Carolina Hurricanes Scouting Report: Warren Foegele

Mar 11, 2017; Raleigh, NC, USA; Carolina Hurricanes forward Jordan Staal (11) celebrates his second period goal against the Toronto Maple Leafs at PNC Arena. The Toronto Maple Leafs defeated the Carolina Hurricanes 3-2 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 11, 2017; Raleigh, NC, USA; Carolina Hurricanes forward Jordan Staal (11) celebrates his second period goal against the Toronto Maple Leafs at PNC Arena. The Toronto Maple Leafs defeated the Carolina Hurricanes 3-2 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports

Last Friday the Carolina Hurricanes signed 2014 draft pick Warren Foegele

Warren Foegele joined Spencer Smallman last Friday in the most recent round of prospect signings by the Carolina Hurricanes.  The Hurricanes picked Foegele (pronounced FOE-guhl) in the third round of the 2014 NHL entry draft.

Playing on the left wing, Foegele is 6’2″ and 190 pounds.  He is tall but doesn’t quite have the heavy build as some of the other players in the Hurricanes’ prospect pool.  Foegele started out playing in the NCAA at the University of New Hampshire.  At New Hampshire, Warren played briefly with current Hurricanes’ defenseman Brett Pesce.

Related Story: Hurricanes Sign Prospect Spencer Smallman

After one season in the NCAA, Warren moved on to play in Canada’s OHL for the Kingston Frontenacs for the 2016 season.  Foegele started out this season with the Frontenacs before he was traded to the Erie Otters.  On the Otters, Foegele plays with several standout prospects such as Alex DeBrincat and Dylan Strome

When asked about Foegele, Ron Francis praised the young man, “Warren had an impressive rookies’ camp last September.  He has continued to improve his overall game and should help Erie challenge for a championship this spring.”  In his OHL career, Foegele has totaled 111 points in 113 games with 63 points in 61 games this year between the Frontenacs and Otters.

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Scouting Report

Hockey’s Future said, “Foegele is a speedy late bloomer who has the skills to become a dangerous scorer and forechecker.”  Dobber Prospects Brendan Ross described the winger when he was first drafted:

An explosive skater and tenacious forechecker, winger Warren Foegele racked up 58 goals and 107 points in 52 games with St. Andrew’s. He isn’t overly creative in possession and projects as more of a shooter than a playmaker with his heavy accurate shot.

And Kevin Leblanc updated their outlook on Foegele at the end of last year.

The Kingston Frontenacs forward has been impressive this season in just 12 games, posting 15 points. He is Kingston’s best player on most nights, and will likely finish the season as the teams leader scorer if this pace continues.

Foegele was over a point per game player while in Kingston with 31 points in 28 games, but that pace dropped once he moved to Erie.  Not by much though as Foegele scored 32 points in 33 games.

Those point totals are troublesome, though.  For a player that is in his overage year, Foegele should be putting up more points. He is stronger and bigger than other players and should score more just on size alone.  The fact he is barely over a point per game pace for the season is troubling for his NHL prospects.

Maybe he will continue to be a late bloomer and develop as he moves into the AHL next year.  With so many ahead of him on the depth chart, it will be a while before Foegele comes close to the NHL.

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Maybe the extra time helps him further develop his game and get his talents to an NHL level.  His ceiling most likely remains a depth forward and at best a bottom six player.  The Checkers will need bodies next year to replace those either taken by the Carolina Hurricanes or not resigned.  Foegele should fit in nicely with a chance to show if he can make it to the next level.