1. Jaccob Slavin showing versatility
Carolina’s young blue line came out in full force in the last few games. Noah Hanifin still leads the team among defensemen in points. However, Jaccob Slavin is not far behind and he caught up even more with one assist in this game.
Getting Brett Pesce back from concussion protocol was huge for the Canes and Slavin. Peters tried to put Trevor van Riemsdyk and Faulk next to Slavin and it just was not the same. The entire chemistry of the defense seemed screwed up.
The one thing that did come from missing Pesce was a glimpse at the future of the Canes defense. Roland McKeown got the first points of his career in his time with Carolina. Yet, Slavin is a presence that is unmatched by even Pesce.
Next: 5 players who have the brightest future for the Carolina Hurricanes
He might not be ready for contention on the level of the Norris Trophy, but the Canes are a big reason for that. Carolina has been holding him back, to some degree, with missing the playoffs so many times in a row.