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Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Hurricanes Betting On Risky Approach To Give Them Competitive Edge
This offseason alone, the Carolina Hurricanes have signed three different players to eight-year deals (Logan Stankoven, K'Andre Miller and Jackson Blake). Perhaps that's partly due to CBA changes that are coming down the pipe in a few seasons, but if you go back two years, that number still doubles to six on players who the team has handed out the max term allowable to (Sebastian Aho, Jaccob Slavin and Seth Jarvis). So it seems like more of a calculated approach then a mad dash to beat the clock. What's happening here is that the Canes are betting big on their young, blossoming talent and they're hoping it's a maneuver that gives them an edge moving forward. With the salary cap set for an exponential climb over the next few years, contract values are going to balloon alongside it. So securing deals now inherently saves money in the long run. In total, the Hurricanes have 12 players who are signed for at least four more seasons, accounting for 65% of their total scoring from last season, and those players have an average age of just 26 years old. The team, as a whole, is positioned well to keep future costs down and to maximize their current window. According to JFresh Hockey, the Canes' seven longest running deals (including the Nikolaj Ehlers, six-year signing this offseason) will account for less than 50% of the team's total cap hit (44% to be exact) as soon as the 2027-28 season, and that number will only get smaller and smaller as the years go by. What this means is that a lot of money is going to be freed up, allowing the team to be aggressive in pursuing more talent to supplement the core they've already locked in. Is there risk with signing players, some of them with very limited experience, to these deals? Of course, but the team believes that these risks will work out more in their favor in the long run. "We have a bunch of these [long-term deals] now and we're sort of the opinion that if we can kind of aggregate that risk and have a lot of players who we're comfortable making bets on — yeah, maybe for one or two of them, something's going to go wrong — but on the whole, we're going to come out ahead by staying aggressive and putting ourselves in a position to get things done and keep our core locked up and leave ourselves room to keep adding around them," said Carolina general manager Eric Tulsky. Tulsky also said that signing these deals now also moves some of the risk and worry off of the players and puts it on the team instead. While we've all seen how some players perform on the last year of a deal, the ol' contract year bump, there's also been plenty of players who have seen worse results due to the stress of playing for a contract. The way the Canes are operating could mitigate the stress on not only the team, who knows what the roster will look like for the foreseeable future, but also on the players, who just have to worry about playing hockey. "Doing it early, it's a little bit of transfer of risk from the player to the team," Tulsky said. "All the risk that he gets hurt, that something goes wrong, whatever, it's all our risk instead of his and that's something that is helpful to a player who only has one career and only one contract." The Hurricanes, as an organization, like to think outside of the box, and this is just another example of the things they're trying to do to get a leg up on the competition. Recent Stories 'A Year Ago, I Probably Would Have Told You You Were Crazy.': Carolina Hurricanes Jackson Blake, Eric Tulsky On Eight-Year Extension The Carolina Hurricanes extended forward Jackson Blake earlier this month, signing the winger to an eight-year, $45 million deal that kicks in 2026-27. • Last Season's Rookies Poised To Take Steps Into Bigger Roles For Carolina Hurricanes• What To Expect From Jackson Blake In Year 2?• Carolina Hurricanes Bet Big On Promising Rookie With Massive Deal• Where Does Nikolaj Ehlers Slot In For The Carolina Hurricanes?• Who Will Quarterback PP2 For Carolina Next Season?• Carolina Hurricanes Release 2025-26 Schedule Stay updated with the most interesting Carolina Hurricanes stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News to never miss a story.
