We rarely witness a handful of Hurricanes take the reins and dominate a series in the same way that the trio of Frederik Andersen, Taylor Hall, and Logan Stankoven did in the first round against the Senators. Each etched their name into team history, in some way, on the road to an opening-round sweep. Naturally, it got the wheels in my brain spinning.
The question became which Hurricanes have provided the best postseason-opening performances in team history. There were quite a few to pick from, but you'll find that this list is a little more skewed for the recent stretch of postseason runs, though there were a few from the earlier runs that squeaked through.
There are a few honorable mentions. Ray Sheppard still holds a place in team history. Along with scoring the first playoff goal and securing the first win in 1999, Sheppard is tied with three others for the most goals in any round (5). One of those players is Andrei Svechnikov, who scored five times last season against the Devils. We also can't leave out Kevin Weekes' run in 2002 in relief of Arturs Irbe.
5. Warren Foegele (2019 vs. WSH)
If you've never heard the story of the Caps Killer, Warren Foegele, it's one for the ages. During his rookie season, Foegele didn't light up the world, scoring ten goals and 15 points in 77 games. However, a flip switched when the playoffs began, especially after the series returned to Raleigh. It's one of the most unsung single-round performances in team history.
Foegele led the charge in Game 3, scoring twice and adding an assist in the Canes' first postseason win since 2009. In Game 4, Foegele needed 17 seconds to open the scoring as the Canes knotted the series at two. These two games led to one of the wildest internet "beefs" ever. He closed the series with six points, including four goals, accounting for nearly half of his regular-season total.
4. Cam Ward (2006 vs. MTL)
Every great run begins somewhere. Cam Ward's first playoff journey began on the bench against Montreal in 2006. Once he got his shot, outside of one start against Buffalo, it was his net. His number was called in Game 2, and while he didn't lead the team to a win in relief, the series turned around for the Canes once he finally took control.
Over the next four games, all one-goal wins, Ward only allowed five goals. He stopped 105 of the 110 shots he faced in those four wins, finishing the series with a .940 save percentage. We know how the rest of the story goes. He bested his childhood idol in the next round, outdueled a fellow rookie in the conference finals, and cemented his Conn Smythe performance by hoisting the Stanley Cup.
3. Eric Staal (2006 vs. MTL, 2009 vs. NJD)
Like Ward, 2006 was Eric Staal's first trip to the playoffs. There was little adjusting. In Game 2, Staal set a Hurricanes record by posting four assists in the 2OT loss, becoming just the second player in franchise history to do so. Then, he scored the OT winner in Game 3 to get the Canes in the win column. He led the team with eight points, finishing just ahead of his captain.
His performance against the Devils in 2009 was clutch. The start of the series wasn't good. He had just two points, both goals, through five games. The Canes were on the brink of elimination when Staal posted two goals and an assist at home to force a Game 7. After picking up another assist early in the final game, Staal scored the series-winning goal, tying Sheppard with his fifth goal.
2. Jaccob Slavin (2019 vs. WSH, 2022 vs. BOS)
We all know Jaccob Slavin as a shutdown defenseman. However, he holds some postseason scoring records that might not be touched. In 2019, Slavin was an assist machine against the Capitals. He led the team with nine points, all helpers, setting a franchise record for the most in a series. Three of those came in Game 7, making him the first Hurricanes defenseman with three assists in a game.
Three years later, Slavin's offensive touch came back against the Bruins. He tied Tony DeAngelo for the most points in the series with eight. Slavin had at least one point in six of the seven games, including another Game 7 multi-assist performance. There's a reason no defenseman is remotely close to him in postseason points, and these two series play a big part in it.
1. Sebastian Aho (2020 vs. NYR, 2021 vs. NSH, 2025 vs. NJD)
It should come as little surprise that the franchise's all-time postseason scoring leader is at the top of this list. Sebastian Aho has 40 more points than the next closest player. His first-round legacy begins in the bubble. During their three-game sweep of the Rangers, Aho had eight points. He had back-to-back three-point efforts in Games 2 and 3, the latter of which featured his undressing of DeAngelo.
The following year, Aho's scoring came in bunches against the Predators. He scored two goals in Game 2 and added three points in Game 3. He didn't record another point until Game 6, when he scored twice, including the series-winning goal in overtime. The final goal was his fifth of the series, tying him with Sheppard and Staal for a single round.
Fast forward to last season against the Devils, and Aho was right back at it. He posted three straight multi-point efforts once more, doing so in Games 3 through 5, tying his 2020 output with eight total points. The series finale, as it came to be, saw him score the tying goal in the second period and the winning goal in 2OT, both on the power play, sending the Canes onto the second round.
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