3 Biggest Needs for the Hurricanes This Offseason

We are just a few days away from July 1, when the NHL calendar turns over, and the frenzy of free agency begins. With a limited free agent class, teams that wish to improve must explore the trade market. The Carolina Hurricanes have shown they are completely comfortable working through the chaos of change to make deals. They’ve already made a splash with the acquisition of the UFA rights to John Carlson. So, where will the Hurricanes be looking to improve? How do the Stanley Cup Champions build upon a wonderful season?

Top-End Talent

Only three things are certain in life: death, taxes, and the Hurricanes needing top-end talent. It’s been a need for this organisation since the Ron Francis trade when they were the Hartford Whalers. Technically, every team is looking for more talent. Teams always want good players, but the Hurricanes’ need is so specific because it is the biggest issue on a team that just torched the NHL postseason with a 16-3 rampage to claim the Stanley Cup.

The feat that makes Carolina’s championship so special is its ultimate team performance. Carolina did not have a finalist for any award. They did not have a player in the top 24 in team scoring. What makes Carolina so unique is its depth. Four lines come over the boards, and each can contribute. Three defence pairings come over the boards, and in almost every game the Hurricanes play, the Carolina defence is the better unit of the two on the ice. It’s that total team effort every coach wants that makes Carolina special. Everyone contributes. Carolina’s top playoff producer, Jackson Blake, had 20 points in 19 games. Very impressive, but not star-level production, even if he can become one.

With all that said, if the Canes could find someone to plug into the way they play who could get elite production, it might be lights out for the remainder of the NHL. Yes, there are other great teams in the NHL. However, if the best team effort in recent memory is built upon by inserting genuine game-breaking talent into the Hurricanes’ lineup, the Hurricanes will have a great chance at defending their crown atop the NHL mountain.

The Goaltending Question

Goaltending has been a discussion around the Hurricanes ever since Cam Ward won that Conn Smythe in 2006. With Frederik Andersen on an expiring contract, Pyotr Kochetkov a wild card, and an undrafted free agent who the Canes gave an NHL debut in Brandon Bussi, the goaltending seems underwhelming for a Stanley Cup Contender. This is not to speak ill of the three netminders that guided the Hurricanes to the promised land, but if the Hurricanes are looking to improve, there’s a case to be made here.

A lot of questions were asked of the Hurricanes’ save percentages, both as a team and for the individual netminders. Here’s the problem: percentages are based on the total number of shots a team takes on said goalie. The Hurricanes frequently decide that their opponent is done getting shots. The Hurricanes held their opponent to 15 shots or fewer a whopping seven times this season. The next closest was a five-way tie with three games. Carolina can turn off the shots against, and that heavily impacts save percentage. We saw this both in Game 6 of the Cup Final and throughout the Eastern Conference Final. Carolina just decided that they were not giving up shots anymore.

A better way to gauge the Hurricanes’ goaltending is through goals saved above expected (GSAx). According to Moneypuck, Bussi had a GSAx of 2.8. Good, but ranked 27th among all goalies who played 30 games or more in the regular season. Andersen’s was a -3.3 and ranked 36th. Only 51 goalies meet the games played requirement, so there’s room for improvement, but it’s not a drastic need. Now, in the playoffs, Andersen’s GSAx jumps to +6, and Bussi, in just 4 games, had a 5.6 GSAx, so clearly these guys rose to the challenge.

So, is goaltending an urgent need? I’d argue statistically, it’s probably something the Hurricanes want to look at, but not as much as they want to add someone who can break tight games open for this franchise and give them an extra dimension they were lacking this season on their path to the Stanley Cup. If there is a goaltender in the mix, it could be great. A lot of people like the fit of Connor Hellebuyck after the Hurricanes supposedly made a trade offer for him, but Bussi has done extremely well for the Canes so far, so it’s hard to argue it’s an urgent need.

Premier Goal Scorer

You could justifiably put this under a need for top-end talent, but I don’t think this is the same. The Hurricanes need someone who will put the puck in the net. Only two teams scored more 5-on-5 goals per 60 minutes (GF/60) than the Hurricanes, but that’s not why they need this type of player. Carolina’s postseason GF/60 was 2.89, really good. Carolina’s expected goals for per 60 (xGF/60) was 3.09, according to Natural Stat Trick. The Hurricanes were still wasteful in their finishing, and it’s an area for improvement.

What separates this from a star player is it doesn’t need to be a 50-goal scorer. I think the Hurricanes would snap your hand off for a 50-goal guy, but adding someone who can overperform his expected goals total could cure a lot of the Hurricanes’ ills. The biggest part of the roster this archetype of player would help is the power play.

Carolina’s man advantage has had its issues for essentially the Hurricanes’ entire existence. It’s never been a consistently top-five unit, which contributes to the perceived Carolina scoring issues. Now, the power play woke up just in time to win the Stanley Cup, so it was working at the end of the season, but making another couple of additions with guys who can bury the puck could make a world of difference in the Hurricanes retaining the Stanley Cup they worked so hard to earn.

In terms of what lies ahead this summer, we’re getting closer to finding out. The Hurricanes love to make splashes and big moves, and the NHL as an entity seems to be in the midst of one of the craziest off-seasons we’ve seen in the cap era. Carolina will be patient, as they always are. The front office refuses to rush into decisions and is constantly monitoring everything. As the excitement continues to build, we must wait to find out what Eric Tulsky has in store for us.