Advertisement

Hurricanes sign coach Rod Brind'Amour to new three-year deal

RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA - MARCH 04: Head coach Rod Brind'Amour of the Carolina Hurricanes looks on during the third period of their game against the Detroit Red Wings at PNC Arena on March 04, 2021 in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

We can put the Rod Brind'Amour discussion to bed.

The Carolina Hurricanes have announced that their head coach — and former Stanley Cup champion team captain — will indeed return to his post on a new three-year contract.

It was reported that there was quite a bit of posturing in negotiations between the Tom Dundon-led ownership team and Brind'Amour, who was adamant that members of his coaching staff and the equipment team were extended as well.

It appears as though the organization has met those requests, at least to a satisfactory level, with Brind'Amour's future sealed.

“We’re at that point where we’ve pretty much done that,” Brind'Amour said, according to AP.

Brind'Amour has constructed an impressive record in three seasons, leading Carolina to a 120-66-20 regular season record. The club has made the Stanley Cup Playoffs in all three seasons with Brind'Amour at the helm, and the Hurricanes are coming off their first division title in 15 years in 2020-21.

For his role, Brind'Amour has earned a nomination for the Jack Adams Award as the league's top coach.

The extension comes a little over a week after the Hurricanes were eliminated from the postseason in five games at the hands of the defending champion Tampa Bay Lightning.

"Rod has been the driving force behind the culture change we've undergone here," Hurricanes GM Don Waddell said, via the team's official website. "He keeps our players motivated, demands accountability, and has our team ready to compete every night. He has truly raised the bar for our organization, and we're thrilled to have him continue as our coach for years to come."

There were reports that the Seattle Kraken were circling around Brind'Amour as the expansion franchise prepares to build infrastructure around a yet-to-be drafted squad this summer. Brind'Amour's relationship with former Hurricanes GM Ron Francis, who now serves as the architect for the NHL's 32nd franchise, meant there was a natural connection, but it seems the Hurricanes coach had always prioritized a return, and the opportunity to coach at home.

“I’d have a hard time doing this job somewhere else," Brind'Amour said, according to Sara Civian of The Athletic. "This is a part of me...we’ve got a special group of players here, too. It never entered my mind that I would leave.”

Despite Brind'Amour's impressive work and the interest he's commanded across the league, the Hurricanes have not taken the next step after an appearance in the Eastern Conference Final in the 50-year-old coach's first season. The Hurricanes have been out-classed in their last two postseason exits, losing to the Boston Bruins and Lightning, respectively, and remain in search of the breakout many sharp hockey analysts have had them pegged for.

More from Yahoo Sports