The perfect storm: listen up NHL execs, spending a fortune is one way to reach the Stanley Cup Finals, but, as the Hurricanes proved last June, there are other routes to success - Carolina Hurricanes hockey team

Hockey Digest, Dec, 2002 by John Kreiser

IN THE NHL, IT'S NOT HOW MUCH money you have, it's how well you spend it.

Sure, the Stanley CUp champion Detroit Red Wings have a $66 million budget that's the envy of most of their rivals. But so do teams like the New York Rangers and Dallas Stars--both of which spent the spring watching the playoffs on TV. Like the TV commercial says, you can't buy the Stanley Cup; it must be earned on the ice.

And unlike baseball, the only other major sport without a real salary cap, it's possible to make the championship round without breaking the bank. The Carolina Hurricanes are just the latest team to prove that point.

The Hurricanes finished with the 16th-best record in the NHL last season. In the Western Conference, they'd have spent the spring on the golf course. But thanks to fortunate positioning (they're in the Southeast Division, the NHL's weakest), stellar goaltending, and timely scoring, the Canes made it all the way to the Finals, where they put up a good fight before losing to the Wings in five games.

"It proves what I've been saying for a long time," says Carolina owner Peter Karmanos, who moved the team from Hartford in 1997 and had yet to see his team progress past the first round of the playoffs before last spring's run. "It's the quality of the player that really counts, not the amount of the payroll."

So how did the Hurricanes build a team nearly good enough to sip champagne from the Stanley Cup on a soda-pop budget? Some good talent-hunting, a little smart shopping, good use of the draft, some managerial backbone--and a little bit of luck. Here's a look at how the Canes built a winner, with some advice to other execs trying to breakthrough without breaking the bank.

FIND A REASONABLY PRICED STAR TO BUILD AROUND

No player has meant more to the Hurricanes franchise than Ron Francis. He was the greatest player in Hartford Whalers history before being dealt to Pittsburgh in 1991--the worst deal the Whale ever made. When the newly transplanted Hurricanes had the chance to re-sign him in 1998, they jumped, and have been amply rewarded. Not only is Francis one of hockey's most respected leaders, he's still an offensive force. At age 39, he finished among the top 10 scorers in the regular season, and then led the Hurricanes in postseason points. The cost: about $22 million over four years, or about $5 million last year for the captain of a Cup finalist.

Wisely, GM Jim Rutherford re-upped Francis before he hit the free-agent market this summer, inking him to a two-year deal worth about $11 million--hardly a budget-buster.

"Ronny was easily the best player on our team," says coach Paul Maurice. "He's so smart he can play as long as he wants."

Francis is the only marquee free agent the Canes have ever signed. The franchise's recent growth convinced him to forsake a crack at the free-agent market and re-up in Raleigh.

"It was a lot of fun being part of what we did last year," he says. "I wanted to continue to be a part of that. The fans here are extremely passionate. It was an awesome run and an awesome display by the fans. That's what I hoped would happen when I came down here four years ago, and when I saw it happen, I was extremely excited about it."

SHOP WISELY FOR SUPPORTING PLAYERS

The one thing a team trying to succeed without unlimited resources can't afford is high-paid players who aren't pulling their weight. GM Jim Rutherford has done an excellent job making sure he's not paying Rolls-Royce salaries for Yugo production.

Besides Francis, the only other big money-maker is center Rod Brind'Amour, who gives the Canes a solid No. 2 pivot and another excellent faceoff man. Brind'Amour made $4.25 million last season--less than the $5 million the Flyers are paying to Keith Primeau, who went to Philadelphia for Brind'Amour in a trade in early 2000 following a lengthy holdout. Primeau, the Canes' captain and a 30-goal scorer the previous season, wanted a lot more money than Karmanos and Rutherford were willing to pay. They let him sit until the Flyers bit on the deal, throwing in goaltender prospect Jean-Marc Pelletier. Brind'Amour opted to sign a multiyear deal with the Hurricanes that will pay him $4.75 million this season--still less than Primeau.

The Hurricanes did the same thing last season, sending high-priced ($5 million-plus) offensive defenseman Sandis Ozolinsh to Florida in a deal that brought back rearguard Bret Hedican and checking center Kevyn Adams. Hedican's skating and offensive skills were a big factor in the Canes' playoff run, earning him a six-year, $18 million deal that kept him off the free-agent market this summer, while still keeping the payroll down. Hedican isn't the offensive player Ozolinsh is, but he's far better defensively--a better fit with Carolina's style of play--and doesn't eat up nearly as much salary room.

The Hurricanes also showed they're willing to pay to keep their best players--up to a point. In addition to Francis, they reached multiyear deals with top sniper Jeff O'Neill and forward Sami Kapanen. Both got healthy raises, but neither will bust Rutherford's budget. But forget about the big-ticket guys; the Canes would rather pay their own.