stormTRacker Podcast
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...stormTRacker Podcast is your home for in-depth analysis of the Carolina Hurricanes, Chicago Wolves & Canes' prospects around the globe. Host Tom Ray is joined by regular contributors, "hockey savants" Erin Manning & Katie Bartlett, as well as "Insiders" Nick Bass (Canes Prospects) & Andrew Rinaldi (on Tap Sports Chicago), to cover all the top stories of your Carolina Hurricanes & Hurricanes' prospects. In addition, from time-to-time, Tom welcomes special guests to the podcast.
There is also stormTRacker Website (www.stormtracker23.com), which features a blogger section, highlighting the latest blogs from Nick Bass, Erin Manning, Katie Bartlett & Rachel Barkley as well as stormTRacker Shoppe, your home for all stormTRacker merchandise.
Tom is also active on "X" connecting with other Hurricanes' fans on a regular basis (@stormTRacker24) as well as Facebook.
80 Episodes
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A seven-win surge, a locker room wired for growth, and a coach who treats the AHL like the on-ramp to the NHL—this one is packed. We welcome Chicago Wolves' head coach, Spiros Anastas, to unpack how aligned systems with Carolina, constant communication, and a summer-to-spring development plan transform prospects into plug-and-play call-ups. From practice habits to video use to load management, we pull the curtain on what actually prepares young players to hit the NHL at speed. We dig into th...
Overtime chaos, gold medal chills, and a surge of new hockey fans set the stage for one of our most pivotal weeks of the season. We bring the Olympic fire back home and dig into what it means for the Carolina Hurricanes right now: who stood out on international ice, where the team gains an edge, and how a savvy goalie deal could reshape a playoff run. First, we break down the highlights from men’s and women’s hockey—tight finishes, three-on-three debates, and the pure adrenaline that pulls n...
Prospect hype is easy. Proof is harder. Nick Bass (Canes Prospects) & I spent January chasing the proof across leagues, and the Hurricanes pipeline delivered: a Wolves top line that terrorizes the AHL, a college playmaker finally freed, and two Russian defenders whose feet might be their ticket to Raleigh. We open with Jakub Vondras, the 6'4 goalie sharpening his angles and lateral power in Czechia, then head to Ann Arbor where Jayden Perron’s touch, pace, and vision have clicked on Mich...
A 12-1-3 heater into the Olympic break sounds simple on paper, but the real story is how Carolina kept winning when the script flipped. Some nights belonged to a revived power play that finally moved with purpose. Others swung on a goalie who refused to blink. We pull apart the layers behind the surge and map what must hold—and what must change—before the sprint to the playoffs. Erin, Katie & I start with Jordan Staal’s surprising scoring revival: smarter patience at the net, better angl...
Goals are flying, rumors are swirling, and the Wolves are making noise in the Central. Andrew Rinaldi (On Tap Sports - Chicago) & I dive straight into Chicago’s scoring heater, why the top line is shredding coverages, and how a tightening blue line can turn chaotic wins into playoff proof. Justin Robidas brings relentless pace and sharp reads that travel to any position, while Bradly Nadeau layers a ruthless shot on top of growing defensive detail. With Ryan Suzuki steering entries and te...
The switch flipped. Carolina’s playing fast, disciplined hockey again, and it starts in the crease with Brandon Bussi’s calm poise turning thin shot diets into statement wins. We break down how a goalie built for high-danger bursts steadies the bench and lets the skaters push, then zoom out to the quiet force multiplier: Jacob Slavin. With Slavin back, shot attempts against crater, lanes vanish, and everyone slides into the right minutes. That’s freed up Jalen Chatfield to smother rushes and ...
Prospect momentum isn’t just a headline—it’s a pattern. December delivered a true snapshot of the Hurricanes’ pipeline: disciplined goaltending, a freshman sniper lighting up college hockey, and two AHL forwards forcing hard NHL decisions. We open with Ruslan Kazayev’s technical leap and Jakub Vondras’ calm rise in Czechia’s pro ranks, the kind of goalie development that turns raw athleticism into trustworthy starts. Big frames, better footwork, and smarter rebound control—those trends matter...
Pressure can sharpen or shatter a team. Erin, Katie & I unpack why the Hurricanes can look dominant for 50 minutes and then suddenly leak high danger chances, how injuries forced constant blue line shuffles, and why Slavin’s return could reset the entire defensive ecosystem. The conversation starts with the “fragile” label and quickly gets specific: third period collapses, the PK slide to the middle of the pack, and a goalie room judged too often without system context. On the bright sid...
A nine-game point streak tells a great story, but the real drama is how Chicago keeps building wins through chaos. Andrew Rinaldi (On Tap Sports Chicago) & I dig into the spark behind the surge: a top line that clicks in motion, a room that adapted to a midseason coaching change, and two goalies who turned the crease into a strength. The Central is stacked and Grand Rapids is posting historic numbers, yet the Wolves are hanging in second because the details are improving where it matters ...
