With just two games remaining in the regular season, the Carolina Hurricanes already know they will face the New Jersey Devils in Round 1 of the 2025 NHL Playoffs, a team they defeated in five games in Round 2 of the 2023 Playoffs. The regular-season series ended in a 2-2 tie, with the Hurricanes taking the final contest, 5-2, on Dec. 28. They outscored the Devils 13-12 in the four-game slate. Here are three things Carolina must do to win this first-round series.
Key #1: Limit Special Teams Opportunities
The Hurricanes will need to limit special teams opportunities. While the Hurricanes carry the best penalty kill in the NHL (84.1%), the Devils are 4th (82.2%). That does not bode well for Carolina, whose power play has struggled since December. Outside of Taylor Hall dragging the power play back to a five-game goal streak, the team ranks 25th in the NHL (18.6%), while the Devils rank 3rd (27.4%). A good power play is key to success in the postseason, and it has not been strong for the Hurricanes.
The Hurricanes, however, have an edge at 5v5. They are 8th in goals for per game (3.24) and 8th in goals allowed per game (2.74), while the Devils rank 20th in goals for (2.91) and 4th in goals allowed (2.64). The Devils have struggled to score goals at even strength.
Carolina’s solid forechecking and backchecking style can stifle any offense, and their transition game makes them even tougher to play against. If the Hurricanes can limit special teams in Round 1, their 5v5 play could be the deciding factor in this series.
Key #2: Win on the Road, Use Home as an Advantage
Having home-ice advantage will give the Hurricanes an edge in Round 1. They finished their 41-game home slate with a record of 31-9-1 – the Los Angeles Kings (31-5-4) were the only other team to reach 31 wins. Lenovo Center is a fortress, especially in the playoffs, and players who have joined the Hurricanes have commented on how much nicer it is to be on the home side. The test will be to stop a Devils team that is better on the road.
The Devils are 22-16-2 on the road but 19-16-5 at home. The Hurricanes’ road record – before they visit the Montreal Canadiens and Ottawa Senators to wrap up the season – is 16-19-4. If they win both games, they will only be one game under .500 on the road. The Hurricanes will need to win on the road early to avoid a long series.
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If the Hurricanes can win one or two on the road, they could end the series in less than seven games, and if they can stifle the Devils’ road warrior mentality and use their middle-of-the-road home woes against them, that could be a massive boost as well.
Winning on the road could be the difference in head coach Rod Brind’Amour‘s team in defeating the Devils and advancing once again to the second round.
Key #3: Depth Scoring Adding to the Pot
The Hurricanes get scoring from throughout their lineup. The additions of Hall, Mark Jankowski, Logan Stankoven, Eric Robinson, Jack Roslovic, etc., have been a boost to the team’s offensive depth. Robinson alone has had a career season, setting new highs in goals (14), assists (18), and points (32) in 80 games – all for less than $1 million in salary.
Jankowski was added on March 7 and has also been a pleasant surprise for the team. He scored four goals on his first four shots, including two goals against the Winnipeg Jets in his debut. Since then, he has eight goals in 17 games while seeing some time on the power play and penalty kill – he is under contract through next season.
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Hall has been solid since joining the team on Jan. 24 in a three-team trade with the Chicago Blackhawks and the Colorado Avalanche, with eight goals and 15 points in 29 games. He has also scored four power-play goals and has been a staple in the top six and on the power play.
The Hurricanes have the depth to roll all four lines. The depth, along with the scoring talent of Sebastian Aho, Seth Jarvis, and Jackson Blake, could be difficult for the Devils to stop. There’s also Jordan Martinook, who scorched the Devils in Round 2 of the 2023 Playoffs with a 10-plus-point series. Outside of special teams and road wins, offensive contributions from the entire lineup should give the Hurricanes the edge in Round 1.
Going 7 for 7 in Round 1 Victories
Since the team returned to the playoffs in 2018-19, Carolina has won all six of their first-round series. Brind’Amour has the opportunity to be the first coach to win seven consecutive Round 1 matchups in his first seven seasons with a team, but they will have to get through the Devils, whom they’ve beaten in their last four playoff meetings dating back to the 2002 Conference Quarterfinals. Two series finished in five games, one in six, and one went the full distance. Could we see another five-game series in 2025?
