NHL Preview 2024-25 31 SportsForecaster.com

Forwards

Sebastian Aho [C]

  • Age: 27
  • Ht: 6-0
  • Wt: 180
'23-24 GP G A P +/- PIM P/GP
Car 78 36 53 89 34 36 1.14
Career 705 292 365 657 125 306 0.93
Forecast 80 38 54 92 - - 1.15

All Aho seemingly does each season is set personal bests. He is coming off career highs in points (89), power-play points (32) and plus/minus rating (+34) in '23-24. The Finnish center has scored at least 30 goals in five of the past six seasons, plays substantial minutes on both special teams and wins more than half of his face-offs.

Jackson Blake [RW]

  • Age: 21
  • Ht: 5-11
  • Wt: 178
'23-24 GP G A P +/- PIM P/GP
Car 1 0 0 0 -2 0 0.00
Career 109 25 27 52 7 50 0.48
Forecast 44 8 10 18 - - 0.41

Two high-scoring seasons at the University of North Dakota earned Blake his first pro contract and an NHL debut. He is a skilled, high-energy player who does not let his lack of size prevent him from playing hard and fast. Blake is not afraid to play in traffic, has quick hands and he finds ways to get himself involved in the attack.

William Carrier [LW/RW]

  • Age: 29
  • Ht: 6-2
  • Wt: 220
'23-24 GP G A P +/- PIM P/GP
VGK 39 6 2 8 3 16 0.21
Career 478 64 60 124 19 226 0.26
Forecast 54 5 8 13 - - 0.24

Two major injury absences were the catalysts for why Carrier missed more than half of last season. His impact is not measured on the scoresheet (39 GP, 6-2-8); he registered 90 hits when he played and placed second on Vegas in the playoffs with 33 hits in seven games. He is no fun to play against and raises his level in the playoffs.

Jack Drury [C]

  • Age: 24
  • Ht: 5-11
  • Wt: 186
'23-24 GP G A P +/- PIM P/GP
Car 74 8 19 27 4 33 0.36
Career 215 24 41 65 18 83 0.30
Forecast 78 12 24 36 - - 0.46

He finally broke out as a full-time NHL player last season, doing a solid job in a bottom-six forward gig on a loaded roster. Drury made improvements defensively and won more than 55 percent of his face-offs. The 24-year-old forward must get stronger and improve as a goal scorer in order to play higher up in the lineup this campaign.

Seth Jarvis [RW/LW]

  • Age: 22
  • Ht: 5-10
  • Wt: 184
'23-24 GP G A P +/- PIM P/GP
Car 81 33 34 67 23 14 0.83
Career 332 112 125 237 57 66 0.71
Forecast 81 35 39 74 - - 0.91

More power-play production (13 PPG, 20 PPP) helped Jarvis enjoy his best NHL season in 2023-24, one that saw him break 30 goals and 65 points for the first time. The fourth-year winger saw plenty of special-teams time (2:56 PP TOI/GP, 2:02 SH TOI/GP) and helped himself by drawing 11 more penalties than he took, the most on the squad.

Jesperi Kotkaniemi [C/LW]

  • Age: 24
  • Ht: 6-3
  • Wt: 203
'23-24 GP G A P +/- PIM P/GP
Car 79 12 15 27 -4 36 0.34
Career 493 78 121 199 8 236 0.40
Forecast 81 15 18 33 - - 0.41

The 24-year-old Kotkaniemi will seek to bounce back after a season that saw his offensive totals fall off sharply (15 points in his last 67 games) following a fast start (12 points in 12 games). As a consequence, he saw less ice time and watched his role diminish as the campaign progressed. He spent a lot of time toiling on the wing.

