Restoring the Rosters: Carolina Hurricanes

Based on Matthew Pouliot’s series on Circling the Bases, I have decided restore the rosters for every NHL team. Like Pouliot, I have established some ground rules for my selections.

1. Each team contains players they originally drafted or signed before any other NHL team. This includes players drafted and not signed, as well as European free agents coming over at an older age.
2. I have chosen to leave retired players off the list, and lean toward players in the AHL rather than those deported (KHL, SEL, DEL, etc.).

Essentially I am choosing the best available players for a team to succeed in the current NHL season. All 30 teams will be covered, with grades assigned to forwards, defense and goaltending. After all 30 articles are written, they will be ranked in order. This series’ intent is to reward or shame NHL scouts.

Looking at the roster, there are a few names most casual fans would know, and then a few only Hurricanes fans and prospect enthusiasts have knowledge of.  Despite carrying a few superstar players the Canes have to rely on a plethora of young and unproven players.

The lineup for the Carolina Hurricanes is as follows.