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Hurricanes Terminating Contract of Veteran Forward

The Carolina Hurricanes are placing a veteran forward on waivers to terminate their contract.

Jacob Punturi

Apr 12, 2024; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Blues defenseman Marco Scandella (6) and Carolina Hurricanes left wing Brendan Lemieux (28) battle for the puck during the first period at Enterprise Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
Apr 12, 2024; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Blues defenseman Marco Scandella (6) and Carolina Hurricanes left wing Brendan Lemieux (28) battle for the puck during the first period at Enterprise Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images / Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
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The Carolina Hurricanes are one of the best teams in the NHL as the three month mark of the season rolls around. They have one of the deepest groups of forwards in the league, they're getting an MVP-level performance from winger Martin Necas, and they are getting impressive goaltending despite injuries ravishing the position.

Despite the Hurricanes being such a strong team, they are still tinkering with their lineup as the season progresses. The team placed bottom-line winger Brendan Lemieux on unconditional waivers for the purposes of terminating his contract.

The 28-year-old forward has yet to play in a game this season for the Hurricanes. Last season, however, he appeared in 32 games for the Hurricanes. He scored three goals and added two assists for five points and also posted 64 penalty minutes in those games.

Lemieux is a former second-round draft pick of the Buffalo Sabres in 2014, when they selected him with the 31st overall selection. Over a decade career, he's played 307 NHL games. He's scored 36 goals and recorded 38 assists and 74 points in those 307 contests.

But what Lemieux has been known for is being a pest on the ice. He's made NHL stops with the Winnipeg Jets, New York Rangers, Los Angeles Kings, and Philadelphia Flyers and he's earned a reputation for being a tough as nails player and someone who's game is right on the line of being legal per the game rules. Over 59 games during the 2019-2020 campaign, he managed to put up 111 penalty minutes despite playing an average of 12:30 minutes of ice-time.

Now that the Hurricanes are terminating his contract, he's free to sign with any other NHL team or professional league. He's had multiple stops throughout his NHL career, so it's possible he lands overseas with his next opportunity.

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Jacob Punturi
JACOB PUNTURI

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