Hurricanes sign David, Jason Cotton to entry-level contracts

For the past year, plenty of intrigue has swirled around the Carolina Hurricanes’ sixth-round pick from the 2015 draft, Boston College senior forward David Cotton, who served as the Eagles captain this season. A season after losing Adam Fox to the Rangers when the defenseman wouldn’t sign, there was no shortage of concern that the same thing would happen with Cotton, who was set to become an unrestricted free agent on August 15.

But it turns out that we were asking the wrong questions all along. Instead of asking if Cotton would sign, we should have been asking how many Cottons the Hurricanes would bring on board.

On Tuesday, the Hurricanes signed not only David Cotton, but his older brother Jason, a forward from Sacred Heart who was a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award this season, to entry-level contracts. David Cotton’s deal will span two seasons, while Jason’s will be for one, owing to the age difference between the two, and both contracts will become active next season.

David, 22, played in all but two games over his four years at Boston College, registering 127 points in 148 games including 39 points in 32 games in 2019-20. Jason, 25, led the Pioneers with 20 goals and 37 points in 2019-20. He spent three seasons with Sacred Heart after transferring from Northeastern in 2016 and sitting out the 2016-17 season following his transfer. He, like his brother, captained his team this season.

Jason Cotton was named one of ten finalists for the 2020 Hobey Baker Award, given to the top college hockey player in the United States. His 20 goals were sixth in scoring among all Division I hockey programs, and tied for the nationwide lead with three shorthanded goals. Both Cottons were named to their conference’s first team all-star squads, and Jason additionally was named Atlantic Hockey’s Player of the Year.

The release from the team is below.

CANES AGREE TO TERMS WITH DAVID AND JASON COTTON
Brothers finished NCAA careers in 2019-20

Don Waddell, President and General Manager of the National Hockey League’s Carolina Hurricanes, today announced that the team has agreed to terms with forwards David and Jason Cotton on entry-level contracts. David Cotton has been signed to a two-year contract that will pay $700,000 in 2020-21 and $832,500 in 2021-22 at the NHL level and $70,000 at the American Hockey League (AHL) level in both seasons, and he will receive a $185,000 signing bonus. Jason Cotton has been signed to a one-year contract for the 2020-21 season that will pay $700,000 at the NHL level and $50,000 at the AHL level, and he will receive a $25,000 signing bonus.

“David and Jason both had very productive senior seasons this year,” said Waddell. “We’ve been pleased with David’s progress over his four years at Boston College, and his brother Jason was recently named a Hobey Baker Award Finalist. We’re excited to see what they can accomplish at the professional level.”

David Cotton, 22, was named a Hockey East Third Team All-Star after posting 39 points (15g, 24a) in 32 games during his senior season at Boston College in 2019-20. He served as the Eagles’ captain this season, ranking second on the team in assists and third in goals and points. The 6’4”, 197-pound forward led his team in goals (23) and points (36) during the 2018-19 season and was named a Hockey East First Team All-Star and Second Team All-American. He registered 127 points (57g, 70a) over four NCAA seasons from 2016-20, skating in 148 of the Eagles’ 150 games during that span. The Parker, Texas, native was drafted by the Hurricanes in the sixth round, 169th overall, of the 2015 NHL Draft.

Jason Cotton, 25, was named a Hobey Baker Award Finalist after recording 37 points (20g, 17a) in 34 games with Sacred Heart this season. the 6’3”, 190-pound forward served as the Pioneers’ captain in 2019-20 and was named Atlantic Hockey Player of the Year and an Atlantic Hockey First Team All-Star. Among all Division I skaters, he ranked tied for first in shorthanded goals (3) and tied for sixth in goals (20) this season. The Parker, Texas, native posted 81 points (41g, 40a) in 110 NCAA games over three seasons with Sacred Heart from 2017-20, and also skated in eight games with Northeastern during the 2015-16 season.