Game Overview

The 2023-24 NHL season is set to begin with an exciting clash as the Ottawa Senators hit the road to face the formidable Carolina Hurricanes at 7 p.m. ET. Last season left the Senators without a playoff spot, while the Hurricanes are entering the new season with high expectations.

Ottawa Senators' Outlook

Ottawa's 2022-23 season concluded with a 39-35-8 record, leaving them outside of the playoff picture in the Eastern Conference. The Senators have built a youthful core around talents like Brady Tkachuk, Tim Stutzle, Thomas Chabot, and Jacob Chychurn. Addressing their goaltending concerns, they secured Joonas Korpisalo on a five-year contract. In addition, the team added Vladimir Tarasenko on a one-year deal to bolster their offensive arsenal.

Scoring an average of 3.18 goals per game (18th) last season, Ottawa displayed power with an 8th-ranked power play at 23.5%. However, they struggled defensively, allowing 3.29 goals per game (20th). Their penalty kill stood at 80.1%, ranking middle-of-the-pack.

The Senators will be missing key players, with Josh Norris sidelined due to injury and Shane Pinto yet to sign.

Carolina Hurricanes' Perspective

The Carolina Hurricanes enter the 2023-24 NHL season with optimism after a strong performance last year that led them to the Conference Finals. During the offseason, they added valuable assets, including Michael Bunting and Dmitry Orlov. Goaltending stability is maintained with Frederik Andersen and Antti Raanta staying with the team.

Carolina's defensive prowess was evident in the 2022-23 season, conceding just 2.56 goals per game (2nd), coupled with an impressive penalty kill success rate of 84.4% (2nd). They led the league by allowing only 26 shots per game. On the offensive front, they averaged 3.2 goals per game (15th) and achieved a 19.9% success rate on the power play (20th).

The Hurricanes will commence the season without Andrei Svechnikov, who will be unavailable.

Prediction