Yahoo
10-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Hurricanes swing big again, land K'Andre Miller in sign-and-trade with Rangers
Florida Panthers center Sam Reinhart (13) gets cross checked by New York Rangers defenseman K'Andre Miller (79) and left wing Brennan Othmann (78) during the first period of a game on Monday, April 14, 2025, at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Fla. Reinhart went on to score on the power play within the next minute. Florida Panthers left wing Ryan Lomberg (94) skates up to New York Rangers defenseman K'Andre Miller (79) during the second period of Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoffs at the Amerant Bank Arena on Sunday, May 26, 2024, in Sunrise, Fla. Florida Panthers left wing Ryan Lomberg (94) skates up to New York Rangers defenseman K'Andre Miller (79) during the second period of Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoffs at the Amerant Bank Arena on Sunday, May 26, 2024, in Sunrise, Fla. Florida Panthers center Sam Reinhart (13) gets cross checked by New York Rangers defenseman K'Andre Miller (79) and left wing Brennan Othmann (78) during the first period of a game on Monday, April 14, 2025, at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Fla. Reinhart went on to score on the power play within the next minute. Florida Panthers left wing Ryan Lomberg (94) skates up to New York Rangers defenseman K'Andre Miller (79) during the second period of Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoffs at the Amerant Bank Arena on Sunday, May 26, 2024, in Sunrise, Fla. Out with the old and in with the new seemed to be a Carolina Hurricanes theme Tuesday on the first day of NHL free agency, at least defensively. Gone are veteran defensemen Brent Burns and Dmitry Orlov, who each left Carolina as free agents. Coming to the Hurricanes is 25-year-old defenseman K'Andre Miller, who agreed to an eight-year, $60 million contract before being traded by the New York Rangers. Advertisement Carolina, in exchange, sent conditional first- and second-round picks in the 2026 NHL draft and defenseman Scott Morrow to New York. 'We've been talking for a while about it,' Tulsky said at a late-afternoon press conference at Lenovo Center. 'They were obviously looking at other players in free agency and needed to clear the cap space and also the roster spot. So we've been talking about what a deal would look like for a while. 'It was important for us to do it without giving up any major pieces off of our roster if we could. Obviously, Morrow was close but he wasn't quite there for us last year. It's a big price to pay but we think (Miller) is a great fit for us.' The Canes hold two first-rounders for 2026 after picking up the Dallas Stars' first-round selection in the March trade that sent forward Mikko Rantanen to Dallas. The Rangers will receive the better of the two picks, which are top-10 protected.. Advertisement On the first day of free agency, always unpredictable, the Canes first made news with a different long-term contract: the signing of forward Logan Stankoven to an eight-year, $48 million extension. That announcement came an hour before NHL free agency officially started at noon. That's when the wait began on the landing spots for Burns and Orlov, unrestricted free agents who decided to hit the open market and remained unsigned. 'Right now, I do not anticipate either of them being back with us,' Tulsky said. 'Obviously, that can change with one phone call but that's where we are right now.' Burns, who was traded to the Canes by San Jose, will turn 41 during the 2025-26 season. But he has played 925 consecutive games and spent the past three years with Jaccob Slavin on the Canes' top D pairing. Advertisement Orlov, 33, came to Carolina as a free agent in July 2023, signing a two-year, $15.5 million contract. With the departure of defensemen Brett Pesce and Brady Skjei in free agency a year ago, Orlov and Jalen Chatfield became the Canes' second defensive pairing. The departures of Burns and Orlov add up to a defensive hit for Carolina over two years. But Miller should be a key addition for the Carolina blue line, bringing size — he's listed at 6-foot-5 and 210 pounds — and toughness to the lineup. 'He's a really powerful skater who can close out really effectively and take away time and space,' Tulsky said. 'The aggressive way we play is going to suit him very well. He's also very strong in front of the net, defending and protecting the front of the net. I think his skating and recovery speed is going to be really effective for us.' Defenseman Alexander Nikishin, who left Russia to join the Canes at the end of the regular season, is expected to fill a lineup spot on the back end. Nikishin, 23, is 6-4 and 215 pounds and underwent a trial-by-fire getting in four playoff games for the Canes. Advertisement A left-shot defenseman, Miller was made a first-round pick by the Rangers in the 2018 draft, taken 22nd overall, He made his NHL debut in the 2020-21 season, playing 53 games as a rookie alongside veteran Jacob Trouba and being named to the NHL All-Rookie team. The Minnesota native has been a durable D-man for the Rangers, playing 74 or more games in each of the past four seasons. He averaged 21:57 in ice time in 2024-25, exactly matching his career high from 2022-23. Miller signed a two-year, $7.744 million contract extension with the Rangers in July 2023. Miller was a part of the U.S. National Team Development Program, playing international competition for the U.S., and had another two years of college hockey at Wisconsin. Advertisement The Hurricanes added a depth defenseman Tuesday by signing veteran Mike Reilly to a one-year, $1.1 million deal. Reilly, 31, played 18 games for the New York Islanders last season after undergoing a heart procedure in November. Reilly has played more than 400 career games for six NHL teams. The Hurricanes also added more depth to their goaltending Tuesday, signing Amir Miftakhov out of the KHL to a one-year, two-way contract. The deal will pay Miftakhov $775,000 on the NHL level or $100,000 on the AHL level, with a guarantee of at least $240,000. Miftakhov represented Russia at the 2020 IIHF U20 World Championship, winning silver, and the 2019 U20 World Championship, winning bronze. Advertisement 'Amir has put together a number of solid seasons in the KHL and is ready to return to professional hockey in North America,' Tulsky said in a statement. Miftakhov, 25, played with AK Bars Kazan in the KHL this past season, finishing with a 13-11-3 record, 2.18 goals-against average, .927 save percentage. He also has played in the AHL. Miftakhov represented Russia at the 2020 IIHF U20 World Championship, winning silver, the 2019 U20 World Championship, winning bronze, and the 2018 U18 World Championship, where he was named a top three player on the team. The Canes on Monday worked a deal with the Montreal Canadiens for the rights to goalie Cayden Primeau, who spent much of the 2024-25 season with Laval Rocket of the AHL. Carolina gave up a seventh-round pick in the 2026 NHL draft.
