RALEIGH, N.C. - As 46 players hit the ice for training camp as members of the Carolina Hurricanes this week, just over a quarter of the group was doing so for the first time.
Two of those new faces, Shayne Gostisbehere and Sean Walker, are expected to play key roles on the Canes' new-look blue line this season. The duo each signed as free agents on July 1, helping to shore up the team's defense corps following the departures of Brett Pesce and Brady Skjei.
And while there's still plenty to which they’ll have to adjust, some familiarity with one another has eased the transition through the first few days of camp.
“We were lucky enough that, since I played in Philly and (Walker) played in Philly, we had some mutual friends and we actually met at a wedding this summer," said Gostisbehere.