Headlines

Go To MLB Trade Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Hurricanes Rumors

Tarmo Reunanen Signs In Finland

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The Carolina Hurricanes don’t have to worry about a restricted free agent negotiation with Tarmo Reunanen. The young defenseman has signed a two-year contract with Lukko in Finland after he failed to suit up for a single playoff game for the Calder Cup-winning Chicago Wolves.

Reunanen, 24, landed with Carolina at the deadline in a minor league trade in order to provide Chicago with additional defensive depth, something they proved unnecessary as they stomped their way through the AHL playoffs. His exclusive rights can be retained by issuing him a qualifying offer, though it does seem like this may be the end of his time with the Hurricanes.

A two-year deal will leave Reunanen 26 years old at its expiry, and just a year away from unrestricted free agency. He could at that point sign a contract to return, though this isn’t just a new opportunity–it’s a return home. He played several seasons for Lukko before coming over and had his only Liiga playoff appearance with them in 2019.

The Finnish blueliner didn’t even come over to North America until 2020, despite being a fourth-round pick in 2016. He managed four games at the NHL level with the Rangers and 69 more in the minor leagues, split between the Wolves and the Hartford Wolf Pack.

An offensively-gifted defenseman, he did rack up 37 points in those AHL contests but wasn’t able to really make a mark at the NHL level. He’s a name to keep an eye on down the road but one that very well may be staying overseas at this point.

Looking At Nino Niederreiter’s Impending Free Agency

at CDT | by 3 Comments

With a strong group of free agent forwards including the likes of Johnny Gaudreau, Evgeni Malkin, Filip Forsberg, Claude Giroux, Phil Kessel, Ondrej Palat, Valeri Nichushkin, Andre Burakovsky amongst others, teams that are looking to add some production up front don’t have to look too far for a worthy candidate. One name that seemingly hasn’t been at the forefront thus far is Nino Niederreiter of the Carolina Hurricanes. Once a blue-chip prospect and fifth overall pick in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft by the New York Islanders, Niederreiter’s career fell on hard-times rather quickly. The forward was fine in his NHL debut in 2010-11, recording two points in nine games, but struggled to an abysmal one goal and zero assists in 55 games as a rookie in 2011-12. He would spend all of 2012-13 in the AHL before being traded to the Minnesota Wild ahead of the 2013-14 season.

After being traded to the Wild, Niederreiter began to show why the Islanders made him the fifth-overall selection, establishing himself as a power-forward and a reliable goal scorer at that. Since then, Niederreiter has played parts of nine seasons split between the Wild and the Hurricanes, hitting the 20-goal mark six times in that span. In 2021-22, his age-29 season, Niederreiter had one of his best seasons for the Metropolitan Division winning Hurricanes, putting up 24 goals and 20 assists in 75 games. Now almost 30-years-old, Niederreiter finds himself set to be an UFA for the first time in his career at the conclusion of a five-year, $26.25MM contract.

For his next contract, Niederreiter probably won’t hit the max term of seven years (eight if he remains with Carolina or whomever acquires his rights, if applicable), and his AAV would more likely than not sit somewhere between $4MM and $6MM, just as it was the previous five seasons. In terms of comparable players for his next contract, Niederreiter has a few intriguing options, the first of which is St. Louis Blues forward Brandon Saad, who signed a five-year, $22.5MM contract last offseason as an UFA, which carries a $4.5MM cap hit. Looking at points-per-game (to account for COVID-19 schedule differences), in Saad’s three years prior to his free agency, he recorded 0.59, 0.57, and most recently, 0.55 points-per-game. Coming off a six-year, $36MM contract, Saad found his AAV regress, but still secured a long-term contract.

