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The Carolina Hurricanes made it through their playoff run to the Stanley Cup relatively injury-free, but the follow-up season is quickly presenting challenges.
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Captain Jordan Staal has been sidelined with a calf muscle tear and veteran forward Taylor Hall with an undisclosed upper body injury. Hall was placed on injured reserve Monday.
Center Mark Jankowski now has been added to the injury list, missing Sunday’s game at Calgary with a lower-body issue.
Canes coach Rod Brind’Amour said after the 3-2 loss to the Flames that Jankowski was returning to Raleigh for further medical evaluation.
Jankowski had scored a goal in six straight games and had moved up to take Staal’s center spot between wingers Nikolaj Ehlers and Jordan Mattinook. His injury had Martinook moving to center as Brind’Amour had to readjust his lines.
Forward Seth Jarvis has missed the first 10 games of the season as he finishes up his recovery from offseason shoulder surgery. Jarvis has practiced with the team and is on the five-game road trip but has not been medically cleared to play.
“We’ve got guys playing out of position and have lost three or four penalty killers,” Brind’Amour said after the Flames game. “But you’ve got to figure it out. This is a no-one-feels-sorry-for-you league. You just regroup.”
The Canes’ lineup in the first two games of the trip have had forwards Bradly Nadeau and Felix Unger Sorum – two callups from the AHL Chicago Wolves – in the lineup.
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“Obviously it’s been a lot with guys getting nicked up to start the year,” Martinook said after the Calgary game. “Forever around here, it’s been the next-man-up mentality and that’s not going to change anytime soon.”
Jankowski had a power-play goal in the Canes’ 3-2 win Saturday at Winnipeg to start the trip, and was used on the penalty kill.
“He’s just a guy that can do a little bit of everything and we need that right now.,” Brind’Amour said after the Winnipeg game.
Jarvis is clearly anxious to play again, but said the urgency caused by the Canes’ run of injuries would not hasten his return.
“For me, I always want to play and want to get back in the lineup,” Jarvis said before leaving on the road trip. “But from a team point, we’ve done such a good job with guys coming up and in dealing with injures. I don’t think there’s any urgency from the team to rush me back.”
The Canes continue their trip Tuesday at Vancouver and play at Edmonton and St. Louis before returning to Raleigh for a home game Oct. 29 against the Boston Bruins.
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This story was originally published October 19, 2026 at 12:27 PM.