What Carolina Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour thinks of the NHL team’s changes

Carolina Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour was on the ice Wednesday at Invisalign Arena, eyeing the team’s future.

But while taking part in the Canes’ prospects development camp, helping and analyzing young players and recent draftees, Brind’Amour has a few other things on his mind: namely a new team president, new general manager and what will be a new look to his team in his seventh season as head coach.

“It’s going to be interesting,” Brind’Amour said. “It’s going to be exciting, too, getting to know new faces and bringing them into the group.

“That’s part of it. An unfortunate part of the business in pro sports is you do have turnover, but I think it will be a good opportunity for a lot of other guys to step up a little more maybe than they have in the past. I’m excited to see how it all comes together.”

Leaving in free agency were defensemen Brett Pesce and Brady Skjei, and forwards Teuvo Teravainen and Stefan Noesen. All had been big parts of “the fight,” as Brind’Amour likes to call the grinding competition of seasons.

It has been a luxury for several seasons for Brind’Amour to have Pesce and Skjei as a trustworthy defensive pairing that he could pencil into his starting lineup, game after game..

Pesce, who left July 1 to sign with the New Jersey Devils, later said his phone call to Brind’Amour to tell him of that career decision was a gut-wrencher.

“I had a lot of tough calls this summer, and I haven’t really had too many of those,” Brind’Amour said. “It was hard, I’ll be honest. It was hard to watch guys walk out of here. … I love those guys and wish them the best.

“I understand it. I mean, it’s business and they’ve got to do what they’ve got to do. But it’s also exciting because you get a whole new group of guys coming in who are excited to be here.”

The Canes, with Eric Tulsky replacing Don Waddell as general manager, signed free-agent defensemen Shayne Gostisbehere and Sean Walker, which likely eased some of Brind’Amour’s concern from the loss of Pesce and Skjei. Gostisbehere played for the Canes after a trade late in the 2022-23 season and should have a grasp of Brind’Amour’s system.

“There’s familiarity with ‘Ghost” and I think with Walker coming in, he’s excited I think to play the way we play,” Brind’Amour said. “I think most of the players like the way we play, because we are uptempo and it’s a fun way to play.”

The forward group will include newcomers William Carrier and Jack Roslovic, two other free-agent signees. Carrier, who signed a six-year, $12 million deal, won a Stanley Cup in 2023 with the Vegas Golden Knights.

“There’s a learning curve on any team,” Brind’Amour said. “Anywhere you go there’s going to be different lingos and a different way we describe things. But at the end of the day, you’ve got to be good hockey players. If they have a willingness to get it, they will get it.”

Brind’Amour praised the decision to hire Doug Warf as the Hurricanes’ president while promoting Tulsky from assistant GM to general manager. Warf was in the organization for 10 years before leaving to take another job locally in private business, and Tulsky has spent the past 10 years with the Hurricanes and been a part of many hockey decisions.

Waddell, who held the dual position of Canes president and GM, resigned in May to become general manager of the Columbus Blue Jackets.

“We definitely lost some real important people, not just hockey players,” Brind’Amour said. “Donnie was a great guy to have around, for all of us. He’s a good people-person and that’s what this sport is. It’s not X and O’s. It is, but it’s about people. You lose good ones and you want to make sure you bring in someone just as good.

“Doug Warf we know because he’s been a Hurricane before and bringing him in is just a great move by the organization. Quality people. And what’s what we have to have around here.”

Tulsky being named GM was an in-house move that was expected – he was named ‘interim” GM after Waddell left. Had the Canes gone outside to hire a new general manager, that person could have come in with his own vision for the team and looked to make more changes.

“Familiarity is good and I love that we’re giving our guys opportunities,” Brind’Amour said. “Again, he’s earned it. From what I’ve seen so far being around him in free agency and the (NHL) draft and all that, it’s as busy a time as you’re going to have and certainly he’s been working his butt off.

“Obviously, it’s a tough job at this time of the year and he’s doing a great job so far. He’s been real smart about it. He wants to get up to speed on how things work and you’ve got to ask people. You’ve got to ask those who are in the fight. That’s how he learns, too. “

Brind’Amour said he had not had much communication with Tulsky in the past. That’s changed.

“Now, there is,” Brind’Amour said. “We’ve spent more time this last month together than we have in 10 years. I think it’s going to be a real good relationship.”