:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/61589099/2017_10_07_471_XL.0.jpg)
Welcome to the show, Warren Foegele.
After a superb training camp, the second-year pro has made the Carolina Hurricanes’ opening night roster. Foegele is one of four rookies to make the team, joining Andrei Svechnikov, Martin Necas and Valentin Zykov.
Rod Brind’Amour said a handful of guys had a lot riding on last night’s 5-4 victory over the Capitals. Necas was one of those guys, and despite his youth and a few stumbles through training camp, last night he was able to make some nice moves, tally an assist and lay some hard checks.
Everyone in unison asked for more of Valentin Zykov last year. He played in 10 games for the Canes and scored seven points (3 G, 4 A), but spent much of the season down in Charlotte, where he became the league’s top goal scorer in 2017-2018.
They also asked for Lucas Wallmark, who earned his spot on the roster after going back and forth between the NHL and AHL last year. He scored one goal in 11 games for the Canes, but came to training camp with a clear desire to make the starting group.
And Svechnikov? Ha! Who had any doubts?
With that, here’s the Opening Night roster for your Carolina Hurricanes:
Forwards (14)
Phil Di Giuseppe, Jordan Staal, Warren Foegele, Justin Williams, Sebastian Aho, Brock McGinn, Andrei Svechnikov, Jordan Martinook, Victor Rask, Lucas Wallmark, Valentin Zykov, Micheal Ferland, Teuvo Teravainen, Martin Necas.
Defensemen (7)
Haydn Fleury, Dougie Hamilton, Brett Pesce, Justin Faulk, Calvin de Haan, Trevor van Riemsdyk, Jaccob Slavin
Goaltenders (2)
Scott Darling, Petr Mrazek
Their roster spots were ensured on Saturday as the Canes trimmed their training camp roster a final time, by eight. The most notable cuts were Janne Kuokkanen, the former second-rounder who scored a goal in the second preseason game but went fairly quiet otherwise, and Roland McKeown, who spent 10 games with the Hurricanes last year.
Attached is the press release from the Hurricanes on the reassignments:
‘CANES TO ASSIGN EIGHT PLAYERS TO CHARLOTTE
Roster trimmed to 23 players
RALEIGH, NC – Don Waddell, President and General Manager of the National Hockey League’s Carolina Hurricanes, today announced that the team has assigned forwards Janne Kuokkanen, Saku Maenalanen and Nicolas Roy, defensemen Michal Cajkovsky and Roland McKeown, and goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic to the Charlotte Checkers (AHL). The Hurricanes will also assign forwards Patrick Brown and Greg McKegg to Charlotte, pending waivers.
The Hurricanes’ training camp roster now stands at 23 players and is attached to this release. Carolina will play their final preseason game tomorrow vs. Nashville at PNC Arena at 1:30 p.m.