Offseason Summary & 2022-23 Outlook for the Carolina Hurricanes

We are in the dog days of summer, and there is little to report in the way of news, trades, & signings. So now that 98% of the pieces have fallen into place for the upcoming campaign, we can look at each club's additions & subtractions and assess what can be expected of them. Most teams are competing for the Stanley Cup, others are at one point or another of a rebuild, retool, or a straight up tank job. With the Atlantic Division all set, we are onto the Metropolitan and starting with the Carolina Hurricanes.

The Hurricanes finished on top of the Metro last season and third in the NHL behind only the Stanley Cup winning Colorado Avalanche and the Presidents' Trophy winning Florida Panthers. The group from Raleigh lost Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals to the New York Rangers, their second consecutive second round defeat. So far this summer, GM Don Waddell made the following moves:

Additions: Max Pacioretty, Brent Burns, Ondrej Kase, Ryan Dzingel

Subtractions: Max Domi, Vincent Trocheck, Nino Niederreiter, Derek Stepan, Brendan Smith, Steven Lorentz, Ian Cole

Carolina lost seven NHL regulars from their 2021-22 team and are hoping organizational depth can fill in the holes that remain. Their AHL affiliate Chicago Wolves won the Calder Cup this past season, so they certainly possess capable players in their system.

Additions like Max Pacioretty and Brent Burns had Waddell's summer moves rated among the highest in the NHL, but unfortunately Pacioretty will miss roughly the first four months of the 2022-23 season due to an Achilles' tendon tear. Even in Pacioretty's absence the Canes will field a highly competitive group.

Aside from taking advantage of scoring chances, the Hurricanes did just about everything well, if not great. Surely, that fact played a part in
Waddell acquiring Burns and Pacioretty. I can't help but feel like the collective loss of Vincent Trocheck, Nino Niederreiter and Ian Cole will be noticeable at first. Each of those players field strong two-way results and will be missed up front.

Even without Trocheck and Niederreiter, the Hurricanes' forward group is as good as anyone's. Stars Sebastian Aho, Andrei Svechnikov, and Teuvo Teravainen make up one of NHL's most efficient trios. Add in Rod Brind'Amour's system of relentless forechecking and seamless defense, and this is a difficult team to take down, especially in a seven game series. Frankly, if they would have defeated the Rangers in the ECF, I think it's more likely than not that the Hurricanes would have beat the Lightning and advanced to the Stanley Cup Final. But we will never know.

Like the other 31 NHL clubs, their 2022-23 fate will be determined by goaltending. If Frederik Andersen and Antti Raanta can be one of the best goaltending tandems in the league, the Hurricanes could win the Presidents' Trophy. If they are injured for long spurts (to which they are both prone) or play at a subpar level, '22-23 will be tough sledding.

Ultimately, I see this Hurricanes team taking full advantage of the long-term injured reserve salary loophole, adding over the season, and fielding a very strong team heading into the playoffs. Once Pacioretty returns, the Canes will sport a potent offense combined with a stingy defense and solid goaltending. Making Carolina, in my humble opinion, a top Stanley Cup contender, and maybe even the best team in the NHL.

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