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Carolina Hurricanes HC Rod Brind'Amour doesn't mince words about team's free agency losses
Carolina Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour spoke his mind about the team's losses in NHL free agency. The Hurricanes will skate into the 2024-25 season with a different roster after several key players left during free agency.
Despite these significant changes, Brind'Amour is focused on moving the team forward. During the team's development camp, he emphasized the emotional attachment that develops with players, especially those who have been with the team for extended periods.
While acknowledging the business aspect of departures, the Carolina Hurricanes boss highlighted the excitement of welcoming a new group of players, including young prospects.
"It was hard, I’ll be honest. It was hard to watch guys walk out of here. I understand it. It’s a business. They’ve got to do what they’ve got to do.
"But it’s also exciting because you get a whole new group of guys coming in, and maybe some of these young guys will crack the lineup and you get to watch them grow. It’s just the evolution of it," said Brind'Amour - via NHL.com.
Despite the challenges of seeing valued players leave, Brind'Amour remains optimistic about the team's future and looks forward to witnessing the growth of incoming players.
"I had a lot of tough (phone) calls this summer. I haven’t really had too many of those. We have good players and teams will pay them. We can’t pay everybody.
"That’s just how it goes unfortunately. I love those guys. I wish them the best. I’m just excited for the new guys coming that are excited to be here and get their game going," he added.
This year's free agency saw the Carolina Hurricanes go through significant transformations, bidding farewell to forwards like Jake Guentzel (signed for the Tampa Bay Lightning), Teuvo Teravainen (signing for the Chicago Blackhawks) and Stefan Noesen (heading to the New Jersey Devils).
Additionally, defensemen Brady Skjei has joined the Nashville Predators, while Brett Pesce has joined the division rivals the Devils, altering the team's second defensive pairing that had been intact for over four seasons.
Carolina Hurricanes free agency signings
The Carolina Hurricanes have taken proactive steps to address the gaps created by the departure of key players in free agency. They secured the services of two pending free agents, Jordan Martinook and Jalen Chatfield, signing them to three-year contracts.
Additionally, the Hurricanes have extended the contract of their top defenseman, Jaccob Slavin, for eight years.
In response to the void left by Skjei and Pesce, the team has signed Sean Walker and Shayne Gostisbehere to three-year contracts, bolstering their defensive lineup for the upcoming season.
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