The Carolina Hurricanes are back on the international stage, and this trip to Helsinki carries plenty more than just the novelty of crossing the Atlantic. For the first time since 2010, Carolina is overseas, set to meet the Seattle Kraken in the NHL Global Series with the Canes arriving in Finland on a strong run and a head of steam.
Carolina has won six of its last seven games, and the most recent one was a statement. Last Saturday night in Raleigh, the Hurricanes rolled past the Chicago Blackhawks in a 9-2 rout at the Lenovo Center, tying the franchise mark for most goals in a game since relocation. Eight players had multiple points, 15 Hurricanes hit the scoresheet, and Jordan Martinook and Andrei Svechnikov each scored twice.
Seattle comes in with a very different profile, but not without some fight. The Kraken have been uneven lately, alternating wins and losses across their last six games, and they sit just below the Western Conference cut line. Even so, they’ve outperformed some early expectations and still have a path to the third spot in the Pacific or a Wild Card berth.
The matchup also brings back some familiar faces from last season’s split. The home team won both meetings.
In Raleigh, Joey Daccord was excellent before Carolina broke through in the third period on goals from Martinook and William Carrier to steal a 3-2 win. In Seattle, Daccord was even sharper, stopping 35 of 36 shots in a 2-1 Kraken victory.
The Kraken’s biggest issue has been on the defensive side. Their offense is in the Top 10 in goals per game, but they rank 29th in goals allowed per game and 31st on the penalty kill. Philipp Grubauer appears to have a slight edge over Daccord in net, though Daccord’s track record against the Hurricanes last season stands out.
Carolina’s injury picture has thinned out with Alexander Nikishin back in the lineup against Chicago, leaving captain Jordan Staal as the lone concern. Staal traveled with the team and has been working as an extra in practice, though a return on this trip seems unlikely. A comeback once the Hurricanes get back to Raleigh isn’t off the table.
Seattle is missing a major piece of its attack in Jared McCann, who is out with a lower-body injury and not expected back until late December or early January. Curtis Douglas and Jacob Melanson also made the trip while dealing with injuries, and the defense should get a boost with Ryan Lindgren back.
There are plenty of eyes on the Finnish stars in this one, starting with Sebastian Aho. This is the kind of trip he’ll remember forever, as he gets to play NHL games in front of Finnish fans for the first time with the Hurricanes. He’s also within reach of team history, and doing it in Finland would make it even better.
Taylor Hall has a milestone of his own coming in Helsinki. Once he takes his first shift on Thursday, he’ll be appearing in his 1,000th NHL game. Hall just returned to the lineup on Long Island last week, and the extra time off should help as he works his way back into game shape.
Seattle has its own Finnish connection in Kaapo Kakko, who returns home on a three-game point streak and is tied for second on the Kraken in scoring. Kakko and Aho were teammates on Finland’s bronze-winning team, and Kakko has settled in well with Seattle.
Berkly Catton is the other name to know for the Kraken. He leads the team in points and arrives in Helsinki on an eight-game point streak after collecting two assists in Seattle’s last game against the Rangers. In 16 games, he has nearly matched his rookie season totals and has become a real force in the Kraken lineup.
In Other News...
Hurricanes Are Suddenly Back In A High-Stakes Erik Karlsson Chase
Erik Karlssons situation in Pittsburgh is starting to look like one of the more intriguing trade watches on the NHL calendar, and Carolina is right there among the teams keeping tabs. According to Pierre LeBrun of TSN, the Hurricanes are monitoring the Penguins defenseman as Pittsburgh slides into seller mode, with Karlsson now in the final year of his contract and his future suddenly back in focus.
The wrinkle is that any move would have to clear a complicated path, which is why this is far from a simple deadline-style rumor. Carolina was in the mix for Karlsson before, and the fit still makes sense for a club that has long been willing to swing big when a top-end defenseman becomes available, but the next step depends on how Pittsburgh handles the situation and how much traction develops once the new year arrives. [Read more 🡒]
Hurricanes Defense Plans Still Leave One Intriguing Name In Play
The Maple Leafs are taking a careful approach with Chris Tanev, using a fluid load management plan that has him sitting out certain games in November to help manage his workload. At the same time, Toronto is still hunting for a meaningful blue-line upgrade through trades, looking for something that can fit beyond just the current season. For Carolina, that kind of market movement matters, because the Hurricanes have been linked to the defense conversation all along and remain in the mix as the picture around available help begins to sharpen.
Erik Karlsson is still the name that keeps the door cracked open for the Hurricanes, even as he continues to play well in Pittsburgh. The fit is obvious enough to keep monitoring, especially for a team that has not hidden its interest in adding another proven defenseman, but the timing and the cost are the real questions hanging over any pursuit. For now, Carolina can watch how the market develops while one of the more intriguing options on the board keeps building his case. [Read more 🡒]
Oilers Keep Winning But Another Reality Check May Be Coming
Edmonton has been stacking up wins against the New York Rangers and Philadelphia Flyers, but the way those results came together has left plenty of room for concern. Strong goaltending from Tristan Jarry and Devon Levi has helped cover for stretches where the Oilers were outplayed, and both Mike Babcock and Zach Hyman have acknowledged that winning still matters even when the process is shaky.
The bigger test is coming again with Toronto on the schedule, and Edmonton knows it needs more than another night of rescue work in goal. For a team trying to avoid a rougher follow-up after a good run, the next game feels like a chance to show the underlying play is catching up to the results before the margin for error disappears. [Read more 🡒]