Hurricanes add Walker, Gostisbehere to bolster blue line

The Carolina Hurricanes restocked their blue line by bringing in Sean Walker and Shayne Gostisbehere on multi-year deals Monday.

The club announced it signed Walker to a five-year pact with an average annual value of $3.6 million, and Gostisbehere to a three-year contract with an average annual value of $3.2 million.

Walker recorded a personal-best 29 points in 81 games in the 2023-24 campaign split between the Philadelphia Flyers and Colorado Avalanche, averaging a career-high 19:14 per contest. A superb skater, the 29-year-old excels at pushing play up the ice and joining the rush. He posted tremendous underlying numbers this past season, ranking 22nd among all NHL defensemen with 12.1 goals above replacement, per Evolving-Hockey.

Sean Walker, signed 5x$3.6M by CAR, is a skilled offensive defenceman who can carry the puck and create scoring opportunities and goals. Did well at basically everything this season on PHI's second pair. Concern would be size and if he can repeat this season. #LetsGoCanes pic.twitter.com/AxjYkOg7pE

- JFresh (@JFreshHockey) July 1, 2024

"Sean is a dependable right-shot defenseman who has played all situations at a high level during his career," new Hurricanes general manager Eric Tulsky said. "He is extremely strong at both ends of the ice, and his offensive abilities are a great fit for our style of play."

An undrafted free agent out of Bowling Green, Walker spent the first five seasons of his career with the Los Angeles Kings. The Keswick, Ontario, native is listed at 5-foot-11 and 195 pounds. He won a gold medal with Canada at the 2021 World Championship.

For Gostisbehere, the deal marks a reunion of sorts, as he spent 23 games with the Hurricanes in 2022-23 as a trade deadline pickup, plus 15 more contests in the postseason.

Shayne Gostisbehere, signed 3x$3.2M by CAR, is a puck-moving offensive defenceman. Great passer, great shot (which he'll use plenty), no physicality, has the best penalty differential of any defenceman in the past three seasons (+34). #LetsGoCanes pic.twitter.com/03XpFpCyky

- JFresh (@JFreshHockey) July 1, 2024

"We're thrilled to bring Shayne back to Raleigh," Tulsky said. "He's an elite passer and power-play specialist, and we think his familiarity with our organization will make him an excellent fit for us."

The Pembroke Pines, Florida, native suited up for the Detroit Red Wings in 2023-24, producing 56 points in 81 games. It was the third time Gostisbehere reached the 50-point mark in his 10-year career. The 31-year-old has also played for the Philadelphia Flyers and Arizona Coyotes.

Carolina's defense could look as follows next season:

The Hurricanes' blue line needed reinforcements after losing Brady Skjei (seven-year, $49-million contract with the Nashville Predators) and Brett Pesce (six-year, $33-million contract with the New Jersey Devils) to free agency earlier Monday.

The club re-signed Chatfield on Sunday and gave Slavin an eight-year, $51.7-million extension Monday. Orlov and Burns will be UFAs in 2025.

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