Hurricanes extend qualifying offers to four players

The Carolina Hurricanes have announced that they have extended qualifying offers to four players. The players to receive qualifying offers are Trevor van Riemsdyk, Valentin Zykov, Greg McKegg and Lucas Wallmark.

Van Riemsdyk was said to have been in contract negotiations with the Hurricanes that were not going swimmingly. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman said that both sides were having issues coming to an agreement on a deal. The 26-year-old defenseman has 16 points in 79 games with the Hurricanes last season.

Zykov and Wallmark each received qualifying offers after career years in the AHL. Zykov led both the Checkers and the AHL in goals and Wallmark posted career highs in assists and points. McKegg was acquired at the deadline for the Hurricanes in exchange for forward Josh Jooris. McKegg posted 23 points in 19 games with the Checkers as they pushed into the playoffs.

Phil Di Giuseppe, Joakim Nordstrom, Tyler Ganly and Keegan Kanzig did not receive qualifying offers and will become unrestricted free agents on July 1. Earlier in the offseason, it was announced Klas Dahlbeck and Sergey Tolchinsky would be heading to CSKA Moscow (KHL) and neither received an offer today. However, any of the players who did not receive qualifying offers can be resigned as UFAs, and the Canes’ Michael Smith that process is underway with at least one of the players:

Free agency opens Sunday at noon, and the players who received qualifying offers may begin talking to other teams tomorrow at noon (but may not sign an offer sheet with any other team until Sunday).