Hurricanes Blow Lack to Calgary

			2017 Season			July 1st Status
To Calgary	Pos	Age	GP	Wins	Points	Years	Cap
Eddie Lack	G	29	20	8	18	1	$1.375m
Ryan Murphy	D	24	27	0	2	1	$788k
2019 7th Round Draft Pick
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To Carolina	Pos	Age	GP	Goals	Points	Years	Cap
Keegan Kanzig	D	22	0	0	0	1	$631k
2019 6th Round Draft Pick
Retained salary						50%	$1.375m

The Calgary Flames were not done with the signing of Kris Versteeg on Thursday, as they completed their goaltending tandem for the 2018 season, acquiring Eddie Lack from the Carolina Hurricanes in an evening deal.

The goalie market certainly improved for the Flames, as they were able to get an NHL regular goalie, with salary retained by the Hurricanes, also taking on a 2011 1st round pick in Ryan Murphy, a 24-year old defender who fell out of favour in Carolina for a 2013 3rd round pick in defenseman Keegan Kanzig and very late 2019 picks going either way.

Lack is certainly familiar with the Pacific Division, where he started his career in Vancouver, but he didn't pan out to be the replacement starter that the Hurricanes hoped he'd be in the Atlantic Division.  The Hurricanes acquired Scott Darling from the Blackhawks already in this off-season, pushing Lack out, but the Swede should have less expectations, filling in as the back-up for Calgary's new starter, Mike Smith.

No player in this deal was considered to be pool worthy last season, but if Lack can take on 25 games for the Flames, he certainly has some upside for the hockey poolies out there.

The Flames don't take on much more of a cap hit with this deal, knocking Thomas McCollum down from the table in the Versteeg post, it's only a $700,000 difference, taking their cap space down to $5.3 million, with free agency opening up on the weekend.

The Hurricanes, on the other hand, continue to clean up their salary cap concerns, now removing Lack from the traffic jam in the crease, yet still keeping some of his salary.  With salary retained and a 22-man projected roster, I am still showing the Hurricanes under the cap floor by almost $5 million.  This could mean they could find an unrestricted free agent and just throw money at him.  We shall see.