First Canes home game for the Canes in 19 days!

It is time to talk to the head coach of the Carolina hurricanes, Rod Brindamore in advance of the game against the Seattle Kraken tonight. It has been 19 days since you've had last change in a game.

Rod Brindamore. Do you even remember what that means? Not really. It's been a while.

And I think I heard you talking about it. We've only actually played six games at that time. So it feels like it's been a long, long time, but like I said, we've only had six games. They just haven't been on the road. So hopefully we can get back to playing well at home here and get on a little run. Yeah, not only just six games in that span of time, but I've been using this all season long. This is the 29th game. You have only played consecutive games at home. One time this year was at the beginning of November. It was the Buffalo and Toronto Friday, Sunday. Not a back to back, but it was a Friday, Sunday. So congratulations.

You finally get a home stand. Right. Well, we got to make it count though.

That's the whole key. So it'd be interesting to see. I mean, you know, like you say, we've been away for so long. So that start is going to be so crucial to kind of get up to speed and, you know, we're playing a real tough team and they're playing well. So it's going to be a good test.

Yeah. We're going to talk about them in a second, but you mentioned this first game home and traditionally one of those things has been first game home after a long road trip has always been problematic. A, is that true in your eyes and what concerns you about this game? I don't really know how true it is. I think, but there is a kind of tendency to think, okay, we played hard on the road and now, you know, you kind of either come off just a little because you think you're at home and that's going to be a big difference when really there is no difference and the game's played the same way. So you should use the crowd and your advantage by playing well, you know, so we'll see how it goes.

Obviously, hopefully we'll be up to speed right off the bat. Seattle doesn't have really any established star players. They've got a lot of good players though. When you look at them, what jumps out at you?

Well, just what you just said, I mean, we went through that this morning. They're really balanced. Like there's their four lines. They have, you know, obviously a number one line, but there's no drop-off even though down to their fourth line that they got a lot of speed and strength and, um, guys that can score.

So they're kinda, they're best balanced, I guess the best way to put it. And it's probably what an expansion team should be like, to be honest with you, you're not going to get any superstar guys at places, but you're going to have all good players. And that's really what, uh, I mean, kind of what they're doing now is what we kind of all thought would have happened last year. Still no Sebastian Aho. I know Jesper Faust is back and I guess Paul Stasny will continue in Aho's spot.

What have you liked from Paul? Maybe not just the last two games, but maybe the last couple of weeks. Well, listen, you're not going to replace, Oh, that's for sure. So, you know, but, but I can, you know, the player that's been around as long as he has and, you know, knows how to play.

And that's the end of the day. We got a veteran guy in there that, you know, should get in the right spots. And, you know, if the other team makes a mistake, he's going to, he should be able to make you pay because he just, he knows where the fuck's going on.

And, um, you know, he's, he's been around a long time because he's a pro and, you know, you stick a guy in that position, obviously he's not as fast as, uh, and all that, but he should know where it'd be. And that's, uh, that's kind of what, what's happened there. And obviously we need to keep that going because if we have, you know, we're not sure when he's coming back, hopefully not too long, but in the meantime, you know, that's his, that's his ice time.

Yeah. You, you, I know initially you weren't really worried, but three games in a row for Ajo with some time in between games, uh, is this becoming a concern for you? Well, it's a concern.

There's no doubt. I mean, you know, but I understand what's, what's going on is we want to make sure, um, give him every chance to get a hundred percent before we put it back in there. And, um, you know, so that's kind of what's going on here, but, uh, you know, we, we're not going to be, uh, the team we want to be without Ajo, and you know that.

So we don't want this to certainly be a long-term thing. I know you and I have talked a lot about how good Jordan Martinuk has been, and this isn't about him, but Stefan Nason has been a pretty super utility guy for you. You've plugged him in everywhere and he is not only produced, but just been an effective player everywhere. Where does he go tonight?

Uh, good question. I mean, I think we'll, we'll probably end up putting them, uh, with Jack and stepper. Um, but he could easily go back up there with Jordan depending on, you know, cookies doing. So the thing about maser, which is great is what kind of what you've alluded to, you can kind of put them anywhere and play with anyone. Um, his style is, you know, he plays hard and gets to the net and kind of, it's hard to play a game. So that's really what you want out of everyone, but, um, he has a little unique, uh, you know, I'd say niche there that I think I can put them on any type of line.

All right, before I let you go, I want to, uh, want to ask you about Piotr Kuchetkov. Uh, 11 of 12 games now is, uh, cause I know he's going to start tonight. He will have appeared in 11 of their, of your last 12. I don't, you, you're never surprised by anything, but you have to be at least somewhat surprised that he has been able to give you this type of performance, uh, over this stretch. Yeah, I think, listen, I don't think anyone anticipated this kind of, you know, performance out of him or certainly not to the level of going with an anticipated plan. I think would you say kind of 11 or 11 of 12 coming into tonight? Yeah, that would have been in the script, right? But I mean, it's been pretty easy to put him out there.

He certainly earned a every start and put the most, making the most of his opportunity. I'm not going to ask you what's going to happen when, but I am sure interested in what's going to happen when everybody is healthy. I will see you at the arena tonight. Thank you. You got it. Take care.

All right. That's Rob Brenda Moore, the head coach of the Carolina hurricanes again against the Seattle Kraken tonight, Seattle could score three and a half goals a game. Carolina has been offensively challenged for the most of most part this season. No Sebastian again tonight, third straight game. Um, a little concerning because whether you're aware of this or not, these, this is the 10th game that Ajo has missed in his entire career.

Three of them were due to COVID last year. Wow. Yeah. So it's weird not to see him on the ice. It's a hole. It's just, it's just a hole.