Carolina Hurricanes: Remaining Free Agents Who Could Fit

Do any remaining free agents fit on the Hurricanes roster?

At this point in the offseason, the available free agent list in front of the Hurricanes is pretty much picked over. The original flurry of action snapped up most of the big name players and what remains are older players and skaters with massive warts.

That doesn’t mean there couldn’t still be players of use to the Hurricanes. Currently the team could still need a winger if Justin Williams doesn’t return. Currently the Hurricanes would have to rely on either Saku Maenalanen or Jordan Martinook to fill that void.

The goaltender situation is pretty set, but defense depends on whether the Hurricanes are comfortable with Jake Bean or Gustav Forsling filling in the third pair.

Adding depth at some positions might also open the Hurricanes to more trade options and fortify the current team from injuries.

The question then becomes, is there anyone left on the market that could be a fit for the Hurricanes?

LW Michael Ferland

Hey now, a former Cane could fit as Ferland scored 17 goals and added 23 assists in a good campaign for the Hurricanes in 2018-19. We originally listed him as someone who could be a target for the Hurricanes before free agency began. However, his free agency has been quiet and the winger still is without a deal.

He was a good fit in Carolina and a large reason that the team made the playoffs. In the postseason however, Ferland was nearly invisible, registering just one assist in seven games. He didn’t register a point the last time he was in the playoffs with Calgary either.

In the end, the Hurricanes are set at left wing with Andrei Svechnikov, Nino Niederreiter, and the emerging Warren Foegele. Ferland at this point is not a priority for the Hurricanes and I don’t see much chance that he returns to Carolina.

Fit: 10%

RW Jason Pominville

For a team looking to add scoring, the Hurricanes could do a lot worse than Pominville, who scored 16 goals and dished out 15 assists in 73 games last season. He’s no spring chicken, as he’ll turn 37 shortly after the season starts. A signing of Pominville would simply be a stop-gap before the youngsters are ready to play or the team signs a higher-profile free agent to the position.

He played on the Sabres top line for most of the season and could potentially slide into a second or third line role with the Hurricanes.

The biggest benefit Pominville might bring the Canes is his playoff experience. Pominville has played in 81 postseason games, scoring 51 playoff points. His experience could be a differentiator in pushing a talented Canes roster to the next level.

Fit: 80% if Williams doesn’t re-sign

D Dion Phaneuf

As with many players still available, Phaneuf would only fit if the Hurricanes don’t have faith in their younger players. Phaneuf had a massive down year in 2018-19, scoring only six points and posting a -21 plus-minus.

He would come massively cheap and the Hurricanes would be banking on a strong bounce back season.

At this point it’s more likely that Phaneuf retires and Carolina goes with young options like Haydn Fleury or Jake Bean.

Fit: 0%