- While the Hurricanes were hoping that winger Teuvo Teravainen would be good to go following the All-Star break, it appears his lingering lower-body injury hasn’t healed as well as the team hoped. Instead, as Chip Alexander of the Raleigh News & Observer notes (Twitter link), Teravainen is listed as a game-time decision for their game against Toronto on Monday. He has missed the last two games due to the injury.
Hurricanes Rumors
Jesperi Kotkaniemi Enters COVID-19 Protocol
Carolina Hurricanes forward Jesperi Kotkaniemi entered the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol today, the team announced on Twitter.
Kotkaniemi becomes the only Hurricanes player in COVID protocol. With the NHL scaling back testing protocol and slowly loosening COVID restrictions, there’s almost surely going to be a decrease in the frequency of players entering the protocol.
After signing a one-year, $6MM offer sheet to join the Hurricanes organization this summer, Kotkaniemi is on pace for a career season despite a limited role and limits. Most often seeing usage in the team’s bottom-six, the 21-year-old Kotkaniemi has nine goals and 11 assists for 20 points in 42 games, on pace to eclipse his career-high of 34 points set during his rookie campaign with the Montreal Canadiens in 2018-19.
It’s a tough break for the Hurricanes, who’ll likely lose a valuable depth piece for a few games. Assuming Kotkaniemi misses games within the normal five-day quarantine period, he’ll miss the team’s next three contests and could potentially return on February 12th in St. Paul against the Minnesota Wild.
The news comes as the team’s general manager Don Waddell said yesterday that the team hopes to sign a long-term contract extension. Kotkaniemi is a restricted free agent this offseason.
Hurricanes Hoping To Sign Kotkaniemi To Long-Term Deal
Last summer, the Carolina Hurricanes became the first team to successfully acquire a player through an offer sheet since the Edmonton Oilers snatched Dustin Penner in 2007. They forfeited two picks–including a first-round selection in 2022–to the Montreal Canadiens as compensation for Jesperi Kotkaniemi, who signed just a one-year deal with the Hurricanes.
Kotkaniemi, 21, has 20 points in 42 games so far in Carolina but is playing just over 12 minutes a night. While that certainly isn’t what you want from someone carrying a $6.1MM cap hit, the team was always going to have to pay a premium in order for the offer sheet to work in the first place.
Right from the moment it was signed, speculation began about what the Hurricanes could do for Kotkaniemi’s next contract. He’ll be a restricted free agent after the season ends and is eligible for arbitration. To even get that far though the Hurricanes also owe him a qualifying offer that matches his $6.1MM cap hit, something that was the cause of much consternation in the summer.
Before they even get to the issue of a qualifying offer though, the Hurricanes are working to avoid that problem altogether. In Pierre LeBrun’s latest for The Athletic, he spoke to general manager Don Waddell, who admitted that he’s already had preliminary contract talks with Kotkaniemi’s camp. The team is hoping to sign a long-term deal and spoke to agent Markus Lehto last week.
A long-term extension could potentially fix any overpayment relative to Kotkaniemi’s production. Sure, he has leverage right now with that qualifying offer and arbitration in his pocket, but that extra money could be spread out to get a lower cap hit, one that gives the young forward time to develop and become a core piece of what they’re doing in Carolina. It’s unlikely to provide a ton of surplus value given the Hurricanes’ position, but it also will bring that number down to a more reasonable amount. As Waddell put it, the team will “find a solution to make everyone happy.”
Hurricanes Plan To Restart Vincent Trocheck Extension Talks Soon
The Hurricanes plan to revisit extension talks with pending UFA center Vincent Trocheck soon, GM Don Waddell told Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic (subscription link). The two sides discussed a new deal earlier in the season but tabled those talks when there was no progress being made. The 28-year-old has done a nice job rebuilding his value since coming over in a trade from Florida in 2020. At that time, his role and production have dipped but with Carolina, he has become an important part of their top six while becoming particularly sharp at the faceoff dot. He’s playing at close to a 60-point pace this season and knowing how high the demand for quality centers can be in free agency, his camp can certainly make a case for an increase on his current $4.75MM AAV. However, that type of contract could be tough to fit into Carolina’s long-term cap structure.
NHL Announces Several Key Events For 2022-23
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman took the podium today in Las Vegas to give an update on several topics, including some key events that will take place in 2022-23.
The 2023 NHL Winter Classic will feature the Boston Bruins at Fenway Park and will mark the fifth outdoor game for the team. The Bruins’ opponent has not yet been revealed, or the official date at this point. Fenway held the 2010 Winter Classic, where the Bruins defeated the Philadelphia Flyers 2-1 in overtime.
