In the lead-up to the 2025-26 season, I wrote a preview for each of the Hurricanes on the roster, talking about my expectations for them and providing a bold prediction for each. Some of them made perfect sense. Others, in hindsight, were complete and utter garbage. That shouldn't come as much of a surprise, though.
As we wait for the season to resume amidst the Olympic pause, I wanted to take a look at where some of those predictions stand. You might be shocked to know that some of them have aged better than others. There's a real chance that some of them materialize, but there are a few that have already soured and can be thrown out.
The "If I could turn back time" Predictions
Player | Prediction |
|---|---|
Mark Jankowski | Gets a real shot at 2C before 2026 |
Logan Stankoven | 1st hat trick before the Olympic break |
Mike Reilly | Scores in his team debut |
For these players, the predictions came with time constraints. I have only myself to blame, though, in Mike Reilly's case, I deserve at least half credit. Reilly was called into action in San Jose after Jaccob Slavin's injury. While he didn't score a goal against the Sharks, he recorded an assist. To go a step further, his first goal with the Hurricanes came against the Islanders. which I kind of predicted.
The other two that I misjudged surround the second-line center spot, a much-debated position on the Hurricanes' roster. Logan Stankoven has occupied that spot for most of the season. He has struggled at times, but I've been pleasantly surprised. However, he failed to record a hat trick before the break. In fact, despite a four-game goal streak, Stankoven doesn't have a multi-goal effort.
With the uncertainty about who would be in the middle on the second line, I figured every option would be on the table, including Mark Jankowski. I thought the team might be willing to exercise every available option early in the season. While Jankowski had a few games with elevated minutes, his role has been primarily on the fourth line thus far.
The "Don't count on it" Predictions
Player | Prediction |
|---|---|
Jesperi Kotkaniemi | Becomes the 2C |
Sebastian Aho | Becomes the all-time Canes leader in goals |
William Carrier | Top 10 in the league in hits |
Jaccob Slavin | Best finish for the Norris Trophy |
Andrei Svechnikov | Scores 40 goals |
Taylor Hall | Leads Canes in power-play goals |
Jalen Chatfield | At least 10 goals |
Sean Walker | Career high in points |
Shayne Gostisbehere | Most points by a D-man in team history |
Alexander Nikishin | Wins the Calder Trophy |
Some of these predictions probably deserve to be in the other section because they aren't going to happen. For example, Jaccob Slavin's missed time will likely mean no votes for the Norris Trophy. Alexander Nikishin probably isn't going to win the Calder Trophy, either. However, there's the element of probability that means it could still technically happen, even if it won't.
A few players were chasing team records and probably won't get there. Sebastian Aho needs 40 goals to break Eric Staal's record. He has 20 at the break, so he probably won't crack it this season, though he almost certainly will in 2026-27. Shayne Gostisbehere getting hurt has likely ruined his chances of reaching 62 points to pass Brent Burns for the most in a season by a defenseman.
Injuries have also hampered William Carrier's season. He leads the team in hits with 112, which has him in 60th right now in the league. He'd be in the Top 30 if he kept his current pace through 57 games, so Top 10 isn't going to happen. Jesperi Kotkaniemi also hasn't been in the lineup a ton for a litany of reasons, so it seems like his chance to be the 2C has come and gone.
I also had high hopes for a few more defensemen on the team in the offensive zone. Sean Walker looked like he might've been on his way to a new high in points, but his production has slowed considerably. Jalen Chatfield didn't score his first goal until early January, and there's no guarantee that he'll score more between now and the end of the season.
If there are two that I feel are a little closer to reality, it's these two. Taylor Hall probably won't lead the team in power-play goals, but his three are only four off the lead, so it's not completely unfounded that he could get hot. Andrei Svechnikov is second in goals (21), and he's barely on pace to reach 30 by season's end, but I'll gladly take what we've seen from him this season.
The "So, you're staying there's a chance?" Predictions
Player | Prediction |
|---|---|
Jordan Martinook | Hits 200 points as a Hurricane |
Seth Jarvis | Selke finalist |
Jordan Staal | Selke winner |
K'Andre Miller | Outperforms Vladislav Gavrikov |
Eric Robinson | Career high in goals |
Jackson Blake | Top 5 on the team in scoring |
Nikolaj Ehlers | Plays at least 75 games |
Goalies | Fewest goals allowed in the East |
This final group represents the predictions that feel the most attainable, whether it's based on where things stand at the break or where they could be over the final months. The most subjective of these is K'Andre Miller, who I suggested would outperform Vladislav Gavrikov, his replacement in New York. Thus far, I feel this has been the case, and given the Rangers' current state, it will likely remain so.
I also put a lot of eggs into the Selke Trophy basket. With three players nominated as finalists every season, having two Hurricanes among the final three seems unlikely, but I'm rolling with it. I think Seth Jarvis being nominated is less likely to happen than Jordan Staal winning it. I'd be happy with either, but I'm pulling for the captain to finally get his due.
When I was making goalie predictions, I thought I'd be talking about Frederik Andersen and Pyotr Kochetkov. Instead, it's Andersen and Brandon Bussi, who inked a new deal on Monday. There is plenty of work to be done, but the Canes have allowed the third-fewest goals in the conference, behind only the Lightning and the Islanders.
Like in the previous section, I have a few looking to reach milestones. Eric Robinson missed some time leading into the break, but he is threatening to best his previous high in goals. He needs five more to beat last season's total (14). Jordan Martinook needs a little more help, sitting 14 points shy of 200 since being acquired by the Hurricanes in 2018.
It felt laughable to predict that Nikolaj Ehlers would play at least 75 games, though it made sense given his history. Considering that he has stayed healthy, I encourage everyone to knock on wood to keep that trend rolling. Jackson Blake has also been excellent during his sophomore campaign. He's one point away from tying his total last season and is pushing for the Top 5 on the team.
We'll revisit these predictions at the end of the season to see whether some of them came true. I'm not holding my breath that many of them will, but I'll settle for at least a handful being correct. I'm prepared to see very few of these materialize because, at the end of the day, an 82-game hockey season can be very unpredictable.