Carolina Hurricanes Are The Hottest Team In NHL Entering 2023

As the Carolina Hurricanes enter 2023, they will be doing so as the hottest team in the entire NHL.

Prior to the New Year, the Hurricanes won a franchise-record 10th straight game. They are climbing up the Eastern Conference standings, and there are plenty of reasons why. Carolina also boasts a 16-game points streak, the longest in the NHL this season.

Martin Necas is having a breakout season. Necas is leading the attack for the Canes with 15 goals and 20 assists in 36 games. With plenty of hockey left to play, Necas is on pace to smash his previous scoring career highs. In Necas’ last five games, he has tallied two goals and three assists.

The 23-year-old has always had the skill, but this season has shown commitment to play a complete game. Everything is coming together in what is sure to be an All-Star season for the center.

Carolina also has veteran Brent Burns to thank. Even at 37 years old, he is still finding a way to impact the score sheet. So far this season, Burns has four goals and 22 assists while also boasting a +/- of 7.

If there is one issue the team has, it’s goaltending. Veterans Frederik Andersen and Antti Raanta have struggled, forcing Carolina to utilize young goaltender Pyotr Kotchetkov. Kotchetkov has been the Canes best goalie. The 23-year-old is 10-1-4 this season with a .928 save percentage and a 1.94 goals-against average.

Luckily for Carolina, Raanta has caught some fire with two straight shutouts. If he maintains a high level of play in 2023, the Hurricanes will have quite the goalie tandem.

Carolina is currently chasing the Boston Bruins for the top spot in the Eastern Conference. With only six points separating the two teams, a tense battle could arise as the 2022-23 season draws to a close.

Stanley Cup Aspirations Cue’ the Duck Boats Pod

The boys are back after a long break but have plenty to talk about as the playoffs are in full swing. We go series by series, looking at how teams have fared so far and who will come out on top. Thanks for listening! Please rate and review our show on your favorite listening platform. Check out our partner's website at www.insidetherink.com for all your latest hockey news.
  1. Stanley Cup Aspirations
  2. The Final Countdown
  3. Here Come the Playoffs
  4. Home Stretch
  5. Kevy Cooks

Sam Minton

Sam has been covering the Boston Bruins and the NHL since 2016. While he loves hockey, he can’t skate

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Florida Panthers vs. Boston Bruins Recap: 03/26/2024

The Atlantic Division showdown for first place didn’t disappoint Tuesday night. Florida took on the Boston Bruins at home in what could be a preview of a Playoff Series in a month’s time. It’s no secret that there’s no love lost between these teams, especially after how the playoffs ended last season for Boston. Florida […]

Read More
Nick DeSimone defends against Auston Matthews

Devils Stay Alive with Massive Victory over Toronto Maple Leafs | 03/26/2024

The New Jersey Devils defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 6-3 on Tuesday night at Scotiabank Arena in a high-scoring, back-and-forth contest. Jake Allen came up huge for the Devils, and their offense was opportunistic, earning an essential two points in their playoff push. With the win, the Devils improved to 36-33-4, while the Maple Leafs […]

Read More
Per Haljestam-USA TODAY Sports

Pat Maroon Is Healing, So Where Does He Fit In?

Don Sweeney is a calculated General Manager who prefers to do the bulk of his work in advance of the NHL’s trade deadline, and it’s often worth the wait. Last year’s deals to land Tyler Bertuzzi and Dmitry Orlov were like watching his magnum opus unravel in real-time, and that’s without acknowledging the acquisitions of […]

Read More