They have the fewest number of players under contract.
They have the largest number of players on reserves.
They do not have an AHL affiliate
They do not have an ECHL affiliate
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Carolina is only team without an AHL affiliate after their former affiliate, the Chicago Wolves, went independent in April 2023 The Canes have had to adjust on the fly, sending players to six different AHL teams and three different ECHL teams.
Since Chicago broke ties with Carolina, the Canes have signed five ELCs. Goalie Yaniv Perets, defenseman Dom Fensore, undrafted free agent Griffin Mendel, and forward Justin Robidas were all sent to ECHL. Former 2023 pick Felix Unger Soren is still playing in Sweden. The rest of their 2023 draft slate is either playing in Europe or in NCAA.
They have found spots for thirteen prospects...
-- Callahan Burke: Colorado (AHL) (COL)
-- Dylan Coghlan: Springfield (AHL) (STL)
-- Domenick Fensore: Chicago (AHL)/Norfolk (ECHL) (WPG)
-- Pyotr Kochetkov: Syracuse (AHL) (TBL)
-- Griffin Mendel: Chicago (AHL) / Norfolk (ECHL) (WPG)
-- Bryce Montgomery: South Carolina (ECHL) (WAS)
-- Blake Murray: Allen, Florida, Norfolk (ECHL) (OTT, FLA, WPG)
-- Yaniv Perets: Norfolk (ECHL) (WPG)
-- Vasily Ponomarev: Chicago (AHL) / Tucson (AHL) (ARI)
-- Jamieson Rees: Springfield (STL)
-- Justin Robidas: Norfolk (ECHL) (WPG)
-- Ronan Seeley: Chicago (AHL) / Norfolk (ECHL) (WPG)
-- Ryan Suzuki: Springfield (AHL) (STL)
(Mendell, Murray, Rees, Suzuki are RFAs in 2024)
Five former AHLers have left to play in Europe...
-- Noel Gunler
-- Anttoni Honka
-- Ville Koivunen
-- Alexander Pashin
-- Tuukka Tieksola
The let the rights to three players expire...
-- Jake Kucharski (under ECHL contract)
-- Robert Orr (44 pts in 34 games in QMJHL)
-- Kevin Wall (3 pts in 16 games in AHL)
They traded the rights to two players...
-- Patrik Puistola (16 pts in 28 games in Liiga)
-- Massimo Rizzo (31 pts in 18 games in NCAA)
(Aleksei Heimosalmi is also signed and continuing to play overseas)
They have no prospects playing in CHL.
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I don't think it has been a major problem yet, but one could see how it could become one. Since their split with Chicago, they have lost five guys to Europe. They let rights to a few prospects expire (although two probably weren't worth signing). They traded a very good prospect off their reserves in August, when they dealt Massimo Rizzo to Philadelphia for 26-year old David Kase and a fifth round pick (Rizzo currently leads the NCAA in scoring). They haven't drafted a player out of CHL since 2021 (they have eight picks in 2024 draft).
Signing agreements with other clubs AHL and ECHL affilaites to house some of their players is only a band-aid approach. Without an AHL team, they risk losing more (and better) prospects.
I know he has a contract overseas, but if they can bring him over, they should. He likely would go straight to NHL, so no AHL program probably wouldn’t impact.
(These are not trades, fyi)
2.
CAR
Jackson Blake
ANA
Blake, currently a Sophomore at North Dakota, is a candidate for Hobey Baker this year. He could use another year of physical development as he is on the smaller side, but is slippery and good at avoiding contact. He doesn’t have much else to prove at NCAA level, so could decide to turn pro at end of this season, but more likely after 2024-25 season (his rights expire after 2025-26 season). If he does decide to turn pro, going to ECHL would likely harm his development. They would probably have to send him overseas or to another AHL club, as he likely needs a year or pro hockey before NHL. The challenge may be that, coming from NHL family, his family has been picky about where he plays in the past (which cost him a year of HS hockey). I don’t know what the solution would be…but see how it could become challenging without AHL option.
3.
CAR
Zion Nybeck
ANA
Nybeck may not be an elite prospect, but is a dynamic forward who deserves a shot. His rights expire in June and if he wants to try his hand at playing professionally in North America, it’s hard to see how he would sign with a team without an AHL or ECHL affiliate.
4.