Jordan Martinook [RW/LW]

  • Age: 32
  • Ht: 6-1
  • Wt: 208
'23-24 GP G A P +/- PIM P/GP
Car 82 14 18 32 -1 36 0.39
Career 748 98 145 243 -21 331 0.32
Forecast 82 12 19 31 - - 0.38

He is coming off the two best offensive campaigns of his NHL career and was a solid contributor in the past two Stanley Cup playoffs (especially in '22-23). Martinook is a worker bee who can kill penalties and provide enough offense that opponents cannot ignore him. The 32-year-old winger is the type of forward every franchise wants.

Martin Necas [RW]

  • Age: 25
  • Ht: 6-3
  • Wt: 195
'23-24 GP G A P +/- PIM P/GP
Car 77 24 29 53 -9 42 0.69
Career 470 138 227 365 53 176 0.78
Forecast 80 29 32 61 - - 0.76

He saw his offensive numbers decline last season, though he still tied for third on Carolina in scoring. Most of the decline came in power-play scoring, particularly assists, and he finished as a minus player (–9) for the first time since 2019-20. Necas is still a talented top-six forward whose best seasons should be in front of him.

Eric Robinson [RW/LW]

  • Age: 29
  • Ht: 6-2
  • Wt: 211
'23-24 GP G A P +/- PIM P/GP
CBJ/Buf 47 3 7 10 -3 19 0.21
Career 410 59 71 130 7 71 0.32
Forecast 70 8 12 20 - - 0.29

The 29-year-old's offensive production dropped off sharply in 2023-24, after two years of double figures in goals and 20-plus points. Robinson has never averaged as much as 14 minutes of ice time over a full NHL campaign and is not a candidate for the power play. He is the type of player who can end up eating lots of press box meals.

Jack Roslovic [RW/C]

  • Age: 27
  • Ht: 6-1
  • Wt: 198
'23-24 GP G A P +/- PIM P/GP
CBJ/NYR 59 9 22 31 -10 16 0.53
Career 549 112 166 278 -36 88 0.51
Forecast 75 14 24 38 - - 0.51

The 27-year-old will try to put the wheels back on his career, after a '23-24 campaign that saw him go more than three months between goals. When Roslovic is on, he plays with the pace, skill and hockey sense to be solid in many situations. He is more passer than shooter, although he is willing to go to the net if he gets the chance.

Jordan Staal [C]

  • Age: 36
  • Ht: 6-4
  • Wt: 220
'23-24 GP G A P +/- PIM P/GP
Car 80 10 20 30 -14 44 0.38
Career 1353 306 416 722 64 638 0.53
Forecast 79 12 19 31 - - 0.39

The youngest NHL Staal brother does a lot of his club's dirty work: winning face-offs (team-best 58.1% in 2023-24), killing penalties (2:07 SH TOI/GP), tying for the 'Canes' lead in hits (142) and producing double figures in goals and 30-plus points per season. Plus his leadership as captain, which does not show up on the scoresheet.

Andrei Svechnikov [LW]

  • Age: 24
  • Ht: 6-3
  • Wt: 199
'23-24 GP G A P +/- PIM P/GP
Car 59 19 33 52 13 58 0.88
Career 506 158 221 379 38 443 0.75
Forecast 69 30 35 65 - - 0.94

The No. 2 pick in the '18 draft has seen his game improve in the last two seasons, despite missing more than 40 games because of injuries. He was at his best in last spring's playoffs, averaging a point per game as well as being a physical force and puck-possession terror. He must cut down on penalties taken (team-high 28 in '23-24).

Defensemen

Goaltenders

Brent Burns

  • Age: 39
  • Ht: 6-5
  • Wt: 228
'23-24 GP G A P +/- PIM P/GP
Car 82 10 33 43 19 20 0.52
Career 1526 265 659 924 22 867 0.61
Forecast 82 8 27 35 - - 0.43

The 39-year-old blueliner just keeps rolling along as he enters his 22nd(!) season of professional hockey. He is coming off his 13th NHL campaign with at least 10 goals and his 12th with 40-plus points. Burns' offensive numbers dropped somewhat in 2023-24, but he remains a quality top-four defenseman who sees lots of power-play time.

