The NHL is on hold as the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina commences, and the Carolina Hurricanes are well-represented. Several Hurricanes players have joined their respective national teams in Italy to compete for a gold medal. The men's ice hockey tournament is scheduled to run from February 11th to February 22nd.
Metropolitan Division Leaders Entering the Break
Before the break, the Hurricanes were sitting atop the Metropolitan Division with a record of 36-15-6. On February 5th, they finished their pre-Olympic schedule with a 2-0 shutout victory against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden. As of February 5th, the Hurricanes have held the top spot in their division for 76 days, a feat surpassed only by the Colorado Avalanche, who led their division for 111 days.
Jarvis Joins Team Canada
Seth Jarvis is heading to Team Canada as a replacement for the Tampa Bay Lightning's Brayden Point, marking a significant turn of events. Jarvis, who leads the Hurricanes in goals this season, will bring his energy and skill to the Canadian forward group.
Hurricanes' Olympic Schedule
The Olympic break has created some interesting matchups for Hurricane fans. Group C will feature a game between Team USA (Jaccob Slavin) and Team Denmark (Frederik Andersen & Nikolaj Ehlers) on February 14th. Sebastian Aho will also be competing in the Olympics as an alternate captain for Team Finland.
Here is a breakdown of Hurricanes players competing in the Olympics:
- Team Canada: Seth Jarvis
- Team USA: Jaccob Slavin
- Team Finland: Sebastian Aho
- Team Denmark: Frederik Andersen and Nikolaj Ehlers
Trade Deadline Looming
General manager Don Waddell and the Hurricanes are expected to be active as the March 6 trade deadline approaches. The team is reportedly looking for a second-line center to strengthen their top-six forwards. There have been rumors linking the Hurricanes to Elias Pettersson of the Vancouver Canucks and Nazem Kadri of the Calgary Flames. Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Alexander Nikishin have been mentioned as possible trade chips to facilitate a deal.
"Bus Driver" Saves the Season
Rookie goaltender Brandon Bussi has emerged as a key player for the Hurricanes, especially after Pyotr Kochetkov was sidelined for the season due to hip surgery. Bussi has recorded over 20 wins and has impressed with his stability in the net. He is expected to share goaltending duties with veteran Frederik Andersen as the Hurricanes prepare for a deep playoff run.
Other NHL News
Zach Werenski of the Columbus Blue Jackets, who is also heading to the Olympics for Team USA, scored his 20th goal of the season. He is the first defenseman in the NHL to reach that mark before the Olympic break. The Blue Jackets are currently on a seven-game winning streak, their longest since 2017-18.