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Hurricanes Re-Sign Haydn Fleury

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Scratch another player off the arbitration list.  The Hurricanes announced that they have re-signed defenseman Haydn Fleury to a two-year deal with a $1.3MM AAV.  The two sides were scheduled for a hearing on November 8th.  GM Don Waddell released the following statement:

Haydn made a huge leap in his development last season and established himself as an everyday NHL defenseman. He was very dependable late in the regular season and in the playoffs, and we look forward to him continuing his development into an elite NHL defenseman.

The 24-year-old was up with Carolina all season, the first full NHL campaign of his career.  However, given the depth that the Hurricanes have, Fleury was limited to 45 regular season games in almost exclusively a number six role.  He had four goals and ten assists, numbers that were decent considering he averaged less than 14 minutes per game.  However, Fleury was tasked with a bit more ice time in the playoffs, logging over 16 minutes a night while chipping in with a pair of goals in eight games.

That was enough to earn Fleury a small raise in his second trip through restricted free agency after he made $850K this season.  Notably, this contract will give him a third and final RFA stint in 2022 as he’ll still be a year shy of being able to hit the open market and he will be arbitration-eligible once again.

Even though Carolina has lost Joel Edmundson (trade with Montreal), Trevor van Riemsdyk (free agency, Washington), and Sami Vatanen (unrestricted free agent), Fleury will still have some work cut out for him to earn a regular spot in the lineup.  As things stand, he’s likely to battle with offseason acquisition Joakim Ryan and prospect Jake Bean for the sixth spot on their depth chart.  Even with the raise, it’s a reasonable price tag for a player that still has some upside but may still have to spend some time in the press box.

Waddell still has some work to do in the short term though as Warren Foegele is still in need of a contract with an arbitration hearing scheduled for November 4th.  Following this signing, Carolina has about $3MM in cap space to work with and a good chunk of that will be going to the winger.

Pierre LeBrun of TSN and The Athletic was the first to report the deal.

Carolina Hurricanes Re-Sign Gustav Forsling

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The Carolina Hurricanes have avoided arbitration with defenseman Gustav Forsling. PuckPedia and CapFriendly are both reporting that the two sides have come to terms on a one-year, two-way contract. The deal carries the minimum $700K NHL salary and a $250K AHL salary. Forsling had been scheduled for a salary arbitration hearing on November 7th.

If Forsling’s case had reached a hearing, it would have been a fascinating argument – at least from the player side. The most critical part of any arbitration case is the platform season, and Forsling did not play a single game in 2019-20. The 24-year-old defenseman was fully healthy, but simply not good enough to crack the Hurricanes’ lineup. He saw NHL action with the Chicago Blackhawks in each of the three years prior to being traded last summer, but has never played more than 43 games in any season. It would have had to have been quite the argument to convince an arbitrator that Forsling was worth more than a minimum salary. Instead, Forsling’s camp likely filed for arbitration with the primary intention of arguing that he was at least worth a one-way contract. Even that case might have been a stretch, so he has agreed to a two-way deal with a sizeable AHL salary.

Forsling’s odds of improving his case before next off-season, when he will again be an RFA with arbitration rights, seem slim. The Hurricanes currently have five established veteran defenseman on the NHL roster, other RFA’s still to sign in Haydn Fleury and Roland McKeown, a prospect pushing for time in Jake Bean, and just added a superior depth option in Joakim Ryan. Forsling would need several things to go his way to see NHL action this coming season.

Forsling’s arbitration case was the least of the Hurricanes’ worries. The team still has Fleury and forward Warren Foegele slated for hearings and there is much more on the line with that pair. CapFriendly projects Carolina to have just under $4.5MM in cap space with a current roster of 20, so the ’Canes may need to get creative (or make a move) to add Fleury, Foegele, and one more body to the roster without going over the cap. If the teams deals from their depth on the blue line, they may be able to move considerable salary. Forsling would stand to benefit from such a move as well.

Antoine Bibeau Signs With Carolina Hurricanes

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The Carolina Hurricanes have added depth to the organization’s goaltending position, signing Antoine Bibeau to a one-year, two-way contract worth $700K at the NHL level. Bibeau was injured for almost all of last season, but GM Don Waddell explained today that he is fully healthy and ready to help the Hurricanes in 2020-21.

Now 26, Bibeau was originally a selection of the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2013 and actually made his NHL debut for that organization during the 2016-17 season. A stop in San Jose resulted only in time in the minor leagues before Bibeau joined Colorado for the 2019-20 season.

He actually played in two NHL games before his hip injury put him out of commission, taking his total to four in his career. It’s unclear exactly where he fits into the depth chart, but given that the 2020-21 season could be condensed quite significantly and have regional bubbles, travelling with a third goaltender may become the norm.

