Hurricanes getting huge Jaccob Slavin boost ahead of Kraken clash

Jan 10, 2026 - 23:30

The Carolina Hurricanes are the top team in the Metropolitan Division as they take the ice Saturday against the Seattle Kraken. The Hurricanes have split their last 10 games, going 5-5-0, but they still lead the second-place New York Islanders by 4 points.

The Hurricanes got some excellent news at their morning practice as star defenseman Jaccob Slavin participated at full speed and he will return to action against the Kraken. Slavin has missed the last 10 games with an upper body injury but he has recovered and will give the Hurricanes an extra element of solid defense and physical play with his return on home ice.

Slavin was recently named to the U.S. Olympic hockey team. While he certainly can make contributions on the offensive end, he is one of the best and most physical defensemen in the NHL. He has only played 5 games this season, but he has more than enough time to get to the top of his game before the start of the Olympics.

In addition to leading the Metropolitan Division, the Hurricanes are also the top seed in the Eastern Conference. They have a one-point lead over the Detroit Red Wings and Montreal Canadiens, who both have 56 points.

Hurricanes have been consistent on the road

The Hurricanes have been one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference for several seasons, but they have fallen short in the playoffs against the Florida Panthers in 2 of the past 3 seasons. Perhaps this is the season that will change, as the Hurricanes have shown they can compete on the road as well as home ice. The Hurricanes have a 15-8-1 record at home and their record on the road is also a winning one. They have a 12-6-2 mark away from home.

Sebastian Aho has been the top scorer for head coach Rod Brind’Amour with 17 goals and 26 assists for a team-leading 43 points. Goaltender Brandon Bussi has been dynamic with a 15-2-1 record, a .904 save percentage and a 2.29 goals against average.

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