The Hurricanes have made a habit of selecting raw, rangy defensemen and hoping they develop into top-flight talent. The latest is University of New Hampshire rising sophomore Brett Pesce, Carolina's third-round pick — 66th overall — in the 2013 NHL Draft.
Pesce (6'3, 190 pounds) played a significant role as a freshman at New Hampshire and will likely spend at least two more years, if not three, at UNH in order to fill out his frame. Here's what ISS had to say about Pesce, who they ranked 90th.
Scouting Report: At the moment Pesce is very much a raw talent but the potential he shows through his composure and lanky frame is intriguing. Poised defenseman who has the size and grit to be a physical, shutdown presence in his own end. He played with Team USA at the under-18 Ivan Hlinka tournament and played well. Has a positive attitude and well liked by his teammates. He needs to get bigger (more weight) and stronger to compete at the next level. Will need to improve his shot.
The Wall Street Journal profiled him leading up to the draft. You can read that here.
Here's some short audio with Pesce, plus almost 10 minutes with director of amateur scouting Tony MacDonald.