Next year’s All-Star festivities will be held in Sunrise, Florida, and will be hosted by the Florida Panthers for the first time since 2003. The event will take place over February 3-4, 2023 with the All-Star Skills Competition on Friday, as it is this year. The Panthers, one of the league’s most exciting teams, will likely have several participants again next year.
The Stadium Series will head to Raleigh, North Carolina, where the Carolina Hurricanes will host an outdoor game at Carter-Finley Stadium, home of the NC State Wolfpack. This will be the very first outdoor game for the Hurricanes, though their opponent has also not been announced yet. The Stadium Series date has also not yet been officially set for 2023.
On the upcoming 2022 draft that is currently scheduled for Montreal, Bettman explained that if Quebec’s current COVID restrictions have not changed by that point, the league may decide to take it somewhere else. He hopes to have not only the team representatives and players in person, but also fans in the stands.
The league will also return to Europe next season in the Global Series, with games scheduled for Germany, Switzerland, Finland, and the Czech Republic, though details on those games were not revealed.
Teuvo Teravainen “Doubtful” For Carolina Hurricanes Sunday
Carolina Hurricanes right wing Teuvo Teravainen is doubtful to play for the team Sunday against the San Jose Sharks, according to head coach Rod Brind’Amour.
Teravainen missed the team’s game yesterday, a 2-1 win versus New Jersey, as well with an undisclosed injury. It was just his second missed game of the 2021-22 season.
The 27-year-old Finnish forward is fourth on the team in points with 32, potting 11 goals and 21 assists while averaging 17:58 per game. He’s most commonly seen top-line duties with Sebastian Aho at center this year.
In his absence, Jordan Martinook, who Brind’Amour has used sparingly this season (just 25 games played), will continue to play alongside Aho and rookie Seth Jarvis.
Brind’Amour said that there’s a possibility Teravainen may take warmups, so even if he doesn’t return today, it won’t be long before he’s back in the lineup.
Carolina Hurricanes Extend Jalen Chatfield
The Carolina Hurricanes have done a little offseason business ahead of time, signing minor league defenseman Jalen Chatfield to a two-year contract extension. The deal is two-way in 2022-23, paying Chatfield $750K at the NHL level, $250K at the AHL level and includes a $300K minor league guarantee. In 2023-24, it is a one-way contract worth $775K. Hurricanes GM Don Waddell released a statement:
From the moment camp began, he’s played the Hurricane way. Jalen earned this two-year extension, and we know he will continue to bolster our blue line.
Chatfield, 25, has appeared in seven games for the Hurricanes this season but spent most of his time in the AHL, recording four goals and seven points in 21 games for the Chicago Wolves. Undrafted, he signed with the Vancouver Canucks in 2017 and spent three seasons with the Utica Comets. In 2020-21, he made his NHL debut by skating in 18 games with the Canucks, registering a single point.
While he doesn’t figure to play a ton at the NHL level, Chatfield represents strong depth for the Hurricanes organization and can continue to lead with the Wolves. He cleared waivers without a problem at the beginning of October and now, with this two-year extension in hand, will likely clear them the next time the Hurricanes need to sneak him through.
Despite being just 25, Chatfield would have qualified for Group VI unrestricted free agency this summer. He’s now avoided RFA status altogether, as he’ll be a UFA when this new deal expires in 2024.
Martin Necas, Jordan Martinook Enter COVID Protocol
Jan 20: The Hurricanes have now placed Jordan Martinook in the protocol, removing another forward from the mix for a few days. Martinook played a little less than 13 minutes on Tuesday against the Boston Bruins, recording his seventh point of the season.
Jan 17: After wowing the crowd with an impressive goal on his birthday this weekend, Martin Necas will have to enter isolation. The Carolina Hurricanes forward has been placed in the league’s COVID protocol, just 40 minutes after the team released a video celebrating his 100th NHL point.
Necas, 23, has registered those 100 points in just 158 career games, including 21 in 33 this season. Like most of the Hurricanes these days, strong possession numbers have resulted in good offensive results for the young forward, despite seeing limited time on the powerplay as part of the second unit.
Luckily, the Hurricanes play only twice this week. Games tomorrow and Friday are likely out of the question for Necas if he tested positive for coronavirus, but there would be a chance he’s eligible to return on Saturday. Even if it is three games he misses, the Hurricanes are a strong enough group that they have in-house replacements for his minutes.
Team reporter Walt Ruff tweets that Nino Niederreiter has moved into Necas’ spot on the second line at practice today, with Derek Stepan jumping in on the fourth line. Jaccob Slavin, who was in the protocol the last few days, has joined the group.
