The Carolina Hurricanes are in the playoffs after having one of their best seasons on record, scoring 113 points this season, finishing atop the Eastern Conference for the first time in franchise history, and scoring their most goals in team history. But at the same time, one biggest question remains every year…
Is goal setting good enough?
Hurricanes goaltending follows a different formula
The Hurricanes' overall goals-save percentage is .880, slightly lower than the league average of .889, and well below the typical standard of .900. Currently, they are the league's seventh-worst in this metric throughout the regular season.
Normally, those numbers would seem bad. However, that statistic works very differently in Carolina's case.
Throughout the entire regular season, the Hurricanes took the fewest shots against leaguewide. When fewer shots are faced, a goal taken takes a larger share of the percentage, resulting in a lower number.
Notably, the Hurricanes had the sixth-best goals against average in the regular season.
Ultimately, at the end of the day, statistics are just numbers, and not performance history. Always write the Future. The playoffs are a completely different beast from the regular season.
For example, in the 2005–06 season, Cam Ward posted the sixth-worst save percentage and third-worst goals-against average in the entire league. However, by the end of the playoffs, the rookie netminder not only had the fourth-best save percentage of the postseason and the second-best goals-against average, but he also won the Conn Smythe Trophy, cementing him as MVP of the 2006 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Versatility is an asset
An often overlooked aspect about the Hurricanes' tandem is the difference in playing styles between Frederik Andersen and Brandon Bussy.
Anderson's style is situational, he uses his size to create space for oncoming shooters. He is accurate with the glove and remains composed and composed throughout the game.
Meanwhile, Bussi is adept at the standard butterfly style with a hint of athletic style. Although he is roughly the same size as Anderson, he focuses on speed and instincts rather than technique.
Having a pair of similar goaltenders with disparate styles gives the Hurricanes an advantage when facing teams. If one style does not work against an opponent, there is another style to use.
Carolina has a potential ace in the hole
The Hurricanes may have another option in net — one that uses both comfort and excitement as a weapon.
Carolina's most dynamic and unpredictable goalkeeper, Pyotr Kochetkov, missed almost the entire season due to injury and subsequent surgery to repair it. However, after a brief conditioning stint with the Chicago Wolves, he was recalled and initially elected to concentrate on the crease in the final game of the season, before a roster issue made it impossible.
Kochetkov also has a distinct style that sets him apart from others – ranging from calm and steady to frantic, acrobatic and even physically being able to flip a switch to stop however possible. He brings an element of controlled (well, mostly controlled) chaos that often catches shooters off guard.
At this time, it is still uncertain whether he will join the postseason, but if he does, the Hurricanes will have three NHL-level goaltenders ready – a rarity on any team, and especially in the playoffs.
While the Hurricanes have often been cited in the past for not having what it takes in net for playoff hockey, their current, unusual setup could challenge that narrative in the upcoming postseason.
