OverDrive - Brind'Amour on the Hurricanes' season, the team's style and Ehlers' start in Carolina

Episode Date: December 3, 2025

Carolina Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind'Amour joined OverDrive to discuss the season for the Hurricanes, the strength of the roster, the style of his team, the overtime performances for the roster, Nikolaj Ehlers' start with the team and more.

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Like, what was that like? You know what? I've never talked about this. This is unbelievable. You guys are talking about this. So World Juniors in Alaska, yada yada. We lost 8-1, I think. And I'm to Russia.

And I'm telling you, I'd never forget this, because this McGilney guy, so my best hit of my life, okay, he was coming across the middle. You know, I was like Canada, Russia, we're trying to kill him, and that's why we're losing, right? We're running around, but whatever. I lay him out like you wouldn't believe, right across the middle. Take, I mean, his head off. This is back when you could, you know, hit high.

I'm like, oh, I'm like, this is unbelievable. And I'm thinking he's done forever. He just got up. came out and scored three goals i think i was like oh man but it was it was i've never had a beat down like that in a game crazy and then that was games the rest of june what did they do they just have to puck the whole game yeah it was we were just running around trying to do that and kill them and you know it was stupid and but we couldn't catch them and then they came and traded us all their crappy sticks for the good sticks that we had after and you know how they didn't have

good equipment anything like it was it was embarrassing they that was that was was a beat down they were really impressive yeah well they had like sergey zoobbubob was on defense for them and like i'm looking at their roster it's absurd how many guys eventually made it to the n hl and a bunch of them hall of famers and obviously you guys had a good team but they were just crazy good yeah yeah and americans are good memory but not really yeah no kid man no kid well it's great to see you we appreciate you doing this and obviously the leaps are in town tomorrow night you guys are off to another great start and you know we're always wondering like how do these teams that are constantly

playing the same way how do they do it every year like you guys are always chasing the top of the division always going to the playoffs like what is what's the secret sauce for you for that consistency in carolina oh well i think i think it starts for me you know the one thing that's been consistent over this time is we have we have a great group of guys but great leadership they don't let it go sideways and so doesn't really matter who who's in or out. It's like there's a certain way, you know, try to do things. And it doesn't matter what system you play. There's 32 teams. I don't care what system you play. If you get 20 guys doing it, you have a good chance to win. And like I said, I think the one constant with

this group is, you know, Jordan Stahl and, you know, C-Bass. And, you know, I know, Slayton's been out all year, but like these guys just do it right. And then it's kind of contagious. So it gives you a chance to win regardless who's in your lineup. And then, um, that's kind of what's happened. Rod, a little tougher managing your practice time and the schedule based on having a compressed schedule? Yeah, for sure. We've had up until this week, we actually had three days between games. I think we had two practices in two weeks.

And it's just because you're playing every other day. And, you know, you can't run out there on the next day in practice. And there's no point in practicing with half the guys if, you know, your guys that are playing heavy minutes. just so you just kind of move on, practice on video, right, the next day, a couple of clips. And so you're definitely, you're not getting sharp, like, I guess, it was a way, but everyone's kind of in the same boat. And so when you do have a little time, it's nice to get a real practice in. We had, really, we had one on whatever day, Tuesday, so it was nice. But I think that's just how it's going to be this year.

And, you know, injuries are mounting for every team. It's mostly just because of the games, just bang, bang, bang. You know, maybe they're not the same as, or they are the same as the previous, but you didn't have four games in a week. So you miss a week, you're missing four games instead of maybe two or whatever. But like I can say, it's same for everyone. Roddy, with the busy schedule, does that mean you give the boys a break in the gym after the game or they still have to go do that?

No, no, no. Come on. That's a constant. I mean, that's part of that day. But where you're seeing the day, like the time off is there's just no, we don't practice. the next day right so now that's a good trade-off they'll go in the gym for 15 20 minutes and not see you the next day any anytime they'll take that over getting on the ice and yeah it's a weird year and you mentioned injuries like slaven is obviously you know that guy's as good as it gets

and he hasn't been available to you and um the rap there it's almost like you got you're closing your eyes hoping it doesn't happen to you because it's everywhere like news today sayagan's likely done for the year and he somewhat of an innocuous play just kind of got run into and his ACLs all mashed up and like it's just it's a it's a war zone out there right now yeah well it's i just think it's the you know consistent you're in your game game game and the body just doesn't quite have that extra even a day here or there to just kind of recoup and then these little things happen um you know guys are gonna play hard i mean that's not going to change but the injuries are get them out.

