There are few things better in hockey than watching a rookie make their NHL debut. From the rookie lap to the spotlight on them the entire night, it's such a cool experience to witness second-hand as a fan. Unfortunately, most debuts end up being forgettable, either because they don't play much or they don't do much.
That's not the case for the ten players I'm about to talk about. In each situation, these Hurricanes made waves during their inaugural trip to the big leagues. Whether it was scoring goals, setting up teammates, or stonewalling the opponent, these Carolina Hurricanes provided plenty of fireworks while making a lasting first impression.
Brad DeFauw (2003)
While many players made their NHL debuts with the Hurricanes before Brad DeFauw, none had the impact the 1997 pick did. It took him almost six years to finally reach the NHL, making the payoff all the more cool. After biding his time, DeFauw debuted on March 10, 2003, in front of the Caniacs at the RBC Center.
DeFauw notched his first-career goal during a four-goal first period for the Canes against the Blue Jackets. He doubled up in the third period, scoring the eventual game-winning goal in a tight 6-5 victory. For over a decade, DeFauw was the only player in team history with multiple points in their first game. This would be the peak of his career, playing just nine games in the NHL that season.
Tim Conboy (2008)
Of my ten entrants, this might be the most unconventional. Not only is it the only loss, but it's the only debut to feature a fight. And that was just during the first period. Not even 6:30 into his first game, defenseman Tim Conboy dropped the gloves with Colorado's Scott Parker. Conboy ate an early right before finishing face-first on the ice.
No worse for wear, Conboy added his first point later in the period. His pass up the boards took a friendly bounce to Keith Aucoin, who skated in and blew a clapper past Jose Theodore. The Canes lost the game, 5-4, after blowing a 4-2 lead, but Conboy had plenty of memories to cherish. He played 19 games in 2008, getting into seven fights and adding five assists.
Justin Peters (2010)
I briefly spoke about Justin Peters' work during the 2013-14 season earlier in the week. Now, let's take it back a few years to his first NHL start in 2010. Peters earned his first call-up after Cam Ward's back injury flared up. He took the net a few days later on Long Island against the Islanders. The 23-year-old second-round pick played lights out.
The only goal he allowed was a short-handed marker to Frans Nielsen after a very bad turnover behind the net. Otherwise, Peters was perfect, stopping 34 shots to earn a 3-1 victory. Jussi Jokinen, Brandon Sutter, and Joni Pitkanen did the scoring. Peters became the second-youngest goalie in Hurricanes history to record his first win, behind only his fallen teammate, Cam Ward.
Chris Terry (2013)
The early 2010s were trying times for the organization, so getting NHL debuts and fun moments were a good way to relieve some of the stress. Chris Terry was part of an overall solid 2007 draft class, selected in the fifth round. Like many others, he had to wait years to earn his opportunity, finally getting his chance in 2013.
Terry struck for his first goal in the second period with an excellent individual effort. Corralling a bouncing puck, Terry settled it and got a backhander off. Devils' goalie Johan Hedberg made the initial stop, but Terry tucked the rebound through his pads to make it 4-1. The Hurricanes won the game, 6-3, with Terry's first serving as the game winner.
Brock McGinn (2015)
With his goal in the 2019 playoffs, Brock McGinn reached folk hero status within the organization, cementing himself in the history books for generations to come. Over four years before then, he was lacing his skates for his first NHL game in Detroit. After the team lost its first three games of the campaign, McGinn needed to provide a spark in the lineup.
McGinn needed 55 seconds to make an impact, burying his second shot against Jimmy Howard. It was a lightning-fast start to his career. He added to it in the second period, providing the secondary helper on an Eric Staal tally after winning a battle along the boards. With his multi-point effort, McGinn became the first Cane since DeFauw to get two points in their debut. The Canes won 5-3.
Warren Foegele (2018)
Like McGinn, Warren Foegele made a name for himself during the 2019 postseason, but his first impression with the fans was another lasting one. Foegele made his debut late during the 2017-18 season as the Canes played a back-to-back. Playing in front of the home crowd, Foegele scored one of the better first-career goals in recent memory.
Foegele did a great job along the boards to avoid a hit, spinning away and skating the puck to the front of the net. He found just enough daylight between Craig Anderson's glove and the post to sneak his shot through. Foegele assisted on Carolina's second goal from Valentin Zykov, making him the third Hurricane with a multi-point debut. He added another goal the following day against the Devils.
Morgan Geekie (2020)
I don't think there's much debating that Morgan Geekie's debut is one of the best in Carolina Hurricanes history. It's irrefutable from a numbers perspective. Geekie had the most productive debut the team has ever seen, scoring twice and adding an assist in the team's 6-2 win over the Penguins. More importantly, it was two big points for the team.
After the Penguins struck first, Geekie drew the Canes even, redirecting a pass from Jake Gardiner. Down 2-1 after 20, Jaccob Slavin tied it, with Geekie recording the secondary helper. It was all Carolina from there, with Geekie closing the scoring late in the third. Geekie scored the opening goal two days later in a win over Detroit before the pandemic halted his magical run.
Jack Drury (2021)
At the height of the team's COVID issues during the 2021-22 season, the Hurricanes were forced to play a few games short-handed. They also called up a few players from the AHL to ensure a full-enough roster for games against Detroit and Los Angeles. Sebastian Aho, Seth Jarvis, Andrei Svechnikov, Jordan Staal, Ian Cole, and Steven Lorentz were among the inactives for Carolina.
One of the newbies in the lineup was Jack Drury, following in the footsteps of his father and uncle. In the first period of a wild game with Detroit, Drury knocked home his first goal by finishing his own rebound late in the frame. The Canes won the game, 5-3, with only 16 skaters, then did so again two days later against the Kings. Drury added another goal in that one as well, a 5-1 victory.
Pyotr Kochetkov (2022)
We knew Pyotr Kochetkov was going to be a special player because of three games in four days at the end of the 2021-22 season. With Frederik Andersen on the shelf, the team turned to Kochetkov as they chased down the division crown. For most of the afternoon in New Jersey, things looked bleak. However, the team rallied back two down to force OT before Seth Jarvis burned the Devils.
With his first win under his belt, Kochetkov expected a day off on Long Island the following day. When Antti Raanta went down, the rookie leaped into action and earned a victory in relief. The biggest moment came in The Big Apple days later. Kochetkov stopped 31 shots as the Canes held on to beat the Rangers, 4-3, to win the Metro. The moment wasn't too big for Kochetkov.
Vasiliy Ponomarev (2024)
This all brings us to the most recent entry on my list. Vasiliy Ponomarev got the call shortly after the new year began for a tilt in the nation's capital. After a tough opening two periods, the Canes were in a 2-1 hole against the Washington Capitals. The rookie made his presence felt in the third period, bookending a five-goal frame to seal a big win.
After Dmitry Orlov took a hit behind the net, Ponomarev collected the loose puck and found Seth Jarvis for the tying goal, getting himself on the scoresheet for the first time. This began a dominant frame in which the Canes pulled away. While they scored an empty-netter to make it 5-2, Ponomarev put the final nail in Washington's coffin, sniping a one-timer over Darcy Kuemper's shoulder.