Carolina Hurricanes: 2002-03 Quiz | Carolina Hurricanes

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. After making it to the Stanley Cup final the previous year, the Hurricanes were clear-cut favorites to repeat an appearance in the playoffs. The disappointing play of the Canes resulted in a league-worst record. What was the team's record for 2002-03?

Answer: 22 wins, 43 losses, 11 ties, including 6 overtime losses

After finishing 2001-02 with 91 points, the Hurricanes dropped their production down to a mere 61 points. It turned out to be a franchise low, dropping even below their debut season's record. The other choices, are not jokes, as unrealistic as they seem.

The 16-50-14 record was recorded during the 1990-91 season by the Quebec Nordiques. The 10-70-4 was recorded by the Ottawa Senators during the 1992-93 season. The NHL Guinness record was for an 11-71-2 season recorded by the San Jose Sharks in 1992-93.

It kicked off Arturs Irbe's goaltending career. Fortunately, he did get progressively better, until the 2002-03 season, that is.

2. Arturs Irbe, the goaltender that led Carolina to the Cup Final started off the season in rough fashion. He didn't record his first win until November 23, 2002. Kevin Weekes eventually became the starter for Carolina. What happened with Irbe?

Answer: His goaltending duties were reduced to merely a back-up capacity.

Irbe's 2002-03 season was his worst as a Hurricane. In 34 games, he recorded an awful 7-24-2 record with a 3.18 GAA, no shutouts and a terrible 0.877% save average. Weekes eventually took over the starting role and recorded a 14-24-9 record with five shutouts, a 2.55 GAA and a 0.912% save average. The 2002-03 season was the last time that Irbe ever became a regular in anyone's roster.

3. During the uneventful 2002-03 campaign, who recorded the most points for the Hurricanes?

Answer: Jeff O'Neill

Jeff O'Neill, a consistently strong player, was finally the team leader in points. In 82 games for the Canes, he recorded 30 goals and 31 assists for a total of 61 points. Ron Francis was second with 57 points and Rod Brind'Amour was third with 37.

4. The common belief as to why the Hurricanes disappointed was that they sold all of their players. It was quite false. In fact, to begin the season, only two players from the 2001-02 roster disappeared to free agency. Which of the following players were they?

Answer: Martin Gelinas and Shane Willis

The season started poorly with the roster as it was. After Gelinas and Willis were lost to free agency, the Hurricanes made numerous trades, ridding themselves of solid players. With trades, the Hurricanes lost Sami Kapanen, Bates Battaglia, Glen Wesley, Marek Malik, and Darren Langdon. They gained little talent from the trades, but they had good draft picks in the end.

5. In order to freshen up their fledgling goaltending, a rookie goaltender was brought in to play for the Hurricanes. He played in only two games, just less than a fifth of his NHL career. Who was this goaltender?

Answer: Patrick Desrochers

All of the goalies among the selections were once Hurricanes goaltenders, but Patrick Desrochers was the 2002-03 relief goaltender. In his two games, Desrochers won a game and lost a game recording a 3.44 GAA and a 0.901% save average. In his 11 games as a Phoenix Coyote and Carolina Hurricane, Desrochers recorded a 2-6-1 record with a 3.67 GAA and a 0.872% save average.

6. Sami Kapanen, a long time member of the Hurricanes franchise was placed on the trading block after 43 games in 2002-03. He was traded to the Philadelphia Flyers for which two players?

Answer: Bruno St. Jacques and Pavel Brendl

The trade was one of the more questionable choices of the Hurricanes management. They acquired full-time minor leaguers St. Jacques and Brendl, in exchange for a consistent offensive threat. St. Jacques and Brendl would see little action from the Canes and the NHL, in general. Sami Kapanen, now retired, played 831 career games for the Hartford Whalers, Carolina Hurricanes, and Philadelphia Flyers, recording 189 goals and 269 assists for a total of 458 career points.

7. The Hurricanes are known for being a relatively obedient team of the NHL. In 2002-03, however, that was not the case. In fact, one of Carolina's defenseman recorded 141 penalty minutes alone. Who did that?

Answer: Sean Hill

In 2002-03, Sean Hill recorded a personal best/worst 141 penalty minutes. They comprised of fights, misconducts, hooking, interference etc. Hedican recorded 75 penalty minutes, Aaron Ward recorded 90 minutes and Tanabe recorded 24 minutes. In total, the frustrated Hurricanes recorded a grand total of 1192 minutes in penalties. Essentially, that means that the Hurricanes spent nearly 20 games of the season in a penalty box.

8. In the 2002-03 regular season, the Carolina Hurricanes scored more goals than they conceded goals.

Answer: False

Because of the troubles in goaltending, and defense, the Hurricanes dropped to become the dead last team in the league. In the 82 games of the season, Carolina scored 171 goals, but conceded a total of 240 goals. Their 171 goals put them in 30th place for offense and their 240 goals against placed them in 27th place. Needless to say, major improvements needed to be made for the next season.

9. Did Carolina head coach Paul Maurice manage to keep his job through the entirety of the 2002-03 season?

Answer: Yes

Despite having the league-worst record, Paul Maurice managed to keep his job for the entire season. The confidence in him was inspired primarily by his trip to the finals, the previous year. He would start the 2003-04 season as head coach, but would finally be replaced by a more worthy candidate.

10. Who did the Carolina Hurricanes draft with the 2nd overall pick in the 2003 draft?

Answer: Eric Staal

After finishing with the league's worst record, the Hurricane's could only muster the second overall pick with the draft lottery. Pittsburgh acquired the first pick and selected Marc Andre Fleury. Carolina selected Eric Staal without regrets. He would show his true worth to the team in the 2005-06 season.

Source: Author Bruce007

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor Nightmare before going online.
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Carolina Hurricanes: 2002-03 Trivia Quiz

The 2002-03 season saw the Hurricanes drop from the upper echelons of the NHL into the hall of shame. How much do you want to remember about their worst season?

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