2024 Exit Interview Quotebook: Day 2

Aho, Jarvis, Svechnikov and more speak with the media for the final time this season

By Walt Ruff

@WaltRuff Hurricanes.com

May 19, 2024

RALEIGH, NC. - The Carolina Hurricanes continued conducting their end-of-season media availabilities on Sunday, with nine more players fielding questions from reporters.

If you missed coverage from yesterday's 11 players, click here.

Looking back on the season that was and sharing their final thoughts, here are some of the most notable things said from the second group.

To know Sebastian Aho is to know that he is as competitive as they come. The bitterness of the way things ended on Thursday still appeared fresh to the team's 26-year-old alternate captain, who said he is going to need some time to still process it all.

"It definitely, in my opinion, was the best chance we've had here. I really thought we had the team... It was a very exciting time to feel that we really had a chance. I really thought until the end that this was the team that could go over that hump and go all the way... This one hurts, for sure."

In The Room: Sebastian Aho

Last summer when the Canes signed Dmitry Orlov, there was plenty to wonder about how he'd fit and who he'd play alongside. As the season went along, he and Jalen Chatfield became one of the best third pairings in all of the NHL.

What makes Orlov a good fit in Carolina?

"He's a Russian beast out there. He plays hard," Chatfield reviewed. "He shows up every night and I learned a lot from him this year. He's a great partner to have."

In the Room: Jalen Chatfield

For the first time in his young career, Jack Drury was a full-time NHLer this season.

Now 24, the center's game grew a great deal this season, playing the role of second line center for the team during the postseason. Also playing an important role physically for the group at times, the pending restricted free agent is looking to take his game to another new level for 2024-25.

"I think I need to do a little better with goal-scoring and contribute a little more in that way. Then continue to get a little bigger and stronger."

In the Room: Jack Drury

One of the toughest parts of the day was seeing Jesper Fast stepping in front of microphones still wearing a neck brace.

Suffering an upper-body injury in a largely meaningless regular season finale on April 16, it cost the veteran forward his entire postseason and even worse, he is still seeing doctors, trying to figure out what exactly happened.

"[It was] worst-case scenario. Just when the fun is about to start, you're sitting on the sideline. You just want to help your team and be part of it... It's definitely one of the toughest periods in my career."

In The Room: Jesper Fast

While media members had seen Seth Jarvis wear a unique-looking contraption on his upper-body for the bulk of the regular season, today he finally revealed to the public what he'd been playing through.

For almost 70 games the 2020 first-round pick played with a torn labrum and a rotator cuff, battling it out for the team. To make matters worse, he then suffered a broken finger during the playoffs.

Despite those ailments, he recorded a 30-goal season for the first time in his career and led the team with five goals during the postseason.

An absolute warrior, he was asked, why didn't he just take time off during the season to heal up?

"I'll do whatever I need to to get out there. I didn't want to miss an opportunity with this kind of group."

In the Room: Seth Jarvis

The most blunt assessment of the day came from Jesperi Kotkaniemi, who had this to say about his 2023-24 season.

"Pretty sh*tty, overall. Tough year for me... I could have been a lot better. I'll just try to forget this year now and focus on the next one."

Reminiscent to what Teuvo Teravainen said at last year's exit interviews, here's to hoping that "KK" can have the same bounceback that "Turbo" did this past season.

In The Room: Jesperi Kotkaniemi

A member of the leadership group, Jordan Martinook, was still caught up on the fact that the team has had so much success in recent years during the first 82 games, but continues to come up short of their ultimate goal.

"To be a team consistently at the top of the standings is something I guess you can hang your hat on, but when you're consistently at the top of the standings, you need to get over that hump. We haven't been able to do it."

The 31-year-old is a pending unrestricted free agent and gave the expected answer when asked about what's next for him, saying he'd love to stay here, however, a veteran leader that can be an important voice in any locker room could be a pretty sought after player this summer.

In the Room: Jordan Martinook

Another man who could hit the open market this summer is Stefan Noesen.

A truly fascinating journey for the 2011 first-round pick, this will undoubtedly be the most fruitful summer of his career, having earned himself a nice deal for his contributions in Raleigh.

A unique character as a whole, he had an interesting take on what's ahead for him.

"Truthfully, I just think the [free agency] process is cool. I've never been a part of it. I hear it's stressful and there's a lot of digging at you... If we make it there, great. If we don't, we don't. That means that we've figured it out here."

In The Room: Stefan Noesen

Last to the microphone today was Andrei Svechnikov, who is looking forward to having a normal summer of training after his 2023 offseason was solely dedicated to recuperating his ACL.

"Svech" admitted that even after he got back to playing in November, he didn't feel like he was playing up to his full potential for a while.

Still finishing with 52 points in 59 games, it's exciting to think about what he can do with a full healthy season.

"This year I felt like I learned something and tried to grow every game and every day."

In the Room: Andrei Svechnikov

What's Next?

Canes President & General Manager Don Waddell and Head Coach Rod Brind'Amour will hold their end-of-season media availability Monday morning at 10 a.m. at PNC Arena. It is expected to be streamed live on Hurricanes.com.

That will conclude all end-of-season media.