The Carolina Hurricanes are preparing for the likelihood they will lose goalies Petr Mrazek and Curtis McElhinney when free agency opens July 1.
“We’re trying to sign them, but it doesn’t look like we’re going to get either signed,” Hurricanes general manager Don Waddell told reporters. “So, if not, we’ll go to the market and see what’s out there for July 1.”
Waddell said one of the goalies could explore free agency but then come back to hear out the Hurricanes once again.
“Sometimes guys test the market and then you find where we’re at,” Waddell said. “We’d like to have both guys back. I’ve publicly said that. But right now, we don’t have deals done with them.”
The Hurricanes signed Mrazek to a one-year, $1.5 million deal last July. They claimed McElhinney off waivers from the Toronto Maple Leafs on Oct. 2.
Both were key contributors for the Hurricanes, who finished the regular season 46-29-7 and lost to the Boston Bruins in the Eastern Conference finals.
In the regular season, the 27-year-old Mrazek was 23-14-3 with a 2.39 goals-against average, a .914 save percentage and four shutouts. In the playoffs, he was 5-5 with a 2.73 GAA, .894 save percentage and two shutouts in 11 starts.
McElhinney, 36, finished the regular season with a 20-11-2 record to go with a 2.58 GAA, a .912 save percentage and two shutouts. He was 3-2 with a 2.01 GAA and .930 save percentage in five playoff games (four starts).
Waddell said Alex Nedeljkovic, who was named the American Hockey League’s outstanding goalie in 2018-19, will have the chance to win a roster spot in training camp.
Nedeljkovic 23, finished 34-14-1 with a 2.26 GAA, .916 save percentage and four shutouts in the AHL this regular season.
–Field Level Media
