Barely three months had passed since the Carolina Hurricanes finally punched through a playoff roadblock to win another Stanley Cup when it was time to turn their attention forward to another season.
The confidence and experience gained from that run? Invaluable.
Dwelling on it beyond that at the start of preseason camp? Not so much.
“You have to keep building, we understand that,” Carolina top-line center Sebastian Aho said Thursday. "Three months ago we were playing some amazing hockey and we were able to accomplish something we dreamed of for a long time.
“But at the same time, it doesn’t really help us today.”
Monday marked three months since the Hurricanes shut out the Vegas Golden Knights in a road Game 6 to win the Cup for the second time in franchise history. In the time since, they've celebrated with a parade that brought a six-figure crowd to downtown Raleigh and gotten their individual days to spend with hockey's cherished trophy.
The team that has returned from that long celebration is largely the same as the one that ended last season with three straight victories under face-of-the-franchise coach Rod Brind'Amour.
Top goaltender Frederik Andersen is gone after signing a one-year deal with Edmonton. And rising defenseman Alexander Nikishin isn't in camp as a restricted free agent still awaiting a deal after working in Carolina's third pairing; general manager Eric Tulsky issued a statement Wednesday saying the team wouldn't comment on Nikishin's status.
The Hurricanes are also waiting on the recovery of top-line forward Seth Jarvis from shoulder surgery, taking place in June with a potential recovery time of 4-6 months. Jarvis is back to skating, but Thursday was a little different having more people on the ice and having to “be careful bumping into people."
But everything else is in place to contend again, including the team reaching a one-year extension on Tuesday with captain and Conn Smythe Trophy winner Jordan Staal through the 2027-28 season.
“I wanted to keep playing with these guys,” Staal said. “I have too much fun with this group and everything we've built here.”
For years, the Hurricanes had been the Eastern Conference contender that couldn’t get past the conference final, notably being swept by Florida in 2023 and then losing to the Panthers again in a five-game series in 2025. That marked the third time in a seven-season playoff run that the Hurricanes had hit the same ceiling.
But the Hurricanes swept Ottawa and Philadelphia in the first two rounds last spring, then recovered from a Game 1 loss to Montreal to win the Eastern Conference Final in five games on the way to a dominant 16-3 postseason run.
“The good part is they’ve done it, so they understand what it takes,” Brind'Amour said. "The passion and the grit and everything that you have to bring to win in this league, that doesn’t disappear now that you won. It actually probably magnifies and you have to figure out how to find that little more of an edge.
“Not that we ever got easy nights, I think every team prepared for us, but I think we’re that much more of a target.”
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FILE - Carolina Hurricanes lead the crowd in a final storm surge with Jordan Staal (11) holding the Stanley Cup during Stanley Cup Celebration in Raleigh, N.C., June 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Karl DeBlaker, File)
FILE - Carolina Hurricanes center Jordan Staal celebrates after a win over the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 6 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final series June 14, 2026, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher, File)
CINCINNATI (AP) — The Los Angeles Dodgers clinched their fifth consecutive NL West title and 13th in the past 14 seasons with an 8-2 win over the Cincinnati Reds on Thursday.
“It’s a big deal,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “I think that a lot of people think that it’s just a rite of passage (but) it's not easy. So it’s something that we’re all really proud of, but really understand that’s not the end goal.”
The Dodgers (93-60) are in the postseason for the 14th consecutive season, tying the Atlanta Braves’ record from 1991-2005.
“It’s step one,” Mookie Betts said, rubbing the bubbly from his eyes. “We’ve got a long way to go.”
The on-field celebration was muted following the final out on Thursday, but players let loose in the clubhouse where sparkling wine and beer was sprayed from the floor to the ceiling.
“I think it's one of those things where in baseball you play every day, and guys focus on performing,” Roberts said. “So there's not a lot of moments to celebrate. So it's nice to see the guys let loose a little bit.”
Despite all of their success, the players believe they still have something to prove.
The Dodgers shattered Major League Baseball’s spending record last year with a combined $515 million in payroll, leading to suggestions they have an unfair advantage.
“What we're creating here is special,” Max Muncy said. “It definitely doesn't get enough credit. Everyone points to the payroll, but we don't ever talk about how we do things the right way, how we prepare the right way, how we do all those little things. That doesn't get talked about.”
The two-time defending World Series champions are still chasing the NL's top seed, currently held by the Milwaukee Brewers. Los Angeles has a four-game lead over the Braves (89-64) for the second seed but trails the Brewers (95-58) by two games.
“We're still trying to get one of those top two seeds,” Roberts said. “I think we do a great job of celebrating, but not having it carry over. We have to get on the flight and play the Giants tomorrow.”
The Dodgers are looking to become the first team to capture three consecutive World Series championships since the Yankees did it from 1998 to 2000.
It’s the Dodgers’ fourth-earliest division clinching. They clinched the NL West on Sept. 10 in 2019, Sept. 13 in 2022 and Sept. 16 in 2023.
LA will use that time to try getting healthy. That starts with Shohei Ohtani.
The four-time MVP has been on the 15-day injured list since Sept. 8 with right biceps inflammation and told reporters earlier this month he is done pitching for the season. The two-way star took swings off a tee for the first time Tuesday and felt good. He's expected to return as a hitter before the end of the regular season, although it's unclear if he can get 100% healthy before October.
Roki Sasaki, on the IL with a blister on his middle finger, threw live BP on Wednesday in Cincinnati and it went well. Roberts said his next outing will be a start.
Blake Snell left Wednesday's start after one inning with left groin tightness. His status is uncertain.
Closer Edwin Diaz, who's been on the IL since August with neck inflammation, is expected to be activated Friday. Setup man Edgardo Henriquez is on the IL with lower back discomfort. He had an MRI in Los Angeles on Wednesday which revealed a low back strain and his rehab will be paused for a few days.
The Dodgers made the biggest splash of the trade deadline when they acquired two-time AL Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal from the Tigers. Skubal is 3-2 with a 2.52 ERA in eight starts for the Dodgers.
The addition of Skubal made the Dodgers the odds-on favorites to win the World Series. After going 61-36 to start the season, the Dodgers are 32-24 since the All-Star break.
“I spoke to the guys and just really lauded them,” Roberts said. “For the fact, I think that we're the most talented team, the smartest team, the toughest team, and to enjoy this.”
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Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith celebrates in the locker room after the Dodgers clinch the playoffs during a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds on Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026 in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Tanner Pearson)
Los Angeles Dodgers second baseman Miguel Rojas (72) walks back to the dugout after the team clinched their fifth consecutive NL West division title after a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026 in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Tanner Pearson)
The Los Angeles Dodgers pose for a team photo after they clinched the playoffs after a win against the Cincinnati Reds during a baseball game on Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026 in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Tanner Pearson)
Los Angeles Dodgers left fielder Teoscar Hernández, right, celebrates with teammates in the clubhouse after the team clinched their fifth consecutive NL West division title after a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026 in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Tanner Pearson)
Los Angeles Dodgers left fielder Teoscar Hernández (37) celebrates in the locker room after the Dodgers clinch the playoffs during a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds on Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Tanner Pearson)