AHL Notes: Malone, Trade, Signings
Veteran minor leaguer Sean Malone is set to miss an extended period of time following recent surgery, reports Bill Hoppe of the Olean Times Herald. Malone is a familiar name to Buffalo Sabres fans; the Harvard product has spent four of five pro seasons with the AHL’s Rochester Americans and three of those under contract with the Sabres. After leaving last season to sign with the Nashville Predators, Malone returned to Buffalo this off-season and has been enjoying the best season of his career with nine goals and 22 points in 23 games with Rochester. However, Hoppe writes that an undisclosed lower-body injury that has plagued the 26-year-old throughout much of his career finally caught up with him, forcing him to opt for surgery. The decision will keep Malone out at least six weeks, according to Americans head coach Seth Appert. Though Malone has only two NHL games to his credit, one with Buffalo and one with Nashville, the veteran is a trusted member of the Sabres’ organizational depth chart and one whose absence in the minors will be noticed. Appert states that Malone is a leader and “go-to guy” who has been instrumental in the development of top Sabres prospects like Jack Quinn and J.J. Peterka. Though Malone is expected to be out until at least March, hopefully the veteran can return to action at full strength and hit the ground running at his current career scoring pace, perhaps even earning another chance in Buffalo.
- The Arizona Coyotes and Carolina Hurricanes completed an AHL trade on Friday, with forward Stephen Harper moving from the Chicago Wolves to the Tucson Roadrunners in exchange for future considerations. Harper was the hero of the ECHL’s Kelly Cup Playoffs last season, earning postseason MVP honors for leading the Fort Wayne Komets to a title behind 13 points in 12 playoff games – all as a rookie no less. He has continued to excel at the “AA” level this year too, with 18 points in 15 games. However, the power forward hasn’t earned much more opportunity this year as a result of those efforts. Harper has played in just six AHL games this season in a limited role, which is likely what prompted a trade. The 26-year-old USports product is not exactly an NHL prospect, but has earned a chance to show what he can do at the next level and the Roadrunners appear willing to give him that opportunity.
- Is a Daniel Briere pipeline forming between the ECHL’s Maine Mariners and the AHL’s Lehigh Valley Phantoms? The Mariners may be affiliated with the Boston Bruins, but they share an owner with the Philadelphia Flyers in Comcast Spectacor and GM and President Briere is a former long-time Flyer himself. For the third time already this season, a Mariner has signed an AHL contract with the Flyers’ affiliate in Lehigh Valley. The Phantoms announced that they have signed forward Alex Kile to a contract for the remainder of the season. Kile was the first ever signing by the Mariners when they joined the ECHL back in 2018 and the University of Michigan product has 162 points in 201 ECHL games ever since, with some AHL loans mixed in as well. With five goals and 12 points in seven games with Maine so far this year, the Phantoms decided that the 27-year-old Kile was worthy of a more permanent AHL stay.
- The Washington Capitals have seen enough from USports forward Derek Gentile this season to put an end to his collegiate season with a pro contract. The Dalhousie University standout signed a contract with the AHL’s Hershey Bears, though he will begin his pro career in the ECHL with the South Carolina Stingrays. Gentile, the captain of the QMJHL’s Cape Breton Screaming Eagles in 2019-20, missed his first collegiate season in 2020-21 but you wouldn’t know it by his play this season. Gentile recorded 15 goals and 27 points in 18 games for Dalhousie prior to his departure. And he stayed hot in his pro debut on Friday, posting two goals and an assist in his pro debut. Gentile could be in Hersey very shortly if that keeps up.
Jaccob Slavin Placed In COVID Protocol
Perhaps it’s a good thing that their game against the Philadelphia Flyers tonight was canceled. The Carolina Hurricanes have announced that Jaccob Slavin is now in the COVID protocol, meaning he would have missed the game anyway. Slavin is the only Hurricanes player on the protocol at the moment, as though Brendan Smith hasn’t played since the middle of December, he returned to practice before the new year.
If there’s one player you wouldn’t want to take out of the Hurricanes lineup it’s probably Slavin, who has truly been a do-it-all star for the team this season. The 27-year-old defenseman has 18 points in 33 games, is averaging nearly 24 minutes a night, and leads all NHL players in short-handed ice time. In fact, his 129:13 is nearly 12 minutes ahead of the second-place Ryan McDonagh’s 117:55, showing just how important he is to the Hurricanes’ penalty-killing effort.
With tonight’s game postponed, the Hurricanes will next take the ice on Thursday for a match with the Columbus Blue Jackets. If Slavin has tested positive, he’ll miss that game and Saturday’s match against the Vancouver Canucks at a minimum. He could potentially return for next week’s game against Boston, but that is still dependant on him testing out of the protocol in the meantime.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images