Since joining the Cardiac Cane staff, I've tried to maintain my level-headedness and remain optimistic about the current and future state of the Carolina Hurricanes. There's very little that rattles me or causes me to be down about this team. However, their recent struggles have me concerned about their status as a Stanley Cup contender, though I'm still not throwing in the towel.
I was willing to give them the break to show me that it was just a phase they were going through. With two games behind us after the 4 Nations Face-Off, it's time to discuss something that many fans have been clamoring about for a while now. The regression of Brent Burns has hit with the force of a Mack truck, and it has started to become a detriment to the current defensive core.
At 39, Burns is the third-oldest player in the NHL, behind Minnesota's Marc-Andre Fleury and St. Louis' Ryan Suter. There's no denying that Burns has had an incredible career. He's a former Norris Trophy winner and a three-time finalist with over 900 points in nearly 1,500 games. Burns is sure to be a Hall of Famer in the near future.
For all of his accomplishments, time waits for no man. Paired with Jaccob Slavin every game this season, the duo are first and second on the team in average time on ice, with Slavin leading Burns by 14 seconds per game. Recently, the regression has become crystal clear, especially in his decision-making. Far too many times, Burns has turned the puck over leading to great chances and goals for the opponent.
Points don't typically tell the entire story, but they do a good job of explaining Burns' fall the last two campaigns. He's on pace for his least productive season since the 56-game 2021 season and one of his lowest point totals as a full-time NHLer. Burns has also been non-existent on the power play, providing just two assists despite seeing time on both units.
Burns is far from the only defenseman underperforming recently. Shayne Gostisbehere snapped a 20-game goalless drought on Saturday against Toronto, and he has just six points since mid-December. Dmitry Orlov has slowed down quite a bit, providing just seven assists since the start of the new year. His defensive game has been pretty rough, too. They're expected to be the point producers on the blue line.
So, what is the solution? How do the Hurricanes fix this glaring problem? Does anyone really know? The current problem with the alignment is that Burns is the only right-handed defender whose relied upon to score. Orlov and Gostisbehere are both lefties. You could force someone to play the opposite side, but we're trying to improve the current situation, not worsen it.
Is the answer calling up Scott Morrow on a more permanent basis? He's a righty, which is a good start. He's been playing well in Chicago, so there's another plus. He wasn't given much of a chance to shine during his two games before the break, so what's the harm of calling him back up? It beats having Riley Stillman as the seventh defenseman and playing him less than two minutes like he did against Montreal.
I'm not suggesting Rod Brind'Amour scratch Burns to break the Iron Man streak. I'm merely suggesting some of his workload gets re-allocated to the other defensemen on the team. He doesn't need to be on the power play, especially not the top unit. He doesn't need to be the first righty out for the penalty kill. Let Sean Walker and Jalen Chatfield get more time down a man.
I seriously doubt the Carolina Hurricanes will add a defenseman at the trade deadline. I also don't think they're actively trying to move a defenseman to make room for Morrow on the main roster. Regardless, something has to give. What has turned into their strong suit has slowly become an issue. The Canes can't keep changing the forward lines without doing something to address the defense.