Carolina Hurricanes: Recognizing the Underappreciated Players of This Season
The Carolina Hurricanes have had a some great seasons from some its unheralded players you might not think of.
It is easy to point out the big difference makers on the Carolina Hurricanes line up. Jeff Skinner scores lots of goals. Justin Faulk is an All-Star. Sebastian Aho is the superstar rookie. Jaccob Slavin is literally Mr. Perfect. However, in the midst of these guys successes, we sometimes forget the other guys making a difference as well.
These are the guys who’ve flown under the radar and played really well to little fanfare. Unlike Jordan Staal or Elias Lindholm, both of whom have had standout years, these players haven’t stood out much despite playing well. That’s a shame since all three have been pretty impressive.
Lee Stempniak
As a far as free agent signings go, the Carolina Hurricanes rarely find much success. Lee Stempniak is the exception. He has come into a new home in Carolina, found solid footing, and had a pretty good season.
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When the news broke that the Canes acquired Stempniak, he was assumed to be trade bait or expansion draft fodder. Instead, he has proven his worth to his team. The 34 year old has quietly racked up 36 points from 72 games. It looks like he could surpass 40 points for only the 5th time in 12 seasons. That’s a good return on investment.
He doesn’t do anything to get you out of your seat, but Stempniak is as steady as they come. Its a credit to him that he gets his lines jumbled almost nightly and he still finds ways to contribute. That sort of team play is invaluable. He deserves some more credit for a quality year.
Klas Dahlbeck
It is probably weird to see Klas Dahlbeck‘s name in this. If Stempniak doesn’t get you out of your seat, Dahlbeck sinks you into it. There is nothing flashy at all about this Swedish defenseman. He hasn’t registered a point since November 12th and has been on the 3rd pairing all season.
So why is he underappreciated? It is because Dahlbeck plays the game the way few Canes can. He is a physically punishing defenseman who has proven to be able to handle tough assignments. In only 33 games this year, Dahlbeck has 60 hits. Almost 2 per game. That is the best among Hurricanes d-men and is close to the team’s best.
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Dahlbeck has taken a lot of heat because he started the year so badly. It is unfair to levy that on him now though. He has really turned his year around and may have earned himself a new contract.
Teuvo Teravainen
Overshadowed by the success of fellow Finn Sebastian Aho, Teuvo Teravainen has put together the best season of his career to little fanfare. The former Blackhawk has new career highs in goals and assists, while also having 10 games left to play. Those numbers should keep rising.
Teravainen has been especially lethal on the power play this year. He is tied for first in PP points with Skinner and Aho. When the ice is a little more open, Teravainen really makes his money. That is especially true in overtime where Teravainen is perhaps Carolina’s best forward.
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It is weird when there is a player getting career numbers and not getting much attention. Its even more surprising that Teravainen has slipped through the cracks after coming from the Hawks. He is due for a contract extension this summer and will be rewarded. Expect the 22 year old to be an even bigger contributor this fall.