Carolina Hurricanes Sign Drew Shore

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The Carolina Hurricanes have reached into the European ranks to add an NHL retread to the organization. Forward Drew Shore, who last played in North America in 2017, has agreed to a one-year deal with the Hurricanes, the team announced. It is a one-year, two-way contract worth the minimum $700K in the NHL and $150K in the AHL.

Shore, 29, has had an interesting career. A big, versatile forward, Shore was a second-round pick of the Florida Panthers in 2009 and left the University of Denver early after dominating collegiate competition. As a rookie, he even garnered Calder Trophy votes with 13 points in 43 games with the Panthers. No one would have expected that this mark would stand as his career best. Shore struggled in his limited action with Florida in his second season and was held out of the lineup entirely in his third year until he was traded to the Calgary Flames midway through the campaign. He struggled to find his footing in Calgary as well and was out of the NHL after just a season and a half with the club. Shore made his way to Switzerland to begin the 2016-17 season, but would return to the NHL midseason to sign with the Vancouver Canucks. Again, Shore failed to make the most of the opportunity and was not re-signed. He returned to the Swiss NLA for two seasons, then jumped to the KHL, where he has spent parts of the past two seasons.

Shore has always been a productive player in the minor leagues or abroad, but has never been able to translate that ability to the NHL. Nearing 30 now and three years removed from action at the highest level, Shore does seem like an odd choice to land an NHL contract, especially with so much talent still available. Yet, the Hurricanes must see something they like in the experienced journeyman.

Another strange note on the Shore signing is that a more accomplished Shore, Devin Shore, remains unsigned. This confused even the always-reliable CapFriendly in announcing the deal. Devin, 26, had a down year and was not extended a qualifying offer by the Columbus Blue Jackets, but was a consistent 30+ point player in his first three pro seasons. With the market drying up against the flat salary cap, it’s a real possibility that the superior Shore may not find NHL employment this season, while the older and less proven one plays in Carolina.

Carolina Hurricanes Sign Three Forwards

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The Carolina Hurricanes have added a little more depth to the organization, signing three minor league forwards to one-year, two-way contracts. Jeremy Bracco, David Gust and Sheldon Rempal will join the organization on contracts worth $700K at the NHL level.

Rempal, 25, is the only one of the three that has NHL experience at this point, with seven games played for the Los Angeles Kings in 2018-19. He was not issued a qualifying offer by the team this offseason, after scoring just four goals in 56 games for the Ontario Reign in 2019-20. An undrafted signing out of Clarkson, Rempal did have a strong offensive season in 2018-19 and could be a solid piece in the AHL.

Gust meanwhile was signed by the Bakersfield Condors in 2017 out of Ohio State University, but ended up playing in Carolina’s minor league system this past season. The 26-year-old scored 31 points in those 60 games with the Charlotte Checkers but shouldn’t be expected to play much of an NHL role at any point.

It’s Bracco that will draw the headlines. Still just 23, he was a second-round pick of the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2015 and had an incredible first few post-draft seasons. In 2016-17 he not only won World Junior gold with Team USA, but also took home the Memorial Cup with the Windsor Spitfires. That Windsor team shocked a powerhouse Erie Otters squad that had the likes of Dylan Strome, Alex DeBrincat, Anthony Cirelli, and coincidentally, Bracco’s new potential teammate Warren Foegele.

Bracco, among the elite powerplay passers in all of professional hockey, unfortunately hasn’t developed the rest of his game enough to earn a chance in the NHL. In 2018-19 he racked up 79 points in 75 games with the Toronto Marlies but dealt with personal issues and clashed with the organization in 2019-20. He ended up playing in 44 games and scored just four goals (still tallying 34 points).

Needing a fresh start, he’ll go to Carolina now where he could still potentially blossom into a legitimate NHL option, at least in sheltered minutes. On a league-minimum deal, it’s certainly worth the risk.

Dominik Bokk Linked To The SHL

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A month ago, Hurricanes prospect Dominik Bokk was slated to play with Krefeld in Germany.  However, with the start of their season delayed once again, the team announced yesterday that he would be moving on with the hopes of finding somewhere he can play.  It appears that location will be Sweden as SportExpressen’s Johan Svensson reports that the winger is on his way to Djurgarden of the SHL.

This will be Bokk’s third straight year in the SHL but it will be his third different team after playing with Vaxjo in 2018-19 and Rogle last season.  He has put up 40 points in 94 games with those two teams, numbers that are quite impressive for someone that was still eligible to play junior hockey.  Playing against his peers at the World Juniors with Germany, he led them in scoring with six goals and two assists in seven games while helping them avoid relegation.

It’s unknown how long this loan will be for.  While the original plan was to have the 20-year-old return from Krefeld when training camps opened up, Svensson notes that Djurgarden is seeking players to play the full season, not just a couple of months.  As a result, it’s possible that Carolina may have to wait a little longer for Bokk, the centerpiece of the Justin Faulk trade last year, suit up in their system.

