FanHouse Keith Primeau

As a hockey fan, there are few things I enjoy more in sports than overtime in the playoffs. Actually, the only thing better than overtime hockey, for my money, is overtime hockey in a Game 7.

On Sunday, we were treated to a triple overtime thriller between the Anaheim Ducks and Detroit Red Wings, which ended when Todd Marchant beat Chris Osgood with a perfectly placed shot under the crossbar, tying the Western Conference semifinal at one game apiece. If some folks in the NHL -- or the media -- had their way, it might have ended far earlier, robbing us of the brilliant goaltending performances of Osgood and Jonas Hiller, and the drama of a game ending in triple overtime.

With the NHL playoffs just around the corner, FanHouse takes a look at some of the lesser-known teams that qualified. Friday's installment: the Carolina Hurricanes

When the Whalers left Hartford back in 1997 to become the Carolina Hurricanes, they left a lot of things behind: the best jerseys in the NHL, Brass Bonanza, and, perhaps, most importantly, a losing tradition. In their 18 seasons in Hartford, the Whalers qualified for the playoffs eight times, and only once advanced beyond the first round.

Since moving to Carolina, the team has played in the Stanley Cup Final twice (2002 and 2006) while ultimately winning it all during the 2005-06 campaign. Heading into the playoffs this year, the Hurricanes are one of the hottest teams in the NHL, steamrolling the opposition. So, who are these guys?

Keith Primeau played 15 seasons in the NHL, scoring 266 goals for the Detroit Red Wings, Hartford Whalers, Carolina Hurricanes and Philadelphia Flyers. He also suffered a number of concussions that ultimately cut his career short, forcing him to retire at the age of 34.

Primeau, now 37, recently told Sportsnet that he will be posthumously donating his brain to science. Actually, he'll be donating it to the Sports Lecacy Institute so they can continue their study on the effects of concussions and brain injuries.