We’re officially eight days away from the start of the re-sign and free agency period of the offseason in the NHL. All eyes are still on Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final, followed by the NHL Draft on June 28-29 in Las Vegas. The Carolina Hurricanes have many question marks regarding the roster and how it’ll be constructed for the start of the 2024-25 season in the fall. However, the Hurricanes on June 21 did re-sign Ty Smith to a one-year, two-way deal after acquiring him as part of the Jake Guentzel deal on March 7. Over the last few weeks, the news has mainly been about what the team will do with restricted free agent (RFA) Martin Necas and whether they will extend or trade him.
Related: Ty Smith Can Be a Wild-Card for the Hurricanes Defense
While that transpires, general manager Eric Tulsky mentioned on the Wednesday, June 19 edition of the Jeff Marek Show that the team is busy talking to their players who are RFAs and unrestricted free agents (UFA). In the show, Tulsky mentioned that the team has been busy talking to all agents simultaneously since they have so many contracts to deal with. One of those players who should hopefully be coming back to the Hurricanes for the 2024-25 season is Jack Drury.
Bringing Back Jack Drury
Drury is coming off his first full season for the Hurricanes after tallying eight goals, 19 assists, and 27 points in 74 games in the 2023-24 season. Furthermore, he set career highs in the postseason with one goal, four assists, and five points in 11 playoff games. It was the first time since joining Carolina that Drury was given an entire season to prove his worth, even if he was mainly on the fourth line during the regular season. What holds him back is that the team is so deep, especially at center. However, he was slotted up to the second-line center position during the playoffs, where he contributed in a new role on the fly. Got to give credit to the 24-year-old Winnetka, Illinois native for making the most of the opportunity that was given to him.
The former 42nd overall pick of the 2018 NHL Entry Draft showed why the Hurricanes selected him where they did. Plus, he brings a winning mentality that he gained when he won the 2022 Calder Cup with the Chicago Wolves. During the 2021-22 season with the Wolves, Drury had 20 goals and 52 points in 68 regular season games. He carried that momentum by posting nine goals and 24 points in 18 playoff games for Chicago en route to the title. He is no stranger when it comes to contributing points-wise, especially when he scored 20 goals and 39 points in 28 games during his final year at Harvard University.
Furthermore, he carried that to Sweden when he played for the Vaxjo Lakers in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL). In the 2020-21 season for Vaxjo, he tallied 10 goals and 30 points in 41 regular-season games. Drury followed that up with five goals and 11 points in 14 SHL Playoff games. When allowed to showcase his skills, Drury comes through when asked.
Related: Hurricanes’ Jack Drury Proving He Belongs in Raleighwood
Drury will become an RFA with arbitration eligibility this offseason. His recent entry-level contract (ELC) with the Hurricanes expired, which saw him make $925,000 per season. AFP Analytics has two projections for Drury’s next contract with the Hurricanes: whether he signed a short-term or a long-term deal. The projections are:
- Long-term: four-year, $13.629 million ($3.407 million annual average value, AAV)
- Short-term: two-year, $4.41 million ($2.22 million AAV)
Regarding both options, either one could make sense for both sides. The two-year short-term bridge deal of $2.22 million per season could give Drury more time to prove himself for a bigger contract at 26 years old. Regarding the Hurricanes, it gives the team more flexibility to re-sign or offer deals to other players while seeing what Drury can do with more time to showcase his skills and grow as a player. That might be how Carolina keeps Drury in Raleigh with the potential to get bigger roles and more ice time in head coach Rod Brind’Amour’s system.
After being given an entire season, Drury has proven that he can move well with the puck and can push the play in transition. Furthermore, his underrated speed can help him gain the edge on zone entries versus opposing defenses. It’s easy to see he has better-than-average puck touch and vision in the offensive zone. His hockey IQ needs to be given more credit than it does by the way he can read plays in transition and keep plays alive in the offensive zone. Drury has shown that he has the hockey sense to be used in various roles for the Hurricanes in Brind’Amour’s system when given a chance. He is someone who has a high competitive level and is not afraid to get physical. Drury has shown the ability to drop the gloves to provide a spark for Carolina and can hold his own in fights.
Final Thoughts
Overall, Drury has a proven track record to contribute more when given the chance. He was thrown in at the second-line center spot during the playoffs and thrived immediately. If the Hurricanes think he can handle the 2C spot, maybe it could be a good time to give him a shot there. Furthermore, he could be given some ice time as well on the penalty kill and even the powerplay. Carolina would be missing out on a diamond in the rough player who’s been in the organization for a while now and someone who already knows the system.
It makes sense to keep him around for at least two more seasons, along with being given more responsibility in more prominent roles for the Hurricanes. The projected two-year, $2.22 million deal for Drury would be great for both sides and could lead to a bigger extension later on. With all of the unknowns for the Hurricanes this upcoming summer, bringing back Jack Drury makes sense and one that is very much doable to get done. It all comes down to the term and the amount. Carolina has to bring back the Harvard grad and Captain America for at least two more seasons in Raleighwood.
