The Carolina Hurricanes’ 23-man roster is set in stone, for the most part. A couple of roster spots are still up for grabs as the team started the on-ice portion of training camp on Thursday. Goaltending seems to be the position where there won’t be any question marks. On the defense, it may come down to the final defensive pairing, more or less. However, upfront, there are one or two spots on the fourth line and even some depth roles to fill. One player who has a strong case to make the roster and maybe even earn the starting fourth-line center position is Moskva, Russia native Vasily Ponomarev.
Ponomarev Exploding Onto North American Pro Scene
Last season was Ponomarev’s first full professional campaign in North America. He played 11 games with the Chicago Wolves of the Americal Hockey League (AHL) in 2021-22, finishing with three goals and seven assists. In 2022-23, he exploded with an unbelievable season, scoring 24 goals and 46 points in 64 games for the Wolves. A season like that in his first full year as a pro in North America made people take notice quickly.
Got to Start Somewhere
Ponomarev played for the Shawinigan Cataractes of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League for two seasons, 2019-20 and 2020-21. He played really well for the Cataractes, scoring 87 points in 90 games – 18 goals and 31 assists in 2019-20 and 10 goals with 28 assists in 2020-21.
Everywhere he went, it seemed like Ponomarev had a knack for racking up points, either scoring for himself or setting up his teammates. In 2021-22, he spent some time in Russia playing in the Kontinental Hockey League, Supreme Hockey League (VHL), and Junior Hockey League (MHL) before returning to North America to finish the season with the Wolves. He also played in three different playoffs, in the VHL, MHL, and the AHL. In the Calder Cup Playoffs with the Wolves, he scored one goal and five assists in 18 games.
After playing well in the QMJHL and with a few stints back in Russia, did last season give Ponomrev a legitimate chance to make the Hurricanes roster this season? He really showed up at the Hurricanes’ Prospect Showcase last year in Raleigh and at the Southeast Rookie Showcase down in Estero, Florida this month.
Can Ponomarev Make the Hurricanes Roster?
In one sense, Ponomarev has shown that he has a style of play that will fit well with the Hurricanes. He shined at the Southeast Rookie Showcase last weekend. He and fellow prospect Ryan Suzuki were the stars for the Hurricanes, and in the final game on Monday against the Nashville Predators, Ponomarev scored a goal and an assist.
Related: 3 Hurricanes’ Rookies Who Shined Brightly at Rookie Showcase
Ponomarev is ready to show his talents in the NHL. His style of play and being able to throw the body should give him a look to start the season. He could even battle Jack Drury for the fourth-line center spot. With six preseason games ahead, starting next week, Ponomarev will get a chance to show more of his skill set, but despite that, he should be on the Hurricanes’ 23-man roster on opening night on Oct. 11 versus the Ottawa Senators.
Ponomarev is entering the second year of his three-year deal with the Hurricanes worth $2.66 million, signed on Oct. 13, 2020. He is also waiver-exempt, so he can be sent down to the AHL without being claimed. Furthermore, he does have three more years of arbitration rights with Carolina. However, there is nothing more for Ponomarev to prove in the AHL after his stellar season in 2022-23.
Ponomarev is Here to Stay
At 21 years old, there is a chance Ponomarev returns to the AHL this season, however, Carolina no longer has an affiliate team in the league after Chicago became an independent franchise, although he could be loaned out to another NHL team’s affiliate to start the season. Either way, he has shown enough to warrant a legitimate chance with the club, whether it’s on opening night or down the road. It’s guaranteed that he will play with the Hurricanes this season and be with the team for the foreseeable future as an everyday NHL regular.
