Back in early October, the THW Hurricanes staff at The Hockey Writers did the first edition of a Hurricanes Mailbag that featured questions from Carolina Hurricanes from X. So for the start of January, it felt like a good time for another edition of a THW Hurricanes Mailbag with questions once again from X that features everything from the trade deadline, goalies, prospects and so much more. Let’s dive into the burning questions from Hurricanes fans.
You Ask, We Answer
Do you have any insight into shooters the Canes are looking at bringing on board? My sense is that [Sebastian] Aho/[Andrei] Svechnikov are not enough to go all the way. – Dave Jonhson (@DaveJohCanesFan)/ZL29/Tommy Bennett
This is a question where it’ll be easier to group questions from Dave, ZL29, and Tommy Bennett, who all asked trade deadline questions.
When it comes to bringing guys onto the team per trade, the Hurricanes are in an interesting spot as a franchise. Per CapFriendly, they have $3.5 million in cap space with Frederik Andersen on LTIR still with the hope of returning in February. That being said, trading for a “scorer” is easier said and done with scoring being up around the league as it is right now. Players who are scoring at decent rates will probably not be traded away from teams that are on the fringe or in a playoff spot. Furthermore, who could the Hurricanes give up to get said scorer? Carolina is not willing to give up top-end prospects for possible rentals or give up draft capital as well. Tony DeAngelo has been on the trade block for a couple of months now and no team has shown interest in him.
Related: DeAngelo Growing Stale on Hurricanes’ Trade Block
ZL29 asked about Elias Lindholm being on the Hurricanes’ radar and if he could be a fit on the team. Honestly, if the Calgary Flames can retain half of his $4.85 million cap hit, maybe there is a chance to get him. However, where would he be placed on the lineup? The Hurricanes have a solid center depth that includes Sebastian Aho, Jesperi Kotkaniemi, Jordan Staal, and Jack Drury. In 41 games, so far in the 2023-24 season, Lindholm has eight goals and 26 points. Yes, the Flames have been struggling, but can Carolina afford to part ways with a prospect and picks or even an NHL-ready player and picks or any combination of the three? Plus, who comes out of the center spot to fit him in? Despite going cold over the last month due to roster blending, Kotkanimei has had a decent season so far for the Hurricanes.
While he does have nine goals and 17 points in 40 games, he has been asked to play more defensively this season for the Hurricanes. Furthermore, he has had different combinations of linemates, from Michael Bunting to Stefan Noesen and even Martin Necas. If he can get consistent linemates like he saw to start the season, he could be closer to 30 points, for the season. Head coach Rod Brind’Amour played him on the wing against the St. Louis Blues on Jan. 6, and it showed that he has to play the center spot. If he gets moved out of the second-line center spot and cannot play on the wing, that means Drury has to get moved as well from the 4C spot. Bringing on Lindholm does not help the Hurricanes in the center-depth aspect.
Tommy Bennett asked about what position the Hurricanes can look at for a possible trade if they do anything. Honestly, with how the power play humming, along at 40.4% since Dec. 1, along with the penalty kill being tops of the NHL at 92.7%, it’s hard to imagine Carolina making a move at the deadline. If they do make a move, it’s probably for a depth piece like last season. The only other possible option is getting a goaltender to pair with Pyotr Kochetkov, but that is slim with Andersen possibly coming back soon and with Antti Raanta being called back up recently.
At this point for Hurricanes fans, don’t expect much going on at the trade deadline unless it’s a surprise move by general manager Don Waddell and his staff. If it’s not broken, there is nothing to fix with the Hurricanes being on a six-game points streak after rattling off five straight wins to end 2023 and start 2024.
Will Kochetkov end the season as the Canes’ clear #1 goaltender? If so, do you think he’ll be able to level up his game for the playoffs? – Kathryn Bartlett (@GSF_Spanish)
This is an interesting question when it comes to the Hurricanes’ current state of affairs with their goaltenders. Andersen as stated earlier is possibly looking to come back in February, but that is not for certain. Raanta was reassigned to the Chicago Wolves and recently called back up to the Hurricanes. Also, Kochetkov has been playing stellar hockey since the Ottawa Senators game back on Dec. 12. As of right now, he has a chance to be the clear number-one goaltender for the Hurricanes if he keeps this current form going. Over his last 10 starts since the Senators game, Kochetkov has a record of 7-1-2 with a .931 save percentage (SV%) and a 1.90 goals against average (GAA) over that span.
Related: Hurricanes’ Kochetkov Making Case For Starter Job
When the Hurricanes needed some consistency in the net, Kochetkov stepped up in a big way. In the absence of Andersen, along with the Raanta situation, he has locked down the crease for Carolina, who went from sixth in the Metropolitan Division to being in second place with 49 points. They are five points back of the division-leading New York Rangers, who have 54.
