Ever since Vincent Trocheck parted ways with the Carolina Hurricanes, they have not truly had a solid second line centre. At times others have taken that role and showed some promise. But none have truly grabbed that spot by the reigns. Sometimes, head coach Rod Brind’Amour deems his third line as his second with Jordan Staal manning the middle. Other times, the Hurricanes utilized players like Paul Stastny, Jack Drury and most recently Evgeny Kuznetsov to fit that role. The hope after Trocheck departed was to see Jesperi Kotkaniemi take over that role. This too has not come to fruition.
The Hurricanes Strength at Centre Will Need Some Hopes Come True
Barring some major trade, Carolina’s centre depth seems to be relying on a lot of hope for one or a few things to come true to carry some success. Yes, Sebastian Aho is the first line centre and there is really no question there. But after that, things get a little interesting.
The Bird Regaining Flight
While the Hurricanes made a big move to get Jake Guentzel at the trade deadline this past season, they also made a lower risk/high reward trade with the Washington Capitals. Carolina brought in centre Evgeny Kuznetsov in exchange for a 2025 third round draft pick. Washington retained 50% of Kuznetsov’s salary. Kuznetsov was a lifelong Cap who really solidified their depth down the middle, at times serving as the first- or second-line centre. He really excelled in the playoffs when Washington won the Stanley Cup in 2018.
But then Kuznetsov started slumping in Washington and got wrapped up in some unfortunate things off the ice. His arrival in Carolina seemed to breathe new life into him. He even expressed gratitude for a new chance. In 20 regular season games with Carolina, he only put up seven points. But in the playoffs he scored six points in ten games. While he showed a slight resurgence, there were still some questions on if he can get back closer to his previous form.
Based on past statistics and pure skill, Kuznetsov should be the team’s second line centre. You could argue he may be one of the most skilled players on the team. When Kuznetsov gets the puck, he has the ability to slow the play down and make seemless passes through tight gaps. But does this style work in Rod Brind’Amour’s fast forechecking game plan? Or does his line need to play a different way? While he doesn’t have to get back exactly to his prime, any resemblence of his prior self could provide that strength down the middle. But this is a question the team has high hopes for with little guarantee right now.
Kotkaniemi Filling Expectations
When the Hurricanes lost Trocheck, the plan seemed to be that Jesperi Kotkaniemi would take over as the second line centre. After a somewhat drama filled offer sheet worked to bring in the Finn, hopes were high. And have been every year since.
Kotkaniemi has shown that he has no issue working hard and playing responsibly defensively. Even analytically, he has been a good performer for the team. He was tenth in Corsi and eight in Fenwick last season, both at 59%, at 5v5 for players playing at least 100 minutes. Meanwhile, his expected goals percentage was at 59% at 5v5. But those are all great if you are simply looking at checking line stats. However, as the team’s second line centre, his 27 points in 79 games and -2 goals above expected simply won’t cut it. Especially for a team with Stanley Cup hopes.
What is unfortunate is that he started the season looking like it was going to be his year. He was driving the team’s offensive production while others were slow to get started. That is until about December of 2023. Then something happened and he just fell off of a cliff. At the end of the season and in the playoffs, he ultimately finished playing on the wing on the fourth line most of the time. It was another tough year for him.
But at 24 years old, is this the year that he finally takes a step forward to jump into this slot? While he is starting to look like he may be maxing out at a third line centre spot, Carolina would certainly love if he could rise up closer to their expectations. People develop at different rates as nothing is linear so maybe he is a late bloomer. But whether he is the 2c, 3c or 4c, Carolina is counting on Kotkaniemi coming back strong this season to strengthen the middle.
Drury Making Another Jump in Development
Jack Drury is another player who could fit in the second line centre role. Every season has seen the 24-year-old U.S. born forward progress in his NHL ability. This past season saw Drury suit up in 74 regular season games and score eight goals and 19 assists. For a chunk of the season, Drury, along with Stefan Noesen, were working together and putting up solid points in depth roles. He is a Brind’Amour player through and through as he plays hard, is a great two-way player, and is strong in the faceoff circle with 55.3% (second on the team).
Considering that this was Drury’s true full NHL season, people seem to forget that he is actually the same age as Kotkaniemi and Andrei Svechnikov. So while some common perception is that Dury may be the next man up, purely on age, he and Kotkaniemi are more or less the same. However, depending on what Drury’s next deal looks like, he is likely cheaper than Kotkaniemi. Which is why it is more palatable to put him in a 3c or 4c role.
