The Carolina Hurricanes finished the regular season 53-22-7 (113 points) and know who they will take on in Round 1 of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs. For the first time in franchise history, they will take on the Ottawa Senators. During the regular season, the Hurricanes took the series 2-1, with both teams scoring 11 goals in the three meetings.
As we get closer to the start of the playoffs, which begin on April 18 and 19, what could fans expect or watch for in the Hurricanes’ first-round matchup?
Hurricanes Looking to Carry Momentum into Postseason
The Hurricanes will be taking a five-game point streak into the postseason, not that regular-season stats matter in the playoffs, but heading in with momentum does help to an extent. On top of that, the Hurricanes had seven 20-goal scorers for the first time since relocation. For Rod Brind’Amour’s side to have a successful first round against the Senators in their first-ever playoff showdown, they will need everyone to keep pulling on the rope.
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Seth Jarvis (32 goals) and Andrei Svechnikov (31) led the way as the two guys to score over 30 goals in 2025-26. After a career season from Svechnikov and Jarvis, having 66 or more points in three straight seasons, they will be a couple of guys to keep an eye on. Furthermore, with Nikolaj Ehlers playing all 82 games, along with scoring 26 goals and tallying 71 points, his presence on the roster has been impactful, and the Hurricanes will be looking to see him be even more of a game-changer in the playoffs.
Someone who could be an X-factor for the Hurricanes is Jackson Blake. Blake, in his sophomore season in the NHL, tallied 22 goals and 53 points, and has the chance to be a sneaky weapon on the second line with Logan Stankoven and Taylor Hall. Plus, with how effective he has been on the second power-play unit, this could be a playoff run where Blake could really put himself in star conversations.
Regarding the goaltending, Brandon Bussi was the biggest storyline of the season, finishing with a 31-6-2 record in 39 starts with a 2.47 goals-against average (GAA), and a .895 save percentage (SV%). He was the fastest to 10, 15, and 20 wins this season and was named the team MVP from the Carolina chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers Association (PHWA).
It’ll be interesting to see what the Hurricanes do in the crease, especially with Pyotr Kochetkov activated from injured reserve on April 13. He finished with a 6-2-0 record with a 2.33 GAA and a .899 SV% in nine games played. Regarding Frederik Andersen, he had an up-and-down season, but finished strong down the stretch with a 16-14-5 record with 3.05 GAA and a .874 SV%. While those are his worst numbers to date, he has shown a return to his familiar form in the increase, which gives the Hurricanes three reliable goalies in the playoffs.
Related: Hurricanes Set Franchise Record with Seven 20-Goal Scorers
When looking at the final regular-season numbers, the Hurricanes had a campaign to be proud of. They set a franchise record 291 goals, the previous being 286 in 2005-06. They also had a top-five power play, finishing at 24.9% in 2025-26. Having three power-play goals from Jan. 1 to the start of the playoffs last season, finishing 25th, what a jump that department has made after it’s been an Achilles heel for the last few seasons. While it was a down year compared to what they can do on the penalty kill, they finished at 80.5%, just a little shy of the top-10. If the special teams can continue to click, this could be the most well-rounded Hurricanes team to make a deep playoff run.
Defending the Streak Against the Senators
The Hurricanes carry a seven-for-seven run of winning at least a round in the playoffs. They will take on a Senators team, who have one game left in the regular season, which could make it an interesting matchup to begin the postseason. Ahead of their last game against the Toronto Maple Leafs, they sit with a 43-27-11 record (97 points). After a slow start to the season, along with a ton of noise on and off the ice, they are a formidable team to face.
One of the main cogs on their roster this season is Tim Stützle, who has 34 goals and 83 points in 80 games. The third overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft has been a force in the league over the last four seasons, and the German forward looks to carry that into the postseason. He will be someone the Hurricanes need to lock down.
Drake Batherson is another player to watch as he’s been underrated for the Senators all season, tallying 32 goals and 70 points in 78 games. While most of the attention is on Stützle, Brady Tkachuk, and Linus Ullmark, Batherson could be someone to take control of a game. Dyan Cozens’ 27 goals and Shane Pinto’s 22 should be something to watch, too, as the Senators have a plethora of guys who can put the puck into the net.
Jake Sanderson led the Senators’ defensemen in goals (14) and points (54), while being a plus-16 on the season. He is someone who can do it at both ends of the ice and still doesn’t get talked about enough. Sanderson could be a sneaky X-factor for the Senators in Round 1 if it’s not Batherson or Cozens.
Regarding goaltending, Ullmark has had a season in which he was battling on and off the ice. While dealing with all of that, he finished with a 28-12-8 record, a 2.73 GAA, and a .891 SV%. He will more than likely be the Senators’ number one in the crease for the playoffs. He has a proven history of stealing games and shutting down the best offenses when he is dialed in. If the Hurricanes want to beat the Senators in Round 1, they will have to get Ullmark moving a ton and get to him early.
The Hurricanes will be playing in their eighth consecutive playoffs in the Brind’Amour era. They will be hoping to keep their streak of winning a round alive while trying to make their third Eastern Conference Final in the last four seasons. The ultimate goal is to make the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 2006. However, for that to happen, they will need to stay in the moment and take it one round and one game at a time.
When it comes to facing the Senators, this will be an interesting matchup between two teams that play an aggressive, checking game. Both can transition fast, so expect speed and skill to take control in games in this matchup. While others will be keeping an eye on playoff matchups, don’t sleep on this one between the Hurricanes and Senators. This will be a battle.
