2017–18 Carolina Hurricanes season explained

The 2017–18 Carolina Hurricanes season was the 39th season for the National Hockey League (NHL) franchise that was established on June 22, 1979 (following seven seasons of play in the World Hockey Association), and 20th season since the franchise relocated from Hartford to start the 1997–98 NHL season.^[2] The Hurricanes failed to make the playoffs for the ninth consecutive season.

Schedule and results

Preseason

The preseason schedule was released on June 8, 2017.^[3]

2017 preseason game log: 5–2–0 (Home: 1–2–0 ; Road: 4–0–0)
	Date	Visitor	Score	Home	OT	Decision	Attendance	Record	Recap
1	September 18	Carolina	3–2	Buffalo	OT		16,310	1–0–0	Recap
2	September 19	Carolina	2–1	Tampa Bay		Nedeljkovic	11,454	2–0–0	Recap
3	September 20	Tampa Bay	4–3	Carolina			6,486	2–1–0	Recap
4	September 23	Carolina	4–1	Washington			15,514	3–1–0	Recap
5	September 25	Carolina	6–2	Edmonton			18,347	4–1–0	Recap
6	September 27	Edmonton	4–0	Carolina		Ward	—	4–2–0	Recap
7	September 29	Washington	1–3	Carolina		Darling	8,797	5–2–0	Recap
Notes: Game was played at SaskTel Centre in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

Regular season

The regular season schedule was announced on June 22, 2017.^[4]

