Hurricanes sign top free-agent defenseman

The Carolina Hurricanes have signed arguably the top defenseman available on the free-agent market, inking former Boston Bruins and Washington Capitals rearguard Dmitry Orlov to a two-year, $7.75M AAV deal, per multiple reports.

As a leading free-agent defenseman, Orlov securing just a two-year term on his deal comes as a bit of a surprise. If any defenseman was going to get a maximum-term seven-year deal, it would be Orlov.

But instead, he follows the lead of countryman and Los Angeles Kings defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov, who secured his own pricey two-year deal earlier this offseason.

Orlov is an all-situations minutes-eating top-four defenseman who averages more than 20 minutes of ice time per night for his career, including this past season where he averaged more than 22.

Not only is Orlov a capable defensive defenseman and a penalty-kill contributor, he’s also a valuable offensive defenseman as well.

After a mid-season trade to the Boston Bruins, Orlov scored 17 points in just 23 regular-season games as well as eight points in seven playoff games.

That put Orlov in his peak range, which has been around 35 points, but his scorching hot run with the Bruins suggests there’s more offensive potential in Orlov’s game than he may have shown as a Capital.

Orlov will be turning 34 when this contract with the Hurricanes ends, meaning one has to wonder if he’ll truly be in line to cash in on a significant long-term deal. That being said, there are few better places for him to land than Carolina. Adding to incumbent left-handers Jaccob Slavin and Brady Skjei, Orlov gives the Hurricanes easily the NHL’s best left side of their defense.

He’ll be leaned upon heavily by head coach Rod Brind’Amour and be a major help to the Hurricanes’ hopes for a Stanley Cup championship, all without the long-term commitment that can bite teams in later years.