The Carolina Hurricanes lost a lot of talent this offseason and it is going to be difficult for them to stay atop the standings as the team typically is. With the team likely to regress a little, some of the players will have tougher seasons as well. Let’s take a look at three who are the most likely to decline from 2023-24.
Brent Burns
Brent Burns is going to turn 40 years old later next season and he has already started to decline. Last season there wasn’t really anyone to challenge him for time on the top power play to earn him more points. Now there is Shayne Gostisbehere who is stellar on the man advantage and should earn at least half of the time on the top unit. Burns went from 18 goals and 61 points in 2022-23 to 10 goals and 43 points in 2023-24. As the team isn’t as good and with his natural decline with age, I think there’s a chance he doesn’t crack 40 points with a full season for the first time since 2011-12.
Jordan Staal
With Jack Drury expected to take a step forward again, it should limit playing time for the veteran Jordan Staal even more, potentially pushing him to the fourth line. Drury was nearly as good offensively from the fourth line last season as Staal was from the third and Staal is going to be 36 years old by the time the season starts. It makes sense he has a reduced role to the young up-and-comer who has started to prove himself.
Frederik Andersen
Frederik Andersen is a very good goalie when healthy, but he only managed to start 16 games last season for the Hurricanes. He finished with a record of 13-2-0 with a 1.84 GAA and .932 SV% to go with three shutouts. That is extremely difficult to replicate considering he had a .915 SV% across his first two seasons in Carolina and the team is now without Brett Pesce and Brady Skjei to defend well. The system in Carolina is still strong, but the team will likely be worse. Andersen’s numbers will decline at the very least.
