Has goalie Cam Ward played his last game for Hurricanes?

With NHL free agency just a few days away, it appears likely goalie Cam Ward has played his last game with the Carolina Hurricanes.

Ward, the franchise leader in wins and a star on the Canes' 2006 Stanley Cup champs, is due to become an unrestricted free agent Sunday and Canes' general manager Don Waddell indicated Thursday that Ward would not be re-signed before Sunday.

Waddell said the Canes are fully committed -- "One hundred percent," he said -- to having goalie Scott Darling stay with the team next season, saying the Canes probably would look to add another goalie through free agency. He said the team had talked with five or six free-agent goalies during the interview period that is allowed with pending UFAs.

Ward's agent, Rick Curran, said Thursday that five teams have contacted Ward. Curran did not name all the teams but said three have had "extensive interviews" with Ward and confirmed the Chicago Blackhawks were one of those three.

In recent days, there has been building media speculation Ward would sign with the Blackhawks, possibly a one-year deal for up to $3 million, when free agency begins Sunday.

Waddell did not name a possible free-agent replacement for Ward, but the Canes' options could include Petr Mrazek and Robin Lehner. Neither received qualifying offers from their teams -- Mrazek from Philadelphia, Lehner from Buffalo -- and are UFAs.

Ward leaving the Canes would be more evidence of the determination and willingness to reshape the team under new team owner Tom Dundon.

"My contract is up and the uncertainty and the unknown of what’s going to happen, it can be scary at times,” said Ward after playing the final game of the 2017-18 season, a 3-2 overtime win over the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Curran, of the Orr Hockey Group, has said Ward's preference was to stay with the Hurricanes, the team that drafted him in 2002 with the 25th overall pick. All 13 of Ward's seasons have come with the Canes, he has 318 career victories and was the Conn Smythe Trophy winner in 2006 as the playoffs MVP.

Ward, 34, was prepared to accept a backup role last season after the Canes acquired Darling in a trade with the Blackhawks. But Darling, who had been the Blackhawks' backup, couldn't handle the responsibility of being a No. 1 goalie for the first time in the NHL and Ward's starts increased as the season progressed.

After the Canes missed the playoffs for a ninth straight year, Dundon and Waddell said there needed to be a goaltending change. Now adding irony to the situation is that Ward could land in Chicago.

Waddell said Darling had been in a strenuous workout program with Canes strength and conditioning coach Bill Burniston and was committed to returning this season lighter, in better physical shape and with sharper focus.

"He's lost weight and feels good," Waddell said. "I told him he might be the best free agent we have, and we already own him, if we can get him back on track. Add another guy into the mix and we hope we can be solid in goal."

While Darling struggled last season, Ward finished the 2017-18 season with a 23-14-4 record, a goals-against average of 2.73 and .906 save percentage.

“Cam’s been a rock for us this year,” Canes forward Justin Williams said after the Tampa Bay game. “Regardless of what people say or what’s written about him, he’s a rock for us.”

Ward signed a two-year contract extension in June 2016 that paid him $3.5 million in 2016-17 and $3.1 million this past season.

This story was originally published June 28, 2018 at 8:38 AM with the headline "Has goalie Cam Ward played his last game for Hurricanes?."