On Thursday afternoon, the Carolina Hurricanes took care of all of their North American restricted free agents, signing them to new deals and sitting on the fringe is defenseman Ryan Murphy, who signed a 2-year deal, worth $1.575 million in total.
Murphy was the 12th overall pick in the 2011 draft, but he hasn't been able to crack the Hurricanes blueline on a full-time basis just yet, appearing in four seasons in limited roles, some more limited than others. In the 2016 season, he only appeared in 35 games and picked up 10 assists, but a 2-year deal does suggest that he should be moving in the right direction and that the team does have some patience for his development.
He will be pushed a lot this season, as they continue to load up on prospects on the blueline, so as much as they will keep him around, he will have company for the last two or three spots left to fill.
The Buffalo Sabres also inked one of their depth forwards on Thursday, giving Marcus Foligno a new 1-year, $2.25 million deal, extending his stay with the team a little bit longer.The youngest Foligno brother in the league has now featured in four full seasons with the Sabres and also had a brief 14-game appearance in the 2012 season, debuting for the club. He hasn't quite found the potential one may have ranked him with, but he is turning into a valuable bottom six asset. Last season, he finished with 10 goals and 23 points in 75 games for the club, not astounding numbers, but if one was desperate enough at a mid-season swap, he could be considered.
If the Sabres are going to make a push for the playoffs, they will need Foligno to keep chipping in when he can. A 10-goal season is okay, but it could be better.
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