Free agent forward Brendan Lemieux has signed a contract with the Carolina Hurricanes. The team announced his contract is a one-year deal worth $800k.
Brendan Lemieux Signs New Deal with Carolina
Over a six-year career so far, the 27-year-old Lemieux is making his fifth stop, this time in Carolina. Lemieux has spent time with the Winnipeg Jets, New York Rangers, Los Angeles Kings, and the Philadelphia Flyers. He was drafted by the Buffalo Sabers in the 2nd round of the 2014 NHL Draft but was traded to Winnipeg as part of the Evander Kane trade.
So far in his career, the gritty fourth-line winger has played in 275 games, registering 33 goals and 36 assists for 69 points in the process. He has only played in eight postseason games, scoring a single goal. Lemieux has also been a part of three midseason trades, and most recently is coming off of a one-year deal with the Kings before being moved midseason to the Flyers.
What This Means
For Carolina, they bring a speedy, physical presence on the cheap for their fourth line. Carolina likes to play a fast and heavy forechecking game, something Lemieux does in abundance. The son of Stanley Cup winner Claude Lemieux, Brendan doesn’t boast the same offensive acumen as his father. However, he has the same ability to play on the edge with his physicality, as proven by his 484 career penalty minutes. His career high in points came with the Rangers back in 2019-20, when he scored just 18 points, but also had a career-high 111 penalty minutes.
The signing of Lemieux is low risk for Carolina. At just $800k, this doesn’t hamper them from making any bigger moves. He is a quality depth piece that likely will be in and out of the lineup throughout the season. Carolina continues to add to a roster that has yet to make it over the hump and into the Stanley Cup Finals. Lemieux probably won’t impact their odds either way, but sometimes in the postseason, the biggest goals come from the unlikeliest of players.
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