2017–18 game log
October: 4–4–2 (Home: 1–2–2 ; Road: 3–2–0) Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 1 October 7 4–5 Carolina SO 18,680 1–0–0 2 Recap 2 October 10 2–1 Carolina OT Darling 7,892 1–0–1 3 Recap 3 October 14 Carolina 1–2 Darling 15,321 1–1–1 3 Recap 4 October 17 Carolina 5–3 18,347 2–1–1 5 Recap 5 October 19 Carolina 2–1 Darling 18,119 3–1–1 7 Recap 6 October 21 Carolina 3–4 Darling 18,023 3–2–1 7 Recap 7 October 24 5–1 Carolina Darling 10,498 3–3–1 7 Recap 8 October 26 Carolina 6–3 Darling 19,070 4–3–1 9 Recap 9 October 27 2–1 Carolina Ward 10,069 4–4–1 9 Recap 10 October 29 4–3 Carolina SO Darling 10,108 4–4–2 10 Recap
November: 6–4–3 (Home: 4–2–1 ; Road: 2–2–2) Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 11 November 2 Carolina 3–5 12,048 4–5–2 10 Recap 12 November 4 Carolina 1–2 SO 12,019 4–5–3 11 Recap 13 November 7 1–3 Carolina Darling 8,828 5–5–3 13 Recap 14 November 10 Carolina 3–1 Ward 16,049 6–5–3 15 Recap 15 November 11 4–3 Carolina OT Darling 16,778 6–5–4 16 Recap 16 November 13 1–5 Carolina Darling 7,968 7–5–4 18 Recap 17 November 16 Carolina 4–6 Darling 11,188 7–6–4 18 Recap 18 November 18 Carolina 3–1 Darling 18,028 8–6–4 20 Recap 19 November 19 2–4 Carolina Ward 11,390 9–6–4 22 Recap 20 November 22 6–1 Carolina Darling 11,398 9–7–4 22 Recap 21 November 24 5–4 Carolina Darling 15,241 9–8–4 22 Recap 22 November 26 3–4 Carolina SO Darling 11,133 10–8–4 24 Recap 23 November 28 Carolina 2–3 SO Darling 13,947 10–8–5 25 Recap
December: 8–5–2 (Home: 5–0–0 ; Road: 3–5–2) Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 24 December 1 Carolina 1–5 17,695 10–9–5 25 Recap 25 December 2 2–3 Carolina OT 14,246 11–9–5 27 Recap 26 December 5 Carolina 0–3 Darling 17,860 11–10–5 27 Recap 27 December 7 Carolina 4–5 OT Ward 16,947 11–10–6 28 Recap 28 December 9 Carolina 2–3 OT Darling 18,230 11–10–7 29 Recap 29 December 11 Carolina 2–3 Darling 16,198 11–11–7 29 Recap 30 December 12 Carolina 3–2 SO Ward 17,520 12–11–7 31 Recap 31 December 15 Carolina 5–4 OT Ward 17,610 13–11–7 33 Recap 32 December 16 1–2 Carolina Darling 11,357 14–11–7 35 Recap 33 December 19 Carolina 1–8 Darling 19,288 14–12–7 35 Recap 34 December 21 Carolina 4–1 Ward 17,492 15–12–7 37 Recap 35 December 23 2–4 Carolina Ward 14,470 16–12–7 39 Recap 36 December 27 1–3 Carolina Ward 14,880 17–12–7 41 Recap 37 December 29 1–2 Carolina Ward 17,975 18–12–7 43 Recap 38 December 30 Carolina 2–3 Darling 18,749 18–13–7 43 Recap
January: 5–6–1 (Home: 1–3–1 ; Road: 4–3–0) Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 39 January 2 5–4 Carolina OT 11,989 18–13–8 44 Recap 40 January 4 Carolina 4–0 Ward 18,595 19–13–8 46 Recap 41 January 6 Carolina 1–7 Ward 17,565 19–14–8 46 Recap 42 January 9 Carolina 4–5 Ward 19,092 19–15–8 46 Recap 43 January 11 Carolina 3–1 18,506 20–15–8 48 Recap 44 January 12 4–3 Carolina Ward 16,239 20–16–8 48 Recap 45 January 14 4–1 Carolina Darling 15,218 20–17–8 48 Recap 46 January 20 Carolina 3–1 Ward 19,515 21–17–8 50 Recap 47 January 21 5–1 Carolina Darling 15,303 21–18–8 50 Recap 48 January 23 Carolina 1–3 Ward 18,421 21–19–8 50 Recap 49 January 25 Carolina 6–5 Ward 21,302 22–19–8 52 Recap 50 January 30 1–2 Carolina Ward 11,448 23–19–8 54 Recap
February: 4–6–3 (Home: 4–4–2 ; Road: 0–2–1) Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 51 February 1 0–2 Carolina 11,953 24–19–8 56 Recap 52 February 2 4–1 Carolina 18,126 24–20–8 56 Recap 53 February 4 3–1 Carolina Ward 11,614 24–21–8 56 Recap 54 February 6 2–1 Carolina OT Ward 11,585 24–21–9 57 Recap 55 February 9 1–4 Carolina Darling 13,123 25–21–9 59 Recap 56 February 10 1–3 Carolina Ward 15,589 26–21–9 61 Recap 57 February 13 3–7 Carolina Ward 12,805 27–21–9 63 Recap 58 February 15 Carolina 2–5 Darling 14,079 27–22–9 63 Recap 59 February 16 3–0 Carolina Ward 15,448 27–23–9 63 Recap 60 February 18 3–2 Carolina OT Ward 18,680 27–23–10 64 Recap 61 February 23 6–1 Carolina Ward 18,180 27–24–10 64 Recap 62 February 24 Carolina 1–3 Darling 19,515 27–25–10 64 Recap 63 February 27 Carolina 3–4 OT Darling 17,565 27–25–11 65 Recap
March: 8–8–0 (Home: 3–5–0 ; Road: 5–3–0) Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 64 March 1 Carolina 4–1 19,245 28–25–11 67 Recap 65 March 2 1–3 Carolina Ward 14,337 29–25–11 69 Recap 66 March 4 3–2 Carolina Ward 11,407 29–26–11 69 Recap 67 March 6 Carolina 2–6 Ward 19,017 29–27–11 69 Recap 68 March 8 Carolina 3–2 21,681 30–27–11 71 Recap 69 March 12 Carolina 3–6 Darling 17,679 30–28–11 71 Recap 70 March 13 6–4 Carolina Ward 13,081 30–29–11 71 Recap 71 March 17 4–2 Carolina Ward 14,805 30–30–11 71 Recap 72 March 18 Carolina 4–3 Darling 10,688 31–30–11 73 Recap 73 March 20 7–3 Carolina Darling 10,554 31–31–11 73 Recap 74 March 22 5–6 Carolina Ward 10,535 32–31–11 75 Recap 75 March 24 Carolina 5–2 Ward 16,555 33–31–11 77 Recap 76 March 26 1–4 Carolina Ward 10,817 34–31–11 79 Recap 77 March 27 Carolina 3–4 Darling 15,521 34–32–11 79 Recap 78 March 30 Carolina 4–1 Darling 18,506 35–32–11 81 Recap 79 March 31 2–1 Carolina Ward 14,993 35–33–11 81 Recap
April: 1–2–0 (Home: 1–0–0 ; Road: 0–2–0) Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 80 April 2 Carolina 2–3 10,619 35–34–11 81 Recap 81 April 5 Carolina 3–4 Darling 20,001 35–35–11 81 Recap 82 April 7 2–3 Carolina OT 15,402 36–35–11 83 Recap
Legend:

