CAROLINA HURRICANES NEWS CLIPPINGS • January 8, 2021 From broadcasters to how to watch, here’s what you should know about Hurricanes games By Chip Alexander Hurricanes LIVE. Maniscalco was the play-by-play announcer in the Canes’ 2020 Return to Play postseason. Fox Sports Carolinas will televise 54 of the Carolina Hurricanes’ 56 games in the 2020-21 regular season, it was Tripp Tracy returns for his 22nd season as game analyst and announced Thursday. former Hurricanes player Shane Willis will return for his eighth season as Hurricanes LIVE analyst The games will be broadcast in North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia through cable, satellite and over-the-top Abby Labar has been promoted to the host of Hurricanes LIVE providers, including AT&T U-verse, AT&T TV, DirecTV and and will also serve as in-game reporter. Before joining the Spectrum. FOX Sports Carolina’s telecast, Labar spent four seasons as the Hurricanes’ in-arena host and reporter. Mike Maniscalco will serve as the play-by-play announcer after spending four seasons as in-game reporter and host of Hurricanes, Predators to share AHL affiliation with Chicago Wolves this season By Chip Alexander Making the arrangement more intriguing is that the Canes and Predators will play each other eight times this season. It’s The coronavirus pandemic has brought about some strange likely a Canes player will be recalled from the Wolves, play bedfellows in sports, and here’s another one: against a Wolves teammate in an NHL game with the Preds, The Carolina Hurricanes and Nashville Predators, both and then both return to be AHL teammates again in Chicago. members of the NHL’s new Discover Central Division, will NHL teams will be allowed taxi squads this season with four jointly have an American Hockey League affiliation with the to six players, but it’s possible a teammate-to-foe situation will Chicago Wolves. arise. Don Waddell, the Canes president and general manager, The Canes ended their long AHL affiliation with the Charlotte announced the agreement Thursday. The Predators will be Checkers and signed a three-year deal with Chicago in able to loan players to the Wolves in the 2020-21 AHL season. September 2020. The Checkers have opted out of the 2020- “This season presents a unique situation, with NHL teams 21 season because of COVID-19 concerns as have the having taxi squads and some AHL teams opting out,” Waddell Milwaukee Admirals, the Predators’ AHL affiliate. said in a statement. “We were able to come to an agreement The current Wolves coaching staff, including head coach with the Predators and Wolves that we believe benefits Ryan Warsofsky, will handle coaching duties, the Canes said. everyone involved. The Wolves have been great partners and we’re thankful for their willingness to work out this agreement.” ‘You get tough when you get beat down’: Q&A with Canes prospect Jack LaFontaine By Sara Civian 2.19 GAA in 45 starts, earning the BCHL’s goaltender of the year honor. The Hurricanes picked goaltender Jack LaFontaine in the third round of the 2016 draft, and yes, he was big and athletic, but Now, he’s finds himself with a 9-0-0 record and a 1.00 GAA, it was starting to seem like a reach. serving as the starting goalie on the best college hockey team in the nation. But he touts himself as a hard worker who His two seasons at Michigan, a team that was actively seeking happens to be good at hockey. And if you talk to him for 45 a goalie at the time, might’ve made LaFontaine just call it a seconds, you’re reminded that change isn’t bad just because career. He posted a goals-against average of 3.33 in just it’s scary. And sometimes years of hard work presents itself eleven appearances with the Wolverines in 2016-17, then a as luck. 3.51 in 11 games in 2017-18. Obviously you’ve had an interesting path. Can you walk me But seeking a fresh start, LaFontaine left Michigan and signed through it from your own perspective? with the BCHL’s Penticton Vees, and things started to improve. On paper, he ended with a .923 save percentage and Oh gosh, you got the whole day? Obviously it’s been quite the journey, starting off in Michigan as a true freshman, learning CAROLINA HURRICANES NEWS CLIPPINGS • January 8, 2021 a lot there as a hockey player and as a person. Then landing ever learned from me. The great thing about hockey is it myself in Penticton back to juniors and it was a blast there — doesn’t matter how old you are or what position you play, I had a lot of fun. And then I just got very lucky with the you’re always learning in this sport. opportunity that arose in Minnesota with Mat Robson signing an NHL deal. It was a long journey and obviously it’s a little bit OK, what’s going on with Minnesota right now? anti-climatic to wrap it up in two or three sentences, but I’ve I just think we have a great dressing room dynamic, our met a lot of cool people every step of the way and I had a lot coaching staff is unbelievable. It’s just such a joy to come to of people supporting me. It was well worth it to get to the point the rink every day, it just puts a smile on my face. We talked I am at today, and I’d like to think it’s only beginning at this about it today, we don’t play like a 10-0-0 team. What we mean stage in my life. by that is we take it one game at a time, we’re on a path to get Did you ever have any doubts in the moment, making the better each game, we’re a very determined and motivated moves that you did? team and I think that starts with the culture coach (Bob) Motzko is breeding here. I can’t stress enough just how great Oh yeah, 100 percent. And it’s one thing to have doubts when of a team this is, as far as human beings in the locker room. you’re in the net, but it’s another thing when you’re making Great people, the coaching staff is filled with such massive career and life changes. Leaving Michigan, for me, phenomenal people and it goes down the line, I could give you wasn’t just a hockey decision — it was a life decision. I was other people (Author’s note: He listed many people). going to be dropping out of school, leaving some of my best … Everyone around this hockey team are just good people, friends, I had a girlfriend at the time. It was a lifestyle change. and I’m a big believer that if you surround yourself with good I don’t think there was as much doubt as there was just people, good things happen. I think we got a lot of good people hesitation of change. My life was going to change, I was going and it just so happens we’re not that bad of a hockey team. to lose some things that I love and thought I couldn’t live with out. Its scary, and I was scared at that time. But I was very How would you describe your style of play to someone who fortunate to have a lot of people in my corner thrusted me into has never seen you play before? certain positions that were uncomfortable at the time, but it all I’d say I put in the work, some saves are going to be pretty, made me stronger as a human being. I guess the interesting some are going to be ugly. But I’m going to whatever it takes thing about being mentally tough is that you can’t be mentally to keep that puck out of the net. I use this line too much, but tough when things are going well, you get tough when you get I’ve never been the biggest goalie, I’ve never been the most beat down a little. That’s what happened to me, I guess. I talented goalie, but I’ve always been the hardest working and learned to be tougher and rise above it. I’ve always been the most competitive. That’s been a staple Do you think all the places you’ve been give you a unique in my game since the age of 8. So, that’s just my genetic perspective? makeup and my upbringing. Oh, no, yeah. (Author’s note: In Canadian and Minnesotian, What’s one thing you wish you could tell your younger self? this phrase means an enthusiastic yes.) Absolutely. I think Never give up. I mean, there are a lot of dark days. There are that’s something I actually bring to this team — there’s a lot of a lot of tough games. Tough conversations. I would just tell my Minnesota guys, a lot of freshmen, a lot of superstars. I think younger self to never give up, and to keep that goal of playing I kinda bring that other perspective of playing out anyone’s Division I hockey in the back of your mind. Here I am as a 23- worst nightmare — and I lived through it to see the light of day. year-old, and it’s the most rewarding thing in the whole damn I feel like I can be a soundboard for anyone else on this team world.