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Poll: Who Is The Early Calder Trophy Favorite?

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The Calder Trophy is one of the most intriguing awards in the NHL. Every year a new crop of rookies compete for the title of league’s best and with it a shining star at the start of their NHL careers. The list of winners includes many of the best players the game has ever seen—Terry Sawchuk, Frank Mahovlich, Bobby Orr, Ray Bourque, Mario Lemieux and Alex Ovechkin are all part of the exclusive group—but also has some names that haven’t had quite the careers their early success implied.

Last year’s winner was Elias Pettersson, who beat out Stanley Cup winner Jordan Binnington in voting after a 66-point season. Pettersson only played in 71 games making his point totals even more impressive and enough to eclipse the turnaround that Binnington provided the St. Louis Blues in the second half.

Could Vancouver have another winner on the roster this time around? Quinn Hughes is off to an incredible start with the Canucks in his first season, logging some of the best possession numbers in the NHL and posting ten points in 13 games. Hughes looks to have escaped major injury recently when his leg was twisted underneath him, but he’ll have to return soon if he has a chance at holding off the field.

In fact, he’s not even leading rookies in scoring this season. That honor is split between two very different players. Cale Makar, another outstanding young defenseman that showed what he could do in the playoffs last season has 11 points in 14 games. The Colorado Avalanche have loved every minute of their rookie phenom, and are giving him even more opportunity of late.

He’s tied with Ilya Mikheyev though, who has the advantage of several years of professional hockey under his belt. Mikheyev is already 25 years old, but is playing in his first NHL season after signing with the Toronto Maple Leafs out of the KHL. It’s not like the NHL hasn’t seen a situation like this play out before. Artemi Panarin beat out Connor McDavid in 2015-16 as a 24-year old rookie out of the KHL, though he needed a 77-point season and an injury to the Edmonton Oilers’ superstar to do it. Mikheyev would probably need some good fortune to come out on top, but 11 points in his first 15 games is nothing to ignore.

There are plenty of others to consider however. Victor Olofsson leads all rookies in goal scoring with six, all of which have been on the powerplay. If his even-strength contributions could catch up there’s a real chance he could lead all first year players in points by the end of the year. Jack Hughes has also been effective, even after an extremely slow start. He has the benefit of notoriety that comes with being the first overall pick, but he’ll likely need at least a bit of team success to take home the trophy.

Others like Martin Necas, Cody Glass and Alexander Nylander have all been given amazing opportunities playing with great NHL talent, while defenders like Ethan Bear and Dante Fabbro impress in their own end. Kaapo Kakko, who may have been expected to contend for it after his outstanding international performances, will need to really turn his early season struggles around in order to catch the clubhouse leaders.

Who do you think is the favorite right now? Who will eventually win? We’ve included some of the major candidates below, but make sure to suggest other possibilities in the comment section.

[Mobile users click here to vote]

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Salary Cap Deep Dive: Carolina Hurricanes

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Navigating the salary cap is one of the more important tasks for any GM. Teams that can avert total cap chaos by walking the tightrope of inking players to deals that match their value (or compensate for future value without breaking the bank) remain successful. Those that don’t see struggles and front office changes.

PHR will look at every NHL team and give a thorough look at their cap situation heading into the 2019-20 season. This will focus more on those players who are integral parts of the roster versus those who may find themselves shuttling between the AHL and NHL. All cap figures are courtesy of CapFriendly.

Carolina Hurricanes

Current Cap Hit: $79,004,791 (under the $81.5MM Upper Limit)

Entry-Level Contracts

F Andrei Svechnikov (two years, $925K)
F Martin Necas (three years, $863K)
D Jake Bean (two years, $863K)
F Warren Foegele (one year, $747K)

Potential Bonuses:

Svechnikov: $2.65MM
Necas: $538K
Bean: $500K
Foegele: $20K

With a system full of top prospects, the Hurricanes got an impressive rookie season from Svechnikov, drafted with the second-overall pick in 2018, last season and now will have a top-six option for another two years at an entry-level cost. At 18 years old, he tallied 20 goals and 37 points and should be in line for more playing time and bigger numbers this season as a 19-year-old and could eventually become the franchise winger the team needs long-term. The Hurricanes also have high hopes for Necas to step in and take big role next season at the center position. The 2017 first-rounder had an impressive season for the Calder Cup Champion Charlotte Checkers of the AHL and could provide Carolina with some cheap talent.

