Carolina Hurricanes: Point Projections at the Halfway Mark

Teuvo Teravainen and Andrei Svechnikov

Teuvo Teravainen has usurped the scoring lead, passing Andrei Svechnikov by posting 12 points over Carolina’s last 11 games.  In my previous projection piece, I said that Teravainen is the catalyst of the Hurricanes’ offense and he continues to prove that point.

Currently on pace to set new career-highs in assists and points but, beyond that, he makes every one of his teammates a threat each time they’re on the ice with him.

God help the opposition when he decides to utilize his shot more:

Speaking of Svechnikov, the Russian sophomore has potted 8 points in his last 11 games.  While he has (for the time being, at least) ceded the team lead, he has continued to be a dynamic player and a consistent threat.

His offense has been huge for the Hurricanes this season.  In games that he has recorded at least one point, Carolina has a record of 20-6.  If he registers two or more points, their record is 12-1, the lone loss coming against Washington on Saturday evening.

The fact that Svechnikov has avoided any type of sophomore slump has been key for the Hurricanes.  As a result, the skilled winger is on pace to more than double his rookie totals in assists and points while boosting his first-year goal total by 14.

Sebastian Aho, Dougie Hamilton, and Ryan Dzingel

Sebastian Aho has been nearly as hot as his fellow cherub, posting 10 points in his last 11 games.  This surge has moved him into a tie with Dougie Hamilton for the third-highest point total on the team and the number one spot for goal scoring.

He is currently headed for a slight dip from last year’s production, however, he is set to post a new career-high in goals.  A large part of the Hurricanes’ success in the second half of the season rests on Aho’s ability to keep rolling.

One thing to keep an eye on is his shooting percentage, which is currently at 19%.  That is 7.68% above the average he carried through his first 3 seasons in the NHL.

Dougie Hamilton‘s pace has slowed slightly since our last projection, though he’s still put up 7 points in his last 10 games.  If he can maintain his pace, the rangy rearguard will set career-highs in goals, assists, and points.

Hamilton, Carolina’s representative in the 2020 NHL All Star game, has been a big contributor to the Hurricanes’ #5 ranked power play, picking up 12 of his 37 points on the man advantage (32%).  With Jake Gardiner’s struggles, Hamilton’s improvement has been a major asset for the Hurricanes.

Another major point is that, should he maintain this pace, Hamilton would post the most points ever in a single season for the Hurricanes.  He would only be trailing Mark Howe‘s 80 points in the 79-80 season for the franchise record.

With 7 points in his last 10 games, Ryan Dzingel has clawed his way into the #5 spot.  He’s also on pace for his second-most productive season in the NHL and has been a solid addition to Carolina’s offensive depth.

Dzingel has also made a strong contribution on the power play, his 4 goals trailing only Aho and Svechnikov.  If he can get a bit of puck luck and raise his shooting percentage, Dzingel could challenge his career-best season.

Which player has been the biggest surprise for you this season?  Who do you think will drop off?  Who’ll catch fire?