2023 Southeast Rookie Showcase: Takeaways from the Canes’ Strong Showing in Florida

The future of the Carolina Hurricanes was on full display over the weekend at the 2023 Southeast Rookie Showcase in Florida. Fielding a team of prospects to face Florida, Tampa Bay, and Nashville, the Hurricanes showcased how deep their pool runs. While the results of each game don’t mean much in the grand scheme of things, it was nice to see some wins, earning victories in all three games over the four-day schedule.

Play began on Thursday night with the Hurricanes facing the Panthers. This was the most lopsided of the three efforts, with the Canes dominating most of the game. The power play struck twice, the forecheck helped to create two more goals, and the goalies split action as the Canes cruised to a 4-1 victory.

In Game 2, things didn’t go the Canes’ way for most of the afternoon. Tampa Bay held a 2-0 lead after 40 minutes before the onslaught arrived. A short-handed tally, a highlight reel goal, and another power play marker allowed the Canes to earn a 3-2 lead more than halfway through the third period. The Bolts would force overtime with a goal late in regulation, and after neither team capitalized on power plays in the extra sessions, the Canes took the win in a seven-round shootout.

Their finale against Nashville was a tough one with wide momentum swings. The Predators fielded one of the more experienced teams, featuring several players that cracked the NHL lineup at the end of the year. The Canes scored a goal in the first 1:11 of each period as they managed to fight off a late attack from the Predators to finish the 2023 Southeast Rookie Showcase undefeated with a 3-2 victory.

There was a lot to like about the effort of this group during the showcase. Here are some things that stood out to me while I took in the first hockey action of the season for the Hurricanes.

The Hurricanes’ strength is on the blue line

Each member of the seven-player defensive group got their chance to shine during the Southeast Rookie Showcase. While the team’s two best defensive prospects didn’t participate, it allowed many others to impress. Domenick Fensore and Anttoni Honka were the standouts. Despite being listed at 5’7″, Fensore was in the middle of everything the Canes did in all three zones, occupying so much space for a player of his size. He quarterbacked the first power play unit, scoring the opening goal of the showcase for the team on Friday. Honka saw some time on the power play, and while he didn’t find the scoresheet during the showcase, he was solid with the puck and was excellent on the backend. Griffin Mendel scored the only other goal for the defense, a short-handed tally during Saturday’s win over Tampa Bay.

The forecheck was present and dangerous, a mainstay for the organization

The identity of the Carolina Hurricanes at the NHL level has been to dump the puck into the zone and jump down opponents’ throats on the forecheck. We saw a lot of that from the prospects during the Southeast Rookie Showcase. Twice against Florida, we saw the forecheck lead to a goal, and on Monday, they scored a goal after a defender from Nashville played the puck off a skate and into the net. It wasn’t just one player creating all of the pressure. Every forward was in the zone, ready to pounce on the puck once it was dumped in. This likely gives the coaching staff an idea of who can fit into the playing style, especially if they need to call someone up after an injury. It was one of the most noticeable parts of the team’s game over the weekend.

Performances in the showcase will lead to tough decisions in the following weeks

There is plenty to watch once the team gets on the ice for training camp this week. While many of the roster spots are likely already decided, the fight to be the fourth-line center will be a battle to watch closely. While Jack Drury may have the most experience in the group, the performances of Ryan Suzuki and Vasily Ponomarev during the Southeast Rookie Showcase make them strong candidates to crack the Opening Night roster. Ponomarev’s hard work throughout the showcase was rewarded on Monday with a goal, and he added four assists to be the unofficial leading scorer for the team. In my eyes, Suzuki was the team’s MVP, scoring two goals, adding two assists, and scoring on all three shootout attempts he had. Both players also impacted the power play, scoring a few points each on the man advantage. This was the type of effort I hoped to see from Suzuki because I think his turn on the NHL roster is long overdue.

The window for the Hurricanes is wide open

It has become a bit cliche to say that a team has a bright future because every fanbase thinks their prospects look good. That being said, it’s clear the Canes have a very bright future after their performance at the Southeast Rookie Showcase. The Canes stacked up well against three excellent teams and got strong performances from guys who could impact the team soon. If we thought this team of prospects was good, think about how good they’d be with top prospects Scott Morrow or Alexander Nikishin on defense or with the offensive prowess of Bradly Nadeau or Jackson Blake. While the NHL team as it’s constructed may have a finite time to win a Stanley Cup, this prospect pool shows the Canes could have the longevity to fight for the crown.