nsjonline
In Raleigh, Sebastian Aho didn't mince words when identifying the most challenging opponent he faces in the faceoff circle. "Clearly Pageau," Aho stated. "He smoked me last game."
During the Hurricanes' 5-3 victory over the Islanders on Long Island last Thursday, Aho struggled against center Jean-Gabriel Pageau, losing eight of nine draws and winning only six of his 20 faceoffs overall. "They have (Bo) Horvat on one side, Pageau on the other," Aho noted. "But sometimes it goes like that."
Such difficulties have been rare this season for Aho. After a subpar year at the dot where he won just over half his draws (50.5%), his current 56% success rate places him in the top 25 among players with at least 150 faceoffs. With Jordan Staal out of the lineup for the past month, Aho has assumed a more prominent role in the circle. The 29-year-old ranks among the NHL's top 10 in faceoffs taken and has won at least half his draws in 14 of 19 games. He has exceeded 57% in 11 games this season and has won nearly 59% of his offensive zone draws.
"(Staal's) usually going against the other team's best guy, and all of a sudden, Fishy's been having to do that," coach Rod Brind'Amour said, using Aho's nickname. "I think he's done a great job since Jordo's been out."
Aho isn't getting caught up in the statistics. "I've noticed I've won a lot more draws this year," Aho said. "But honestly, I feel like every draw is like a new story almost. It doesn't really matter if you're taking them at 90% or 10% – the next one is what matters, right?"
While Staal often wins faceoffs by using his size and brute strength, Aho – listed four inches shorter and 31 pounds lighter than Carolina's captain – has to rely on other tactics. "At the end of the day, you've got to figure it out yourself," Aho said. "A lot of times, it comes down to who owns the circle."
Aho also benefits from learning from Staal and Brind'Amour, who is regarded as one of the best faceoff men in NHL history. Anyone who watched Brind'Amour as a player remembers his hyperfocused glare while preparing to take a faceoff, his eyes shifted upward in anticipation of the official dropping the puck. Aho said there's one thing he's learned from apprenticing under two of hockey's elite faceoff men that has been most helpful. "Definitely the intensity: You want to take one at a time and win every draw," Aho said. "You're not going to win every draw, but try to win every draw."
But there's also a balance – less thinking and more reacting often leads to better results. "It's kind of like playing chess a little bit," Aho said. "When you're hot like, you're not trying as hard. Sometimes you try so hard you kind of miss your timing."
Staal said Aho's timing is what makes him effective at the dot. "His hand-eye is impressive; there's no question," Staal said. "He's got to use that more to his advantage than obviously myself. I have different strengths, and he uses his hand-eye and his timing and his smarts."
Another big part of winning faceoffs is having wingers who will battle for the puck, and Aho was quick to credit his newest linemate, winger William Carrier, for his percentage spike. "I've got to say Will has been really good too, like diving in and 50-50s," Aho said. "A lot of them are actually 50-50s, and then who's gonna win it? It's, a lot of times, the winger, right?"
While Mark Jankowski and Jesperi Kotkaniemi battle to get back to winning at least half their draws and Logan Stankoven continues to learn the ropes in his second season at center, Carolina remains slightly above 50% as a team without Staal – who has won more than 56% in the circle over the past eight-plus seasons. The biggest reason is Aho. "He's stepped right up and done it," Brind'Amour said of Aho. "So I give him a lot of credit for that. It's obviously helped our group, but for his own game, he took another step."
Key Analysis
Aho's faceoff improvement has been crucial for the Hurricanes in Staal's absence, showcasing his adaptability and growth. His ability to learn from elite faceoff men like Staal and Brind'Amour, combined with his hand-eye coordination and timing, has allowed him to compensate for his smaller stature. The support from wingers like Carrier further underscores the collaborative nature of faceoff success. As Aho continues to evolve, his performance at the dot will be a key factor in Carolina's overall success.
Originally reported by nsjonline.