Carolina Hurricanes: 2 Breakout Candidates For Next Season

With each season that passes, it seems as though every team has players who improve significantly. They often turn out to be prospects naturally, but players who have some experience in the league also can. In this segment, we will be looking at two potential breakout candidates from each team. We will also be setting a max age limit of 26 years old, so veterans are not eligible for discussion.

In this article, we will be drawing attention to the Carolina Hurricanes. This is a team that has made a plethora of changes to their roster, but still could remain contenders regardless. These two specific players are prime candidates to take bigger steps next season. One is a player coming off of a strong second NHL season and the other is a new acquisition.

Martin Nečas C/RW: Martin Nečas is often overshadowed by fellow young forwards Sebastian Aho and Andrei Svechnikov. Yet, he is still quite good, as he had 14 goals and 41 points in 53 games last season. Keep in mind, it was just his second season in the league. Therefore, it is easy to believe that the 22-year-old will be able to become even better and could even cement himself as a legitimate first-line forward this season. It would not be shocking to see him inch closer to being a point-per-game player. The talent is there.

Ethan Bear D: A change of scenery should be just what the doctor ordered for defenseman Ethan Bear. After a 21-point campaign during the 2019-20 season with the Edmonton Oilers, he took a bit of step back. In 43 games this season, he only had two goals and eight points. However, he is only 24-years-old and has the potential to be a real top-four defenseman in this league. With him having less pressure with a new team, he should be able to play quite well this upcoming season. It also does not hurt that he has a lot of talent around him, too.