The Carolina Hurricanes have signed forward Skyler Brind’Amour to a one-year, two-way, league-minimum contract per David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period.
Brind’Amour played in his first professional season last year, recording a measly eight points across 54 games with the Charlotte Checkers. He made the jump to the pros after four years at Quinnipiac University, where he improved his scoring every season, ultimately maxing out at 14 goals and 32 points in 41 games in his senior year. It was the right time to pop, with Brind’Amour filling a pivotal depth role in Quinnipiac’s first run to the NCAA championship.
Brind’Amour was originally drafted in the 2017 sixth-round by the Edmonton Oilers, after scoring 50 points in 48 games of triple-A hockey and one point in eight USHL games. He followed the draft selection with a pair of seasons in the BCHL, where he combined for 68 points across 104 games. That was enough to earn a commitment to Quinnipiac University in 2018, where he was able to solidify his ability as a fundamental depth forward – though his rights with Edmonton would expire in 2023.
Now 25, Brind’Amour will look to find his scoring at a pro level. He’ll be under the control of an NHL organization for the first time, which could make it easier to rotate him between AHL and ECHL roles as he searches for a groove.
No mention of any relationship with someone in the Canes staff?
@dano62—Maybe they think most of us already know the tie to the legendary HC. That said, the rule of radio should always be adhered to–“Somebody is reading (listening to) this for the first time”.
I’ll certainly reiterate that if the kid’s name was “Joe Shlobotnik,” his career ceiling would be as a ECHL third liner.
He actually looked solid in the preseason. Obviously unlikely he makes an NHL impact but it cant hurt.
Yeah, I was skeptical, but he did not look out of place. He was good in the faceoff circle. Don’t seem him more than a 4th liner, but he was responsible and can win draws. Has the right size for the NHL. His speed was much faster than I thought it would be as well. Consider me proven wrong.
Carolina, Calgary, and Oilers (if you include hockey families). Nepotism is rampant in the NHL.
Josh Doan is an excellent example
(Nevermind his dad working for the Leafs). That in itself is a kind of Coyotes nepotism.
Rod giving LeBron a run for his money on shameless nepotism. And undercutting his ENTIRE coaching brand by doing so.
If your kid is good enough, let someone else draft/hire them.
If they aren’t good enough, stop it.
Shameless nepotism? Undercuts RBA’s entire coaching brand?
What’s the big deal here? It’s a one-year, league-minimum contract to see what he can do after a solid preseason. Sorry, but this doesn’t tarnish RBA’s ENTIRE coaching brand at all.
If your kid is good enough, why let someone else draft/hire him? You’re going to look the other way just because of his last name? Glad you’re not the Canes’ GM.
Are you sure? I knew not to offer sheet Kotkaniemi just to send a cute tweet.
And yes, the guy who tells his players to be accountable and earn it is hurting his brand by constantly offering opportunities to his own kid that no other team is willing to offer.
Really? They signed him to a ONE-YEAR AHL contract. Skyler had a good preseason and Chicago is real thin on centers. You might have a point if they put him on the Canes’ NHL roster, but they didn’t.
Please explain how RBA has “constantly” offered opportunities to his own kid that no other team has been willing to offer. Skyler was drafted by Edmonton (not Carolina) when he was playing in the BCHL, then attended Quinnipiac University (not Carolina), then signed last year with the Charlotte Checkers who are affiliated with the Florida Panthers (not Carolina). And how do you know that no other team would be willing to offer him a similar deal in the AHL this year? Your hit on RBA simply has no basis in FACTS.
Ha! You think you’re the only one who thought offer sheeting KK was a bad idea? So did half of Hurricane fandom. I’ve been calling for the Canes to buyout KK for the last two years. But that doesn’t qualify me to be GM.
Now that is one solid overreaction. Well played!
Kind of like when Columbus signed Owen Sillinger to an AHL contract just because his brother is a future star here. Hopefully.
Thankfully Owen almost made team out of camp. But it’s good he starts in Cleveland and gets more polish.