Carolina Hurricanes Morning News: Adidas Jerseys, Mike Santorelli, and Daniel Briere

The Carolina Hurricanes, and every other team in the NHL, will soon be donning new jerseys, but they won’t be from Reebok anymore.

More From Cardiac Cane – Top 5 Free Agent Options for the Hurricanes

Also, the Anaheim Ducks may have gotten the ball rolling with free agent signings after their move on Monday, and one of the NHL’s most clutch players has called it quits.

Let’s take a look at today’s news.

Hurricanes Links

• Phil Di Giuseppe may be the most underrated prospect in the system for the Carolina Hurricanes. We took a look at what you should expect from him this season and beyond. (Cardiac Cane)
• Matt Karash discussed the next step for Ryan Murphy, Andrej Nestrasil, and Trevor Carrick. (Canes and Coffee)
• Brian LeBlanc took an amazing behind the scenes look at John Forslund and what makes him one of the best play-by-play men in the NHL. (Canes Country)

NHL and Adidas Strikes Jersey Deal – TSN

News broke on TSN yesterday that that Adidas has landed a deal with the NHL to make them the new jersey brand of the league. This will go into effect in the 2017-2018 season.

Reebok, a company owned by Adidas, has been the NHL’s jersey manufacturer since the early 2000’s.

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Though it has yet to be confirmed, it is expected that Adidas will provide the jerseys for the 2016 World Cup of hockey, according to TSN.

It is believed that this move is related to the NHL’s interest in putting advertisements on jerseys, which has been something that a majority of the hockey fanbase has been very strongly against.

If ads are put on jerseys, the NHL will be the first American major sport to do it at a professional level. The NBA, MLB, and NFL all do no have advertisements on jerseys.

European hockey leagues, like the top leagues in Sweden and Switzerland among others, have already introduce jersey ads, and while the NHL likely will not go as extreme as those leagues at first, it could very well open the door to that.

The biggest fear here revolved solely around the threat of advertising on jerseys, but we are still a couple seasons away from these new jerseys being implemented, and it is not even official that the jerseys will change yet, so hopefully the league will answer those questions honestly and let us know what to expect when the time comes.

An official announcement from the NHL is expected to be released in mid-September.

Anaheim Ducks Sign Mike Santorelli – Ducks.NHL.com

On Monday, the Anaheim Ducks announced that they have signed forward Mike Santorelli to a one-year deal. They did not announce financial details, but ESPN reported that the deal will be worth $875,000.

Four season removed from a 41-point season in 2010-2011, Santorelli has shown offensive flash on many occasions throughout his 336-game NHL career, but he has not been consistent enough to earn himself a bigger contract.

Last season, Santorelli tallied 12 goals and 33 points in 79 games with the Toronto Maple Leafs and Nashville Predators.

This seems to be a deal of great value for the Ducks. Santorelli, 29, brings a good bit of offense, but his defense has always been suspect. At under $1 million per season, this is a low risk signing for a team that will likely compete for a Stanley Cup in May and June.

This could set the market for remaining free agent forwards like Jiri Tlusty, Tomas Fleischmann, and many others.

It looks like a lot of players will be signing extremely low-money deals for the upcoming season, which could be a great thing for lower budget teams like the Carolina Hurricanes who are lacking depth up front.

Daniel Briere Retires after 17 Seasons – NHL.com

One of the NHL’s most fierce competitors and best clutch players over the past decade and a half has officially called it quits after 17 seasons.

Daniel Briere, 37, announced his retirement on Monday. He played with the Phoenix Coyotes, Buffalo Sabres, Philadelphia Flyers, Montreal Canadiens, and Colorado Avalanche while serving in the NHL.

In 973 regular-season games, he tallied 307 goals and 696 total points, but where he really shined was in the playoffs.

Briere was near a point-per-game player in post season, netting 53 goals and tallying 116 points in 124 playoff contests.

"“This is not a decision that can be taken lightly. I’ve been thinking about it for weeks,” Briere wrote. “In fact, I first began bouncing the idea around in my head last winter, when I was in Colorado. I felt far away from my children, who stayed in Philadelphia. It wasn’t really an easy situation for me. … I’m putting an end to my career in order to become more involved in the lives of my three boys. They are at an age when it is crucial to have a father at home.“This summer, the more time I spent with them, the less I saw myself leaving home one more time to start up the engine for another season. If I took my time before making my decision, it was because I wanted to make sure I wasn’t making the wrong one.”"

Now that his NHL career is over, Daniel Briere now looks to return to Philadelphia and take a role in their organization.

"“It might not be finished,” he said. “Even if my priority over the coming months is to stay close to home, I could find some time to get involved with the Flyers here in Philadelphia. I’ve always been treated well by the organization and I would be proud to have a role with them.Nothing is set or official. I haven’t accepted a full-time position with them. I’ve always been a hockey fan. I’ve always loved the game. That won’t change.”"

It will be interesting to see where Danny Briere winds up now that he has ended his playing career. He will go down as one of the best playoff performers of his generation, as well as a leader and class act both on and off the ice.

Despite his small stature, Briere has a big heart and a very passionate love for the game of hockey.

Next: Most Difficult Road Trips for the Hurricanes in 2015-2016