First place feels great until you look down and see seven teams breathing on your neck. We’re riding the high of two statement home wins and asking the bigger questions: what’s truly sustainable about Carolina’s surge, and what must change to keep it rolling through spring?

We start with the bright spots. Shayne “Ghost” Gostisbehere has been more than a power play specialist; he’s driving five‑on‑five offense by attacking the middle and still holding up defensively while Slavin heals. We dig into why a Slavin‑Ghost pairing could convert expected goals into real ones without sacrificing structure. Seth Jarvis continues to hunt high‑danger ice, pile goals, and set the tone for how our forwards should play: cut inside, shoot early, and force chaos. Jordan Staal quietly resets our identity with faceoff wins and net‑front muscle, and he may even help jumpstart PP1 by securing the opening draw.

Goaltending gets a fresh twist with Brandon Bussi’s right‑catching surprise run, but we add context on shot quality and the smart cap‑savvy steps to keep depth intact once everyone is healthy. On the back end, rookies Alex Nikishin and Joel Nystrom are accelerating the learning curve—strong reads, quick releases, and enough poise to earn real minutes together. That internal growth matters while the Metro race tightens and every shift counts.

Then we go straight at the pain point: the power play. The process is broken, not unlucky—too static, too scripted. We make the case for positionless motion, faster exchanges, and shooting with intent to force recoveries. The penalty kill’s underlying numbers are solid and should rebound as pairings stabilize and the crease settles. Up front, the second‑line center slot is the swing factor; if you want 2C production, you need 2C minutes or a lineup rethink that adds forecheck gravity and interior chances. With a four‑game homestand against beatable teams, banking points while fixing habits is non‑negotiable.

Highlights:

• Gostisbehere’s on‑ice tilt and possible Slavin pairing
• Jarvis scoring from high‑danger areas
• Bussey’s right‑catching wrinkle and contract path
• Jordan Staal’s faceoff edge and PP draw role
• Rookie blue line growth with Nikishin and Nystrom
• Five‑on‑five goals pace versus special teams drag
• Why the power play needs motion not new spots
• PK process strong, finishing and goalie variance lag
• Second‑line center minutes and production gap
• Homestand target: bank points and refine habits

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