Things are trending in the right direction for the Carolina Hurricanes as they hit their lightest month of the season. They rebounded from a slow start to 2026 by turning up the heat in January. They went 9-1-3 over their next 13 games, finishing the month with a five-point lead in the division and tied with the Lightning for the most points in the Eastern Conference.
The schedule gets really slow in February, and for good reason. The Hurricanes only play a handful of games, with the Olympic break bringing the NHL to a screeching halt for the return of best-on-best to the Winter Games. They'll need a big start to the month to maintain their division lead before coming back for the home stretch.
The Olympic break makes it a slow month for most of the team
It's a very easy month to break down, because there are only five games on the schedule for the Carolina Hurricanes. Four of them will take place at the Lenovo Center, with the lone road game being at Madison Square Garden on Thursday. There are no back-to-backs, with Sunday's game against the Kings being the second half of a twin bill. Three of the five are against the Atlantic Division.
For most of the roster, that's all of the hockey they'll play this month. For Sebastian Aho, Jaccob Slavin, Nikolaj Ehlers, and Frederik Andersen, there will be hockey in Italy on the schedule. The Winter Olympics kick off on Friday, with the men's hockey tournament beginning on February 11. The opening game is Aho and the Finns against Slovakia.
5 Games to Watch in February (because there are only 5)
1. February 1 vs. Los Angeles
To start the month, the Hurricanes return from Washington, D.C., to complete a back-to-back against the Los Angeles Kings. The two haven't met since the Canes visited California in October. Every point is valuable for the Kings right now. They are stuck in the Wild Card race with a few other teams, potentially squandering Anze Kopitar's final season.
Like the Hurricanes, this will be the second half of a back-to-back for the Kings, who played in Philadelphia on Saturday. Raleigh is the final stop of their six-game road trip around the Eastern Conference (and St. Louis). They've been the masters of the loser point, playing more overtime and shootout games than anyone else in the league.
2. February 3 vs. Ottawa
This is the second meeting in less than two weeks after the Hurricanes played a rough game in Ottawa at the end of January. Despite this lackluster effort, the Canes won, 4-1, behind an excellent performance from Brandon Bussi. It felt like Ottawa controlled most of the game, but the visitors capitalized on the chances they were given, while Ottawa didn't.
The Senators are stuck at the bottom of their division, with only subpar goaltending and a rough penalty kill to blame. This is a team that has many excellent pieces and is only a year removed from a playoff appearance. They'll be a team to watch after the break, especially if they get hot. With the Wild Card far from solved, the Senators could make a push.
3. February 5 at New York (R)
The Rangers are throwing in the towel on their season. That's not my opinion. Their general manager said it, in so many words. They've started to trade players, and there will likely be more changes once the roster freeze ends. The Rangers have already announced that they're scratching Artemi Panarin until the break. The Hurricanes might be interested in a few of the players, including Panarin.
Still, this is far from an easy game to play before the Olympics. Even if the Canes have started to solve their problems at Madison Square Garden, they will need to put their best foot forward before the break. The Canes won their lone trip to the Garden in shutout fashion and won the most recent meeting in Raleigh in overtime.
4. February 26 vs. Tampa Bay
Their first game after the Olympics is a tough one. In fact, the first two are against the two best teams in the Atlantic Division. This feels like last season when they returned from the 4 Nations break against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Fortunately, it's on home ice. The Canes blew a 3-0 lead and a 4-3 lead when they visited Tampa Bay in December.
Their win over the Hurricanes in mid-December began an 11-game win streak, which catapulted them to the top of the division. Now, they're stuck in a bitter battle with the Detroit Red Wings for the top spot. All three teams are jockeying for the first spot in the Eastern Conference. Nikita Kucherov is also trying to close the gap for the Art Ross against Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon.
5. February 28 vs. Detroit
Controversy reigned supreme when these two met in January, and just mentioning it leaves a bitter taste in my mouth. The Canes erased a three-goal deficit in the third period to force overtime in the Motor City, but an egregious missed call in overtime allowed the Red Wings to win the game in extra time. The Canes winning in Raleigh in December sets up an anticipated rubber match.
The Red Wings appeared poised to break their nine-season postseason drought, and they might do it in a big way. If they find a way to win the Atlantic Division, it would be their first division crown since 2011. They have the tools to do it, and they still have a chance to become even more dangerous as the trade deadline approaches.