Late picks, big swings, and a farm system that won’t stop churning: Nick Bass (Canes Prospects) & I break down which Carolina Hurricanes prospects took real steps forward and why their games now project at the NHL level. Our top five features a resurgent Felix Unger Sorum, who regained his edge at right wing with quicker feet, a heavier shot, and the same elite vision that once put him on the brink of a roster spot. We also spotlight Bradly Nadeau’s five-on-five progress in Chicago—less p...
A one-point gap at the top of the Metro. A power play finally finding a heartbeat. And a 2C question that just won’t go away. Erin, Katie & I take a clear-eyed look at the Carolina Hurricanes and ask what actually moves them from good to built-for-May in this special Mailbag episode. We start with the truth on scoring and special teams, highlighting Seth Jarvis’s timely finishing and Shane Gostisbehere’s offense from the back end, plus why Jordan Staal’s net-front work has simplified the...
First place feels great until you look down and see seven teams breathing on your neck. We’re riding the high of two statement home wins and asking the bigger questions: what’s truly sustainable about Carolina’s surge, and what must change to keep it rolling through spring? We start with the bright spots. Shayne “Ghost” Gostisbehere has been more than a power play specialist; he’s driving five‑on‑five offense by attacking the middle and still holding up defensively while Slavin heals. We dig...
Five straight games with points and a lineup in constant motion—this is how Chicago turns chaos into momentum. I welcome in Andrew Rinaldi (On Tap Sports Net Chicago) as we pull back the curtain on the Wolves’ next-man-up reality: why a surging second line is tilting ice, how the top unit’s skill translates to timely pressure, and what smart coaching choices are doing to hold it all together. The big theme running through it all is identity: a heavy, fast style that mirrors Carolina’s and giv...
The standings say second in the East; the roster says “held together with duct tape.” Erin, Katie & I welcome in Rachel Barkley (Queen of the Puck) as we dig into how the Hurricanes keep winning through a bruising injury wave and a power play that can’t buy a bounce, and why five-on-five structure is carrying the weight right now. The heartbeat begins on the blue line: Sean Walker embraces tough matchups and minutes, Alexander Nikishin jumps a full step with poise and bite, and Joel Nystr...
Prospects who don’t fit the mold are redefining what the Hurricanes pipeline can be. We dive into a month where speed, vision, and edgework trumped old assumptions about height and heft, and where late-round bets started to look like long-term answers. From Penn State to Maine to Chicago, we track the players who turned usage into production and opportunity into a blueprint. Nick Bass (Canes Prospects) & I start with a surge of college standouts. Charlie Cerrato is piling up faceoff win...
A two-week road grind, a stack of injuries, and a 4–2 record that says more about this team’s spine than the scoresheet. We unpack how the Hurricanes managed to bank points while learning hard lessons about where their ceiling really is—and what still holds them back. We start with the backbone: goaltending. Frederik Andersen looked like a metronome, while Brandon Bussi delivered high-danger saves that kept the bench calm. With Pyotr Kochetkov nearing a return, we talk through real rotation ...
Goals came early, lessons came late. Andrew Rinaldi (OnTap Sports) joins stormTRacker Podcast & we open with the Wolves’ five-of-six start and dig into what the scoreboard hides: a team that can blitz an opponent in seven minutes, then fight to manage momentum and details when the pushback hits. That tension powers the most interesting storylines—how prospects grow from flash to trust, and how a room learns to close. Bradley Nadeau’s shot gets the highlights, but the real leap is his 200...
The Canes opened the season with speed, layers, and a surprising dose of finish, and the timing couldn’t be better with a daunting West Coast swing underway. Erin, Katie & I (stormTRacker Podcast) unpack why the defense already looks different: K’Andre Miller’s glide and reach changing the rush math, Sean Walker fitting cleanly with multiple partners, and Shane Gostisbehere thriving on his off side next to Alex Nikishin. That pairing’s calm exits and complementary offense are turning defe...
Nick Bass, (Canes' Prospects), joins me as we break down the Hurricanes’ top prospect performers of the month, why their roles matter, and how close several are to NHL impact. From Russian leagues to the AHL and NCAA, we map the real development paths, the risks, and the upside timelines. Highlights: • Avramov’s power-finesse mix and VHL vs KHL usage trade-offs • Frolov’s controlled starts and crowded goalie ladder • Perevalov’s health, consistency and multi-tool scoring return • Nadeau’s h...
Erin, Katie & I are joined by Matt Somma as we break down a lively Hurricanes preseason: who popped at the prospect showcase, what the camp cuts mean, and how the top nine might actually score. Depth looks real, the blue line gets younger, and the door stays open for a deadline swing. • Prospect Showcase takeaways and who advanced roles • Nadeau’s NHL-ready shot vs development minutes in Chicago • Lego, Badinka, Nystrom steadying the pipeline • Kazheyev's calmer game and Primeau’s value ...
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