Jordan Eberle, another former Islander, signed a five-year, $27.5MM contract after the 2018-19 season, carrying a $5.5MM AAV. That contract, like Saad’s, came on the heels of a six-year, $36MM deal. Eberle began his career with the Edmonton Oilers as a star forward, recording as many as 76 points in a season, but eventually had that production drop off. Leading up to his current contract, Eberle averaged 0.62, 0.73, and finally 0.47 points-per-game, a sharp drop in production in the final year. One last comparison is Patric Hornqvist, who carries a $5.3MM cap hit on the five-year, $26.5MM contract he signed before the 2018-19 season. Leading up to Hornqvist’s free agency, he recorded 0.62, 0.63, and 0.70 points-per-game, featuring a 29-goal platform season.

Comparing Saad, Eberle, and Hornqvist to Niederreiter’s previous three seasons of 0.43, 0.61, and 0.59 points-per-game leading up to his free agency shows the free-agent-to-be in the middle of these three. One thing that is particularly clear is that Niederreiter will be able to find term if he wants it, all three of these similar players signing five-year contracts. A key difference between the four players is their year-to-year consistency. Eberle had a fantastic 2017-18 season before a tough 2018-19 heading into free agency, while Hornqvist gradually improved. Saad was fairly consistent year to year, with Niederreiter improving and settling in in the two years prior to free agency.

In the flat salary cap era presently affecting all 32 NHL teams, cap usage is a primary concern for clubs, which could serve to limit the cap hits of free agents. In addition to that, there is a relatively deep market of offensive-minded wingers like Niederreiter. The veteran could use these concerns however, to his advantage, perhaps allowing teams to sign their first option, and being available at a cost to those who miss out. Salary aside, Niederreiter has shown through his play, and his comparable players, that he is deserving of a long-term deal, even if it isn’t at the maximum term.

As far as retaining Niederreiter, the Hurricanes have just under $20MM in cap space, but do have several other UFAs including Vincent Trocheck and Max Domi, and have to give new deals to pending RFAs Martin Necas, Ethan Bear, and Anthony DeAngelo. If the destination is not Carolina, the forward could, as mentioned, posit himself as the backup for a team that missed out on their first or even second target in the free agent or trade market. He can also market himself towards teams who seek to add some grit and bite while also adding a point-producing middle-six forward, something the market isn’t necessarily deep in.

Chicago Wolves Win 2022 Calder Cup

at CDT | by 4 Comments

The Chicago Wolves have won the 2022 Calder Cup, winning their series against the Springfield Thunderbirds in five games. This is the first Calder Cup to be won since the Charlotte Checkers captured the honor in 2019. The Wolves are the AHL affiliate of the Carolina Hurricanes, making the Hurricanes the first team to have their affiliate win back-to-back Calder Cups since the Washington Capitals’ affiliate, the Hershey Bears, won in 2008-09 and 2009-10.

The Wolves were a high-scoring, high-flying machine for most of this season. They went 50-16-10, and led the AHL with 110 points. The Wolves are an independently owned team that prioritizes winning above all else in a league where player development is for many the number-one goal. That strategy has led them to success this year, and it’s their veterans that have led the way for them.

Forward Andrew Poturalski, the Wolves’ captain, won the Calder Cup with the Checkers in 2019 and led the Wolves in scoring with 101 points. Former New Jersey Devil Stefan Noesen potted 48 goals in the regular season and Josh Leivo, a veteran of 214 NHL games, scored 15 goals in the Wolves’ playoff run to capture the Jack Butterfield Trophy for AHL playoff MVP.

This victory over the Thunderbirds undoubtedly puts Wolves coach Ryan Warsofsky in the spotlight, as he’s now won two Calder Cups since becoming an AHL coach in 2019.  He won his first as an assistant on the Checkers’ 2019 staff. Warsofsky has a 105-47-10 record as an AHL head coach and a 88-44-12 record as an ECHL coach. While it’s unlikely that he gets one of the current head coaching vacancies, he’s definitely a candidate to keep an eye on for next year’s cycle.

This is the Wolves’ third Calder Cup. They last won in 2008 and also captured the 2001-02 Calder Cup.

