Canes sign Lack to extension, reduce roster

The Carolina Hurricanes, having completed their exhibition schedule, finalized their regular-season roster Saturday.

Having seen goalie Eddie Lack play in three of the preseason games, the Canes finalized a contract extension with the Swede.

The Canes announced Lack, 27, had signed a two-year extension that will pay him $2.5 million in 2016-17 and $3 million in 2017-18. Lack, obtained June 27 in trade with the Vancouver Canucks, had one year remaining on his exiting contract, with a $1.3 million salary this season.

Carolina reduced its roster to 22 players by assigning defensemen Brett Pesce and Jaccob Slavin, and forwards Brock McGinn and Derek Ryan to the Charlotte Checkers of the American Hockey League. Defenseman Haydn Fleury was returned to his junior team, the Red Deer Rebels of the Western Hockey League.

Fleury, the Canes’ first-round draft pick in 2014, also attended Carolina’s training camp last year before going back to Red Deer.

Final rosters for the regular season must be returned to the NHL before 5 p.m. Tuesday. The Canes open the 2015-16 season Thursday on the road against the Nashville Predators.

Defenseman Noah Hanifin remains on the Canes’ roster. Hanifin, 18, was the fifth overall pick of this year’s NHL Entry Draft and decided to leave Boston College after his freshman year to sign his entry-level contract with Carolina and begin his pro career.

The Canucks traded Lack to the Canes on June 27 in exchange for a third-round pick in the 2015 NHL Draft and a seventh-round selection in the 2016 draft. Lack was 18-13-4, with a 2.45 goals-against average and a .921 save percentage, last season in helping the Canucks reach the playoffs.

Lack and goalie Cam Ward both appeared in three games during the Canes’ preseason exhibitions. Lack was 1-0-0 with a 2.21 goals-against average and a .932 save percentage.

“Eddie has been a great addition to our locker room,” Carolina general manager Ron Francis said in a statement. “We feel that we have a very solid tandem in net for this season and are excited that Eddie will remain a part of that picture beyond this year.”

This story was originally published October 3, 2015 at 5:38 PM with the headline "Canes sign Lack to extension, reduce roster."