Bean, the team’s first-rounder in 2016, has only made two appearances for Carolina, but could get a chance to take a much bigger role after a strong season with Charlotte, which saw his skills take that next step. The 23-year-old Foegele began to show off his offensive skill over the course of the season in Carolina. He scored 10 goals and 15 points during the regular season, but was even more impressive in the playoffs with five goals and nine points in just 15 games. If he can take his game up a notch, the Hurricanes could have an even more impressive offense next season.

One Year Remaining, Non-Entry-Level

D Justin Faulk ($4.83MM, UFA)
F Erik Haula ($2.75MM, UFA)
D Trevor van Riemsdyk ($2.3MM, UFA)
D Gustav Forsling ($874K, RFA)
D Haydn Fleury ($850K, RFA)
F Brian Gibbons ($725K, UFA)
F Clark Bishop ($700K, RFA)
F Lucas Wallmark ($675K, RFA)

There were rumors that suggested that talks between Carolina and Faulk were no where close on a potential extension and others that said negotiations were promising, however, Faulk could be a legitimate trade candidate if the team can’t eventually work out an extension. The 27-year-old Faulk had a solid season both defensively as he was finally in the positive on his plus/minus for the first time in his career, while also adding 11 goals and 35 points. However, with a number of young defensemen who are waiting for a chance to get an opportunity in Carolina, it wouldn’t be shocking to see Carolina unload him at the trade deadline.

Haula is an interesting acquisition. The 28-year-old was coming off a 29-goal season in Vegas’ inaugural season, but then suffered a gruesome knee injury and never returned. In the end, he played just 15 games, although he was close to returning late in the season with many believing that he would have been available had the Golden Knights had gotten deeper into the playoffs. If he can prove to be healthy, Haula might prove to be one of the best acquisitions of the year. Whether the Hurricanes will re-sign him will obviously depend on how he fares next season.

The team might be ready to move on from van Riemsdyk, who has served as a bottom pairing defenseman, but probably makes too much at $2.3MM to keep around long term, especially since Fleury hasn’t really had a true chance to prove himself and could be a better option at his price.

Two Years Remaining

D Dougie Hamilton ($5.75MM, UFA)
G James Reimer ($3.4MM, UFA)
F Ryan Dzingel ($3.38MM, UFA)
G Petr Mrazek ($3.13MM, UFA)
F Brock McGinn ($2.1MM, UFA)
F Jordan Martinook ($2MM, UFA)
G Alex Nedeljkovic ($738K, RFA)

The team has a number of interesting contracts with two years left, including their entire goaltending situation. The team has Mrazek, who put together a stellar season after years of inconsistency, and new backup Reimer as the new tandem with their top prospect in Nedeljkovic close to ready to step into the lineup. All three will likely stay this season as Nedeljkovic is waiver exempt and likely will just stay in the AHL. However, if he can prove in training camp that he’s ready for the back-up role, few would be surprised if the team found a way to unload Reimer, who had a terrible season last year in Florida.

Despite hearing constant rumors that Carolina was shopping Hamilton around this offseason, it looks like the Hurricanes will have the veteran defenseman for another season. He put up solid numbers, scoring 18 goals an 39 points and is solid defensively, but he could eventually be a trade candidate, perhaps as early as the trade deadline if the team struggles and can’t reproduce the same success it had a season ago. The team also hopes that they can get Dzingel to provide the same type of offense he was producing in Ottawa, rather than his struggles in Columbus. However, he should provide solid value at his pricetag and fit in nicely as a middle-six option.

Three Years Remaining

F Nino Niederreiter ($5.25MM, UFA)

It might have been the trade of the year when the Hurricanes acquired Niederreiter from Minnesota for Victor Rask. While Rask struggled in Minnesota, Niederreiter’s season took off when he arrived, scoring 14 goals and 30 points in 36 games and he slotted in nicely on the first line. If he can produce anything close to that, the team has a steal of a deal for the next three years. If his production drops back to what it was in Minnesota earlier in the year (nine goals and 23 points in 46 games) then the team has a contract that could be a burden for some time.

Four Or More Years Remaining

F Sebastian Aho ($8.45MM through 2023-24)
F Jordan Staal ($6MM through 2022-23)
F Teuvo Teravainen ($5.4MM through 2023-24)
D Jaccob Slavin ($5.3MM through 2024-25)
D Brett Pesce ($4.03MM through 2023-24)

The Montreal Canadiens did Carolina a favor when they shocked the NHL by signing Aho to an offer sheet that didn’t look difficult to match. While five years likely isn’t ideal, the Hurricanes still now have their top franchise player signed until 2024 and can figure out its plans after that, but now are one of the few teams that have locked up their franchise restricted free agent already, with the rest still waiting to sign a contract. That should provide Aho, who had another breakout season with 30 goals and 83 points, with plenty of time to be ready for training camp and see if he can take his game to another level once again.

