-Gabriel Dorris-

Last year, Martin Necas led the Carolina Hurricanes in points with 71, partially due to Sebastian Aho and Andrei Svechnikov, ranked #2 and #4, getting injured. This year, if these players all stay healthy, the battle for team points leader will be very close and competitive. But outside those 3, who do I predict to be the team’s 10 top point producers? That list starts with number

10. Stefan Noesen

Noesen, who looking at the current Canes roster will likely end up on the 4th line with Teuvo Teravainen and Jack Drury, is a grindy, netfront player. After playing the 2021-22 season in the AHL, Noesen was given a shot with the Canes last year, and exceeded all expectations. He put up nearly 40 points playing 80 games with linemates who are most likely worse than the ones he’ll have this year. There’s no reason to think Noesen can’t break 40 points barring injury, and I think he gets past the mark to put himself in the Canes top 10 producers for a second straight year.

Prediction: 17 goals, 24 assists, 41 points

9. Dmitry Orlov

An offseason acquisition for Carolina, Dmitry Orlov is coming off a season where he put up a career high 36 points in 66 games. His play just seems to be getting better with age, and if Orlov is paired with Brett Pesce, something that seems likely based on the Canes current lineup, than he’ll have a good bit of offensive freedom that I think he can take advantage of.

Prediction: 14 goals, 33 assists, 47 points

8. Teuvo Teravainen

“Turbo” is coming off of a massive down year where his usual 60+ point performance dropped to under 40. Now, Teuvo is likely going to find himself stuck in the Canes bottom 6, making things even more challenging for him. I don’t think he has quite as bad a season as last year, and Noesen and Drury aren’t terrible linemates, but I don’t think we’re going to see a return to the Teravainen we all know and love next year.

Prediction: 16 goals, 32 assists, 48 points

7. Jesperi Kotkaniemi

KK is coming off of what was easily his best season yet, where he hit 43 points and played an incredible defensive game, one of the best on the team. Kotkaniemi is still only 23, and next year looks to be another jump upwards for the young center. I think KK will hit the 50 point mark playing a full year with Necas and Svechnikov, while being just as good at forechecking and defense if not better than last year. I feel the 8 year contract KK is signed to is going to end up being a very good deal a few years from now.

Prediction: 23 goals, 33 assists, 56 points

6. Brent Burns

The former Sharks defensemen is coming off of his first season with the Canes, a season that also happened to be his best overall in years. Burns hit 60 points, finished 3rd on the team in that category, and is doing very well in the battle against age right now. Whether or not Burns can hit 60 again is a coin flip in my opinion, as while he has more experience and chemistry with Jaccob Slavin and the rest of the Canes than he did last year, Burns is 38 and will turn 39 next season. The player is still a rock solid first pairing guy.

Prediction: 16 goals, 41 assists, 57 points

5. Michael Bunting

Bunting, taken from the Leafs in free agency, will be entering his third season at age 27. The forward finished third in Calder voting in the 2020-21 season, and last year, while bouncing between the Leafs incredible top 6 and lacking bottom 6 still put up 49 points. This year, it’s looking like after Teuvo’s down year Bunting may end up on the Canes first line with Sebastian Aho and Seth Jarvis. If this is the case, then his grinding and netfront skill will help him a ton, and I think the 2014 draft pick will get back to his rookie production levels.

Prediction: 24 goals, 39 assists, 63 points

4. Seth Jarvis

Seth Jarvis, after an excellent rookie season and weaker sophomore year, is looking primed for a Necas-esque breakout. The forward has shown his talent in all 3 zones, and if he can put the pieces together Jarvis has a chance to eventually become one of the Canes best players. It’s also worth noting that Jarvis’s shooting percentage was less than half of it’s total in the 2021-22 season, and he had an ongoing battle with empty nets and the goalpost. With a little more luck and a little more experience Jarvis will be primed for his best year yet.

Prediction: 25 goals, 38 assists, 63 points

3. Andrei Svechnikov

Andrei Svechnikov was on pace for a career year until a massive goals drought followed by an ACL injury brought him down. Now, on track to play in the Canes season opener, Svech may be able to finally hit 70 points and break his 30 goal personal record. If he plays another season with Martin Necas and Jesperi Kotkaniemi, a group he showed immense chemistry with, then Svechnikov should set career highs in goals and assists.

Prediction: 38 goals, 40 assists, 78 points

2. Martin Necas

After a disappointing sophomore year, last season was a massive breakout for the Czech forward, and he led the team with 71 points. This year, he is primed to grow on that number even more. Necas’s production slowed down late in the season when Svechnikov’s did, and plummeted when Svechnikov was hurt. With Svech back, and a little more work on the mental parts of the game, I think Necas can hit the 80 point mark.

Prediction: 31 goals, 49 assists, 80 points

1. Sebastian Aho

Sebastian Aho is the Canes best player, and if he can avoid the injury problems that hurt him last year he can easily be a point per game player, as he has been 3 times before. Aho will also likely have better linemates than last year, as I see Jarvis improving his production a good bit and Bunting playing better than the mix of Teuvo and whatever bottom 6 forward Rod felt like putting on the first line any given day (usually Noesen or Martinook) next year. If you put that all together, Aho seems likely to match his career highs in points and potentially exceed them next year.

Prediction: 41 goals, 47 assists, 88 points