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Tag Archives: NHL

Nikolaj Ehlers chooses the Carolina Hurricanes, taking the NHL’s top free agent off the market

Nikolaj Ehlers chooses the Carolina Hurricanes, taking the NHL’s top free agent off the market

By STEPHEN WHYNO AP Hockey Writer

The long wait for Nikolaj Ehlers’ free agent decision is over.

Ehlers decided Thursday to sign with the Carolina Hurricanes, taking the top player available off the market more than 72 hours since the NHL’s signing period began.

Ehlers agreed to terms on a six-year, $51 million contract. He’ll count $8.5 million against the salary cap through 2031. He’s coming off being nearly a point-a-game player with 63 in 69.

“Nikolaj was the top free agent available on July 1, and we are proud that he’s chosen to make Carolina his home,” general manager Eric Tulsky said. “He’s a highly skilled winger who can really skate and will fit very well with our forward group.”

It turned out to be worth the wait for the speedy 29-year-old winger from Denmark who played his first 10 seasons with Winnipeg. Ehlers’ contract is the most lucrative of any signed by an unrestricted free agent who left his team this week and $250,000 more than Brock Boeser got to re-sign with Vancouver.

The only bigger contracts have been K’Andre Miller’s eight years and $60 million — also with Carolina in a sign and trade from the New York Rangers — and Ivan Provorov staying with Columbus for $59.5 million over the next seven seasons.

“From first-round pick to the highest-scoring Danish player in NHL history, and all the countless memories in between, thank you for everything, Fly,” the Jets posted on social media. “All the best in Carolina.”

Ehlers joins a core that has reached the playoffs seven consecutive seasons under coach Rod Brind’Amour with two trips to the Eastern Conference final over the past three springs. Carolina still has $10 million in cap space with just about a full roster, providing flexibility to fill holes between now and the trade deadline in March.

Signing Ehlers could start dominos falling around the league as teams who did not get him — among them, the Washington Capitals — turn to backup plans. That includes potential trades, with Pittsburgh actively in selling mode, along with remaining free agents.

Elsewhere on Thursday, Dmitry Orlov is heading to the spend-happy San Jose Sharks, who have been active this week and even made a pickup off the waiver wire to reach the salary floor.

Orlov, who turns 34 later this month, signed a two-year contract worth $13 million. A Stanley Cup champion from his time in Washington who spent the past two seasons in Carolina, the veteran defenseman will count $6.5 million against the cap through 2026-27.

Orlov is the latest addition for the Sharks, who needed to add $20 million somehow to get to the $70.6 million minimum for player salaries. That counts money owed to captain Logan Couture, whose playing career is over because of a debilitating injury.

San Jose also claimed Nick Leddy off waivers from St. Louis to add to its new-look blue line that includes recently signed veteran John Klingberg, who got $4 million for next season.

“Klingberg was someone we had targeted for a little while now,” general manager Mike Grier said earlier this week. “We need someone who can run a power play. We think, as he showed he was getting healthier and healthier this year and another year out from his hip (surgery), I think he’ll be even better”

Leddy also has a year left on his contract at a cap hit of $4 million, with $3 million in actual dollars owed. Orlov is the only experienced defenseman San Jose has signed beyond 2026.

Brent Burns, who played alongside Orlov the past two seasons with the Hurricanes, agreed to terms with Colorado on Wednesday night to a one-year contract worth $1 million with up to $3 million more attainable through performance bonuses. The 40-year-old who won the Norris Trophy as top defenseman in 2017, is set to become the 23rd player in league history to play at least 22 seasons.

“I just love it: I love coming to the rink every day and working,” said Burns, who is three games shy of reaching 1,500 in the regular season over his career. “It really is the best. You’re around guys that they’re chasing one goal and there’s just something special about it: all the laughs and the working hard together. It’s really special to try to build something together, and I just enjoy that process.”

___

AP Sports Writer Pat Graham in Denver contributed.

K’Andre Miller is eager for his new start after trade from New York Rangers to Carolina Hurricanes

K’Andre Miller is eager for his new start after trade from New York Rangers to Carolina Hurricanes

K’Andre Miller is eager to start work with the Carolina Hurricanes. The Hurricanes acquired the 25-year-old defenseman from the New York Rangers on Tuesday. They also signed him to a long-term deal. Carolina sees Miller as a strong fit for their aggressive, fast-paced system. The former first-round pick brings size and skating ability to the blue line. The Hurricanes are retooling the defense with veterans Brent Burns and Dmitry Orlov likely departing. In a Zoom call with reporters Wednesday, Miller said Carolina is “a fun group to watch” and he’s eager to join the Hurricanes’ style.… Continue Reading

Defending champion Panthers head back to Stanley Cup Final with 5-3 Game 5 win over Hurricanes

Defending champion Panthers head back to Stanley Cup Final with 5-3 Game 5 win over Hurricanes

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Carter Verhaeghe broke a tie off a feed from Aleksander Barkov with 7:39 left and the defending champion Florida Panthers advanced to their third straight Stanley Cup Final, beating the Carolina Hurricanes 5-3 on Wednesday night in Game 5. The Panthers beat the Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference final for the second time in three seasons. The Panthers will face the winner of the Western final between Dallas and Edmonton, with the Oilers up 3-1 to put them within a win of a rematch with Florida for the Cup. Sam Bennett added an empty-net goal with 54 seconds left by skating down a loose puck straight out of the penalty box after Florida had held up against a critical late power play for the Hurricanes.… Continue Reading