His linemate in Teravainen is another key piece of Carolina’s future who keeps producing better and better numbers. The 24-year-old produced 21 goals and a career-high 76 points and is locked up for another five years as well, giving Aho a solid winger to work with. The team, however, may not be as thrilled with the four years it still has in Staal, who produced one of his worst seasons although injuries did play apart. The 30-year-old still has four years at $6MM from a 10-year, $60MM deal he signed back in 2012. After posting just 11 goals and 28 points in 50 games, the team hopes he can bounce back.

One thing the Hurricanes did was locking up its young defenders. The team has seen Slavin develop into a top-line defenseman in the last year and to have him locked up at just $5.3MM for six more years will likely be one of the team’s biggest bargain for a long time. He has been averaging more than 22 minutes per game for three of his four seasons in the league. Pesce has also seen his game increase and is also a steal with the rising cost of young defensemen lately. Pesce saw his minutes break 20 minutes for a second straight season, while his offense increased by 10 points.

Buyouts

F Patrick Marleau ($6.25MM in 2019-20)
F Alexander Semin ($2.33MM through 2020-21)

Retained Salary Transactions

None

Salary Cap Recapture

None

Still To Sign

F Justin Williams (UFA)
F Saku Maenalanen (RFA)
D Roland McKeown (RFA)

One question that is still up for grabs is whether Williams will return to the team. The 37-year-old winger has been told he can take as much time as he wants to determine whether he wants to return to hockey. He’s made it clear it’s either Carolina or retirement, but after putting up a solid campaign last year of 23 goals and 53 points, it’s hard to believe that the veteran leader is ready to hang it up if he still is capable of producing as a top-six forward. While he may eventually have to slide down to the third line, the veteran was critical to the team’s deep playoff run and Carolina hopes he will come back.

While McKeown might have a hard time finding playing time in Carolina’s stacked defense, the team will need to get Maenalanen signed at some point. The 6-foot-4 bottom-six winger stepped into the lineup late in the season and was a solid contributor, posting four goals and eight points in 34 games, while skating for just 9:26 of ATOI. He provided some physical play and if he can steal a spot on the fourth line, could be valuable.

Best Value: Slavin
Worst Value: Staal

Looking Ahead

The Carolina Hurricanes have done an impressive job of drafting well, developing their talent and adding veteran talent at reasonable prices. With most of their core already locked up long-term and plenty of talent still on entry-level contracts, the Hurricanes should be able to keep their team competitive for years and keep getting better as the team continues to develop.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

AHL Notes: Calder Cup Champions, Poturalski, Christoffer

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The Calder Cup Playoffs came to an end last night with a fitting finish to a dominant season for the Charlotte Checkers. The Checkers are your AHL champs this season, as the Carolina Hurricanes’ affiliate took home the title for the first time since moving to Charlotte in 2010, and did so behind a historic effort. Charlotte finished the regular season with an impeccable 51-17-7-1 record, one of the best in league history, accumulating 110 points, eight more than the next-best team in the league. They then stormed through the postseason, losing just four games in four rounds, including a second-round sweep of the perennial powerhouse Hershey Bears and a quick five-game win in the Final over the Chicago Wolves. The Wolves kept it interesting at the end, but the Checkers escaped with a 4-3 win last night to seal the series. Leading the way for Mike Vellucci’s high-flying squad this season were forwards Andrew Poturalski, Morgan Geekie, and Tomas Jurco – the AHL’s top three scorers in the playoffs – as well as Martin Necas, Aleksi Saarela, and Nicolas Roy. On the blue line, Jake Bean and Trevor Carrick had dominant campaigns. In net, Alex Nedeljkovic had the lion’s share of starts, regular season and postseason, and may have proved himself ready for a shot at the NHL, while Dustin Tokarski was stellar in the backup role throughout.

