Carolina Hurricanes re-acquire former player via trade with Anaheim Ducks
Photo credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images
The Carolina Hurricanes re-acquired the UFA rights to defenseman Kyle Masters from the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday.
In return, Anaheim received the rights to forward Noah Philp, who already signed a two-year deal with HV71 of the Swedish Hockey League on June 24.
"Canes re-acquire UFA rights to D Kyle Masters from Anaheim Ducks for UFA rights to F Noah Philp."
- NHL News
- NHL News
On paper this looks like a minor depth move. It is actually the second time in four days Carolina has used a UFA rights trade instead of simply waiting for free agency to open on July 1.
Last Saturday, the Hurricanes sent Masters and a sixth-round pick to Anaheim for the negotiating rights to John Carlson.
Anaheim used that pick on forward Noah Kosick.
Why rights trades instead of waiting
Anaheim did not qualify Masters, meaning his rights carried no real trade value once free agency opened.
Carolina didn't need this trade to sign him. They could have simply waited two days and offered him a contract as an unrestricted free agent.
Doing it this way buys Carolina an exclusive negotiating window before July 1, the same tactic associate GM Darren Yorke described using on the Carlson move.
A pattern, not a coincidence
Two rights trades in four days from the same front office is not background noise.
It signals Carolina, fresh off a Stanley Cup, is treating the rights-trade loophole as a deliberate tool to lock up targets before the rest of the league can bid.
Expect more of these in the next 48 hours.
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