Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Dylan Coghlan is in a peculiar situation. While he finds himself on a roster that has more defensive depth than perhaps anyone else in the league at this moment in time, he is at the very back of the line to get game time. With some of the names floating in the rumor mill, this could change on a dime. For now, you must wonder about the options for the Hurricanes’ blueliner.
Specifically, when Coghlan was acquired from the Vegas Golden Knights as a sweetener to take on Max Pacioretty‘s contract last summer, the Hurricanes had high hopes for the Duncan, British Columbia native. It has not worked out so far, and serious concerns exist about the right-handed defenseman’s future due to his lack of playing time and the log jam ahead of him. General manager Don Waddell built the Canes blue line at the organization’s helm. But he has often made moves that have put defensemen with good upside up in the press box watching games rather than developing.
Hurricanes’ Defensive Uncertainty
In terms of projected defensive pairings for the Canes next season, they have seven defensemen ahead of Coghlan: Jaccob Slavin, Brent Burns, Brady Skjei, Brett Pesce, Orlov, Tony DeAngelo, and Chatfield. However, TSN’s Darren Dreger reported on Insider Trading that the Hurricanes could move Pesce if he does not sign an extension before the start of the season. Coghlan could move up to the seventh choice on the backend, but it would still leave this player far from where he wants to be.
For Coghlan, if even one defenseman is moved, it could clear the road slightly, but it would still leave him as the extra man, and worse, the team added DeAngelo this summer. Given his ability to move the puck, Coghlan’s skill set is best suited for the offensive zone. With DeAngleo brought back and Burns still residing on the top pair, it seemingly makes Coghlan even more expendable than last season.
Coghlan struggled in his first season with the team. However, he mainly played on his off-side. The one game that comes to mind when he played on his natural right-hand side was against the Pittsburgh Penguins when Skjei was out for personal reasons. Coghlan had a multiple-point night playing next to Calvin de Haan.
Whatever happens with Coghlan, to say he did not get a fair look during his time in Raleigh is an understatement. Despite being one of the organization’s best defensemen during the preseason, he was held out of the lineup for long periods and could never get into the flow of things. It put him behind when competing for a roster spot with Chatfield.
What Now for Coghlan?
Coghlan signed a one-year extension with the Hurricanes worth $800,000 this season. He would need to clear waivers to report to the American Hockey League (AHL), but since the Hurricanes and Chicago Wolves affiliation ended, it’s uncertain where he will end up. It would be wiser for management to find him a new home in the NHL.
With no AHL affiliate, Carolina could opt to retain the player. It would mean a lot of popcorn and watching from the stands for Coghlan. No one on an NHL deal enjoys watching their team play from the pressbox, but this is a realistic possibility if the team decides to ensure the blue line before anything else.
Of course, as the clear eighth defenseman on the roster, the Hurricanes won’t have much leverage to move Coghlan. Teams could easily refuse to match what the Hurricanes would want in return for the 6-foot-2, 210-pound defenseman.
With six goals and 16 assists in 105 NHL games, Coghlan has more to offer than he has shown. Despite being undrafted, he has already carved out a decent career. Suppose the Hurricanes cannot find space for him or a trade partner at their asking price. Suddenly, the organization would need to agree to do what is best for the player and lower the asking price of the return, which they have done in the past. Even last season, they did it with Ethan Bear.
Contract Termination
Coghlan could request contract termination if he finds another place to play, perhaps in Europe, but this is unlikely. It’s not unheard of for players to want to bet on themselves and try to make an NHL roster somewhere else in the league when they cannot break into their current organization. If he felt that a team lower in the standings could give him the game time he wanted, the Canes could try to accommodate that with termination.
If the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) came beckoning for Coghlan, perhaps he’d listen. Nothing has come easy in his hockey career. An undrafted free agent signing with an expansion team to get his first shot at the big leagues now finds himself at the back of a defensive log jam. Heading overseas to find certain ice time in Europe would not surprise anyone. He’s earned the right to do it, and rarely do players return to North America for NHL deals.
Coghlan could succeed in the right situation, but that is unlikely to happen in Carolina. Given how many players are ahead of him in his position, the coaching staff’s desire to stick with the same group, and the offseason additions on the blue line, he is being pushed toward an early exit. Whether or not it happens, only time will tell.