Carolina Hurricanes Will Try To Do What Three Other NHL Teams Didn't After Long Wait
The Carolina Hurricanes have been outstanding to kick off the 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs.
They have a perfect 8-0 record after sweeping the Ottawa Senators and Philadelphia Flyers ahead of their Eastern Conference final against the Montreal Canadiens.
The Hurricanes drew attention this week for having 11 full days between Game 4 against the Flyers on May 9 and Game 1 versus the Canadiens on May 21. That's the longest wait between the end of one playoff series and the beginning of another in the NHL's Modern Era and the second-longest wait in NHL history.
Three other teams in NHL history had at least a 10-day wait. Carolina will not want to end its season the same way those squads did, however.
Hurricanes' Frederik Andersen Learned Not To Think Past Montreal Canadiens
Frederik Andersen said he can't make a save in the third period when it's only the first. That mindset applies to the Eastern Conference final, which the Carolina Hurricanes have lost twice in three years.
The 2019 Boston Bruins faced a similar situation to the Ducks. They finished their sweep of the Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference final on May 16, while the St. Louis Blues eliminated the San Jose Sharks five days later in Game 6.
Both teams had a Stanley Cup final media day on May 26 before playing Game 1 the following day. The Bruins took 1-0 and 2-1 series leads, but in the end, the 10 days of rest did not benefit them. The lower-seeded Blues won the series in seven games.
The Hurricanes will now look to avoid suffering the same fates as the Bruins and Ducks after their long rest between series. Given how talented a team the Hurricanes are, they enter the Eastern Conference final as the favorites.
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This story was originally published May 21, 2026 at 10:35 AM.