After a perfect February, the Carolina Hurricanes are perched at the peak of the Metropolitan Division, looking down at the rest of the division with a nine-point lead over the Penguins and the Islanders. The Canes found several different ways to win during their five-game schedule last month, but there's a much taller mountain of work ahead of them in March.
For the final full month of the regular season, the Canes have a lot of hockey to play, but the biggest date on the calendar is this Friday's trade deadline. Everyone has the Hurricanes linked to a dozen different players, though it all appears to be smoke and mirrors until something actually happens. When it does happen, we'll be all over it. Here's what you need to know about the month ahead.
The Hurricanes better prepare for a lot of travel
The Canes have 15 games to play over the next 31 days. Of these 15 contests, 10 will be away from Raleigh, beginning with the team's final Western road trip of the season. The group visits the Pacific Northwest for a pair before a back-to-back in Alberta next weekend, the first of three back-to-back sets in March.
They have six games against their division foes, three of which are against the Pittsburgh Penguins. They also have two against the Blue Jackets and their final meeting with the Devils. The Canes also conclude their season series with the Lightning, the Canadiens, and the Maple Leafs of the Atlantic Division, and the Blues of the Central Division.
Five Games to Watch in March
5. 3/2 at Seattle
The Hurricanes enter their first game of the month with points in 12 straight games and wins in five straight. With this four-game road trip, the team could use a nice tone-setting victory. The Kraken find themselves in the West's second Wild Card heading into March, and they're knocking on the door for a spot in the Pacific Division's top three.
The Canes earned a hard-fought victory over the Kraken at home in January, needing big goals from Jordan Martinook and William Carrier in the third to secure a 3-2 win. There is a lot more at stake right now for the Kraken than there is for the Hurricanes, given their spot in the standings. The Canes need to be ready for a fight to get the road trip off on the right track.
4. 3/17 at Columbus
The Hurricanes and the Blue Jackets will grow very familiar with one another during the latter part of the season. They meet three times in just over two weeks, with two of those coming in March before they conclude their season series to begin April. They haven't met since early December, when the Canes won 4-1 in Raleigh.
The Blue Jackets were on the verge of a complete collapse before making a change behind the bench. Rick Bowness helped turn their season around, putting them just five points out of a Wild Card spot. These games will mean a lot for Columbus, who've stumbled a little after the Winter Games. They face a long road to the playoffs, and the Canes won't want it to come at their expense.
3. 3/24 at Montreal
You'll notice a theme this month with the Canes facing a few teams multiple times in short order. They'll face the Montreal Canadiens twice in less than a week, first visiting Montreal before returning to Raleigh to meet them five days later. The Habs are one of several teams jockeying for a spot in the Atlantic's top three, currently sitting in third and five points back of the Bolts for the division lead.
When these two met on New Year's Day, there was no defense to speak of. The Canes blew a multi-goal lead and squandered a five-point game from Sebastian Aho in a 7-5 loss. It was easily Brandon Bussi's worst start of the season, allowing six goals. The Canadiens have plenty of weapons to make the Canes pay for even their smallest mistakes.
2. 3/6 at Edmonton
This game is significant for two reasons. First, it's the Hurricanes going up against two of the top offensive players in the world, Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. They proved to be the difference when the Canes lost to the Oilers at home in November. They each recorded three points, with Draisaitl scoring the game-winner in overtime.
Second, this is the first game after the trade deadline, which will expire earlier in the afternoon. Should they make a deal on deadline day, it might be more realistic for them to meet the team in Raleigh for their first game back, but at least the speculation will be over. The team can focus on who they have as they prepare for the run for the playoffs.
1. 3/10 vs. Pittsburgh
This is the first of three meetings between the Canes and the Penguins in March, all of which come in less than two weeks. The injury to Sidney Crosby paints these games in a different light. The Penguins' captain is expected to miss four weeks, which, presumably, will sideline him for all three games against the Hurricanes.
This season, up until Crosby's injury during the Winter Olympics, has been a borderline miracle for the Penguins. They've surprised many people, me included. They absolutely tore into the Canes when they met in late December, handing the Canes a 5-1 loss to end 2025. These should be very spirited affairs, beginning with this first matchup in Raleigh.