RALEIGH, N.C. — The Hurricanes are just past the halfway point of the 2024-25 season with a 6-3 win over the visiting Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday, but it’s been full of ups and downs for Carolina, which is 25-15-2 so far. It was one year.
Let’s take a look at the Hurricanes roster and reveal the team’s regular performance over the first 42 games of the season.
One look at Aho’s numbers and they look similar to any of the past eight seasons. He is a player who drives possession and scores points per game. For the second year in a row, he’s also a key cog on Carolina’s very good power play. But Aho and his ever-changing linemates have struggled to outscore their opponents at even strength (28 goals in wins, 37 in losses), with the 27-year-old scoring just five goals on 5-on-5. I have only decided on a book. Aho is fine, but Carolina needs more from him.
At this point, Andersen’s four seasons in Raleigh are likely incomplete. He returned to practice Wednesday after being sidelined since late October with a knee injury that required surgical removal. Andersen has performed well in his first four starts of the season, but the question remains the same: Can the Great Dane stay healthy?
Blake, a Hobey Baker finalist at the University of North Dakota last year, made the transition to the NHL look almost effortless. It’s no wonder his rookie year had some ups and downs — he had seven goals and 10 points in his first 23 games, then two goals and one assist after scoring his fifth game-winning goal of the season on Thursday. – but he seems to have regained some of his jumping power after the Christmas break.
Barnes leads the team in ice time along with Jacob Slavin, but it’s clear he’s not the offensive force he once was. Although he has ceded the top power play spot at quarterback to Shayne Gostisbehere, he is still a key component of the league’s best penalty kill. For the second year in a row, his shot-through rate (the percentage of shots attempted on goal) has been below 40 percent. Never known for his physicality, Barnes has only eight hits this year, the fewest of any full-time defensive player in Carolina.
A career is truly a grinder. He fits perfectly into the Hurricanes’ stuffy checking line alongside Jordan Staal and Jordan Martinook, and his scoring numbers are about what you’d expect (4 goals, 9 points). His 136 hits rank tied for 10th in the NHL and are already the 15th most in a season in manager Rod Brind’Amour’s 6 1/2 years off the bench. Health has always been the biggest concern for his career, playing the first 39 games of the season before missing the last three.
Chatfield has taken on a bigger role this year, logging nearly 19 minutes a night, compared to 14-15 the previous two seasons, and has maintained that. Although he continues to pitch a bit aggressively (4 goals, 10 points), his value lies in his defensive ability, especially when speed and acceleration are needed. That has allowed Dmitry Orlov to be more involved in the attacking side, and despite the increased competition, the pair are winning almost every night.
Drury became one of the best shot-blocking forwards in hockey until he injured his hand short of a point shot on December 10 against San Jose, causing him to miss 10 games. He also excels at the faceoff dot, winning nearly 58% of his draws, ranking 11th in the league. Still, he needs to take more chances — his 6.7 shooting percentage is the worst of any Carolina forward who played in at least 100 games during Brind’Amour — and he needs to take more chances on the fourth line or higher. A central figure in his career so far who hasn’t proven himself as a player.
Shayne Gostisbehere: A minus
The team signed Gostisbehere to run the power play, and he did a great job of getting it done in his second stint in Carolina. His 27 points (18 of which came on the power play) are tied for 15th in the league despite missing the last seven games with an upper-body injury. The only drawback is his lack of performance at 5-on-5, where he has nine points.
Jarvis won’t discuss the upper-body injury that sidelined him for seven games earlier in the season, but all signs point to it being the same type of shoulder injury he suffered on much of last year. are. His numbers are similar to last season (2.7 points per 60 this year, 2.6 points per 60 last season) and he continues to be a defensive ace. But as with Aho, you can’t help but feel there’s still a level that No. 24 can reach this year – if his illness allows.
Jost was filling in for Drury before his injury, but he is best suited for his previous role as a No. 13/call-up forward. He scored two goals in 16 games and logged 10 minutes and 28 seconds per night.
With Andersen injured, Kochetkov had a chance to grab the No. 1 spot, but fell victim to the team’s inconsistency and his own mistakes. He deserves to be better, but he could be better. Starting the last few games has been encouraging, but with Andersen’s return looming, Kochetkov hasn’t been able to get the job.
Kotkaniemi has seen little production from his role as a second power play unit, trending toward around 40 points, but has yet to earn Bryn Amour’s trust as a full-time No. 2 center. do not have. He’s logged less than 14 minutes of ice time per game, but he still tends to have bad turnovers and isn’t as consistent physically as he could be. Kotkaniemi makes me want to spend many more nights there.
Jordan Martinuk: A minus
Martinuk is statistically on pace for a career year and is a staple on the penalty kill, limiting his penalties this year (6-42 games compared to his career average of 39 games per season). ). He’s still on a scoring streak, with 11 of his 20 points coming in 12 games from late October to mid-November, but every point is valuable considering his defensive contributions.
A month ago this would probably have been a plus-plus, but just as quickly as Necas finally “arrived,” he is once again perplexing observers with his inconsistency. He still leads the team with 48 points (though Aho is within five points), but he hasn’t scored from a goalie since Dec. 3. It’s also cool to wonder what his future holds in Raleigh, especially with Elias Pettersson. Rumors are swirling.
Dmitry Orlov: B-plus
Like Necas, Orlov came right out of the gate, racking up 14 points by the end of November. He scored 5 points in the best 18. Still, he and Chatfield have played bigger, tougher minutes and performed well, and Orlov’s physicality can give opponents pause when they’re about to swing their bodies around.
The Hurricanes couldn’t have asked for more from Robinson, who is a perfect fit in a fast-paced north-south game as he prepares for the biggest season of his eight-year career. Robinson had 10 goals and 21 points in 12 minutes per game, and Necas was at his best when playing opposite No. 50.
It’s easy to get carried away with Roslovic’s team-leading 17 goals, especially since his 16 goals are evenly matched. But Roslovic’s game also has some glaring defensive flaws, and he seems to only stand out when he scores. That being said, he deserves credit for excelling in hockey’s most important performance.
Jakob Slavin: B-minus
Slavin continues to be an elite defender, but even he has had some trouble playing alongside Barnes this year. Slavin also has the worst offensive performance of his career with two goals and 13 points. Slavin remains the team’s best penalty killer, averaging 2 minutes, 59 seconds per game on short shots this season. Since 2010-11, only six Hurricanes players have averaged three minutes per game over the course of a season.
Jordan Staal: B
Staal had just five goals before Thursday’s hat trick, but was still on pace to score more points than in any season under Brind’Amour. Carolina’s captain remains one of the best defensive forwards in hockey — just ask Evgeni Malkin if you don’t believe me — and is still the straw that stirs the drink on penalty kicks. It sets the tone for the work ethic. Does the coach rely on him a little too much sometimes? of course. However, the number 11 still has a lot to offer at the age of 36.
Svechnikov is Carolina’s most disappointing player. His goal Tuesday at Tampa Bay was his second 5-on-5 goal of the year, the same number as Jost and one less than Drury and his career. His eight power-play goals are tied for seventh in the NHL, but the Hurricanes need Svechnikov to be a star. The 24-year-old’s second half of the season will play a big role in determining Carolina’s fate.
It’s starting to fall into place for Walker, who has played better in Gostisbehere’s absence. Even if the numbers (two goals, nine points) don’t show it yet, he’s been working on his physicality before and after the whistle, making him more dangerous offensively. Like Barnes and Orlov before him, Walker seems to be getting more comfortable with Carolina’s system and could be primed to play alongside Slavin next year if Barnes goes on to college or retires.
(Photo: Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
