Carolina Hurricanes: 5 burning questions for 2018-19 season

RALEIGH, NC - APRIL 7: Jordan Staal #11 of the Carolina Hurricanes is congratulated by teammates after scoring a goal that was assisted by Phillip Di Giuseppe #34 during an NHL game against the Tampa Bay Lightning on April 7, 2018 at PNC Arena in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Gregg Forwerck/NHLI via Getty Images) /

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RALEIGH, NC – MARCH 26: Carolina Hurricanes Center Sebastian Aho (20) looks to pass the puck during a game between the Ottawa Senators and the Carolina Hurricanes at the PNC Arena in Raleigh, NC on March 24, 2018. Carolina defeated Ottawa 4-1. (Photo by Greg Thompson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

How do the wings continue to do it?

While Carolina may not have a true No. 1 center, the guy taking the face-off has plenty of help on the side.

Sebastian Aho might mess around and score 30 goals this season despite the lack of an offensive driven center. He scored 24 goals in his rookie season. Last year, he potted 29 pucks in the back of the net. On a team that struggled to score and looked offensively inept at times, Aho was a huge bright spot.

The arrival of Andrei Svechnikov should take some pressure off of Aho and help whomever centers him. Svechnikov is expected to start the year on the second or third line, but will see plenty of icetime regardless of line position. If he scores in the NHL the same way he’s scored throughout juniors, teams won’t be able to load on Aho’s line on a nightly basis.

Justin Williams put up 51 points last season and Teuvo Teravainen had a career-high 64 points. The addition of Micheal Ferland gives them more depth along the side. Jeff Skinner, for all his flaws, is still one of the better goalscorers in the league.

Carolina’s top six wingers are a solid group with a couple of guys (Aho and Svechnikov) having star potential. They’ll have to be great once again in order to elevate a mediocre at best group down the middle.

Of course, the entire offense should get a huge shot in the arm thanks to one of the best looking defensive groups on paper.

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