Carolina Hurricanes Re-Sign Steven Lorentz

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The Carolina Hurricanes have signed one of their restricted free agents, inking Steven Lorentz to a two-year, two-way contract. It will pay him $700K in the NHL this season and $750K next, the league minimum in both years. Hurricanes GM Don Waddell released a short statement:

Steven took a big step forward this season. He was an impact player on the AHL level and we believe he will contribute in the NHL in the future.

Lorentz, 24, was a seventh-round selection by the Hurricanes back in 2015 but has quickly climbed the organizational depth chart. After starting his professional career at the ECHL level, he became a full-time AHL player in 2018-19 and then a star in 2019-20. Scoring 23 goals and 46 points in 61 games for the Charlotte Checkers, the 6’4″ forward trailed only Jake Bean for the team lead in scoring.

Now, with the AHL season still shrouded in uncertainty, Lorentz will try to establish himself as an NHL option that could step in when another player is injured. The Hurricanes are already loaded with at least 12 legitimate NHL forwards, but he can compete for the last few spots and potentially make his debut in 2020-21.

Latest On Jake Gardiner

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It’s been a little over a year now since the Carolina Hurricanes signed Jake Gardiner to a four-year, $16.2MM contract. It seemed the ink had only barely dried by the time speculation started swirling about his tenure in Carolina, with the team potentially looking to move on just a few months into the deal. At the trade deadline, the Hurricanes added Brady Skjei and Sami Vatanen, with the former signed through 2023-24.

Now in free agency, though Vatanen remains unsigned and the team moved on from Joel Edmundson, there is still a log jam of defenders in Carolina. Joakim Ryan has been brought in as an inexpensive depth option, while Jake Bean continues to wait patiently for his NHL opportunity. Gardiner meanwhile is in the news again, with Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet writing Carolina “continue to examine its trade options” for the veteran defenseman.

Gardiner, 30, was an incredibly polarizing player during his years with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Both one of their consistent options on the blue line and the author of the most ill-timed giveaways, he had fervent supporters and detractors over a 551-game tenure. In 2019-20 with the Hurricanes, the same frustrations were evident. Gardiner did record 24 points in 68 games, but was also limited to fewer than 17 minutes a night and was a team-leading -24 (the next closest player was Trevor van Riemsdyk’s -7 rating).

Unfortunately perhaps for the Hurricanes, Gardiner does hold a seven-team no-trade clause and is under a contract that is actually back-loaded. Though his cap hit may only be $4.05MM per season, the actual money owed reaches $12.55MM. That’s not a huge difference, but still could be one that makes a trade harder in the current financial landscape.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Hurricanes Re-Sign Spencer Smallman

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Oct 14: The Hurricanes have officially announced the contract for Smallman, at the reported terms. GM Don Waddell released a short statement on his young forward:

Spencer has continued to improve each season since turning pro. He took another positive step in his development last season and we hope he can take another step forward next year.

Oct 13: The Hurricanes have taken care of one of their minor league restricted free agents.  CapFriendly reports (Twitter link) that Carolina has signed winger Spencer Smallman to a one-year, two-way deal.  The contract pays $735K in the NHL and $70K in the AHL which means that he accepted his qualifying offer.

The 24-year-old was a fifth-round pick of the ’Canes back in 2015 (138th overall) but hasn’t had a lot of success at the professional level so far aside from a good showing in the 2018 ECHL playoffs.  Last season, Smallman played in 47 games with Carolina’s AHL affiliate in Charlotte but managed just three goals and ten assists but still was able to land a qualifying offer last week.

Smallman must pass through waivers next season to return to the Checkers but that should happen without much concern.  Once he returns to the minor league level, he’ll need to take a big step forward in his offensive production.  If not, he’ll be a candidate to be non-tendered next offseason given that he’ll be entering his age-25 season in 2021-22.

 

Carolina Hurricanes Sign Clark Bishop, Vasiliy Ponomarev

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The Carolina Hurricanes have re-signed one of their restricted free agents, inking Clark Bishop to a one-year, two-way contract. The deal will pay Bishop $700K in the NHL and $100K at the AHL level. Hurricanes GM Don Waddell released a short statement:

Clark is a versatile, two-way center that knows our system well. We look forward to him continuing his development this season.

Bishop had filed for salary arbitration last week, which will no longer be required.

The 24-year-old forward has played in 25 games for the Hurricanes over the past two seasons, spending most of his time as a professional at the minor league level. Like every other AHL player, Bishop will have to wait and see what the 2020-21 season looks like for minor leaguers.

The team has also signed Vasiliy Ponomarev to a three-year, entry-level contract. Ponomarev was picked 53rd overall in this year’s draft and is currently playing for the Shawinigan Cataractes of the QMJHL. The 18-year-old Russian forward had 49 points in 57 games as a CHL rookie last season and is off to a hot start with two goals in his first four games.

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