There are many questions surrounding the Carolina Hurricanes after an offseason that saw a ton of departures and arrivals. Now is the perfect time to address some of your burning questions, heading into a season with the most uncertainty about the team since the pre-COVID era.
With what appears to be a doubled down stance on defensive hockey, why have the Canes not invested in a true No. 1 goaltender? Or are all the hopes that Kochetkov can be that guy? – @mandrewwood
That’s a great question, and we have to dig deep to find a suitable answer. My outlook is this — considering the goaltending carousel around the NHL this summer, who are the “true No. 1″ players? Linus Ullmark is entering the last season of his contract, and Jacob Markstrom is about to turn 35 with a combined .899 save percentage over the past two seasons. The top netminders that most teams are searching for were not available.
This season will be massive for determining the Hurricanes’ future in the crease. Pyotr Kochetkov, 25, is entering his prime and has earned the right to prove he can be a long-term solution. Meanwhile, Frederik Andersen is about to turn 35 and, despite missing large chunks of the 2023-24 season, remained the first-choice goaltender in the playoffs. He’s also entering the final year of his contract, so the time is now for Kochetkov to take the reins. If neither player emerges, then the organization will have to re-evaluate the position next summer and see what’s available on the open market.
When Nikishin comes over, will he eventually make 10+ mill on his next contract? – @speedgoalie
I’m as big of a fan of Alexander Nikishin as anyone — but how about we wait and see him play an NHL game before we start discussing dollars! Of course, he’s an exceptional talent and should become a legitimate top-pairing defenseman when he arrives. Fans should be excited about him.
Q: Do you think any of the PTOs have a chance of getting contracts or is that more to be evaluated after the preseason games? Also if we don’t sign any PTOs, do you think we are gonna try to sign someone else with our remaining cap/LTIR? (assuming Fast will be on it eventually) – @caniacbarron
As far as the players on professional tryout contracts (PTOs) — notably Sam Gagner and Rocco Grimaldi — I’m torn. Grimaldi has been a top American Hockey League (AHL) scorer for the past three seasons, so it would make some sense to have him on a two-way deal. He could mentor some of the offensive prospects with the Chicago Wolves and be a potential call-up option with 203 NHL games under his belt.
Gagner is a bit of a different story. I don’t think he’ll make the NHL roster, and at age 35, does he have the appetite to play in the AHL? What would the odds of a call-up be? These are questions he would to have to answer himself, but I’d probably bet on him being cut loose after training camp.
As far as signing players — who? The list of free agents that remain available is paper thin, and those players are still available for a reason. I expect the Hurricanes will keep their cap space for some flexibility nearing the trade deadline – if they decide to use it. Beyond that, Skyler Brind’Amour, Rod’s son, is also in camp on a PTO. I suspect he’ll be on a two-way deal in Chicago or just strictly an AHL deal if the Hurricanes don’t want to commit to a contract slot. But I imagine he’ll be around.
Season points projection? – @DavidCBets
Being realistic, I’ve got the Hurricanes around the 97-102 point level. Considering the departures from last season’s roster, and the time it could take for the new players to adjust, I can’t see their 2023-24 point total of 111 being matched. I’m fairly certain that making the playoffs won’t be a problem, but I see both the New York Rangers and maybe the New Jersey Devils ahead of them in the Metropolitan Division.
Who are you hoping takes a big step up this year since so many left this offseason? PK? Nadeau? Necas? Jarvis? Someone else? – @peetree910
I think it needs to be Martin Nečas. Most people believed his breakout season was in 2022-23, when he led the team in scoring with 71 points and looked like he’d blossomed into a legitimate game-breaking talent. But last season’s regression has left more questions than answers pertaining to both his present and future with the club, and his detractors have written his breakout campaign off as a fluke.
I’m still high on the player and love his overall talent. There are few players that have the combination of speed and skill that Nečas does, so they’d better exhaust every option to get the best out of him before they consider moving on. He can be the most effective and most dynamic player on the ice. The biggest thing for him is to find that level of consistency that Brind’Amour is looking for in all facets of the game.
Related: Hurricanes’ Jesperi Kotkaniemi Is in Make-or-Break Mode for 2024-25
Is this a soft reset year? Still pushing for playoffs but they don’t seem to be a well positioned for a Cup run currently. The cap space seemingly gets better the following years. Trying to set expectations. – @6stings
It may be easy to consider it a “re-tool” season from the outside, but I doubt the team sees it that way. The culture that’s been established is very important, and the players that would be considered the “core” are still around. Of course, it’s difficult to expect immediate results with so many new faces learning the system, but I think the team still has enough talent to make a run at it. It may not be pretty or a finished product on opening night, and things can always fall off the rails, but I have faith in the leaders of the program and the talent on the ice.
What needs to happen for Chatty to take it to next level? – @JasonMoore91015
I think we’ve pretty much already seen Jalen Chatfield at his best. At 28, I would consider him a finished product in terms of his ability. He’s a fantastic skater with the pace to make up ground when caught out of position and can skate the puck out of trouble. He’s got good length and leveraging of his size, as he uses his frame to separate attackers from the puck. His positioning and on-ice IQ are there. He’s stable and brings a calming presence to the ice. He’s not dynamic as an offensive threat, but good enough to hold the line, play the cycle, and get pucks toward the net.
Where I think we’ll see a step forward is in Chatfield’s role, where he’ll surely be a more situational player with Brett Pesce and Brady Skjei gone. He’ll play a ton on the penalty kill and will be heavily relied on late in games when the ‘Canes have the lead. He averaged 15:12 of ice time per game in 2023-24 — and I would not be surprised to see him approach the 20-minute level this season. He can be a rock beside either Dmitry Orlov or Shayne Gostisbehere and allow those players to play their game freely and jump into the rush. I would also not be surprised if Chatfield emerges as one of the key defensive players on the team moving forward.
Thanks to all the Hurricanes fans on X who submitted their questions for this Mailbag. I love interacting with you all, so I hope to do one of these monthly when the season starts. Let’s hope for another fantastic year of ‘Canes hockey!
