There has been no shortage of excellent performances for the Carolina Hurricanes through the first 57 games of the season. You could make this list 10 players, and there might be a good justification for everyone. However, in the spirit of brevity, we're sticking with the five best Hurricanes at the Olympic break.
When I created this same list back in November, around the quarter mark, the usual suspects were at the top of the list. Sebastian Aho sat at #1, Seth Jarvis was a close second, and Sean Walker made an appearance after stepping up in Jaccob Slavin's absence. Some of these names remained in my Top 5, but there's a new man at the top, and you won't be surprised at who it is.
5. Jordan Staal
Back in November, the captain was on pace to reach 20 goals for the first time since the 2015-16 season. Then, he got hurt. In mid-December, he suffered a 16-game goalless drought, seemingly killing the idea of him doing that again. However, there might not have been a hotter player heading into the break than Jordan Staal.
He snapped his drought against Chicago and began a stretch of five goals in seven games, including the last three games before the pause. Staal is fifth on the team in goals (15) and eighth in points (26), but while his counting stats might not be off the charts, he continues to be one of the most reliable two-way players in the league. His knack for clutch goals in big moments is almost unparalleled.
4. Seth Jarvis
If he scores five more goals this season, which we currently have no reason to believe he won't, Seth Jarvis will join illustrious company. He would become the sixth player in franchise history to record three straight 30-goal seasons, tying Sebastian Aho, Sylvain Turgeon, and Jeff O'Neill, while sitting one behind Eric Staal and Blaine Stoughton for the most (4).
Right after the first ranking, Jarvis recorded his second-career hat trick against the Jets, but a rib injury cost him over two weeks of action. He's no longer scoring at a 40-goal pace, but 35 is still more than respectable. To his credit, Jarvis returned from his injury and didn't slow down, recording 14 points in 15 games, putting him tied for third on the team in scoring (43) with Nikolaj Ehlers.
3. Andrei Svechnikov
Remember when we were worried about Andrei Svechnikov not scoring in the first eight games and potentially being open to a trade? What a time that was. I'm certainly glad we're beyond that. Svechnikov is second on the team in both goals (21) and points (49), besting his totals from last season already. He's playing, arguably, the best hockey of his career.
The new year has been very kind to Svechnikov. Since the start of 2026, he has 11 goals and 22 points, including a four-assist effort against Dallas and a hat trick in New Jersey. Over the last ten games, Svechnikov has only been kept off the scoresheet twice. He's threatening to hit 30 goals for the second time in his career, and he might be on the verge of topping his career high in points, too.
2. Sebastian Aho
At all strengths and at all points in the game, Sebastian Aho will find a way to make an impact, at least that's how it has felt this season. The Canes' star is playing at a point-per-game pace, sitting with 57 points in 57 games at the break. He has already notched his organizational record-tying tenth straight 20-goal season, and he's looking to reach 80 points for the fourth time.
Like Svechnikov, Aho has found a new gear in the new year. It really started when he broke a five-game pointless drought in mid-December, and his five-point night to begin 2026 has him over a point-per-game since January 1. His 17 points on the power play and three game-winning goals are tied for second, and his three short-handed points are tied for first. He truly is the team's ace.
1. Brandon Bussi
For as good as Aho has been this season, that is expected of the team's highest-paid player. What Brandon Bussi has done during his short time with the Hurricanes is historic, for both the team and the league. It earned him a shiny three-year contract during the break, and he has earned every cent of it with his play this season. On top of it, Bussi is such an easy player to root for.
Bussi is tied for third in wins (23) this season, but he has needed just 27 games to reach it. His GAA (2.16) trails only Andrei Vasilevskiy for the best in the NHL. Bussi has found ways to rewrite NHL history with each win, and he entered the break with seven straight wins, two behind the nine-game streak he had earlier in the season. He deserves serious Vezina consideration, even if he won't get it.