As training camp draws to a close, the Carolina Hurricanes were among the teams making significant roster cuts today. Notably, 2023 second-round selection Felix Unger Sörum was not among them – he remains on the team’s camp roster for now. The Norwegian-born Swede turned 18 just a few weeks ago, but head coach Rod Brind’Amour acknowledged his impressive camp today and didn’t rule out Unger Sörum remaining on the team’s roster through the first few games of the season.
That would be one of the most improbable developments of camp. It’s rare players selected outside the top ten choices make an immediate jump to the NHL – let alone players who were selected in later rounds altogether. The 5-foot-11, 170-pound winger posted 10 goals and 46 points in 42 games in Swedish junior play with Leksand last season, and he’ll get loaned back to the organization when his time with Carolina is over this season. His stint on the Hurricanes’ opening night roster will likely be tied to the health of star winger Andrei Svechnikov, who is expected to be ready for the team’s regular season opener after undergoing knee surgery in March. If that’s not the case, however, Brind’Amour says the young Swede may stick around for a nine-game trial to avoid burning the first season of his entry-level contract.
Elsewhere in the Metropolitan Division tonight:
- The New York Islanders announced pre-game that winger Kyle Palmieri will play in Friday’s preseason tilt against the New Jersey Devils, meaning the veteran winger will likely be available for the team’s first game of the regular season next weekend. Palmieri, 32, notched 33 points in 55 games last season and is expected to form the team’s second forward line along with Brock Nelson and Pierre Engvall. He returned to full practice with the team two days ago after head coach Lane Lambert would not confirm Palmieri’s availability for opening night.
- Sticking with the Islanders, one player who is not in tonight’s game is winger Hudson Fasching, who Newsday’s Andrew Gross reports is day-to-day with a minor injury and has now missed his third straight preseason game. Fasching is likely to be healthy for the start of the season, but whether he can keep his role in the lineup from last season remains to be seen. The AHL mainstay forced his way into a career-high 49 NHL games with the Isles last season, posting ten goals and nine assists for 19 points. His main competition for a spot in the lineup is 25-year-old Julien Gauthier, an offseason free agent signing who’s gotten recent looks higher up in the lineup during camp.
“On November 13, Felix Unger-Sorum was asked to remove himself from his hockey team. That request came from his coach. Deep down he knew Coach was right, but he also knew that someday he would return to them. With nowhere else to go, he appeared at the rink of his junior team Leksands. Can Felix Unger-Sorum return to the Hurricanes, without driving everyone crazy?”
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Felix Unger Sörum meet Oskar Madison Sandin! What an odd couple!
@KRB – I wish these pages would auto-refresh like they’re supposed to. We watched the same show! One is a left-shot D, and the other is a left-shot D, playing his off-side. They’ll drive all of us crazy!
The Capitals have a prospect named Oskar Magnusson. He’ll probably never make the NHL, but maybe someday there’ll be a line in the SHL with Oskar Magnusson, and Felix Unger-Sorum. We can only hope!