Player statistics

Final^[5]

Skaters

Regular season

Player					data-sort-type="number"
	78	29	36	65	4	24
	82	23	41	64	8	14
	82	16	35	51	−9	56
	82	24	25	49	−27	34
	79	19	27	46	−4	26
	81	16	28	44	−8	18
	80	15	23	38	−15	28
	79	10	22	32	−20	21
	71	14	17	31	0	12
	76	8	23	31	−26	48
	80	16	14	30	−12	22
	82	8	22	30	1	10
	65	3	16	19	−6	18
	79	3	13	16	9	20
	49	5	8	13	0	17
	37	3	6	9	−8	4
	67	0	8	8	−2	14
	10	3	4	7	4	2
	75	2	5	7	−11	6
‡	31	3	3	6	−7	16
	48	1	5	6	−6	28
	33	1	4	5	−6	21
	2	2	1	3	3	0
	10	0	3	3	3	19
	11	1	0	1	−4	2
	4	0	0	0	−3	0
	1	0	0	0	0	0
	1	0	0	0	0	2
	1	0	0	0	−1	0

Goaltenders

Regular season

Player
style=white-space:nowrap		43	42	2,459:20	23	14	4	112	2.73	1187	.906	2	0	0	14
style=white-space:nowrap		43	40	2,475:07	13	21	7	131	3.18	1171	.888	0	0	0	2

Transactions

The Hurricanes have been involved in the following transactions during the 2017–18 season.

Trades

Date	Details		Ref
	To Vegas Golden Knights 5th-round pick in 2017	To Carolina Hurricanes Expansion Draft Considerations	[6]
	To Vegas Golden Knights 2nd-round pick in 2017	To Carolina Hurricanes Trevor van Riemsdyk 7th-round pick in 2018	[7]
	To Vegas Golden Knights 5th-round pick in 2018	To Carolina Hurricanes Marcus Kruger	[8]
	To Pittsburgh Penguins Josh Jooris	To Carolina Hurricanes Greg McKegg	[9]
	To Arizona Coyotes Marcus Kruger 4th-round pick in 2018	To Carolina Hurricanes Jordan Martinook 3rd-round pick in 2018	[10]

Notes

• The Vegas Golden Knights will select Connor Brickley in the 2017 NHL Expansion Draft.

