The Carolina Hurricanes are headed to the Stanley Cup Playoffs once again. Carolina made the playoffs last season and seemed on a collision course for the Final. However, they ran into a white-hot Florida Panthers squad. Carolina played extremely well but was still swept aside by Matthew Tkachuk and the Panthers.
That loss continued a rather disturbing trend. Carolina defeated the Edmonton Oilers for the Stanley Cup in 2006. Since then, the Hurricanes have been to the Eastern Conference Finals three times. Each time, Carolina was swept aside by their opponent as they went on to the Stanley Cup Final.
The Hurricanes have demons to exercise in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. And this year, they certainly have a chance to get rid of those demons. With that in mind, here are two reasons the Carolina Hurricanes can take that next step and finally win the Stanley Cup once again in 2024.
An impressive goaltending tandem
Earlier in the season, the Hurricanes struggled with their goaltending. Starter Frederik Andersen missed time with a blood clotting issue. Veteran goalie Antti Raanta struggled mightily this season. He even received a demotion to the AHL at one point. Young goalie Pyotr Kochetkov also had his struggles, as well.
However, their goaltending has since stabilized. Kochetkov rebounded in a major way. He currently has a .911 save percentage through 39 games this season. Andersen, meanwhile, has dominated since his return to the ice. The veteran puck-stopper has a .930 save percentage and 11.8 goals saved above expected in 13 games.
In playoffs past, these goalies have had their issues. Kochetkov had one game in last year's run, posting an .818 save percentage. In 2022, he didn't fare much better, posting a .869 save percentage in four games. Andersen has had strong postseasons but has faltered late in some of those runs.
Overall, the goaltending for Carolina has been incredibly solid this season. If the Hurricanes want to exercise their playoff demons, these two will be the major cogs in that run. These two on their A-game could spell trouble for opposing offenses this spring.
Offensive depth
The Hurricanes have had trouble scoring in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. However, that should not be an issue this season. Carolina has amassed an impressive amount of scoring depth this year. And they have a primetime playoff performer on their roster who could certainly lead the charge.
The Hurricanes acquired Jake Guentzel from the Pittsburgh Penguins at the NHL Trade Deadline. Guentzel has only scored two goals as a member of the Canes. However, he has 16 points in 11 games. Furthermore, he has a track record of excellent playoff performances. And he has a Stanley Cup to his name, as well.
Beyond Guentzel, Hurricanes star Sebastian Aho looks capable of leading the way. He has 33 goals and 85 points through 72 games. He's turned in respectable playoff performances in the past. In fact, Aho has never scored fewer than 11 points in any one playoff run.
The Hurricanes can also turn to stars such as Seth Jarvis, Martin Necas, and Teuvo Teravainen. If healthy, Andrei Svechnikov is another name to watch. Svechnikov suffered a brutal injury that kept him out of last season's playoff run. Having him healthy this year could be a major boost for their offense.
Overall, Carolina should not have trouble scoring this year. They have top end options who can lead the way, and they have depth options who can provide offense when needed. If everything clicks, the Carolina Hurricanes will be well on their way to winning the Stanley Cup in 2024.
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