Carolina Hurricanes: How to fix their Special Teams

The Carolina Hurricanes have struggled for years with their special teams, but the team’s recent good form had seen a marked improvement in the power play and a continued good run for the penalty kill. The last few games have put paid to that, and those same special teams are now struggling.

One loss shouldn’t make Carolina Hurricanes fans nervous. The team has been playing very, very well in the last couple of weeks, and we should see a strong rebound effort with Petr Mrazek in net tomorrow night. However, every loss turns Canes fans morose, and one area in which the team is evidently struggling is their special teams. They were special for a week, but they’re a real hindrance at the moment.

Power Play? What’s that?

It’s been some time since the Carolina Hurricanes had a fully-functioning power play. While the team is only converting with the man advantage 16.6% of the time through 46 games, the Canes scored five power play goals in four games between Jan. 3 and Jan. 8, leading fans to surmise that Rod Brind’Amour had finally worked out how to get the power play firing with a 50% conversion rate that week.

Since then, the team has just two goals with the man advantage, with a conversion of just 14.3% while also giving up a shorthanded goal. The team’s power play ranks 24th in the NHL, but is now showing signs of tailing off after that short spurt of good form. With the league average at 20%, this marks the fourth consecutive season that the Canes’ power play has sat below the league average. Rod has been on the coaching staff the entire time, so he really should be trying something new by now.

What could he change? He could move to playing two D on PP1. He could give Warren Foegele a shot, particularly as he’s so keen to get to the front of the net. Saku Maenalanen averages just 8 seconds per game of PP time – why not give him a go? Put him out with the Finns, Dougie Hamilton and Justin Faulk, see what happens. Something needs to change.

How’s about that Penalty Kill?

The team’s penalty kill is much better than its power play. The Carolina Hurricanes sit 19th in the NHL while down a man – but this too is less than the league average, and it’s lower than it was earlier in the season at just 79.05%. When Jordan Staal first sat out, the PK saw a boost, as new personnel came in and worked hard. Now, the Canes are conceding on 33% of opposition power plays over the last four games. This has to stop. Immediately.

What can Rod do to improve the penalty kill? Besides cutting down on the needless stick infractions, the first thing he should do is give Calvin de Haan more shorthanded ice time. Dougie Hamilton could also try helping out, although de Haan is far more likely to be effective. One possible wildcard would be to try Andrei Svechnikov on the PK – in a game where speed kills, imagine Svech knocking a loose puck and getting a breakaway. He could be the Michael Grabner of the Carolina Hurricanes.

If the Carolina Hurricanes are going to get their playoff push back on track, they need to rediscover their early 2019 power play form, and work harder on the penalty kill. The impending return of Jordan Staal should help the PK improve, although that may mean that Sebastian Aho moves off the PK, which would be a shame as he has scored three goals this season while shorthanded. The main issue is, once again, that Rod Brind’Amour needs to get that power play going. The Canes can’t make the playoffs with such a shoddy power play and there has to be a solution found immediately.