NHL EDGE stats for Carolina Hurricanes

As part of NHL.com's 32 in 32 series, we will identify key EDGE stats for each team to preview the 2024-25 season. Today, we look at the impact of three advanced metrics for the Carolina Hurricanes:

1. Goalie Pyotr Kochetkov had the eighth-best goal differential at the position (plus-32) last season despite being in a timeshare when Frederik Andersen was healthy.

Kochetkov only appeared in one game during the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs but has been reliable for Carolina during his NHL career with 38 wins and eight shutouts in 69 games (67 decisions) with a .910 save percentage. He still has untapped potential and a high ceiling over a full season if he earns the starting role and has received enough goal support to suggest he could be a dark horse Vezina Trophy contender in the near future.

2. Forward Martin Necas ranked sixth in the NHL in 20-plus mph speed bursts (363) last season. Defenseman Sean Walker ranked fifth among NHL defensemen in 20-plus mph speed bursts (131) for the Philadelphia Flyers and Colorado Avalanche last season.

The Hurricanes traded the rights of forward Jake Guentzel (signed with Tampa Bay Lightning), also lost defenseman Brett Pesce (signed with New Jersey Devils) and forward Teuvo Teravainen (Chicago Blackhawks) in free agency and also terminated the contract of center Evgeny Kuznetsov.

But Carolina gained some speed on defense with the addition of Walker after losing to the New York Rangers in six games during the Eastern Conference Second Round and will likely lean on Necas in an expanded role this season. Necas could challenge or surpass some or all of his NHL career highs in points (71), goals (28), assists (43), power-play points (26) and shots on goal (240) from the 2022-23 season if Carolina utilizes him more often on the top line and/or first power play for zone entries.

3. The Hurricanes led the NHL in offensive zone time percentage (46.6) at all strengths last season and had three of the top seven players in the category with forwards Andrei Svechnikov in fourth (49.8 percent), Jesper Fast in sixth (48.7) and Sebastian Aho in seventh (48.3).

While Carolina has had some significant offseason departures and was eliminated due to untimely mistakes and power-play struggles in the playoffs, their structure and core group remains mostly intact under coach Rod Brind’Amour. The Hurricanes had the NHL’s best offensive zone time percentage at even strength (46.2) and on the penalty kill (32.2) and led the League in shot attempts percentage at 5-on-5 (59.1), indicating their Stanley Cup window is still wide open.

More: NHL EDGE stats leaders