Yeah, with Rob Brindamore, head coach of the Carolina Hurricanes. Go ahead, Nuddles. Rod, it's a bit of a weird question, but if you're seeing with the amount of overtimes this year, an extra time teams getting there, has the coaching taken over now? Because you're seeing, you know, rushes and it's all puck possession. So circle back, throw it back to the goalie, get a fresh player out there. I feel like overtime was played differently in years previous. but is it the coaching, is it the players, it's tactical?

What is it now that it's all about possession of the puck? First of all, I think overtime is great. I think, I mean, I don't know how many games end in overtime, but it's like, I know all ours do. We never go to shootout. It's exciting. Like, it's over. And yeah, there's a little more in there.

You drag the puck back, you know, I can't stand watching the guys drag the puck back. That's trash. Right, but, oh, just wait. Guess what it's setting up? It's coming. You just got to have a little patience. because sooner or later it's going to happen and then all of a sudden it's going to go ding ding ding back and forth then someone's going to win the game because i'm pretty sure last time i looked

there was like some like 78 percent of the games were ending in overtime this might have been about two weeks ago they had this thing so to me it's it's yeah there's that little law that happens but that's just strategy too because you're you're you're hedging your bet right you know you're trying to score off the rush so wait wait find that rush chance and then you know then it then it just opens up then it goes back and forward but Don't you think, Roddy, it would be more exciting if you just, you could take it back, but you only get one line, and you've got to transition the other way, it would force turnovers, and I think it would create a lot of confusion and excitement.

It might, but you know what you might see? You know what you might see is dump pucks in overtime. You might get to that, oh, I can't take it back, so I just flip it down there. And, you know what I mean? Like, I don't know. They'll coach, someone will figure out a way that that won't work. And, you know, I don't, listen, all the things in the NHL we could fix to make the game better. overtime's not it for me.

We got that figured out, in my opinion. Roddy, Nick Eilers had a bit of a slow start with you guys. How has he been of late? Well, a slow start because you're looking at the points, right? And really, I think he's played really well. He said, I think he's hit five or six goalposts in this time. So you've got a couple more goals that you think differently. But he's a very unique player for us because of the way he plays.

he's got that ability like you know like those guys that can all of a sudden there's nothing cooking and then all of a sudden they hang on to it for that second longer and then boom there's a pass to somebody and there's a chance like he he has that ability and obviously the speed too so I think it's coming with him he's just been kind of really unlucky like if I was to say over 25 games he should have two or three more goals easily and um be a little different story with rob Brindamore, we talked to you last year after the, you know, ranting in trade and then him being traded again, you know, getting Eelers, how significant was that for you guys as an organization? Like, he was a pretty big UFA. There were a lot of teams kicking tires on him, and he chose you guys. You know, how much of a, you know, benefit was that for you guys? Well, we'll see. But I think, like I said, I loved what I've got out, like we've seen so far. I mean, he's, he came as advertised for me. this isn't a player you don't know what you're going to get like he's pretty consistent his game over year after year and again it's all about for me that kind of fit or what are you

missing as an organization as a team does that help you and we drop him in it changes our dynamic a little bit and um you know put him right now he's with two other guys that are very similar kind of players that really shifty and dynamic and think the same way so It hasn't shown up on the score sheet yet, but they've had really good impact in the game. So I'm hoping that that starts translating on the score sheet. Well, and, you know, we talk about the condensed schedule and all that. With your goaltenders, you've had, you know, three different guys played multiple games. How much can you even predict and plan in terms of who's going to start for you,

considering, you know, changes every night and there's injuries and what guys are going to face whenever they do play? Yeah, the one thing that, you know, I've been doing this very long time, even when I was insisting sitting in the back room, just watching, and then always plan the goalie rotation. Okay, we're going to do this, this, this, this, da, do, do. I'm like, okay, that's a good plan. And I'm like, three games into it, it's like, nope, this goalie's on a heater, we'll keep him, but no, he's going to play a game.

You know, we literally, it's more, it was up for next game. We don't try to get too far ahead of it. We have three, but we've only had two healthy for most of the year. And right now we've still, we got three on the roster, but we really only have two. So it hasn't really come an issue too much yet on how we're going to do it. And, you know, could check off practice the last couple days. So this might be our first little run of having three guys, and now it will be a little more of a challenge.

But, you know, until we really get to that point, I'm not going to worry about it too much. We've got three guys we like, and, you know, we'll see where we go. Well, leaves in town tomorrow night. It's always a fun game, and Lease coming off a win last night. They're playing better recently as well. It should be a good one tomorrow night. So best of luck.

Best of luck down the road, and we'll do it again down the road when we have you back on. I appreciate this as always. Of course. Thanks, guys. Appreciate you. See you. Rob Brindamore. The lights are twinkling.

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