February was a weird month, but we knew it would be, with the NHL sending players to the Winter Olympics for the first time since 2014. It meant that all of the cramming to get to the Games would be paid off with a nice three-week break. For the Carolina Hurricanes, it meant doing everything they could to maintain or improve their spot in the division. In that respect, mission accomplished.
The Canes played five games this month, and they won all five. They were one of two teams (Dallas) to end the month perfectly, leading the league with 10 points over the last 28 days. Most importantly, everyone contributed. The Canes used 19 skaters in February, and 17 of them found the scoresheet, which feels impressive, given the limited schedule. Here's a quick recap of the last month in Raleigh.
Stories of the Month
Hurricanes sweep in Milan: The Hurricanes sent five players to the Winter Games, with Seth Jarvis added to Team Canada as a late addition before the pause. By the end of the tournament, Jarvis joined Sebastian Aho and Jaccob Slavin on the podium, bringing home a little hardware for all of their hard work in Milano Cortina.
Nikolaj Ehlers (1G, 2A) and Frederik Andersen (1-2-0, .913 SV%) were the only Canes to fall short of the podium, though they played well for Denmark. Sebastian Aho (4G, 2A) finished tied for second in goals, earning the bronze for Finland. Seth Jarvis (1A) and Jaccob Slavin (1A) met in the Gold Medal Game, with the Americans prevailing over the Canadians to earn gold for the first time in 46 years.
Bussi is sticking around: While the news around the organization was slow during the Olympics, the Canes finally came to terms on a new deal with Brandon Bussi after weeks of speculation that one was close. The three-year extension keeps Bussi in Raleigh at $1.9 million per season against the cap. Not bad for a last-minute addition to the team in October.
Bussi has been incredible for the Hurricanes this season, sitting at 24-3-1 through 28 starts, with a .904 save percentage, a 2.23 GAA, and a pair of shutouts. He was my pick for the team's MVP at the Olympic break, showing a knack for stealing games. Every indication is that Bussi will pair with currently-injured Pyotr Kochetkov next season, though we still have this season to get through.
Near collapses abound: The Hurricanes might've been 5-0-0 this month, but it didn't come without a lot of unnecessary stress. Of these five games, the Hurricanes lost a multi-goal lead three times, continuing a very troubling trend that has plagued the group this season. Fortunately, it didn't end up biting them in the behind.
Before the break, it was back-to-back games against the Kings and the Senators. The Canes led 2-0 and 3-1, respectively. It took overtime to best Los Angeles, while the captain provided the winner late in the third to beat Ottawa. After the pause, they surrendered a 3-0 lead to the Lightning before avoiding disaster. Even their win over Detroit featured a close call.
Best Game: The Bus is the optimal mode of transportation in NYC
In terms of a complete 60-minute effort from the Carolina Hurricanes in February, there was no better example than their performance against the New York Rangers in the final game before the break. The only real slight against them was the fact that they only beat Jonathan Quick once because this was a truly dominant effort from the Canes everywhere except for the final score.
The Hurricanes threw 42 shots at Quick, with Andrei Svechnikov's goal in the first period being his only blemish. On the other end, Brandon Bussi wasn't as busy, but he was perfect. The Rangers had one good spurt throughout the night, ending with only 16 shots. None of them found the back of the net, and Jordan Staal scored into the empty net to secure a 2-0 win before going on vacation.
Best Moment: Slavin, Jarvis meet in a Gold Medal Game for the ages
I know that this, technically, isn't a Carolina Hurricanes moment, but it's a moment that featured a few players, so I'm making an exception. From a purely hockey standpoint, this was one of the most anticipated games of the season. Two powerhouses of hockey meeting with everything on the line in front of a global audience, and two Hurricanes got to be a part of it.
While Jaccob Slavin and Seth Jarvis were guaranteed to return with a medal, the color they brought home mattered a lot. Ultimately, it was Slavin and the Americans who got the honor of hearing the National Anthem played as they took home the gold. Slavin was excellent in the final game, putting on a defensive clinic to help the United States win gold for the third time in the country's history.
Three Stars of the Month
Third Star: Call it recency bias, but it is very hard to evaluate this month for the Hurricanes with such a long pause between games. Taylor Hall played a central role in both of the team's post-break wins against Tampa Bay and Detroit. He returned from the pause with a goal and an assist against the Bolts before putting forth his first three-point effort of the season against the Red Wings.
The Stankoven line was the team's best in both wins. They came out on fire, scoring twice in the first seven minutes on Thursday, and Hall scored a beautiful breakaway goal to open Saturday's contest while adding two more helpers in the third. Hall finished the month tied for third on the team with five points, doing all of his damage at 5-on-5.
Second Star: It's hard to have a better month than Seth Jarvis had from a vibes perspective. After an assist against the Kings to begin the month, Jarvis scored twice in a win over the Senators. Shortly before the game at MSG, Jarvis was named as Brayden Point's injury replacement, changing his plans for the break as he boarded a flight for Italy.
In Milan, Jarvis recorded a pivotal assist in their quarterfinal win over Czechia on his way to earning the silver with Canada. Upon his return to the team, Jarvis had two points against the Bolts, including his team-leading 26th goal, and an assist against Detroit. Jarvis tied for the team lead in points with six this month while finishing tied for second with three goals.
First Star: Even if you took what he did at the Olympics out of the equation, Sebastian Aho would've been my pick to be the first star for the team this month. Aho scored the overtime winner against the Kings, had three points against Ottawa, and scored power-play goals in back-to-back games after the break. His four goals led the team, and his six points tied Jarvis for the most in February.
However, in six games with Team Finland at the Winter Games, Aho put together an identical statline. He led his team and finished tied for second among all players with four goals in Milan. His six points were tied for second for Finland. Aho turned in one of the most productive performances in Hurricanes history at the Olympics, coming home with a bronze medal. It's hard to top that.