The 2007 off-season was quite a busy one for the Carolina Hurricanes National Hockey League (NHL) franchise.

At the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, the 2006 Stanley Cup champions had five picks in total, including the highly-rated pick number 11, center/wing Brandon Sutter.

The Hurricanes picked up free agents Wade Brookbank, Jeff Hamilton and David Tanabe, whilst trading to acquire Michael Leighton and Matt Cullen.

To add to the undoubted talent of such players as team captain Rod Brind'Amour, Eric Staal and Ray Whitney, the Hurricanes were expected to figure in playoff contention upon entering season 2007-08.

The first month of the season showcased a lot of what Carolina has to offer, as they charged to seven straight unbeaten games, five of which were clean victories.

The Hurricanes finished the month with an impressive 7-3-3 record, and 17 points, and pundits were already talking up Carolina's playoff chances.

After winning four of their first five games of November, the Hurricanes had a season record of 11-4-3 and 25 points in a very impressive start to the season.

With all their stars firing, it appeared Carolina could do no wrong.

However, the Hurricanes stumbled in a major way, losing five of their next seven games, and finishing November with a 14-9-3 record, and 31 points.

December was a very poor month for Carolina, as they came right back to the field.

They could only manage five wins from 15 games, and finished 2007 with a much-less impressive record of 20-18-3 and 43 points.

The new year didn't improve for Carolina, as mid-month they dropped another four games in a row, and they were now very much back in the pack.

Carolina hit some semblance of form late in the month, winning four of their final five games for January, to finish the month with a 26-24-4 record and 56 points for the month.

Carolina dropped three of the first four games they played in February, and now they'd gone from playoff contenders to almost also-rans.

However, they recovered somewhat to go undefeated in seven of eight games, six of which were clean victories.

Finishing the month with a 33-29-5 record, and 71 points in total, had Carolina on the cusp of playoff contention, and they would need an excellent month in March to cement their claims as a playoff contender.

March was indeed a month that delivered for Carolina, as they began the month with five wins in a row, and ended up going an impressive 9-2-1 for the month, finishing the

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