RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — The Carolina Hurricanes are trying again to build up their blue line by acquiring another young defenseman.
Carolina acquired defenseman Zack Hayes from the Vegas Golden Knights for future considerations, President and General Manager Don Waddell said.
Hayes has played the majority of his career in the minor league, but appeared in three major-league games with the Golden Knights.
He has 103 career AHL games under his belt, tallying four goals and 14 assists before moving to the Western Hockey League and participating in 272 games. During that time, Hayes posted 15 goals and 64 assists for 79 points.
“Zack is a young defenseman who will add to our organizational depth on the blue line,” Waddell said. “He is an experienced leader who knows how to play physically on the back end.”
Waddell had similar sentiments about the now-Vancouver Canuck defenseman Ethan Bear.
Bear was acquired for veteran Warren Foegele on July 28, 2021, before then trading the defenseman away a little more than one year later on Oct. 28.
Bear came into Raleigh also having limited action, posting just eight points (two goals, six assists) across 43 games for the Edmonton Oilers and a slew of AHL success before expected to be a staple of the Hurricane defense.
Bear played in 58 games and scored 14 points in his time with Carolina before suiting up for the Hurricanes again during the 2022-23 season.
He was traded along with forward Lane Pederson a little more than one month ago.
Hayes will eventually look to integrate into a defensive corps with Jaccob Slavin, Brent Burns, Brady Skjei, Brett Pesce, Calvin DeHaan and Jalen Chatfield.