Carolina Hurricanes: Checking in on the NCAA Prospects

The Carolina Hurricanes have ten prospects in the NCAA system. How are they playing in college and which players might we see in the NHL or AHL soon?

The Carolina Hurricanes went through a huge debacle last season with Adam Fox and the “will he or wont he” sign with the team debacle with his final year of being both a prospect and a NCAA player coming up. He made it clear that he had no intention with signing with the Hurricanes (either because he didn’t want to play for them or felt that he wouldn’t get a chance with such a deep D-core).

Since then he has been traded to the New York Rangers where he signed and has played for them. The Hurricanes got a pair of draft picks in return and both teams seem to be happy with the results.

Now the Hurricanes can turn their attention to ten more players in the NCAA including another Harvard Player. Six of them have their “must sign by” dates coming up this summer and the Hurricanes will have to make a decision on them very soon. But who deserves a contract and who deserves to be forgotten to the sands of time?

That is what we will break down today as we take a look at the ten NCAA players in the Canes reserve list that may or may not become household names in Raleigh very soon. How long will the Hurricanes have to sign some of these guys and who might get the chance to play in Charlotte as soon as next season?

Centers

David Cotton is one of six who need to sign by this summer and probably one of the most deserving on this list of a contract. While his final year with Boston College is somewhat frustrating, he is still earning over a point per game. My only problem is the 40 minutes of penalties he has accrued in only 13 games!

But a frustrating season that saw them lose four straight in a row, including two shutouts, and two games where they allowed six goals, will get you heated enough to rack up those many PIM. Since then the Boston College Eagles have soared to six straight wins. Talk about a streaky team.

Ranked as high as #62 He has been a steal for the Hurricanes in the 2015 draft in the 6th round. Cotton has earned himself an opportunity to even go as far as crack the NHL lineup next season and may become a household name, granted he signs with the Hurricanes.

Another 4th year center, another players who will have to make a decision to sign with the Hurricanes before the summer. Matt Filipe is another excellent forward who is in his final season of college hockey. While not exactly racking up the goals he is tied for second overall on the roster in assists with Northeastern University.

Matt still has a ways to go before he can be NHL ready. That said, chances are that he will get the opportunity to build upon what he has already at the AHL level in Charlotte. He still needs to sign with the Hurricanes, however there is no reason for him not to. Granted, Don Waddell might not want to sign someone who may end up playing the rest of his career in the AHL, but Filipe does deserve the chance to prove himself.

Jack Drury is the final center on this list and the only one who still has time before he has to make a decision. In fact he has until the summer of 2022 to sign with the team before he becomes an FA. Drury may also be the only player here who is having a career year so far.

Fox’s former teammate is currently over a point per game for the first time since he left the USHL to go to college. He might be a player to keep your eye out for as the Crimson’s season goes on. He currently sits second in scoring and fourth in points on that roster.

Chances are that Carolina will be talking to him sooner rather than later as he picks up steam in his Hockey Career. In a couple of years, who knows, Drury might be the talk of the town.

Wingers

Kevin Wall has probably the most time of any of the offensive prospects here to sign with the Hurricanes. And that is okay, the 19 year old kid out of Rochester, NY still has to prove himself. While he was knocking the socks off of everyone in the BCHL, he still has to get a grasp on the NCAA level of Hockey.

With only ten games played so far with Penn State, the jury is still out on if he is going to be a name for the Hurricanes in the future. If he does, then he will be a steal picked up last last draft, if not, then no true loss. He is still an unknown, but someone as young as him still has the time to build his name.

Luke Stevens comes from a hockey playing family. His father, Kevin Stevens is a three time All-Star and two time Stanley Cup Champion who played 16 years in the NHL for the Pittsburgh Penguins, LA Kings, Boston Bruins, and Philadelphia Flyers. The apple didn’t fall far from the tree as both he and his father are left wingers. Will he go as far as his father did and make the NHL?

The numbers are not promising. With only 31 points in his NCAA career, the fifth round draft pick will have to spend some time proving himself at another level before earning himself NHL status. Unluckily for him he will become a FA this summer if the Hurricanes refuse to sign him. While he might get better at the higher speed of the AHL, that might be a risk too high for lord turtleneck.

Max Zimmer is the fourth player who will become a free agent this summer if the Hurricanes do not sign him to a contract. The 22 year old fourth round pick has so far not lived up to expectations. This season he has only played in five games as he battles an injury that may injure his chances of making it to the NHL.

Of the six players that need to sign this summer, Zimmer may be a name you never hear again after this article. 35 points in 99 games is not a good look. Luckily for him he is back on the ice for the Badgers and has a chance if he manages to finish the season strong and lead his team to the playoffs.

Goalies

Jack LaFontaine is the final player who will need to make a decision this by summer. Noone really knows what will happen to the Wolverine goalie. While playing behind Jared Moe, he isn’t really a backup as they have nearly identical number of starts this season. While his college numbers aren’t stellar there is last season to take into account.

Jack also took a year away from Michigan to play for the Penticton Vees last year of the BCHL. There he played much better and got more starts than his entire NCAA career as the starter leading them to the playoffs. That earned him a look during prospect camp and a start in the prospect game for the Hurricanes.

That all said, Jack could use some AHL and even ECHL development and should get a contract before the summer so he can get the chance to player there. With Goalies moving around next season for all levels of the team, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Jack in Raleigh in the next few years.

Jacob Kucharski is… uh.. a prospect? Literally our last throwaway pick in the 2018 draft he signed up to play for Providence College this season and has yet to man the crease. before that he played in the USHL for the Des Moins Buccaneers and Omaha Lancers. There he played a combined 37 games across three seasons and never peaked above 0.881 SVS%.

More from Cardiac Cane

• 2023 Southeast Rookie Showcase: Takeaways from the Canes’ Strong Showing in Florida
• Week Two Coverage Of College Hockey In NC
• Derek Stepan Ends His On Ice Career As A Hurricane
• The Southeast Rookie Showcase Will Be a Good Look at Carolina’s Future
• Noesen Ready To Provide Depth For Canes

Good news is that Kuckarski has until 2023 for the Carolina Hurricanes to sign him before he becomes an FA. Perhaps he can build himself up in Providence by then. Get himself a few starts this season, and more the next and more the next.

If he becomes something then the Carolina Hurricanes and Lord turtleneck will look like a genious. If not then, he will be relegated to the sand of forgotten Draft picks. After all, they aren’t all winners. Sometimes you get guys that are worth the final pick gamble. Kucharski is one of those guys.

Question for CC Readers: Which NCAA prospect are you most excited about seeing make the transition to the NHL?