Sebastian Aho has a chance to break a franchise record tonight held by one of the greatest players to ever play the game. Ron Francis holds the Whalers / Hurricanes’ record for the longest point streak to start a season at 11 games, a record Aho tied on Sunday. Aho is finally starting to garner national attention as a star player in the game and he is exactly that. A star. When you look at his all-around game, as we will in this article, you’ll see just how impactful he’s been this season.

Aho’s been the driving force behind the Hurricanes’ offense this year using his excellent vision to create scoring chances for himself and his linemates. His 12 assists are tied for 3rd in the league, proof he’s one of the best passers in the game right now. This ability helps to elevate the players around him and is putting his two linemates, Ferland and Teravainen, on pace to shatter their career-highs in points. Aho is currently tied for 11th in completed passes to the slot at even-strength with 17 while getting himself to the slot for another 19 shots from the slot which ranks him tied for 6th at even-strength. Offensively, he’s a dynamic player who excels creating chances from the slot but what really sets him apart is his ability to create offense on the defensive side as well.

Aho uses his skilled stick to steal pucks and make quick recoveries. He’s in a tie for 4th in stick checks by forwards and he’s tied in 9th for loose puck recoveries by forwards. His ability to separate his opponent from the puck gives him the necessary time and space to create clean exits from his own zone and into the offensive zone. It’s also why he’s ranked tied for 6th in controlled zone exits and tied for 8th in controlled zone entries. Being able to transition from defense to offense so seamlessly makes him a nightmare to play against.

Aho is a superstar in the making and will be the catalyst to the Hurricanes’ success. He’s an exciting player who excels in every area of the ice. As he gets better and better the Canes will be that much more fun to watch.  In the meantime keep an eye on him tonight as he takes on the Boston Bruins, looking to make Canes history by extending his point streak to a dozen games.

(Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)