Carolina Hurricanes’ 3 Stars of March

Jankowski has certainly paved the way to be a cult following player for the Caniacs, and he could possibly see an extension if he keeps playing like this. It only took 10 games to make the 3 Stars of the Month, and it’s well deserved for “Janko” as he beat out a whole team of guys who contributed to an 11-win month in March.

Second Star: Taylor Hall

Another player who makes the list for the first time is Taylor Hall, who put on a clinic in March for the Hurricanes. In all 14 games, he had seven goals and five assists for 12 points. He is currently on a four-game point streak and has even scored four power-play goals since March 15. Since joining the team on Jan. 24 in the three-team trade between the Hurricanes, Chicago Blackhawks, and the Colorado Avalanche, Hall has scored eight goals and six assists for 14 points in 23 games. Compared to 46 games with the Blackhawks to the Hurricanes in terms of shooting percentage, Hall in Carolina is at 16.7% whereas in Chicago he was at 11%.

In March alone, Hall had a 21.9 S% after scoring seven goals on 32 shots. He averaged almost 16 minutes per game, which includes the top power-play unit and being a solid second-line left-wing option for Jesperi Kotkaniemi. The chemistry between Hall and Kotkaniemi has proven to be a good luck charm that has unlocked both guys for the Hurricanes. Furthermore, Hall on the power play has really got the special teams rolling again, especially being on a four-game streak of power-play goals in each of the games.

For Hall contract-wise, he is in the final year of his four-year, $6 million AAV deal that expires this upcoming offseason. The hope for him is that he stays in one place for the rest of his career. As the 2010 first-overall pick, he has had an uncommon journey to be traded a plethora of times in his career. When he was on the What Chaos! Podcast, he voiced how he hopes to stay in one place and settle down with his wife and newborn child. He even expressed how he hopes that it’s Carolina, as they are open to that option.

Regarding the Hurricanes, it makes sense to find a way to extend Hall. He is someone who has played 901 games in his career and fits in well with the system. He is a first-overall pick and the 2018 NHL MVP, and someone who can slide right into the top six, especially on a contender like the Hurricanes.

After the month he had for the Hurricanes in March, it’s a no-brainer to make this union work past the 2024-25 season. Just like Jankowski, welcome to the 3 Stars of the Month club for the Hurricanes, “Hallsy.”

First Star: Seth Jarvis

At this rate, we might as well just assume Jarvis will be on this list. For the “fifth” time in a row (see note above), he will be part of the 3 Stars of the Month for the Hurricanes after another spectacular month. This will be his third time at the top spot, from January to March, with the honor. In 14 games, Jarvis had six goals and six assists for 12 points with a plus-9. What made him stand out again was his two shorthanded goals, giving him five on the season (tied for the league lead with Florida Panthers’ Sam Reinhart). Furthermore, his five shorthanded goals in 2024-25 tied a franchise record with Kevyn Adams, who did it during the 2003-04 season. Yes, that Kevyn Adams who is the general manager of the Buffalo Sabres. If you have not seen it yet, check out this video from the Hurricanes’ win on Sunday night to see if Jarvis would ever want to be a GM.

Jarvis had a 14.3 S% in March after scoring six goals on 42 shots. He is currently at 29 goals and 29 assists on the season after 66 games played. He is second on the team in points only behind Sebastian Aho (69), and second in power-play goals (six); only Andrei Svechnikov has more (nine). However, he does lead the team with his five shorthanded goals and the 29 goals in the 2024-25 season, only one ahead of Aho. Jarvis is managing to do all of this while missing seven games due to re-aggravating his shoulder injury from last season.

Jarvis has become a star with his personality, style of play, and being the Swiss Army knife that Brind’Amour needs him to be for the Hurricanes. No matter the situation – five on five, power play, penalty kill, etc. – Jarvis has made himself that guy in Carolina. That is why he signed his new eight-year, $7.42 million AAV contract last offseason to star in Raleigh through the 2031-32 season. He has more than earned it as someone who will have back-to-back 30-plus goal and 60-plus point seasons. He might not tie his point total of 67 from the 2023-24 season, but he has a chance to have 64 or 65 with nine games left in the season. What Jarvis has done in not even four seasons shows that the Hurricanes have themselves a superstar, and why he is a cornerstone player for at least the next eight seasons. There is no one like Jarvis, a true 1-of-1 type.

Final Push for the Playoffs

As the calendar turns to April, the Hurricanes have nine games left in the 2024-25 regular season before the start of the playoffs. In April, they have only three home games while they’re on the road for six. Furthermore, they have three back-to-back games, two of those coming over the last weekend and week of the season. The Hurricanes are in a tight race with the Tampa Bay Lightning, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Panthers for the second seed in the Eastern Conference. With all Eastern Conference games left and three back-to-backs, they will have their work cut out for them as they strive for another 50-win and 100-point season. Also, they are on the path to making the playoffs for the seventh consecutive season in the Brind’Amour era. Other teams might want to watch out, the Hurricanes are surging at the right time.