Carolina Hurricanes

The season is all but over for the Carolina Hurricanes.

Sitting at 17-24-8 and fifth in their division, the team is looking to make moves now in order to prepare for the future.

Multiple sources have reported that the team is looking to ship off defenseman Tim Gleason, whose contract expires this summer.

The Carolina Hurricanes used to have heart.

The Carolina Hurricanes used to have chemistry.

The Carolina Hurricanes used to have the will to win.

And, now, the Carolina Hurricanes have lost all of that.

In the midst of a potential career-killing slump by captain Eric Staal, the "Cardiac 'Canes" have forgotten all of the key off-the-box score elements that drove the team in their incredible runs of 2006 and 2009.

Carolina Hurricanes fans can breathe a sigh of relief.

In what should be considered the most lopsided trade of the young 2011-12 NHL season, the 'Canes swapped Czechoslovakian defensemen with the Montreal Canadiens on Friday, shipping Tomas Kaberle north of the border in exchange for Jaroslav Spacek.

When it comes to reaching the peak of stardom with a signature team and then moving on at the end of their career, hockey Hall of Fame players are hard to beat; they've simply all done it.

The rebuilding project of summer 2010 appears to have been successful for the Carolina Hurricanes, who just missed out on the playoffs this year despite an array of young talent. However, GM Jim Rutherford and the 'Canes will have another set of tasks at hand this offseason; which veterans get to stay and which long-time Hurricanes will be shown the door?

The 2010-11 season for the Carolina Hurricanes was a long journey for a young team—all the way from the NHL Premiere in Finland to a home loss that finished the 'Canes just one win away from a playoff berth.

Still disappointed about that defeat? Yes, we all are. But here are some good signs for the future:

Welcome to the live quick hits blog for the key matchup between the Carolina Hurricanes and the Tampa Bay Lightning.

With just one game remaining each, the Carolina Hurricanes and New York Rangers sit tied with 91 points for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Both teams finish their seasons today, and hope to find that their destiny leads them into the postseason.

As of March 31, it's not April yet.

But it almost is, and the Eastern Conference playoff race is showing that.

As the five bubble teams along the cut line battle down to the last second, the Canadiens (89 pts), Sabres (87 pts) and Rangers (87 pts) fight to keep their spot in the top eight while the Hurricanes (84 pts) and Maple Leafs (80 pts) look to find a way to sneak their way in.

We have officially entered the stretch run of the 2010-2011 NHL regular season. This is the time for teams that are already in contention to tweak what they have to their needs, and for teams on the outside to do whatever they can to get in.

Improvements must be made in order for all teams to go on viable runs for the Stanley Cup.

This slideshow will examine the needs of 10 teams in each the Eastern and Western Conference.