Carolina Hurricanes: 2014 Draft Class One of Best in NHL
By Todd McGee
The Carolina Hurricanes have had draft gold and draft busts in the last several seasons. Luckily more gold than busts. Today we take a look at perhaps their best Draft Class, the 2014 Draft Class.
The Carolina Hurricanes have many ways to put together a roster each year, but the most important part of the process is the draft. This year’s NHL draft is set for June 21-22 in Vancouver.
While General Manager Don Waddell prepares for this year’s draft (Carolina will have the 28th, 36th and 37th overall picks), I’m going to spend the next few weeks reviewing the last few Carolina draft classes, beginning with the Class of 2014.
Foegele breaks out in playoffs, Fleury steady
The deepest draft class for the Carolina Hurricanes in terms of NHL players occurred in 2014. Five players taken that year have already made it to Raleigh, with two making major contributions this season and potentially setting themselves up for long runs in the NHL. Two more could wind up with lengthy professional careers.
Speedy forward Warren Foegele could be the best of the bunch. Taken in the third round from St. Andrews H.S., Foegele spent one year at the University of New Hampshire and two seasons in the OHL before moving to Charlotte last season. In 73 games with the Checkers, he scored 28 goals and added 18 assists.
Promoted to the Hurricanes this season, he had an up-and-down rookie season that saw him total 10 goals and five assists while playing on the fourth-line. His breakaway goal against Washington was one of the team’s best goals of the campaign, and he finished with a flourish, scoring three goals in the final six games.
Given a chance to play in the top six in the postseason after a series of injuries, he showed off his dynamic skills and strength, scoring five goals and totaling nine points in the run to the Eastern Conference finals. He could develop into a top six forward.
The Canes’ spent their top pick in 2014 on defenseman Haydn Fleury. Only 17 when he was chosen seventh overall, he spent the next two seasons in the Western Hockey League and made it to Charlotte for 2016-17. He played most of last season with the Hurricanes, tallying eight assists in 67 games but failing to establish himself as an NHL defender.
After the club acquired Dougie Hamilton and Calvin de Haan last summer, Fleury became the seventh defender on a deep blue line. He spent most of the season in Charlotte, but a late-season injury to de Haan opened a spot on the postseason roster, and Trevor Van Riemsdyk’s shoulder injury against the Islanders turned Fleury into a regular in the playoffs. He wound up playing in nine postseason games, although his minutes were limited, compiling a +1 rating.
In 87 NHL games he has yet to score a goal. Given the depth on Carolina’s blue line – all six starters are signed through next season – and the development of Jake Bean, Fleury may wind up going elsewhere to make his name in the NHL.