CAR
Scott Morrow
ANA
This one is probably the biggest challenge. Morrow is a skilled RHD playing in his junior season at UMass (can play both sides). The offense is there, but he has continued to round out his game while at UMass (even though they have struggled a bit as team). There were rumors he was considering signing last March, but opted to stay in school (around the same time the news about AHL breaking ties to Carolina). He could sign this Spring to burn an ELC year, or this Summer and try to make the team out of camp. But there are a few challenges as he is not a lock to make team, he will be 3/4 of the way to free agency, and there is now the possibility his younger brother may join him at UMass (Case McCarthy opted not to sign in NJ since he wanted to stay at BU for fifth year to play with his brother, Sabres pick, Gavin McCarthy).
So if you are Morrow, and were presented with these options, what would you do?
(A) Forego your senior season, sign with hope of making team. If cut, accept role playing with Jets affiliate in ECHL.
(B) Sign with Carolina, and work out an agreement to find a spot in Europe or on another teams AHL affiliate for 2024-25 and hope to join NHL team in 2025-26.
(C) Return to UMass for 2024-25, play with younger brother, Spencer, and look to sign wherever you want in August 2025 as free agent.
I don't think the AHL team thing is the biggest contributor here, although it is really bad for their development. Their tight internal cap may prevent them from signing more prospects
I don't think the AHL team thing is the biggest contributor here, although it is really bad for their development. Their tight internal cap may prevent them from signing more prospects
If they are in the minors... I don't think that they count towards the cap
I don't think the AHL team thing is the biggest contributor here, although it is really bad for their development. Their tight internal cap may prevent them from signing more prospects
Lol. Another person talking out of their rear. Tom D doesn’t have an internal budget for the on the ice product. Never has
I don't think the AHL team thing is the biggest contributor here, although it is really bad for their development. Their tight internal cap may prevent them from signing more prospects
Indirectly, perhaps. But ELCs only count against cap if they are on roster.
But without a full player development system, they may be forced to add more from UFA pool...and that could impact cap.
Dudon lets Don spend as much as he needs to win... the hard salary cap is the only thing that matters to Don
I know the new owner has allowed spending to the cap but it still may impact contracts. Lots of teams have operated just fine with normal sized prospect pools and no AHL affiliate
Maybe. I dont follow Canes as much as you guys...but I'd think he would take DeAngelo's spot if he makes roster.
He'd require top-4 minutes... and Slavin is one of the best guys I know to ease in a offensive-minded defensemen into the NHL and he can't possibly be worse than TDA in his own end.
He'd require top-4 minutes... and Slavin is one of the best guys I know to ease in a offensive-minded defensemen into the NHL and he can't possibly be worse than TDA in his own end.
One sneaky idea would be to draft Spencer to mitigate the desire to play with him at UMass
I have a feeling the Wolves will end up crawling back to the Canes and agreeing to another affiliation for a couple of years, at least until the Canes get their own local affiliate (maybe bringing back the IceCaps.) After all, the Wolves are sort of in an unofficial affiliation with the Canes right now.
Would they have to buy a new AHL team or start a new one? Not familiar with how that would work
Most likely would have to wrestle an AHL team away from another NHL team. I don’t know who has affiliation agreements expiring this year, but they do change.
If Chicago chooses to stay independent, it may be musical chairs unless AHL expands.
Pinching pennies is what got them into their mess with AHL affiliate.
If that is what you believe, you are quite foolhardy. Considering that the Wolves have pulled similar stunts with their previous 3 NHL affiliates (STL, VGK, and VAN if I remember correctly), and this is the first time they actually went independent. They didn’t like the orders the Canes were relaying for developing certain prospects, and we have already seen the difference in results before and after the Canes sent 3 prospects to Chicago. Penny pinching isn’t the problem here.
I have a feeling the Wolves will end up crawling back to the Canes and agreeing to another affiliation for a couple of years, at least until the Canes get their own local affiliate (maybe bringing back the IceCaps.) After all, the Wolves are sort of in an unofficial affiliation with the Canes right now.
I saw one report saying the Canes are coming up with “innovative” solution, but didn’t describe what that was.
My bet is they end up splitting an AHL team for year or two. Most teams should be able to house depth and important prospects on half an AHL team, especially with veteran limits in the A. Problem is usually goalies.
If that is what you believe, you are quite foolhardy. Considering that the Wolves have pulled similar stunts with their previous 3 NHL affiliates (STL, VGK, and VAN if I remember correctly), and this is the first time they actually went independent. They didn’t like the orders the Canes were relaying for developing certain prospects, and we have already seen the difference in results before and after the Canes sent 3 prospects to Chicago. Penny pinching isn’t the problem here.
Losing the AHL affiliate was combination of lots of things…philosophy, size of market, recent success, demands from top…etc.
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