RALEIGH, N.C. — The Carolina Hurricanes started their holiday road trip Friday in D.C. against the surprising Washington Capitals, followed by a Monday game in Nashville and a post-Christmas visit to the New Jersey Devils. I’ve come up with some ideas for what to leave in each player’s stocking so Santa is prepared for his stops in North Carolina while the Hurricanes are away.
Sebastian Aho
Seth Jarvis
It’ll be a tight fit, but I think Santa can fit Jarvis as long as Aho leaves out one of his more oversized stockings. With Teuvo Teravainen back in Chicago, Aho has struggled to find five-on-five chemistry with the Hurricanes’ other forwards. While Jarvis and Aho are actually minus-3 (five goals for, eight against) when playing together this year, their expected goals and high-danger chances are through the roof (66.86 and 66.07, respectively, heading into Friday’s game), according to NaturalStatTrick. They also have more goals for (two) than against (one) in over 31 minutes of short-handed time together.
Frederik Andersen
Slurp juice
I’m not sure if Andersen has ever played Fortnite, but he could certainly use the healing/shield game item that will not only get him back on the ice but also prevent him from further injury.
Jackson Blake
A ladder
What better way to get over the rookie wall when it arrives?
Brent Burns
Puck luck
Burns has scored on just 3 percent of his shots, which would be the second lowest of his 21-year career. While he is no longer the guy who can score 20 from the blue line, Burns is still due a few bounces, given that he had just two goals through 31 games.
William Carrier, Jordan Martinook and Jordan Staal
Two straps
You’ve heard of a three-legged race? How about a four-legged race? Carrier should be tied to Staal and Martinook for the rest of the season. The trio is dominant when teamed up, often against the opposition’s best players, and Carrier has fit in seamlessly with the reliable Staal and Martinook.
Jalen Chatfield
Protein drink
Chatfield’s speed and acceleration are his top assets, but players get beat up over an 82-game season. That’s especially true when the minutes start to pile up, and the 18 1/2 Chatfield is averaging this season is four more than his career average coming into this year. Rest and recovery will be key to handling the expanded workload.
Jack Drury
Armor
Drury has become one of the league’s best shot-blocking forwards. He can time blocks perfectly and, more importantly, is willing to get in any shooting lane. It cost him when he suffered a broken hand this month, but Carolina will want the same fearlessness from Drury — without the injury — when he comes back.
Shayne Gostisbehere
Repeat button
According to Hockey-Reference, since 1997-98, no defenseman has played fewer than 1,600 minutes (19 1/2 per game over an 82-game season) and finished with at least 70 points. Gostisbehere is line to do it. He is playing just over 19 minutes per night and has 27 points through 31 games — a 71-point pace. He just needs to keep doing what he’s been doing.
Seth Jarvis
Icy Hot
It looks like it’s another year of playing through a shoulder injury for Jarvis, though the Team Canada surprise wouldn’t admit last year’s ailment is what’s bothering him again. Jarvis missed seven games in mid-November with an upper-body injury, and Carolina needs him to will his way through another season while banged up.
Tyson Jost
Cap room
Coach Rod Brind’Amour has said numerous times that Jost would be with the team full time if the Hurricanes weren’t doing a salary-cap dance to accrue space. Jost hasn’t looked out of place when in the lineup, and he’s been particularly effective since being called up after Drury’s injury.
Pyotr Kochetkov
A stop sign
Kochetkov’s aggressiveness separates him from other recent Carolina goalies, but the Hurricanes need their de facto No. 1 to weigh risk vs. reward better, especially when exiting the crease.
Jesperi Kotkaniemi
A ruler
If you need to make a straight line, a ruler will be your best friend. Kotkaniemi needs to embrace the straight-line play Brind’Amour wants from him to be successful as the team’s No. 2 center. With Drury out, now is the time for Kotkaniemi to entrench himself in the role.
Martin Necas
A compass
Necas had 37 points in 24 combined games in October and November — more than 1.5 points per game. His pace has slowed to a point per game this month (seven through the first seven games of December), but that’s still remarkable value and would put him in line for 95 points for the season. Necas just needs to stay the course and avoid lulls, especially once the postseason arrives.
Dmitry Orlov
Blinders
Orlov is having a remarkable season, but he’s in the final year of his contract and is undoubtedly looking around to see when fellow Russian Alexander Nikishin will arrive on the scene. The key for Orlov will be keeping his eyes on the prize — a second Stanley Cup ring — and not getting distracted by what’s coming this offseason.
Eric Robinson
Champagne
Robinson is having a career season after signing a one-year deal this summer, and he would be eligible to ink an extension on Jan. 1. Getting a bottle of bubbly on ice right after Christmas would have it ready to go should he and Carolina decide to extend their partnership.
Jack Roslovic
Goals
Roslovic has done his share of scoring — 13 goals in 31 games, a 34-goal pace — and that’s been his primary value since coming to Raleigh. As long as Roslovic continues to convert his chances, the team will be able to overlook his defensive deficiencies.
Jaccob Slavin
Lady Byng Trophy
Slavin has just two penalty minutes and, more importantly, epitomizes gentlemanly play. A third Lady Byng for Slavin would break a tie with Red Kelly for the most won by a defenseman.
Andrei Svechnikov
Pudding
As in “the proof is in the pudding.” Svechnikov is having a fine statistical season — he entered Friday’s game in D.C. on pace for a career high in goals — but he often leaves everyone wanting more in the box score. Svechnikov is an analytical darling and one of the game’s true remaining power forwards, but that entire package needs to bring more results.
Dustin Tokarski
New pads
Tokarski donned his old Sabres pads in his one start with Carolina and was still in them at Thursday’s practice. New pads that aren’t white, blue and gold are on the way, he says, but he admitted he might need some convincing to switch to them given how well he’s played this season with the Chicago Wolves and now the Hurricanes.
Sean Walker
PDO boost
Walker’s adapted well in his first season in Carolina, but the hockey gods haven’t been so kind. His five-on-five on-ice PDO (Hurricanes’ shooting percentage plus save percentage) is .945, second worst on the team to Aho’s .944. He and partner Gostisbehere have deserved better at even strength.
(Photo of Pyotr Kochetkov and William Carrier: Jared C. Tilton / Getty Images)
