The Carolina Hurricanes have the roster to go the distance. With a strong core, they’ve established themselves as an elite Cup contender and have become one of the strongest teams in the league. However, they are not alone. General Manager Don Waddell has gone all-in on the roster, but other teams could stand in their way. Here are three teams in the Eastern Conference that could prevent the Hurricanes from reaching the Stanley Cup Final in 2023-24.
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Maple Leafs finally got over their playoff hurdle and escaped the first round in the 2023 Playoffs. The second round did not go as planned, but they did get better this offseason.
New general manager Brad Treliving wasted no time putting his fingerprints on the roster. One of the best offensive groups in the league got more dangerous this summer, with additions like Max Domi, who had one of his best seasons in recent memory (20 goals and 56 points). Bringing in that same physical and gritty presence his father, Tie Domi, once delivered will make them more challenging to play against.
Tyler Bertuzzi will also help round out the top two lines. Bertuzzi turned heads in the playoffs this season, leading the Boston Bruins in points (10) and goals (5). His offensive presence was noticeable as he generated the second most expected goals on the team.
Related: Metropolitan Division Only Got Better in 2023 Offseason
Toronto is a dangerous offensive team. They ranked sixth in the league in goals scored in all situations (278) last season and eighth at 5v5 (184). Right now, Auston Matthews and William Nylander’s futures are uncertain, but with their core group, the Maple Leafs should go further than in 2022-23.
New Jersey Devils
Not only did the New Jersey Devils and Hurricanes match up in the second round of the playoffs, but they were separated by one point for the division crown. Carolina general manager Don Waddell made it his mission to boost his club this offseason but so did Devils GM, Tom Fitzgerald.
The Devils will enter the 2023-24 season as a better team. Fitzgerald made a significant splash by acquiring Tyler Toffoli from the Calgary Flames, but his finest work came from signing his own players, which included contract extensions for Timo Meier (8 years, $8.8 million) and Jesper Bratt (8 years, $7.8 million). A full season with these high-profile forwards, as well as rookie Luke Hughes, will make the Devils tougher to play against.
New Jersey was a great team offensively in 2022-23, and one of the best at 5v5. They led the league in expected goals (209.18) and had the fourth-best Corsi for percentage at 54.1. Furthermore, they finished third in goals scored at 5v5 with 197 and fourth overall with 289. The team was also good defensively and played with great speed at both ends of the ice.
With a core group highlighted by Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier, the Devils will not be going away any time soon. The team got deeper this season and will do more damage than they did in 2022-23. This core group is getting started, but another core group is looking to pick up where they left off.
Tampa Bay Lightning
After capturing the Stanley Cup in back-to-back seasons (2020 and 2021) and reaching a third straight Stanley Cup Final in 2022, the juggernaut Tampa Bay Lightning were eliminated in the first round in 2023. Maybe the mighty have fallen, or maybe they will be hungrier this season.
For the first time in three years, the Lightning will have well-rested legs entering the season. They are also bringing back the same core group minus a few key names, as Ross Colton and Alex Killorn have moved on to greener pastures.
Tampa Bay finished 15th in goals scored at 5v5 (175), tied with Carolina, and was middle of the pack in CF (51.45%), expected goals percentage (xG%) at 51.32, and goals percentage (G%) at 51.93%. This was not bad overall, but expectations to improve are evident.
A lackluster playoff performance from goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy should see him bounce back strong, and with a core group led by Steven Stamkos, Brayden Point, Nikita Kucherov, and Victor Hedman, there is no reason to count the team out.
Carolina Has Challengers
The Hurricanes are one of the favorites to win the Stanley Cup this season, but they have teams in their path. The Metropolitan Division got tougher with each team reinforcing their rosters this summer, but some teams have separated themselves from the pack.
The three teams above pose the biggest threat to Carolina’s Stanley Cup dream. If you want to be the best, you have to beat the best, and that is what the Hurricanes will need to do to reach the top of the hockey world. It is going to be a great 2023-24 season in a competitive Eastern Conference.
All Team Stats Came From Money Puck
