounce Sergei Samsonov's name SAM-so-nov, Kaiton uses the accurate sam-SO-nov.

Kaiton has always wished to help fans better understand the idiosyncrasies of the game. To achieve this end, he has a segment during the second intermission of every broadcast called "Kaiton's Corner", where he answers questions e-mailed by fans. These questions range from rules clarifications to game history to which stadiums are best for broadcasting and anything that anyone can think of. True to his broadcasting style, he always asks that fans give him their preferred pronunciation of their name.

In 2004, Kaiton was awarded the Foster Hewitt Memorial Award. This award, considered the equivalent of a Hall-of-Fame induction for broadcasters, is given for outstanding contributions to hockey broadcasting.

On June 19, 2006, the Hurricanes won their first Stanley Cup. At the time, Kaiton had called every game of the Whalers/Hurricanes' NHL existence (they had come over from the World Hockey Association in 1979, the same year Kaiton became their announcer). At the end of the seventh game, Kaiton told the story of his career and the entire franchise to that point when he made the call, "9,393 days of frustration, and on the 9,394th day of NHL existence, the Carolina Hurricanes—the Whaler organization 'til '97—have won the Stanley Cup!"

The Hurricanes usually pipe a feed of Kaiton's radio broadcasts through the concourse of the RBC Center so fans won't miss any action while away from their seats.

Personal

Kaiton grew up an avid Chicago Blackhawks fan, even though he is from just outside of Detroit. He is an avid fan of cigars, and was quite pleased to be able to have one with the Stanley Cup at the Hurricanes 2006 Championship Parade.

He currently lives in Raleigh, North Carolina with his wife, Mary. The couple have three sons, Nelson, Chuck and Russell.

References

External links

Kaiton's call of the goals and the final call of Game 7 of the 2006 Stanley Cup Finals

Kaiton's biography on the Carolina Hurricanes team website

Category:National Hockey League broadcasters Category:Foster Hewitt Memorial Award winners Category:Living people Category:Carolina Hurricanes broadcasters Category:Hartford Whalers broadcasters

position	Goaltender
catches	left
height ft	6
height in	1
weight lb	185
team	Carolina Hurricanes
league	NHL
ntl team	Canada
birth date	February 29, 1984
birth place	Saskatoon, SK, CAN
career start	2004
draft	25th overall
draft year	2002
draft team	Carolina Hurricanes }}

Cameron Kenneth Ward (born February 29, 1984) is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing for the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League (NHL). Born in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, he was raised in Sherwood Park, Alberta. During his three-year junior career in the Western Hockey League (WHL), he was selected 25th overall by the Hurricanes in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft. After a season with the Hurricanes' American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Lowell Lock Monsters, he won the Stanley Cup with the Hurricanes in 2006. He became the first starting goaltender to win the NHL championship as a rookie since Patrick Roy in 1986.

Playing career

Early career

Ward spent his junior career with the Red Deer Rebels of the Western Hockey League. After appearing in one game for the Rebels in 2000–01, Ward played three full seasons with the team from 2001–2004, leading them to the WHL finals twice. Ward was drafted 25th overall by the Carolina Hurricanes in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft. Upon graduating from the WHL, Ward signed a multi-year, entry-level contract with the Hurricanes on May 13, 2004. Due to the 2004–05 NHL lockout, he was assigned to Carolina's American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Lowell Lock Monsters, for the season.

Carolina Hurricanes

Joining the Hurricanes for the 2005–06 NHL season, Ward largely served in a backup role to Swiss goalie Martin Gerber during the regular season. He made his NHL debut on October 5, 2005, replacing Gerber after the starter injured his hamstring. He saved 10 of 11 shots in the third period, as the Hurricanes lost 5-2 to the Tampa Bay Lightning. He made his first NHL start the following game two days later in the club's home opener against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Ward turned aside Mario Lemieux, Žigmund Pálffy, and Sidney Crosby, in a shootout, as the Hurricanes won 3–2. Ward completed his NHL rookie season with 14 wins and 8 losses, along with a 3.68 goals against average (goals against average).

In the opening round of the 2006 Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Hurricanes faced a two-win deficit against the Montreal Canadiens. With Gerber struggling in the series, Hurricanes coach Peter Laviolette turned to Ward. The goaltending switch prompted Carolina to a series comeback, advancing to the second round against the New Jersey Devils, where he played opposite his personal hero, Martin Brodeur. After eliminating the Devils, the Hurricanes defeated the Buffalo Sabres in seven games. Facing the Edmonton Oilers in the 2006 Stanley Cup Finals, he helped the Hurricanes to the franchise's first Stanley Cup. In doing so, he became the first rookie goaltender to lead his team to the Stanley Cup as a starter since Patrick Roy in 1986. Against Edmonton, he also became the first rookie goaltender to both play and record a shutout in the Finals since Roy. He tied the rookie record for wins in the playoffs (15), previously held by Roy and Ron Hextall, and became the first rookie goalie to win the Conn Smythe Trophy since Hextall in 1987.

