It’s been over a month since the first roster projection for the Carolina Hurricanes, and tomorrow is the start of September, meaning that preseason hockey is only mere days away. That said, what could the projected roster and lines for the Hurricanes be after another month has come and gone?
Eyes Forward for the Hurricanes
Here are the projected lines for the Hurricanes:
| LW | C | RW |
|---|---|---|
| Nikolaj Ehlers | Sebastian Aho | Seth Jarvis |
| Andrei Svechnikov | Jesperi Kotkaniemi | Logan Stankoven |
| Jordan Martinook | Jordan Staal | Jackson Blake |
| Taylor Hall | Mark Jankowski | Eric Robinson |
| Tyson Jost | William Carrier |
As mentioned in the first roster projection and the Hurricanes’ season preview on The Hockey Writers YouTube channel, the biggest question for the team is who will be the second-line center. There have been suggestions that Seth Jarvis or Logan Stankoven might get a chance at the 2C spot during training camp and the preseason. However, on the latest Canes Corner with Adam Gold, head coach Rod Brind’Amour mentioned that he would consider moving Stankoven to center first over Jarvis, only if that is the route the Hurricanes go down. That gives a possible indication that Jesperi Kotkaniemi will get another shot at 2C to start the 2025-26 season.
Related: Carolina Hurricanes 2025-26 Roster Projection 1.0
If that is the case, to run it back with Kotkaniemi again, then there is a possibility of Jarvis and Stankoven being in the RW1 and RW2 spots within the top six. Stankoven did see some time with Jordan Staal and Jordan Martinook at the backend of the 2024-25 season and the 2025 Playoffs. However, he is someone who could benefit from a line where, if opposite of Andrei Svechnikov, he could see a boost in production in 2025-26. Stankoven tallied 14 goals and 38 points in 78 games last season, split between the Hurricanes and the Dallas Stars. After joining the Hurricanes, Stankoven had five goals and nine points in 19 games. He followed that up with five goals and eight points in the postseason.
Moving Stankoven up to the top six and playing alongside Svechnikov could see his numbers across the board see an increase. Furthermore, he would be given different assignments against opponents and a more offensive approach to the game. Instead of being with a more shutdown defensive unit like the Jordans, Stankoven could be used for the offensive prowess that he possesses. He can still forecheck and battle along the boards for the puck, but there could be more opportunities to drive the net and score goals.
That said, after playing a good bit of the season in the top six, Jackson Blake could be moved back into the bottom six again. However, he should be placed with the Jordans and grow the defensive side of his game. It has been shown in the past that when Brind’Amour and the staff place a young player with Martinook and Staal, their defensive side of the game improves. Jarvis played there a ton during his second season in the NHL (2022-23) and is now considered one of the best two-way, 200-foot players in the game. Stankoven even saw his defensive IQ increase last season during the small amount of time he had on the third line. If the Hurricanes want Stankoven or Blake as the RW2, there is a good chance that the other will be RW3 this upcoming season.
The ripple effect of Kotkaniemi also trickles onto the fourth line, where Mark Jankowski is the 4C, like he was when he joined the Hurricanes on trade deadline day. Jankowski tallied eight goals in 19 games, four of them coming on his first four shots with the team. Unless Kotkaniemi gets moved down, it only makes sense to see Jankowski being the 4C and flanked by Taylor Hall and Eric Robinson. Robinson and Hall both got contract extensions to stay with the team for at least the next three seasons. Hall did have some success in the top six for the Hurricanes, but if the team feels like they need Stankoven or Blake in the top six and Jarvis on the top line, Hall could be the odd man out.
However, pairing him with Robinson’s speed could be a sneaky fourth line with Jankowski centering the two this upcoming season. Of course, things could change between now and Opening Night. It will mainly come down to strategy and matchups, depending on how the team is playing and who their opponents are. When it comes to healthy scratches, William Carrier could be the odd man out, but he will get some ice time as well. Also, Tyson Jost showed last season that he could be relied upon if guys are injured or need a rest, as he fit within the system well. Jost could be a solid 13th or 14th forward and the fifth center in the depth chart.
Hurricanes’ Defense
Compared to the Hurricanes’ Roster Projection 1.0, there aren’t too many changes when it comes to the defense and goaltending. The small changes are that K’Andre Miller slides up to the first defensive pairing and moves Jaccob Slavin over to his off-hand. Miller learning the system from Slavin will give the former more confidence as the 2025-26 season progresses, especially when learning from the best defensive defenseman in the NHL. Out of Slavin and Shayne Gostisbehere, who could play on their offside, Slavin could be the best candidate to do so. It allows Alexander Nikishin to be more offensively minded when paired with Jalen Chatfield. Chatfield’s speed and two-way game can cover for the young Russian, who will still be learning the Hurricanes’ system in his first full season with the team.
| LD | RD | G |
|---|---|---|
| K’Andre Miller | Jaccob Slavin | Pyotr Kochetkov |
| Alexander Nikishin | Jalen Chatfield | Frederik Andersen |
| Shayne Gostisbehere | Sean Walker | |
| Mike Reilly |
Giving Miller and Nikishin time to learn from Slavin and Chatfield will leave the third defensive pairing the same this upcoming season. During the 2024-25 season, Gostisbehere and Sean Walker grew as a defensive pair. Having them as the third pair shows the depth of the defense for the Hurricanes.
Related: 5 Best Carolina Hurricanes Players for 2025-26
When it comes to goaltending, nothing changes except that the Hurricanes start the season with Pyotr Kochetkov, as the hope is that he becomes the team’s 1A for the next few seasons. Frederik Andersen is coming back for another season after the Hurricanes gave him a one-year extension following their second-round win in the playoffs against the Washington Capitals. Regarding their depth, they will still have Cayden Primeau and Amir Miftakov be their third and fourth-string netminders, who will start 2025-26 with the Chicago Wolves.
The Hurricanes still have $10.64 million in cap space heading into the 2025-26 season. Unless something happens between now and Oct. 9, there is a solid chance it’ll be the same come Opening Night. The Hurricanes are a team that makes more of their splash moves in the offseason. However, they did swing for the fences twice during the 2024-25 season. Could we see them do so again as we get closer to the trade deadline, or maybe before that? Only time will tell. Either way, it’ll be interesting to see how the roster construction plays out for the Hurricanes in the lead-up to the start of the season in 39 days.
