Happy Holiday hockey fans and, of course, Carolina Hurricanes fans. Christmas is right around the corner and people are still looking for those last-minute gifts. All around The Hockey Writers, we have been creating “Wish Lists” for particular teams as they hope for a better second half to the season. To get into the holiday spirit and join the other writers in this festive series, here’s a look at the Hurricanes’ Wish List for 2023-24.
Andrei Svechnikov Stays Healthy
The Hurricanes once again dealing with not having forward Andrei Svechnikov in the lineup due to an upper-body injury. He was ruled out for the Dec. 7 game against the Calgary Flames after he was cross-checked in the ribs by Winnipeg Jets defenseman Logan Stanley on Dec. 4. He has missed the last three games with no timetable for his return (he’s listed as day-to-day.)
He missed the first three games of the season, recovering from knee surgery he had in March. He has 11 points in 16 games, tallying one goal so far. To be without Svechnikov again puts the Hurricanes in a tough spot. The roster sits with 22 of 23 players, but they have no extra forwards on the healthy scratch list.
Related: How the Hurricanes Can Weather Andrei Svechnikov’s Injury
Against the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday, Dec. 12, the Hurricanes dressed 11 forwards and seven defensemen, leaving Brendan Lemieux as a healthy scratch. While that might work for a couple of games, the team will not want to do that on a long-term basis moving forward.
Whatever the case may be, the Hurricanes will need to keep Svechnikov healthy after he returns, or they will be forced to make a move. The goal is to win the Stanley Cup and to achieve that goal, the team needs Svechnikov in the lineup.
Pyotr Kochetkov Keeps the Swagger
When speaking about one Russian, you cannot forget about the other one. Coming into the Senators game on Dec. 12, Pyotr Kochetkov was looking to bounce back from a rough two-game stretch in Western Canada. In two games, he took both losses and only played 5:46 against the Edmonton Oilers on Dec. 6, allowing three goals on six shots before being pulled. However, during the Senators game, it seemed he had his swagger back.
During a Senators penalty shot, captain Brady Tkachuk skated toward the Hurricanes’ net with his head down. Kochetkov, seeing the opportunity, came out of the net to surprise him and poke-checked the puck away. What proceeded after cemented the fact that indeed, the Kochetkov Swagger is 100% back.
After the save, Kochetkov pounded his chest in celebration and then turned to look at Tkachuck, who was screaming at him. The two started to jaw at each other while being separated by all four officials on the ice. Hurricanes fans will remember when Kochetkov stood up to Boston Bruins forward, Brad Marchand, during the 2022 NHL Playoffs when the two squared up in Game 2 of round two.
What ensued was utter chaos as Tkachuk tried to get after Kochetkov and both players kept jawing at each other. What made the moment even better was that three officials had to hold Tkachuk back while Kochetkov was unfazed, talking to the lone official left. The Senators captain was given a 10-minute misconduct for his actions after the play.
The Hurricanes went on to win the game 4-1 to snap their four-game losing streak.
The Hurricanes are hoping Kochetkov can carry this momentum into the rest of the season as they are without Frederik Andersen for a while due to blood clots with no timeline for his return. This is the opportunity for him to cement his place as the team’s starting goaltender moving forward.
The 24-year-old netminder has a 5-6-1 record with a 2.93 goals-against average (GAA) and a .883 save percentage (SV%) in 13 games. His tandem partner Antti Raanta has been struggling, with a 6-5-0 record and a 3.40 GAA along with a .860 SV%, which gives Kochetkov that much more opportunity to see the net.
Related: Hurricanes’ Kochetkov Making Case For Starter Job
If he can keep up this swagger through December and into 2024, the Hurricanes could have a legitimate chance for a deep playoff run with Kochetkov is the main starter. With the Syracuse Crunch, he had a 3-0-0 record before getting called up earlier this season. The Hurricanes want to see the goalie that they drafted 36th overall in 2019. As long as he can play like he did versus the Senators, Carolina will be in a good spot in the net for a long time.
Hurricanes Playing Consistent Hockey
While it is awesome to see the Hurricanes win, they need to do it on a more consistent basis. Going into the Dec. 14 game versus the Detroit Red Wings, the team sits 15-12-1 with 31 points in 28 games. They are tied for fourth in the Metropolitan Division with the Washington Capitals and the New Jersey Devils, but the Capitals have three games in hand and the Devils have two.
However, the Hurricanes are only four points back of the New York Islanders, who’ve played 28 games with 35 points. There is a chance for the Hurricanes to go on a heater and catch the team from Long Island, or even just get into the third spot in the division over the Philadelphia Flyers (33 points after 28 games played).
After the win over the Senators, head coach Rod Brind’Amour stated, “I think we were just a little more dialled in… Our goalie was great tonight. In the third period, when the game was out of hand, we gave up too much, but he held us in there with some big saves. And then special teams were big. The penalty kill was huge. We took some bad penalties there. The power play was good too. All around, it was what we needed.”
It was a huge game for the team, and if they can build on it, who is to say that they won’t secure a playoff spot? The Hurricanes are tied for the last Wild Card spot, and they are only three points back of the first Wild Card spot held by the Detroit Red Wings. Dec. 14th’s game against the Red Wings will be huge, especially if the Hurricanes can get the win.
Related: It’s Time to Call Hurricanes’ Sebastian Aho a Superstar
Hurricanes’ alternate captain Sebastian Aho gave his thoughts after the win in Ottawa. “We just have to build off of this. We have to keep the special teams going,” he said. “Obviously, we’re not happy with how we’ve played lately, and this was definitely a step in the right direction. We’ve got to keep going.”
As stated before, if they can keep their foot on the gas and start collecting a long string of wins, there is a chance for the Hurricanes to cement themselves in the playoff picture and be the team that everyone predicted coming into the 2023-24 season.
Hurricanes Hoping for Presents Under the Tree
There could be more to add to the growing wish list for the Hurricanes but ultimately, these are the main ones that should be attainable for the rest of the season. If they can get Svechnikov to stay healthy more often and get Kochetkov to keep up his momentum and swagger, the Hurricanes will be in a good place moving forward.
Furthermore, if the Hurricanes can also play more consistent hockey that will be beneficial to a team considered a Stanley Cup contender entering this season. Only time will tell, but maybe the Hurricanes built up enough good graces to get the presents they want under their Christmas tree instead of coal other teams will get this season.
Happy Holidays, Caniacs.
