Hurricanes 2022 Free Agents, Draft Targets, Offseason Guide After NHL Playoff Loss

Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

The Carolina Hurricanes had a fantastic 2021-22 season, accumulating a Metropolitan Division-leading 116 points and reaching the postseason. 

While that didn’t translate into a Stanley Cup title, the Hurricanes have plenty to build upon heading into the 2022-23 campaign even after losing to the New York Rangers in the second round.

Below, we’ll preview their upcoming offseason, from the players set to hit free agency to potential draft targets and team needs. 

Free Agents

Nino Niederreiter, RW

Vincent Trocheck, C

Ian Cole, D

Ethan Bear, D

Martin Necas, C

Derek Stepan, C

Tony DeAngelo, D

Brendan Smith, D

Maxime Lajoie, D

Josh Leivo, LW

Andrew Poturalski, C

Alex Lyon, G

Stefan Noesen, RW

Max Domi, LW

Offseason Outlook And Potential Draft Targets

The Hurricanes are in a pretty good spot. They don’t find themselves with too many glaring needs and will largely bring their core group back. 

Yes, a few changes here and there are in order. Ideally, the Hurricanes would add another truly elite goal-scorer, though such a move wouldn’t come cheap and Sebastian Aho is fresh off another excellent year that saw him post 37 goals and 44 assists. 

However, the core of Aho, Andrei Svechnikov, Jesperi Kotkaniemi, Teuvo Teravainen and Frederick Anderson, among others, will return. Whether the Canes can afford to bring back restricted free agent Tony DeAngelo will be one of the biggest question marks of the offseason. 

Beyond that, how the Hurricanes navigate around the margins will be the question. Will the team bring back the experienced Derek Stepan, who has served largely as a depth piece this season but added solid leadership and experience?

Vincent Trocheck may be priced out of Carolina next season unless he’s willing to take a paycut, with big money already committed to Jordan Staal, Aho and Kotkaniemi. Andersen’s future extension looms as well. 

Some of the group of DeAngelo, Trocheck, Nino Niederreiter, Martin Necas, Ethan Bear, Ian Cole and Max Domi won’t return, even if the Hurricanes are able to bob and weave through some clever cap gymnastics. 

As for the draft, the Hurricanes don’t have a first-round pick, so fans should temper their expectations somewhat. That should be balanced out by a number of enticing prospects already in their system, including Vasili Ponomaryov, Noel Gunler and Ville Koivunen, among others. 

When they finally are up in the second round, look for them to go for the top player available, with options such as defensemen Simon Forsmark, Elias Salomonsson and Vladimir Grudinin or centers Filip Bystedt, Nathan Gaucher or Paul Ludwinski.