The Stanley Cup Season: Gorgeous Goals

RALEIGH, N.C. - The dog days of summer are here.

We're over six weeks removed from the team's final game, the draft and Development Camp have passed, and an anticlimactic free agency period is in the dust, too.

One fact remains: The Carolina Hurricanes are the defending Stanley Cup Champions.

Although not much anymore, we've got time until the 2026-27 season begins, so let's take one final look back at the campaign that was.

Over the next few weeks, we'll be looking back at some of the highlights, including stellar saves, massive moments, and more.

The series kicks off today by revisiting some standout goals. Now, before you critique, these are not listed in any particular order, nor are these the "biggest" goals of the season. Let's be honest, if we were doing a list of the most notable goals, they'd all be from the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

These, rather, are some of the ones that may have been forgotten along the way and could very well land on each player's highlight reel.

Enjoy!

November 17: Taylor Hall's Self-Chip In Boston

A rare Monday night road game in the second month of the season feels like an eternity ago, but it gave us one of the nastiest individual efforts of the whole season.

With nothing but a last-ditch effort left for the Bruins, Taylor Hall put the game out of reach after winning a puck battle against 6-foot-7, 255 lbs. Nikita Zadarov, and creating a mini two-on-one with Eric Robinson.

Boston defender Henri Jokiharju played the pass, drifted toward the winger who proved to be nothing more than a decoy, and Hall took advantage of the open real estate.

Chipping the puck up to himself, a swift motion across Jeremy Swayman allowed Hall to swipe the rubber into the open twine, putting the Canes up by three and placing the cherry on top of an early-season victory.

Hall finished the regular season with 18 goals, his most in a single season since the 2021-22 campaign, when he had 20 as a member of... the Bruins.

March 20: K'Andre Miller's Stunning Shorthanded Strike

With under a month to go in the regular season, the Canes were already well on their way to a Metropolitan Division title and an eighth straight appearance in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

But in their usual fashion, they proved that there was never a time for a night off, and especially not a Friday night in Toronto.

Tied 2-2 late in the second period, Carolina had already struck on the power play courtesy of Jordan Staal and by way of an Eric Robinson penalty shot, their lone attempt of the 82-game campaign. Then, K'Andre Miller added to the trifecta of special teams goals with a solo effort shorthanded.

Stripping star defender Morgan Rielly in the visitors' defending end with his impressive range, the first-season Hurricane let his skating stride do the work from there, sending him all alone from the red line. Getting Joseph Woll to bite to the blocker side, Miller then went to his backhand, once again showcasing his reach and beating the backstop to the glove side.

His second goal in as many games, and second of what would be four during the final month of the regular season, the defender was greeted in celebration by Seth Jarvis, who was just as blown away as the rest of us.

May 23: Nikolaj Ehlers' Dancing Shoes

The magnitude of this goal undoubtedly heightened its impressiveness, but whether it had been on a chilly December afternoon or a warm night at the end of May, as it was, Nikolaj Ehlers' beauty in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Final was one that was going to bring us to our feet.

Using his speed to get to a loose puck at center, the point-producing winger blew right by Habs defender Jayden Struble, who had been tied up with Jordan Martinook.

Continuing his momentum into the zone two-on-two with Captain Jordan Staal, Ehlers then cut to the middle on reigning Calder Trophy winner Lane Huston. With Staal crossing over behind him, and Cole Caufield converging on the puck carrier through the slot, it looked as if the Canes' forward had skated himself into an impossible situation, only to pull off the marvelous.

Simultaneously turning his back toward the net and Hutson, he then stickhandled right through Caufield before spinning back to face the net, where he ripped one low past both Hutson and netminder Jakub Dobes.

Erupting the Lenovo Center crowd, it was the go-ahead goal in an important contest that Carolina needed to get back into the ECF, after dropping Game 1.

Going on to later score the overtime winner, it was certainly a night to remember for #27.

The Honorable Mentions...

• Logan Stankoven's Toe Drag vs. Vegas on Oct. 28 | WATCH
• Jackson Blake Walks Right Through vs. Nashville on Dec. 6 | WATCH
• Logan Stankoven Leaves Mikko Rantanen In The Dust on Jan. 6 | WATCH
• Sebastian Aho's Backhand Bat Down @ Vancouver on Mar. 4 | WATCH
• Mark Jankowski's Steal & Shake vs. St. Louis on Mar. 12 | WATCH