The free agent picture within the Hurricanes organization became a little clearer as the team presented qualifying offers to its restricted free agent group on Monday.
Of the recent Checkers players in that group, the Hurricanes retained the rights to Zach Boychuk, Greg Nemisz, Michal Jordan, Rasmus Rissanen, Justin Shugg and Jared Staal. Another group including Drayson Bowman, Tommi Kivisto, Aaron Palushaj and Kellan Tochkin did not receive offers, making them unrestricted free agents who can now sign with any other team beginning noon Tuesday.
The non-qualified group will join already-unrestricted free agents Brett Bellemore, Nicolas Blanchard, Matt Corrente, Justin Peters and Brett Sutter on the open market unless any member of that group agrees to a last minute deal with the Hurricanes.
Carolina’s biggest decision likely involved Bowman, who played parts of three seasons with the Checkers before graduating to a full-time NHL role in 2013-14. Palushaj, though an offensive force with Charlotte for much of last season (58 points in 68 games), never seemed to be a big part of the Hurricanes’ long-term plans. The 24-year-old was also not qualified by the Colorado Avalanche one year earlier, allowing the Hurricanes to pick him up on a one-year deal.
Kivisto, a late-round draft pick in 2009, played 17 games with the Checkers in 2012-13 but spent last season in his native Finland. Tochkin played in the ECHL for the entirety of last season following the trade that sent Zac Dalpe, who also not qualified on Monday, to Vancouver.
Players that did receive qualifying offers now remain property of the Hurricanes, though contracts must still be signed in order for them to return to the fold next season. Those players could still decide to hold out, be traded or play next season overseas.
