Stanley Cups: 1

2011-'12 record: 33-33-10-6, 82 points (5th in Southeast, 12th in East)

2011-'12 playoffs: Did not qualify

Coach: Kirk Muller (25-20-12, 2nd NHL year, 1st team)

Top returning scorer: C Eric Staal (24 goals, 46 assists, 70 points)

Top returning goalie: Cam Ward (30-23-13, 2.74, .915)

Key additions: C Jordan Staal; D Joe Corvo; D Marc-Andre Gragnani; G Dan Ellis; LW Alexander Semin; RW Kevin Westgarth.

Key subtractions: G Brian Boucher; C Brandon Sutter; D Brian Dumoulin; RW Anthony Stewart; D Jaroslav Spacek; D Bryan Allen; D Derek Joslin.

Goaltending: Ward reached the 30-win plateau for the fifth time last season and continues to give the Hurricanes elite-level puckstopping. He won the Stanley Cup-Conn Smythe Trophy double as an NHL rookie.

Player to watch: D Ryan Murphy. Carolina's top draft pick in 2011, Murphy is an offensive dynamo who's been a point a game player for Kitchener (OHL) and also played for Canada at the world juniors. His skating ability and elite skills with the puck overcome his smallish (5-11, 176) stature.

Icing: Hurricanes won the Stanley Cup coming out of the last lockout and look to have a team with the potential to contend again this season . . . Former ’Canes star Ron Francis, now the club’s vice-president of hockey operations, will be the first hockey player inducted into the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame . . . Westgarth, a Princeton grad, provides them with much-needed toughness. He’s married to Meagan Cowher, daughter of former Pittsburgh Steelers coach Bill Cowher.

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