Carolina’s three in-house options for 2C next year

Jack Drury

This is the WAY outside chance, and I’m going to acknowledge that before we get too far into this. It’s unlikely Jack Drury comes in right away and steals the 2C role moving forward. Anyone that says that is completely right and I agree wholeheartedly. However, after his performances for the Chicago Wolves in the Calder Cup Playoffs. If he comes in and right away impresses, it is possible.

Drury is currently a goal per game at the NHL level and has the highest goals per game ratio of anyone in Carolina Hurricanes history. A rather pointless stat, but it is still funny to think about to this point. Carolina’s second-round pick in 2018 has come a long way from the kid he was when he made his NHL debut earlier this season against the Detroit Red Wings.

Drury is from a hockey family with his uncle, Chris Drury, having won the Calder Trophy for best rookie back in 1998-99, we know that there is a strong pedigree from this family and Drury has the ability to become a fantastic player at the NHL level.

For the Chicago Wolves this season, Jack had 20 goals and 32 assists for 52 points in 68 games. Nothing special but not bad for an AHL rookie. But in the playoffs, we saw Drury at his monstrous best. In his 18 AHL playoff games, he had 15 assists to accompany his 9 goals as his 24 points led the AHL playoff rookies and were second on the Wolves. He proved he is too good for another year down there.

He’s likely going to start in the bottom six when he makes his move to the NHL next year and that’s okay. No one is expecting him to blow the doors off the NHL right away, and it would be a welcome surprise. As the saying goes, you do not depend on rookies, you get surprised by them. Allow them the time to develop, and see what happens. Drury seems to be a major wildcard for next year

Question for Cardiac Cane readers: Who do you want to see as the 2C next year?