Aho looks to help get Hurricanes over hump, win Stanley Cup

It doesn't seem that long ago when Sebastian Aho was the new guy in the NHL, the kid the Carolina Hurricanes hoped would help turn their fortunes around.

The Hurricanes center now is a first-time father and League veteran, something the 28-year-old still is trying to wrap his head around.

"Yeah, I don't know. Time flies. It's crazy," he said during the NHL/NHL Players' Association European Player Media Tour in Milan in August. "Going into my 10th [season], it’s nuts to think [about], but that also means I've had a good time. Usually when you have a good time, time goes faster."

There have been a lot of good times for Aho, who has helped the once-struggling Hurricanes qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs in seven straight seasons. They'll try to make it eight when their season begins against the New Jersey Devils at Lenovo Center in Raleigh, North Carolina, on Thursday (7:30 p.m. ET; HULU, ESPN+).

There are good times coming internationally too; Aho was one of the first six players named to Finland's roster for the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026. And while gold would be great at the Olympics, he's focused on winning the Stanley Cup with Carolina.

Aho had 74 points (29 goals, 45 assists) in 79 games for the Hurricanes last season. A second-round pick (No. 35) by Carolina at the 2015 NHL Draft, he has been the model of consistency throughout his first nine seasons. He has had 15 or more power-play points each season and at least 50 points in each of his past eight. He had 49 points (24 goals, 25 assists) as a rookie in 2016-17.

That steadiness has been a big asset to Carolina coach Rod Brind'Amour.

"It's really important and special," said Brind'Amour, a Hurricanes assistant during Aho's first two seasons (2016-18) before being promoted ahead of the 2018-19 season. "We have him and Jordan Staal, the guy who's done it before him. 'Sea Bass' [Aho] is, I don't know if the word is lucky, but he's been fortunate. He sat right beside 'Jordo' from Day 1. He's grown up under his leadership to be quite honest. That's been one of the biggest things that's helped."

Staal, who has been Hurricanes captain since Sept. 29, 2019, has set an example. But the 37-year-old said Aho didn't need much help.

"He was a kid that came in, and once he got going I never worried about him ever," Staal said. "He's one of the most competitive players I've ever played with, so he has that to his name, and he has the talent and the work ethic, so he's got the package of being a great leader. He already is a great leader in this room. There's a bunch of guys in this room that have consistently shown what it takes to win in this league.

"He's got all the intangibles. He's a player that carries himself so well on and off the ice. He's a killer on the ice, but off the ice he's aware of his surroundings. He's aware of other players. He understands there is a life outside the game that's hard too, and you need to help your teammates through anything that's going on and be family. He embodies every bit of that as well."

Seth Jarvis can attest to that last part. The 23-year-old forward is stationed near Aho in the Hurricanes locker room and lived with him for a while when Jarvis arrived prior to the 2021-22 season.

"He's taken me under his wing kind of first, right when I got there, and I think [it's] just the way he goes about his business," Jarvis said at the NHL/NHLPA North American Player Media Tour in Las Vegas last month.

"On the ice, obviously crazy competitor, does everything for the team, plays all situations. And I think off the ice he just does a really good job at making sure everyone's comfortable and making sure everyone knows what they need to do on the ice and off the ice with holding everyone accountable."

Aho and the Hurricanes have reached the Eastern Conference Final in two of the past three seasons, each time eliminated by the Florida Panthers. Their biggest offseason acquisitions were defenseman K'Andre Miller, acquired in a trade with the New York Rangers on July 1, and forward Nikolaj Ehlers, who signed a six-year contract July 3 and is expected to play with Aho on Carolina's top line.

The hope is they will help the Hurricanes get over the hump and reach the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 2006, when they won their only championship.

"I already know both of them are going to help us quite a bit, and we have the core that's been through quite a bit but obviously, hasn't been able to get there," Aho said. "That hunger is there. It takes a lot and it takes us to play the best hockey at the right time to be able to get there. But yeah, I do like our team, and we're a good team.

"Obviously Raleigh is home to me and the organization's been really, really good to me since Day 1. It's been a good nine years, hopefully a better nine years ahead of us and we'll be able to bring the Stanley Cup to Raleigh. That's obviously the only goal I have, or the team or the organization has. We've been working hard, and we'll keep working until we get there."

NHL.com senior writer Amalie Benjamin and independent correspondent Kurt Dusterberg contributed to this report