2024-25 Season Spotlight: Shayne Gostisbehere
Second time's the charm
Two years ago, Shayne Gostisbehere’s stint in Carolina was a case of right place, wrong time. There was still a rigidity to Rod Brind’Amour’s meat-and-potatoes system that muzzled the puck-mover’s influence.
Further playoff heartache has since softened the head coach’s stance. While he hasn’t pulled a 180, he seems a bit more…flexible by his standards. Open to introducing a dash of creativity to his recipe for success. That obviously suits the veteran offensive defenseman to a tee.
Here’s how Gostisbehere is augmenting the Hurricanes’ attack.
Transition
Speaking with reporters in July, the 31-year-old shared his expectations for his second-go around in Carolina:
“Maybe what will be a little different than my first tenure with Carolina is that I was just trying to jump aboard, fit in and just play my role there … I think I want to bring a little more offense this time around in Carolina. Just add something from the back end that maybe we haven't had before.”
Brind’Amour has indeed granted Gostisbehere the license to play a slightly tighter iteration of his game. That begins on the breakout. In lieu of endless rims and flips, the D-man’s puck skills are helping the Canes enter the OZ with control. Decreasing the need for recoveries has bolstered the club’s time of possession and, most importantly, added a rush element to the offense.
Against the old chip —> chase —> get back above the goal line —> try to manufacture shots approach, opponents could settle into their defensive posture. During Gostisbehere’s (CAR 4) shifts, Carolina is attacking with a quickness and precision it hasn’t enjoyed in recent years:
In spite of his plodding pace (top speed below the 50th percentile), the journeyman engineers the breakout with confidence. Whether they’re crafty link-ups, stretch feeds or even lobs to the NZ, his passes are pinpoint. Moreover, he boasts the poise to wait an extra half-beat and use the F1’s pressure against them as he uncovers a stronger target up the ice.
Although the Canes shouldn’t lean on his puck-carrying, he can also manage in spurts via his aggressive nature rather than his tempo or agility. He’ll gladly lead the parade in transition, often lugging the puck to the center of the ice in order to free up the real offensive driver on the flank.
On an outfit whose frenetic work rate can conceal the occasional gaffe, he feels comfortable enough to aim for a clean zone exit on every touch.
Watch him turn a DZ retrieval into exactly that vs. PIT:
In the past, a Canes defender would toss this puck at the stationary wall man (William Carrier, CAR 28) or flip it to safety. Carrier even hints at those options with his stick, yet Gostisbehere is a different breed. He draws Anthony Beauvillier (PIT 72) closer, then springs a pullback move, causing the Pens winger to overrun his pursuit angle and create a viable lane to Sean Walker (CAR 26).
Thanks to his partner’s patience, Walker can press the issue with acres of space, Carrier can build momentum off the puck and Jackson Blake (CAR 53) sits in a prime trailing position.
Here’s an example of his involvement later in the progression:
Textbook Canes hockey would call for a dump-in off Martin Necas’ (CAR 88) side switch. Gostisbehere can smell a better entry. How can you tell? He’s already mohawking before the puck reaches his stick so that he can access the heart of the ice, freeze a pair of Canucks forwards (VAN 8 and 24) and connect with Carrier out wide. Controlled entry + Necas steaming up the weak side.
No, such displays don’t compare to the balletic exploits of Quinn Hughes or Cale Makar. They’re effective nonetheless. Carolina no longer has to surrender possession and hope to regain it down the line. He and his teammates can focus nearly all of their attention on actually attacking:
Through 15 contests, not a single defenseman in the NHL owns a greater share of the shot attempts at 5-on-5. Granted, he plays hyper-sheltered minutes with A+ insulation. Signing him hasn’t redefined the Hurricanes overnight. However, it has brought some width and imagination to a party that was once consigned to the straight and narrow.
When opponents seek to gum up the works, he can provide the push Carolina needs to start chugging along.
Point Play
As you might expect, offense from the point is the second area in which Gostisbehere is leaving his mark. The 10th-year pro has hit 10 goals on five separate occasions and was a one-timing terror early in his Philly days. He can absolutely blast the puck (shot speed in the 90th percentile).
With that said, velocity almost feels like a bonus in Carolina. Surrounded by forwards who buzz around the cage, it’s his aptitude for handling traffic that will prove crucial. Get your shots through and let them whack away.
He’s pretty damn good at that:
Gostisbehere is a natural threat at the point. His first priority on reception is to take middle ice and force your hand. Close in, and he’ll swing the puck. Collapse, and he’ll fire away or manipulate his rhythm to create a tidier lane. He executes give-and-gos with total fluidity as well, always perched on his platform with his stick tickling the rafters.
Both at 5-on-5 and on the PP (currently QB1), the Hurricanes’ attack hums when he’s out there. His rapport with Necas is particularly strong, as he’s spent over 50% of his TOI alongside the breakout star. They trust each other to wheel and deal high in the OZ, and attempting to keep a lid on two phases of the offense is no joke.
While Gostisbehere does pile up volume (13th among NHL D-men in attempts), it’s his shot selection that deserves praise. He demonstrates a great feel for quality and expertly navigates would-be blockers.
Sometimes, he lets them drift out of the frame themselves:
On these PP clips, he simply hangs on until the strong-side forward skates beyond his shooting lane. No unnecessary flash. No dancing. Like a less hurried Brent Burns, he holds the corridor open, spots an available net-front weapon (Andrei Svechnikov, CAR 37) and whizzes the puck at him. Simple stuff that can win you hockey games.
When outwaiting opponents won’t cut it, he can outmaneuver them too:
With Gostisbehere’s resume, you’d be forgiven for buying what he’s selling. His pump fakes not only generate space but also nudge Carolina’s congestion into position. Notice how much more dangerous Jordan Staal (CAR 11) and Svechnikov appear following the point man’s deception.
Should you hone in on him at the expense of your structure, he’ll pass off his platform to burn you in the blink of an eye:
After accepting Sebastian Aho’s (CAR 20) pass along the boards, Gostisbehere instantly heads for the top of the circle. Dylan Guenther (UTA 11) isn’t convinced that strong-side forward Lawson Crouse (UTA 67) can return to the shooting lane in time, so he collapses, compromises his flank containment and pays the price: a Necas one-time bomb.
The quiet multiplicity of Gostisbehere’s point play has made the Hurricanes significantly tougher to read this season. They’re teeming with options.
It’s certainly paying dividends thus far:
He leads Carolina’s blue line in points (10 in 15 games) and only nine defensemen across the league are producing at a higher rate.
Offense from the blue line isn’t a novel concept to Brind’Amour’s troops, but in previous seasons, it tended to flow within the team’s pre-existing patterns. Gostisbehere operates beyond them at times. His process comes out of left field, and that improvisational magic is maxing out the Canes’ odds of a breakthrough.
Of course, we can’t overlook his defensive blemishes. He’s guilty of puck-watching in coverage, losing the inside track, etc. Although his goals-against numbers remain sparkling for now, they may grow unsightly at the worst possible moment. Throwing him out there is very much a trade-off between vulnerability and potency.
For a contender whose firepower has a habit of faltering in the playoffs, it’s a bet worth taking.