As we've learned this week, injuries in sports happen. Sometimes, the injury is bad enough that it can cost you months or even years. The Carolina Hurricanes were dealt a massive blow on March 11, 2023, against the Vegas Golden Knights. It was a silent one that ultimately had ripples felt through the 2023 postseason.
Andrei Svechnikov was enjoying another phenomenal season to this point. He participated in his first All-Star Game, winning the Fastest Skater competition. If not for a 19-game goalless drought, he was likely on pace for consecutive 30-goal seasons, sitting with 23 goals and 55 points in 64 games. He was a point-per-game player (21 points in 21 games) in the two months before his injury.
While it looked inauspicious at the time, Svechnikov tore the ACL in his right knee during the 4-0 loss to Vegas. He missed the game the next day, a 3-0 loss to the Devils, before the team announced that he would miss the remainder of the regular season and the postseason shortly before their game against the Winnipeg Jets.
All of a sudden, there was doubt cast over whether the Hurricanes had enough firepower, especially after a lackluster trade deadline where they only added Jesse Puljujarvi and Shayne Gostisbehere. The Hurricanes finished the season just fine, recording 113 points and winning the Metropolitan Division by one point over the Devils.
Postseason success followed. The Hurricanes got through the first round in six games over the Islanders before running through the Devils in the second round in five. The real question is whether Svechnikov would've made a difference against the Florida Panthers in the Eastern Conference Final? In as tightly contested a series as it was, Svechnikov's presence could've made all the difference.
Do the Hurricanes beat the Panthers with Svechnikov in the lineup?
Before we get too ahead of ourselves, let's talk about the end of the regular season. The Hurricanes went 9-8-1 in the final 18 games of the campaign, doing just enough to hold off the Devils for the Metropolitan Division crown. With Svechnikov in the lineup, the team likely adds a win or two, making their cushion more palatable. I also suspect Svechnikov reaches 30 goals, given how hot he was.
Once the postseason hits, Svechnikov turns it up a notch. The game takes the extra step in pace, and the hitting comes from every angle. This is where I think Svechnikov's presence was missed the most. His goal scoring and playmaking are incredible, but his willingness to throw his body around is the extra element the Canes sorely needed, so long as he doesn't get too reckless.
The edge in hits during the Florida series wasn't egregious, with the Panthers holding a slight 123-115 lead across four games. However, we got a glimpse into what was missing when they met during the following regular season. Andrei Svechnikov was all over Matthew Tkachuk. This hit hurt Tkachuk, which is unfortunate, but it shows the type of impact he could've had physically.
Andrei Svechnikov gives Matthew Tkachuk a bump in the corner.
— Walt Ruff (@WaltRuff) February 23, 2024
Florida's #19 is probably thankful that Jaccob Slavin was there to act as a buffer between the boards. pic.twitter.com/nGFUpcCa3p
As physical as he is, it was his scoring that was missed the most. With four one-goal losses being their undoing, Svechnikov in the lineup surely impacts the series in some way on the scoresheet. Maybe he scores before we reach a fourth overtime in Game 1. Maybe he breaks the shutout in Game 3 to tie the game. Perhaps he helps extend the series in Game 4.
Just look at the 2025 rematch. Svechnikov had a solid series against the Panthers in May. While his discipline faltered a little, Svechnikov had three points, tied for third on the team, while laying 19 hits. His biggest contribution was his primary helper on Seth Jarvis' goal to tie Game 5 in the third. It was all for naught, but he would've been a welcome addition against a marginally worse 2023 squad.
Do the Hurricanes win the 2023 series if he's healthy? Who knows? I don't think it would've been a sweep. I think he's good for at least a few goals in the series, and that could have made all the difference. The Hurricanes are a better team with Andrei Svechnikov in the lineup. That would've been the case in 2023, and it remains the case over two years later.