The Carolina Hurricanes put their cap space to use this summer. Will the addition of Max Pacioretty and Brent Burns take them to the next level?
2021-2022 Season Performance
Regular Season
The Hurricanes stormed out to a strong start last season and never looked back. They led the Metropolitan Division nearly wire-to-wire on the strength of their 5v5 attack. They created a strong expected goals for differential at 5v5 that was supplemented by excellent goaltending and the NHL’s best penalty kill. Rookie Seth Jarvis arrived on the scene in a big way, leading Hurricanes forwards in 5v5 P/60 over the course of the season.
Playoffs
The Hurricanes met the wildcard Bruins in the first round of the playoffs. Another strong 5v5 team, the Bruins flipped the Hurricanes’ regular season script and controlled play at even strength. The Bruins also won the special teams battle, but Carolina’s strong finishing and goaltending pushed them over the edge for a 7 game series victory.
The second round brought the upstart New York Rangers. Unlike the Bruins, the Rangers were not a strong team at 5v5 in terms of expected goal differential and the Hurricanes were able to have their way at even strength. Finishing became a problem against Igor Shesterkin, however, and the Hurricanes dropped the series in 7 games.
Looking Ahead to 2022-2023
Offseason Moves
The Hurricanes made their big moves via the trade market this offseason, putting their cap space to work in the process. First, the added Brent Burns in a multi-player and pick deal with the Sharks. Burns’ $8M cap hit was too much for a Sharks team in need of cap space and a rebuild and the Canes get a top 4 defenseman for their trouble. He likely won’t be asked to carry as big a load in Raleigh, and we might see his impact improve somewhat as a result.
The Hurricanes then added Max Pacioretty and Dylan Coughlan, sending 2022 offseason hot commodity Future Considerations the other way. Once again, Carolina benefits from their cap situation, as Pacioretty remains one of the highest impact forwards in the NHL.
22/23 Roster
The Hurricanes enter the 22/23 season looking strong again. Pacioretty and Burns complement a deep roster that has strong offensive potential. Their forward group is strong, with high end talent at the top, along with capable role players further down the lineup. It’s a similar story on the blueline, with all top 6 defensemen projected with at least second pair impact.
Metropolitan Division Landscape
The Metropolitan Division is incredibly tight to start the season. The Hurricanes land at the top, alongside the upstart New Jersey Devils. There is plenty of competition close behind, though, and the Canes will have to be on their game to hold down a spot at the top of the division.
Long Term Outlook
The Hurricanes look well positioned to remain competitive for the foreseeable future. Their spending efficiency is amongst the best in the NHL and most of their players under longer term contracts are still developing or in their prime. Not only that, but they have very few contracts that extend beyond the 23/24 season, providing lots of roster flexibility in the long term.
Want to check out more projections for the 22/23 season? Sign up for an annual membership to get access to all 22/23 team and player projection plots and peruse the full set of free agent player cards. Plots will be updated through the offseason as the 22/23 rosters take shape and updated to track progress through the season.
Historical player data from Natural Stat Trick. Contract data from CapFriendly.
