Top 5 Defensive Free Agents the Carolina Hurricanes Should Target
By Nick Bass
The Carolina Hurricanes have submitted their expansion draft protection list and with their protections, they will only have 4 players under contract on the defensive side. With Chris Johnston of Sportsnet reporting that Ron Francis is more than likely going to select Jake Bean in the expansion draft, the Canes have to target some free agents. With Joey Keane and Max Lajoie not quite ready for full time NHL time, they need to look to free agency.
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With Jaccob Slavin, Brett Pesce and Brady Skjei being protected and Jake Gardiner highly unlikely to be taken, the Carolina Hurricanes have a good amount of holes to fill on the blueline.
Gardiner has been surrounded by buyout and trade rumors; that being said, Max Lajoie is probably the closest prospect to being ready for full time NHL minutes, seeing as he got to play in games 3 and 4 in the first round against the Nashville Predators.
Joey Keane could also be close, but he could use another year in the AHL with the Chicago Wolves.
Jesper Sellgren could also get some consideration as he has had a few years in the SHL and could be NHL ready, but there are a litany of options in free agency and a few good ones that could fit in well with the Canes.
The only honorable mention I will have on this list is, of course, Dougie Hamilton. Hamilton should 100% be re-signed but (as reported), the Carolina Hurricanes are looking more at around $6.5 million and Hamilton is looking for something around $8 million. Hamilton would complete the top 4 that the Hurricanes have had for the past 2 years.
His production is incredibly tough to replace outside of a trade that brings someone back of equal offensive output and the closest thing you have to that this free agency is Tyson Barrie, who wants the same amount of money and term, while being 2 years older. It is also rumored that Barrie has a high chance of being re-signed by the Edmonton Oilers.
The Carolina Hurricanes have the money to offer a contract of that magnitude to Hamilton with plenty of cap space to spare. He has very low injury concern, as he made a full recovery and played at that same Norris-caliber level after the leg injury back before COVID was a thing. He has good chemistry with the team, and other teams that were rumored to be in on Dougie Hamilton have gotten other players – see Philadelphia with Ryan Ellis.
With that being said, here are my personal top 5 defenseman that the Carolina Hurricanes should target in free agency, the first one being someone currently located in Boston, Massachusetts.