June 19, 2012 8:53 AM
It may be the Carolina Hurricanes stepping up to the podium at this weekend’s NHL draft, but it’s safe to say that many of the names they announce will end up in Charlotte at one time or another.
Since the franchise moved to North Carolina in 1997, roughly 60 percent of the players it has drafted have played at least one game with the club’s top minor league affiliate. Of those who played for the Checkers this past season, 14 were Carolina draft picks, making this weekend’s event important for the future of both clubs.
What follows is a preview of the draft from the AHL perspective. The Hurricanes hold a total of 10 picks, including the No. 8 overall pick in the first round, which takes place Friday night. The Checkers' third annual Draught for the Draft Party takes place at Queen City Q beginning at 6 p.m.
CANES PICKS ON THE CHECKERS
|
| YEAR |
ROUND |
CHOICE |
| 2011 |
| Brody Sutter |
7 |
193 |
| 2010 |
| Justin Shugg |
4 |
105 |
| 2009 |
| Rasmus Rissanen |
6 |
178 |
| 2008 |
| Zach Boychuk |
1 |
14 |
| Zac Dalpe |
2 |
45 |
| Michal Jordan |
4 |
105 |
| Mike Murphy |
6 |
165 |
| 2007 |
| Drayson Bowman |
3 |
72 |
| Chris Terry |
5 |
132 |
| Brett Bellemore |
6 |
162 |
| 2006 |
| Justin Krueger |
7 |
192 |
| 2005 |
| Nicolas Blanchard |
6 |
192 |
| 2004 |
| Justin Peters |
2 |
38 |
Though the lineup is obviously tougher to crack at the NHL level, a certain degree of patience is still required when it comes to drafted players making it to the AHL.
Of the 110 players drafted by the Hurricanes over the years, just five have gone straight to their top minor-league affiliate in their draft year. Only one of those, David Tanabe (16th overall in 1999), was in his first year of draft eligibility. Others in that group were Europeans in their early-to-mid 20s taken in the later rounds (Tommy Westlund, Niclas Wallin) or players going through their second drafts after not signing with their first clubs (Mike Zigomanis, Peter Reynolds).
Given that the last such occurrence came in 2001, chances are that any player taken this weekend is at least one year away from appearing in Charlotte due to a number of factors, most notably the age restriction for players drafted out of the Canadian junior league. However, the Hurricanes have made a recent trend of taking older, AHL-eligible players in the late rounds of each of their last three drafts - Matt Kennedy in 2009, Frederik Andersen in 2010 and Brody Sutter in 2011.
Though none of those players made the immediate jump for various reasons, a similar player would immediately become one to watch in terms of possibly suiting up for the Checkers next season. Other candidates would include European-based players who have the right combination of a willingness to leave their current club and the ability to crack the AHL lineup – a category that 2011 second-round pick Victor Rask flirted with before ultimately ending up with Calgary of the Canadian junior league.
Based on media reports and their own stated intentions, the Hurricanes have been linked with some of the biggest names on the trade market, including Columbus’ Rick Nash and Pittsburgh’s Jordan Staal. If the Hurricanes were to make a move for a player of that caliber prior to the draft, the deal could very well include the No. 8 pick.
Beyond the implications for the draft, any trade the Hurricanes make could have a trickle-down effect to the AHL level. Any team making a trade with Carolina may want prospects in return, and any trade of an NHL roster player could mean the accelerated graduation of a player previously slotted for a return to Charlotte.
The Hurricanes may also use the opportunity to move a restricted free agent they don’t view as being part of their plans, or they could try to fill holes in the organizational depth chart (three players who played for Charlotte last season - Jon Matsumoto, Riley Nash and Bobby Sanguinetti - were acquired on separate draft-day trades in 2010). Either could result in changes to next season’s AHL roster, which still has just 15 returning players under contract.
CAROLINA'S PICKS
|
| ROUND |
OVERALL CHOICE
|
| 1 |
8 |
| 2 |
38 |
| 2 |
47 |
| 3 |
69 |
| 4 |
99 |
| 4 |
115 |
| 4 |
120 |
| 5 |
129 |
| 6 |
159 |
| 7 |
189 |
The Hurricanes’ positional depth has gone through cycles in recent years, with many drafts designed to aggressively pursue a particular position.
In recent years, a glut of forward prospects on the AHL roster and in the junior/college/European pipeline resulted in the drafting of several defensemen – a trend most clearly seen in the 2009 and 2010 drafts, when the team used eight of a possible 14 picks on blueliners. With many of those players on the cusp or already on the rosters in Charlotte and Carolina, forward has become somewhat thin in terms of players ready to take the next step, which could result in a yet another shift.
That being said, an area of sudden weakness is in goal, where the departure of Mike Murphy to Russia and Andersen’s decision to re-enter the draft have left the club with two fewer players than anticipated. Though the signing of John Muse to an NHL contract helps soften that blow, the organization may choose to re-stock a system that boasts just one other netminder, the Plymouth Whalers’ Matt Mahalak. The Hurricanes have drafted just three goalies in the last seven seasons, none higher than the sixth round.
At any rate, the Hurricanes will focus on drafting the best player available in the first round, but organizational need could become a factor as early as the second, where the team currently holds two picks.
The third annual “Draught for the Draft” party, in conjunction with the NHL Entry Draft, will take place on Friday, June 22, from 6-9 p.m. at Queen City Q in Uptown Charlotte. Click here to RSVP on Facebook.
The “Draught for the Draft” party will feature drink and food specials, trivia, bubble hockey, giveaways and raffle prizes as well as appearances by Chubby, the CheckMates, Chief Fan Rouser Wilson and Woody from 1065 The End. Additionally, the first 25 fans through the door will receive an exclusive draft t-shirt, courtesy of Queen City Q. There will also be live analysis of draft picks by Checkers senior vice president of hockey business operations Derek Wilkinson and broadcaster Jason Shaya.
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