Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour to lead Metro Division team in 2023 NHL All-Star Game
Rod Brind’Amour is returning to the NHL All-Star Game to coach the Metropolitan Division squad — not that it was on his mind very much Wednesday.
The announcement from the league came while the Carolina Hurricanes were practicing at PNC Arena, trying to make the corrections needed to end an 0-3-1 slide.
“A four-game losing streak. That’s perfect timing,” Brind’Amour said after the workout.
There wasn’t much of a selection process to it. The coaches of the four divisional points-percentage leaders, as of Jan. 11, were chosen to head up the teams in the 2023 All-Star Game, a three-on-three tournament.
“Brilliant,” Brind’Amour deadpanned.
Brind’Amour will coach the Metro for a second straight season. Jim Montgomery of the Boston Bruins will coach the Atlantic, Peter DeBoer of the Dallas Stars the Central and Bruce Cassidy of the Vegas Golden Knights will coach the Pacific team.
NHL All-Star Weekend will be held Feb. 3-4 in Sunrise, Florida, and hosted by the Florida Panthers. Carolina forward Andrei Svechnikov has been chosen to represent the Canes on the Metro team — the rest of the divisional team rosters will be filled after a fan vote that ends Jan. 17
The Canes reached the halfway point of the season with a 25-9-7 record and 57 points, two ahead of the New Jersey Devils in the Metro.
The Canes go back to Columbus on Thursday for the second road game against the Blue Jackets in less than a week. Columbus, last in the Metro, took a 4-3 shootout victory Saturday.
Brind’Amour said Wednesday that goalie Frederik Andersen would be on the trip and could play his first game since Nov. 6 against Toronto. Andersen was activated off NHL injured reserve later Wednesday.
“Anything is possible,” Brind’Amour said. “We’re definitely ramping him up.”
Andersen has been sidelined with a knee issue since leaving practice Nov. 8. He’s 5-3-0 in eight games this season, with a 2.72 goals-against average and .923 save percentage.
Brind’Amour said Andersen would take the morning skate and “get more involved with the group, which is great.”
Canes rookie Pyotr Kochetkov has lost his past three games and had some shaky moments. Named the NHL rookie of the month for December, the goalie sustained an undisclosed injury that had him backing up Antti Raanta.
Kochetkov allowed 12 goals on 76 shots in the three losses, including four in the 5-3 loss to New Jersey on Tuesday.
“I’m sure he’s down on himself,” Brind’Amour said after the game. “He was playing great and then his injury took him out of the lineup for a little bit, and since he’s been back he hasn’t had those same results. He’s a young kid. It’s human nature.”
This story was originally published January 11, 2023 at 3:23 PM.
