There seemed to be a little more buzz than is typical for a September game prior to the Carolina Hurricanes’ home preseason opener against the Tampa Bay Lightning Friday night. A lot of that was due to the debut of several of the team’s new players, chief among them young Finnish forward Teuvo Teravainen, acquired from the Chicago Blackhawks in a trade this past June.
As part of his ongoing effort to rebuild the Canes’ roster with youth and speed, Francis traded a second-round pick in 2016 and a third-round pick in 2017 to the Blackhawks in exchange for Teravainen and forward Bryan Bickell as part of the Blackhawks’ annual cap crunch. Teravainen, who put up 13 goals and 35 points for Chicago in his first NHL season last year, is ready to help add some scoring to the Canes’ roster.
“I think I can bring some speed and some skill,” Teravainen said. “Just bring some offense, but at the same time play well overall.”
The scoring woes that contributed to the Hurricanes’ seventh-straight playoff miss last season are no secret. The team finished 27th in the league with 2.39 goals per game and will need to boost that number significantly to end its playoff drought. Teravainen, who was Chicago’s first-round draft pick in 2012 at 18 overall, possesses the talent level necessary to help be a key ingredient of an offensive revival for the Hurricanes.
There is something else Teravainen brings to the Hurricanes besides his skill level: championship pedigree. Called up to Chicago midway through the 2014-15 season, the Helsinki native was part of the Blackhawks’ Stanley Cup Championship in 2015. Teravainen played a big role in the title win for Chicago, putting up four goals and 10 points in 18 playoff games, including two goals and four points in six games against the Tampa Bay Lightning in the final. That Stanley Cup experience is also part of what makes Teravainen a significant addition for the Hurricanes.
“Anytime someone’s gone through that [Stanley Cup Championship run], it certainly is enlightening for the other players, the younger players that we have here,” Hurricanes assistant coach Steve Smith said. “Knowing how difficult the run is, knowing what it’s going to take on a daily basis and the patience you have to have from within the locker room. He’ll be a key component moving forward as we grow this group.”
While playing for the Blackhawks and winning a Stanley Cup is something any pro hockey player would dream of, it also presents challenges for a young, skilled player like Teravainen. With the Blackhawks possessing a deep, talented forward group, there is not much opportunity for a young player like Teravainen to earn more ice time and show off his potential. With the Hurricanes, Teravainen will get the chance to play more, with greater opportunities, and really showcase what he can do.
“It’s a good chance for me to step up,” Teravainen said. “I’ve really been waiting for this chance. It’s only on myself now, I have to play well. I think I can really help this team out and it’s up to me.”
Due to his participation in the 2016 World Cup of Hockey, Teravainen arrived late to the Hurricanes’ training camp, but he has already seemed to impress his new teammates with the skill he brings.
“He’s smooth,” Hurricanes forward Jeff Skinner said. “Just watching him practice, obviously he’s got some good experience in Chicago he can draw off of, and I think just watching him in practice he’s real skilled. You can tell he’s smart out there, so I think everyone’s excited to see what he can do in a game.”
That smooth skill of Teravainen’s made an appearance in the team’s 2-1 overtime preseason loss to the Lightning on Friday night. While it was his first game and Teravainen definitely will need more time to adjust, looking a bit tentative at times, there were also plays where his skill set was clearly on display. This was particularly the case on the power play. Though it did not lead to any goals, Teravainen’s vision and playmaking ability was on display throughout the night, and it is clear he has the potential to really make an impact for the Canes.
One might worry that the early praise Teravainen has garnered, along with the expectations of what he can do with his skill and increased ice time, might lead to a lot of pressure for such a young player. However, if there are people worried about the weight of the expectations on Teravainen, he himself isn’t one of them.
“I think it’s pretty normal; I’ve had expectations with every team I’ve played with,” Teravainen said. “It’s a pretty normal part of hockey life. You’ve just gotta do your own thing and come to the rink. You have to try and stay positive all the time, and if you have a bad game or something, don’t think about it, just try to do more work to move on.”
The Hurricanes will need to score more goals to have a chance at making it to the playoffs in the 2016-17 season. If early indications are anything to judge by, Teravainen is definitely ready to help the team do just that.
