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1999-2000 Stat Leaders Stat  Leader  No.  Goals  Jeff O’Neill  25  Assists  Ron Francis  50  Points  Ron Francis  73  +/-  Bates Battaglia  20  Shots  Sami Kapanen  229  Ice Time (F)  Sean Hill  24:30  Ice Time (D)  Ron Francis  22:00  Faceoff Pct.  Rod Brind’Amour  55.54%  Hits  Sean Hill  246  PP Pts.  Ron Francis  29  SH Pts.  Sean Hill  2

When the Whalers were in Hartford a Boston columnist referred to the franchise as the Forever .500s. Well, over the past two seasons the WhalerCanes have played just above that derisive description of their dedication. Last season's 37-35-10 finish, along with 34-30-18 in 1998-99, marked only the second time in club history that it broke the break-even point in consecutive seasons. And no Whalers or Hurricanes team had won as many as 37 games since the 1898-90 season.

Still, last season the Hurricanes failed the most critical test of whether an NHL team is progressing and enjoying success: they missed the playoffs. And you can blame the Capitals and Panthers for that. Because the Southeast Division was not the same embarrassment it was in 1998-99, the Hurricanes didn't get the auto playoff bid. Instead, they finished a single point out of the post-season.

In the offseason, some players eyed the Hurricanes and bailed. Over the summer, Carolina lost Gary Roberts, Sean Hill, Paul Coffey and Andrei Kovalenko. To take their places, the Hurricanes signed or traded for the likes of Sandis Ozolinsh (a modern-day Coffey with more moves and less defense), Kevin Hatcher and Rob DiMaio.

It will be their task to make the playoffs, something that has happened for this franchise only once in the last eight seasons.

For more on the Hurricanes, bookmark this page and check back Wednesday, Oct. 11 for a Sports Illustrated Scouting Report.

BRIGHT SPOTS		GRAY AREAS
The 'Canes won't begin the season with a nine-game East-to-West-to-East road trip as they did last year. Captain Ron Francis is changing his uniform number back to the one he wore from 1982-98. He'll go back to No. 10, the number Roberts donned in Carolina, and Rod Brind'Amour will slip back into the No. 17 he wore for almost a decade in Philadelphia. Arturs Irbe. The little guy can be dazzling between the pipes (because he's often scrambling), and, at 33-years-old, he led the NHL with 75 games played. He also had a better winning percentage than the team, going 34-28-9 with five shutouts and a 2.42 GAA. Steadily improving Bates Battaglia scored 16 goals (34 points) and was plus-20 last season.		The team has been dying to (over)spend for a free agent since arriving in Carolina. But is Sandis, a defensive liability at any price, worth the $5-million per for about 10 spectacular goals? And not that it will really affect the product on the ice, but the 'Canes gave up a lot for Ozo, too -- Nolan Pratt, a first-round pick and two second rounders. Hatcher is 33 and coming off the least productive season (four goals, 23 points) in his 15-year career. Overall, the defensive corps scares no one. Sami Kapanen can catch fire (witness his 16 points last October) but he'll have to score more than in the mid-20s for this team to have any chance. Jeff O'Neill's 25 goals led the team last season and the loss of Roberts leaves 23 fewer goals on a roster that had only four 20-goal scorers in the first place.

Comings
Player	Pos.	From	Via
Bujar Amidovski	G	Philadelphia (AHL)	Free agent
Bates Battaglia	LW	Carolina	Re-signed
Reggie Berg	C	Florida (ECHL)	Free agent
Jeff Daniels	F	Carolina	Re-signed
Rob DiMaio	F	N.Y. Rangers	Trade
Steve Halko	D	Carolina	Re-signed
Kevin Hatcher	D	N.Y. Rangers	Free agent
David Karpa	D	Carolina	Re-signed
Greg Koehler	C	Carolina	Re-signed
Darren Langdon	F	N.Y. Rangers	Trade
Ian MacNeil	C	Carolina	Re-signed
Jeremiah McCarthy	D	Springfield (AHL)	Free agent
Tyler Moss	G	Pittsburgh	Free agent
Sandis Ozolinsh	D	Colorado	Trade/re-signed
Harlan Pratt	D	Florida (ECHL)	Free agent
Byron Ritchie	C	Carolina	Re-signed
Mike Rucinski	D	Carolina	Re-signed
Shane Willis	RW	Carolina	Re-signed

Goings
Player	Pos.	To	Via
Steve Bancroft	D	San Jose	Free agent
Paul Coffey	D	Boston	Free agent
Sean Hill	D	St. Louis	Free agent
Andrei Kovalenko	RW	Boston	Free agent
Robert Kron	RW	Columbus	Expansion
Curtis Leschyshyn	D	Minnesota	Expansion
Sandy McCarthy	RW	N.Y. Rangers	Trade
Nolan Pratt	D	Colorado	Trade
Gary Roberts	LW	Toronto	Free agent

Prospect Watch
Jean-Marc Pelletier, G, 6' 3", 200
Born: March 4, 1978 in Atlanta, Ga.
Acquired: Trade with Philadelphia (Jan. 23, 2000)
Pelletier, who followed a couple of NCAA hockey seasons (Cornell) with a year in the QMJHL (Rimouski), broke into the NHL by allowing five goals in his first appearance with the Flyers in 1998-99. But the team continued to consider him its top goaltending prospect -- above Brian Boucher -- until a January 23 trade sent him to the Hurricanes in the Keith Primeau deal. And after a 14-4-2 record and 2.44 GAA for Cincinnati in the IHL, the 6' 3" butterfly goaltender just might end up giving Irbe a run for his money in camp.

Get the Highlighter
Saturday, Oct. 7 vs. Washington. Carolina played one of its closest geographical rivals tight last year (1-2-2, with only one game decided by more than a goal), but the 'Canes would have made the playoffs with another win. They'll get a chance on opening night at home.
Wednesday, Dec. 27-Tuesday, Feb. 6. Between these dates, Carolina plays only five of its 18 games on the road (at Columbus, Florida, Montreal, New York Rangers and Atlanta).

Quoteworthy
"There was a lot of changes over the summer, and a lot of players are looking forward to training camp. At every training camp, there are players you don't know before it starts but you get to know them."
— Sami Kapanen

Team-by-team previews compiled by CNNSI.com's Ken Klavon, Jamie MacDonald and Jimmy Traina.

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