Carolina Hurricanes: Full 2021 Free Agency Recap

Still a Solid Defense

The Carolina Hurricanes got a lot of stick and “cheap” remarks about not re-signing Dougie Hamilton. Honestly, I think it was the right move considering the New Jersey Devils will now be paying him $9 million per year for the next seven seasons. They traded youngster Jake Bean to the Columbus Blue Jackets for a second-round pick in this past draft, which turned into Finnish defenseman Aleksi Heimosalmi. They also lost Jani Hakanpaa to free agency. How did they refill those holes in their defense?

The first move they made was trading for Edmonton defenseman Ethan Bear in exchange for Warren Foegele right before the free agency window opened. Bear, 24, has a ton of potential and has already made his mark in the NHL. A steady D-man, Bear has not flourished offensively, but that is an area he is looking to improve on, similar to Jaccob Slavin. And getting him for a player in Foegele who was already heading out the door makes the deal even sweeter. Getting Bear is a fantastic add to this D-core.

They then added proven defenseman Ian Cole on a friendly two-year deal with an AAV of $2.9 million. The two-time Stanley Cup champion is as reliable as they come and his physicality and toughness will be welcomed with open arms, particularly with the loss of Hakanpaa. He will be an instant plug-in to the top six and provides long-time postseason experience, as recently as last year with the Colorado Avalanche.

The Hurricanes also decided to bring in Tony DeAngelo on a one-year deal, much to the disgust of many Canes fans. It is evident that DeAngelo has talent. With the Rangers in 2019-20, DeAngelo put up 53 points from the back-end and has been an excellent quarterback for the powerplay, something this team needs with Hamilton leaving. However, his actions of the past make people shake their heads at the signing.

He was suspended in the OHL due to a racial slur towards a teammate. He had an altercation with Rangers goaltender Alexander Georgiev in practice that eventually led to New York terminating his contract. His actions on social media have made more people turn away. This is the most controversial signing of the summer. Let’s hope for DeAngelo’s and all of our sakes that the Hurricanes can get him in the right state and avoid more controversy.

Lastly, the Hurricanes made more depth signings, bringing in Brendan Smith, Jalen Chatfield, and Josh Jacobs. Of the three, Brendan Smith will likely have the biggest impact. Previously being able to play as both a winger and a defenseman, Smith will likely slot in as the “7th defenseman” and get a decent amount of games. The other two will be options for the Wolves.

Looking back at these acquisitions, there are some great ones in Cole and Bear, but the interesting signing of DeAngelo is a cause for concern. It would be awesome if he could perform on the ice and allow his play to do the talking. However, his past makes the signing call the culture they are trying to build into question. We will see how it all plays out.