Martin Necas Drawing Interest

at CDT | by 5 Comments

The Carolina Hurricanes appear to have hit the jackpot in 2020 first-round pick Seth Jarvis, who is already a regular in the top-six and produced 48 points in 82 games (combined regular season and playoffs) this year. With Jarvis’ rocket-fueled ascension though, there have been fewer minutes and fewer opportunities for another first-round selection.

Martin Necas, the 12th overall pick in 2017, saw his ice time drop to just over 16 minutes a night this season and even lower than that in the playoffs, where he failed to score a single goal. The 23-year-old was drafted with the potential to play center but has been used almost exclusively on the wing so far and took a noticeable step backward offensively this season.

He was honest about this fact at his end-of-year availability, telling reporters:

I have to help the team more, I have to produce more. That’s what everyone expects from me and I didn’t do that this year. It was disappointing.

Necas had 40 points in 78 regular season games, not even reaching the mark he set last year in the shortened 56-game schedule. He is now a restricted free agent coming off his entry-level contract with 119 points in 203 career games.

Still, there is so much obvious upside in the 6’3″ forward that it’s easy to understand why teams might be calling. Pierre LeBrun explained on TSN’s Insider Trading that the Hurricanes may not be rushing to trade Necas but if a deal came about for a young defenseman, they would at least listen.

While releasing that information may just be a negotiating tactic, the Hurricanes are obviously considering some changes. Just a few days ago it was reported that Ethan Bear has been given permission to speak to other teams about his own value heading into an RFA negotiation, and with Vincent Trocheck, Nino Niederreiter, Max Domi, Derek Stepan, Ian Cole, and Brendan Smith all set to hit the open market, Carolina could have a very different look at the start of next season.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Latest On Ethan Bear

at CDT | by 3 Comments

When the Carolina Hurricanes traded promising young forward Warren Foegele to the Edmonton Oilers, they had hoped the return, defenseman Ethan Bear, could turn into a key piece of what is and has been one of the NHL’s best defense cores. Though Bear has not been bad, the relationship has not worked out as hoped, Bear suiting up for just 58 regular season games in 2021-22, finding himself a healthy scratch on many occasions. When Bear did play, he performed well enough, recording 14 points in those 58 games, but was ultimately limited to just 16:05 in average time-on-ice. The situation seemed to hit a boiling point however, when Bear wound up not playing a single game in Carolina’s 14-game playoff run.

About to become a RFA for the second time at the conclusion of a two-year, $4MM contract, rumors about Bear’s future had begun to swirl with some clarity being brought to the situation this evening. As Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports, Carolina has given Bear permission to talk to other teams. This news may not come as much of a shock, but could seem peculiar for a team who still has control over the pending RFA. In fact, Friedman added that the Hurricanes do still wish to re-sign Bear and have him back next season, but he notes that the two sides are not close to an agreement.

In regards to why Carolina would be willing to let Bear talk with other teams, in one instance, Carolina may seek to move Bear, but with a contract in place, they may find greater value on the trade market. Alternatively, it could give Bear a sense of what his market is like. For one, that would allow Bear to see how other teams value his services and what kind of contract he would be able to find on the open market, helping make the negotiations with Carolina more about dollars and cents than anything that happened this year. For another, it can show how other organizations view his talents and what role they see him occupying. This clarity could help Bear and the Hurricanes salvage their relationship and shed some light on what Bear would need to do in order to play a full slate of games for Carolina. Either way, as Friedman notes, nothing can happen with Bear before July 13th without approval from the Hurricanes.

Hurricanes Notes: Staal, Necas, Bear

at CDT | by 2 Comments

Once the 2022-23 NHL calendar year opens up at the start of free agency, many players on expiring contracts will be hoping to work out early extensions to stay with their current team.  However, Hurricanes captain Jordan Staal told NHL.com’s Kurt Dusterberg that he won’t be among those looking to get an extension done:

I’m going to ride out this contract. Eleven years is a long time here, and it’s been special. I’m going to ride it out next year and hopefully finish with a bang and go from there.