Free agents acquired

Date	Player	Former team	Contract terms (in U.S. dollars)	Ref
			2-year, $9 million	[11]
			1-year, $750,000	[12]
			1-year, $700,000	[13]
			1-year, $750,000	[14]
			2-year, entry-level contract	[15]

Free agents lost

Date	Player	New team	Contract terms (in U.S. dollars)	Ref
			2-year, $1.3 million	[16]
			1-year, $650,000	[17]
			1-year	[18]
			1-year	[19]
			1-year	[20]

Lost via retirement

Date	Player	Ref
		[21]

Player signings

Date	Player	Contract terms (in U.S. dollars)	Ref
		1-year, $1.425 million	[22]
		1-year, $670,000	[23]
		1-year, $650,000	[24]
		1-year, $650,000	[25]
		2-year, $1.775 million	[26]
		1-year, $650,000	[27]
		1-year, $650,000	[28]
		7-year, $37.1 million contract extension	[29]
		3-year, $2.775 million entry-level contract	[30]
		1-year, $725,000	[31]
		6-year, $24.15 million	[32]
		3-year, $2.355 million entry-level contract	[33]
		3-year, $2.4 million entry-level contract	[34]
	Trevor Carrick	1-year, $700,000 contract extension	[35]
	Patrick Brown	1-year, $650,000 contract extension	[36]
		1-year, $700,000 contract extension	[37]

Draft picks

See also: List of Carolina Hurricanes draft picks. Below are the Carolina Hurricanes' selections at the 2017 NHL Entry Draft, which was held on June 23 and 24, 2017 at the United Center in Chicago.

Round		Player	Pos	Nationality	College/Junior/Club team (League)
1	12		C	Czech Republic	HC Kometa Brno (Czech Extraliga)
2	42		C	Finland	KalPa (Liiga)
2	521		D	United States	Michigan Wolverines (Big Ten)
3	672		C	Canada	Tri-City Americans (WHL)
3	73		C	Canada	Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL)
4	104		G	Finland	Jokerit U20 (Jr. A SM-liiga)
6	166		D	Canada	Portland Winterhawks (WHL)
7	197		D	Finland	Jokipojat (Mestis)

Draft notes:^[38]

1. The New York Rangers' second-round pick will go to the Carolina Hurricanes as the result of a trade on February 28, 2016 that sent Eric Staal to New York in exchange for Aleksi Saarela, a second-round pick in 2016 and this pick.^[39]
2. The New Jersey Devils' third-round pick will go to the Carolina Hurricanes as the result of a trade on March 5, 2014 that sent Tuomo Ruutu to New Jersey in exchange for Andrei Loktionov and this pick (being conditional at the time of the trade).^[40] The condition and date of conversion are unknown.

