Carolina Hurricanes: Should Micheal Ferland be Re-Signed?

Micheal Ferland was a physical presence for the Carolina Hurricanes this season. We take a look at what he brought to the table, but here is the question. Should the Hurricanes re-sign him this offseason?

Micheal Ferland was an immediate impact player for the Carolina Hurricanes, showing his scoring ability as well as his physical style of play. He finished the 2018-19 season playing 71 games, scoring 17 goals, and dishing out 23 assists. There is something about these numbers that stand out, however.

Ferland tallied 11 goals and six assists before January 1 this past season. So, from January to the beginning of April, he only scored six goals, but gathered the majority of his 23 assists with 17. Why did Ferland’s goal scoring drop off at the start of the calendar year, but his assists went way up?

Ferland admitted that he was dealing with an injury through the second half of the season. He felt as if he didn’t contribute enough on the offensive end, despite putting up 23 points since January 1. What trended downward was his goal scoring output and still finished sixth on the Hurricanes in goals scored. Ferland was an important offensive piece for the Canes for most of the season.

Here is the important question. Should the Hurricanes use some of their cap space to ensure that Micheal Ferland stays put in Raleigh or should they thank him for the year and let him walk in free agency?

He is a player that is not easily replaceable in the current state of hockey. There are very few players in the league that have a willingness to play a physical game, to drop the gloves from time to time, and be a difference maker on the offensive end.

The Hurricanes do have Jordan Martinook, but Martinook is not the scoring threat that Ferland is. Martinook, though physical, doesn’t seem to be as willing of a combatant than Ferland in the fighting aspect of the game. Ferland brings a lot to the Canes and has proved that he can be moved up and down the line combinations and still be an effective player.

Don Waddell decided it would be in the Hurricanes best interest to keep Ferland around for the whole season even with all the trade speculation surrounding him. Waddell thought he would be a vital piece for the Hurricanes to go forward in their eventual playoff run. Why would that change now?

With Ferland being an unrestricted free agent, the Hurricanes will have a need for a power forward. Why should the Hurricanes look anywhere else when they are already familiar with Ferland? He knows what Rod Brind’Amour wants from his players and he already has rapport with the Hurricane forwards. He is a player that can have an impact on the outcome of a game and not necessarily have to score to do so.

The Hurricanes would be best suited to give Ferland a two- or three-year deal on account that he did deal with some injury problems during the season that hindered his ability in the second half of the season and even missed time in the playoffs. A deal that is worth anywhere from three to four million annually is a fair price for what Ferland is capable of.

The Hurricanes know when he is fully healthy, he has the ability to compete at a high level and can be a key contributor for the surging Canes going forward. His ability to play from line to line is beneficial because he can provide different line combinations different styles of play. The Carolina Hurricanes should bring Micheal Ferland back into the fold and try to keep what they have in the building going.

Question for CC Readers: Would you like to see Micheal Ferland in a Hurricanes sweater next season?