Introducing the 2017-2018 Carolina Hurricanes Opening Night Roster

Some offseason additions meant a new veteran face to the 2017-2018 Hurricanes, but the story of the roster release this year is the hungry young players who forced their way onto the opening night lineup.

The fresh faces include 2017 1st round pick Martin Necas, who earned his way on the roster with an outstanding performance during training camp. If Necas plays ten games, he’ll automatically activate the first year of his three-year entry-level contract, so it’s questionable that he’ll play many games, but it’s certainly interesting to see.

Forward Janne Kuokkanen also makes the roster after a stellar year with London of the Ontario Hockey League, tallying 62 points in 60 games for the Knights, and Haydn Fleury, who posted a +16 with the Checkers last year, joins the team.

Former Hurricane Justin Williams headlines the list of experienced roster additions. For those young millennials and new fans who maybe missed it, Williams is famous in Raleigh for his Stanley Cup tenure with the Hurricanes in 2006, when he scored the empty-netter to seal the 3-1 Game 7 victory.

Three former Blackhawks, two with Stanley Cup experience, also joined the roster. Goalie Scott Darling is expected to be the opening day starter, Bill Peters announced today. Defenseman Trevor Van Riemsdyk and forward Marcus Kruger both joined the Canes through a pair of transactions with the Vegas Golden Knights this summer, switching red jerseys for, well, red jerseys.

To round out the experienced additions, Josh Jooris saw only half the season with the nearly-league-worst Coyotes, but he’s on the roster for opening night as well.

Lee Stempniak is expected to join the roster eventually, but is currently on the injured reserve list. The final cut from camp, defenseman Jake Bean, will return to the Calgary Hitmen of the Western Hockey League for his final season of junior hockey.

There’s a lot more than new jerseys and 20-year anniversaries to be excited about this year.

Here’s the full opening night roster, with the release from the team below.

Jamie Kellner

Forwards

• Derek Ryan (7)
• Jordan Staal (11)
• Justin Williams (14)
• Marcus Kruger (16)
• Josh Jooris (19)
• Sebastian Aho (20)
• Brock McGinn (23)
• Elias Lindholm (28)
• Joakim Nordstrom (42)
• Victor Rask (49)
• Jeff Skinner (53)
• Janne Kuokkanen (59)
• Teuvo Teravainen (86)
• Martin Necas (88)

Jamie Kellner

Defensemen

• Haydn Fleury (4)
• Noah Hanifin (5)
• Klas Dahlbeck (6)
• Brett Pesce (22)
• Justin Faulk (27)
• Trevor van Riemsdyk (57)
• Jaccob Slavin (74)

Jamie Kellner

Goalies

• Cam Ward (30)
• Scott Darling (33)

HURRICANES RELEASE OPENING NIGHT ROSTER
Bean returned to WHL; Stempniak placed on injured reserve

Ron Francis, Executive Vice President and General Manager of the National Hockey League’s Carolina Hurricanes, today announced that the team has completed its roster moves for the opening of the 2017-18 season.

The Hurricanes returned defenseman Jake Bean to his junior team, the Calgary Hitmen of the Western Hockey League (WHL). The team also placed forward Lee Stempniak on injured reserve with an upper-body injury. The Hurricanes’ season-opening active roster includes two goaltenders, seven defensemen and 14 forwards.