Takeaway 3: Carolina has young stars in the making
As a changeup from the negativity following the conference final loss, Carolina has young stars in the making on their roster that performed at a high level against Florida.
Alexander Nikishin stepped into a difficult situation in the series and was one of the few bright spots. Rod Brind'Amour elected to sit Nikishin in Games 1 and 2, which was a mistake. The young Russian played in Games 3 through 5 and was noticeably physical and dangerous offensively. He had some mishaps defensively, but he is only 23 years old and has plenty of time to develop. Nikishin's true rookie season will be next year, and it is safe to say he will be a core piece of this team long term.
Another young player with a bright future is Logan Stankoven. He flashed potential all series long, scoring two goals and one assist in the five games. His tenacious and fast play style is perfect for Brind'Amour's system. He has already proven himself as an impact player for a team desperate for more of that in its forward depth. Stankoven's ability to enter the offensive zone, forecheck, and score off the rush and in the cycle makes him a player any team in the NHL would love to have.
Developing young talent and molding them into high-level NHL players is a calling card of the Hurricanes organization. Regarding Stankoven and Nikishin, both of them are already near-star-level talent, and Carolina is lucky to have both of them long-term on their team.