The Carolina Hurricanes opened up training camp today with medial and physical testing, but the actual camp begins tomorrow.
With the onset of another season, I've set out to put forth one question for every anticipated starter.
Here are my questions:
Forwards
Sebastian Aho (C, 27)
•Will you finally break the 40-goal mark?
Sebastian Aho is one of the best players in the NHL.
The Finnish center is a true two-way player who has led the Canes in scoring for nearly every year of his career.
But while he's a consistent scorer, can he become just the third player in team history to reach the 40-goal mark?
With the losses the Canes have had this offseason, they'll need him to have his best season yet.
William Carrier (LW, 30)
•Can you fill the void left by Jesper Fast?
William Carrier was brought in due to his forechecking and defensive ability in addition to being a strong, physical player.
On paper, he seems to be the perfect complement to join the Jordan Staal line as a shutdown specialist, but just how well will he fit?
With Jesper Fast lost for the season, the Hurricanes will hope that Carrier can slot in and fill the hole he leaves at 5v5 and on the PK.
Jack Drury (C, 24)
•Is there another level to your offensive game?
Jack Drury took major steps last year and became an NHL mainstay in the process.
Throughout the season, Drury's defensive game was perhaps his best feature and he managed to carve out a sizeable role because of it.
But is there more to give offensively?
Seth Jarvis (RW, 22)
•Can you be a star?
Seth Jarvis had a breakout season last year, finishing with 33 goals and 67 points all while playing the majority of the season on a torn labrum and rotator cuff.
All signs point to him being able to replicate the success he had on both sides of the puck, but what separates the stars from the rest of the league is that ability to do it year in and year out.
Now that he's signed to a new, big deal, Jarvis has to show he's truly worth every penny.
Tyson Jost (C, 26)
•Can you bounce back offensively?
Tyson Jost has a high draft pedigree, having been drafted 10th overall in 2016, but the production has never quite matched up for the forward.
While he's relied on his defensive game to stick around in the league as of late, the Canes will be hoping they can find get a bit more offense from him.
Jesperi Kotkaniemi (C, 24)
•Can you get back to the level you played at in the second half of 2022-23?
It was a truly disappointing season for Jesperi Kotkaniemi last year, there's no sugar coating it.
The poor season led to Kotkaniemi's subsequent demotion and even scratches.
But the Finnish center has proven that he can play at a high level in the NHL.
Just go back two years and you'd see a player that produced at a fairly high clip all while playing a strong defensive game.
If Kotkaniemi can rediscover his game, he'll be a key piece for the Hurricanes.
Brendan Lemieux (LW, 28)
•Will you be an NHL regular?
Brendan Lemieux appeared in just 32 games for the Hurricanes last season.
There were games were Lemieux really looked out of place, but as the season progressed, he proved that he was able to hold his own and play solid minutes.
There's more opportunity this season than last, so perhaps Lemieux can find a place this year.
Jordan Martinook (LW, 32)
•Can you continue to stay healthy?
Jordan Martinook has found a place for himself in Carolina, but just a couple years ago, that seemed like not so sure of a thing.
However, at some point Martinook figured out the best way to protect and preserve his body and since then, he's been so good for the Hurricanes, playing in all 82 games in each of the last two seasons.
Availability is one of the best skills you can have and a healthy Martinook makes Carolina a better team.
Martin Necas (RW, 25)
•Will you finally earn the full trust of the coaching staff?
Before Martin Necas re-signed, a lot was made in the offseason about his apparent desire for a bigger role on the team.
The opportunity is there this season for Necas to take on bigger minutes, but he'll have to earn that trusted deployment by proving he can be a complete player every night.
If we can see a more engaged and responsible Necas this season, I believe we'll see him thrive.
Eric Robinson (LW, 29)
•Can you be an NHL regular?
Eric Robinson has an uphill battle in front of him in terms of finding a starting spot on the Hurricanes' lineup.
The speedy winger will have to find a niche with the team, but with strong underlying playdriving numbers, perhaps a strong camp can land him a spot.
Jack Roslovic (C/RW, 27)
•Are you a top-six option?
