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Carolina Hurricanes: Forecasting the Month of January

By Luke Schull |
RALEIGH, NC - DECEMBER 31: Ryan Dzingel #18 of the Carolina Hurricanes scores an empty net goal and celebrates with teammates Lucas Wallmark #71 and Warren Foegele #13 during an NHL game against the Montreal Canadiens on December 31, 2019 at PNC Arena in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Gregg Forwerck/NHLI via Getty Images)
RALEIGH, NC - DECEMBER 31: Ryan Dzingel #18 of the Carolina Hurricanes scores an empty net goal and celebrates with teammates Lucas Wallmark #71 and Warren Foegele #13 during an NHL game against the Montreal Canadiens on December 31, 2019 at PNC Arena in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Gregg Forwerck/NHLI via Getty Images)
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After a successful December, the Carolina Hurricanes will look to carry that momentum into January beginning tonight. It’s time, once again, for a monthly look ahead!

December Recap

I’ll admit I was nervous staring December in the face, but the Carolina Hurricanes reminded us why they made it Eastern Conference Final last season. They outperformed my expectations of a 6-6-1 record, and finished 8-4-1 for the month.

Last month, the Carolina Hurricanes made good on a tough road trip by earning 9 of a possible 10 points. The only blemish last month was a 3-game losing streak in which they dropped games to  the Florida Panthers, Toronto Maple Leafs, and New York Rangers.

If you’ve read my look-ahead pieces before, you’ll remember I make predictions each month.

I predicted that Dougie Hamilton would score five goals in December. I didn’t get this one right, but he did tuck away three goals. In addition, he rightfully earned his first NHL All Star appearance. But, more on that later.

My second prediction was that James Reimer would win three games. He did, but I’m only giving myself half credit here since I tweeted that he would extend his win streak early on. His three wins were quality, for they came against Edmonton, Calgary, and Colorado.

Finally, my proudest prediction, Nino Niederreiter would have 10 points in December and up his season pace to .5 points per game. I’m a wizard, I tell you what. Niederreiter had exactly 10 points, and he looked great in December. Here’s to hoping he, like the rest of the team, keeps it going in January.

RALEIGH, NC – DECEMBER 31: Erik Haula #56 of the Carolina Hurricanes passes the puck during an NHL game against the Montreal Canadiens on December 31, 2019 at PNC Arena in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Gregg Forwerck/NHLI via Getty Images)
RALEIGH, NC – DECEMBER 31: Erik Haula #56 of the Carolina Hurricanes passes the puck during an NHL game against the Montreal Canadiens on December 31, 2019 at PNC Arena in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Gregg Forwerck/NHLI via Getty Images) /

The Month Ahead

January’s schedule, much like December’s, presents its challenges. But, the Carolina Hurricanes are no strangers to adversity. On the bright side, the team is in the middle of a 7-game home stand.

This month, the Hurricanes have 11 games to play. A whopping nine of them are at home and only two are on the road. Furthermore, with the way the schedule is built, the Hurricanes will have two home stands separated by a road swing to Washington and Columbus.

Worth noting is that there are five games against Metropolitan division opponents this month. The Hurricanes will play the Capitals twice, the Islanders, the Flyers, and the Blue Jackets. This probably goes without saying, but the guys will need to find a way against the latter three.

January features two sets of back-to-backs beginning with the Arizona Coyotes and Los Angeles Kings next weekend. Then, a week later, the team will fly home from Columbus to take on the Anaheim Ducks.

As previously mentioned, this month is as difficult as last in regard to opponent quality. Of the 11 games on the horizon, nine of them are against teams that are at or above “hockey .500.” Personally, I’m most excited to see the Hurricanes match up against the Coyotes and Golden Knights.

One final note for the upcoming schedule is that All Star Weekend looms. The Hurricanes will be represented by Dougie Hamilton and maybe, should he make it via last-man-in voting, Teuvo Teravainen. We’ll be without regular season hockey from January 22-30.

RALEIGH, NC – DECEMBER 31: Petr Mrazek #34 of the Carolina Hurricanes is named 3rd star of the game after a victory over the Montreal Canadiens during an NHL game on December 31, 2019 at PNC Arena in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Gregg Forwerck/NHLI via Getty Images)
RALEIGH, NC – DECEMBER 31: Petr Mrazek #34 of the Carolina Hurricanes is named 3rd star of the game after a victory over the Montreal Canadiens during an NHL game on December 31, 2019 at PNC Arena in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Gregg Forwerck/NHLI via Getty Images) /

Canes’ Spotlight Players

Lucas Wallmark – If you know me, you know that I’ve been on the Wallmark hype train since the beginning of last season. I was guessing him as the Hurricanes’ first goal scorer every game for the entire 2018-2019 season. Anyway, it’s awesome to see him heating up.

Wallmark is currently riding a 7-game point streak in which he has collected 9 points (4 g, 5 a). In his young NHL career he has proven to be an exceptional utility player. He’s an all-situations guy that you can count on. My favorite statistic of his is that he has a 50.4% CF% despite starting in the offensive zone only 43.6% of the time. Keep an eye on Wallmark in January. I think he’s got even more to give.

Petr Mrazek – Why should we keep an eye on Mrazek this month? As I mentioned on the previous page, there is a high concentration of home games this month. No one on this team feeds off the crowd quite like Mrazek. For this reason alone, I’m expecting a big month from him.

For a little while, Mrazek had fallen back to earth. However, he rebounded in a big way against Montreal on New Year’s Eve earning himself the third star of the game. His .903 sv% and his 2.67 gaa are pretty average at face value, but there is no reason to panic. I’m looking forward to the “Petr, Petr, Petr” chants this month.

Erik Haula – Haula is worth watching this month because it has become so clear how important he is to the Carolina Hurricanes. He’s got six points in his first five games back from injury. When he’s on the ice, the team is that much better. The key is for Haula to stay healthy. If that means taking an occasional game off or skipping practice, so be it.

RALEIGH, NC – DECEMBER 07: Ryan Dzingel #18 of the Carolina Hurricanes tries to control a loose puck during an NHL game against the Minnesota Wild on December 7, 2019 at PNC Arena in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Gregg Forwerck/NHLI via Getty Images)
RALEIGH, NC – DECEMBER 07: Ryan Dzingel #18 of the Carolina Hurricanes tries to control a loose puck during an NHL game against the Minnesota Wild on December 7, 2019 at PNC Arena in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Gregg Forwerck/NHLI via Getty Images) /

Bold(ish) Predictions for January

  • Last month, I went with a more cautious guess at the record (6-6-1). The Carolina Hurricanes surpassed that, and I’m feeling good about them right now. It’s a tough schedule, but we’re at home for a lot of it. Give me 7-4 for January.
  • Justin Williams will indeed re-sign. Honestly, I’m not understanding the worry over his potential return. At worst, it’ll create a revolving door between 13, 23, and 71. He’s a franchise icon, a leader, and (still) a good hockey player.
  • Sebastian Aho will hit 30 goals this month. He’s currently got 23.
  • I was right about Niederreiter heating up, so let’s use the transitive property. I’m not the only one that feels a Ryan Dzingel resurgence coming, right? The speed line is back together, and Dzingel is due to make some noise. Give me 9 points in the 11 games this month.

Well, that’s all for January’s look ahead! It gets underway tonight against Washington. Enjoy your weekend!

Question for CC Readers:  What is one bold prediction you have for January?

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