The Carolina Hurricanes Could Have Four Potential All-Stars

The Carolina Hurricanes have had a pretty great season thus far, sitting third in a competitive Metro division race. As we embrace the holiday season, the Caniacs have much to celebrate; starting with their four potential All-Stars.

No matter how you slice it, the Carolina Hurricanes have had a very successful season. They sit only behind the Washington Capitals and New York Islanders in the Metro Division and seem to be creating some distance between the rest of the pack.

This season has been a coaching masterclass from Rod Brind’Amour, and the team as a whole has been producing as well as any Hurricanes team in recent memory. The goaltending has been a pleasant surprise, with both James Riemer and Petr Mrazek thriving as a platoon in net.

This season, and its success, can be attributed to the part played by nearly every player on the roster; it is four individuals, however, who have truly stolen the show thus far this year. These are players that haven’t simply been great in regard to their team, they have been among the league’s very best. So well in-fact, that at least three of them should be All-Stars this season.

These three players have easily played well enough to earn a place in the 2020 All- Star game and have been among the best at their position that the game has to offer. When you compare the season that they are putting together with their contemporaries, you truly get a sense of how excellent they have been.

Sebastian Aho

Despite a slow start to the year, the Carolina Hurricanes only All-Star last season has done more than enough to earn a second appearance. Sebastian Aho is fourth on the team in points scored but is first in goals; amassing a ridiculous 18 in 33 games. His 18 goals place him in the top ten of all NHL players.

What helps Aho, apart from his stellar play, is his previous appearance. The offseason storylines that surrounded Aho’s restricted free agency really developed him as a household name and a talent to be coveted. The league has undoubtedly takes notice of his game-changing ability, and should reward his repeated excellence.

His scoring prowess, ability as an all-around forward, and recent hot streak, should be enough to earn Aho a trip to St. Louis late January.

Dougie Hamilton

No player is ever really guaranteed a spot in the All-Star game, but Dougie Hamilton is a close to a lock as you’ll find. There are few defenseman league-wide that have put together the kind of season that Dougie has, and only one other defenseman can really compare; this defenseman just so happens to play in the same division.

The Metro All-Star team should already know their two defensemen, with John Carlson and Hamilton being leagues ahead of the competition. Carlson and Hamilton are one and two, respectively, in points by a defenseman. Both players are tied with 12 goals; Carlson producing 14 more assists on the year than Hamilton.

There isn’t much competition for defenseman this season, so Hamilton should definitely be in St. Louis for this year’s All-Star game, his first in the NHL.

Andrei Svechnikov

When it comes to the players on this roster, nobody deserves the All-Star nod more than Andrei Svechnikov. Since the start of the season, no Hurricane has been as consistently good as him. He was a vital piece to the hot streak the Carolina Hurricanes compiled to start the year, and he hasn’t let up since.

Svechnikov is top 15 in points scored and leads the team with 34-point sin 33 games. When you just consider his play among players in the Eastern conference, Svechnikov sits inside the top ten, trailing only Jake Guentzel when narrowed down to players only in the Metro.

Svechnikov has been the catalyst for the Hurricanes this year, and has produced a break-out season similar to Aho’s incredible campaign a year ago. His recognition league wide should help propel him to his first All-Star game in his second NHL season.

The Case For Teuvo Teravainen

Although these three men are the most likely to play in this year’s All-Star game, there is another Carolina veteran who deserves consideration; that player being Teuvo Teravainen.

Turbo has been an ever-present offensive force in his seventh NHL season.Not only is Teravainen a point per game player, with 33 in 33, but he is ahead of Hamilton and Aho in points scored; while also leading the team with 26 assists.

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He is 12th in point scored by a Metro division player, tied with Alex Ovechkin, and is second in assists by a player in this division, only to the aforementioned Carlson.He leads Metro Division forwards in assists, with Artemi Panarin and Ryan Strome the only players close.

Although Tuevo has been phenomenal, his All-Star bid seems like a long shot. He sits behind Metro players like Evgeny Kuznetzov, Panarin, and Ovechkin in points; and he doesn’t boast the kind of name recognition of these players.

His position is also difficult, as the division seems stacked with excellent wing depth.Turbo may deserve a spot in the All-Star game, but will most likely be a victim of a tough crop of players.

The fact of the matter is that the Carolina Hurricanes should be well represented come All-Star weekend January 26th. Remember to vote for one of our Hurricanes for Metro Division Captain; and, as always, Go Canes!

Question for CC Readers: How many Hurricanes will be at the All-Star game?