Cannes players, fans excited for the season at full capacity at PNC Arena

RALEIGH, NC (WNCN) – PNC Arena and Hurricanes fans garnered national attention in the 2020-2021 playoffs for the intensity and level of noise in home games. Despite limited capacity throughout the playoffs, there was no shortage of enthusiasm.

This season the fans are back 100%.

“I’m really excited. It’s going to be a fun year and it’s going to be great to have all the fans back this year. And it’s going to be a lot of fun. The group that we have, we’re excited for them and just excited to start the year, ”defenseman Jaccob Slavin said in practice Thursday morning.

“We’ve been waiting for this for a while and we’ve worked hard to prepare for the real games, and it’s really exciting,” added Sebastian Aho.

There has been a lot of offseason movement with the ‘Canes organization, so a lot of new faces on the ice. For head coach Rod Brind’Amour, Game 1 is a chance to see how his new pieces fit in with what he already had.

“We kind of want to see what we have and start. It is the feeling and just to have this energy in the building again. We got it at the end of last year, so it was kind of normal, but we just can’t wait to get started, ”he said.

“You’ve had a whole summer without hockey and you’re finally playing the game you love again, and for a reason. So it’s fun, the guys are excited, the fans are excited, so that makes it a fun experience overall, ”Slavin added.

The Hurricanes had a tailgate with music, an inflatable Stormy, balloons, and other fun attractions for the fans.