RALEIGH, N.C. -- A young group of quickly maturing defensemen nearly pushed the Carolina Hurricanes into the playoffs last season. Now theyre hoping for a similar boost at the other end of the rink.The Hurricanes rebuilding project could take another step forward -- perhaps even back to the postseason for the first time since 2009 -- if their inexperienced forwards can play older than their ages. Among the young new faces who could play key roles on offense are 19-year-old Sebastian Aho and 22-year-old Teuvo Teravainen.If they can kind of jump in like those young (defensemen) jumped in, veteran defenseman Ron Hainsey said, the skys the limit.The storyline of last season was how that group of fresh-faced defensemen -- led by Brett Pesce, Jaccob Slavin and Noah Hanifin -- stepped up while the team continued its patient rebuild and dealt face-of-the-franchise Eric Staal at the trade deadline.The Hurricanes earned points in 12 of the first 14 games after the deadline to make a push to end the Eastern Conferences longest active postseason drought, but ultimately finished 10 points behind eighth-seeded Philadelphia.Carolina hopes all those young legs translate into playing at a faster pace.Thats the idea -- not only (skating speed) but puck speed, veteran forward Jordan Staal said. Just moving the puck, finding the right guy, working as a unit on the ice, and doing those things makes the game that much faster.Some things to know about the 2016-17 Carolina Hurricanes:WELCOME BACKThe Hurricanes will have a familiar look in goal: Cam Ward is staying with the team he led to the Stanley Cup in 2006 after signing a two-year deal worth a total of $6.6 million, $200,000 less than he made in 2015-16. Carolina also brought back 35-year-old Michael Leighton, who played with the Hurricanes from 2007-10, to join Eddie Lack in whats suddenly a crowded goalies crease.OVERTIME WOESCarolina led the league with 16 losses in either overtime or the shootout last season, and their 2-5 record in shootouts was one of the worst in the league. That only underscores the thin line between making and missing the postseason, Hainsey said, because if seven of those (OT losses) go your way, youre a playoff team.START FASTERA big reason for the Hurricanes playoff drought has been their slow starts. Carolina won just eight of its first 25 games in 2015-16, and the year before was just 10-23-4 in the first three months. The Hurricanes open the season with six straight road games before the home opener Oct. 28 against the New York Rangers, and cant afford to stumble.NO CAPTAINThe Hurricanes did not select a captain to replace Eric Staal after his trade to the Rangers, and the message has been clear: You dont need to wear a letter to be a leader. Defenseman Justin Faulk and Jordan Staal continued to wear the A as alternate captains in Erics absence, and the team is counting on those two, plus Hainsey, former rookie of the year Jeff Skinner and new addition Lee Stempniak to lead either vocally or by example. Fake Yeezy For Sale . -- Lou Brocks shoulder-to-shoulder collision with Bill Freehan during the 1968 World Series and Pete Roses bruising hit on Ray Fosse in the 1970 All-Star game could become relics of baseball history, like the dead-ball era. Fake Yeezy Website . The Americans, skipped by John Shuster, seized the advantage in the eighth end by scoring five points for a 7-3 lead. The Czechs pulled two back in the ninth, but Shusters team of third Jeff Isaacson, second Jared Zezel and lead John Landsteiner ended with another point to secure the last Olympic berth on offer. http://www.fakeyeezychina.com/ . World champions Tatiana Volosozhar and Maxim Trankov of Russia won the gold medal with 237.71 points, Moore-Towers and Moscovitch followed at 208.45 and Ksenia Stolbova and Fedor Klimov of Russia were third at 187. AAA Yeezy . That gave fans outside Joe Louis Arena another chance to ask for autographs from the 19-year-old whose stardom in the NHL has arrived earlier than most expected. Fake Yeezys Online . -- Running backs Darren McFadden and Rashad Jennings were back at practice for the Oakland Raiders on Wednesday despite being hampered by hamstring injuries. CULLOWHEE, N.C. -- Tyrie Adams threw a 53-yard touchdown pass to Terryon Robinson with 54 seconds to play to lift Western Carolina to a 32-29 win over VMI on Saturday.The Catamounts (2-7, 1-6 Southern Conference) went 80 yards in five plays after Tahjai Watt blocked a 34-yard field goal attempt by Dillon Christopher of the Keydets (3-6, 1-5) with 1:37 left in the game.Adams completed four of five passes on the final possession and hit Spearman Robinson for a 2-point conversion.On the final possession, a Trey Morgan interception was wiped out by a peersonal foul penalty that moved the ball to midfield.dddddddddddd. Another penalty put the ball at the WCU 35, but on third down Morgan intercepted Austin Coulling again at the Catamounts 11 with 15 seconds to play.Adams finished 21 of 31 for 207 yards for Western Carolina and Detrez Newsome ran for 111 yards.Coulling was 18 of 25 for 261 yards but was intercepted three times. Daz Palmer ran for 136 yards and a touchdown. ' ' '