The Hurricanes have sent defense prospect Noel Fransen to AHL Chicago, moving the 2024 third-round pick out of camp as he begins his North American career.
Fransen had made a solid impression during training camp, but Carolina is choosing the longer road with the 20-year-old left-shot defenseman, who spent his first two post-draft seasons in Sweden. He played in two preseason games for the Canes, picking up an assist and finishing at minus-2.
Carolina also officially reassigned Skyler Brind’Amour, Aleksi Heimosalmi, Juha Jaaska, Pierre-Olivier Joseph, and Justin Robidas after all five cleared waivers earlier in the day. That trims the camp roster to 26, even with Seth Jarvis set for injured reserve and Alexander Nikishin still unsigned. The Hurricanes still need to make three more cuts over the next two days.
Fransen had been given extra runway in camp along with the rest of Carolina’s depth defensemen, since Nikishin’s spot on the bottom pair with Shayne Gostisbehere remains unsettled. The rookie wasn’t an exception. He fits the profile Carolina tends to like on the back end: smooth skating, offense-minded, and still very much a work in progress.
There’s upside there, though. Scott Wheeler of The Athletic wrote earlier this year that there’s likely a bottom-pairing threat in Fransen down the line when he ranked him as Carolina’s No. 10 prospect.
For now, though, he never fully secured a regular role in Sweden’s top league and spent much of his pro time in the second-tier Allsvenskan. Last season with BIK Karlskoga, he posted 6 goals and 8 assists for 14 points in 38 games.
Farjestad BK still held his SHL rights, but the fact that they approved his move to Chicago suggests they weren’t planning to use him much this season, either.
If Nikishin still isn’t signed for opening night, Carolina’s options for that spot include Charles-Alexis Legault, Mike Reilly, and Juuso Valimaki. Reilly has looked best in exhibition so far, collecting an assist and a plus-2 rating in two games.
The 33-year-old appears to have the edge after working as Carolina’s No. 7 last season, when he put up 1 goal, 8 assists, and a plus-11 rating in 42 appearances. Legault got an early-season look last year during an injury crunch and could draw attention again from Rod Brind’Amour, but his waiver-exempt status makes him the simplest player to move back to the AHL from a roster-management standpoint.
In Other News...
Hurricanes Still Have One Big Roster Question Before Opening Night
The Hurricanes cleared a bit more camp clutter this week by trimming their roster to 28 players, sending a handful of prospects back to the AHL and junior ranks as opening night draws closer. It was also a notable week for their long-term picture in goal, with Pyotr Kochetkov landing a new contract extension that starts in 2027-28, a move that keeps one part of Carolinas future stable even if the immediate focus remains on final lineup decisions.
The bigger question still hanging over the group involves the blue line, where Alexander Nikishins situation has become one of the more interesting storylines around the team. Elliotte Friedman reported that the defenseman has been allowed to speak with other clubs, even though Carolina still controls his NHL rights for three more seasons, leaving the Hurricanes with an unresolved piece of business as camp winds down and the season nears. [Read more 🡒]
Alexander Nikishin Drama Adds Pressure On Hurricanes Before Opening Night
Alexander Nikishins situation has become one of the more awkward September storylines for Carolina, with opening night approaching and the rookie defenseman still not settled into the lineup picture. The 23-year-old Russian blue liner arrived with plenty of upside and was supposed to be part of the teams long-term answer on the back end, but his status has only grown more complicated as the calendar has turned toward the start of the season.
Nikishin has now changed representation while his trade request remains unresolved, a sign that the pressure around his future is not easing any time soon. For the Hurricanes, that adds another layer of uncertainty to a roster that had hoped to get through camp with clarity on the blue line, and it leaves one of their most intriguing young pieces in a hold pattern as the regular season nears. [Read more 🡒]
Hurricanes Preseason Finale Could Shape Carolinas Final Roster Decisions
The preseason is down to its final stop, and the next look for Carolina should come with a lineup full of fresh faces. A newly built top line is set to get its first action together, with Brandon Bussi in line to handle the crease as the Hurricanes sort through one last exhibition tune-up before the games start to count. It is the sort of finale that can still matter quite a bit for a team trying to separate the everyday group from the players still trying to force their way into the conversation.
Eric Robinson, Sebastian Aho and Jordan Staal are among the names worth tracking as Carolina makes those last evaluations, while the wider camp picture also includes Nashvilles latest cuts and the thinning field around the league. For the Hurricanes, the focus is less on the scoreboard than on how the roster pieces fit, and Charles Alexis Legault is one of the younger players who could leave a lasting impression with one more strong showing. [Read more 🡒]