The Carolina Hurricanes are once again looking like the class of the NHL. And they are dominating in one particular statistical category.
In Carolina’s big 7-0 win over the Winnipeg Jets on Sunday, star forwards Seth Jarvis and Sebastian Aho linked up for assists on Sean Walker’s shorthanded goal.
It occurred at 5:16 in the first period and set the tone for a dominant afternoon. Carolina flipped the script during the Jets‘ power play, taking control of the puck and racing into the offensive zone.
After maintaining possession, Jarvis found Walker in the slot. Walker drilled it past Jets’ goaltender Stuart Skinner to take a 1-0 lead that Carolina refused to hand back. Aho was credited with the secondary assist.
Per Peter Dewar of Hurricanes.com, “Since the start of the 2025-26 campaign, no NHL player has more shorthanded points than Aho (9) or Jarvis (7).”
When a team has two players who play that well when their team is shorthanded, opponents must account for them at all times. That includes when those same opponents are on the power play.
Shorthanded Goals Are A Strong Supplement For Hurricanes Penalty Kill
Considering how hard it is to score shorthanded goals, Aho and Jarvis boast impressive stats at 4-on-5. They also show how dangerous the Hurricanes are regardless of the situation.
Carolina is currently tied for second in the league in shorthanded goals this season with three. They are just one goal behind the league-leading San Jose Sharks.
In 2025-26, they led the league in shorthanded goals with 12, edging out the Buffalo Sabres and Calgary Flames, who each had 11. Carolina’s penalty-kill unit also hasn’t been a random big-play group, but consistent in that same timeframe.
They finished last season with an 80.52 penalty-kill percentage, which ranked 11th in the league. So far in 2026-27, they have been even better, with an 83.33 PK percentage. That ranks 10th in the NHL alongside the St. Louis Blues.
Scoring so many shorthanded goals is a bonus for this mighty Carolina team. If they keep it up, some of those goals at 4-on-5 could factor in as difference-makers.
Hurricanes Continue To Dominate In The Offensive Zone
Beyond their epic shorthanded scoring, Carolina hasn’t missed a beat at 5-on-5 or on the power play. They have scored 14 times on 58 power-play opportunities.
Per Hockey-Reference, heading into Tuesday’s slate of games, they have scored four more goals and have drawn 11 more opportunities than the league average. Their 24.14 power-play percentage ranks ninth in the NHL.
As for their 5-on-5 numbers, Carolina has an outrageous 59.5 Corsi For Percentage. The Hurricanes have scored 42 times, with 41.7 expected goals for (xGF).
They also boast a 58.1 scoring chances for and a 59.1 high-danger chances for percentage. They have converted 10.4 percent of their high-danger chances into goals this season. That number is 1.9 percent higher than the NHL average.
Overall, the Hurricanes continue to force opponents to match their offensive output in seemingly game after game. That has been a given at 5-on-5 and on the power play. But as the Hurricanes reminded everyone on Sunday, it extends to when they are shorthanded. It will be interesting to see if that trend continues as the season progresses.
Hurricanes Have An Offensive Advantage Where Most Teams Don’t