It’s time!

For those expecting the next leg of my training camp preview, it will be up either later on Friday or sometime on Saturday.

Part 1 offered a lay of the land and the roster spots that could be in play.

Part 2 considered the practice groups and what it might say about Coach Bill Peters’ initial foray into building forward lines and defense pairings for opening night.

The Thursday Coffee Shop also has another great batch of thoughts on the lineup from Canes and Coffee readers.

Today’s Daily Cup of Joe goes off the ice and into the seats at PNC Arena on what I have always considered to be the first day of the new hockey season.

At 8:45am on Friday, the first of two practice groups will take to the ice to kick off the Carolina Hurricanes training camp for the 2017-18 season.

It’s time to dig your Hurricanes jersey out of the back of the closet or better yet pick up the newly-minuted 2017-18 edition that will be available at The Eye on Friday.

It’s time to dive into a new hockey season.

Despite the fact that recent years have seen more downs than ups for Hurricanes fans, it’s time to be optimistic and believe that anything is possible – because it is. The 2005-06 team that was picked unanimously to finish near the bottom of the NHL proved that.

It’s time also to just stop for a moment and relish the fact that we even have an NHL hockey team in Raleigh, North Carolina at all.

And despite the fact that such hopes have not been rewarded recently, it’s time to believe that this team can and will make a triumphant return to the playoffs and return Hurricanes hockey to its rightful place atop the local sports scene in April and May.

It’s time Caniacs!

Go Canes!