Report: 'No Guarantee' Hurricanes Sign John Carlson Before July 1

The Carolina Hurricanes surprised many when they went out and acquired the signing rights to pending UFA defenseman John Carlson this past weekend. But time is ticking, and they have only one day remaining to get him inked to a new deal or he'll go to the open market. 

Insider Pierre LeBrun does not think it's a slam dunk that something gets done in Raleigh.

The Carolina Hurricanes acquiring John Carlson’s rights over the weekend was a clever move by the Cup champs to beat everyone to the market on the pending UFA defenseman, who is 36 but still a very good player and in high demand.

But there is no guarantee the Hurricanes will be able to sign him.

It appears that Carlson is after a $10 million AAV, on likely a two-year deal. But LeBrun suggests that Carolina could get creative to make it more palatable.

"I suppose one way to bring that AAV down is to tack on more years... So a longer-term deal still could get Carlson $20 million in the first two years, with subsequent years on a lower salary bringing down the cap hit."

But if the Stanley Cup champs can't make it happen before 12 noon on Wednesday, the insider suggests that there are other teams ready to pounce, and he specifically mentions the Philadelphia Flyers, Boston Bruins and Tampa Bay Lightning.

Carlson spent all of his 17 years in the NHL with the Washington Capitals, save for the last two months of this just-completed campaign, when the Caps traded him to the Anaheim Ducks. 

But the veteran D-man wants to return to the East Coast, and it seems like he'll wind up on a Capitals' Conference or division rival, one way or another.