The timing of his return is vital because Carolina is set to dress just 17 skaters -- 11 forwards and six defensemen -- because Sebastian Aho (illness) and Taylor Hall (illness) are both unavailable.

Remember how the 2024 NHL Draft class was the year of the defenseman? A total of 77 were taken, which was a decent uptick from the 69 the year before. A total of 10 were taken in the first round, and ...

The SEC endured a rough showing this season, but 'too-early' top 25 rankings shower the conerence with hype for 2025. Too much hype?