We've reached the halfway point in our defensive preview for the upcoming season. Next up is one of the new faces from last season's roster, stepping in after the Hurricanes lost one of their most reliable pairs during the 2024 offseason.
Sean Walker signed a five-year, $18 million deal with the Hurricanes last summer, a surprisingly lengthy deal for the organization. Walker came to Raleigh after spending most of his early days with the Los Angeles Kings. After five seasons, he was part of the three-team Ivan Provorov trade, landing in Philadelphia. The Flyers traded him at the 2024 deadline to the Avalanche.
Last season: 5-11-16 in 82 games/1-2-3 in the playoffs
The Hurricanes immediately replaced the departed Pesce-Skjei duo with Gostisbehere and Walker, forming a strong second, or third, pair, depending on who you asked. Of the six regular defensemen, Walker was the least used of the bunch, playing just under 17 minutes per night. However, he wasn't used much on the penalty kill and almost never got time on the power play.
Along with playing the least, Walker scored the fewest points amongst the group. He scored his first goal as a Hurricane during the Halloween Night Massacre of the Boston Bruins, adding insult to injury in a one-sided affair. Walker opted to spread his points throughout the season. He only had one multi-point effort and two stretches when he scored points in back-to-back games.
Much like the regular season, Walker didn't score much during the postseason, but all of his points came in the final two games of the Washington series. He notched his first-career playoff goal in Game 4 to go with an assist. Then, Walker recorded the primary assist on the series-clinching goal, playing catch with Andrei Svechnikov before he scored with 1:59 left in Game 5.
Bold Prediction: Walker tops his career-high in points this season
Throughout his career, Walker's scoring has ebbed and flowed. One year, he's in the mid-20s and pushing 30 points. The next year, he's barely in double digits. It has been a consistent cycle. After only 16 points last season, it means he's due for a slight bump this season. By that, I mean he's breaking 30 points for the first time.
Walker's career high for points is 29, coming during his split season with Philadelphia and Colorado in 2023-24. He scored 10 goals, his only season with double-digit goals, and 19 assists, tying for his personal best. We know that Walker can score more. I'm expecting to see it this season.
One thing is for sure: Walker will do his best to be a physical presence and throw himself in front of as many shots as he can. He was third on the team in blocked shots (90) and was one of seven players to record at least 90 hits a year ago. With another season paired with Gostisbehere seemingly likely, Walker should have every chance in the world to improve in Year 2 as a Hurricane.