But the other piece to Dury is that he keeps progressing every year while Kotkaniemi had a pretty decent slump this past year. So could Drury jump up and become the more permanent second line centre? He spent some time in that role this past season. Or will Drury need to stick to more of 3c or 4c role? Again, there is definitely a possibility that Drury progresses into this 2c role but it’ll take a little bit of a jump in production to get there.
Shadows of the Penguins Jordan Staal
Now, Jordan Staal is one of the longest tenured Canes on the team. He is the captain and is the guy Brind’Amour seems to count on. This is most clearly seen when deployed for key draws and matchups. Most know what Staal brings. A top faceoff performer, he also uses his big frame to protect the puck and force his way around the offensive zone. In the defensive zone he is a top two-way forward when it comes to defending other teams’ superstars. He was a finalist for the Selke Trophy this season.
In addition, he has anchored one of the best lines in the NHL in the last few seasons when it comes to advanced stats like expected goals and Corsi. His playing style and ability to bring a heavy forecheck every night is the quintessential Carolina Hurricane.
When he was with the Pittsburgh Penguins and helped them win a Cup, Staal was also a solid offensive producer. He put up a career high 50 points in the 2011-12 season after putting up 29 goals his rookie year. But he has not produced quite at those levels since. While he has had some good seasons in Carolina, he has certainly been more relied on as a defensive centre. Originally, the hope was that he would be the second line centre behind his brother, Eric Staal. Even though he has filled that role at times, it was more due to the team’s lack of depth at the time. But even recently, Brind’Amour seems to care less about line numbers after the first line and their respective playing times may not always be indicative of the line hierarchy.
A 50 point or 29 goal Staal, with his defensive abilities, could work to be the team’s second line centre. In game five of the second round of the playoffs against the New York Rangers he really showed his offensive skill. But can Staal, at age 35, actually get to those numbers? Can he play with more offensively skilled players successfully? He had some good work with Seth Jarvis last season. But players like Jarvis are likely better served playing with other higher skilled offensive forwards. It seems like Staal will remain the teams 3c but if nothing else works, the 3c may have to be the 2c.
Wild Cards Down the Middle
The final option is a collective group of “wild cards.” For starters, both Seth Jarvis and Martin Necas were drafted as centres but have been playing on the wing entirely since being in the NHL.
The Speedy Czech
Assuming Necas is with Carolina, is it time to try him in the second line centre role? His faceoff work hasn’t been the best but you can’t ignore his speed, skill and offensive ability. After a 71-point season in 2022-23, he put up 53 last year. Many see Necas as sometimes being a little careless with the puck or disappearing in the playoffs, but the reality is he is one of Carolina’s best offensive producers. Maybe at the centre role his line can operate to allow Necas to free flow a little more as he likes to do. It might take a whole different defensive scheme or the right players to understand their roles, but if you can unleash Necas to his full potential the results could be wild.
You’re Gonna Go Far Kid
Meanwhile, Jarvis had a career year with 33 goals this past season. He could be another option to provide an offensive spark down the middle. He too needs a new deal but seems to be a lock as a core piece in Carolina. His tenacity on the forecheck mixed with pure skill makes him an invaluable asset. But is he actually better served beside Sebastian Aho on the wing? You hate to fill one big hole and create another one.
The Other Suzuki
And while the second line centre role may not be a fit here, there is Ryan Suzuki. Most other “prospects” for Carolina are on the wing or defence. Except Suzuki. Suzuki is a former first round pick who has had a tough time jumping up to the NHL level due to team depth and unfortunate injury history. In the AHL he has had back-to-back 30+ point seasons playing around 50 games each. Noted for his vision and playmaking ability, is this the year that he jumps up to the NHL? If so, does Carolina build a depth scoring fourth line with Suzuki as the centre? At 23 years old, his time isn’t over to make it. But it is getting close to seeing whether he looks likely to do so.
More Questions than Answers
So as Carolina continues tinkering with its lineup this offseason, the centre position is one full of questions. After Aho, it seems like all bets are off. And this includes potentially bringing in another player. If just one of the possibilities above works out, Carolina could look at a strong 1c/2c. If not, it may be more of a 1c….3c/3c/4c type arrangement. There is certainly centre depth in quantity. But can Carolina find it in quality too?
Main Photo Credit: James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports
