Carolina Hurricanes fans have been eagerly watching Hudson Elynuik’s junior career blossom since being selected in the third round two seasons ago, but they may not get a chance to continue. According to Elliotte Friedman in his latest 31 Thoughts column for Sportsnet, Elynuik may not sign with the Hurricanes and instead re-enter the draft in June.
The Hurricanes have until June 1st to convince him otherwise and get him under an entry-level contract. After an 86-point season for the Spokane Chiefs, the 6’5″ center would be an intriguing addition to the draft pool for clubs looking for talent a little closer to NHL-ready.
Where he would eventually land in the draft is unclear, but it’s important to note that he was already ranked 68th among North American skaters in 2016 and hasn’t done anything to change that opinion. With an NHL pedigree—father Pat Elyniuk played over 500 NHL games—and both size and skill, he could climb even higher than 74th, where he was taken the first time around.