The 33-year-old will play his eleventh season with the Hurricanes next season and has seen his production start to drop a bit in recent years although he still managed to put up 17 goals and 19 assists in 78 contests in 2021-22.  One thing to consider is that Staal is unlikely to command the $6MM AAV that he’s making on his current deal which also lessens the need to get a deal done right away.  He’ll enter next season in a similar role to the one he had this year as a two-way center and faceoff specialist.

More from Carolina:

  • Martin Necas has been viewed as one of the building blocks for Carolina but Luke DeCock of the Raleigh News & Observer suggests that the team should look into trading the forward and bring in a winger with a more proven track record of production to replace him. Necas had 40 points in 78 games this season which was a step back from the 41 he had in just 53 contests in 2020-21; his point per game rate was the lowest of his three full professional campaigns.  That said, the 23-year-old pending restricted free agent can play down the middle so if GM Don Waddell decides to put Necas in play, there should be considerable interest in him on the trade front.
  • Defenseman Ethan Bear underwent minor foot surgery following their playoff elimination, notes Walt Ruff of the Hurricanes’ team website. While the 24-year-old was officially termed as a healthy scratch in the postseason, the fact he had a procedure immediately after suggests that wasn’t the case.  It was a tough first year in Carolina for Bear who had just 14 points in 58 games while averaging barely 16 minutes a night, nearly three minutes below his career average.  Between that, a $2.4MM qualifying offer, and salary arbitration eligibility, Bear should be considered as a non-tender candidate when offers are due early next month.

East Notes: DeAngelo, Helm, Othmann

at CDT | by 8 Comments

With the departure of Dougie Hamilton in the offseason, many questioned how the Carolina Hurricanes would rebuild their defense. Controversially, they signed Tony DeAngelo to a one-year deal after he was bought out by the New York Rangers. The signing hit about as well as the team could’ve hoped, with off-ice distractions mostly limited. Now a restricted free agent, the team has exclusive rights to keep him around.

Both the team and player want to keep the relationship going, though. DeAngelo notes a feeling of acceptance from the team. It will undoubtedly be a large increase over his $1MM cap hit, however, but that’s something they can try and work out with almost $20MM in cap space. The team has a lot of free agents, though, and they’ll need to be picky about how they allocate their money. He performed with 51 points in 64 games.

  • The Athletic’s Jonas Siegel took a look at potential cheap, veteran replacements to fill the hole Jason Spezza left on the ice with his retirement. First on his list is pending UFA forward Darren Helm, who most notably recently knocked the St. Louis Blues out of the playoffs with just seconds left in regulation. As Helm, a member of the Colorado Avalanche, could be phased out of the organization this offseason with younger players fighting for roles, the Leafs could provide a home for him on the open market. The Stanley Cup-winning veteran had 15 points in 68 games this season.
  • Larry Brooks of The New York Post reports that, even if his OHL Flint Firebirds are eliminated tonight, top New York Rangers prospect Brennan Othmann won’t sign his entry-level contract and join the Rangers for the remainder of their playoff run. Othmann, who the Rangers selected 16th overall in 2021, had a fantastic year with 50 goals and 97 points in 66 OHL games this season. He’s added 24 points in 19 playoff games as well. However, it seems as though the team is content to either leave him in juniors for another season or wait to sign him until the offseason.

Antti Raanta Dealing With MCL Sprain

at CDT | by 2 Comments

Both of the goaltenders for the Carolina Hurricanes are now dealing with MCL injuries. Speaking to reporters today in his end-of-season press availability, Antti Raanta explained that it was an MCL sprain that he suffered in game seven against the New York Rangers, forcing him out of the net. He’s been given a six to eight-week recovery timeline, though that obviously leaves him with plenty of room before the start of training camp.

