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The Carolina Hurricanes have been one of the top regular season teams in the NHL over the past five years. Their success in the regular season hasn't translated to much in the playoffs, as they have made the Eastern Conference finals two times since 2019 but were swept both times. The last time the Hurricanes won a game past the second round was in 2006 when they went on to win the Stanley Cup. They are among the favorites to win the Stanley Cup again this year, but can they get over their Eastern Conference final demons? They have brought in some new and old faces to reach the top, but it will take more than the effort they have put forth recently. Let's make three bold predictions for the 2023-24 season.
Hurricanes get past Eastern Conference Final but fall short
The Hurricanes haven't won a game in their last two trips to the Eastern Conference finals. This could be the year that they finally get there and win one. I don't think they will stop at one, as I predict a Stanley Cup final appearance this season. The Eastern Conference is declining as some powerhouses are aging out. The Boston Bruins are a question mark after Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci's retirements. The Tampa Bay Lightning will be without Andrei Vasilevskiy for the first part of the season, and captain Steven Stamkos is unhappy. Even their division has question marks as the New York Islanders and Rangers are declining, and the New Jersey Devils may still be too young to get over the hump. The Hurricanes are in a perfect position to take advantage and get out of the East.
When they get to the Stanley Cup Finals, several teams could be waiting. The Dallas Stars are in the same boat as the Hurricanes and may be more prepared to win the Stanley Cup. The reigning cup champion Vegas Golden Knights will still be challengers. Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl have been held down in the playoffs but could lead the Oilers to the pinnacle any year. The Hurricanes window is still open for a few years, and as we will see later in the article, they could be led by an inexperienced goaltender by the playoffs. This may not be the Hurricanes' year to win it all, but I like their chances in the East.
Hurricanes win the President's Trophy
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I also like Carolina's chances to win the President's Trophy for all the same reasons as advancing to the Finals. Most of their schedule will be against the Metropolitan Division, which they have fared well against. The New Jersey Devils will be their toughest test but have won five of their last seven games against them. The Rangers, Penguins, and Islanders have some problems, and the Columbus Blue Jackets and Philadelphia Flyers will struggle this season.
The Atlantic Division is getting weaker, and the teams are all coming down to a median level with each other. I'm not sure what that means for the Atlantic Division, but it could signal a lot of close games among the teams. This will have the Atlantic's teams with records closer to .500 instead of one team running away with the division. The same goes for the Western Conference, which is full of good teams. The Hurricanes have an opportunity to be front-runners all year in the Metropolitan, which gives them a good chance at being the league's top team.
Pyotr Kochetkov takes control of the net
Kochetkov has gotten small portions of work in the NHL when Frederik Andersen or Antti Raanta went down with injuries. Kochetkov was poised to get control of the net when Andersen and Raanta went to free agency this summer, but both were brought back. Raanta only has a one-year, $1.5 million contract, so the Hurricanes can make a move with him. Andersen is there for two years at $3.4 million per year, but his injury history is concerning. There is no doubt that Kochetkov will find himself in the Hurricanes crease at some point this season. The question is: will he finally be able to hold the spot? I wouldn't bet against him, as he has the skills and mindset to excel under the pressure. The Hurricanes can't afford to keep throwing away opportunities in the playoffs, so if Kochetkov is their best opportunity to win, he has to play.
