Ryan Dzingel and Jaccob Slavin
Ryan Dzingel was added to bring offensive depth to the Carolina Hurricanes, and he’s done a perfectly serviceable job of that so far. He’s been a bit streaky since picking up points in 3 of the Hurricanes’ first 5 games, but he’s not here to be “The Guy” so a little of that is acceptable.
He’s currently on pace for 113 shots, which would be his lowest total since his 30-game rookie season. Along with that, Dzingel’s current shooting percentage sits at 11.9%. That’s not bad, but it’s nearly 3% below his career average. Much can be attributed to his bouncing around the lineup but you can credit his uneven performance for that and I’m not here to play “The Chicken or the Egg.”
That’s not a hideous drop-off from his career season and it’s possible that, if he takes better quality shots, he could notch a few more goals. The fact that his mentality is to continue working instead of sulking bodes well for him.
Is anyone surprised to see Jaccob Slavin here? He’s gotten better and better every year since breaking into the league in 2015-16. The defensive pair of Slavin and Hamilton has been phenomenal for the Hurricanes as both players’ strengths complement each other without becoming a hindrance.
Those aren’t the flashiest offensive numbers for a defenseman but, when coupled with his world-class defensive play, they should put Slavin firmly in the Norris discussion.