‘Rod wants to be a Hurricane for life’: GM Don Waddell addresses Brind’Amour’s future

Credit: Mar 26, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Carolina Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind'Amour gestures on the bench against the Pittsburgh Penguins during the third period at PPG Paints Arena. Pittsburgh won 4-1. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Rod Brind’Amour is what Carolina Hurricanes hockey is all about. So despite his three-year contract extension coming to an end this summer, the organization does not seem worried. Especially because they know that Brind’Amour wants to be there.

“Rod wants to be a Hurricane for life,” president and general manager Don Waddell said.

“I think it’s all but done,” Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon said. “Don and him are working on it. I don’t think there’s anything there. We’re in the playoffs and they haven’t focused on it. They’re doing it together. I said OK to almost everything they’ve asked me for. They’re just getting through the last little stuff.”

Before Brind’Amour, the Hurricanes had missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs nine years straight.

The 53-year-old coach joined the club in 2018 and has made the playoffs in all six seasons. The Canes have reached the conference finals twice in that time (2019, 2023).

Under Brind’Amour, Carolina has gone 278-130-44 in 452 regular-season games.

Don’t forget, Brind’Amour also played most of his 1,484-game playing career in Carolina. The two-way forward finished with 473 points (174 goals, 299 assists) in 694 games with the Hurricanes. He served as team captain and won the franchise’s only Stanley Cup in 2006.

According to Darren Dreger, Carolina has both made and rescinded an offer to extend Brind’Amour.

Rod Brind’Amour’s future as Carolina’s coach is up in the air. Recently, a deal seemed close, but It’s believed the offer to extend the highly respected coach has been pulled. Sources say Brind’Amour wants to stay, but may have to test the market if an agreement can’t be reached.

— Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) May 1, 2024

If Brind’Amour does test the open market, many teams would be interested in the 2021 Jack Adams Award winner for the NHL’s best coach.

Waddell also provided the following updates:

Jesper Fast suffered a muscular injury in his neck in the final game of the regular season
Brett Pesce is out of a walking boot and is expected to be ready early in round two
Tony DeAngelo is fine after blocking a shot in Game 5.
The Hurricanes have a “very quick timeline” for an announcement regarding an American Hockey League affiliation for 2024-25

Carolina made quick work of their first-round playoff series, defeating the New York Islanders in five games. They will now face the President’s Trophy-winning New York Rangers in round two.