Hurricanes headed to 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs

For the seventh year running, the Carolina Hurricanes are headed to the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Following a 5-1 victory over the Eastern Conference-leading Washington Capitals on Wednesday, the Hurricanes improved to 46-24-4 to punch their ticket to the postseason, where they appear poised to take on the Metropolitan Division rival New Jersey Devils.

This season, Carolina has once again been headlined by 27-year-old Finnish-born center Sebastian Aho who through 73 appearances leads the Hurricanes with near point-per-game production counting 28 goals and 42 assists. A second-round selection from the 2015 NHL Draft, Aho has seen 671 career contests with the Hurricanes in which he has collected 627 points to rank third all-time in franchise scoring.

Also up front, the Hurricanes continue to see the emergence of 23-year-old center Seth Jarvis who has reached the 30-goal plateau for the second year running as part of a 60-point effort through 67 games this season.

Earlier this season, the Hurricanes made headlines with their blockbuster addition of Mikko Rantanen from the Colorado Avalanche. Later unable to come to terms on an extension with the then pending unrestricted free agent, the Hurricanes flipped Rantanen to the Dallas Stars in a deal that returned diminutive forward Logan Stankoven. Since arriving in Raleigh, the 22-year-old has scored three times and added three assists for six points in 11 games.

While the Hurricanes bring a balanced attack offensively, the club is noted for its defensive prowess. Entering Wednesday action, the Hurricanes had allowed the fourth-fewest goals league wide, while the club’s 84.7 percent proficiency while shorthanded sat tied with the Stars for the best mark in the NHL.

The Hurricanes return to the postseason with hopes of claiming the franchise’s second-ever Stanley Cup championship, and first since 2006. Last spring, the Hurricanes exited in the second round of the playoffs following a six-game set with the New York Rangers.