Hurricanes sign Ryan Dzingel; Storm Advisory 7/12/2019

The Carolina Hurricanes announced on Friday morning that the club has signed UFA forward Ryan Dzingel to a two-year contract with an AAV of $3.375 million.

The deal will pay him $3.25 million during the 2019-20 season and $3.5 million during the 2020-21 season.

Dzingel, 27, is coming off of a career-best 57-point season in 2018-19, split between the Ottawa Senators and the Columbus Blue Jackets. He has logged 49 goals and 97 points over the last two seasons.

“I’m beyond excited right now, and even more hungry to get things going,” Dzingel told the media Friday morning. “I loved what I heard from Mr. Dundon and coach, and everybody else. It’s a great place to have a family. I recently have a fiancée, and I wanted to go somewhere where I believed in the team and believed in the city. I thought it was a perfect fit.”

Hurricanes general manager Don Waddell released the following statement about the signing:

“Ryan has proven that he can be an impact player offensively, putting up bigger numbers over each of his three full-time NHL seasons. His speed, skill and vision make him an excellent fit for our forward group and our style of play. At 27, he’s just entering his prime and certainly had options coming off a 26-goal season, so we’re happy he’s chosen to be a part of the Carolina Hurricanes.”

According to Cap Friendly, the Hurricanes now have just above $7 million available in cap space for the 2019-20 season with the likes of Justin Williams and Brock McGinn, among others, unsigned.

Dzingel says that he realized his style of play was a match made in heaven when he first spoke to his new head coach. “[Brind’Amour] likes his wingers to get going and start playing out of the zone, and that’s what I love to do. I love using my speed, it’s one of my best attributes. I thought it was a perfect fit for the way I play. You want to go somewhere where you fit with their style, and that's one of the reasons I think I fit right in.”

A seventh-round draft pick out of Ohio State in 2011, where he spent three seasons and was a runner-up for the 2014 Hobey Baker Award to Johnny Gaudreau, Dzingel says that his motivation has always been overcoming the skeptics. “That’s what I’ve done my whole career. I’ve been cut from a lot of teams as a younger kid. I’ve been doubted my whole life, and that’s the way I run things. I compete and work hard, and that’s what I like to hear from a coach too: you're going to have to earn your ice time. You never want to come in and guys get or are owed anything. It’s nice to come in and have to earn it, and that’s what I want to do.”

Below is the official news release from the team:

Don Waddell, President and General Manager of the National Hockey League’s Carolina Hurricanes, today announced that the team has agreed to terms with center Ryan Dzingel on a two-year contract. The deal will pay Dzingel $3.25 million in 2019-20 and $3.5 million in 2020-21.

”Ryan has proven that he can be an impact player offensively, putting up bigger numbers over each of his three full-time NHL seasons,” said Waddell. ”His speed, skill and vision make him an excellent fit for our forward group and our style of play. At 27, he’s just entering his prime and certainly had options coming off a 26-goal season, so we’re happy he’s chosen to be a part of the Carolina Hurricanes.”

Dzingel, 27, established career highs in goals (26), assists (30) and points (56) in 78 regular-season games last season with Ottawa and Columbus. The Wheaton, Ill., native also set career-best marks in power-play goals (5), power-play points (11) and game-winning goals (5). Dzingel posted 22 goals in 57 games before being acquired by the Blue Jackets on Feb. 23, and had 12 points (4g, 8a) in the final 21 regular-season games. He had one goal and was plus-3 in nine Stanley Cup playoff games as Columbus upset Tampa Bay before falling to Boston.

Ottawa’s seventh-round selection, 204th overall, in the 2011 NHL Draft, Dzingel (6’0”, 190 lbs.) has totaled 66 goals and 72 assists (138 points) in 268 career NHL games with Ottawa and Columbus. Prior to turning professional, he spent three seasons at Ohio State, registering 108 points (45g, 63a) in 110 career games. He was a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award as the top collegiate player in 2013-14, also earning NCAA First All-American Team honors that season.

Storm Advisory

• The Charlotte Checkers look to make another Calder Cup run next season, but it will be without some of their biggest impact players from 2018-19. (Canes Country)
• The Hurricanes announced a number of changes within their scouting department on Thursday, including three new hires. (Hurricanes)
• The New Jersey Devils have signed first overall pick Jack Hughes to an entry-level contract.

• Speaking of top draft picks signing...

• Nazem Kadri was dealt to Colorado just a few days ago, but it wasn’t the original plan for the Maple Leafs. (Sportsnet)