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.
As long as Chicago remains independent, it’ll be musical chairs until AHL expands.
Wonder what it does for team rivarlies if you take an AHL team from someone. And will it be easy to get an AHL team from someone?? AHL expansion seems pretty likely, but to where?
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Ponomarev,
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