‘I’m Here Now’: Hurricanes Nicolas Deslauriers Reflects on Surprise Playoff Matchup Against Flyers
James Guillory-Imagn Images The Carolina Hurricanes’ locker room was bustling with chatter amongst reporters and players fresh from practice. But for one of those players, Saturday’s Round Two matchup against the Philadelphia Flyers hits just a little differently. Nicolas Deslauriers, the Hurricanes’ trusty enforcer, had been dealt by the Flyers at the trade deadline to Carolina as the playoffs seemed out of reach for Philadelphia.
He had spent four seasons with them and 195 games – the second most he had with any NHL team. “They switched the tide around, that’s for sure,” Deslauriers said , discussing their surge into the playoffs after a rough start to the season. The Philadelphia Flyers Were a Longshot for the Postseason at the NHL Trade Deadline As of March 18th, the Flyers only had an estimated 3.
8% chance of even making the postseason. Reporters couldn’t help pointing out the irony of how he had been traded to a Stanley Cup-contending team by a team they will now face in the second round of the playoffs. “If you were to ask me that question on trade deadline, I would have never thought this was going to happen, but good on them,” he said in response.
“I think we’ve got business to do here, and I’m on this side now. ” “Obviously, I had kind of a weird season there,” Deslauriers said, reflecting on the team he had played for less than two months ago. “We were testing a lot of young guys at the start of the year, and I didn’t play much there – but, you know, just try to bring the good attitude off the ice.
“But at one point, for me and my career, I wanted a change. And I’m happy they gave it to me. And I’m here now.