All eyes are on the Carolina Hurricanes. The team ultimately fell short of their quest for the Stanley Cup, but reinforcements on the roster have been made. They’ve cemented their contention status, and general manager Don Waddell had a surplus of salary cap to spend this summer. Coming to Raleighwood are Michael Bunting, Brendan Lemieux, and Dmitry Orlov. Orlov signed a two-year deal with the club with an average annual value (AAV) of $7.8 million. The need for the added offense is evident, but the fit for him on the back end compliments the structure already in place.
Orlov Fits in Carolina
What makes Carolina unique is their ability for their defensemen to produce. Given their style of play, it is why they covet puck-moving defensemen. Furthermore, this is why Waddell went out and signed Orlov specifically and brought him into the group.
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The departure of Shayne Gostisbehere created a void on the left side, so adding Orlov reinforces that depth and makes Carolina more stout on the blue line. He joins a unit featuring Jaccob Slavin and Brady Skjei on that side of the ice. Getting deeper at the position is the most important aspect of this deal, but he brings more to the table.
What Orlov Brings to Carolina
Orlov brings a lot to the table and fits perfectly with how the club likes to play. He is an excellent puck-possession defenseman and can transition the play forward. For high-impact forwards like Sebastian Aho, Martin Necas, and Andrei Svechnikov, this is good news for their production. The majority of the defensemen on the club play this way, giving head coach Rod Brind’Amour an option for deployment onto the ice.
The team’s active blue line finished with 226 points this past season, and adding Orlov will create further offense. He is not afraid to get the puck on the net (238 shot attempts) and is just as effective in getting the puck through traffic (50 percent Fenwick). Carolina has an opportunistic blue line, so adding an opportunistic player fits the vision. Once the puck is retrieved, it is thrown back to the point, and the player is ready to create a scoring chance.
Orlov is coming off his best season with 36 points and set a career-high in assists (29). He struggled in the first part of the season with the Washington Capitals, but the trade to the Boston Bruins brought new life to his game. He was a near-point-per-game player for the Bruins and a crucial part of their historic season.
As much as the team prides itself on its offensive attack, they are just as effective defensively. Carolina had the lowest expected goals against (213.37) and averaged 2.56 goals against per game. Orlov fits right in, as he is just as good defensively as offensively. He finished the season with 52.21 expected goals against, which would’ve been third among all Carolina defensemen. He also brings elements missing from the lineup, and more notably in their series against the Florida Panthers.
Orlov, Bunting, and Lemieux have one thing in common: physicality. Carolina, as a team, was not a physical group, and they were among the teams with the fewest hits. The new defenseman brings physicality and is unafraid to throw a body check. He finished the season with 137 hits, 53 more than Calvin de Haan (84), who led the team. His ability to block shots is evident and will be a boost to a team that is already hard to score against. This is a home run signing in free agency, and the team will reap the benefits.
Carolina Will Thrive With Orlov
With the Orlov signing, it increases the depth on the blue line, and his impact on the club will show. It is a match made in heaven, as Orlov is excited to join the team, and they’re thrilled to have him. He is an immediate upgrade over Gostisbehere but is also insurance if Skjei does not get extended beyond this season.
Carolina is a stout defensive team, and players buy into their system. All signs point to this team going for it all, and Orlov makes them more profound than ever. It will be exciting to see everything he brings to the team and how much he will thrive in the system.