▁ 3 0 th ▁season ▁in ▁the ▁National ▁Hockey ▁League ▁and ▁ 1 2 th ▁as ▁the ▁H urr ican es . ▁ ▁Key ▁dates ▁prior ▁to ▁the ▁start ▁of ▁the ▁season : ▁ ▁The ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁N HL ▁D raft ▁started ▁on ▁June ▁ 2 0 , ▁ 2 0 0 8 . ▁ ▁Off - season ▁ ▁June ▁ 5 : ▁After ▁ 2 0 ▁seasons ▁in ▁the ▁N HL ▁and ▁ 1 3 ▁as ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁most ▁popular ▁faces ▁of ▁the ▁H urr ican es ' ▁franch ise , ▁Glen ▁Wes ley ▁announced ▁his ▁ret irement . ▁ ▁September ▁ 1 1 : ▁The ▁club ▁announced ▁that ▁they ▁have ▁signed ▁Eric ▁Sta al ▁to ▁a ▁seven - year ▁contract ▁extension ▁worth ▁US $ 5 7 . 7 5 ▁million . ▁ ▁Reg ular ▁season ▁ ▁November ▁ 7 : ▁Peter ▁Lav io lette ▁made ▁N HL ▁history ▁by ▁becoming ▁the ▁winning est ▁American - born ▁N HL ▁coach ▁with ▁his ▁ 2 4 0 th ▁victory , ▁as ▁Carolina ▁defeated ▁the ▁Ott awa ▁Sen ators , ▁ 2 – 1 . ▁ ▁December ▁ 2 : ▁ ▁Peter ▁Lav io lette ▁was ▁fired ▁as ▁the ▁head ▁coach ▁and ▁Paul ▁Maurice ▁was ▁re h ired ▁in ▁his ▁place . ▁Ron ▁Francis ▁became ▁the ▁team ' s ▁associate ▁head ▁coach . ▁ ▁The ▁H urr ican es ▁finished ▁the ▁regular ▁season ▁having ▁tied ▁the ▁Montreal ▁Canad iens ▁for ▁the ▁most ▁power - play ▁opportun ities , ▁with ▁