Hockey followers, we made it. It’s lastly October because the calendar flips to the place hockey video games formally rely. Relating to the Carolina Hurricanes, we’re solely 10 days away from their opening evening recreation on Friday, Oct. 11 vs the Tampa Bay Lightning. Whereas sights are nonetheless on coaching camps and the preseason, who’re the gamers that might escape for the workforce through the 2024-25 season? Whereas some will keep watch over Andrei Svechnikov having a comeback and even Seth Jarvis having a good greater season after a profession yr, these are three gamers who may fly beneath the radar and will have an impactful season for the Canes who look to make their seventh straight playoff look.
Jack Drury
The 2024 summer time has been one which ahead Jack Drury will keep in mind for a very long time. July 17 noticed him signal a two-year extension for $1.725 million per season that runs by means of 2025-26 the place he turns into a restricted free agent (RFA) at 26 years previous. Final season, he had a profession yr setting new highs in video games performed (74), targets (eight), assists (19), factors (27), power-play targets (two) and power-play factors (seven). It was greater than definitely worth the extension for the man who the Hurricanes took forty second total within the 2018 NHL Entry Draft.
Whereas he appears to be slotted on the fourth-line one once more on opening evening, Drury appears to be the primary driver on that line which may embrace Tyson Jost or Eric Robinson on his proper facet and Brendan Lemieux on his left. Nonetheless, if Jackson Blake retains his present kind going, we may see the 2024 Hobey Baker finalist on that line with the Harvard product.
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Common supervisor Eric Tulsky noticed the expansion in Drury final season and it was a no brainer to convey again the New York native. After the information of the workforce extending him, Tulsky said, “Jack took super steps final season to solidify himself as a key a part of our ahead group. He’s a particularly arduous employee at each ends of the ice who may be relied upon in all conditions, and we’re excited to look at his continued development in Carolina.”
That’s some excessive reward from the group that has invested a whole lot of time into Drury. He has confirmed that he can transfer effectively with the puck and push the play in transition. Moreover, his underrated pace can assist him acquire the sting on zone entries versus opposing defenses. It’s simple to see he has better-than-average puck contact and imaginative and prescient within the offensive zone. His hockey IQ must be given extra credit score than it does by the way in which he can learn performs in transition and hold performs alive within the offensive zone. He has proven that he has the hockey sense for use in numerous roles for the Hurricanes in Rod Brind’Amour’s system when given an opportunity. He’s somebody who has a excessive compete degree and isn’t afraid to get bodily. Don’t be shocked if we get a minimum of 10 targets and 35 to 40 factors this season from Drury.
Sean Walker
We transfer over to the blue line as newcomer Sean Walker has appeared to slot in instantly since leaping on the ice in Raleigh. In his preseason debut within the Hurricanes’ 8-2 win on Friday, Sept. 27, he had a objective and two assists to have three factors within the recreation. It unofficially led the workforce in that recreation. Discuss a debut for the 29-year-old Keswick, ON native. Walker joined the Canes on July 1 after signing a five-year, $18 million deal that pays him $3.6 million yearly by means of the 2028-29 season.
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Walker completed the 2023-24 season with a career-high in targets (10) and factors (29) whereas tying his career-best in assists (19) cut up between the Philadelphia Flyers and Colorado Avalanche. Moreover, he had a plus-11 between the 2 groups which provides a breath of aid to the Canes fanbase as he’s somebody who performs stable protection whereas engaged on the offensive facet of his recreation.
Throughout the first week of coaching camp, Walks (Walker’s nickname from the workforce), has voiced how he’s already establishing chemistry along with his defensive companion Shayne Gostisbehere. He said, “We’ve been paired up collectively these first couple of days, so simply working by means of it, having that belief collectively and simply shopping for into the sport plan goes to essentially assist us achieve success. I feel bringing in Shayne and I – they simply need us to play our video games. They don’t need us to vary our id, simply be the gamers we may be on the market, persist with our robust belongings and purchase into the sport plan and I feel we’ll achieve success.”
What additionally has helped Walker get right into a groove early on in camp and the preseason is how Brind’Amour and his employees have been engaged on implementing methods that slot in effectively with participant sorts. “I feel all of the issues we’re engaged on proper now match my model of play,” mentioned Walker. “Rod’s been speaking about quick transitioning, placing the stress on them and taking it off us, and that’s been one thing I’ve been attempting to place into my recreation all through my profession. I feel I’ll simply match into the system rather well, so it’s been actually good thus far.”
If the three-point evening is any indication of one thing we may see from Walker in 2024-25 for the Canes, we may see the newcomer on the blue line have 12 to fifteen targets, 22 assists, and 34 to 37 factors. That being mentioned, a profession yr for Walks in yr one in Raleighwood?
Jordan Martinook
The ultimate piece is somebody that some wouldn’t think about for a “escape”, however hear me out right here. Jordan Martinook had a stable 2023-24 as an entire for the Hurricanes tallying 14 targets and 32 factors in 82 video games performed. It gave him back-to-back 30-plus level seasons in his profession. Nonetheless, he will probably be coming again for a tad over $3 million per season along with his new three-year extension and it’ll give him the sense of calm to not fear about going wherever anytime quickly. Total, that was an incredible deal for each side. There needed to be a solution to hold the glue of the workforce round as an alternate captain and a pacesetter of this workforce.
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When requested about Martinook, Tulsky went on to say, “Jordan is the center and soul of our workforce, and he has performed a pivotal function in altering the tradition right here over his six years as a Hurricane. He’s such a dependable presence for us each on and off the ice, and we’re thrilled to maintain him in Raleigh for years to return.” The Hurricanes saved a veteran of the workforce in a management function and Martinook stays in a spot that he’s referred to as residence for the reason that 2018-19 season.
If Martinook can carry the momentum from back-to-back 30-point seasons together with the benefit of being in Carolina for the subsequent three seasons, we may see an enormous yr for Marty. There’s a good probability that he may end the upcoming 2024-25 season with 17 targets, 20 assists, and 37 factors which might all be profession highs for the Brandon, Manitoba native.
Honorable Mentions
One in every of two honorable mentions is Jesperi Kotkaniemi who has been talked about a good quantity over the offseason. The sky is the restrict for Kotkaniemi as he has the potential to be the participant folks hoped he can be. If he begins the 2024-25 season like he did final October when the workforce was struggling, he may have an enormous bounce-back season and rating 40-plus factors for the Hurricanes once more. If he has constant linemates in Necas and whoever is within the second-line left-wing spot, he may also have a probability for a forty five to 50-point marketing campaign. Nonetheless, he can not have one other down season going into subsequent summer time.
The opposite one is Jack Roslovic who has seen a good quantity of first-line ice time with Jarvis and Sebastian Aho lately. Whereas he isn’t recognized for piling up factors all through a season, the 25-year-old Columbus, Ohio native joins the Hurricanes on a one-year, $2.8 million deal. He hopes to suit throughout the group that noticed many modifications over the offseason. One of many points of his recreation that may profit him and the workforce is his high-end pace. If he’s paired with Aho and Jarvis for almost all of the season, there’s a nice probability to see 15 targets, 25 assists, and 40 factors from him this upcoming season. Moreover, if he can obtain that, be assured there might be an extension with the Canes within the works if he can attain these marks in his first season with them.
Common Season Hockey Is Again, Quickly
Because it’s now October, the look forward to the common season is drawing to a detailed for the 2024 offseason. Whereas there have been many modifications for the Hurricanes over the summer time months, we’re near being carried out with speculating and simply watching hockey video games that matter within the standings. Congrats Caniacs and hockey followers, we made it to the most effective month of the yr.