Carolina Hurricanes return to Stanley Cup playoffs as betting favorites

Playoff hockey returns to Raleigh this weekend, when the Carolina Hurricanes host the New York Islanders in the first round.

Why it matters: Under owner Tom Dundon and coach Rod Brind'Amour, the Canes have transformed into a perennial playoff contender — making it to the postseason for six consecutive seasons.

Yes, but: While the team has gotten close, it has not yet made it back to the Stanley Cup Finals since its 2006 championship win.

Between the lines : The Canes are the only men's major league team in North Carolina to ever win a championship.

Driving the news: The team finished second in the Metropolitan Division, sitting behind the New York Rangers by three points.

• The Hurricanes play the Islanders in Game 1 at 5pm on Saturday, April 20.

Here's what to know about the Canes heading into the playoffs:

• The team is the odds-on favorite to lift the cup, according to FanDuel . The Florida Panthers have the second-best odds.
• The Canes' move at the trade deadline for Pittsburgh's star winger Jake Guentzel has bolstered confidence it their winning chances. He's averaged five points per 60 minutes since joining — the most on the team and fifth highest in the league, per The Athletic .
• Since landing Guentzel on March 7, the Canes have won 16 of their 21 games.
• Seb Aho is still a star for the Canes. The center led the team with 89 points this year — the 17th most in the NHL .
• Carolina beat the Islanders in six games in the first round of the 2023 playoffs. They were 2-1-1 against the Islanders this season, according to StatMuse .

Yes, but: The Islanders are riding their own mid-season turnaround after replacing their head coach with former NHL goaltending legend Patrick Roy.

Editor's note: We've updated this story with details about the first playoff game.

• This story has also been corrected to say the Canes are the only men's (not only) major league team in North Carolina to ever win a championship.