Hurricanes Face Roster Uncertainty Ahead of Kings Clash

RALEIGH, N.C. – The Carolina Hurricanes face roster uncertainty as they prepare to host the Los Angeles Kings at Lenovo Center tonight. Key players, including captain Jordan Staal, are questionable due to illness and injuries, leaving head coach Rod Brind'Amour with lineup decisions to make just hours before puck drop.

Sebastian Aho and Taylor Hall, who missed Thursday’s game against Chicago due to illness, returned to practice Friday morning. However, Staal was absent from the skate and remains a game-time decision. “All these guys are questionable. We sent (Staal) home, he’s on the fence about whether he’s going to play,” Brind’Amour said. “I don’t know any lineups right now, we’ll know at 5:30.”

The Hurricanes, riding a seven-game point streak, aim to become the first NHL team to reach 21 home wins this season. They enter the game with a 32-16-4 record, while the Kings, struggling on their road trip, sit at 26-17-6.

Carolina’s depth will be tested, with Ryan Suzuki and Riley Stillman recalled as potential reinforcements. In goal, Frederik Andersen is expected to start, continuing his rotation with Pyotr Kochetkov. The Kings, meanwhile, look to snap a four-game winless streak.

The game, set for 7 p.m. ET, will be broadcast on the FanDuel Network. Fans will have to wait until warmups to see which players take the ice for the Hurricanes, as illness continues to impact the team’s lineup.