{"id":643425,"date":"2026-08-15T13:45:14","date_gmt":"2026-08-15T13:45:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/643425\/"},"modified":"2026-08-15T13:45:14","modified_gmt":"2026-08-15T13:45:14","slug":"3-solid-predictions-for-the-carolina-hurricanes-2026-27-season-the-hockey-writers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/643425\/","title":{"rendered":"3 Solid Predictions for the Carolina Hurricanes 2026-27 Season – The Hockey Writers –"},"content":{"rendered":"

As we continue through the offseason, it\u2019s never too early to predict the upcoming 2026-27 NHL season. Regarding the Carolina Hurricanes, the defending Stanley Cup champions will be hoping to keep Lord Stanley in Raleigh for another summer. After winning their second-ever Stanley Cup back in June, it seems they might run it back with the same group. If that happens, there is a good chance they can accomplish that feat once again. That said, what three things could happen for the Hurricanes in 2026-27?<\/p>\n

Finishing First in Eastern Conference Again<\/p>\n

During the 2025-26 season, the Hurricanes, for the first time in franchise history, won the number one seed in the Eastern Conference after finishing with a 53-22-7 record (113 points)<\/a>. The next closest team was the Buffalo Sabres, who finished with 109 points, followed by the Tampa Bay Lightning (106). They also finished with the second-most goals in the NHL (296), while setting a franchise record. <\/p>\n

The Hurricanes managed to accomplish this while having a ton of injuries in the first few months of the season. They played without Jaccob Slavin for most of the season, while seeing K\u2019Andre Miller, Jalen Chatfield, Alexander Nikishin, and Shayne Gostisbehere (four times) out with various injuries. On top of that, they also lost Seth Jarvis and some forwards for a bit throughout the season.<\/p>\n

If the Hurricanes remain relatively healthy, there is a good chance they could win the top seed in the Eastern Conference again. It was remarkable that they won it last season with the injuries and turning to Brandon Bussi for the majority of starts in the crease. It\u2019ll be interesting to see how the Hurricanes will start out of the gate on Sept. 29 against the Florida Panthers. One thing is for sure: if they aren\u2019t without guys for long stretches of the season, expect the Hurricanes to be atop the Eastern Conference and the NHL standings again.<\/p>\n

Nikolaj Ehlers Leads Team in Points<\/p>\n

Now that he has his first season in Raleigh under his belt, there is a good chance Nikolaj Ehlers<\/a> could lead the Hurricanes in points this upcoming season. Last season, he had a career year, tallying 26 goals, 45 assists, and 71 points<\/a> in 82 games. It was Ehlers\u2019 first-ever 45-assist and 70-or-more-point season. Not bad for learning a new system after spending 10 seasons with the Winnipeg Jets.<\/p>\n

What makes it interesting is that it took until Game 12 of the season on Nov. 4 against the New York Rangers to score his first goal with the Hurricanes. There was a chance that Ehlers could have had 30 goals for the first time if he didn\u2019t have that slow start to begin 2025-26.<\/p>\n

\"NikolajCarolina Hurricanes right wing Andrei Svechnikov celebrates with teammates after scoring against the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 5 of the 2026 Stanley Cup Final (Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images)<\/p>\n

That said, if Ehlers gets off to a quicker start with scoring goals, he could have a case for his first-ever 30-or-more-goal season. If he does manage that and has another 40-45 assists, he might reach 80 points for the first time in his career. Ehlers had 71 points in his first season with the Hurricanes, only nine behind Sebastian Aho.<\/p>\n

Now that Ehlers understands the Hurricanes\u2019 system<\/a>, could he be pushing Aho for the top spot? However, with the pressure of winning a Stanley Cup off his shoulders, could we also see a freer and looser Aho? If so, could he be in for a career season in 2026-27? This could be a points battle within the Hurricanes to watch for this upcoming season.<\/p>\n

Brandon Bussi Sets a New Career High in Wins<\/p>\n

Much like Ehlers, Brandon Bussi<\/a> is entering his second season with the Hurricanes, looking to continue last season\u2019s success<\/a>. During the 2025-26 season, Bussi had a\u00a031-6-2 record<\/a>\u00a0with a 2.47 goals-against average (GAA), a .895 save percentage (SV%), and two shutouts. During the playoffs, he finished with a 3-1-0 record with a 1.60 GAA, a .931 SV%, and one shutout. What a way to begin your NHL career, setting records and helping the Hurricanes to a Stanley Cup with three straight wins in three straight starts.<\/p>\n

On top of that, Bussi signed a\u00a0three-year, $5.7 million deal<\/a> back in February, paying him $1.9 million annually through the 2028-29 season. He is slotted to be the 1A in a tandem with Pyotr Kochetkov. That said, he had 39 starts last season; could we see 45 to 50 for the Sound Beach, NY native in 2026-27? If so, there\u2019s a chance Bussi could finish with 32 to 35 wins for the Hurricanes. <\/p>\n

It\u2019ll be interesting to see how many games Kochetkov starts this season as well, especially with the number of games going up from 82 to 84. Even if he has 39 starts, that\u2019s still a solid split for him and Bussi heading into their first season as a tandem. Either way, when it comes to Bussi, he has a chance to set new career highs after a stellar first season in the NHL.<\/p>\n

When it comes to the Hurricanes this upcoming season, all eyes will be on them to see if they can repeat as champions. If they manage to stay healthy, start out of the gate on fire, and not be sluggish, could Hurricanes fans and the NHL be seeing a team that went 16-3 in the playoffs have another seismic season? Only time will tell.<\/p>\n

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