The beginning of 2024-25 NHL season has begun and the Carolina Hurricanes will begin their journey tomorrow night when they host the Tampa Bay Lightning at the Lenovo Center. Thanks to Hurricane Milton, the Lightning are already in Raleigh and are practicing, while the Canes finalize the roster with activity on waivers. This season will be different as many faces have departed and expectations have been adjusted by "experts".
Despite the amount of players exiting Raleigh at the start of free agency, the young core of the team has remained and is looking to take a step forward, both individually and as a team. Gone are the defensive pairing of Brady Skjei and Brett Pesce. Stefan Noesen has gone to New Jersey for a better opportunity and more money. Teuvo Teravainen has gone back to Chicago, leaving a hole in the top 6.
Short-term Canes left in Jake Guentzel, who will be the opponent tomorrow night, and Evgeny Kuznetsov, who went home to play in the KHL. Trade deadline additions that set the expectation for a Stanley Cup run.
The young stars on the squad are returning with fresh contracts and something to prove. Seth Jarvis and Martin Necas, along with Jack Drury are hungry to show the league why they deserve their new deals.
The defense reloaded with the signing of Sean Walker and the return of Shayne Gostisbehere. Jalen Chatfield chose to re-sign with the club rather than testing free agency. That was hugely important for new general manager, Eric Tulsky, as it helped the blow of Pesce and Skjei walking out the door.
Still, if the Canes will remain a contender, some players will need to step up and be the X-factors.
Martin Necas
Necas was the talk of the trade market this offseason as rumors had him disgruntled with the organization and looking to move on with his contract expiring. Being a restricted free agent, Necas could only be traded and ultimately signed a bridge deal for two more seasons.
After being drafted 12th overall in the 2017 NHL Draft by Carolina, the expectations for Necas were and remain high. Entering his 8th season, the 25-year-old forward had a breakout season in 2022-23, playing in all 82 games and registering career highs in goals with 28, assists in 43, and points with 71.
The solid season was not a surprise as the Czech Republic native has tremendous skill and speed. The surprise came last season when Necas took a step back, registering 24 goals and 53 points. A season full of defensive lapses, Necas finished with a minus -9 rating.
Losing Teravainen will require Necas to pick up the slack and come out of the gate hot. The speed and hard shot will need to be consistent this season for the Canes to not miss a beat.
If Necas can return to the form of 2022-23 and add to those statistics, the Canes will be incredibly dynamic and successful. More importantly, the defensive side of his game will need to improve so that Rod Brind'Amour can trust him to be on the ice in important spots.
The likelihood of Necas beginning on the second line will make his production that much more important as secondary scoring has been a problem the last few seasons in Raleigh, especially in the playoffs.
Shayne Gostisbehere
Gostisbehere returns to Carolina after spending last season in Detroit. Acquired near the trade deadline in 2022-23, Gostisbehere played in 23 games for the Canes and was part of the team that went to the Eastern Conference Finals. His familiarity with the organization and Brind'Amour's system will be extremely important as the adjustment period will be minimal.
The 31-year-old veteran will have some big shoes to fill as he will be expected to replace the bulk of the point production lost by Skjei's departure to Nashville. Skjei had 13 goals and 47 points last season while logging an average of over 17 minutes a game. Additionally, Skjei logged minutes on the man advantage, something Gostisbehere is known for in his 10 seasons in the NHL.
An offensive-minded blue liner, the Florida native can move the puck quickly and snap an accurate shot from the point. Last season in Detroit, Gostisbehere registered 10 goals and 56 points, not far off his career high of 65 points. 27 of his 56 points were on the power play and that will be pivotal to this team's success.
Defensively, Gostisbehere will be expected to be reliable and not a liability which he did just that in his first stint in Raleigh. Whether he is paired with newcomer, Walker or his old partner, Chatfield, the defensive responsibility will fall on Gostisbehere's partner.
The success of the man advantage will go a long way in replacing the lost goal production, but also give the Canes an asset that they lacked in years past, which will be the main objective for Gostisbehere.