RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- With still one game left of the regular season, the Carolina Hurricanes have a lot to celebrate after clinching the division for the first time since the '05-'06 season -- the same season they won the Stanley Cup.
"It's a great accomplishment because it showed that all the work that's gone in from everyone in this organization has paid off to this point," said Rod Brind'Amour, head coach of the Hurricanes. "Everything we did, it worked. Now there's the next phase that everyone talks about that matters."
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The Carolina Hurricanes sit on top of the NHL league standings with Vegas Golden Knights. Both teams have 80 points and a chance to win the President's Trophy -- an award given to the team that finishes with the most points during the regular season.
"We try to emphasize it, I guess, as one more thing that's still out there," said Brind'Amour. "I think at the end of the day we want to put our best foot forward. You have to play the game. You want to do it right."
There's another award still on the table for the Canes -- specifically Brind'Amour -- who's been in the conversation all year long for the Jack Adams award given to the coach of the year. The award has never been given to a Carolina Hurricanes coach.
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"Not to sound disrespectful or anything like that, it's just not that significant to me," he said. "If it came to that it would be great because it highlights what we have around here which is great staff, great people and great players. That's essentially what that award is. Coach gets the glory but it's because the group that's around. If it happened that's what it would be good for."
Carolina will close out the regular season on Monday in Nashville - the same team they'll open the playoffs against - a start date for the playoffs has yet to be determined.