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by Neil Becker

The Carolina Hurricanes made what could be classified as a gutsy off-season move when they signed former Montreal Canadiens forward Jesperi Kotkaniemi to a lucrative offer sheet.

Kotkaniemi, who was selected by Montreal third overall in the 2018 draft, was a restricted free agent who on August 28^th signed an offer sheet for one year at $6.1 million. This past season Kotkamiemi, who is only 21 years old, scored five goals and 20 points in 56 games. In his career, he has played 171 games and registered 22 goals along with 62 points. Perhaps a change of scenery can jump-start his career. 

In adding some scoring depth and veteran leadership, the Carolina Hurricanes in late July signed unrestricted free agent center Derek Stepan to a one-year contract valued at $1.35 million.  Stepan, who was originally drafted 51^st overall in the 2008 draft by the New York Rangers, has played 759 career games where he has scored 168 goals along with 485 points. Last year, he only played 20 games with the Ottawa Senators where he scored a goal and six points.

The biggest off-season move Carolina Hurricanes made came in the house when they re-signed 21- year-old Russian right-winger Andrei Svechnikov to a lucrative eight-year contract worth $62 million. Drafted second overall by Carolina in the 2018 Draft, Svechnikov is coming off a season that saw him score 15 goals and 42 points in 55 games. His best season came in 2019-20 when he registered 24 goals and 61 points.

Looking to shake up the goaltending, Carolina Hurricanes signed unrestricted free agents Frederik Andersen and Antti Raanta to two-year contracts. Andersen, who spent the past five seasons with the Toronto Maple Leafs, signed the two-year deal which is worth $9 million dollars. Last year Andersen was plagued with injuries as he played only 24 games where he posted a 13-8-3 record with a 2.96 GAA.

Meanwhile, Raanta, who is 32 years old signed a two-year $2 million dollar deal. Last year with the Arizona Coyotes, this veteran goalie posted a 5-5 record with a 3.36 GAA.

Carolina Hurricanes also signed goaltender Alex Lyon to a one-year two-way contract. Lyon spend the past five years in the Philadelphia Flyers organization. Last year, he played six games with the Flyers where he registered a 1-3-1 record with a 3.33 GAA.  

Leaving the Carolina Hurricanes is 33- year-old veteran free agent goalie James Reimer who in late July agreed to a two-year contract with the San Jose Sharks worth $4.5 million. He is coming off a season that saw him play 22 games and post a 15-5-2 record with a 2.66 GAA.

Another unrestricted agent goalie leaving Carolina is Petr Mrazek who signed a three-year deal worth $11.4 million dollars with the Toronto Maple Leafs.  Mrazek who last year missed a lot of time due to a thumb injury, competed in 12 games where he posted a 6-2-3 record with a .923 save percentage.

Last year back on October 22, 2020 goalie Antoine Bibeau agreed to a one-year two-way contract with the Hurricanes. During what was a shortened season, Bibeau posted a 5-2-1 record and a 2.49 GAA with the AHL’s Chicago Wolves. His time with the Hurricanes organization proved to be short-lived as the free agent agreed on August 20, 2021, to a one-year, two-way contract with the expansion Seattle Kraken.

A familiar name coming back to the Canes organization is 27- year-old centerman Andrew Poturalski who in early August inked a one-year two-way contract with Carolina. Poturalski has played two NHL games in the 2016/17 season with the Hurricanes. Eventually, on July 2, 2019, he signed a one-year two-way contract with the Anaheim Ducks. Following two seasons with the AHL’s San Diego Gulls, Poturalski has come back as a free agent to the Canes organization.

Other forwards to sign one-year two-way contracts were right-winger Stefan Noesen, center Maxim Letunov, left-wingers Sam Miletic and C.J. Smith, right-winger Spencer Smallman and center Morgan Geekie.

Forward Cedric Paquette who played 38 games with the Canes signed on July 28, a one-year deal with the Montreal Canadiens for $950,000. Meanwhile, right-winger Sheldon Rempal and left-winger Brock McGinn became unrestricted free agents. Other unrestricted free agents include left-winger Max McCormick, right-winger Saku Maenalanen, center Drew Shore and right-winger, David Gust.

The Carolina Hurricanes signed in late July left-winger free agent Jordan Martinook to a three-year contract. Also, veteran left-winger, Josh Leivo signed a one-year contract worth $750,000 dollars.   

On defence, the Canes made lots of moves including acquiring in late July Ethan Bear in a trade with the Edmonton Oilers. The Hurricanes surrendered forward Warren Foegele. Bear, who is 24 years old, scored 2 goals and 8 points in 43 games last year with the Oilers.

Following last year’s training camp with the Ottawa Senators, defenceman Maxime Lajoie was traded to the Hurricanes. He was assigned to the AHL’s Chicago Wolves where Lajoie scored 6 goals and 21 points in 27 games. This past off-season the Canes signed him to a one-year two-way contract. Another defenceman who signed a one-year two-way contract was Josh Jacobs and Jalen Chatfield. Also coming to Carolina was veteran defenceman Brendan Smith who in July signed a one-year deal worth $800,000. Carolina made a big signing with defenceman Ian Cole who signed a one-year 2.9-million-dollar contract. They also made what could be looked at as controversial with the signing of former New York Rangers defenceman Tony DeAngelo for one year at a million dollars.

The biggest loss on the blueline was unrestricted free agent Dougie Hamilton who ended up signing a seven-year $63 million dollar contract with the New Jersey Devils. Last year the 28 -year-old scored 10 goals and 42 points in 55 games played.

