After three years of contemplation and his time in Europe, the Carolina Hurricanes have finally gotten defensive prospect Anttoni Honka to sign his entry-level contract, according to the team’s website. Honka was a 3rd round pick of the Carolina Hurricanes in 2019. Having had questions arise and wondering if he would ever sign his ELC, this puts a lot of minds at ease. At 21 years old, Honka’s still one of the most promising defensemen in the prospect pool. The Finnish right-handed defenseman has spent the last three years playing for JYP in the Liiga.
Where Will Honka Play This Season?
By most projections, Honka is scheduled to be playing with the Chicago Wolves, Carolina’s AHL affiliate. He is the only projected righty defenseman on the roster, according to EliteProspects. While the importance of left-hand and right-hand balance is argued, that’s a lot of pressure for just one kid. Obviously, one of the five right-shot defensemen on the Hurricanes’ projected roster will join him. With the AHL being an ideal stepping stone for kids coming from Europe, Honka won’t be alone in his transition. This is set to be quite a young Wolves roster. As the Jyväskylä, Finland native, will be 22 on opening night, he will be one of the more experienced Wolves. Honka and the next wave of prospects will look to defend the Wolves Calder Cup Championship.
Look for the Finnish defender to lead the top powerplay. Honka will likely lead one of the powerplay units as a clever puck-mover. His stretch passes will also be vital for helping to escape the defensive zone when pinned in. Defensively, Honka isn’t great, but he’ll get a lot of assists to balance it out. I’m not sure if he’ll be scoring loads of goals because his Finnish isn’t ideal for that. I had to make the joke at least once. To return to a degree of seriousness, Honka is a gifted skater so moving the puck is his forte. Look for him to lead the charge to enter the zone. He’ll slide in through inferior defenders. If they cannot see him, I’m sure he will.
What is Honka’s Ceiling?
This has been debated since the dawn of time. Not really, just since the end of the 2019 NHL entry draft. He’s got the tools to be an offensive defenseman at the NHL level. It’ll take time for him to get there, but defensemen usually take longer to develop than forwards. Let’s see what he does in North America before we judge him. It’s known that the smaller surfaces are harder to transition to than the larger ones across the pond. If Honka can transition across well, he might be an NHL talent. A lot of the raw tools the Finnish defenseman possesses are encouraging. To say he’s got the potential to be a top pairing defenseman may be premature. Second pairing offensive defenseman is more than achievable for Honka.
However, there’s still a long time before we see the Jyvaskyla, Finland native in the National Hockey League. Right now, he is transitioning to the American Hockey League. It is very unlikely that Honka beats out three of the established NHL projected defenders. Going to Chicago will help his development a lot. Getting regular playing time and easing into the new surroundings is probably better for his development. Time will tell with Honka.
Why do I Know the Name Honka?
You may remember Anttoni’s brother, that used to play for the Dallas Stars. Julius Honka played 87 NHL games from 2016-2019. Saying Anttoni will be able to go to his brother for help is true. However, Julius Honka did not exactly leave the NHL on good terms. Perhaps going to his brother wouldn’t be the best idea for Carolina’s newest signing. Luckily, the Hurricanes organization is one of the most welcoming in the hockey world for Finnish players. With 4 Finns on the main roster, Honka will be able to feel close to home in training camp.
What Does the Contract Look Like?
The Hurricanes announce they have signed defenseman Anttoni Honka to a three-year entry-level contract.
A third-round pick in 2019, Honka had 37 points in 57 games in Finland’s Liiga last season — tied for 23rd in league scoring and second among defensemen.
— Cory Lavalette (@corylav) August 17, 2022
This is the fun stuff. Honka’s deal has to be an entry-level contract according to the collective bargaining agreement. This means that Honka’s deal is two-way, and because he hasn’t played in the NHL before, he is waiver exempt. According to CapFriendly, his cap hit is $836,667. Over three years, that’s not bad at all. It’s easily affordable, and good entry-level deals are needed to complete a roster. If Honka can fill in for someone while he is on his ELC and start to break through, the Hurricanes could have a good top-four defender for cheap.
Upon expiry, Honka will be a restricted free agent with arbitration rights. That means that he’ll be able to go through an arbitrator for a new contract after completing his current one. This is assuming he completes his three professional seasons in North America. If not, he won’t be arbitration eligible. It’s unlikely he will leave the organization if he still has a future with them. As one of the higher-rated prospects, Honka is still very important for the future of this team. Guess we’ll just have to wait and see.
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