The Carolina Hurricanes have some interesting decisions to make when it comes to their final roster for the 2018-19 regular season.
Head coach Rod Brind’Amour has said repeatedly the number one thing he wanted to see in this training camp was the young players fighting for roster spots playing well. With three preseason games left at the time of this writing*, and just over a week until the team opens the regular season, that’s exactly what’s happened.
“They’ve all been making it tough,” Brind’Amour said. “We could have four or five guys, in my opinion, that are pushing to get in. And there might only be one or two of those spots available depending on how it works. To me, nothing’s been decided yet, as far I’ve been told. We have three [preseason] games left, and we’ll just kind of keep going one game at a time and see who earns the next one. And then hopefully, a week from now or whatever, it’ll be a little clearer.”
The math is simple. Victor Rask’s long-term hand injury opens an extra spot at forward, but there still isn’t much room. Jordan Staal, Sebastian Aho, Teuvo Teravainen, Justin Williams, Micheal Ferland, Jordan Martinook and Brock McGinn will all make the team. Rookies Andrei Svechnikov and Martin Necas seem to be virtual locks as well. If the team carries 13 forwards, that leaves three spots, but it’s really two, as Phillip di Giuseppe is on a one-way contract and will likely serve as the 13th.
On defense, there’s even less space. Even if the team keeps seven blueliners, Jaccob Slavin, Dougie Hamilton, Justin Faulk, Brett Pesce, Calvin de Haan and Trevor van Riemsdyk are all locks. That leaves one spot.
So, who’s fighting for those spots? It’s relatively straightforward on defenceman Haydn Fleury, who played 67 games as a rookie last year, has the best chance to crack the roster and possibly push past van Riemsdyk in the top six. Fleury was extremely impressive in Carolina’s 5-1 win over Washington Friday night, breaking up play after play in the defensive zone.
“I thought [Fleury] was gapped up really well,” Brind’Amour said after the game. “First period not so much, and then I thought as the game went on he got stronger. Again, there’s a guy, he knows what’s going on out here. There’s a lot of great D, and he’s fighting for his spot too.”
At forward, there are four main competitors that come to mind: Lucas Wallmark, Janne Kuokkanen, Valentin Zykov and Warren Foegele. Wallmark brings the least offensive upside of the bunch, but his ability to fill Rask’s spot at center could help his chances.
Zykov played well in a 10-game stint last year, with three goals and seven points in 10 games. His six-foot-one, 224-pound frame make him an asset on the power play.
Kuokkanen made the team out of camp last year before being sent down, and has had a solid preseason offensively, spending time on a line with forwards Jordan Staal and Justin Williams.
Foegele, who put up two goals and three points in two games last season, has perhaps had the most impressive camp. He’s fast, has a good scoring touch and is strong on the penalty kill. Foegele had two assists Friday, one shorthanded, and was zipping around when his turn came with the Canes shorthanded.
“I think I’m trying to leave an impression,” Foegele said. “I want to make this team, so I’m going to do whatever I can to make this team.”
If having too many good players fighting for roster spots is a good problem to have, then Brind’Amour and the Canes have a very good problem on their hands. The roster competition should last into the season, and with the Canes’ AHL affiliate in Charlotte a short drive away, players could be shuffled up and down all year. Having young players fighting for spots should only add to the energy level Brind’Amour is trying to create for a team looking for its first playoff appearance since 2009.
*This article was written and published before Tuesday night’s preseason game against the Nashville Predators.