  • Poturalski, in particular, deserves specific accolades and the recognition has already come from the league. Poturalski was named the recipient of the Jack Butterfield Award as the AHL’s postseason MVP. The 25-year-old forward out of the University of New Hampshire recorded 23 points in 18 games, five more than the next in line, which included a dozen goals. It capped off an incredible season in which Poturalski led the Checkers with 70 points on the year, again way ahead of the pack with 16 more points than Saarela in second, and finished fifth in league scoring. Were it not for Daniel Carr, whose 71 points came in just 52 games with the Chicago Wolves, Charlotte’s success and the weight that Poturalski carried to get them there would have made him a likely candidate for regular season MVP as well. Yet, he may get rewarded this off-season nonetheless. Poturalski is a Group 6 unrestricted free agent and set to hit the open market. He saw only two games of NHL action over three seasons in the Hurricanes’ organization and is likely ready to pursue other opportunities elsewhere. There is no doubt that Poturalski, one of the youngest names on the market, will get considerable attention this summer after the season he had.
  • Former Edmonton Oilers prospect Braden Christoffer is headed elsewhere next season as well. The 24-year-old forward once looked like a hidden gem after going undrafted but finishing his junior career off strong in the WHL in 2014-15. The Oilers signed him to a three-year entry-level contract in hopes of big things, but when that contract expired last summer, Christoffer had just 28 AHL points to show for three years of effort. He hung around the organization this season on an AHL contract with the Bakersfield Condors, but failed to improve. As a result, he’s looking to rejuvenate his pro career by moving overseas to a league without much star power. Stjernen of Norway’s Get Ligaen announced that they have inked the young forward to a contract and were excited about the addition. Stjernen’s lone North American player from last season, Peter Lindblad, was their leading scorer, so it makes sense that they would be happy about another import joining the team. A fresh start seems to be exactly what Christoffer needs as well.

Prospect Notes: Calder Cup Final, Telegin, Phillips

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The finale of the AHL season gets underway tonight, as the Charlotte Checkers, affiliate of the Carolina Hurricanes, are set to host the Chicago Wolves, affiliate of the Vegas Golden Knights, in Game One of the Calder Cup Final. Neither squad is very familiar with being in this title series; the Wolves are making their first appearance as Vegas’ affiliate, given their parent club just wrapped up it’s second season in existence, while the Checkers have appeared twice in the final, most recently in 1991. The match-up that everyone will be watching for in the series is Cody Glass, the No. 6 overall pick in 2017 and the first draft selection in Vegas’ history, versus Martin Necas, the No. 12 pick in 2017 and Carolina’s top prospect. However, Necas has taken a back seat to several other Checkers forwards this postseason. After scoring 70 points in 72 games to finish fifth in league scoring in the regular season, Andrew Poturalski’s 18 points thus far also lead the postseason. It’s worth noting that Poturalski will be a Group 6 unrestricted free agent this summer and could be on the move in search of more NHL opportunity. Necas’ fellow AHL rookie, Morgan Geekie, has been right up there with Poturalski in playoff scoring, registering 15 points so far. Tomas Jurco and Aleksi Saarela have also played well for the Checkers, as has experienced defenseman Trevor Carrick. As for the Wolves, it has been goaltender Oscar Dansk leading the way, posting a .921 save percentage and 2.16 GAA through 14 starts. Up front, it’s been the veterans getting the job done, with Tomas Hyka, Curtis McKenzie, and Tye McGinn all among the AHL’s top ten in scoring this postseason. Rookie defenseman Zach Whitecloud has also been a revelation and continues to make a strong case for playing in Vegas next season. Everything considered, this should be a balanced, hard-fought series between two talented teams who are excited to be in the final. The schedule for the Calder Cup Final can be found here.

  • The Winnipeg Jets made a nice value addition this morning, signing Russian power forward Andrei Chibisov. As the team attacks their difficult salary cap situation this summer, affordable impact deals could be crucial and the team hopes Chibisov will pan out. Unfortunately, one of his fellow countrymen won’t be joining him in Winnipeg. Ivan Telegin, a draft pick of the Atlanta Thrashers all the way back in 2010, has opted to re-sign with his KHL club, CSKA Moscow. The team announced a new three-year deal with Telegin that likely rules out any potential future in the NHL. There was some thought that Telegin would consider returning to North America, where he previously played three seasons in the OHL and one season in the AHL, following a career-best KHL campagin. Telegin recorded 22 points in 49 games this season, production levels he hadn’t reached since his junior days. A player of similar size and ability to Chibisov, Telegin would have been another bottom-six option for Winnipeg, but with a long-term extension in Russia and his draft rights set to expire, it seems the pairing was never meant to be.
  • According to Jess Myers of the Grand Forks Herald, Pittsburgh Penguins prospect Clayton Phillips is on the move. Phillips, a third-round pick in 2017, just wrapped up his sophomore season at the University of Minnesota, but it appears it will be his last. Myers reports that Phillips is expected to transfer out of Minnesota and to a different NCAA institution. This likely means that he will have to sit out of college hockey next season due to NCAA transfer rules. In the meantime, Phillips is expected to return to the USHL’s Muskegeon Lumberjacks. The 19-year-old defenseman initially joined the Gophers earlier than expected, jumping in midway through the 2017-18 season. Sources that Myers spoke with felt this was a mistake, as he was not yet mature enough for the college game. It showed, as he was held scoreless in eleven games and got into frequent penalty trouble. This past season, Phillips improved to the tune of ten points in 34 games, but struggled defensively and simply wasn’t playing to the level that he, the university, nor the Penguins likely expected. A year back in juniors could be good for Phillips development, as the mobile blue liner can regain confidence in his abilities. Myers then speculates that he could join Penn State University or Colorado College in 2020.

