Sebastian Aho drives the Hurricanes with his production, competitiveness
The Carolina Hurricanes often are portrayed as a team without a true superstar — no Connor McDavid or Sidney Crosby, Alex Ovechkin or Auston Matthews.
But the Canes, in the Stanley Cup playoffs for a third consecutive season, have several players capable of being super and starring in any game. And perhaps no player has done that any better or more often than center Sebastian Aho.
Aho is the Canes’ leading scorer. He centers their top line. He’s also their top-paid player. He’s not very big, but he’s smart and crafty, and he’s stronger on the ice than one might think.
For a fourth season in a row, Aho has been named the Canes’ Most Valuable Player in voting by the Carolina chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association. That only underscores just how vital he has been during the team’s return in relevance.
“He’s very competitive. I love that about him,” Canes coach Rod Brind’Amour said recently. “I think his overall game has gotten better. Just watching him grow as a player has been really a pleasure.”
Brind’Amour initially was hesitant in using Aho at center when he took over as head coach. He’s not the prototypical NHL center with his size, and the Finn needed work on other aspects of his game. Like faceoffs, to name one. Aho wasn’t very good on faceoffs.
But Aho, 23, has made a believer of Brind’Amour. His work ethic is everything his coach would want, and his focus always sharp, both in practice and games. He’s a player who burns to win, and Aho said Brind’Amour has continued to push him to be better each year.
“I just want to be a good player and a good leader on this team and do my best to help the team to win,” Aho said Wednesday when informed of his PHWA award.
“Getting in the league as a young guy, I expect myself to be physically stronger every year and build some confidence through that on the ice, and obviously that’s what has been happening, I feel, every year. Be stronger and faster, things like that. With earlier experiences, you learn from those. I think confidence is the biggest thing.”
Aho again has the numbers. Playing all 56 games in the 2021 regular season, he led the Canes in goals (24), assists (33) and points (57). He topped the Canes with seven game-winning goals and was tied for the team lead with his seven power-play goals and 18 power-play points. He was at 52 percent on faceoffs.
Since forward Teuvo Teravainen returned from a concussion on April 27, Aho’s line with Teravainen and Andrei Svechnikov has been as productive as almost any in the league.
Aho’s hat trick against the Chicago Blackhawks on May 3 was the fourth of his career and the only one of the season for the Canes. His third goal that night was an empty-netter but he had to ward off the Blackhawks’ Patrick Kane to score it and get some hats flying at PNC Arena.
“It’s funny. You always have the feeling you can be better,” Aho said after that game. “There are so many situations on the ice where you think, ‘I could do that better or this better.’ That’s the kind of mindset I have, to make every shift matter.”
Positive mindset for the playoffs
That’s the mindset needed for the playoffs. The Canes and Nashville Predators are lined up for the best-of-seven opening round.
Brind’Amour said Wednesday he did not yet know the playoff schedule. He said he did hope to have a full complement of healthy and available players whenever the playoffs begin.
Brind’Amour did not commit to a starting goalie for Game 1 — Alex Nedeljkovic received the Carolina PHWA chapter’s Joseph Vasicek Award for his cooperation with the media this season and was the first Canes rookie to win it.
Aho starred a year ago when the Canes swept the New York Rangers in a best-of-three qualifier in the 2020 postseason in Toronto. His undressing of former Rangers defenseman Tony DeAngelo and quick backhander to beat goalie Igor Shesterkin has been aired on many NHL highlight packages.
But the Canes then lost to the Boston Bruins in the playoffs for a second straight year, adding another layer of disappointment.
“Those losses the last couple of years built some hunger,” Aho said Wednesday. “We are very hungry.”
This story was originally published May 13, 2021 at 10:00 AM.
