The 2025-26 season has been an interesting one for the Carolina Hurricanes. While they sit at the top of the Eastern Conference with 47 points, tied with the Detroit Red Wings, they’ve also been dealing with the injury bug. After missing Jaccob Slavin for 30 games due to a lower-body injury, he played for a couple of games before being placed on injury reserve (IR) again. Now, they’re without their leading goalscorer, Seth Jarvis.
If the Hurricanes want to snap their three-game losing streak tonight against the Red Wings, they’ll need a full team effort to get it done. Moreover, they’ll need the depth of their lineup to pick up the slack with Jarvis out still due to injury.
Jarvis Being Missed in Lineup
Jarvis, in 34 games, has scored 19 goals this season, six more than linemate Sebastian Aho. Without him in the lineup, it’s being felt by the Hurricanes, who’ve lost three straight games after being up by multiple goals. They’re in for a test on Saturday night (Dec. 27) as they take on the Red Wings, with whom they’re tied at the top of the Eastern Conference with 47 points. Whoever wins will take sole possession of first place with 49 points.
While it’s still too early in the season to talk about “must-win games”, this one is important for the Hurricanes to turn their current form around. They’ve been outscored 14-9 in their three-game losing streak, after being up 2-0 or 3-0. They’ll need to play a complete 60-minute game to get back in the win column.
Related: Seth Jarvis’ Early-Season Impact Will Be a Catalyst for Hurricanes’ Success
There were updates from the Saturday morning skate for the Hurricanes, as Jordan Martinook and William Carrier will be back in the lineup tonight. Both guys missed the last couple of games due to injury or illness. The game on Dec. 23 saw the Hurricanes play with 11 forwards and seven defensemen. Now, they will have a full lineup with some healthy scratches.
When glancing at the lines, Logan Stankoven will slot in Jarvis’ spot on the top line with Aho and Andrei Svechnikov, with Jesperi Kotkaniemi being the second line center. Before the recent three-game stretch, Stankoven has been the second-line center this season.
Could this possibly be a switch the Hurricanes are making to the center depth? If so, Stankoven will have an opportunity to settle back into the right wing with Jarvis out. He has six goals and 16 points in 36 games. The hope is that he can get back rolling like he was earlier this season.
The Hurricanes are hoping Jackson Blake continues his recent form of scoring goals, as he has 10 on the season, tied third on the team with Jordan Staal. He has two goals and four points in the last five games. Blake has been a boost in the top six in his sophomore season and is poised to set career highs in 2025-26. Blake will be with Kotknaniemi and Nikolaj Ehlers on the second line, wth Stankoven on the top line.
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Two other players, whom the Hurricanes hope to pick up more of the slack, are Svechnikov and Ehlers. Svechnikov is on a two-game goal streak, with nine goals on the season. Ehlers has eight goals, but hasn’t scored in five games.
If Ehlers can get rolling like he was earlier in December, that would be a huge boost overall for the team. Svechnikov has had an up-and-down season, with it going up in recent weeks for the most part. If he can help score goals on the top line with Aho while Jarvis is out, that could alleviate the pressure from the bottom six from pressing too hard.
It’ll be interesting to see how the Hurricanes will have to battle adversity again with injuries. They’ve navigated it earlier this season. However, they will have to do it without their top goalscorer. There is a fair amount at stake on Saturday night at the Lenovo Center as they look to get to 49 points and snap their losing streak. Can they get the job done?
