The Carolina Hurricanes underwent a facelift. Many have talked about the new deals done with the forward core, but the staple of the Hurricanes in the Rod Brind’Amour era has been their defensive strength. That’s undergone more changes as some of the Hurricanes’ familiar faces on defense departed for greener pastures. Now, they will be looking to continue to build from the back end and hope those pillars of success on the blue line continue to be stabilizers for the team moving forward.
However, the lineup question remains very much up in the air. The pairings were stable for many years under Brind’Amour, and even when two defensemen departed the organization last year, the Hurricanes adjusted to make sure they were comfortable across the three units. That’s going to change now that the balance has shifted. Carolina used to deploy three right-handed defenders and three left-handed defenders. This season, Carolina has four left-handed defensemen and only two righties. That’s not going to decide a playoff series, but it may make the adjustment awkward for whoever is playing on the right.
Who Plays on the Right?
Well, the defenseman who plays on the right side will be critical to understanding how the Hurricanes’ lineup works. General manager (GM) Eric Tulsky identified two options during his press conference on July 1. Both players have been part of the unique Brind’Amour system for a while, but neither has consistently played on the right-hand side throughout their career. It means that both will require an adjustment period, but this flexibility will work for the overall strength of the defensive unit.
The first is the stalwart of the defense: Jaccob Slavin. He has played on the left side for the Hurricanes in the past, but that was before he emerged as a defensive monster. His ability to shut down the league’s top forwards means it doesn’t matter what side he plays on. It might seem like a strange idea for the Hurricanes to mess with their best defenseman, but there is a precedent for it. The Dallas Stars do it with Miro Heiskanen. Now, Dallas’ system is not as demanding as Carolina’s, so there will be risks, but if it works, that flexibility is freeing for whoever his partner is on the top pair is having a bad game.
The alternative is Shayne Gostisbehere. He’s more natural than Slavin on the right because of his ability with the puck. Playing on your off-side means your blade isn’t where you want it to be to move the puck. However, the Ghost Bear has always been comfortable with the puck on both the forehand and backhand, so that counteracts the puck-moving issues. His defensive problems are present when he’s in his natural position, so playing him on the other side might be like pouring gas on a fire in that regard, but he’s capable of being a good defenseman. If he’s then given an anchor like Slavin to play with, if he’s used as the Brent Burns replacement, there’s a justifiable case for it to work. He had a great offensive season in 2024-25, which does bring promise.
Related: Bradley Nadeau is Looking To Make an NHL Impact
If it’s Gostisbehere, the Hurricanes may use him immediately as the new top-pairing defenseman to provide an offensive dynamo to Slavin to help his production. However, there is an argument about not giving Slavin another player with defensive issues. If Slavin is the one to play on the right, there is a question as to who partners with him. Of the other two left-handed defensemen the Hurricanes have, both could justifiably play with Slavin if he’s on the right.
If Slavin’s on the Right
Slavin will be good anywhere on the ice, so let’s pretend he’s the player the Hurricanes want at that right-side defenseman spot on the first pair. Who partners with him? It’s probably not Gostisbehere. K’Andre Miller is an interesting option. When he was acquired on July 1, there was considerable confusion about where the Hurricanes planned to slot him. In New York, he had trouble managing the puck. However, when he gets it right, Miller can win games. It’s what made him such a strong candidate for this high-intensity system. He looked good in New York with Adam Fox, but his issues when partnering with Jacob Trouba made many reconsider his capabilities.
Miller suffers from what I call “Jake Gardiner Syndrome”. He’s a very strong defenseman, very strong analytically, and often one of the best on his team, but when he gets it wrong, he gets it very wrong. He doesn’t misposition himself slightly; he completely detonates in a costly manner. It leaves the thought that he has to improve. Carolina has had a few defensemen like this, including Gardiner himself, but Miller’s a little more similar to Brady Skjei in that regard. He possesses great skating ability and solid size, along with raw offensive skills. However, the lights were a little too bright on Broadway, and a quieter market might help him flourish by relieving the pressure. Pairing him with Slavin may help him adjust to a demanding and unique system a little quicker.
Additionally, there’s Alexander Nikishin. He’s already garnered massive admiration from the Caniacs in Raleigh, but he hasn’t played a regular-season game yet, and he’s only played three playoff games. With only three games of NHL experience, throwing him on the top pairing is brave, but he’s got the ability to thrive. Some have floated the idea of Nikishin being the one to play on the right, but he’s getting used to playing in the NHL. Throwing a wrench in the mix by making him play his unnatural side isn’t something the Hurricanes will want to do.
It leaves Miller – Slavin as the likely top pairing if the Hurricanes want to use their best defender on the right. It’s undoubtedly a pairing that can flourish if it’s used in a role similar to that of Skjei and Brett Pesce for the years they spent together in Raleigh. Whether they get paired together is something we’ve got to wait for the preseason to evaluate. However, the trickle-down effect would likely leave Nikishin with Sean Walker on the second pairing, and then the Ghost Bear with Jalen Chatfield.
What if It Is Gostisbehere?
If it’s Gostisbehere on the right, the debate changes. Slavin has to be on the top pairing; he’s one of the best defensemen in the NHL. Gostisbehere doesn’t. He’s got incredible offensive talent, but he’s not in the same category as Slavin. So, it would free up Slavin to play with someone else if the Canes wanted him to. The question is who.
If Slavin played with Walker as a de facto “shutdown” pairing, that would leave Ghost to play with Miller. That’s a strong second pairing. However, that leaves the rookie Nikishin with Chatfield. Chatfield’s not strong enough positionally to be helping a rookie adjust to the speed of the NHL. The Hurricanes can make it work, but it may make transitioning into the NHL harder for Nikishin because Chatfield relies so much on that speed to get to where he needs to be, rather than traditional positioning. On a smaller ice surface than the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) one Nikishin is used to, it may be a difference-maker for the young Russian. That locks Walker in with Nikishin in an optimal situation.
So, Slavin and Chatfield on the top pairing? It would work, but there’s not much offense there. Carolina had 39 goals from defensemen in 2024-25, and that top pairing is not exactly helping replace the offense they lost from the back-end. It does force Ghost, if he is the one on the right, to play with Slavin. That is another strong pairing where Slavin can cover for the defensive issues of his partner while providing a touch of scoring. So, Slavin and Gostisbehere, Miller and Chatfield, and then Nikishin and Walker?
Other Options
Someone I’ve completely glossed over here is Mike Reilly. Reilly is a fantastic defenseman that the Hurricanes signed to be part of their blue line for the year. Could he beat Nikishin out for a roster spot and let the Russian develop in the American Hockey League (AHL) for a bit? If that is the case, suddenly Chatfield can play with Reilly, and that Slavin-Walker pairing seems feasible.
Then there’s always the issue of what happens when someone forces their way into consideration. Carolina has a ton of promising defensive prospects. Dominik Badinka, Aleksi Heimosalmi, Dominick Fensore, Joel Nystrom, and a few others have all started to dominate in other leagues. If they can get into the preseason and perform to a level that forces the Hurricanes’ front office to make a decision, this could all be for nothing. However, it’s certainly a debate to have between now and the time training camp starts in September.
META DESCRIPTION: The Carolina Hurricanes reworked their defense again. Several questions arise surrounding how they will lineup on the blue line.