AHL Notes: Redmond, Vellucci, Lukosevicius

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The AHL regular season has come to an end, with the Calder Cup playoffs getting underway on Thursday, and the league has begun to announce their end-of-the-year awards. The first player to be honored is long-time pro Zach Redmond. The AHL has announced that Redmond is this season’s recipient of the Eddie Shore Award as the best defenseman in the league. The 30-year-old, who has played on an AHL contract this season with the Rochester Americans, recorded 21 goals and 50 points in just 58 games. While Redmond finished third in overall scoring among defensemen, he was first in goal scoring and led qualifying defenders in points-per-game by a wide margin. A veteran of 133 NHL games to go along with 314 AHL games, Redmond is a respected leader at the minor league level, but has also shown to be a high-end producer with back-to-back seasons of 40+ points. One has to think that there is a good chance that Redmond receives a two-way offer from an NHL club this summer after proving his ability to be a valuable AHL depth asset.

  • Another AHL award winner is Charlotte Checkers head coach Mike Vellucci. Vellucci, who also doubles as an assistant general manager for the Carolina Hurricanes, was named the Louis A.R. Pieri Memorial Award recipient as the top coach in the league. Vellucci led the Checkers to their best regular season in team history with 110 points and the top seed in the Eastern Conference. In fact, their 51-17-7 record was a top-ten all-time mark in AHL history. Most importantly, in just two years on the job Vellucci has graduated a number of player to the Hurricanes who have become impact players, including Lucas Wallmark, Warren Foegele, and Haydn Fleury, with the likes of Martin Necas, Jake Bean, Aleksi Saarela, and Janne Kuokkanen likely to push for spots next season. The long-time head coach and GM of the OHL’s Plymouth Whalers, who has now found success at the pro level, it seems likely only a matter of time before Vellucci earns a larger role either behind the bench or in the front office of an NHL team.
  • The Grand Rapids Griffins, affiliate of the Detroit Red Wings, have made a nice addition right before the start of the postseason. The Griffins announced that they have added University of Denver forward Jarid Lukosevicius on a tryout basis for the remainder of the season. On top of that, Lukosevicius has signed a two-year AHL contract beginning next season. The 24-year-old winger just wrapped up his fourth and final collegiate season with the Pioneers and his third in a row with double-digit goals and assists and a plus rating. The all-around contributor lacks size or high-end skill, but makes up for it with an impressive motor and great hockey IQ. Lukosevicius projects to be a capable pro who may even develop into a bottom-six option for the Red Wings down the road.

Atlantic Notes: Zadina, Holmstrom, Steen

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When Detroit Red Wings rookie forward Filip Zadina takes the ice tonight, it will mark his fifth NHL game. More importantly, it means he is halfway toward burning the first year of his entry-level contract. Under the NHL CBA, an 18- or 19-year-old player may have their entry-level contract “slide” if he does not play a minimum of 10 NHL games in a given season. For the first-year pro Zadina, this looked like a likely outcome for much of the year. The No. 6 overall pick in the 2018 NHL Draft had played exclusively in the AHL this season until late last month, when he was finally recalled by the Red Wings. Now Detroit has a decision to make.

With 14 games remaining in the regular season for a team that is well beyond any playoff hopes, the Red Wings brass must decide if they want to limit Zadina to less than five more games down the stretch, thereby extending his rookie deal by one year, or instead continue to provide NHL experience to an elite young player who is likely to be a regular contributor beginning next season. Zadina, a talented forward who had recorded 31 points in 45 AHL games prior to his recall, projects to see a major raise in his next contract given his draft pedigree and expected production over the next few years, giving Detroit all the more reason to extend his affordable entry-level deal if possible. However, to both appease the young core player and further his development, they may just opt to keep Zadina in Detroit for the remainder of the season at the cost of burning a year off the deal. Either way, Zadina is bound for a return to the Grand Rapids Griffins for a postseason run, so the only question is simply when he is sent back down. Two other players who risk losing their “slide” status are Boston Bruins defenseman Urho Vaakanainen and Carolina Hurricanes forward Martin Necas, both of whom are presently in the AHL and have played a handful of games in the NHL this season and would be near the top of the recall list if their team was to suffer injuries down the stretch or in the postseason.

