Paul Stasnty turned down more money from this team because he didn't want to go there
The Carolina Hurricanes have a very deep roster at their disposal and expect to be a Stanley Cup contender in 2022-2023. The addition of veteran Paul Stasny to the team for $1.5 million is an example of a great, but under the radar signing that helps teams take the next step.
There were plenty of teams interested in Stasny, including the Calgary Flames and Vegas Golden Knights, and according to Elliot Friedman on the latest episode of 32 Thoughts: the podcast, Stasny turned down more money from Vegas to head to Carolina.
Stasny played in Vegas from 2018-2020, before being traded back to the Winnipeg Jets. The move was made to get his $6.5 million cap hit off their books. A lesson management in Vegas still hasn't learned. Golden Knights had to give up Max Pacioretty that's basically been point-per-game, albeit with some injury struggles, the last three seasons and a 24 year-old defenseman with almost 100 games NHL experience.
Let's also not forget that the initial cost of acquiring Pacioretty included Nick Suzuki, not exactly a cheap price that Vegas have paid to clean up their salary mess.
With such pressure on their salary cap, poor goal tending and a very tough Western Conference, it's understandable that he would take less money to join a genuine contender like the Hurricanes.
Stasny, a 16-year veteran in the NHL has earned an estimated $84 million over the course of his career, and at 36-years old, it's clear now that he can prioritize winning a Stanley Cup.
Stasny, along with new addition Brent Burns will add a veteran presence that this lineup needs, and if both can be productive, this will be a fun, competitive team to watch.
| POLL | ||
Do you see the Hurricanes as a Stanley Cup contender? | ||
| Winning the cup, this roster is stacked | 24 | 14.7 % |
| Yes, see them in the mix for sure | 107 | 65.6 % |
| No, Eastern Conference is too tough | 32 | 19.6 % |
| List of polls | ||