The Canes lost a lot of pieces this offseason and so they'll be looking at some new players to potentially fill those voids.
One such player is Jack Roslovic who's played in a top-six role on each of the various teams he's played for.
However, while he's gotten those opportunities, they've mostly come on teams struggling to compete/without many center options.
Can he find a role on a team with deeper talent and deeper playoff aspirations?
Jordan Staal (C, 36)
•Will you be able to continue matching up against the league's top players?
Last season, Jordan Staal finished second in Selke voting as one of the best defensive forwards in the league.
While Staal has consistently been one of the best shutdown players year after year, at 36, he's steadily approaching a point when the game will leave him behind.
Can he push off that fate for just a little while longer?
Andrei Svechnikov
•Will you take the next step in becoming a franchise player?
Andrei Svechnikov is a great player, but he still hasn't quite reached the levels he's capable of yet.
The 2018 second-overall pick is a top-end power forward, strong with the puck and with his body, but can he become one of the league's best?
Coming off of his ACL surgery, Svechnikov was still able to produce at nearly a point-per-game pace, so perhaps with another summer of recovery, he could be ready to take that major leap we've all been waiting to see.
Defense
Brent Burns (RD, 39)
•Can you continue to fend off Father Time?
Brent Burns is a physical specimen.
At 39, he's still among some of the best blueliner in the NHL and has the results to prove it.
While he's been noticeably losing a half-step here and there, Burns' elite talent allows him to still compete night in and night out.
But how much longer can he fend off the inevitable?
Jalen Chatfield (RD, 28)
•Are you ready for big minutes?
While Jalen Chatfield has found success when thrust into a bigger role, is he ready to be one of the go-to guys from the get-go?
With the losses of Brett Pesce and Brady Skjei, the Canes will need someone on the blueline to step up and Chatfield is a prime candidate for that promotion.
Shayne Gostisbehere (LD, 31)
•Are you capable of running PP1?
Shayne Gostisbehere is coming off of one of his best offensive seasons of his career, having had 10 goals and 56 points with Detroit including 29 power play points.
Burns lost his position on PP1 in the playoffs last year, being ultimately replaced by Brady Skjei.
With him gone, could Gostisbehere be the answer on that unit?
Dmitry Orlov (LD, 33)
•Can you be the player you were brought in to be?
When the Hurricanes signed Dmitry Orlov last offseason, they were hoping to get one of the league's better blueliners in terms of his two-way game and physicality.
Orlov started to find his game as the season went on, but everyone can agree that there was more to get out of the Russian defenseman.
With a full year in Carolina's system under his belt, could he be in line for a bounce back season?
Jaccob Slavin (LD, 30)
•How many minutes can you handle?
With the losses of Brett Pesce and Brady Skjei, who were the Hurricanes' go-to shutdown pairing, a big hole opened up and Carolina didn't really bring in noted defensive guys to fill that holes.
Which means that Jaccob Slavin might be playing a LOT of hockey this season.
Just how many minutes can the Canes' number one blueliner handle though is the question.
Sean Walker (RD, 30)
•How much of an impact can you make in Carolina?
Sean Walker had a bit of a breakout season last year, but has been consistently growing as a strong puck-moving blueliner.
He's got some big shoes to fill on the blueline, but there's a lot of potential in the Walker signing as he's potentially a player that could find himself in a much larger role as the season progresses.
Goalies
Frederik Andersen (35)
•Can you stay healthy?
Despite how last year's playoffs ended, the truth of the matter is that Frederik Andersen has easily been a top-10 netminder over the last decade or so.
The only real concern with Freddy in his time in Raleigh though has been his health.
While his numbers with the Canes have been strong, if he can't play, his value is 0.
Pyotr Kochetkov (25)
•Are you capable of being a number one netminder?
Everything is in line for Pyotr Kochetkov to become the Hurricanes' number one netminder this season, now it's just up to him to prove that he can handle that role.
To be a number one netminder in this league, you have to be a consistent difference maker and Kochetkov has the tools do just that.
The Russian netminder has gotten better and better every season in Carolina, so could this be the year he takes the job and runs with it?