At least on social media, the swirling fires on NHL free agency eve had to do with reports that the Hurricanes could make offers to Tony DeAngelo and Jake Virtanen, both of whom come loaded with issues. I voted ‘no’ on Tony DeAngelo on Twitter but will save any detailed thoughts on either player for if something actually happens.
Dougie Hamilton
The other biggest news is that lack of news on the Dougie Hamilton front. It looks like he will officially become an unrestricted free agent on Wednesday. I do not have any inside scoop on his situation, but my best guess is that the does have an offer or two that are from teams that need to lead with a bunch of money to get attention. New Jersey and Montreal both make sense, but there could be any number of other bidders. I think the lack of anything definitive today could suggest that Hamilton still has a preference to re-sign with the Hurricanes but that the gap in the offers is too big. Especially with Waddell’s comments a couple days earlier that the two sides seemed to still be negotiating, it seems reasonable that the quiet could be Hamilton giving his agent time to try to get more from the Hurricanes before making a difficult choice. I am on record as saying that the mostly likely time for Hamilton to sign with the Hurricanes would have been over the weekend, so I am not overly optimistic at this point. Per more detailed thoughts awhile back, I am mostly okay with letting Hamilton depart if it takes a max offer for term and salary. But the challenge is how to replace him. The free agent defensemen who are available this off-season are ‘meh’ which could leave the Hurricanes trying to pull off a trade or two.
I do not think the Hurricanes are automatically doomed if they do not re-sign Hamilton, but I think the path to building a good team without him is a challenging one.
Goalies
After adding Jonathan Bernier’s rights via the Alex Nedeljkovic trade, DonWaddell said that the team would be negotiating with both Bernier and Petr Mrazek. Since then the Hurricanes have been mentioned as possible suitors for Darcy Kuemper via trade or Frederik Andersen via free agency. Meanwhile, Toronto has been mentioned as a possible destination for Mrazek.
I think Mrazek and Andersen swapping teams and both being healthy in 2021-22 could be a fascinating ‘how much does goaltending matter’ case study. In an article last week, I built a list of players who on bad teams who could potentially have upside with a change of scenery and a better supporting cast. I included Andersen in that not because Toronto is a bad team but because I think they have bee sub-par defensively during Andersen’s time there. With Mrazek looking pretty good in recent years other than being injured and Andersen trending downward, could it just be their situations? I think that is at least a possibility, and though I do not have Andersen near the top of my list, I would be really curious to see how he looks with a better defense in front of him and less pressure.
In general, I still think John Gibson is the guy, but who knows if he is even available. I like Kuemper. And just generally, I am okay with building another tandem of decent, even if unexciting veterans. The issue is that adding new goalies can be a bit of a dice roll. Recent returns maybe suggest this is easy based on results from Mrazek, McElhinney and Reimer, but one need go back only a couple more years to find Lack and Darling.
What else?
I would expect the Hurricanes to hold on anything more than depth moves until they get some idea what the situation is with Hamilton/his defense slot, at least one goalie and maybe Svechnikov’s next deal. The team will be close enough to the salary cap ceiling that spending on secondary needs early has the potential to create problems with the higher priorities mentioned above.
What say you Canes fans?
1) What do you think the probability is that Dougie Hamilton re-signs with the Hurricanes?
2) If you could pick two goalies within reason, who would they be?
3) What are your predictions for day one of free agency both in terms of adding players but also re-signing or losing Hamilton, McGinn, Martinook, Mrazek, Hakanpaa and others?
Go Canes!
I agree that if Hamilton was going to re-sign with the Canes it would have already happened. With the numbers being thrown around out there of $8-9M I agree with the Canes brass that it’s too much, and for too long. The real question is who are the Canes going to sign? They need 3 defensemen!
I’m not wild about Tony DeAngelo, but it’s not like he’s a criminal. Basically he’s been a jerk his entire career. Maybe he’s changed, maybe he hasn’t, which is my fear. He’ll be out of here by February if he hasn’t. On the hockey side he can replace a lot of what Hamilton brought to the table, and he should be cheap.
I’m not so worried about goalie. There are a bunch of great options out there. Holtby, Grubauer, Andersen, etc. I don’t see the Canes giving away assets to get a goalie at this point. I also don’t see Mrazek coming back. The guy has had three years to take over as “the guy” and hasn’t done it. Time to move on. I would go with Holtby and Bernier if I were choosing.
Sad to see McGinn go. He does everything the right way. I think he’s worth $2.5, but maybe he’s gonna get a lot more. The rest on that list I am fine losing.