After his heroics in the 2006 Stanley Cup Playoffs, Ward became the Hurricanes starting goaltender for the 2006–07 season. He recorded season stats of 30-21-6 and 37-25-5 in the 2006-07 and 2007-08 campaigns, respectively. The Hurricanes would miss the playoffs both years. However, the Hurricanes would reach the Eastern Conference Finals in the 2008-09 NHL Season before bowing out to the eventual Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins. Ward went 8-10 with a 2.67 GAA during the playoffs.

Ward and the Hurricanes struggled to begin the 2009-10 NHL Season, as Ward went 2-9-3 to start the campaign. On November 8, 2009, in a game against the Columbus Blue Jackets, Ward was injured when he was cut on the leg by the skate of opposing forward Rick Nash. As Ward was helped into the dressing room, he left a trail of blood on the ice. After returning, he finished the season with an 18-23-5 record, a 2.69 GAA and .916 save percentage as the Hurricanes failed to qualify for the postseason.

Ward was the first overall pick in the 2011 NHL All-Star Game Fantasy Draft, selected by All-Star Game captain, Eric Staal.

International play

}}

Ward's performance in his NHL rookie season earned him consideration on a shortlist of 81 candidates to play for Team Canada in the 2006 Winter Olympics. He was one of nine goalies selected, however he was not named to the Canadian squad.

He was a member of the 2007 Canadian IIHF World Championship team that won gold in a 4-2 win against Finland in Moscow and a member of the 2008 Canadian IIHF World Championship team that won silver in a 4-5 game against Russia in Canada.

Personal life

Born in St. Paul's Hospital in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Ward is the second child of Ken and Laurel Ward. He is the middle child of his family, between Chelsea, his younger sister, and Kendra, his older sister. He grew up in Saskatoon and Sherwood Park, spending his adolescent years in the latter. When the Carolina Hurricanes won the Stanley Cup, an article in the Saskatoon Star-Phoenix acknowledged Ward's early years in Saskatoon growing up in Lakeridge, a neighborhood in the city's southeast corner where he lived until moving to Sherwood Park when he was 10 years old. He attended Jr High at FR Haythorne and high school at Salisbury Composite High School in Sherwood Park, until he graduated.

Ward owns a Rec Hockey team in Red Deer Alberta, The Red Deer Jets, don Winnipeg Jet jerseys, with name bars of former Jet players. They regularly donate money to the Special Olympics. There is also a Red Deer Jets patch on the back of Ward's helmet.

Ward is a fan of the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League (CFL). On March 25, 2007 Ward shaved his head for the St. Baldrick's Foundation.

Ward is extremely active in charity work and community service. He often donates his private box in the RBC center to families with children that have special needs and makes very personable visits to hospitals in the Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill area.

Ward and his wife Cody have one son, Nolan, was born on November 24, 2010.

Career statistics

Regular season

{| BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="3" CELLSPACING="0" width="75%" |- ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#e0e0e0" ! colspan="3" bgcolor="#ffffff" |   ! rowspan="99" bgcolor="#ffffff" |   |- ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#e0e0e0" ! Season ! Team ! League ! GP ! W ! L ! T ! OTL ! MIN ! GA ! SO ! GAA ! SV% |- ALIGN="center" | 2000–01 | Red Deer Rebels | WHL | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 60 | 0 | 1 | 0.00 | 1.000 |- ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | 2001–02 | Red Deer Rebels | WHL | 46 | 30 | 11 | 4 | 0 | 2694 | 102 | 1 | 2.27 | .911 |- ALIGN="center" | 2002–03 | Red Deer Rebels | WHL | 57 | 40 | 13 | 3 | 0 | 3368 | 118 | 5 | 2.10 | .920 |- ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | 2003–04 | Red Deer Rebels | WHL | 56 | 31 | 16 | 8 | 0 | 3338 | 114 | 4 | 2.05 | .926 |- ALIGN="center" | 2004–05 | Lowell Lock Monsters | AHL | 50 | 27 | 17 | 3 | 0 | 2829 | 94 | 6 | 1.99 | .937 |- ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | 2005–06 | Lowell Lock Monsters | AHL | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 118 | 5 | 0 | 2.54 | .915 |- ALIGN="center" | 2005–06 | Carolina Hurricanes | NHL | 28 | 14 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 1484 | 91 | 0 | 3.68 | .882 |- ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | 2006–07 | Carolina Hurricanes | NHL | 60 | 30 | 21 | 0 | 6 | 3422 | 167 | 2 | 2.93 | .897 |- ALIGN="center" | 2007–08 | Carolina Hurricanes | NHL | 69 | 37 | 25 | 0 | 5 | 3930 | 180 | 4 | 2.75 | .904 |- ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | 2008–09 | Carolina Hurricanes | NHL | 68 | 39 | 23 | 0 | 5 | 3928 | 160 | 6 | 2.44 | .916 |- ALIGN="center" | 2009–10 | Carolina Hurricanes | NHL | 47 | 18 | 23 | 0 | 5 | 2651 | 119 | 0 | 2.69 | .916 |- ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | 2010–11 | Carolina Hurricanes | NHL | 74 | 37 | 26 | 0 | 10 | 4318 | 184 | 4 | 2.56 | .923 |- ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#e0e0e0" ! colspan="3" | NHL totals ! 346 ! 175 ! 126 ! 0 ! 33 ! 19733 ! 901 ! 16 ! 2.74 ! .910 |}

