Derek Stepan Agrees to a Professional Tryout With the Carolina Hurricanes
News arising today that Derek Stepan will be coming back to Raleigh on a professional tryout. We finally see the last of the Carolina Hurricanes’ free agents taken off the market. While Stepan has had a rather long and luxurious career, it seems that a professional tryout is all he could get now. Whether that is due to the player’s ability or if it is because of the salary cap basically having been flat for three years, a number of factors probably contributed to Stepan having to wait so long to know his fate in Raleigh.
After a season of being an extra forward for the Hurricanes, it is nice to see that Stepan has decided to keep his family in the triangle. In 58 games for the Hurricanes, Stepan recorded 9 goals, 10 assists, and 19 points. That wasn’t the issue. Stepan was making $1.35 million against the cap. That wasn’t something the Hurricanes had the room for this year. That much money for sitting in the press box just wasn’t a viable option. With the Hurricanes being put in quite a tough situation against the salary cap, Stepan was just so far down the list of priorities. It wasn’t expected he would return. Assuming there was nothing out there for the 2008 2nd-round pick of the New York Rangers, he’s back.
What Does This Mean for the Team Moving Forward?
If Stepan proves worthy of a league minimum deal, he could be a nice player to help out the depth down the middle. Carolina’s major question mark right now is down the middle and while Stepan is not going to fill that hole higher up the lineup like he could have done perhaps 5 years ago, he certainly proved himself to be a true professional and a mentor worth having around for some of the younger guys. Stepan was a very good player when he was at the peak of his career as a New York Ranger. While he isn’t that caliber of player anymore, he imparted a lot of wisdom to the younger players last year.
The Carolina Hurricanes have signed F Derek Stepan to a professional tryout (PTO) #LetsGoCaneshttps://t.co/S1XmmqYJ5U
— CapFriendly (@CapFriendly) August 16, 2022
Long past his prime, Derek Stepan is at best a fourth liner now. With that said, he’s still a smart player and a pro. Stepan’s teachings will be important. Rookies and young players will be looking for leadership and guidance, two things Stepan does very well. Now, just because he has a professional tryout doesn’t mean we should expect to see Stepan on the roster. He is still not under contract. He could sign with any other team while still on his professional tryout. What is important to remember about Stepan is that he was once a bonafide top-six center. Stepan used to play 18 minutes a night and put 50 points up. That was a very long time ago, but he clearly knows what it takes to compete at a high level. Mentorship at the highest level can do untold wonders and he clearly does it well.
Is he Experienced Enough to Lead the Team?
This would be Stepan’s 13th year in the NHL so to say he’s experienced is an understatement. With the veteran centerman back in Raleigh, albeit on a professional tryout, there’s a lot to like. A lot of people will voice the opinion that he is better than some options already on the roster. With that grizzled veteran presence, the Hurricanes seemed to be a much stronger team last year than the years prior. I guess we’ll all just have to watch what the Canes do.
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