New Faces, Same Canes

By Erin Manning

One word to describe each new Hurricanes player

Remember the offseason, when it seemed like every day a new observer, pundit, or hockey media personality was downgrading the Carolina Hurricanes? The thinking was that there was simply no way a system-oriented team could overcome the losses of such key identity players as Teuvo Teravainen, Stefan Noesen, or the dynamic duo of Brady Skjei and Brett Pesce (and that’s before we mention the loss of trade deadline acquisitions Evgeny Kuznetsov and Jake Guentzel). The Canes, or so everyone said, would struggle mightily. They might not even make the playoffs.

But thanks to a seemingly seamless integration of several new Canes players, that hasn’t been the case at all. Much has already been written and said about Shayne Gostisbehere, who is not technically a “new” player, as he is returning to the Canes after a stint in Raleigh in the 2022-23 season. So let’s focus on five Canes players who are wearing a Carolina Hurricanes sweater for the first time this season: one rookie and four new acquisitions who are making their mark as the Carolina Hurricanes get off to a blazing start in 2024-25. What’s one word that really sums up their play so far?

Jackson Blake: Fearless

The Carolina Hurricanes selected Jackson Blake 109th overall in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft. Son of former NHL player Jason Blake, Jackson played college hockey at the University of North Dakota, where he was a Hobey Hat Trick finalist. Impressing the Canes in training camp this year, Jackson Blake started his season in Raleigh and it was no surprise when Canes fans recently learned he would be staying with the team.

At 21, Blake is the youngest player currently on the Canes’ roster, but you wouldn’t know that from watching him play. He’s a smart, quick player who has had few signs of a typical rookie in his games. He forechecks hard, battles in front of the net, makes intelligent decisions in every zone, and is extremely responsible in his own end.

To me, the word “fearless” best describes Blake’s play so far. He goes into the corners, works hard, absorbs hits, and draws penalties like a player with a lot more games under his belt. His developing chemistry with center Jack Drury shows a good deal of promise. Canes fans are in for a treat watching Blake continue to grow and develop in the NHL.

Jack Roslovic: Threat

The Canes’ acquisition of Jack Roslovic this summer was a smart one on many levels. His best known quality, his blazing speed, was bound to make him a good fit in Carolina. He’s off to an incredible start with the Canes, scoring goals and using that speed disruptively in the offensive zone to create chances and move the puck quickly in transition.

What this has amounted to with the Carolina Hurricanes through their first 12 games of the season is this: Roslovic has become one of the biggest goal-scoring threats on the team. Playing alongside Sebastian Aho and opposite Andrei Svechnikov, Roslovic has so far scored 9 goals, matching his total from last season scored over 59 games with the Columbus Blue Jackets and New York Rangers. His shoot-first mentality has allowed Roslovic to capitalize on the chances he’s getting on the top line, and his finishing ability has been a difference maker in the Canes’ hot start to the season.

Roslovic’s goal-scoring pace will likely cool down at some point, but he will still be a threat because of another quality: his versatility. Roslovic started the season on his offside at LW on the second line before moving to his natural RW on the top line, and he played center for much of his time in Columbus. The Canes lost a player with that level of versatility when Teuvo Teravainen left in free agency to sign with the Chicago Blackhawks, so Roslovic’s ability to take on whatever role is necessary in the forward lineup will help him be a continued threat even if this scorching pace of scoring slows down, as it most likely will from a statistical standpoint.

Eric Robinson: Surprising

During the preseason, a lot of Canes’ fans seemed to think that Eric Robinson was the kind of player who might be sent to the AHL if more than one of the “kids” stepped up and made the opening night roster. While Robinson was a solid bottom six winger during his seven years with the Columbus Blue Jackets, his season with the Buffalo Sabres last season didn’t go as well, and fan expectations in Carolina weren’t terribly high.

Robinson got off to a good start on the fourth line in Raleigh, so much so that he’s currently playing on the second line with Martin Necas and Jesperi Kotkaniemi. His surprising speediness and physical, puck-hound instincts make him an unusual but extremely good fit on that line, and he’s been an important contributor to Necas’ incredible early-season success. I don’t think there’s a better word for that than “surprising,” but it has been an excellent surprise; and even if Eric Robinson eventually plays elsewhere in the lineup, I think he’s more than proven that he’s extremely capable of playing the way the Canes play and being a solid contributor to the success of any line he plays on.

Last season in 47 games played on two teams (Buffalo Sabres and Columbus Blue Jackets) Robinson had just 3 goals and 10 points. In 12 games so far in Carolina, Robinson already has 3 goals and 7 points, a 48 point pace. Even if that isn’t sustainable it wouldn’t be surprising to see Robinson have a career year in Raleigh, especially if he remains on the second line.

William Carrier: Solid

I have to be honest here: I think William Carrier still has more to give in Carolina; we’ve seen some flashes here and there, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him take another step once he’s comfortably settled in to the Hurricanes’ systems. But so far, William Carrier has been exactly as advertised: a solid player, someone who works extremely hard, is very responsible in his own end, and is highly skilled at the Canes’ favorite game of puck possession (Carrier currently leads the team in Corsi For percentage at a little below 70 percent, which is incredible).

But that defensive solidity may simply be the best quality Carrier brings to the team, because the Canes lost a player of that type when Jesper Fast was injured. So far this season Carrier has divided his time between two lines, playing for a while on Jordan Staal’s wing and at present with Jack Drury and Jackson Blake, where his quiet effectiveness has at times enabled the other two to get scoring chances. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Carrier increase his own current point totals as time goes on as well; while last season with the Vegas Golden Knights, Carrier put up just 8 points in 39 games, he already has 3 points in the first 12 games this season. Carrier could return to his more typical career 4th-line scoring levels or even exceed those, without losing any of his solid instincts in the area of team defense and puck possession.

Sean Walker: Responsible

Sean Walker is the kind of defenseman who likes to join the rush and contribute offensively. In Raleigh, he’s paired with a partner—Shayne Gostisbehere—who already does that extremely well. So far, Walker seems to be concentrating on defense, and he’s doing well at it with a +5 rating early in the season.

One of the keys to Gostisbehere’s early success has been the quiet responsibility of his defensive partner. Walker’s skating, positioning, and stick work have all been necessary to allow “Ghost” to haunt the offensive zone as often as he does.

During the first few games of the season (and especially on the Canes’ long road trip) Walker struggled a little with penalties, taking 12 PIMs in the first six games of the season. But in another example of responsibility, Walker has worked very hard to clean things up—he’s had zero penalties in the next six games after that.

Walker picked up his first goal as a Canes player during the Halloween game against the Boston Bruins, but he has not yet recorded any assists. I would expect that part of his game to pick up a little as time goes on.

Like players, like team

The new Canes players fit in so well because all of the qualities they bring to the team are qualities the Canes as a team are known for. They also appear to have the Carolina Hurricanes’ work ethic and are willing to work hard every shift, every game. As the long hockey season continues to unfold those qualities will be important in helping the Carolina Hurricanes take the next step toward hockey’s ultimate prize.