As we are waiting on the tarmac to take off into the NHL regular season in a matter of days, the Carolina Hurricanes have the pieces to make a big Stanley Cup run. But that doesn’t mean the Hurricanes don’t have any potential areas for concern this upcoming season.
The Hurricanes Areas for Concern for the 2023-24 Season
For as strong as the Hurricanes are, in the post-salary cap era, it is almost impossible to build a flawless squad. You see teams appear almost dynastic for a few years, the latest being the Chicago Blackhawks, Pittsburgh Penguins and most recently Tampa Bay Lightning. But they too come back to earth. While they don’t have to be perfect to go all the way, there are a few possible chinks in the Hurricanes otherwise thick armour that could prove troublesome.
To get this out of the way first, let’s go ahead and establish that the Hurricanes likely won’t have concerns about the strength of their defence or its depth, their penalty kill, and even the general depth of their forward group as a whole. The goaltending situation is actually one that could swing either way as well (see below). So let’s dive in.
Jesperi Kotkaniemi as the Second Line Centre
Jesperi Kotkaniemi has become the proverbial punching bag of most pundits over the last few years. After the Hurricanes acquired him via offer sheet and then signed him to a long deal, he has found himself slotted in the second-line centre role behind fellow Finn Sebastian Aho. Critics have been hard on his production while many Hurricanes fans have come to his defence. The reality is both are probably both right and wrong.
In the second-line centre role, the Hurricanes want a player that can drive the play of that line, produce points and play responsible defence. There were rumours flying about who they may obtain to fit this role but it appears the team is trusting in Kotkaniemi. Last season was truly a tale of two cities for Kotkaniemi as his first-half production resembled a borderline fourth-liner while his second-half production was more appropriate for a good second-line centre. His playoff production cooled down too.
On the other hand, Martin Necas thrived last season spending much time on Kotkaniemi’s wing. Maybe it was simply Necas, but Kotkaniemi seemed to show decent chemistry with Necas and Andrei Svechnikov. Kotkaniemi doesn’t have to be a 50-goal scorer, but the team needs him to put up more than the 43 points he did last season.
At only 23 years old he still has room to improve. But the question here is about the Hurricanes second-line centre this upcoming season. He has the defensive ability the team likes. But if Kotkaniemi can build off of his second-half performance last year, and continue finding chemistry with Necas and a healthy Svechnikov (which is a Hurricanes area of concern itself), he could certainly fit what the team needs. If not, the team may look hard at a trade deadline acquisition for this role.
A Game-Changing Goal Scorer
It’s no secret that the ongoing thought amongst critics is that the Hurricanes do not score enough. Arguably, it’s not that they truly don’t score enough, but that they don’t score enough in comparison to their expected scoring and ability to drive play. But with that said, a lethal game-changing sniper who can fit into the system would certainly be a welcome addition. The biggest star up front is Aho. And he is a star with an ability at times to carry the team on his back. His competitiveness is undeniable. But he is not a true sniper. He led the team in goals last year with 36 goals and centred the first line. Nothing too shabby, but not a league leader in goals.
The Hurricanes operate under a “scoring by committee” approach and that is okay. That combined with a high level of production from their defence generally works. But at times they will need someone up front to be able to score goals when other tactics simply are running cold. This person could be internal. Could Svechnikov, Necas or Seth Jarvis take another step forward and explode in goal-scoring? Newcomer Michael Bunting should help in the goal-scoring department as well, but he likely won’t go much over 30. You look at what Matthew Tkachuk did against Carolina last postseason and hope to find someone who can do the same. Maybe the most likely answer is yet another step forward for Sebastian Aho…
The Power Play
Another Hurricanes area of concern that has haunted this team for multiple seasons is its overall lacklustre power play. At times it’ll click. But those times are somewhat limited. Last season the Hurricanes power play percentage of 19.8% placed them 20th in the league. Not bottom of the barrel but not where a top contending team would like to be. Especially in the playoffs when taking advantage of opportunities is paramount.
Their power play has mostly revolved around shots from the point and the dots while hoping for tips and rebounds. Bunting should help with this as he loves playing around the net. Additionally, the return of offensive defenceman Anthony DeAngelo and potentially the addition of Dmitry Orlov could provide more punch to the power play.
But the overall question is whether it’s the players or the system that causes the struggles. Will they adjust their system if the struggles continue? Or will the additional players click so that the system as is can thrive? This should be interesting to watch.
The Fourth Line Centre
While a solid fourth-line centre may not seem as impactful as a second-line centre, there is still a question mark there for the Hurricanes. Right now, Jack Drury seems like a likely candidate for the role. Other players such as Jordan Martinook have the ability to slide into that role, but Drury is a natural centre. Zach Aston-Reese is another interesting candidate to watch for if his current PTO turns into a contract. Again, he has spent time on the wing and at centre and provides a solid physical presence. Vasili Ponomaryov could also make a case for this role but as a younger player with no NHL experience, and currently a little banged up, this seems less likely at this time.
Of course, if the Hurricanes obtain a second-line centre there would likely be a trickle-down effect but that is hypothetical at this point. Drury has performed well in his small NHL stint and is responsible defensively. He is a hard worker and fits the Rod Brind’Amour style well. But for a team that wants to win now, is a more veteran presence preferred in that role?
A Wild Card – Goaltending
Goaltending could be a wild card for the Carolina Hurricanes this season. Largely, it should be an area of strength. For the third year in a row, the Hurricanes are rolling with the tandem of Antti Raanta and Frederik Andersen. And for the second year in a row, that tandem is complimented with the younger Pyotr Kochetkov. The Raanta Andersen combo has been very effective for Carolina as a 1A/1B model. A few years ago, they won the William Jennings Trophy. And last season, when injuries struck, Kochetkov carried the load. He even looked like an elite NHL goalie for a stretch.
But each goalie has an area that could give the Hurricanes cause for potential concern. Andersen and Raanta are both more than capable goalies, but given their history and both of their ages, they come with some injury risk. There is always an injury risk with any players but these two have a little more likelihood of missing some time. Managing their workload will be key to preventing injury. Meanwhile, Kochetkov is only 24 and injury concerns are not as big of an issue. But he is still fairly young in his NHL experience. Expectations are that he is ready to take a big step forward, but that doesn’t come without some risk. If injuries hit Andersen and Raanta, and Kochetkov struggles, that could be a challenge for Carolina.
The good news for Carolina is these areas of concern may not end up materializing. Ideally, if some of them do, their strengths can compensate. You can never look past the regular season, and Brind’Amour preaches winning the day, but this team is looking for playoff success. Fixing any issues before the playoffs will be a major focus.
Main Photo Credit: James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports
