Brett Pesce was an early season call-up last year, and quickly proved he belonged in the NHL full time. After a successful 69-game rookie season, the main questions heading into the season was whether or not Pesce could avoid a sophomore slump. It’s safe to say he did.
While most in the media have singled out Jaccob Slavin as the Hurricanes’ best defenseman, Pesce has been just as good. Pesce ranked first among defensemen and third among all Hurricanes players in Corsi percentage and ranked second among all Hurricanes in goals for percentage. Pesce and Slavin were paired up for a significant portion of the season and it shows in usage stats.