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Carolina Hurricanes center Sebastian Aho celebrates his goal with teammates (Eric Hartline-Imagn Images)

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Carolina Hurricanes’ 3 Stars of October

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers | By Zach Martin | Last updated Oct 30, 2026 4:25 PM ET

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For the first time in 2026-27, the “3 Stars of the Month” series is back. The last edition of the series came after the Carolina Hurricanes won the Stanley Cup way back in June. While there weren’t many changes to the roster, the Hurricanes have started the season where they left off in 2025-26, humming along with an 11-2-2 record. That said, who made the first edition of “3 Stars” in season four of the series?

Third Star: Jackson Blake

While there were some players who deserved to make the list, i.e., Logan Stankoven (nine goals) or Mark Jankowski (seven goals in eight games), it’s hard not to have Jackson Blake on here to begin the season. As someone who was on these a ton last season, it’s only fitting to have the Minnesota native here once again. Moreover, when the third-year forward has 15 points in the last 14 games, along with a five-game point streak, it gives a slight edge, but all three make a case for the third star spot.

Blake currently leads the Hurricanes in assists (12) and is second in points. After having a career year in 2025-26, finishing with 22 goals and 53 points, it’s no surprise to see him playing great hockey right out of the game. It also helps that he led the team in assists (13) and points (20) during the 2026 NHL Playoffs, being one of a few key contributors to the Hurricanes winning their second-ever Stanley Cup.

Second Star: Sebastian Aho

When it came to who would take the second and first star for the month of October, there is a case for these two to be flipped. However, it’s understandable why Sebastian Aho is the second star instead of the first after the historical start for the other player. Over the last 14 games, the Finnish forward leads the team in points (19), only four ahead of Blake. He is also second in assists (11) and goals (eight), the latter only one behind Logan Stankoven.

Aho’s 19 points in October were the best start to a season in his career and were three shy of tying Eric Stall’s 22 points from the 2005-06 season. He’s been on a supernova start to the 2026-27 season, especially with Seth Jarvis missing the first 11 games while recovering from off-season shoulder surgery.

So far this season, there seems to be a sense that Aho is playing freer after winning the Stanley Cup. It’s like the pressure is off his shoulders and he isn’t worried about trying to reach the mountaintop. He’s playing the best hockey to begin a season, and it’s one of the reasons for the Hurricanes’ success through the first 15 games of the 2026-27 season.

It’ll be interesting if he has a career season, one year removed from winning the Stanley Cup. Aho’s best season came in 2023-24, when he had 89 points in 78 games played. Could this be the season where he reaches 90 for the first time? Is it possible to see the first 100-point season in Hurricanes history since Staal in 2005-06?

First Star: Pyotr Kochetkov

Of the three stars for October 2026, it was a no-brainer that Pyotr Kochetkov would be the first star to begin season four of the series. Through nine starts, he is 9-0-0 with a 1.66 goals-against average (GAA), a .919 save percentage (SV%), and one shutout. He is ranked first in wins, tied for fourth in shutouts, fifth in GAA, and eighth in SV%. Furthermore, he also set a new franchise record for the most wins to begin a season (nine), passing Frederik Andersen. He joined Felix Potvin (1993-94) to reach nine wins to begin a season. Only Carey Price (10 in 2016-17) and Jack Campbell (11 in 2020-21) have more.

Furthermore, Kochetkov tied Brandon Bussi (twice in 2025-26) and Cam Ward (2008-09) to win nine games at any time in a season. He also earned his 12th shutout of his career on Oct. 24 against the St. Louis Blues, passing Sean Burke and Kevin Weekes for fourth all time. He’s on an historic start to the season and is putting himself into conversations of becoming an elite goaltender in the NHL. While there is a ton of games left in the 2026-27 season, this is a remarkable start for Kochetkov.

As the calendar flips to November, the Hurricanes are 11-2-2 on the season and are showing no signs of slowing down. The defending Stanley Cup champions are at the top of the Metropolitan Division, the Eastern Conference, and the NHL with 24 points. With the Global Series in Finland right around the corner, November should be an exciting month for head coach Rod Brind’Amour and his team. Who will make the 3 Stars of November next month?

This article first appeared on The Hockey Writers and was syndicated with permission.

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