Hurricanes make final cuts as NHL season approaches

Peter Koutroumpis, Triangle Sports Network
Peter Koutroumpis, Triangle Sports Network
Peter Koutroumpis, Triangle Sports Network

RALEIGH, N.C. – The Carolina Hurricanes announced on Saturday the final cuts to the team’s training camp roster.

The Hurricanes now have 22 players in training camp with season-opening rosters of 23 or fewer players due to the National Hockey League (NHL) by 5 p.m. on Tuesday.

Defensemen Brett Pesce and Jaccob Slavin, and forwards Brock McGinn and Derek Ryan were assigned to the Charlotte Checkers’ training camp, which began last Tuesday in Indian Trail, N.C.

Defenseman Haydn Fleury was returned to his major- junior club, the Red Deer Rebels of the Western Hockey League (WHL).

Following a 2-1 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Friday, Carolina finished its preseason with a 4-2 record, and with work to do in preparation for its season opener on Thursday according to head coach Bill Peters.

“We know what we need to work on,” Peters said following practice on Saturday.

“We’re happy with the way our preseason went and our training camp in general. There are still little details in our game that we’re gonna try and refine prior to the start of the year.”

“It’s good to have everybody out (to practice),” Peters continued.

“There’s a couple of other guys who had some bumps and bruises, but they made it all the way through (training camp) and it was very good.”

Dropping to one player less than the maximum allowed seemed to indicate that the expectation to perform would be high for those on the roster who will begin the season in Nashville.

“We gotta do what’s best for everybody, short term and long term,” Peters concluded when asked about making the final cuts.

Though suggesting that there were “still some little things to figure out,” by the time the final announcement was made shortly afterwards, the smaller roster number is what the Hurricanes will start the season with.

Carolina Hurricanes – 2015-2016 Roster

Goaltenders: Cam Ward, Eddie Lack

Forwards: Eric Staal, Jordan Staal, Jeff Skinner, Kris Versteeg, Elias Lindholm, Victor Rask, Nathan Gerbe, Jay McClement, Joakim Nordstrom, Riley Nash, Andrej Nestrasil, Chris Terry, Brad Malone

Defensemen: Justin Faulk, James Wisniewski, Ron Hainsey, John-Michael Liles, Ryan Murphy, Noah Hanfin, Michal Jordan