The Carolina Hurricanes head into Nashville with plenty rolling their way, and they’re bringing a lot more than momentum. November has already been kind to them: Pyotr Kochetkov has set two franchise records, the team has won 12 of its last 14 games, and contributions have come from all over the lineup. After Sunday’s 7-0 rout of the Jets, the Canes now get their annual Broadway stop with real confidence behind them.
That win over Winnipeg was as complete as it gets. Sean Walker opened the scoring with a short-handed goal, then Juuso Valimaki, Sebastian Aho on the power play, Walker again, and Logan Stankoven buried goals in the first half of the second period to send Stuart Skinner to the bench.
Mark Jankowski scored on the power play and Jesperi Kotkaniemi added another in the third. Kochetkov handled 26 shots for his tenth win and the shutout.
Carolina also has recent history on its side against Nashville. The teams met twice 11 days apart last December, and the Hurricanes swept both games by three goals.
Jackson Blake was a big part of that. In Raleigh, he put up two goals and an assist while Nikolaj Ehlers added a goal and two assists in a 6-3 win.
In Nashville, Blake chipped in two more points and Aho had three as the Canes finished off a 4-1 victory.
The Predators have spent plenty of time reshaping the roster since Chris McFarland took over as general manager in June. He has been active on the trade market, bringing in Ross Colton, Jack Drury, Adam Edstrom, Nils Hoglander, Mavrik Bourque, Jayden Struble, and, on Sunday, Shane Wright. Luke Evangelista is the only player they’ve moved out.
The on-ice results, though, have been uneven. Nashville has won five of 14 games, but it has still picked up points in 10 of those contests. The problem has been finishing games: the Predators have not won in overtime, have lost three of four shootouts, and have yet to string together back-to-back wins this season.
For all the roster turnover, the scoring has been driven by a veteran core. Filip Forsberg, Steven Stamkos, Ryan O'Reilly, and captain Roman Josi are the team’s top four scorers, and each has at least 15 points.
That’s nine more than anyone else on the roster. Their special teams have also been strong, with both units sitting in the league’s Top 5.
Carolina’s injury picture remains a little cloudy in a few spots. Taylor Hall’s status is still uncertain, though he was on the ice before Sunday’s game. Alexander Nikishin is still working as an extra while getting back into game shape, and Jordan Staal was also on the ice with a return expected later this month or in December.
Nashville comes in relatively healthy. The only player on its injury report is defenseman William Trudeau, who suffered an upper-body injury in early October and is expected back sometime in November.
A few names stand out heading into the matchup. Forsberg is riding a four-game multiple-point streak and has four goals and nine points over his last four games, pushing him to a team-best 17 points. He also had a strong showing against Carolina last season, scoring twice and adding an assist, and he has 21 points in 26 career meetings with the Hurricanes.
Wright will make his Nashville debut after a rough stretch in Seattle, where he had three goals and one assist in 14 games. The former fourth overall pick gets a fresh start with the Predators.
Stankoven reaches his 200th NHL game on Broadway after scoring his team-leading tenth goal on Sunday. He finished that game with three points, his third three-point outing of the season, and now has 15 points overall. He’s been especially dangerous lately, with six goals and nine points in his last six games.
Walker, meanwhile, comes in after a memorable afternoon against Winnipeg, where he scored twice in front of his daughter at her first NHL game. He also had a scoring run last November, and there’s reason to think he could be heating up again on the road.
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It is also the kind of release that tends to spark a season-long conversation, because this one is set to show up repeatedly on the schedule instead of disappearing after a single novelty night. The design leans into Raleighs architecture and its City of Oaks nickname, while the team has already mapped out a full run of appearances for the 2026-27 season, starting in early November, so the reception from fans figures to become part of the story all year long. [Read more 🡒]