Don Waddell says Carolina Hurricanes still have decision to make on Brett Pesce
Carolina Hurricanes general manager Don Waddell said Saturday that no final decision has been made on the availability of defenseman Brett Pesce for the team’s postseason play.
Pesce, who underwent shoulder surgery March 5, was on the training camp roster released Friday by the Canes for Phase 3 of the NHL’s Return to Play. But he’s listed as “unable to participate” and Waddell said Pesce might not be skating again until late August or early September.
The Canes open their best-of-five qualifying round against the New York Rangers in Toronto — the hub city for the Eastern Conference teams — on Aug. 1. Each team is allowed 31 players for Phase 4 and the actual game competition, and Waddell said a player cannot be added to the roster once teams enter the “bubble” in Toronto and Phase 4 begins.
“We’ve got to make a decision,” Waddell said in a Zoom media call. “Up until we go to Phase 4 we’ve been told we can make subtractions and additions for that, so we’ve probably got another three weeks before we have to make a definite call. We’re talking about it daily but we have some time yet to make that decision.”
The Stanley Cup playoffs could extend as long as Oct. 4, meaning Pesce could be medically cleared and ready to compete should the Canes continue to win and advance. But it’s not as if the Canes are lacking defensive depth, with Dougie Hamilton and Sami Vatanen now recovered from injuries and nine defensemen on the training camp roster.
Players are allowed until 5 p.m. Monday to opt out of Phase 3 or Phase 4 without penalty or suspension, but Waddell said he did not not expect any of the Canes players to decide not to compete.
“We don’t think we have any concerns at this point,” he said. “We all know that everybody looks at the situation differently and our hope is our guys all step forward and move on to the bubble and try to win a Cup.”
Waddell’s comments came a day after the NHL announced final approval of a four-year extension to the CBA and the 24-team Return to Play protocols. Both were ratified by the NHL board of governors and the full NHLPA membership — by an overwhelming approval — and should provide some degree of stability for the league during the uncertain times of a global pandemic.
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said Saturday that the intent still is to play the full 82-game 2020-21 season and Stanley Cup playoffs, although the starting date will be pushed back.
The Canes are scheduled to host a Stadium Series outdoor game at Carter-Finley Stadium on Feb. 20, 2021. Waddell said he hoped the team still would have the outdoor game, a first for the organization, next season but conceded it could be held at a later date.
“My hope would be that we keep it and push it back,” he said. “I still believe we’ll have it.”
The Canes open camp Monday at 10:30 a.m. with an on-ice session at PNC Arena and the competition among the defensemen, in particular, could be intense as coach Rod Brind’Amour decides on the best six.
Vatanen, a veteran and right-handed shooter, was on injured reserve when he was traded to the Canes on Feb. 24 from the New Jersey Devils. One condition of the deal was that the Devils would receive a 2020 fourth-round draft pick if Vatanen played five regular-season games for Carolina, upgraded to a 2020 third-rounder if Vatanen played 12 regular-season games or 70% of the Canes’ playoff games.
Vatanen played no regular-season games for Carolina before the NHL pause. Waddell said the Canes’ stance is that no draft pick is owed the Devils, saying ongoing discussions continue with the league about the trade.
The Canes made two personnel moves Saturday with two hires, adding former NHL defenseman Peter Harrold as a skills coach and Mike Maresca as the new massage therapist.