I’m still in wait-and-see mode with Dougie and will be sad to see him go but we are probably correct to stay disciplined, as tough as it may be. If you see how little WIN paid for Nate Schmidt or Brenden Dillon, there will be likely be other options out there other than D’Angelo. The flat cap is causing real problems for teams.
As for D’Angelo, I haven’t done a deep dive into his story but our fans on Twitter are going bonkers (in a negative way) over him. I’m in wait-and-see mode there, too, but am concerned about his character (though he seems to be a decent player).
We’ll find goalies, lots of options, and almost any goalie will look better playing behind our team.
Cap space is definitely a weapon and we’re going to need to stay patient and be opportunistic.
One of the most exciting days of the hockey year. Looking forward to seeing what happens.
1. I think the Hamilton ship has sailed. a;though I agree with your thoughts. But this is his chance for the big payday and he should go to the highest bidder he wants.
I am also a strong “no”on DeAngelo as his replacement but that deal is being reported as just about done.
2. Kuemper and Bernier would be a good 1A/B at reasonable cost.
3. WIth nothing signed for McGinn, Martinook, and HakenpaaI I think all 3 are gone – leastwise the decision has been made to let them test free agency which will make them good as gone. But I think all 3 would be solid depth keepers. We will be looking for a bunch of new depth forwards.
Paquette never worked out.
And I am surprised Foegele is still onboard given the earlier reports thathe and the team had decided on a parting of the ways. I thought he would have been gone in a trade by now – that may still happen.
And then Foegele isn’t – a good trade with EDM for Bear.
Sounds like Anderson deal is just about done, ironically the Canes drafted him and then either gave him or traded him to the Ducks. Well, if he can come full circle and do his thing in the Canes net (after a few detours) that’s fine with me, though I would’ve personally prefered other options.
Sounds like the Devils are willing to pay Dougie north of 9M for 7 years, Canes can’t match that (they probably shouldn’t, although I don’t know how they are going to fill the hole he left).
I don’t believe in the public court of social media, so if we sign Tony I’m willing to give him a chance, but the fact he was bought out by the Rangers definitely puts up red, or at least orange, flags for me.
Fogele gone now .. to Edm for D man Ethan Bear.
It looks like a pretty fair trade, at least the Oilers bloggers feel trading Ethan away was not their best choice (24, lot of upside, still some growing to do).
In other news, the Hamilton train has rolled into New Jersey, confirmed, the only times we’ll see Dougie in Raleigh it will be as a member of the opposing team. Can’t say I like it, but the price tag was getting awfully high there.
Still, unless we make more moves I’m not sure if I feel good about our D. I was hoping they could attract Sutor on a one-year deal but it looks like he’s bound for the Lonestar state.
In yet other news, Mrazek signs with the Leafs, the Freddie Andreson signing in Car is not official yet, or I don’t think so.
Wrong, Anderson to Car, 2 years X 4.5. Wonder if we’ll retain Reimer as the backup.
+ Ian Cole (D I think) 1 X 3m, meh.
DeAngelo signed (1 year, 1 mill) and Josh Lievo (minimum contract):
https://www.wralsportsfan.com/hurricanes-acquire-d-bear-from-oilers-for-lw-foegele/19795942/
So the D will look like Slavin/Pesce, Skjei/Bear and Cole/DeAngelo I am guessing (whatever happens to Gardner). Definitely a revamped looking D from last year. The bet on DeAngelo is huge, not sure if it is smart or an incredibly bad idea.
Set in goal with Anderson/Ronta (Ronta has often dealt with injuries but can be incredibly bood).
At forward:
Martinook stays
Josh Leivo was added (meh)
Fogele goes
McGinn goes (sign with Pit)
and obviously Geekie is gone.
I’m guessing the Canes will make a bet on at least one or two of their forward prospects to rise up (and wave their shirts around, like a helicopter), enter Jack Drury.
There are some free agent signings that I would’ve liked more, but it is what it is.
At least we’re not Chicago, they splurged big time on short-term deals for Fleury and Tyler Johnson and added what I can only describe as a very overpriced D man in Seth Jones (yes, he’s good but not 9 mill good).
The rest of their team is not really ready to contend, so I don’t see why they’re splurging so aggressively on these 3 guys. (Since I just said that, they might end up winning the cup)
Hakanpa signed with the Stars (3 years), wouldn’t have minded keeping him around as an inexpensive D man, but he is definitely on the borderline of top 4, so no big deal.