Global Series Finland: 'Trip of a Lifetime' for Canes

HELSINKI - If you expected a Stanley Cup hangover from the Carolina Hurricanes, you've been disappointed.

If you thought that waiting 20 games to play with a fully healthy lineup would slow the Carolina Hurricanes down, you'd be wrong.

If you hoped that the Carolina Hurricanes wouldn't be atop the NHL's standings at the quarter-mark of the season, you're going to have to try a new wish.

Arriving on the international stage already well at the forefront of the hockey landscape, Rod Brind'Amour's group flexed its muscles once again over the past few days, dismantling the Seattle Kraken in a pair of contests.

Outscoring its foe 9-2 during the 2026 NHL Global Series Finland, Carolina's plus-seven goal differential was tied for the highest by a team during one overseas trip.

From the success of their Finnish-born stars to the overall impressiveness of their team game, personal milestones, and more, the highlights came in waves during the Canes' trip across the pond.

Feel-Good Finns...

For the 16 players on their 23-man roster who hail from North America, getting to play overseas was a unique opportunity. Including saunas, salmon soup, and a Storm Surge with a Hurricane-heavy crowd inside Veikkaus Arena, there were long-awaited new experiences that will stick with them for a lifetime.

But as much as the trip meant something to those doing things for the first time, it was tenfold for those returning to their roots.

Since the event was announced in March, all eyes were on Sebastian Aho.

The man around whom the event was centered needs no additional pressure; he expects greatness of himself every night. And with his family in the stands, and his country hoping for him to meet the moment, he delivered.

Guiding his group to victory on Thursday, he struck not just once, but twice, providing a double-dip of what everyone wanted to see.

“I obviously felt good. I was actually a little nervous before the game," Aho admitted post-game. "You hope to win that game for sure; that’s the main thing, but I’d be lying if I said that didn’t feel good."

After each goal, his first-star honors, and the post-game Storm Surge, the joy from his teammates was conspicuous.

"It’s like he’s home all the time when those [big] moments come," fellow Finn Jesperi Kotkaniemi offered. "He’s a special player. He does everything right out there, and I think everyone saw that tonight.”

His head coach concurred and used the opportunity to look at the bigger picture.

“I’ve been fortunate to be with him since he came to the league. I remember his first practice and his development practice when he showed up. I remember talking to some of the guys and saying, ‘I don’t know if he’s going to make it,' just because he was just a kid. He was so little," Rod Brind'Amour said. "He just willed himself into becoming the player he is. You knew it meant a lot to him. He doesn’t celebrate. You could see all week that we’ve been here; he’s just extremely happy, and he wanted to do what he did tonight, and that was great to see.”

It wasn't just the Aho show, though, as Juuso Välimäki also brought the crowd to their feet with a beautiful goal of his own in Thursday's win. With Kotkaniemi adding an assist on Saturday, eight of the team's nine tallies during the 2026 NHL Global Series Finland featured a European player factoring in.

“It was so cool. We knew it was going to be special for all three of those guys. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity - to play in the NHL back in their home country," Mark Jankowski added. "It was awesome that we were able to play well, get two wins for them, and for all three of those guys to play (make) huge contributions in those wins as well.”

Different Continent, Same Canes...

The elation for the Finns walked hand-in-hand with the success not just on the trip, but to this point of the season so far.

Returning home 16-3-2, the first quarter of the season has been business as usual for the defending champions.

Adding nine more on the trip, their 87 goals scored lead all teams and have come from 19 different players. Only the Montreal Canadiens (21) have more unique goal-scorers this season.

Of those 87, four players — Sebastian Aho, Mark Jankowski, Logan Stankoven, and Andrei Svechnikov — have already reached double-digit goals. Not only are they the only NHL team to have four players with 10 or more tallies, but 12 teams don't even have one.

When it comes to setting up the scoring, few are doing it better than Jackson Blake. Only one player, in fact — the best in the world.

Blake's career-best point streak moved to 11 games in Helsinki and also became the NHL's second-longest point streak this season. Connor McDavid's 21-game run is the only stretch with more duration.

With the return of Conn Smythe Trophy-winner Jordan Staal, who won 75% of his faceoffs on Saturday, the unit only grows stronger.

It's not just their offense, though; their 46 goals against are the fewest among all teams. Operating business as usual, their 21.5 shots against per night are also the fewest given up.

When shots have gotten through, Pyotr Kochetkov's .920 save percentage sits ninth among backstops (min. 5 GP). Brandon Bussi is now 4-1-1 in his last six starts.

Going 5-1 so far in November, over the last two weeks, the team has outscored its opponents 31-11. Including seven-goal wins over both Winnipeg and Chicago, the +20 goal differential obviously paces the league during that time.

A machine operating at full power on a night-in, night-out basis, it's been a sight to behold.

Something They'll Never Forget...

On and off the ice, the week in Finland will stick with the team for the rest of their lives.

"Just so much happened this week, right? It was almost at times a bit overwhelming, but it was so much fun. I wouldn't change it for anything," Aho reflected. "Hockey-wise, we played unbelievable. The guys, you could feel the energy and that they wanted to play well for us. It's something you can't fake, really, and I really appreciate how the guys showed up for the whole team, but you could feel there was a little extra and that everyone wanted us Finns to do good."

Whether the extra effort was out of love, or repayment for their services as tour guides, it was well appreciated and documented by the entire organization.

"The guys spent so much time together and obviously to have a positive trip, I think that certainly brings positive feels for the group, and I hope we can carry that through," Brind'Amour put a bow on things. "You would hope that this is a memory for all of our group, but especially for some of the players we talked about that this [was] their coming home party. I think the guys took it really serious to make sure we played well for those guys, and I think that’s where you get that little extra bonding.”

One-upping last month's State Fair road trip, which is hard to do, the Canes only strengthened their bonds and are ready to get back to work at home.

“Just the camaraderie we had on this whole trip [has been amazing]," Jankowski said. "Everything we’ve done, the sauna, the team dinners, it’s just been a super cool experience this whole trip. I’m gonna remember this trip for a lifetime.”

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The Canes return to game action on Thursday at Lenovo Center against the Montreal Canadiens. Set for a 7 p.m. puck drop, the broadcast will be available on Hurricanes Hockey Network.