The Carolina Hurricanes announced Monday that they have signed defenseman Tyler Ganly to a three-year, entry-level contract.
Ganly, a 20-year-old who the Hurricanes selected in the sixth round of the 2013 draft, is eligible to make the jump from junior hockey to the AHL next season. Should he do so, the 6-foot-2, 196-pound native of Milton, Ontario, could be the second defenseman from his draft class to play in Charlotte next season, potentially joining second-round pick Brett Pesce.
Playing on the same team as dynamic forward Sergey Tolchinsky, another potential Checkers rookie, and Charlotte native Bryan Moore, Ganly totaled 54 points (5g, 49a) in 167 games over three seasons with Sault Ste. Marie of the Ontario Hockey League. Limited to just 38 regular-season games, he ranked second among OHL skaters with a plus-14 rating in this year's playoffs.
“Tyler had a good season despite missing significant time due to injury,” Hurricanes General Manager Ron Francis said in a team release. “He was especially good in the playoffs and was a big part of his team making the OHL’s Western Conference finals.”
As of Ganly’s signing, fifth-round choice Brent Pedersen, a winger who on Sunday won the Memorial Cup with OHL Oshawa, was the only Hurricanes prospect from that four-player class that had yet to sign.