  • One Red Wings prospect who looks like he may never suit up for the team is Axel Holmstrom. All season long, there has been rumors that the 22-year-old Swedish forward was eyeing a return to Europe when his current contract expired at the end of the season. Although Holmstrom will be a restricted free agent, Detroit can do nothing to keep him in the system if he wishes to leave and can only retain his NHL rights moving forward by making a qualifying offer. The doubt about Holmstrom’s longevity in North America even prompted his KHL rights to be traded this season. However, a new report from Swedish news source Kvall Posten has turned up the heat on the Holmstrom rumors and makes it sound as if the NHL and KHL are both out of the running already. The article states instead that Holmstrom has become a hot commodity back home in Sweden, with several SHL teams reportedly already bidding for his services. In fact, it is stated that two well-known teams have already been priced out. Skelleftea AIK, the team Holmstrom played for prior to coming to North America three years ago, and the Vaxjo Lakers HC, another top contender in SHL this season, are both expected to be out of the running. The remaining bidders are thought to be current league leader Lulea HF, whose GM recently met with Holmstrom in person in Grand Rapids, and HV71, who are believed to have made the highest offer. With this kind of bidding war going on among teams in his home country, it is very unlikely that Holmstrom will be back with Detroit next season. The young forward has been consistent if unspectacular in two full AHL seasons with the Griffins and does not seem all that close to pushing for a regular role with the Red Wings. He is bound to land a greater role and a raise on his current salary of less than $700K if (when) he returns to Sweden.
  • One player looking to make the opposite move – a jump to the NHL – is Boston Bruins prospect Oskar Steen. A sixth-round pick in 2016, Steen immediately looked like a steal for the Bruins. The small, but skilled forward played 47 games in the SHL as an 18-year-old in 2016-17 and then followed it up by making the Swedish World Junior team last year while again playing in 45 SHL games and doubling his previous point total. However, this year he has shed his role player status and blossomed into a top scorer for Farjestad BK. Still just 20, Steen has nevertheless posted 37 points in 44 games to lead all forwards in scoring and help the team to a top playoff seed. His play has begun to garner attention outside of Sweden. The Providence Journal’s Mark Divver notes that Steen is being considered for a spot on Sweden’s entry into the upcoming World Championships, while adding that he is expected to sign with Boston this off-season. Steen will likely have to spend some time in the AHL at first, but is yet another young forward who will push for ice time with the Bruins next year.

Deadline Primer: Carolina Hurricanes

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With the trade deadline just days away, we continue our look at the situation for each team over the coming weeks.  Where do they stand, what do they need to do, and what assets do they have to fill those needs?  As we continue with the Metropolitan Division, here is a look at the Carolina Hurricanes.

In less than 100 hours, the 2019 NHL Trade Deadline will come and go. While there are many deals still to be made, most teams have at least decided if they are buying, selling, or sitting out at the deadline. Perhaps the one team still waiting to make that call are the Carolina Hurricanes, and for good reason.

Tuesday night was a rough result for the Hurricanes. The team fell to the non-playoff New York Rangers, while the Pittsburgh Penguins and Montreal Canadiens both picked up wins. Carolina now trails both of those teams by three points, while the Columbus Blue Jackets occupy the final wild card spot with a one-point lead and a game in hand on the Hurricanes. Despite their strong play of late, Carolina looks like the first team out in the Eastern Conference right now. Of course, that can change before the deadline. The ‘Canes have a winnable match-up tonight against the Florida Panthers, followed by a tougher test against the Dallas Stars on Saturday. How they perform, as well as the results for the Blue Jackets, Penguins, and Canadiens, before Monday will inform their deadline decision.

Carolina holds the NHL’s longest playoff drought of nine years and desperately would like to make the playoffs. At the same time, they are a young team who could really use the return on any trade assets if the postseason doesn’t look realistic. It’s a difficult choice to make, but where they sit in the playoff race after the next few days could cause them to lean one way or another or, perhaps the most likely outcome, no way at all.