Jalen Chatfield

  • Age: 28
  • Ht: 6-1
  • Wt: 199
'23-24 GP G A P +/- PIM P/GP
Car 72 8 14 22 15 24 0.31
Career 284 21 41 62 55 143 0.22
Forecast 76 4 10 14 - - 0.18

The late-blooming 28-year-old defenseman's game has grown by leaps and bounds during the past couple of seasons–after spending several years in the AHL. He thrives in a solid defensive system that lets him use his athleticism. Chatfield does not generate a lot of offense, but he has found a role as a reliable third-pairing blueliner.

Shayne Gostisbehere

  • Age: 31
  • Ht: 5-11
  • Wt: 183
'23-24 GP G A P +/- PIM P/GP
Det 81 10 46 56 -16 16 0.69
Career 708 107 326 433 -66 259 0.61
Forecast 77 9 25 34 - - 0.44

"Ghost" makes his living as a power-play quarterback: 29 of his 56 points (3:21 PP TOI/GP of 19:05 TOI/GP) last season came with his team playing a man up. He has struggled defensively at even strength throughout his career and is not a player coaches rely on. But Gostisbehere could have a job as long as he helps on the power play.

Scott Morrow

  • Age: 21
  • Ht: 6-2
  • Wt: 210
'23-24 GP G A P +/- PIM P/GP
Car 2 0 0 0 -3 0 0.00
Career 24 1 6 7 -1 0 0.29
Forecast 22 2 7 9 - - 0.41

Dmitry Orlov

  • Age: 33
  • Ht: 5-11
  • Wt: 214
'23-24 GP G A P +/- PIM P/GP
Car 82 6 20 26 4 36 0.32
Career 897 76 267 343 130 371 0.38
Forecast 82 5 16 21 - - 0.26

Orlov's role changed upon joining Carolina in '23. He played as a third-pairing defender for much of the '23-24 season, watching his ice time drop by an average of nearly five minutes per game and his points total dip. After a slow start, his play perked up in the second half, and he was among the team's best players in the playoffs.

Jaccob Slavin

  • Age: 30
  • Ht: 6-3
  • Wt: 207
'23-24 GP G A P +/- PIM P/GP
Car 81 6 31 37 21 8 0.46
Career 747 55 244 299 166 94 0.40
Forecast 80 6 26 32 - - 0.40

The two-time Lady Byng Trophy winner has been among the NHL's most underappreciated players for the past half decade. He has produced 30 or more points in six of the last seven full seasons. In 2023-24, he led the Hurricanes in blocks (120) and takeaways (71). He has finished at least plus-18 in his past five seasons (+21 in '23-24).

Frederik Andersen

  • Age: 35
  • Ht: 6-4
  • Wt: 229
'23-24 GP W L OT SO GAA Sv%
Car 16 13 2 0 3 1.84 0.932
Career 531 313 142 55 28 2.57 0.914
Forecast 46 28 - - 2 2.56 0.912

Blood clots cost Andersen four months and 49 games in '23-24. He was almost unbeatable when he returned, going 9-1-0 with a 1.30 goals-against average and three shutouts. His 295 regular-season wins are the most of any NHL 'tender ever in 500 or fewer starts. Injuries and illness have been Andersen's biggest problems in recent years.

Pyotr Kochetkov

  • Age: 25
  • Ht: 6-3
  • Wt: 193
'23-24 GP W L OT SO GAA Sv%
Car 42 23 13 4 4 2.33 0.911
Career 122 69 37 12 11 2.44 0.905
Forecast 36 20 - - 3 2.39 0.91

The Hurricanes had not envisioned Kochetkov taking the No. 1 job last campaign, but the 25-year-old got a crack at the starting role and ran with it for a while. He ended with career bests in goals-against average and save percentage. However, Kochetkov dropped back to a tandem role late in 2023-24 and made just one postseason start.