RALEIGH, North Carolina: July 17, 2024, will be a day to remember for the Carolina Hurricanes organization. Within the span of twenty-four hours, the front office made a major re-sign: and stunned with an unexpected goodbye.
The front office has been busy throughout the month due to free agency and arbitration. The Hurricanes have two active arbitration cases: Jack Drury and Martin Necas.
Drury’s case was settled yesterday, with the forward being re-signed to a two-year deal. A fan-favorite, Drury was one of three remaining Hurricanes RFAs waiting on deals. (The other two are Necas and Seth Jarvis.) His arbitration filing was a shock to fans upon release, but he has been expected to stay on the team since. His postseason performance, particularly against the New York Islanders in Round 1 of the 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs, was a standout.
In another major turnover, the organization and Evgeny Kuznetsov mutually parted ways. Rumors began swirling on July 16 from Russian outlets that Kuznetsov would be leaving the Hurricanes organization with a year left on his contract to play in the KHL; specifically with the SKA club. Kuznetsov’s agent denied the reports the same day, stating that it was “too early” to discuss any Russian contracts.
Despite the Hurricanes being significantly affected by free agency, fans were looking forward to another year with “The Birdman”. Kuznetsov’s departure came as a shock to both Washington Capitals (where he was traded from at the 2023-2024 trade deadline) fans and Carolina fans.
On July 17, Kuznetsov was placed on unconditional waivers by the Hurricanes front office, with the organization releasing a statement that the decision was mutual and “the best course of action for both parties.” His cap hit of approximately four-million US dollars is now back to the Hurricanes for other signings.
On July 18, Kuznetsov was cleared from unconditional waivers. His contract has since been terminated by the front office. He is now an UFA. No further updates about where he intends to sign, whether in the NHL or KHL, have been released at this time.
