NHL Community Angered by Carolina Hurricanes’ Shocking ‘Father-Son’ Roster Move

“They come in, they want to not let us clinch our spot, and they bring their best game,” said Montreal Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki. Despite a golden opportunity to clinch the last Eastern Conference wildcard spot, a 4-3 shootout loss to the Blackhawks has made Montreal desperate. Yet, their next opponents are the playoff-qualified Carolina Hurricanes.

The Canes made it to the playoffs as the #2 seed from the Eastern Conference. So it’s safe to say they pose a far greater challenge for Montreal than the last-placed Blackhawks. Yet, do they? That’s because after making multiple changes, including one that many fans don’t approve, the Canes who’ll face Montreal aren’t the same team that qualified for the playoffs.

How are they, not the same team? Well, the Carolina Hurricanes have called up four AHL players for Wednesday’s clash against the Canadiens. Yet, what’s shocked fans is that among the two forwards and two defensemen procured is none other than Canes coach Rod Brind’Amour’s son, Skyler Brind’Amour. Unfortunately, many fans expressed displeasure at the roster move the moment the news surfaced.

The reason? Skyler Brind’Amour’s lackluster season with the Chicago Wolves. “He has 23 points in 67 games,” one fan highlighted as their argument against the move. A deeper dive into the AHL forward’s season reveals that this is the highest scoring season, with 16 goals. That is two more than his previous high of 14 in 2022-23. Then again, the 25-year-old scored those goals in just 41 games, compared to 67 in the current season.

Yet, that’s not all. The Carolina Hurricanes coach’s son also had more than double the assists during that same season. The 25-year-old scored 18 assists, compared to 7 this season. So, it’s pretty much undeniable that the Wolves forward isn’t having the best season of his career. And maybe that’s why many fans are objecting to the decision, despite the announcement coming not from his father but GM Eric Tulsky.

Carolina Hurricanes fans call it unfair

The fans didn’t shy away from expressing what they really felt after the announcement. Many boldly agreed on a single word to address the call-up: Nepotism. “If his last name was different, he would not be seeing the NHL,” claimed one fan who didn’t think the 25-year-old’s numbers merited the call-up to the NHL. And that was the mood across the board.

Some fans even suggested who could’ve replaced the Carolina Hurricanes coach’s son. “Crazy to call him up instead of Suzuki for a game in Montreal, when his brother is the captain of Montreal,” commented another fan. The hockey enthusiast explained that watching the game with the two Suzuki brothers facing off against one another would be far more entertaining for the beloved game of hockey. After all, when has a little family bloodshed on the ice not been entertaining?

The Montreal Canadiens are barely ahead of the Columbus Blue Jackets after snagging just one point against the Blackhawks. “We could have won the game, but now we move on,” Ryan Suzuki said after losing to the Chicago Blackhawks. So it’s safe to say the Canadiens will be desperate for a win. On the flip side, 23-year-old Ryan Suzuki would play to prove a point.

While Nick Suzuki‘s brother has only 5 goals and assists in 26 games, the Carolina Hurricanes fans seemed far more open watching the two brothers go head-to-head. Meanwhile, many NHL fans resorted to sarcasm. “I’m sure this will not be awkward for the other players at all,” commented one fan, saying how including Rod Brind’Amour’s son could affect the team’s dynamic.

However, it seems the Canes are more focused on preparing their main roster for the playoffs. Replacing two defensemen and forwards is already enough to change a team’s chemistry. That being said, who else got the call-up alongside Skyler Brind’Amour? GM Tulsky announced that forward Bradly Nadeau and defensemen Domenick Fensore and Riley Stillman will join the roster.

While the Carolina Hurricanes hope to finish the regular season in the most competitive way possible, they also want to give their young talents a taste of the big league. And what better time to call them up than when the pressure is off? Yet, among the four AHL players, Nadeau, 19, undoubtedly has some impressive stats. Bradly Nadeau leads the Wolves in goals, power-play goals, and points. With 30 goals and 26 assists, the forward is also tied for third place in most assists for the Wolves.

So it’s not too surprising to see why the fans are displeased. “Glad, there’s no nepotism in hockey,” commented another fan, who didn’t agree with Skyler Brind’Amour getting the shot. Yet, calling up young players at the tail end of the season and catching some flak isn’t something alien to coaches or teams.

Last week, fans criticized Rangers coach Peter Laviolette for not putting all promising Rangers on the starting lineup against the Florida Panthers. Yet, what did you think about Tulsky announcing Skyler Brind’Amour would be among the four players joining the starting lineup for Wednesday’s game? Write your views in the comments.