Follow me on Twitter: @BenShelley_20 Follow HockeyBuzz Hurricanes on Twitter: @HB_Canes
The Carolina Hurricanes made a signing in free agency over the weekend and added some quality prospects in the NHL Draft. Here's our weekly recap of the notable updates from last week:
HURRICANES SELECT EIGHT PLAYERS IN 2020 NHL DRAFT
The Hurricanes selected eight players in this year’s draft, including forward Seth Jarvis at 13th overall. You can read more about the picks here.
TREVOR VAN RIEMSDYK SIGNS WITH CAPITALS
One free agent who won’t be back with the Hurricanes is Trevor van Riemsdyk, who signed a one-year, $800,000 deal with the Washington Capitals. Given the price, I’m somewhat surprised the Hurricanes didn’t try to bring him back as a spare, though it’s possible van Riemsdyk simply wanted a better opportunity for himself somewhere else.
HURRICANES SIGN JESPER FAST
Carolina’s only move in free agency so far has been a fairly notable one, as they signed forward Jesper Fast to a three-year deal. You can read more about the signing here.
VATANEN REMAINS UNSIGNED
A free agent who remains unsigned is Sami Vatanen. Vatanen joined the Hurricanes at the trade deadline but given the state of Carolina’s defense group, it doesn't really make sense to re-sign him. However, with him still available, you never know if Carolina may circle back.
As for this week’s polls, here are the results and my thoughts on how they turned out:
QUESTION: Are you happy with the Hurricanes selecting Seth Jarvis at 13th overall?
(Votes: 87)
Yes: 74% No: 26%
Seeing who was off the board when it was Carolina’s turn to pick, I think Jarvis was the best pick available. He had a huge season in the WHL, projects as a top-six forward and this could end up being a steal for the Hurricanes at 13th overall.
QUESTION: Were you happy with Carolina’s picks in rounds 2-7?
(Votes: 39)
Yes: 79% No: 21%
I think getting Noel Gunler at 41st overall was a huge win for the Hurricanes, though I do question the decision to go after so many forwards. Overall, it seems like a pretty good haul for Carolina.
QUESTION: Are you surprised that Justin Williams is retiring, as opposed to making one last run at another Stanley Cup?
(Votes: 77)
No: 91% Yes: 9%
While we’d all like to see Williams have one more Game 7 moment, I don’t think it’s overly surprising to see him calling it quits. We thought this may come last summer and considering he’s already won three Cups, he has nothing left to prove.
QUESTION: Are you happy about the Hurricanes signing Jesper Fast?
(Votes: 124)
Yes: 83% No: 17%
Like most readers, I think this was a really good signing for the Hurricanes. They’re getting a third-line forward with term and considering the price they were able to sign him for, it’s easy to see the upside here for Carolina.
***NOTE: We've launched a HockeyBuzz Hurricanes Twitter account! For anyone interested, you can follow @HB_Canes for updates on articles, Hurricanes news, etc. We're starting right from scratch, so any followers would be appreciated!***
OTHER RECENT HURRICANES ARTICLES:
Draft Options for the Hurricanes: Who could be a steal at 13th overall? Draft Options for the Hurricanes: Potential targets at 13th overall Draft Options for the Hurricanes: Potential targets at 13th overall- Part 2 Weekly Recap: Hurricanes Edition (October 4) Draft Options for the Hurricanes: Who to avoid at 13th overall Hurricanes select Seth Jarvis at 13th overall Recapping all of Carolina's picks in the 2020 NHL Draft