Hurricanes sign 2023 first-round pick to entry-level deal

The Hurricanes have signed 2023 first-round pick Bradly Nadeau to a three-year, entry-level contract, GM Don Waddell announced Sunday. The contract begins immediately, allowing him to join the team and potentially make his NHL debut down the stretch.

Nadeau’s contract pays him a $855K base salary each season plus a $95K signing bonus, which works out to the maximum ELC cap hit of $950K. When in the minors, he’ll earn a salary of $82.5K.

The 18-year-old turns pro much earlier than expected after a strong freshman season at the University of Maine. Last year’s 30th overall pick led or tied for the lead on the Black Bears in every notable stat, notching 19 goals, 27 assists, 46 points and a +20 rating in 37 games.

Nadeau’s recruitment out of the British Columbia Hockey League’s Penticton Vees was instrumental in helping the Maine program overcome a years-long stretch of mediocrity. They advanced to the Hockey East semifinals and earned a bid to the national tournament for the first time since 2012. 

He was named to Hockey East’s year-end Second All-Star Team and was the Black Bears’ nominee for the Hobey Baker Award, given to the top collegiate player nationwide.

The victor of back-to-back BCHL championships with Penticton in 2022 and 2023, Nadeau was the highest-drafted player last year who did not play in a major junior, collegiate, or professional league. 

The now-independent BCHL is a tier below the main Canadian junior circuit, the CHL. Teams hadn’t used a first-round pick on a player selected directly out of the BCHL since the Avalanche took Alex Newhook 16th overall in 2019.

His quick rise and subsequent breakout with Maine has him positioned as the Hurricanes’ top forward prospect and the second-best overall behind Russian defenseman Alexander Nikishin, posits The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler. 

Their third-ranked prospect, blue-liner Scott Morrow, inked his ELC last week and immediately joined the NHL roster, although he’s yet to debut.

Size isn’t his biggest advantage at 5-foot-10 and 172 lbs, but his incredibly accurate and powerful shot gives him a top-six ceiling in the majors. He boasts a rather well-rounded offensive game and is nearly as good a passer as he is a finisher. While his straight-line speed isn’t the fastest, his agility and edgework have made up for it at the collegiate and junior levels.

It’s unlikely Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind’Amour will opt to thrust the New Brunswick native into playoff action, but he’s eligible for postseason play if needed. Along with Morrow, Nadeau will likely make his NHL debut over Carolina’s five remaining regular-season games.

Nadeau’s signing age is technically 19, so his entry-level contract is eligible to slide once. Since playing more than 10 NHL games this season isn’t possible, his ELC will defer to 2024-25. It’ll carry a slightly reduced cap hit, too, as his initial $95K signing bonus will be paid out this season. 

As such, the deal won’t expire until 2027, at which point he’ll be an RFA with five years of team control remaining.