NHL EDGE stats: Hurricanes-Flyers series in 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs

NHL.com's fantasy staff continues to cover the latest trends and storylines in the League through the lens of NHL EDGE puck and player tracker stats. Today, we provide three underlying metrics to watch for in the upcoming Stanley Cup Playoffs series between the Carolina Hurricanes and Philadelphia Flyers.

1. Andersen’s save percentage metrics

Hurricanes veteran Frederik Andersen was 4-0 in the Eastern Conference First Round against the Ottawa Senators and leads the Stanley Cup Playoffs in save percentage (.955) among goalies who have played multiple games. The 36-year-old has been perfect so far this postseason in terms of save percentages on perimeter shots faced (both midrange and long-range save percentages) and also in 5-on-5 close situations (when game is tied in first or second period or within one goal in third period).

Among goalies to play multiple games this postseason, Andersen is also tied for fourth in high-danger save percentage (.897). Andersen has emerged as the Hurricanes’ top contender for the Conn Smythe Trophy given to the most valuable player of the entire postseason. Over the past two postseasons combined, Andersen is 11-2 with a .943 save percentage during first and second-round series in that span.

Flyers goalie Dan Vladar, meanwhile, ranks highly in 5-on-5 save percentage (.959 in six games; fourth) and right behind Andersen (.963; third) among goalies who have played multiple playoff games. During the regular season, all four of the Flyers-Hurricanes games went to at least overtime (three ended in shootout), and Vladar had a .931 save percentage over his two starts against Carolina.

Vladar will likely face a heavy shot volume against the Hurricanes, who had a 54.2 to 45.8 advantage in 5-on-5 shot attempts percentage against the Senators in the first round and led the NHL in that category during the regular season (59.1). The Penguins were eliminated by the Flyers in overtime of Game 6 but had an even more lopsided advantage over Philadelphia in 5-on-5 shot attempts percentage during that series (56.6 to 43.4).

2. Prowess of Stankoven, linemates

Carolina forward Logan Stankoven is one of two players this postseason to score a goal in each of his games (goals in each of first four playoff games); the other is Jason Robertson of the Dallas Stars (goals in each of first five playoff games). Stankoven ranks highly in midrange goals (two; tied for second in NHL), midrange shots on goal (seven; just outside top 10) and high-danger shots on goal (seven; tied for sixth).

The line of Taylor Hall (seven points in four playoff games), Stankoven (five points) and Jackson Blake (four points) has been particularly dominant this postseason, combining for seven of Carolina’s 11 playoff goals and totaling 16 points, 40 shots on goal and 66 shot attempts in the first round. The members of that line trio are also among the NHL forward leaders in 5-on-5 shot attempts differential this postseason: Hall is fifth (plus-35), Stankoven (plus-31) is tied for 11th and Blake (plus-26) is tied for 13th. That trio has outscored its opponents 3-0 while on the ice together at 5-on-5 this postseason.

3. Flyers’ defenseman scoring

Philadelphia has the most goals scored by defensemen (six) this postseason and is tied with the Edmonton Oilers for the most points by defensemen (16 each). Rasmus Ristolainen, who is playing the first playoff games of his 13-season NHL career, leads all Flyers skaters in both points (five in six games) and assists (four). Cam York, another defenseman, scored the series-clinching goal against the Penguins in overtime of Game 6, while workhorse Travis Sanheim is tied with forward Porter Martone for Philadelphia’s most goals (two each) this postseason.

Sanheim is fourth in the NHL in total skating distance (22.17 miles) and first in even-strength skating distance (19.70 miles) this postseason. Ristolainen ranks ninth in both of those categories (20.65 miles at all strengths; 17.09 at even strength), while York is 10th in even-strength skating distance (16.78 miles).

Jamie Drysdale, another impact defenseman, ranks second at his position in max skating speed (22.98 mph) and tied for eighth in 20-plus mph speed bursts (seven) this postseason. The Flyers’ defenseman group ranks in the top five in all three major shots on goal location categories: three high-danger shots on goal (tied for first), eight from midrange (tied for fourth) and 24 from long range (fifth). 

Carolina’s defense is led by Shayne Gostisbehere, who played for the Flyers earlier in his career. Rookie defenseman Alexander Nikishin, who sustained an injury in Game 4 against the Senators, is uncertain for the start of Carolina’s series against Philadelphia. The Hurricanes have three of the top 10 defensemen in offensive zone time percentage this postseason: Gostisbehere (50.8; first), Nikishin (48.6; fifth) and K’Andre Miller (46.7; ninth). Carolina also has four of the top seven defensemen in terms of offensive zone time percentage at even strength this postseason: Nikishin (48.5; second), Gostisbehere (47.9; fourth), Sean Walker (47.6; sixth) and Jaccob Slavin (47.5; seventh).