If the Carolina Hurricanes want to emerge as true Stanley Cup contenders, they’ll need to add to their talented roster.
After making it to the Eastern Conference Final last season, the Carolina Hurricanes rightfully had high hopes heading into this season. They overcame quite a bit of adversity to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs, where they had the opportunity to get some revenge on the Boston Bruins.
Instead, the Hurricanes, just like last year, are going home without lifting the Stanley Cup. Carolina has a very gifted roster, but it’s clear they need to add to it. They’ve got a strong young core with players like Jaccob Slavin, Sebastian Aho, Andrei Svechnikov, Teuvo Teravainen, Martin Necas, and Dougie Hamilton. But the Hurricanes have to surround them with the right pieces.
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The Hurricanes have usually shied away from free agency, but that’s a habit they’ll need to break. They have the pieces to make some trades, but they’ve also got to travel into the uncharted waters of free agency.
Let’s take a look at three players the Hurricanes should sign.
3. Tyler Ennis
The Carolina Hurricanes are going to have to look for some bargains in free agency. Tyler Ennis could provide a lot of value. He plays an up-tempo game, which Carolina likes to play. Another thing about him is he’s a versatile forward who can play at center or at either side on the wing.
Ennis is also capable of filling in just about anywhere in the lineup. He’s best used in a third or fourth line role, but if you need him to fill in on the second line, he’ll do just fine there. Ennis is coming off a huge injury, which is why he probably won’t be getting a big contract. If the Hurricanes can sign him for under $2 million a year, preferably for just one year, I think he’d be a great addition for them.