Why ‘pass-first’ Carolina Hurricanes forward Teuvo Teravainen is among NHL goal leaders
Every time Teuvo Teravainen has scored a goal this season you could almost hear a cash register ring.
So far, make it eight ka-chings.
Perfect timing, too. Teravainen, 29, is in the last year of his contract with the Carolina Hurricanes and the forward understands the importance of it.
“It does seem across the league, and in the history of the league, guys in the last year suddenly come to life,” Canes coach Rod Brind’Amour said, grinning.
In the past, Brind’Amour has urged Teravainen to shoot more. Is the Finn finally listening?
“No,” Brind’Amour said.
“He’s going to shoot when he wants to and he’s going to make those other plays when he does. We all know he’s got a great shot. We’d like to see him shoot as much as possible.”
Through Tuesday’s NHL games, only two players in the league — Alex DeBrincat of Detroit and Frank Vatrano of Anaheim — had more goals than Teravainen, both with nine.
Teravainen produced the third hat trick of his career Friday against the San Jose Sharks at PNC Arena. He added his eighth goal Monday against the Philadelphia Flyers, scoring the game-winner with a shot from the slot late in the third period for a 3-2 victory.
Of the NHL skaters with more than 15 shots this season, no one could better Teravainen’s 36.4% shooting percentage in his first 10 games. Officially: 22 shots, 8 goals.
What’s going on?
“I don’t know. That’s a good question,” Teravainen said Wednesday, breaking into a smile.
“They’re just happening to go in for me right now. I’m getting some good passes from my linemates and finding the open areas to shoot. I haven’t really changed anything. I guess when they go in, they go in.”
Teravainen paused, then added, “It’s a weird feeling, I’m not getting assists anywhere but I’m getting goals. But, yeah, I’ll take it.”
Teravainen has just one assist, at San Jose in the Oct. 17 road game. For a guy who thinks pass first, then (maybe) shoot, that is unusual.
In 604 games, he has twice as many assists (277) as goals (138). He has scored 20 or more goals three times in his career, with a high of 23 in 2017-18. His career high in assists, 55, came the next season when he had 76 points in 82 games and helped the Cases reach the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time since 2009.
Last season was mostly forgettable for Teravainen. Missing some games with injuries, he had just 12 goals and 37 points in the regular season, then was injured again early in the playoff series against the New York Islanders when slashed on his left hand.
Teravainen can joke — a little — about it now. Noting it took a long time for his left thumb to heal from the slash, he said he wasn’t able to get in any practice shots over the summer.
“Maybe that’s the reason,” he said of his eight-goal start. “Maybe rest is a weapon.”
Whatever the reason, Teravainen, like most players, doesn’t like to talk about it too much. Things can change quickly in a sport where good shots suddenly find the posts or get knocked away by good goalies.
Teravainen would rather focus on the Canes’ start this season, of a three-game winning streak going into Thursday’s road game against the New York Rangers. There have been rough patches in the first 10 games, but the Canes (6-4-0) are starting to smooth over some of the areas of concern.
“There are still stretches in the games where we’re giving up too much, too many chances,” he said. “Last game we gave (the Flyers) a few too many chances in the third but we found a way to win the game. We can play better defense. We have to tighten up a little bit, I think.”
As for a new contract, Teravainen said he won’t let that distract him.
“Of course there’s that kind of stuff going on, too, but I don’t really pay much attention to it,” he said. “I just focus on every game, try to be good every game.
“In this league, if you go into the game and your mind is not there, it’s not going to be a good game.”
This story was originally published November 2, 2023 at 6:00 AM.
