With NHL Free Agency beginning on July 1 at noon ET, there are a lot of eyes on the Carolina Hurricanes. This is in large part due to the Hurricanes having the fifth-highest available cap space in the NHL. However, to this point, things have been relatively quiet in Raleigh since the Hurricanes’ season came to a close in the Eastern Conference Final.
Hurricanes general manager Don Waddell has checked a couple of important boxes this offseason by re-signing veteran forward Jordan Staal, who has served as team captain since 2019, as well as veteran Jesper Fast, to team-friendly deals. These signings ensured that the Hurricanes’ dominant third line will stay intact heading into the 2023-24 NHL campaign, while also keeping a couple of key veteran presences in Raleigh for at least a couple more seasons.
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The Hurricanes still have a glaring need for an above-average goal-scorer to add to their top six. Don Waddell will have the opportunity to pursue pretty much any unrestricted free agent (UFA) forward available in the free agency market thanks to their available cap space. Although, with the UFA class being relatively weak this offseason, he could choose to pursue a goal-scorer via a trade. However, based on everything we’ve seen to this point in the offseason, I expect him to focus on the UFA forward market instead of a trade since that would allow him to keep the entire Hurricanes’ core intact, including forwards Teuvo Teravainen and Martin Necas.
Let’s take a look at three UFA forwards the Hurricanes should target once the free agency period begins on July 1.
Tyler Bertuzzi
Reports came out earlier this week that Bruins forward Tyler Bertuzzi would test the free-agent market this offseason. This move wasn’t surprising due to the Bruins’ limited cap space available. The 28-year-old power forward could bring the physicality and secondary goal-scoring that the Hurricanes need to get over the hump in the postseason. He was traded to the Bruins at the trade deadline last season, and played his best hockey during the playoffs, finishing with 10 points (five goals, five assists) in seven games played.
The 6-foot-1, 186-pound Canadian can take over a game with his high-energy and physical nature of play while on the ice. Just imagine a Hurricanes second line of Bertuzzi, Jesperi Kotkaniemi, and Andrei Svechnikov. You’d be hard-pressed to find a more physical line in the NHL that also exhibits as much goal-scoring potential as that one could. It will be interesting to see if the Hurricanes’ front office pursues the gritty Bertuzzi once free agency begins.
Matt Duchene
There was a bit of surprising news out of Nashville on Thursday, as the Nashville Predators decided to buyout the remaining contract for center Matt Duchene making him a UFA right before free agency kicks off. The 32-year-old is just two years removed from a career-best 86-point (43 goals, 43 assists) season in 2021-22. He will surely generate a ton of interest in free agency as a UFA, but will the Hurricanes be one of those teams?
I believe the Hurricanes should pursue the veteran Canadian who has 744 career points and could immediately step into the 2C role, allowing the 22-year-old Kotkaniemi to continue developing on the third or fourth line. One concern with Duchene could be durability as he will be entering his 15th NHL season, so I would be hesitant to offer anything more than a two-year deal.
Ryan O’Reilly
Another veteran forward that will be available as a UFA in free agency is none other than Ryan O’Reilly. The decorated 32-year-old is an elite two-way center that I believe could thrive within the Hurricanes’ system as he chases a second Stanley Cup. Similar to Duchene, O’Reilly could immediately plug into the Hurricanes’ lineup at the 2C and produce alongside Svechnikov and Necas.
O’Reilly would add some physicality to the forward group as well, with his 6-foot-1, 207-pound frame and physical nature of play on the ice. While O’Reilly didn’t have eye-popping stats this season after being traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs, he is coming off a streak of nine straight seasons with 54-plus points. If I were the Hurricanes’ front office he would be one of the first UFAs I reach out to once the free agency period begins thanks to his elite two-way skills as well as the veteran experience he would bring to the team.
Regardless of which route the Hurricanes front office takes in search for a goal-scoring forward, it is sure to be a busy next few days in Raleigh as the free agency period gets underway. It will be fascinating to watch Waddell and company try to pull the right strings to make sure the Hurricanes are one of the top contenders heading into the 2023-24 NHL season.