In his first season as head coach, Brind’Amour led the Hurricanes to a 46-29-7 record (99 points) as the team reached the playoffs for the first time in 10 years. He became the fastest coach in franchise history to reach 20, 30 and 40 wins, and he earned the most wins (46) and points (99) for a first-year head coach in franchise history. Brind’Amour led the Hurricanes to the Eastern Conference Final during the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs, marking the team’s fourth appearance in the Conference Final in franchise history. Carolina knocked off the defending Stanley Cup Champion Washington Capitals in the First Round, defeating the Capitals in double overtime of Game 7, before sweeping the New York Islanders in four games in the Second Round.
Brind’Amour again led the Hurricanes to the playoffs in 2019-20, becoming the second head coach in franchise history to lead the Hurricanes/Whalers to the postseason in each of his first two seasons (Rick Ley: 1989-91). The Hurricanes swept the New York Rangers in three games in the Qualifying Round, marking the first time the team won a postseason round in consecutive seasons in franchise history. Carolina registered a 38-25-5 record (81 points) in the pandemic-shortened season (68 games), posting the fourth-highest point percentage (.596) in a season in franchise history.
The Hurricanes won the Central Division with a 36-12-8 record under Brind’Amour in 2020-21, earning the franchise’s fifth division title and first since 2005-06. Carolina’s .714 points percentage marked the highest points percentage in a season in franchise history, and Brind’Amour earned his 100th career win as a head coach in his 173rd game on March 4 vs. Detroit, becoming the fastest head coach in franchise history to record 100 wins and tying Toe Blake (Montreal) as the 12th-fastest head coach in NHL history to reach the milestone. He coached his 200th game behind the Hurricanes bench in a 3-1 win against the Red Wings on April 29. In the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Hurricanes defeated the Nashville Predators in six games in the First Round, winning at least one postseason round for the third consecutive season. On June 17, 2021, the NHL announced that Brind’Amour won the Jack Adams Award, presented annually to the league’s coach of the year.
The Hurricanes won the Central Division with a 36-12-8 record under Brind'Amour in 2020-21, earning the franchise's fifth division title and first since 2005-06. Carolina's .714 points percentage marked the highest points percentage in a season in franchise history, Brind'Amour earned his 100th career win as a head coach on March 4 vs. Detroit, becoming the fastest head coach in franchise history to earn 100 wins and tying Toe Blake (Montreal) as the 12th-fastest head coach in NHL history to reach the milestone. He coached his 200th game behind the Hurricanes bench in a 3-1 win against the Red Wings on April 29. In the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Hurricanes defeated the Nashville Predators in six games in the First Round, winning at least one postseason round for the third consecutive season. On June 17, 2021, the NHL announced that Brind'Amour won the Jack Adams Award, presented annually to the league's coach of the year.
Carolina won the Metropolitan Division in 2021-22 with a 54-20-8 record for 116 points, marking the most wins and points in a season in franchise history. This also marked the first time in franchise history that the Hurricanes won division titles in consecutive seasons. Brind’Amour coached the Metropolitan Division to victory at the 2022 NHL All-Star Game in Las Vegas, becoming the first head coach in franchise history selected for the All-Star Game. Carolina ousted Boston in the First Round of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs in seven games, winning a postseason round for the fourth consecutive season.
Brind’Amour led the Hurricanes to a 52-21-9 record (113 points) and their third consecutive division title in 2022-23. He again represented the Metropolitan Division at the 2023 NHL All-Star Game in Florida, becoming the fifth individual to coach at the event multiple times in his first five seasons as a head coach since 1995-96 (when the NHL began selecting All-Star coaches based on team performance). Brind’Amour earned his 200th career win as a head coach against Columbus on Jan. 12, reaching the milestone in the third-fewest games of any head coach in NHL history (330).
Brind’Amour officially retired as a player on June 30, 2010, following a career of more than 20 NHL seasons. Originally drafted by the St. Louis Blues in the first round, ninth overall, in the 1988 NHL Entry Draft, Brind’Amour completed his career ranked 16th in NHL history in games played (1,484), 44th in assists (732), 46th in points (1,184) and 54th in goals (452), in 21 seasons with St. Louis, Philadelphia and Carolina. The Ottawa, Ont., native debuted with the Blues during the 1989 Stanley Cup Playoffs after completing one season at Michigan State and scored a goal on his first NHL shot against the Minnesota North Stars. He was named to the NHL’s All-Rookie Team in 1990, after posting 61 points (26g, 35a) in 79 games for St. Louis, and played in the NHL All-Star Game while a member of the Flyers in 1992. Brind’Amour represented Canada in the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan, as well as the 1996 World Cup of Hockey, and won back-to-back Frank J. Selke trophies as the NHL’s top defensive forward in 2005-06 and 2006-07, while with the Hurricanes.
Brind’Amour played in 159 career Stanley Cup Playoff games, totaling 51 goals and 60 assists (111 points). He participated in the Stanley Cup Final three times, reaching the Final in 1997 with Philadelphia, and in 2002 and 2006 with Carolina, captaining the Hurricanes to the 2006 Stanley Cup championship. Brind’Amour was acquired by the Hurricanes from the Philadelphia Flyers on Jan. 23, 2000, and at the time of his retirement, he led the Hurricanes in points since the team’s relocation to North Carolina, notching 473 points in 694 games played. He also ranked first in assists (299), first in shorthanded goals (10), third in goals (174) and third in power-play goals (60) in the team’s North Carolina history. Brind’Amour ranked second in franchise history (including Hartford) in assists (299), third in points (473) and fourth in games played (694). Named the Hurricanes’ captain prior to the 2005-06 season, Brind’Amour netted 31 goals and earned 39 assists (70 points) that season to lead the team to 52 regular-season wins, then a franchise record. His league-leading 12 playoff goals during the team’s Stanley Cup run also set a franchise record.
Rod and his wife, Amy, live in Raleigh. He has a daughter, Briley, and three sons, Skyler, Reece and Brooks.
Prior to joining the Hurricanes, Schonfelder spent three seasons as the goalie coach for the Ottawa 67's of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). He's also gained experience working with netminders at St. Lawrence University, Ottawa University and the Kanata Stallions of the Central Canada Hockey League (CCHL).
The Stoney Creek, Ont., native has worked as a goalie coach for Hockey Canada, winning a gold medal at the 2017 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Cup and with Canada's 2015 U17 national team. He also spent a year with Japan's men's and women's national teams.
As a player, Schonfelder spent time with the OHL's Ottawa 67's and Sudbury Wolves, and was part of the 67's Memorial Cup-winning team in 1999. He played professionally in the Central Hockey League (CHL), United Hockey League (UHL) and Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL), including with the Cape Fear Fire Antz.
Huffine is responsible for all pre-scouting of future opponents. He works closely with the coaching staff, preparing scouting reports for individual players as well as the team. His work includes breaking down the other teams' systems and tendencies, including forecheck, power plays and penalty kills, and putting together meetings for the coaches to inform the players.
In addition to preparing for the opponent, he also breaks down games as they happen on a laptop editing system so that coaches and players have access to the information immediately during and after the game.
Before joining the Hurricanes, Huffine served as the video coordinator for the Greensboro Monarchs for five seasons. In addition to being a member of the 2005-06 Stanley Cup Champions, he was also chosen to represent USA Hockey as the video coach for the 2006 Men's Olympic Team in Turin, Italy.
Chris and his wife, Heather, reside in Raleigh, with their sons, Samuel and Jacob.