Playoffs

{| BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="3" CELLSPACING="0" width="75%" |- ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#e0e0e0" ! colspan="3" bgcolor="#ffffff" |   ! rowspan="99" bgcolor="#ffffff" |   |- ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#e0e0e0" ! Season ! Team ! League ! GP ! W ! L ! MIN ! GA ! SO ! GAA ! SV% |- ALIGN="center" | 2001–02 | Red Deer Rebels | WHL | 23 | 14 | 9 | 1502 | 53 | 2 | 2.11 | .920 |- ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | 2002–03 | Red Deer Rebels | WHL | 23 | 14 | 9 | 1407 | 49 | 3 | 2.08 | .919 |- ALIGN="center" | 2003–04 | Red Deer Rebels | WHL | 19 | 10 | 9 | 1200 | 37 | 3 | 1.85 | .945 |- ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | 2004–05 | Lowell Lock Monsters | AHL | 11 | 5 | 6 | 664 | 28 | 2 | 2.53 | .918 |- ALIGN="center" | 2005–06 | Carolina Hurricanes | NHL | 23 | 15 | 8 | 1320 | 47 | 2 | 2.14 | .920 |- ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | 2008–09 | Carolina Hurricanes | NHL | 18 | 8 | 10 | 1101 | 49 | 2 | 2.67 | .915 |- ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#e0e0e0" ! colspan="3" | NHL totals ! 41 ! 23 ! 18 ! 2421 ! 96 ! 4 ! 2.38 ! .917 |}

International

{| BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="0" width=50% |- ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#e0e0e0" ! Year ! Event ! ALIGN="center" rowspan="99" bgcolor="#ffffff" |   ! GP ! W ! L ! T ! MIN ! GA ! SO ! GAA ! SV% |- ALIGN="center" | 2007 | WC | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 300 | 11 | 0 | 2.20 | .915 |- ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | 2008 | WC | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 302 | 13 | 0 | 2.58 | .900 |- ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#e0e0e0" ! colspan=2 | Senior Int'l totals ! 10 ! 9 ! 1 ! 0 ! 602 ! 24 ! 0 ! 2.39 ! .908 |}

Awards and achievements

2000–01 Bill Ranford Trophy 2000–01 Red Deer Rebels Rookie of the Year 2001–02 Del Wilson Trophy 2001–02 CHL Second Team All-star 2003–04 CHL First Team All-star 2003–04 Del Wilson Trophy 2003–04 Four Broncos Memorial Trophy 2004–05 AHL All-Rookie Team

2005–06 Conn Smythe Trophy

2005-2006 Stanley cup champion

2010-2011 NHL All-Star

References

External links

Red Deer Jets

Category:1984 births Category:Canadian evangelicals Category:Canadian ice hockey goaltenders Category:Carolina Hurricanes draft picks Category:Carolina Hurricanes players Category:Conn Smythe Trophy winners Category:Ice hockey people from Saskatchewan Category:Living people Category:Lowell Lock Monsters players Category:Members of the Christian and Missionary Alliance Category:Memorial Cup winners Category:National Hockey League first round draft picks Category:People from Saskatoon Category:People from Strathcona County, Alberta Category:Red Deer Rebels alumni Category:Stanley Cup champions

cs:Cam Ward de:Cam Ward fr:Cam Ward pl:Cam Ward ru:Уорд, Кэм sk:Cam Ward fi:Cam Ward sv:Cam Ward

team	Toronto Maple Leafs
league	NHL
prospect team
position	Centre
shoots	Left
height ft	6
height in	0
weight lb	200
birth date	July 07, 1984
birth place	Summerside, PE, CAN
draft	Undrafted
career start	2007 }}

Darryl Boyce (born July 7, 1984) is a Canadian ice hockey player for the Toronto Maple Leafs organization of the National Hockey League.

