This story is part of ESPN The Magazines Oct. 31 NBA Preview Issue. Subscribe today!Carolina HurricanesOverall: 61 Title track: 37 Ownership: 99 Coaching: T47 Players: 85 Fan relations: 64 Affordability: 28 Stadium experience: 70 Bang for the buck: 42 Change from last year: +17After seven straight years of slipping in the rankings, Carolina managed an upward swing. The Hurricanes are still in the bottom third of the NHL, but they have a young core of players and a patient coach in Bill Peters, who helped the team to a 15-point improvement over his first season at the helm.Whats gdFew teams can offer the chance to watch as many young talents for as low a price as the Hurricanes. Nearly half of the roster is under 24, and the franchise moved up 27 spots in affordability, all the way to 28th overall. Throw in some well-priced concessions and pretty cheap parking, and thats an equation for success in these rankings. Fans are pretty optimistic about this group, t; Carolina is No. 37 in title track, and the numbers indicate most fans see a title (eventually) coming out of this rebuild.Whats badThe gd: owner Peter Karmanos Jr. offering Peters a three-year extension after his year-over-year improvement of the club. The bad: A lot else, including a 99th-place ranking in our standings. Karmanos is being sued by his sons after allegedly borrowing $343 million in trust fund money and using it to help pay for the Hurricanes from 2000 to 2013. The lawsuit doesnt bode well for a franchise that relies on that family fortune, and it also gave rise to fear of the franchise leaving Raleigh, which is a very real concern if Karmanos loses controlling interest of the team.Whats newThe team itself is getting along, at least. Peters (up 23 spots this year, to 47th) is emerging as a savvy leader for a group that continues to improve. Adding veteran talents like Bryan Bickell, Lee Stempniak and Viktor Stalberg will help, and 22-year-old Teuvo Teravainen is a solid addition as well (players, still at 85th, are at least up 18 spots, t). Keep in mind that this group nearly mounted a tremendous comeback last season, t. Carolina earned points in 13 of its 18 games following the March 1 trade deadline despite dealing team captain Eric Staal, who had been with the team for 12 seasons up to that point.Next: Minnesota Wild?| Full rankingsCheap Custom Giants Jersey . Westbrk has missed 27 games since having a procedure on Dec. 27 to deal with swelling in his injured right knee — the third operation on the knee in nine months. Cheap Giants Jerseys . You can watch the game live on TSN at 70pm et/40pm pt. The Flyers had won seven of eight before dropping their last two outings on consecutive days over the weekend. Philadelphia was handed a 6-3 loss by the visiting Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday afternn before dropping a 4-1 decision to the Rangers the following night in New York City. http://www.customgiantsjersey.com/custom-daniel-jones-jersey-large-73t.html . The catch: It needs a lot of money, and it needs it fast. Custom Daniel Jones Jersey . Kozun faked to the forehand and beat Monsters starter, Calvin Pickard, pad side in the second round for the winner. Spencer Abbott also scored in the shtout for the Marlies (25-13-4). Giants Jerseys ChinaINDIANAPOLIS -- Scott Tolzien and Stephen Morris std together in the corner of the end zone at Tuesdays practice.Suddenly, the two healthy Indianapolis Colts quarterbacks were the center of attention as they went through the routine of taking snaps and fine-tuning their ftwork. It may be the same way Thursday night.With Andrew Luck missing a second straight practice because he remains in the NFLs concussion protocol, Indy is preparing to dust off the backup plan for this weeks game against the Pittsburgh Steelers -- just in case.Last year we had musical chairs at the quarterback position and we were still able to win games, still able to play gd ftball and thats what we have to do now, linebacker DQwell Jackson said. Weve finally got some momentum and well be ready for this challenge.If Luck cant go, it wont be exactly like last season when the Colts (5-5) plugged in former Super Bowl starter Matt Hasselbeck.This time, coach Chuck Paganos options appear to be relying on the rarely used Tolzien, the never-used Morris, some combination of the two or perhaps even running back Frank Gore out of the wildcat formation.None are ideal for a team lking to build momentum and improve their playoff chances, but they wont have a choice if Luck isnt cleared Wednesday .Tolziens most extensive work came in 2013 when he was promoted from the Green Bay Packers practice squad to the active roster after Aaron Rodgers broke his collarbone.He was pressed into action when backup Seneca Wallace was injured and started the next two games before being benched. Tolzien has thrown just one regular-season pass since 2013.Morris hasnt even done that much.In his third season in the league, the former University of Miami starter has never appeared in a regular-season game -- even for last seasons quarterback-needy Colts.Heck, he hasnt even been promoted from the practice squad to the active roster yet.I think Scotts no different than Matt. Matt was here a longer period of time. So were going to do what we have to do to win the ftball game, Pagano said Tuesday.Scott knows the playbk, Stephen knows the playbk. SSo well do whats necessary and see how theyre going to play us.ddddddddddddagano certainly has shown he has a knack for adapting on the fly -- especially under seemingly impossible odds.When Luck missed nine games with multiple injuries last season, including the final seven games with a lacerated kidney and partially torn abdominal muscle, Indy won six.The first five came with Hasselbeck and Charlie Whitehurst at the helm. The sixth came courtesy of Josh Freeman and Ryan Lindley pairing up in the season finale, less than a week after joining the team.The circumstances were sometimes difficult.Hasselbecks second win came on a Thursday night at Houston and on a week he had been ill.But it was the Freeman-Lindley combo that really turned heads.Both were signed in the lead up to the season finale and with neither knowing the playbk, Pagano split up their duties. Freeman was instructed to learn the regular offense and handed the two-minute drill to Lindley.It worked perfectly as the Colts pulled out a 30-24 victory over Tennessee.But Pagano didnt drop any hints Tuesday about the Colts plans or even whether Luck had been ruled out.Still in the protocol, Pagano said, updating Lucks status before being asked about the plan without Luck. We have options.All the Colts can do now is get ready for Pittsburgh (5-5), hope Luck will be cleared and prepare like he wont.Its my job, Tolzien said. Maybe its a little bit different, but thats why you always try to prepare like a starter, no matter what, so that you are always ready to go and you dont have to be in panic mode if that happens.Game notesSafety Clayton Geathers (concussion) and cornerback Vontae Davis (ankle) also did not practice Tuesday. ... Defensive tackle Art Jones (knee and ankle), outside linebacker Robert Mathis (rest), cornerback Rashaan Melvin (back) and cornerback Patrick Robinson (groin) all were full participants at practice.---For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL ' ' '