2021 Carolina Hurricanes Season Preview: The Lineup

The Forwards

This is going to be the most important part of the team. We all know the talents of the members of the SAT line. Sebastian Aho is a freak of nature and may find himself exploding in the scoring race. Andrei Svechnikov is Andrei Svechnikov. The dude can score from anywhere on the ice, including behind the goal as he so elegantly demonstrated twice last season.

Let me stop you from looking for the goal, here you go.

This leads perfectly to the mystery box of the SAT line. Teuvo Teravainen can take a puck, blast it around the boards, and have it land perfectly on the bench wall where they all rest before warm-ups. I have no doubt of that. His ability to pass the puck is outright fantastic. He is one of the best pure passers in the league, and he’s so defensively responsible. He’s just too unselfish.

Turbo has such a great shot and his reluctance to use it often leaves the canes dependant on his linemates to beat goaltenders. Granted, when Teuvo hits a pass, it usually ends up in the net, but his shot isn’t exactly bad. He’s very capable of scoring on any goaltender league-wide. If he shoots regularly and becomes a dual-threat forward, that top line is going to be one of the best league-wide.

Moving onto the second line, there’s a lot of optimism on this line. Assuming this line is composed of Nino Niederreiter, Vincent Trocheck, and Martin Necas, we can assume a few things. One is that Necas is going to develop further. Two is that Trocheck is going to get used to being in Carolina. This leaves Nino. If it’s an up year for Nino, this top 6 is deadly. If this is not an up year for Niederreiter, there’s a hole in the top 6.

Now, this needs to be an up year for Jordan Staal on the 3rd line. No one is asking him to win the Rocket Richard and score 60 goals. But there need to be more than 27 points in 68 games this time. He’s going to be protected in the expansion draft because he has a no-movement clause. He needs to be better in terms of the end product. Or else, maybe buying the contract out becomes essential.

Ryan Dzingel might be someone to look for in terms of a bounce-back year. He started really well last season and this might be a theme this season, look for Dzingel to start hot and move up the lineup. He’s an incredibly streaky winger, and when he’s going, there’s no doubt he’s an asset worth having.

Jesper Fast is the new boy in town. He’s consistent in that he’ll skate around hard, fight, and he’ll bag somewhere between 20-30 points in a season. Last season he saw himself having a career year in New York, but bear in mind he was playing with one of the league’s best players. He’s not going to contribute a lot to the scoresheet. Also, someone who struggles with injuries, so watch for his health updates.

Jordan Martinook and Warren Foegele are weird. Martinook scored 15 goals two seasons ago. Doing that again would be greatly appreciated. Warren Foegele… if he could score 10% of his breakaways would be a perennial all-star. He creates so many chances for himself. He’s so annoying to watch when you love watching him because he could be so much better.

Brock McGinn is going to give you what Brock McGinn gives you. He’s going to smack anything that moves, skate hard, and play good fundamental hockey. The mystery box for the forwards is Morgan Geekie. If he can continue the hot start he made during the regular season, he could quickly make himself a top 9 player, and a top 6 player sooner if Nino struggles.

All in all, the potential for this forward core is there. There is enough talent here to compete with the best of them. It’s just one or two things that could push this forward group into the elite category. If Necas can take that next step, Aho and Svechnikov keep developing, Foegele learns how to deke. All of those would make Carolina truly scary.

Now into the undoubted strength of this team.