Hurricanes get another home-ice shot at Panthers with Game 5 in Eastern final

Hurricanes get another home-ice shot at Panthers with Game 5 in Eastern final

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The Carolina Hurricanes host the Florida Panthers on Wednesday night in Game 5 of their Eastern Conference final series. The Hurricanes extended their season with Monday’s road shutout after falling in a 3-0 series hole. Florida took the first two games in Raleigh to start this series. Carolina started 5-0 in the playoffs at home through two rounds. Florida is unsure of the status of Sam Reinhart, Niko Mikkola and A.J. Greer after they missed Game 4 with injuries. Carolina defenseman Jalen Chatfield hasn’t played in the series while fellow blue-liner Sean Walker has missed the past two games.… Continue Reading

Bennett, Verhaeghe help Panthers roll past Hurricanes 5-0, take 2-0 lead in Eastern final

Bennett, Verhaeghe help Panthers roll past Hurricanes 5-0, take 2-0 lead in Eastern final

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Sam Bennett scored one of his two goals in Florida’s three-goal first period, Sergei Bobrovsky made 17 saves and the Panthers beat the Carolina Hurricanes 5-0 on Thursday night to take a 2-0 lead in the Eastern Conference final. Gustav Forsling and Matthew Tkachuk also scored in another tone-setting opening 20 minutes for the reigning Stanley Cup champions, while Carter Verhaeghe had three assists. Bennett scored a second time by skating in to clean up an attempt at the right post in the final minute of the second period to make it 4-0, ending a long shift in Carolina’s end prolonged by Hurricanes defenseman Brent Burns being stuck on the ice after breaking his stick. Aleksander Barkov scored midway through the third as punctuation.… Continue Reading

Reigning Stanley Cup champ Florida Panthers beat Carolina Hurricanes 5-2 in Eastern final opener

Reigning Stanley Cup champ Florida Panthers beat Carolina Hurricanes 5-2 in Eastern final opener

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Carter Verhaeghe and Aaron Ekblad scored two tone-setting first-period goals while Sergei Bobrovsky remained strong in net as the reigning Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers beat the Carolina Hurricanes 5-2 in Tuesday night’s opener of their Eastern Conference final series. A.J. Greer added a goal by finishing off a perfect 2-on-1 transition chance in the second period for Florida. Sam Bennett and Eetu Luostarinen scored in the third period. Sebastian Aho and Jackson Blake scored Carolina’s lone goals in the opener of a series that is a rematch of the 2023 Eastern final. Game 2 is Thursday night at Carolina.… Continue Reading

The Carolina Hurricanes keep leaning on their penalty kill in another deep postseason push

The Carolina Hurricanes keep leaning on their penalty kill in another deep postseason push

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The Carolina Hurricanes continue to lean on a reliable penalty kill in their latest playoff run. The Hurricanes have been the No. 1 kill through the past seven regular seasons of coach Rod Brind’Amour’s tenure. That unit has stepped up to deny 28 of 30 power plays in two rounds this postseason. They also have a shorthanded goal. The Hurricanes are back in the Eastern Conference final for the second time in three seasons. They’ll face the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers… Continue Reading

Svechnikov breaks late tie as the Hurricanes beat the Capitals to reach Eastern Conference final

Svechnikov breaks late tie as the Hurricanes beat the Capitals to reach Eastern Conference final

WASHINGTON (AP) — Andrei Svechnikov scored the go-ahead goal with just under two minutes left and the Carolina Hurricanes beat the Washington Capitals 3-1 in Game 5 on Thursday night, winning the second-round series and advancing to the Eastern Conference final for a second time in three years. Captain Jordan Staal got his first goal of the playoffs, and Frederik Andersen stopped 18 of the 19 shots he faced, including several on Alex Ovechkin. After a give and go with defenseman Sean Walker, Svechnikov’s shot got through Logan Thompson from a bad angle with 1:59 remaining, and that was the difference in a game that was back and forth. Seth Jarvis sealed it with an empty-net goal with 26.1 seconds remaining.… Continue Reading

Hurricanes and Stars ride stellar special teams to the verge of the conference finals

Hurricanes and Stars ride stellar special teams to the verge of the conference finals

The Carolina Hurricanes and Dallas Stars are each one win away from winning their second-round series and moving on to the conference finals. Carolina is up 3-1 on Washington and Dallas up 3-1 on Winnipeg and have gotten to this point thanks to some of the best special teams play in the NHL playoffs. They have the top two power plays and penalty kills among the teams that made it past the first round. Scoring with the man advantage and preventing goals on the kill is a big reason they’re on the verge of eliminating the Capitals and Jets.… Continue Reading

Walker, Svechnikov score late as Hurricanes push Capitals to brink of elimination in 5-2 win

Walker, Svechnikov score late as Hurricanes push Capitals to brink of elimination in 5-2 win

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Sean Walker scored late and Andrei Svechnikov added an empty-net clincher to help the Carolina Hurricanes beat the Washington Capitals 5-2 on Monday night for a 3-1 lead in their second-round playoff series. Walker’s score came at the 16:45 mark of the third period after the Capitals had pulled to within 3-2 on Alex Ovechkin’s one-timer on a 5-on-3 power play. Taylor Hall had a goal and an assist, while Shayne Gostisbehere and Seth Jarvis also scored. Jakob Chychrun also scored for Washington. The series shifts back to Washington for Game 5 on Thursday with the Capitals facing elimination.… Continue Reading

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