When it comes to the playoffs, Kochetkov has only played in five games with a record of 1-3-0 and a .858 SV%, there is a good case to be made that he can step his game even further. He has already shown that his confidence is up, along with the numbers that he has been posting since mid-December. Kochetkov having a .931 SV% and a 1.90 GAA in the last 10 starts, gives a good indication that he isn’t being a fluky goalie who is getting lucky. His game is getting better with every start that he has in the NHL.
When even looking over his career, Koochetkov, in 49 games, has a record of 26-14-8 with a 2.46 GAA and a .903 SV% that includes a 3-0-0 start to his NHL tenure back in 2021-22. For the 2023-24 season, he is one win away from tying his career-high with 12 that he tallied during the 2022-23 season in 24 games. He has won 11 in 22 games so far this season. When it’s said and done at the end of the season, Kochetkov will make a case for being the Hurricanes’ number one goalie and should be able to take his game to the next level in the NHL playoffs.
At the halfway point of the season, who’s your candidates for the team MVP? Or is Sebastian Aho a runaway winner right now? – Ed Helinski (@MrEd315)
As of right now, it is clear that Sebastian Aho is the runaway winner for the Hurricanes’ MVP for the 2023-24 season. Aho getting 12 points in a span of seven games to end 2023 and start 2024 goes a long way to prove that point. Plus, being named an NHL All-Star for the upcoming 2024 All-Star Game in Toronto, Canada, helps bolster the case as well. Currently, he has 15 goals and 46 points in 37 games played for the Hurricanes this season. He is 18 points ahead of Seth Jarvis, who has 28 points in all 40 games played for Carolina.
Related: Sebastian Aho Should Be on Shortlist for NHL Awards in 2023-24
Aho leads the Hurricanes in goals (15), assists (31), and points (46). The next best player in assists is Brady Skeji with 18, and in goals is Teuvo Teravainen and Jarvis with 14. He is head and shoulders the MVP of the Hurricanes just based in the offensive totals alone. Furthermore, the way Brind’Amour uses Aho in all situations gives a clear indication that he can be trusted to help lead the Hurricanes in all facets of the game.
If there was one person to pick to make a case is Jarvis, who in his third season in the NHL has taken massive strides in his game. His two-way 200-foot game has gotten better to the point where Brind’Amour is putting Jarvis in more high-leverage situations and even on both sides of special teams. Plus, he is currently on pace to set career highs in all offensive categories for the Hurricanes this season.
He is only three goals behind his current high after scoring 17 goals in his rookie season back in 2021-22. When it comes to assists, he has 14, which is only 11 back from his career high of 25 that he set during the 2022-23 season. Points-wise, he is currently at 28, which is only 12 behind his best of 40 that he also set in his rookie season. The fact that Jarvis has eight power-play goals (PPG) this season in 40 games is something to take notice of, especially since he keeps setting the career-best higher and higher as the season progresses. The two seasons previous he had a combined two PPGs, and now he has eight in not even a half of a season. If there was another person to nominate outside for the team MVP, it has to be Jarvis.
Is [Bradley] Nadeau an absolute lock to be a future first-liner? – Black Stitch Hockey (@blkstitchhockey)
This is a question that I was looking forward to talking about. Currently, Bradley Nadeau is having a stellar season for the Maine Black Bears in the NCAA. He has 25 points in 18 games, with him tallying 13 points over the last eight games since Dec. 1. Out of the 25 points, he has 13 goals, which is tied for fifth in the NCAA this season for all skaters. Nadeau was also named the Hockey East’s Rookie of the Week to start the month of January, and right now, Maine is 5-2-1 to start conference play.
People were wondering if he could transition his scoring touch after playing the BCHL with the Penticton Vees, where he tallied 45 goals and 113 points during the 2022-23 season. That does not include the 17 goals and 35 points in the 17 games during the BCHL Playoffs. Safe to say that yes he has in his freshman season at Maine.
Now, will that make him a lock as a first-liner for the Hurricanes in the future? There is a possibility of it happening, but it all depends on where the Hurricanes are as a franchise at that point. It is not clear when Nadeau will play in the NHL, and that could be somewhere around the 2027-28 season or even after that. The only players under contract around then are Aho, Kotkaniemi, and Andrei Svechnikov. At that point, anything can be possible when it comes to roster construction and who is in the front office along with the coaching staff since that is at least four seasons away. But honestly, I think he could make a case to be on the wing on the first line with Aho if he keeps showing his scoring touch and his overall game continues to improve.
Thank you to everyone who sent in questions. Sorry if your question wasn’t answered. Hopefully, yours will be featured and answered in the next THW Hurricanes Mailbag. If you want to get your questions featured, make sure to send them in on the posts on X asking for mailbag questions in the future.