Record

31-23-6, fifth in the Metropolitan Division

Deadline Status

TBD

Deadline Cap Space

$76.26MM in full-season cap hit, 1/3 used salary cap retention slots, 43/50 contracts per CapFriendly

Upcoming Draft Picks

2019: CAR 1st, BUF 2nd, CAR 2nd, CAR 3rd, CAR 4th, CAR 5th, CAR 6th, CGY 6th, BOS 7th
2020: CAR 1st, CAR 2nd, BUF 3rd, CAR 3rd, CAR 4th, CAR 5th, BUF 6th, CAR 6th, CAR 7th

Trade Chips

With their status at the deadline still so uncertain, chances are the Hurricanes will be involved in both the buyers’ and sellers’ markets, but could very well choose to do nothing at all. For discussion’s sake though, let’s say the Hurricanes decide to sell. Of the two options, selling is more probable as there are no pieces that Carolina could move that would automatically end their push for the postseason. The one player who would certainly be on the move is impending UFA power forward Micheal Ferland. Ferland, acquired from the Calgary Flames in the off-season, has been excellent in Carolina and is in fact on pace for a career high in points. However, Ferland seems destined to test the free agent market and the recent acquisition of Nino Niederreiter has made his departure manageable. Carolina would miss Ferland’s contributions down the stretch this season, but are prepared for life without him and would likely land a nice return if they chose to trade him. Several contenders are in search of grit and offense at this time of the year and Ferland checks both boxes.

Ferland is the only impending UFA skater thought to have any value on the trade market. Captain Justin Williams is not available and Greg McKegg has been a serviceable player that is more valuable to the ’Canes as a depth option than any low-end return might be. However, goaltenders are a different story. Both Curtis McElhinney and Petr Mrazek are impending free agents and both have performed well this season, especially McElhinney. With Scott Darling still under contract next year, young Alex Nedeljkovic in consideration, and a strong goalie free agent class, it’s unclear if McElhinney or Mrazek will be back in Raleigh next season. With that in mind, the Hurricanes may be willing to part with one or the other at the deadline if the right offer presents itself. It goes without saying that if the team could move Darling, they would.

Elsewhere in the lineup, there continues to be speculation that the Hurricanes would like to deal from a position of strength on defense. With Dougie Hamilton, Justin Faulk, Brett Pesce, and Trevor van Riemsdyk on the roster, Carolina is flush with talented right-shot defenders. Chances are one will be dealt at some point soon. However, it will be in a hockey trade, with the ‘Canes getting a top-nine forward back in return. Such trades are uncommon at the deadline, so don’t hold out hope that the team will be make such a move before the off-season.

What if the Hurricanes are buyers? Then the list of trade chips is a slightly more extensive. Charlotte Checkers defensemen Haydn Fleury and Roland McKeown continue to wait patiently for roles in Carolina that may never come and the time may have arrived for the Hurricanes to move them in the right deal. The same could be said for another pair of impending RFA’s, forwards Andrew Poturalski and Saku Maenalanen, both of whom have been productive in the minors but underutilized at the top level. This is just the tip of the iceberg of what is an impressive pipeline for the Hurricanes, but as they’re not expected to be major buyers, top names like Martin Necas, Janne Kuokkanen, Jake Bean, and Adam Fox are likely untouchable. Carolina has plenty of draft picks to peddle as well, rather than moving their top prospects

Five Players To Watch For: F Micheal Ferland, G Curtis McElhinney, D Haydn Fleury, D Roland McKeown, F Saku Maenalanen

Team Needs

1) Top-Six Forward: It’s no secret that the Hurricanes desire a top-six forward. The team was in on William Nylander for months before he re-signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs (they could revisit that option this summer) and eventually swung a deal with the Minnesota Wild for Nino Niederreiter. However, scoring is still an issue. This season, only the Dallas Stars and New York Islanders have scored fewer goals per game than Carolina among teams in playoff position. The offense is stagnant at times and has been carried by Sebastian Aho and Teuvo Teravainen all year. Looking ahead, the likely loss of Micheal Ferland could further diminish scoring next season. Although the pipeline is loaded with capable forward in Carolina, the team needs a long-term top-six addition. It remains to be seen if such a player is available at the deadline this year. Expect the ’Canes to kick the tires on Jonathan Huberdeau and Mike Hoffman, as well as the likes of Jason Zucker or Adam Henrique.

