Carolina Hurricanes general manager Ron Francis has given a massive vote of confidence to the team's cast of prospects by leaving at least one NHL forward spot open entering training camp.
Instead of drawing from a still-substantial pool of free-agent wingers, it appears likely that the 'Canes will enter September with only nine forwards on one-way contracts and two more, Elias Lindholm and Victor Rask, on two-way deals but virtually guaranteed NHL jobs.
It's difficult nevertheless to identify the top contenders to earn the final open spot (and/or knock a current forward out of another spot).
Six forwards who played on a disappointing 2014-15 Charlotte Checkers team at the AHL will be in the mix, but a pair of Swedish league imports as well as hyped OHL product Sergey Tolchinsky will play wild-card roles in the competition.
Important to note in the fight for a spot will be handedness. As I explored in a July column, nine of the 11 established Canes forwards shoot left-handed, leaving a greater need for right-handed shots; only two of the eight forwards described in this slideshow, moreover, are actually right-handed.
Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - NHL
Article written by Mark Jones
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