New York Times
10-07-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Submit your Rangers offseason questions
The New York Rangers have (likely) made their most significant moves of the offseason, signing defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov and trading K'Andre Miller on the first day of free agency. What do you want to know about where they stand? Submit your questions here for Peter Baugh, and he will answer them in an upcoming Rangers mailbag. Peter Baugh July 10, 2025 12:00 pm EDT
Yahoo
09-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Get to know newest Rangers prospect Scott Morrow after trade with Hurricanes
Not to be lost in the K'Andre Miller trade Tuesday is that the New York Rangers acquired a top-end prospect from the Carolina Hurricanes to go along with the conditional first-round pick and second rounder in next year's draft. Scott Morrow is a skilled right-shot defenseman, who will turn 23 in November. The Rangers are getting him at a good time in his development, since he had a strong season in the American Hockey League in 2024-25 and also got his feet wet in the NHL. Advertisement There's a chance Morrow could break camp with the Rangers, likely on the third pair if New York shifts Braden Schneider to the second pair on his off side. Even if Morrow — who's still figuring the defensive side of the puck at the pro level — begins next season with AHL Hartford, hockey experts see a bright future for the former NCAA star from UMASS. Related: Rangers transformation continues with K'Andre Miller trade to Hurricanes: 3 key takeaways Breaking down new Rangers prospect Scott Morrow Scott Morrow (RHD): 6 foot-2, 192 pounds 2024-25 Season Stats: Chicago Wolves (AHL) – 39 points (13 goals – 26 Assists) in 52 games Carolina Hurricanes (NHL) – 6 points (1 goal – 5 assists) in 14 games Advertisement Collegiate Career: 3 years UMass Amherst – 94 points (28 goals – 66 assists) in 109 games (Second in program's all-time defenseman scoring list) Analysis from Elite Prospects NHL Draft Guide 'With constant hip pocket deception, changes of pace, and eyes that never reveal the intended play, he embarrasses defenders. After breaking down a defender, he continues the manipulation to drag over another defender, before rolling his wrists, turning the fake shot into a pass to an open teammate.' Morrow is a right-handed offensive defensemen that uses his size, poise and slick hands to make plays all over the ice. Solid breakout abilities whether with a pass or weaving through the opposition. Very comfortable grabbing the puck at the blue line, stickhandling right into traffic to create space for his teammates or chaos going to the net to generate a scoring chance. Off the cycle or on the power play, he can be seen opening up for a booming shot from the point or on his offside half wall. That's something the Rangers haven't had consistently for years on the back end. His skating can use some work, especially under pressure in his own end. While attending the prestigious prep school Shattuck-St. Mary's in Minnesota, with alumni that includes the likes of Sidney Crosby, Jonathan Toews and so-on, Morrow put up as many as 48 points his senior year. The North Dakota commit was given two-options heading into his draft year, another year at Shattuck or to go to the USHL. Once the pandemic hit, he decided to stay at Shattuck with his three siblings and mother. With North Dakota still wanting him to play a year in the USHL, he eventually decommitted and took his talents to UMass Amherst as a top prospect. Selected 40th overall by Carolina in 2021, Morrow became the second highest draft pick to come from UMass, behind Cale Makar. With a father, Steve Morrow, who was a 1987 draft pick of the Philadelphia Flyers and uncle, Scott Morrow, who had his own respectable pro career between the NHL and AHL before retiring in 2002, the younger Morrow knew what to expect as he moved through the hockey ranks. Scott Wheeler of the Athletic listed Morrow as the Hurricanes top prospect last January. Advertisement 'Morrow was one of the most productive freshmen in college hockey, led the Minutemen in scoring as a sophomore and then had a third straight 30-point season as a junior last year before turning pro. Most importantly, he played better defensively in huge minutes (25 per game) as a junior, taking important steps defensively. This year, as a rookie at the pro level, he has been one of the Wolves' most productive players and has played 20 minutes per game in the AHL.' After scoring his first professional goal in just his second game with the Chicago Wolves, an overtime winner, Morrow continued to make the transition to the pro level effortlessly, tallying just under a point per game this past season. He scored his first NHL goal against the Flyers on March 15 and added five assists in 14 NHL games. Injuries allowed him to appear in five postseason games with the Hurricanes, where he struggled and the Hurricanes were eliminated in the Eastern Conference Final by the Florida Panthers. Scouts will look to his skating ability that needs work, justifiably so. With that size, if he's able to gain more traction in his first few strides, this will turn him into a more confident defender off the puck in all three zones. That said, his confidence with the puck, especially with pressure on him, makes him someone that may be able to extend shifts and handle a heavy workload without expending much energy as his maturity grows, similar to Adam Fox. Look no further