2) Value Forwards: If Carolina decides to buy in to playoff run this year, but the prices are too high on a long-term forward acquisition, the team would be better off trying to wait out the market to add some bargains than give up considerable future pieces for top rentals. For example, the idea of an Eric Staal return is great, but not an affordable option for Carolina. Instead, players like Richard Panik, Sven Andrighetto, or Alex Chiasson would come at a much lesser cost and would be less risky acquisitions in light of Carolina’s current playoff position, but would help fill some gaps in the lineup and create some more offense. The Hurricanes may very well stand pat at the deadline, but making even just a minor addition up front could go a long way.

Martin Necas Loaned To Czech World Junior Team

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Another game-changing talent has been loaned to the Czech Republic for the upcoming World Junior Championship, as Martin Necas has officially been sent by the Carolina Hurricanes. Necas has been playing in the minor leagues, but will join his countrymen in Vancouver for the tournament and likely play a huge role for the Czech team. Last year, Necas tied for the tournament lead in scoring with 11 points.

The Czech team had already announced that Necas would be part of the team, but until the Hurricanes actually loaned him there they had no say in whether he could attend. Now that he is part of it though, the 19-year old center should form a deadly forward unit with other top options like Filip Zadina, Martin Kaut and Filip Chytil (who hasn’t technically been loaned yet). All four were big parts of the team last year and should be extremely tough to handle throughout the tournament.

Though they were unable to medal last year, the Czech team is not one to sleep on in this time around. With several players who have already made their NHL debuts, and a goaltender like Jakub Skarek that is having an excellent season in the Finnish Liiga, the team could catch fire at any moment. Necas, who has 22 points in 26 games for the Charlotte Checkers of the AHL, will be a huge part of any success.

NHL Prospects Fill World Junior Selection Camp Rosters For Finland, Czech Republic

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Team Canada released their roster for the upcoming World Junior Championship selection camp yesterday, and all but three players had already been drafted by an NHL team. Alexis Lafreniere, Raphael Lavoie and Brett Leason are the only invitees who have yet to be picked by a professional franchise. That number grows slightly when looking at the rosters of two other prime hockey nations, but that’s not to say there isn’t plenty of NHL prospects among them.

Finland and the Czech Republic also released their selection camp rosters yesterday:

Team Finland:

G Lassi Lehtinen (undrafted)
G Filip Lindberg (undrafted)
G Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (BUF)

D Aleksi Anttalainen (undrafted)
D Ville Heinola (2019 eligible)
D Anttoni Honka (2019 eligible)
D Olli Kaskinen (undrafted)
D Mikko Kokkonen (2019 eligible)
D Oskari Laaksonen (BUF)
D Otto Latvala (undrafted)
D Joona Riekkinen (undrafted)
D Lassi Thomson (2019 eligible)
D Toni Utunen (VAN)

F Teemu Engberg (undrafted)
F Aleksi Heponiemi (FLA)
F Kaapo Kakko (2019 eligible)
F Rasmus Kupari (LAK)
F Anton Lundell (2020 eligible)
F Niklas Nordgren (CHI)
F Linus Nyman (undrafted)
F Sampo Ranta (COL)
F Aarne Talvitie (NJD)
F Samuli Vainionpaa (undrafted)
F Santeri Virtanen (WPG)
F Jesse Ylonen (MTL)

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Martin Necas, Haydn Fleury Sent To AHL

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Despite scoring his first NHL goal just last night, Martin Necas still has some development to do. That’s what the Carolina Hurricanes decided today when they sent Necas and defenseman Haydn Fleury to the AHL while recalling Clark Bishop. The Hurricanes are off to an excellent start this season and Necas was limited to fewer than seven minutes of ice time last night. Fleury meanwhile has only made his way into the lineup once this season, meaning this demotion will actually give him a chance to play for the first time in more than a week. Carolina doesn’t play again until Saturday, meaning it is possible that Necas and Fleury could play in Friday’s Charlotte Checkers game before returning to the NHL.

Necas, 19, also faces the fact that his contract would slide once again if he fails to play in three more NHL games this season. If he’s not going to be a big part of the roster right now, the Hurricanes may be thinking they can protect their asset and keep him on his entry-level contract for another season. Fleury doesn’t have to deal with that factor, but does have a glut of very capable defenders ahead of him on the roster.

Bishop, 22, may have impressed through his first few minor league games this season, but more likely is just a roster placeholder for the time being until Victor Rask can return from injury. The Hurricanes also waived Phillip Di Giuseppe today as they try to tweak their roster, meaning Bishop becomes the 12th healthy forward. It’s unlikely the situation remains that way, and there is reason to believe someone like Janne Kuokkanen could be on his way up to help the club right now. That likely wouldn’t happen until Friday or Saturday though, meaning we’ll have to wait and see what’s next for the Hurricanes.

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