Notes and References

1. Web site: 2017-2018 NHL Attendance . ESPN.com . November 7, 2021.
2. Book: National Hockey League. The National Hockey League Official Guide & Record Book/2011. 2010 . Triumph Books . 35. 978-1-60078-422-4.
3. Web site: Preston. Ken. Hurricanes Announce 2017 Exhibition Schedule. NHL.com. September 19, 2017. June 8, 2017.
4. Web site: Williams. Terrell. Canes Announce 2017-18 Regular-Season Schedule. NHL.com. September 19, 2017. June 22, 2017.
5. Web site: Carolina Hurricanes Stats - 2017-2018. NHL.com. September 19, 2017.
6. Web site: 2017 NHL expansion draft results: All the Golden Knights' trades . sbnation.com . June 21, 2017. live . June 26, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20170622061453/https://www.sbnation.com/2017/6/21/15835324/nhl-expansion-draft-2017-trades-vegas-golden-knights-roster . June 22, 2017 .
7. Web site: Vegas trades van Riemsdyk to Hurricanes . tsn.ca . June 22, 2017. live . June 26, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20170622183545/http://www.tsn.ca/vegas-trades-van-riemsdyk-to-hurricanes-1.786208 . June 22, 2017 .
8. Web site: Marcus Kruger traded to Hurricanes by Golden Knights . nhl.com. July 6, 2017.
9. Web site: Williams. Terrell. Hurricanes Acquire McKegg From Pittsburgh. NHL.com. February 26, 2018. February 26, 2018.
10. Web site: Canes Acquire Martinook in Exchange for Kruger. NHL.com. May 5, 2018. May 3, 2018.
11. Web site: Justin Williams signs two-year deal with Hurricanes. sportsnet.ca. July 1, 2017.
12. Web site: Carolina Hurricanes sign winger Josh Jooris. sportsnet.ca. July 1, 2017.
13. Web site: Carolina Hurricanes sign defenceman Brenden Kichton to two-way deal. sportsnet.ca. July 1, 2017.
14. Web site: Hurricanes sign goaltender Jeremy Smith to one-year deal. sportsnet.ca. July 1, 2017.
15. Web site: Canes Sign Fora to Entry-Level Contract. nhl.com. June 15, 2018.
16. Web site: Sabres ink Tennyson to 2-year deal. NHL.com. July 1, 2017.
17. Web site: Lightning sign goalie Michael Leighton to one-year, two-way contract. NHL.com. July 1, 2017.
18. Web site: McMillan to Riga; Nestrasil to Neftekhimik. August 1–4 transfer highlights. KHL.ru. August 8, 2017.
19. Web site: ANDREW MILLER - LET'S GET TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THE NEW PLAYER OF FRIBOURG GOTTÉRON!. leading-sport.com. June 11, 2019.
20. Web site: Klas Dahlbeck Signs In KHL. prohockeyrumors.com. June 11, 2019.
21. Web site: Neveau. James. Former Blackhawks Forward Bryan Bickell Announces Retirement. NBC Chicago. October 5, 2017. April 8, 2017.
22. Web site: Hurricanes Agree to Terms with Derek Ryan. nhl.com. June 26, 2017.
23. Web site: Carrick Agrees to Terms with Hurricanes. nhl.com. June 26, 2017.
24. Web site: Canes Agree to Terms with Patrick Brown. nhl.com. June 27, 2017.
25. Web site: Canes Agree to Terms with Jake Chelios. nhl.com. June 27, 2017.
26. Web site: Canes Agree to Terms with Brock McGinn. nhl.com. June 28, 2017.
27. Web site: Canes Agree to Terms with Philip Samuelsson. nhl.com. June 28, 2017.
28. Web site: Defenceman Dennis Robertson heads back to Carolina Hurricanes. sportsnet.ca. July 1, 2017.
29. Web site: Canes, Slavin Agree on Seven-Year Extension. nhl.com. July 14, 2017.
30. Web site: Canes, Slavin Agree on Seven-Year Extension. nhl.com. July 14, 2017.
31. Web site: Canes Agree to Terms with Di Giuseppe. nhl.com. July 30, 2017.
32. Web site: Pesce Inks Long-Term Extension with Canes. nhl.com. August 10, 2017.
33. Web site: Canes, Helvig Agree to Terms on Entry-Level Deal. nhl.com. March 27, 2018.
34. Web site: Hurricanes Sign Geekie to Entry-Level Contract. nhl.com. May 11, 2018.
35. Web site: Canes Sign Trevor Carrick to One-Year Deal. nhl.com. May 29, 2018.
36. Web site: Canes Sign Patrick Brown to One-Year Deal. nhl.com. June 9, 2018.
37. Web site: anes Sign Andrew Poturalski to One-Year Deal. nhl.com. June 9, 2018.
38. Web site: 2017 NHL Entry Draft Pending Transactions Transactions. Pro Sports Transactions. June 1, 2017.
39. Web site: Rangers acquire Eric Staal from Hurricanes. February 28, 2016. February 28, 2016.
40. Web site: Devils acquire Tuomo Ruutu from Carolina. March 5, 2014. March 6, 2014.