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Canes add LaRose, cut nine

By Dhiren MahibanSep 27, 2014, 1:30 PM EST

The Carolina Hurricanes announced Saturday the club has added forward Chad LaRose to its’ training camp roster on a professional tryout.

LaRose, who sat out the entire 2013-14 season, signed a contract with the Hurricanes’ American Hockey League affiliate, the Charlotte Checkers, this summer.

The 32-year-old scored 85 goals and 80 points to go along with 286 penalty minutes in 508 career NHL games all with Carolina before missing last season.

Additionally, the Canes’ announced defensemen Trevor Carrick, Dennis Robertson and Keegan Lowe along with goaltender Daniel Altshuller were assigned to the Checkers.

Carolina has placed forwards Ben Holmstrom, Justin Shugg, Greg Nemisz and Jared Staal on waivers. All four will be assigned to Charlotte if they clear.

Forward Kyle Hagel, who has an AHL contract with Charlotte, has been released from Hurricanes’ camp.

Frustrated LaRose skipped exit interview to avoid ‘blowing up’

By Jason BroughAug 7, 2013, 2:24 PM EST
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On Sunday, we wrote about the curious case of Chad LaRose, the longtime Carolina Hurricanes forward who reportedly didn’t show up for his end-of-the-season exit interview and whose future in the NHL appeared a bit up in the air.

Today, LaRose offered an explanation for his disappearing act after being tracked down by the News & Observer.

“I needed a cool-off period as opposed to going right in and blowing up,” said LaRose. “Nobody was happy we didn’t make the playoffs again. I took some time, cooled off, and then I went and saw everyone, talked to [general manager Jim Rutherford], paid my respects and thanked them for the opportunity with them.”

LaRose, 31, is an unrestricted free agent coming off a disappointing year in which he tallied just two goals and two assists in 35 games.

When asked if he had any issues with the coaching staff, Larose replied: “I had no issues with anybody. It was my own play. I’m accountable for myself. When the team doesn’t do well, I take it upon myself, to be honest with you. I’m accountable for everything. Not having a good season, not making playoffs — that’s on me.”

Where his career goes from here remains unclear. According to his agent, LaRose’s goal is to stay in the NHL.

LaRose tied a career high with 19 goals in 2011-12.

Anyone seen Chad LaRose? Let Carolina know

By Joe YerdonAug 4, 2013, 12:30 PM EST
13 Comments

One of the more interesting free agents available this summer is Carolina forward Chad LaRose.

While the Hurricanes may have wanted to keep in the fold, they’re not sure how to get a hold of him.

Seriously.

Luke DeCock of the Raleigh News & Observer notes in his column on LaRose that he seems to have just disappeared without so much as a phone call or a “Dear John” letter.

His contract with the Hurricanes expired June 30. He didn’t show up for his end-of-season exit interview, according to Hurricanes general manager Jim Rutherford. He has not been reachable through multiple phone or text messages this summer.

If his own team is having trouble reaching him, teams that may have been interested in the unrestricted free agent are likely having similar luck. DeCock notes LaRose’s career is apparently ending the way it started: Out of the blue.

At 31 years-old he’s likely got a few more years of game in him if he wants to play. Considering he’s fallen off the grid he might just be done with the game.

‘Canes would be ‘shocked’ if first-rounder Lindholm doesn’t make team

By Mike HalfordJul 16, 2013, 11:08 AM EST

The expectations Carolina has for Elias Lindholm are high.

Very high.

On Monday, ‘Canes GM Jim Rutherford said he’d be “shocked” if Lindholm — Carolina’s first-round pick at the 2013 NHL Entry Draft, fifth overall — didn’t make the club to start the 2013-14 season.

“The biggest thing I see is that he plays the game at a high tempo,” Rutherford told the Raleigh News & Observer. “To come into the National Hockey League and play at the pace these guys play at, that’s very important and makes it that much easier.

“The opportunity is there to start with the Hurricanes. I would be shocked if he doesn’t based on all the reports and what I’ve seen.”

Lindholm, 18, prefers to play center but can play either wing. That versatility will serve him well in trying to make the team, as Carolina currently only has 10 forwards (Lindholm is No. 11) under contract for next season.

RFA Jared Staal is still unsigned, and it looks like veterans Chad LaRose and Tim Brent won’t be back.

Surely, some of the expectations for Lindholm come from being the highest forward Carolina has drafted since Jeff Skinner in 2010.

The ‘Canes went defense in the first round of 2011 (with Ryan Murphy) and gave up their first-round pick in 2012 in the Jordan Staal trade with Pittsburgh.

As for other prospects up front?

Outside of Lindholm, the club does have fellow Swedish forward Victor Rask in the mix — he appeared in 10 games with AHL Charlotte last season — and forward Brock McGinn, the younger brother of Colorado’s Jamie McGinn and Philadelphia’s Tye McGinn.

‘Canes letting Corvo, Ellis, LaRose go to market

By Mike HalfordJun 26, 2013, 2:10 PM EST
5 Comments

Sounds like a number of veteran Hurricanes are unlikely to be back with the club next year.

Carolina GM Jim Rutherford confirmed the club is letting defenseman Joe Corvo and goalie Dan Ellis become unrestricted free agents on July 5, along with forwards Chad LaRose and Tim Brent and defensemen Bobby Sanguinetti and Marc-Andre Bergeron.

“We will let them go into free agency,” Rutherford told the Raleigh News & Observer. “We’ll see if some make it back to us or if we make it back to them.”

Corvo, 36, has done three tours of duty with the ‘Canes — 2007-09, 2010-11 and 2013. He appeared in 40 games last season, scoring 6G-11A-17PTS while averaging close to 19 minutes per night.

Ellis, 32, recently told the Observer he and the ‘Canes were “talking back and forth” about a new deal, but those talks seemed to have cooled.

The journeyman netminder signed in Carolina last season on a one-year, $800,000 deal, primarily to serve as a veteran backup to starter Cam Ward — then got forced into starting duty when Ward was lost for the year with a knee injury.

Ellis went 6-8-2 with a .906 save percentage and 3.13 GAA, occasionally splitting duties with third-stringer Justin Peters.

Of the other remaining UFAs, LaRose is probably the most notable.

He’s spent his entire eight-year career in Carolina, appearing in over 500 regular season games and 39 playoff contests — 21 of which came during the Stanley Cup run of 2006.

LaRose, 31, had a good year in 2011-12, scoring 19G-13A-32PTS — a career-high in points, despite only playing 67 games.