The Carolina Hurricanes wrapped up practice on April 15, ready to hit the road for two final regular-season games in Montreal and Ottawa. But Coach Rod Brind’Amour had other plans.
“‘Roddy’ came to us after Tuesday’s practice, and we already had our suits on and our bags packed,” said Sebastian Aho. “And he said we’re not going on the trip.”
Aho, along with linemates Seth Jarvis and Jackson Blake, was told to stay behind. Captain Jordan Staal, Jordan Martinook, Jaccob Slavin, and Jalen Chatfield were also given the same directive.
With their playoff position locked, Brind’Amour opted to rest key players rather than risk injury or fatigue in back-to-back games with no stakes.
The move is paying off. The Hurricanes lead the New Jersey Devils 2-0 in the Eastern Conference First Round ahead of Game 3 at Prudential Center on Friday.
“There’s always that worry that you come out a little sluggish,” Brind’Amour admitted. “It was a calculated risk, maybe, but at least after Game 1, that was the right decision.”
Carolina won the opener 4-1 and followed it with a 3-1 win in Game 2. The players who got the break say it helped them recharge mentally and physically.
“You’re not ‘on-on’ as much as you would be to get ready for a game,” Staal said. “You can breathe a little more… just hang with the family and rest the body and mind.”
With fresh legs and renewed focus, Carolina is showing why rest might be a secret weapon in the playoffs.
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