Playing career

Boyce's playing career got a kick start when he helped the Summerside Turk's Red Wings win an Island Junior Hockey League championship as a underage player in 1999-2000. Though much younger than his teammates at the time, he learned the ropes quickly and was an important part of their success. Before helping the Red Wings he helped guide the Summerside Kinsmen Midget AAA team to an Island Championship with his solid two way play and elite leader status. He also represented Team Atlantic at the World U17 that seaon in New Glasgow NS. He then moved on to play junior hockey for the Parry Sound Shamrocks of the OPJHL in 2000–01, before moving on to Major Junior with the St. Michael's Majors of the Ontario Hockey League.

With the Majors, from 2001–02 until 2004–05, Boyce skated in 262 OHL games, scoring 145 regular-season and 22 playoff points (the latter in 51 total playoff games)

Undrafted, Boyce enrolled with the University of New Brunswick Varsity Reds and in his first season in 2005–06, was named UNB male rookie of the year with 32 points in 28 games. In his two seasons with the Reds he won a CIS National Championship and during the 2007 playoff and nationals Boyce became recognized for his black and red Mohawk haircut (as well as war paint - Boyce had 2 lines under each eye, similar to what football players might wear).

Boyce began his professional career in the 2007–08 season, originally signing a contract with the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League. After starting the season with 22 points in 32 games with the Marlies, Boyce was signed by parent club, the Toronto Maple Leafs, to a two-year entry level contract on January 1, 2008.

Boyce was recalled to the Leafs to play his first NHL game on January 24, 2008, against the Washington Capitals, but only played 5 shifts as he left the game during his fifth shift with a separated shoulder. He played a total of 3 minutes and 20 seconds. He underwent successful surgery but missed the remainder of the season.

Darryl did not play his second NHL game until December 30, 2010, scoring his first NHL point, an assist, with the Leafs, against the Columbus Blue Jackets in Toronto. Two days later on January 1, 2011, Boyce scored his first NHL goal in Ottawa against Mike Brodeur of the Senators. On July 14, 2011, Boyce signed a one-year contract with the Maple Leafs.

Career statistics

OPJHLToronto St. Michael's Majors Toronto St. Michael's Majors Toronto St. Michael's Majors Toronto St. Michael's MajorsUniversity of New Brunswick University of New BrunswickToronto MarliesToronto Maple Leafs Toronto Marlies Toronto Marlies Toronto Marlies Toronto Maple Leafs

colspan="3" bgcolor="#ffffff"			! colspan="5"		Playoffs
Season (sports)>Season	! Team		! League		! GP	Goal (ice hockey)>G	Assist (ice hockey)>A	Point (ice hockey)>Pts	Penalty (ice hockey)>PIM	! GP	! G	! A	! Pts	! PIM
2000–01	Parry Sound Shamrocks		|		2	0	0	0	14	—	—	—	—	—
2001–02 OHL season	2001–02		|		OHL	67	10	11	21	71	15	2	5	7	46
2002–03 OHL season	2002–03		|		OHL	64	16	21	37	119	19	1	3	4	28
2003–04 OHL season	2003–04		|		OHL	64	13	24	37	110	18	1	3	4	23
2004–05 OHL season	2004–05		|		OHL	67	15	35	50	152	10	2	5	7	28
2005–06	|		Atlantic University Sport>AUS		28	15	17	32	50	—	—	—	—	—
2006–07	|		AUS		25	14	19	33	63	—	—	—	—	—
2007–08 AHL season	2007–08		|		American Hockey League>AHL	41	8	16	24	71	—	—	—	—	—
2007–08 NHL season	2007–08		|		NHL	1	0	0	0	0	—	—	—	—	—
2008–09 NHL season	2008–09		|		AHL	73	12	18	30	131	6	2	0	2	27
2009–10 AHL season	2009–10		|		AHL	20	2	9	11	48	—	—	—	—	—
2010–11 AHL season	2010–11		|		AHL	35	6	10	16	48	—	—	—	—	—
2010–11 NHL season	2010–11		|		NHL	46	5	8	13	33	—	—	—	—	—
NHL totals			! 47		! 5	! 8	! 13	! 33	! —	! —	! —	! —	! —

References

External links

Category:1984 births Category:Ice hockey people from Prince Edward Island Category:Living people Category:People from Summerside, Prince Edward Island Category:Toronto Marlies players Category:Toronto Maple Leafs players Category:Toronto St. Michael's Majors alumni Category:Undrafted National Hockey League players

de:Darryl Boyce fr:Darryl Boyce