Hofmann to Re-Enter Draft (Updated)

A talented young forward who was a candidate to join the Checkers next season will instead re-enter the NHL draft.

The Carolina Hurricanes announced Sunday that they were unable to come to terms with Gregory Hofmann, a European-based player who they chose in the fourth round two years ago, ahead of the previous day’s deadline to sign players from the 2011 draft. Any NHL team will now be free to select him later this month.

“We wanted to sign Gregory to a contract, and felt that he could have a future with the Hurricanes on the NHL level,” Carolina Hurricanes General Manager Rutherford said in an official statement. “It is disappointing that we were unable to reach an agreement with his agent to keep him in our organization.”

UPDATE: According to the Hurricanes, because Switzerland did not sign the NHL transfer agreement, Hofmann was unable to re-enter the draft and remains property of Carolina. He will stay on the organization's reserve list indefinitely, and Carolina will again attempt to sign him next summer. Despite the change in his status, Hofmann is not expected to play in the AHL during the coming season.

The development is similar to what the organization experienced with goaltender Frederik Anderson one year ago. Andersen, the Hurricanes’ seventh-round choice in 2010, joined the Anaheim Ducks as a third-round pick and spent last season with the Norfolk Admirals. The players share an agent.

Hofmann, 20, spent the last three seasons with Ambri-Piotta and Davos in the top league in his native Switzerland, setting a career high with 27 points in 49 games last season. His 16 goals during the most recent campaign tied for second on the team and for 21st in the league. They were also second-most most among players aged 20 or younger.

If he had signed with Carolina, Hofmann would have joined fellow Hurricanes draft picks Victor Rask and Brendan Woods as forwards entering their first full professional seasons in North America. With the status of several of last season’s Checkers forwards up in the air due to contract and waiver situations, Hofmann likely would have had the chance to play a key role at the AHL level if unable to crack the NHL roster.

The Hurricanes chose not to sign Matt Mahalak, a junior goalie with the Plymouth Whalers who they chose in the sixth round of the 2011 draft. Other players chosen by Carolina in 2011 include Ryan Murphy, Rask, Keegan Lowe and Brody Sutter, all of whom have a realistic chance of playing in Charlotte next season. Following their draft, all of those players attended the Hurricanes' rookie camp, where Hofmann, who considered making a move to Canadian juniors at one point, put together an impressive showing.

Carolina owns the fifth overall pick in the 2013 draft, which is set to take place on June 30. If they so desired, they could use one of their later picks to re-select Hofmann.