What Bradly Nadeau brings the Carolina Hurricanes

It was an impressive season for Nadeau, who packs a ton of power and pace into his 5-foot-10 frame. Nadeau was a Hobey Baker Award nominee after leading Maine with 19 goals and 46 points, edging out his brother, Josh, by a single point.

It can’t be understated just how good Nadeau was in his Draft+1 season. It’s easy for fans to write off talent from Canadian Jr. A hockey, but the BCHL is a strong development pathway. Among other notable BCHLers over time, Brett Hull, Cliff Ronning, Shawn Horcoff, Ray Ferraro and Paul Kariya are among the team’s most prominent alumni.

As a 17-year-old last year, Nadeau put up 43 goals and 115 points – the third-best output by a 17-year-old in the 21st Century behind Kyle Turris (121 in 2006-07) and Jeff Tambellini (117 points in 2001-02). That’s better than what we’ve seen from Tyson Jost, Alex Newhook and Kent Johnson – three of the most notable alumni from recent seasons.

Still, going from the BCHL to the NCAA is a big step up, so it would have been understandable if he needed a bit of an adjustment period. Instead, Nadeau was one of the NCAA’s most impressive freshmen, proving to the Hurricanes that he had done enough to turn pro immediately.

Stylistically, there’s a lot to like. He had one of the best shots of anyone in the draft last year, with many believing he’s a future 30-goal scorer. He’s creative, has quick hands, and has a deceptive release while also showing he can score from just about any angle. When Nadeau has the puck, you know something’s about to happen.

This year, though, the biggest focus was on Nadeau improving his playmaking abilities. Sure, he had 68 assists last year, but his biggest strength was getting his shot into a scoring position. At Maine, Nadeau was more willing to use his teammates because he couldn’t dominate like in the BCHL. He gets quicker passes off now and, while he knows his shot is his biggest asset, he’s throwing significantly fewer muffins down the middle that just fall apart the minute Nadreau has to deal with any form of urgency.

“He’s really fun to watch,” a scout said. “You don’t know what he’s going to do on any given shift, but he’ll typically do something exciting and effective. He’s so smart when he’s in control and he’s got one of the better shots from a sub-6-foot kid you’ll find at this age.”

Turning pro now is an interesting decision, given he had three years of college eligibility and there was no rush for him to make that next step right away. The Hurricanes have solid depth right now, but signing him now means GM Don Waddell feels there’s more value in bringing him into the organization now than having him simmer at Maine.

His entry-level contract kicks in immediately, meaning we could see him in an NHL game sooner rather than later. It’s hard to find a good fit for him right now, but skating, working and learning with the team’s staff and veteran players should allow for him to get up to speed sooner rather than later.

And that’s the thing: after dominating his first year of college, Nadeau ran the risk of dealing with diminishing returns. He’s been so dominant at every level he has touched for a while now, but where’s going to play? The Hurricanes don’t have an AHL affiliate lined up for next year yet, but he’s got an uphill battle to become a full-time NHLer next year. That’s what makes the signing now interesting – but the Hurricanes definitely will have a plan in place.

So, realistically, without knowing if the Hurricanes will have an official partner in the AHL for next year or not, it’s not really clear what’s next. But in the short-term, skating, and potentially playing, with a playoff-bound NHL squad could be big for his development.

As for his long-term projection? There’s definite top-six upside here. Whether it be how he moves, uses his speed, or gets pucks on the net, Nadeau is a creative winger who can play both sides and will give it his all every night. I’m not sure he’s physically strong enough to make a big impact shortly, but at just 18, there’s no rush to push him into a big role right away.

In the long run, Nadeau has a bright future. The Hurricanes are among the best at finding value throughout the draft, and Nadeau is no exception.