than Edmonton Oilers defenseman Evan Bouchard. He consistently produces big offensive numbers, but can also be caught on the wrong side of the opposition often off the puck due to his positioning, lack of a strong first step in his stride and size to recover. Of course, Bouchard more than makes up for it with his bomb of a shot. Morrow may have a bit of Bouchard in his game. When you look at the 2023-24 Rangers, perhaps the best value on the squad was Erik Gustafsson. He had confidence with the puck on the back end, a heavy shot from the point, and was someone capable of handling first power-play minutes when Fox was injured. Advertisement For this Rangers team, Gustafsson (who also wore number 56) is a guy Morrow should be striving to be in the near-term. Highly effective offensively without having the best skating ability, all while not being a total liability defensively. This should not only temper internal expectations on the young player, but give him a realistic floor to get to playing in a sheltered third pairing role. The path and talent is there for him to become the Rangers quarterback on the second power-play unit this upcoming season. If not out of camp, shortly after. Patience is the key. The organization has gained a really promising prospect. Related Headlines
Yahoo
09-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Scott Morrow ‘going to be really good player' with Rangers, but there's catch: NHL insider
Perhaps the most under-the-radar part of the recent K'Andre Miller trade is that the New York Rangers were able to acquire Scott Morrow, on top of a pair of premium draft picks, from the Carolina Hurricanes. Most of the focus here — and rightfully so — has been on Miller, the 25-year-old top-four defenseman getting traded within the Metropolitan Division, and then signing an eight-year, $60 million contract with the Hurricanes. After that, there's been plenty of talk about the Rangers landing a conditional first-round pick along with a second-rounder in the loaded 2026 draft. Advertisement But no one should overlook the other key part of this trade. Morrow was considered to be Carolina's top prospect in many circles and should turn into a solid puck-moving defenseman in New York's top six sooner rather than later. NHL insider Elliotte Friedman is among those who believe the Rangers got themselves a nice player in Morrow. But he also did sound a cautionary note about the 22-year-old's readiness for big-game duty in the NHL. 'I'm not surprised [the Hurricanes] traded Morrow, they've got a lot of D,' Friedman stated on his 32 Thoughts podcast. 'He's young, he's talented, he's going to be a really good player. He wasn't ready for what they do right now. They have a lot of defensemen back there so I'm not surprised they made that deal.' The catch Friedman referred to was Morrow's five-game opportunity in the Stanley Cup Playoffs this past spring. With Jalen Chatfield sidelined by injury, Morrow was pressed into duty for the entirety of the Eastern Conference Final, a five-game series loss to the Florida Panthers. As the Rangers are well aware, that's tough sledding for even the most experienced of players, and specifically defensemen in this case. Morrow had a difficult time of it, with the Hurricanes outscored 5-0 at 5v5 with him on the ice. However, the underlying numbers weren't terrible. Carolina had an expected goals share of 55.76 percent, per Natural Stat Trick, and out-chanced Florida 23-16 with the rookie out there. Advertisement Of course all of that comes with a grain of salt. Typically, Hurricanes players have solid impressive underlying metrics, based on the team's play style. The eye test against the Panthers wasn't so pretty. Related: Get to know newest Rangers prospect Scott Morrow after trade with Hurricanes Scott Morrow underrated trade acquisition by Rangers David Kirouac-Imagn Images Nonetheless, the Rangers have themselves a really promising defenseman prospect in their fold now. After starring collegiately for three years at UMASS, Morrow had 39 points (13 goals, 26 assists) in 52 games with Chicago of the American Hockey League last season. He didn't look out of place when called up by the Hurricanes; Morrow had six points (one goal, five assists) in 14 NHL games late last season. Advertisement Morrow's got good size (6-foot-2, 210 pounds) and an above-average skill set offensively. His defensive game remains a work in progress. But if he can handle third-pair minutes defensively, Morrow would give the Rangers a really good option as puck-moving defenseman behind Adam Fox, both at even strength and on the power play. If Morrow proves himself ready to go on the right side in training camp, the Rangers could move Braden Schneider to his off (left) side to help form a shutdown second pair with Will Borgen. This trade will largely be deemed a success or failure for each side based on Miller's growth and play. He's the best player in this trade right now — barring New York landing a stud or two with those two picks in next year's draft. 'The Hurricanes were willing to take a bet the Rangers weren't,' Friedman explained. 'The Rangers weren't willing to go long term with Miller. They were only willing to go, I think, a couple of years. Obviously, Carolina was not afraid of that. We'll see how that works long term. Who made the right bet?' Advertisement That's the biggest question right now. But don't discount Morrow being able to tip the scales in New York's favor when it's all said and done. Related Headlines