He joins Frederik Andersen on the shelf, who revealed that he tore his MCL late in the season. Andersen appeared to be close to a return by the time the Hurricanes were eliminated but will now have all offseason to rehab the injury more slowly.

Injuries have always been the risk with Raanta and to a lesser (but still serious) extent Andersen. It is why so many were cautious with their optimistic views about the Hurricanes overall, despite the strong performances that both netminders were giving them all season. The pair split the Jennings Trophy as the primary goaltenders for the club with the lowest goals-against average of the year.

Still, the Hurricanes needed to turn to Pyotr Kochetkov with their season on the line, a disappointing feeling after such a successful campaign to that point. Andersen and Raanta are both signed through next season–but only next season–meaning there also might have to be a succession plan in place for someone like Kochetkov to take over.

Until they make a change, it’ll be two goaltenders coming off knee injuries in the crease for them in 2022-23.

Jake Gardiner Cleared To Return To Hockey

at CDT | by 14 Comments

It’s easy to forget that Jake Gardiner is still under contract with the Carolina Hurricanes for next season, given how long it has been since he was a regular in the lineup. The 31-year-old hasn’t played in more than a calendar year, last suiting up for just nine minutes in a playoff game against the Nashville Predators in May 2021. Even then he lasted just 11 shifts, not exactly the way any player wants to end their career.

Since then, Gardiner has undergone hip and back surgeries, procedures that suggested to many that his playing career was over. Not so fast, according to general manager Don Waddell, who explained today at his end-of-year availability that the team has just recently received notice that Gardiner is now fully cleared to play again.

Signed to a four-year, $16.2MM contract in 2019, the smooth-skating defenseman will carry a cap hit of $4.05MM next season for the Hurricanes. If he’s completely healthy, that complicates things quite a bit, as for the last year they have been operating with him on long-term injured reserve. There’s no telling what kind of player Gardiner will be if he does return, especially given how those back problems had gone back several years to his time with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The problem now is that the Hurricanes already have three other defensemen making at least $4MM, Tony DeAngelo waiting for a raise through arbitration, and several top free agents like Vincent Trocheck and Nino Niederreiter to potentially re-sign. Gardiner also does hold a seven-team no-trade clause, which could make a deal even more difficult if the team tried to go down that route.

Technically, if he is now fully healthy, the Hurricanes could buy Gardiner out this summer. That would result in a cap hit of $1.083MM in 2022-23 and $1.483MM in 2023-24, though that may be more palatable than rolling the dice with his post-surgery performance.

At his peak, the 6’2″ Gardiner was one of the most effective puck-moving defensemen in the league, hitting a career-high of 52 points in 2017-18 with the Maple Leafs. Unfortunately, his play also came with regular giveaways that always seemed to happen at the most inopportune times, gaffes that often contributed to early playoff exits.

Now, if he’s completely healthy and ready to resume his career, the Hurricanes will have to make some tough decisions on how to deal with his cap hit as they prepare for next season.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Andersen Suffered Torn MCL

at CDT | by Leave a Comment

The Carolina Hurricanes were meeting with the media for the final time this season as they cleaned out their lockers, and Frederik Andersen finally answered some questions about the mysterious injury that kept him out of the playoffs. The veteran goaltender revealed that he tore his MCL on April 16, his last appearance of the season and a game in which he allowed seven goals on 33 shots.

With Andersen out, the Hurricanes were forced to use Antti Raanta for the entire playoff run, something that he had never done before. While he had some incredible moments, his performance dropped off at the end of the second round, when he was pulled in consecutive games against the New York Rangers. It was nearly the exact same situation that the Toronto Maple Leafs found themselves in with Andersen a year ago, when he was unable to play down the stretch and in the playoffs due to a mysterious lower-body injury. The 32-year-old netminder has one year left on his deal that carries a $4.5MM cap hit.

Pro Hockey Rumors is not affiliated with National Hockey League, NHL or NHL.com

scroll to top