Cardiac Cane
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3 keys to the first game after Christmas for the Hurricanes against the Habs

By Conor Power

MONTREAL, QC - OCTOBER 21: (L-R) Jordan Martinook #48, Derek Stepan #18 and goaltender Frederik Andersen #31 of the Carolina Hurricanes celebrate their victory against the Montreal Canadiens at Centre Bell on October 21, 2021 in Montreal, Canada. The Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Montreal Canadiens 4-1. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)
MONTREAL, QC - OCTOBER 21: (L-R) Jordan Martinook #48, Derek Stepan #18 and goaltender Frederik Andersen #31 of the Carolina Hurricanes celebrate their victory against the Montreal Canadiens at Centre Bell on October 21, 2021 in Montreal, Canada. The Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Montreal Canadiens 4-1. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images) /
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CALGARY, AB – DECEMBER 9: Sebastian Aho #20 (L) of the Carolina Hurricanes celebrates with his team after scoring against the Calgary Flames during an NHL game at Scotiabank Saddledome on December 9, 2021, in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. (Photo by Derek Leung/Getty Images)
CALGARY, AB – DECEMBER 9: Sebastian Aho #20 (L) of the Carolina Hurricanes celebrates with his team after scoring against the Calgary Flames during an NHL game at Scotiabank Saddledome on December 9, 2021, in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. (Photo by Derek Leung/Getty Images) /

Sebastian Aho’s return headlines this clash of rivals

After being put on the NHL’s COVID-19 reserve list and being unable to play against Vancouver, Los Angeles, or Detroit, Carolina’s marksman makes his comeback against the team that once got him to sign an offer sheet to kick the entire thing off. There are so many layers to Sebastian Aho‘s return to the lineup having to be against this particular hockey club, but that’s the way it lined up.

Aho has been rampant before he was sidelined, being listed as one of the NHL’s stars of the week for his performances against Edmonton and Calgary as he was the dominant force in both games. 15 goals and 32 points for the Oulu native outline his importance to this hockey club for everything he does as a player and a leader both on and off the ice.

As I said, we will never be able to escape the shadows of what happened between Montreal and Aho in the 2019 off-season. Previous ownership might have balked at the idea of paying Aho that much money, but thankfully Tom Dundon was so rambunctious about matching the offer sheet that it removed all doubt about what the team was going to do, but the gesture still ran deep.

Since then, Aho’s performances against Montreal have always been headlines for both fanbases, and Aho doesn’t seem to have much compassion for the team that wanted him so desperately. If he can find the torrid pace he was on before he was removed from the lineup for COVID reasons, then Carolina is going to be in good hands. When Aho’s at his brilliant best, there aren’t many players in the world better than the Finn.

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