The Carolina Hurricanes' 2024-25 season came to a close earlier this week as the team lost in five games to the Florida Panthers in the Eastern Conference Final.
On Friday, select players met with the media in Raleigh for their end-of-season interviews.
Dmitry Orlov
On what his future may hold and if he's had any discussions with the team yet on a new deal: I don't know yet. Not really talked that much.
On if he'd like to remain in Carolina: For sure. When you spend two years here and you feel comfortable, of course you want to stay. I've moved once and it's not easy. It's hard to get to know new teammates, new system. It changes your life, so it's not easy. You just don't want to worry about that and feel comfortable.
On how he felt the new pieces on defense fit this year: We added [Shayne Gostisbehere] and [Sean Walker] and they both played in the league, so I think it was a good fit. I think obviously Ghost played on the power play and brought his skill there. Walks, I think, got better every game, especially in the postseason. I think he was a great player for us both defensively and offensively. In both ends. Obviously [Brady Skjei] and [Brett Pesce] are great defensemen, but the management found ways to keep this team good and I think they do their best for us.
On Alexander Nikishin: He's a big, strong man. He played in the KHL at an early age and I think he learned and knows his level of hockey and I think he's confident. Came here... obviously it wasn't easy to jump in at the playoff time and playing in his first NHL game, but I think he handled it well and I think he's going to have a good future playing here for a long time. I think he's got good hockey IQ, he can skate, good defensively and offensively. He's a two-way player and that's why the Canes were waiting for him for a long time. I think he'll be a good player.
On how difficult things got with the injuries to the blueline: Sometimes it happens and you just have to not think about it and just focus on your new D-partner, communicating. We play the same system and everybody knows what to do. So it's easy on that level. You're not worried like at a young age when you're still trying to learn how to play hockey. Everybody can play and knows what to do. So it sucked that we had injuries, but it was a good opportunity for young guys. I think they played well and they're going to be good here. In the playoffs too, that's different hockey than the regular season. It's more physical, more intense and every mistake matters. It is what it is. We still made it to the Eastern Conference Final. I think we had a chance against Florida, just sometimes things don't go your way. We're gonna be experience for next year and for the playoffs. Always room to grow and to think about in the summer time. It's going to be a long summer. It always sucks to not get it done and so you always think and worry about your game and what you've done wrong. It's always not easy.
2024-25 Exit Interviews
Jordan Staal
Sebastian Aho
Jaccob Slavin
Jordan Martinook
Jalen Chatfield
Sean Walker
Jesperi Kotkaniemi
Frederik Andersen
Seth Jarvis
Andrei Svechnikov
Alexander Nikishin
Scott Morrow
Logan Stankoven
Eric Robinson
Brent Burns
Rod Brind'Amour and Eric Tulsky
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