It’s officially the second month of the NHL season and post-Halloween time. Some teams had a trick, while some had treats from the first month of the season. For the Carolina Hurricanes, it started as a fun-sized candy bar after beginning the season with two wins. However, the dream started to turn into a nightmare full of injuries and a six-game road trip that did not seem to end. It looked like the North Carolina State Fair trip showed signs of turning into Nightmare on Elm Street for the Hurricanes. Thankfully, a three-game winning streak after coming home has turned the nightmare into a peaceful dream for the team and their fans.
Carolina comes into November with a 6-4-0 record before having a mini two-game road trip in New York City and Long Island. As mentioned previously, the Hurricanes are 3-0-0 and seem to be the team people figured to be the Cup favorites this season. October had its ups and downs for the team, but ultimately, it ended peacefully as the calendar turned to a new month and new challenges. Before the sights fully look onto November, what were the big takeaways from October for the Hurricanes?
Kotkaniemi Causing Chaos for Hurricanes
Entering the 2023-24 season, how many people thought that Jesperi Kotkaniemi would start the season the way he did? Probably not many, but no one in Carolina is complaining. The Finnish forward leads the team in points with 10 in 10 games played. Coming into the second year of his eight-year, $38.56 million deal, Kotkaniemi is making this deal for the Hurricanes look like an absolute steal. Points-wise, in 10 games, he’s already surpassed his 2019-20 season total of eight points in 36 games played. He is right now on pace to break his career-highs in all scoring totals that he set last season.
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There is a clear indication that Kotkaniemi looks more comfortable as the second-line center for the Hurricanes, and his play is making a huge impact already. His shooting percentage this season is up to 15.4 percent so far, which is a career-high. Furthermore, head coach Rod Brind’Amour is giving him more playing time as well; he is averaging 15:44 time-on-ice (TOI) per game. If there is more of a reason to see his impact, just look at his Corsi stats. His Corsi for percentage is at 60.8 percent, which means that while he is once the ice, the Hurricanes keep more possession of the puck. Plus, his playmaking abilities are really showing with the patience to find good passes, along with putting good shots on the net.
There is a reason why he has 10 points in 10 games. He is playing as a point-per-game player, and the game is slowing down for him. His 200-foot game, which he’s been working on since coming to Carolina before the 2021-22 season, is paying off for him. This is his third year on the team and his second season as the team’s second-line center. His hard work learning from captain Jordan Staal, along with fellow Finnish teammate Sebastian Aho, is giving him the confidence to find his game.
Kotkaniemi is only 23 years old and is finding his way rather quickly. That hard work is showing right now in what is the best start to a season in his young career. People around the league might need to keep an eye on him to be the breakout star of the 2023-24 season.
It’s Turbo Time in Raleighwood
Another Finn who’s starting his season like a man-possessed is forward Teuvo Teravainen. He currently leads the team in goals with eight and is showing no signs of slowing down. In just 10 games played, he’s already up to the aforementioned eight goals on the year while only being four away from matching last year’s total. While last season was a struggle for him, it seems that he has put that behind him and is on a revenge tour to prove the doubters wrong. He’s also tied for second on the team with nine points, one behind fellow Finn in Kotkaniemi.
Related: Hurricanes’ Teravainen Starts Season Red Hot
In his last five games, he has scored four goals, with three of them coming in the way of a natural hat trick versus the San Jose Sharks. His fourth goal was a game-winning goal late in the third period from the Oct. 30 game versus the Philadelphia Flyers in a 3-2 win. That was his second straight game-winning goal as he scored the game-winner versus the Sharks early in that game. He is on an absolute tear right now and has forced a way for him to stay in the top six for the
As of right now, there is no reason to move Teravainen down the lineup. If he can keep the scoring pace going, there is a possibility of a career year that could include a 25-plus goal tally from the Finn, who’s looking for a contract extension this year.
Jarvis, Seth Jarvis.
If there is any player who wanted to come into the season stronger, faster, and just overall better, that guy is Seth Jarvis. At the exit interviews after the Eastern Conference Final last season, Jarvis talked about how he wants to come into his third season in the NHL. “Getting stronger is always going to help. I’m tired of being pushed around, I want to fight back a little bit. Hopefully, in three months, I can put on some good weight and muscle. I just want to be a better person, a better human, and a better player. I think that all ties into taking care of myself, my mental health, and being ready for next year.” The way he has started the 2023-24 season, it is very, very clear that he has taken what he said and ran, or skated, with it.
In 10 games, he has tallied four goals and nine points, tied for second on the team in both categories. What is more impressive is that his faceoff percentage is at 56.9 percent, and he’s 21 this season. Another stat to look at is the fact his ice time has gone up from the previous seasons. His best coming into the season was 16:12, which occurred in 2022-23. So far this season, he is averaging 19:20 per game. That is a significant bump up, and the production from all the ice time is showing.
Related: Hurricanes’ Kotkaniemi & Necas Are Leading the Way in Carolina
Jarvis is due to be a restricted free agent (RFA) at the end of the season, and there is no doubt that he has earned a contract offer. He is only 21 years old and looks to keep getting better and better over time. The best option for the Hurricanes is to offer him a four or five-year deal with a total of around $4 million per season and re-sign him when he’s 25 or 26, like Sebastian Aho.
Hurricanes Special Teams Is Dialing In
All in all, these three have led the way for the Hurricanes, and it looks like there is no slowing down for them. The penalty kill has gotten better over the last three games, going 100 percent over that time. It is currently at 75 percent on the season (22nd in the league); it was at 29th at one point. The Hurricanes’ power play is at 25 percent on the season, ranked ninth in the NHL. When the defense and goaltending get rolling as well, watch out NHL. Carolina will be coming, and it best be ready to get out of the way of the impending storm.
