5 free agents the Hurricanes can sign to get back to the playoffs

3. Riley Nash

Carolina has a depth decision to make. Derek Ryan is coming off a solid 38-point season as the third line center. They can bring him back to fill that role again, but why do that when there are upgrades out there?

The first upgrade could be Tyler Bozak. The Maple Leafs center finished with 42 points on the season. He’s a better player than Ryan in all areas, but he is a year older. The second upgrade, and my personal choice, is Riley Nash. The Bruins center had 41 points and is two years younger than Ryan. He’s due a big upgrade over his $900,000 salary, but money is no issue for the Hurricanes.

Nash is no stranger to Carolina. He credits them for giving him a chance to be an everyday player in the league and maintains personal relationships with many Hurricanes players. Of course, the guy who gave him a chance (Ron Francis) is gone and the guys he has a relationship could be gone as well. But he’s still comfortable in Carolina and money talks.

If Nash would rather take his chances elsewhere, they should turn their attention to Bozak. He’ll cost more than Nash, but is still an upgrade over Ryan.

Whether it’s Nash, Bozak or Ryan, the Hurricanes will need a third line center. Waddell mentioned that Martin Necas is expected to be part of the team next season. It’s possible they slot him in as the third line center, but they may have a bigger role in mind for their young forward.