The Carolina Hurricanes will take the ice without captain Jordan Staal again tonight when they host the Washington Capitals at Lenovo Center, and the timeline on his absence is now much longer than first believed.
Staal sat out Sunday’s win in Philadelphia with what was initially described as a lower-body issue that was “hopefully nothing serious” by head coach Rod Brind’Amour. This morning, Brind’Amour gave a more serious update, saying the Conn Smythe Trophy winner is dealing with a tear in his calf and will be out “anywhere from a month to two months.”
With Staal sidelined, Carolina is moving ahead with Mark Jankowski in a bigger role. He skated between Jordan Martinook and Nikolaj Ehlers on Sunday, scored for the fourth straight game, and based on this morning’s lines, that setup is sticking. Jesperi Kotkaniemi is also locked into a new look, centering Nicolas Deslauriers and Eric Robinson.
Brind’Amour said the Hurricanes expect to call up a forward during Staal’s absence, and that player does not necessarily have to be a center with Kotkaniemi shifting to the middle.
In net, Pyotr Kochetkov appears to have the edge tonight. He was in the starter’s crease at morning skate after Carolina had alternated him with Brandon Bussi over the last five games. Kochetkov may have earned the nod after improving to 3-0-0 with an 18-save performance on Sunday.
If the Hurricanes can finish the job tonight, they’ll be going for their sixth straight win at 6:45 p.m. on Hurricanes Hockey Network.
Tonight’s projected lineup:
Forwards
Carrier - Aho - Svechnikov
Hall - Stankoven - Blake
Ehlers - Jankowski - Martinook
Robinson - Kotkaniemi - Deslauriers
Defense
Slavin - Chatfield
Miller - Walker
Gostisbehere - Reilly
Starting goaltender
Kochetkov
Injuries
Seth Jarvis (Offseason Shoulder Surgery | Practicing | Expected To Be Out 4-6 Months From June 24)
Jordan Staal (Calf Tear | Expected To Be Out "A month or two" From Oct. 13)
Scratches
Juuso Valimaki
PP1: Aho, Blake, Ehlers, and Svechnikov with Gostisbehere
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Hurricanes Suddenly Face A Major Problem Without Their Captain
The Hurricanes are suddenly staring at a stretch they did not expect to navigate without Jordan Staal, their captain and one of the clubs most reliable centers. Staal is expected to miss one to two months because of a calf tear, a hit to Carolinas structure that goes beyond the box score and reaches into the way the team handles tough minutes, faceoffs and late-game situations.
For a group built on depth and detail, losing a player with Staals role forces everyone else to absorb more responsibility almost immediately. The timing is especially awkward with the season still taking shape, and it leaves Carolina trying to protect its rhythm while waiting for one of its most trusted voices to work his way back. [Read more 🡒]
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The bigger issue now is how long the Hurricanes might have to get by without him. If Hall is sidelined beyond this game, the organization may need to look to Chicago for reinforcements, with Bradly Nadeau or Felix Unger Sorum among the options to be recalled. [Read more 🡒]
Hurricanes Fast Start Is Being Fueled By Unexpected Names
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Jankowski has been the most eye-catching of the bunch, finding the net in a way that has given Carolina a useful scoring layer deeper in the roster. Walkers passing has also stood out, including one especially productive night that showed just how much offense he can add when the game opens up. For a team trying to keep its fast start rolling, the encouraging part is not just that these players are contributing, but that they are doing it in ways that can change the look of the Hurricanes attack. [Read more 🡒]