photographs by Geoff Wood

Raleigh’s Carolina Hurricanes have undeniably had a challenging few years. The team hasn’t made it to the Stanley Cup playoffs since 2009. Its current record of 16-25 puts it in last place in the NHL’s Metropolitan Division (as of press time). But with a new year and new leadership, Raleigh’s only major league professional sports team has every reason to believe in a fresh start. With Ron Francis now in charge as general manager, Bill Peters as coach, and a roster with a heavy dose of youth, the best just might be yet to come. With that in mind, Walter asked veteran photographer Geoff Wood to capture a day in the life of the team for our pages. Because there’s no denying that for seven months a year, the Canes make the 18,680-seat PNC Arena come alive. They might keep their fans guessing, but with grit and flair, there’s nothing quite like the Canes for a night of pure hometown spirit.