Adam Fox – a future top pair defenseman
The more time passes, the more fans of the Carolina Hurricanes can feel hard done by in the Noah Hanifin / Elias Lindholm trade. While Micheal Ferland has been perfectly good for the team, leading everyone in goals scored before he suffered his concussion and rushed his return, the main piece in the trade – Dougie Hamilton – has been a major disappointment.
However, there was a huge piece in the deal that continues to go under the radar. NCAA defenseman Adam Fox is destroying opponents this season, posting 20 points in just 11 games, and is clearly ready for the NHL. If GM Don Waddell can secure Fox’s signature, then the Canes will have turned one top four NHL defenseman into two. Fox is expected to have the same impact that Will Butcher had for the New Jersey Devils last season, and would improve the Canes’ power play immeasurably.
Without wanting to spoil your Christmas, there is concern over Fox that he won’t sign with anyone but his hometown New York Rangers, and that he will simply run down his rights before signing with the Rangers as a free agent in the summer. It’s supposedly the reason why Calgary was willing to include him in the Hanifin trade – but Waddell was very confident of signing Fox in the summer, and we must trust him to do the business and secure the future of the team.
With a signed Adam Fox on the roster, the Canes would unquestionably have one of the best defense groups in the entire NHL – and quite possibly the best. It would also allow the team to move one of Hamilton or Justin Faulk for some scoring help, thus giving the team better balance.
Adam Fox is the game-changing addition the team needs next year. Let’s have faith in Waddell that he’ll get the job done.