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The NHL is coming off its first day with no games until Christmas Eve but 30 of the 332 teams are in action on Friday. The Boston Bruins and reigning Stanley Cup champion Vegas Golden Knights are...
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Carolina won its second straight Metropolitan Division title last season and posted 113 points –three shy of the franchise record of 116– in 2021-22.
The Hurricanes won two rounds in the playoffs before running into the red-hot Florida Panthers, who eliminated them in four games. Carolina lost each of those contests by one goal – two of them in overtime.
Carolina was second in the league in goals-against per game (2.56) and penalty-killing percentage (84.4) while allowing the least shots (26.0).
Martin Necas led the team with 71 points, but the Hurricanes were just 15th in scoring (3.20).
Carolina aimed to get a little meaner while adding a two-way, top-four defenseman and was pleased with the results.
The Hurricanes signed instigator Michael Bunting, who had 23 goals in each of the last two seasons with Toronto, to add to their top nine forwards. In addition, they brought talented defenseman Dmitry Orlov in to add to an already solid defense.
Carolina also made a deal to bring back offensive defenseman Tony DeAngelo, who had 51 points and a +30 rating with the Hurricanes in 2021-22 before leaving for Philadelphia as a free agent. Fourth-line forward Brendan Lemieux was also signed to add toughness.
The Hurricanes did not lose anyone significant, although the experience of forwards Paul Stastny and Derek Stepan may be missed.
Stastny had nine goals in the regular season and four in the playoffs, including the overtime winner against the New York Islanders that sent the Hurricanes to the second round. Stepan had five goals in the regular season and assisted on Stastny’s winning goal.
Forward Jesse Puljujarvi, who never made an impact after being acquired from Edmonton last season, and offensive defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere were also let go. Third-pair defenseman Calvin De Haan signed with Tampa Bay.
Rod Brind’Amour has established himself as a solid NHL coach after a career in which he recorded 1,184 points in 1,484 games, including a Stanley Cup with the Hurricanes in 2006.
Brind’Amour is 226-107-37 as Carolina coach (32-31 playoffs), winning at least one playoff round (expanded format in 2020) in each of his five seasons and taking the Hurricanes to the Eastern Conference final twice.
The 53-year-old won the Jack Adams Award in 2021 and is the favorite in our NHL odds (+600) to win in 2024. He is not going anywhere.
The Hurricanes were not far away from a trip to the Cup finals last season, and the team’s brass made every effort to bring the same group back.
Carolina signed veteran forwards Jordan Staal and Jesper Fast while pulling back both goalies – Fredrik Andersen and Antti Raanta – into the fold. All four looked like they may go elsewhere.
The defense should always make the under a good bet at the sportsbook with Brent Burns, Jaccob Slavin, Brett Pesce, Brady Skjei, and Orlov, among others. Pyotr Kochetkov, who is tied with Andersen at +4000 in the Las Vegas odds to win the Vezina Trophy, gives the Canes three capable netminders.
The key for Carolina will be scoring. Having Andrei Svechnikov back will be a huge boost after the Russian sharpshooter missed the final month of the regular season and the playoffs due to a knee injury. Bunting should stir things up and more will be expected of Seth Jarvis (39 points last season).
The Hurricanes will be in the mix for the Stanley Cup at +1000 in the Las Vegas hockey odds. You just wonder if they have what it takes to knock down the wall to their full potential. Our NHL prediction is a second-round exit.
Burns looked young again last season while registering 61 points (most since 2018-19) and 18 goals (most since 2016-17), but he will turn 39 next March and father time might get to him.
The right-handed defenseman, +5000 in our NHL betting lines for the Norris Trophy – is still a factor. But with the arrival of Orlov, his time on the ice may dip just a bit from the 23:12 he averaged last season. We expect him to be in the upper 40s in points.
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The Hurricanes won the Cup in 2006, edging the Edmonton Oilers four games to three after losing to the Detroit Red Wings 4-1 in the 2002 finals.
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Aho’s numbers dipped a little after his 81-point effort in 2021-22, but he still scored 36 goals and assisted on another 31 in 75 games last season.
Now the 26-year-old center is armed with a new eight-year extension worth $78 million, which begins next season, so he’ll begin living up to that as one of the faces of the franchise.
Aho’s over/under for points in the Las Vegas hockey odds is 72½, and he should easily eclipse that if healthy.
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No. The Hartford Whalers joined the NHL from the World Hockey Association in 1979-80 and went 1-7 in eight playoff series before moving to North Carolina to become the Hurricanes in 1997-98.
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