It is an exciting time to be a Carolina Hurricanes fan right now! With the team sitting at the top of the Eastern Conference standings, they are gearing up for the final stretch of the 2025-26 season. Here are the key storylines for the team this week and their upcoming schedule.
The Deadline Acquisitions
General Manager Eric Tulsky made some strategic depth moves leading up to the recent trade deadline. The Canes acquired physical winger Nicolas Deslauriers from the Philadelphia Flyers to add some grit to the bottom six.
They also picked up Finnish defenseman Juuso Valimaki from the Utah Mammoth for future considerations. Valimaki is currently getting up to speed in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Chicago Wolves after recovering from ACL surgery, but he provides blue-line depth.
Frederik Andersen Holding Down the Crease
With Pyotr Kochetkov out for the remainder of the season following hip surgery in December, the net belongs to Frederik Andersen and Brandon Bussi. Fortunately, Andersen has been spectacular since returning from the Winter Olympic break, most recently backstopping the team to a 4-2 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning on March 14 during the team’s “Moms’ Trip.”
Gostisbehere Injury
The defense is dealing with some bumps and bruises. Shayne Gostisbehere is currently sidelined with a lower-body injury suffered earlier in the month against the Edmonton Oilers. In his absence, Mike Reilly and rookie defenseman Joel Nystrom have been stepping up to fill the void.
Jankowski’s Hot Streak
Mark Jankowski is turning heads lately. He recently rode a multi-game goal streak and has been a fantastic depth scoring option for the Canes, proving his worth since being acquired last season.
Stankoven Looking to Bounce Back
Highly-touted forward Logan Stankoven has been battling through a bit of a mid-season scoring slump, but the coaching staff is relying on him to turn the corner and find his rhythm before the playoffs begin.
Hurricanes Upcoming Schedule
The Hurricanes have a packed and challenging week ahead, featuring a back-to-back and multiple critical Metropolitan Division matchups. It kicks off with a quick road trip to face the Columbus Blue Jackets, followed immediately by a heavy-hitting home clash against Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins. They will then head north to face the Toronto Maple Leafs before wrapping up the week with an afternoon rematch in Pittsburgh.
| Date | Opponent | Location | Time (EDT) |
| Tuesday, Mar. 17 | @ Columbus Blue Jackets | Nationwide Arena (Columbus, OH) | 7:00 PM |
| Wednesday, Mar. 18 | vs. Pittsburgh Penguins | Lenovo Center (Raleigh, NC) | 7:00 PM |
| Friday, Mar. 20 | @ Toronto Maple Leafs | Scotiabank Arena (Toronto, ON) | 7:00 PM |
| Sunday, Mar. 22 | @ Pittsburgh Penguins | PPG Paints Arena (Pittsburgh, PA) | 3:00 PM |
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