It was recently announced that veteran Hurricanes defenceman Jake Gardner will miss the season due to back and hip surgery.

The big question heading into the new season is Anderson’s health and whether he could handle what should be a heavy workload. Also, the loss of Hamilton will definitely hurt the blueline. Still, expect Carolina to make the playoffs.

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by Neil Becker

The Florida Panthers fanbase has reason to be excited about the upcoming season.

Coming off a season that saw them finish fourth overall with 79 points, the Panthers made a statement by making some key off-season moves to put them on the fringe of being Stanley Cup contenders.

The biggest move came on July 24^th when the Panthers acquired 25-year-old forward Sam Reinhart from the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for goaltender Devon Levi and Florida’s 2022 first-round draft pick.

Reinhart, who was drafted by Buffalo second overall in the 2014 draft, is coming off a solid season that saw him score 25 goals and 40 points in 54 games. A change of scenery to South Florida should really jump-start Reinhart’s career.  Reinhart has played 454 career games and has scored 134 goals along with 295 points. In early August, this restricted free agent agreed to a three-year contract.

Looking to add some veteran leadership Florida signed future hall of fame forward Joe Thornton to a one-year $750,000 million dollar contract. This 42- year-old veteran, and former 1997 first overall pick of the Boston Bruins played last season with the Toronto Maple Leafs. In his one and only season with Toronto, he scored five goals and 20 points in 44 games. In his illustrious career, Thornton has played with the Bruins, San Jose Sharks, and Leafs before becoming a Panther.     

Meanwhile, it looks like veteran left-winger Anthony Duclair has found a home with the Florida Panthers.  

Drafted 80^th overall in the 2013 draft by the New York Rangers, Duclair has bounced around in playing for the Rangers, Columbus Blue Jackets, Arizona Coyotes, Chicago Blackhawks, Ottawa Senators, and the Panthers. On December 17, 2020, Duclair, who was a free agent, signed a one-year $1.7 million dollar contract with the Panthers. He played 43 games last year and scored 10 goals and 32 points.  In mid-July, he agreed to a three-year contract extension for $9 million.

Another forward who has excelled with a change of scenery is rugged centerman Sam Bennett who on July 26^th, agreed to a four-year $17.6 million dollar contract extension. This 25- year-old, who was drafted 4^th overall by the Calgary Flames in the 2014 draft, played six full seasons in Alberta before getting traded on April 12, 2021, to the Panthers. After the trade Bennett played in 10 games where he scored 6 goals along with 15 points while racking up 33 penalty minutes.

Forward Zac Dalpe who is 31 years old, and spent the past five seasons in the Columbus Blue Jackets organization signed a two-year two-way contract with the Panthers. Last year, he played only 12 games with the Blue Jackets where he scored 2 goals and 3 points.

The club didn’t extend qualifying offers to unrestricted free agent forwards Lucas Wallmark, Patrick Bajkov, or Brad Morrison.  

Florida still must make a decision on pending unrestricted free agent left winger Scott Wilson. This 29-year-old, who has played with the Buffalo Sabres, Detroit Red Wings, and Pittsburgh Penguins agreed back on October 21, 2020, to a one-year, two-way contract with the Florida Panthers. He played last season with AHL’s Syracuse Crunch where he scored a goal and three points in eight games.  

The Florida Panthers also offered centreman Carter Verhaeghe, who scored 18 goals and 36 points a three-year contract extension.

 Forward Maxim Mamin who was drafted 175^th overall in the 2016 draft by Florida is coming back after spending the last couple of seasons with the KHL’s CSKA Moscow. Following his second season which saw him score 15 goals and 35 points, Mamin agreed on July 28^th to a one-year contract with Florida worth $975,000.

Another off-season move saw unrestricted centerman Alexander Wennberg sign a three-year deal worth $13.5 million with the Seattle Kraken.

Also re-signing was right-winger Juho Lammikko for one season. Lammikko is coming off a campaign that saw him score 4 goals and 5 points in 44 games.

A decision still has to be made about left winger Nikita Gusev who is an unrestricted free agent.

The Florida Panthers suffered a big loss when on July 21^st, they lost goalie Chris Driedger to the expansion Seattle Kraken. Upon being selected, he agreed to a three-year deal with Seattle for $10.5 million. Last year he posted a 14-6-3 record with a 2.07 G.A.A.

Goalie Evan Fitzpatrick, who was drafted second round by the St. Louis Blues in the 2016 draft, got an invitation on a PTO to the Panthers training camp.

Meanwhile, Florida Panther’s goalie Philippe Desrosiers, who refined his skills last year on the Panthers extended taxi squad, signed as an unrestricted free agent, a one-year contract with the AHL’s Manitoba Moose.

Agreeing to a one-year two-way contract were goalies Christopher Gibson and Sam Montembeault.

On defense, Florida Panthers re-signed defenceman Chase Priskie to a one-year two-way contract. Becoming unrestricted free agents are defenceman Ethan Prow, Alec Rauhauser, Emil Djuse, Tommy Cross, Jake Massie, and Brady Keeper. Meanwhile veteran blueliner Keith Yandle got his contract bought out and Gustav Forsling got a three-year extension. Defenceman Lucas Carlsson and Noah Juulsen both received one-year two-way contracts and Brandon Montour who is known for his offensive skills signed a three-year extension worth $10.5 million.

Once again it will be an exciting season in South Florida as they are one of a handful of teams who can seriously compete for the Stanley Cup.

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