Jankowski Finds Bigger Role With Hurricanes

Mark Jankowski is filling in for the injured Jordan Staal as Carolina's depth forward takes on expanded ice time.

Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Hockey

Jankowski Finds Bigger Role With Hurricanes

Mark Jankowski has eight goals in 14 games this season and is averaging 14:38 of ice time for the Carolina Hurricanes. His expanded role comes while Jordan Staal is injured.

Why it matters

Jankowski's increased minutes show how depth players can absorb responsibility when a regular is sidelined. Coach Rod Brind'Amour has given him a larger role since his arrival from Nashville.

Jankowski has eight goals in 14 games and is averaging 14:38 of ice time. Carolina entered its Chicago game at 13-3-2 with 28 points, and Staal's recovery timeline was not provided.

The players

Mark Jankowski

Jankowski is a 32-year-old center who was selected 21st overall by the Calgary Flames in the 2012 NHL Draft after four seasons at Providence College.

Carolina Hurricanes

The Hurricanes are an NHL franchise based in Raleigh, North Carolina, and are currently among the league's top teams this season.

Rod Brind'Amour

Brind'Amour is the head coach of the Carolina Hurricanes and a former NHL captain known for his leadership of the franchise.

The details

Jankowski is filling in for Staal, who is injured, and has been given a bigger role since joining the Hurricanes from Nashville. Brind'Amour has leaned on him as Carolina continues a strong start to the season.

March 7, 2025: Nashville traded Jankowski to Carolina.
2024-25 season: Jankowski scored eight goals in his final 19 regular-season games with Carolina.
2026-11-06
Carolina entered its game against Chicago with a 13-3-2 record and 28 points.

Season Trajectory

Jankowski's eight goals in 14 games extend the scoring form he showed in his final 19 regular-season games with Carolina in 2024-25, when he scored eight. Carolina's strong 13-3-2 start makes depth contributions like his increasingly relevant to the team's standings position.

Jankowski's increased ice time makes him a more relevant option for fantasy rosters and depth-chart watchers following Carolina. Fans tracking the Hurricanes should watch whether his minutes hold once Staal returns.

The takeaway

Depth players who step into larger roles often shape a team's season more than their ice time suggests. Jankowski's eight goals in 14 games show why coaches lean on that production when a regular is out.