The Carolina Hurricanes are looking to make some noise this year. With their sights set high…..very high….they need everyone on the roster to contribute. This goes from goaltending all the way through the defence and up to the top forward line. While the season started rocky, Carolina has started to find their game lately. The top line of Andrei Svechnikov, Sebastian Aho, and Teuvo Teravainen (nicknamed the “SAT” line) has been leading the way while both sides of their special teams are on fire. But a big contributor to the team starting to find some consistency this season has been the progression of their fourth-line centre Jack Drury.
Jack Drury Finds the Hurricanes from NHL Lineage
Jack Drury is actually in his second NHL season with the Hurricanes. But last year was more of an up-and-down season between the AHL and NHL. Drafted in the second round of the 2018 NHL Draft (the Hurricanes second pick after taking Andrei Svechnikov second overall), Drury started out his draft plus one year at Harvard as a freshman. The son of former NHLer Ted Drury, and nephew of current New York Rangers GM Chris Drury, Jack fit the mould of a very responsible and hard-working two-way centre.
After two good seasons at Harvard, Drury took his skills over to Vaxjo of the Swedish Hockey League. There he helped the Lakers win the SHL Championship and scored the SHL Championship clinching goal. He also suited up for the United States at the World Championships that year. Next, he came back over to the USA and played for the AHL’s Chicago Wolves, helping them win the Calder Cup. He also had his first two NHL games that season, scoring two goals. Then last year, he split his time almost equally between the NHL and AHL and served as an alternate captain for the Wolves. In 38 NHL games last season, he scored two goals with six assists. He also got in a few playoff games with Svechnikov and Teravainen missing time.
Return of the Jack
But now this season, Drury has already met his NHL game total from last year. And his points? Well, he has six goals and ten assists while predominately centring the fourth line.
Because of his solid play, Brind’Amour has shown faith in Drury and given him power play time where he has one goal and three assists. His sole power play goal showed a lot of confidence as he ripped a shot past one of the top goalies in the league in Igor Shesterkin.
Jack Drury gets the scoring started on the power play ? pic.twitter.com/U2bZVVuyEc
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) January 3, 2024
Most of Drury’s production has come in the last one-third of this season as Drury has really started to heat up. Is it a coincidence that this coincides with Carolina’s pick up in play? Is it Drury helping push Carolina or Carolina pulling Jack? Based on his play, I’d argue the former.
A Perfect Piece for Rod Brind’Amour
The offensive production on the stat sheet has been great to see for Drury. He has been the subject of a lot of trade speculation for a few years, even to the point of him reportedly asking for a trade last year. But Drury has always been a Brind’Amour-type player. And he has had success everywhere he has played. He just needed to figure out how to translate it to the NHL consistently. And he is finally getting rewarded.
A Two-Way Weapon
Drury works as hard as anyone and isn’t afraid to battle in the corners on the forecheck. He also is very positionally sound as he thinks the game at a fairly high level. He is 52.6% in the faceoff circle with a team-low 1.93 expected goals against per 60 minutes. In addition, his on-ice goal differential of 11 is pretty good compared to his expected goal differential of 4.7. Not to mention he has no problem throwing a hit or two at times.
Jack Drury! 😳
Maple Leafs defenseman Jake McCabe had his head down carrying the puck through the neutral zone and Carolina’s #18 caught him. pic.twitter.com/YwM7FD9fTK
— Walt Ruff (@WaltRuff) December 31, 2023
Walking the Line
Spending a lot of time with Stefan Noesen has paid off for the young centre as well. The two have shown some real chemistry with a knack for finding each other for good scoring attempts. This usually revolves around one or the other winning the puck down low and finding the other in front of the net for the one-timer.
Stefan Noesen makes no mistake off the feed from Jack Drury! 🌪️ pic.twitter.com/jUvCpl9T5r
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) November 25, 2023
In fact, for lines playing at least 50 minutes this year for Carolina, Drury and Noesen have always played together. For both of those lines, they have been in the top four of ten lines in expected goal percentage. Additionally, those two lines are the lowest in expected goals against and the only lines to have under two in that category. Needless to say, Noesen and Drury are both picking it up individually and together.
Working and Producing
Jack Drury being in the top five of the team in Corsi and Fenwick this season with both over 60% as well as having a positive 1.4 goals scored above expected shows that Drury is both doing things right and getting results. And you can see that in his game on the ice. Is he competing with Auston Matthews for the league lead in goals? No. But is he providing Carolina with a versatile fourth-line centre who contributes in many ways? Absolutely.
Looking Down the Road
Drury’s emergence this season is certainly helping Carolina find their game. Any successful team is going to have strength down the middle and Drury’s progression has him anchoring the fourth line. Then you throw in the fact that he is working on the hot power play, and you have a versatile piece at an affordable price (being on his entry level deal). Hopefully, he can keep up the consistency but as a bottom-six forward, he just needs to keep producing decently while maintaining his strong two-way play to help the team. Right now he is helping the team win.
Drury’s Value Sticking Around
It is important to remember that Drury is still only 23 years old. He is not at the same level as Svechnikov, who is the same age, but he provides a piece to the team that is greatly welcomed. At a younger age, he still has room to improve down the road as well. He already could handle a third-line centre role on many teams. And that is likely his ceiling, albeit a good third-line centre. However, since we are talking about humans, progression is not a specific linear formula. Drury has no problem working to improve so holding onto him may lead to a bigger role on the team than expected. Not to mention he fits Brind’Amour’s system very well.
You Have to Give Value to Get Value
But after this season, Jack Drury will be a RFA with arbitration rights. While Carolina still has control over Drury with him being a RFA, and even with this improvement he won’t likely demand too high of a contract, it may play a part in the decision to trade him, if that comes to be. This is not a player Carolina should be looking to get rid of, nor should they really be shopping him based on his play and progression. But it is a player that may be part of a larger trade should Carolina look to bring in a significant piece. You’d hate to see him go but hockey is a business and to get value you have to give value. Whatever his future holds, Drury is growing into a full-time NHL player.
Main Photo Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
