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Following up on yesterday’s article, which projected what the Carolina Hurricanes may look like on defense and in net next season, today’s article will look at how Carolina’s forward group may look next year. As a note, while I think the Hurricanes do need to add a top-six winger, I’m going write this under the assumption that no trade is made.
FORWARDS
We certainly have a pretty good idea of what the Hurricanes will look like up front for next season. The top line of Andrei Svechnikov, Sebastian Aho and Teuvo Teravainen is likely to stay together, while Vincent Trocheck will center the second line with Martin Necas on the wing. If no trades are made to acquire a top-six winger, the spot on the left side will either go to Ryan Dzingel, Warren Foegele or Nino Niederreiter. To me, I think when Niederreiter is on his game he has the most upside so I’ll say he’ll be on the left side, though Foegele is also a likely option.
Then there are two potential routes here, based on whether or not Justin Williams returns. If the Hurricanes don’t use a potential compliance buyout on Jordan Staal, he’ll be centering the third line, with one of the remaining left-shooting wingers (Dzingel/Foegele/Niederreiter) on the left side. If Justin Williams returns, he’s likely to play on the right wing on that line. That means the fourth line will likely be the last remaining winger of Dzingel/Foegele/Niederreiter, with Morgan Geekie at center and either Brock McGinn or Jordan Martinook as the last winger, with the other being a spare.
If Williams doesn’t return, I could see Foegele up on the second line instead, then Dzingel on the left wing of the third line with Niederreiter on the right wing, as Niederreiter is the more natural option to play on his off-wing. That would also means that the fourth line would almost surely be Geekie at center with Martinook and McGinn on the wings. I could also see Brian Gibbons potentially being re-signed as a spare.
Changes could come depending on whether Williams returns or if a compliance buyout becomes a reality, but I’d imagine the forward group is going to look very similar to how it did this year.
Here's today's poll question (results and discussion will be posted this weekend).
Assuming no trade is made, who do you think will play left wing on the second line?
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