Might this be the year that the 19-year-old Swedish-Norwegian forward joins the Hurricanes’ starting lineup?
Hurricanes’ Felix Unger-Sörum Makes Case for Roster Spot
Originally posted on The Hockey Writers | By Zach Martin | Last updated 7/12/24
After a whirlwind two weeks in the NHL world with Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final, the 2024 NHL Entry Draft, and the start of free agency, things seem to be finally quieting down finally.
Teams around the league have held or will begin to hold their prospect development camps. The Carolina Hurricanes just wrapped up their development camp which was held between Sunday, July 7 through Thursday, July 11 in Raleigh, North Carolina. One name that stood out throughout camp was Norwegian-born forward Felix Unger-Sörum. Just like last offseason and leading up through the preseason, Unger-Sörum made a case to make the main roster last season.
Could this be the season the 19-year-old Norwegian-Swedish forward make the Hurricanes main roster?
Unger-Sörum Stock on the Rise
Unger-Sörum spent the 2023-24 season playing for Leksands IF of the Swedish Hockey League (SHL) where he tallied three goals and 15 points in 35 regular season games. He also managed to put up three points (one goal) in six playoff games for the big club. The 62nd-overall pick in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft made it clear during 2023 training camp that sending him back to Sweden was going to be a tough decision for the Hurricanes.
However, after seeing the growth in his game while playing in Sweden’s highest league, it might have worked out in the end for the Hurricanes. When asked about his time with Leksands playing in 35 of the 36 league games, he stated “You learn a lot (in that situation). Obviously, I’ve still got to try and do my thing even though they’re bigger than me. I’ve still got to try and protect the puck and do stuff like that, but you play with the older guys too, so you can learn from them too.”
While the points don’t jump off of the page, the ability to learn to play the game with guys older, bigger, and faster than you could be a huge boost to your development. As someone who coached recently in the SHL, Chicago Wolves’ new head coach Cam Abbott saw firsthand of what kind of player Unger-Sörum is and who he can eventually become when he hits his prime.
When asked about Unger-Sörum, Abbott stated, “He’s a very talented player that has a bright future. One of his talents, for sure, is that vision, that playmaking ability, and the hockey sense that he does have. There’s a whole lot of areas that as he improves are going to be more obvious to us all how skilled and smart of a player he is.”
The praise says a lot and goes a long way coming from someone like Abbott, who has a list of former Rogle BK players like Rasmus Sandin, Nils Hoglander, Moritz Seider, and Marco Kasper now in the NHL. Unger-Sörum, who mainly plays right-wing, can have a chance to force the Hurricanes’ hand into including him onto the roster going into Opening Night on Friday, Oct. 11 versus the Tampa Bay Lightning.
The reason for so much intrigue into whether Unger-Sörum will make the Hurricanes roster is that on July 1 to kick off free agency, Hurricanes general manager Eric Tulsky made an interesting statement on how the team will look at their younger player this upcoming season. “Part of what we are doing at this point is making sure (our younger guys) have an opportunity to step into bigger roles,” he stated.
“We have some young players in the NHL who are ready to grow. We have some players who are just a little bit away from the NHL who are ready to step into NHL roles. Seeing them continue to take steps forward is a big part of how we keep this going. Leaving them the opportunity is part of the job here. Ultimately, it’s a balancing act. We aren’t in a rebuild. We aren’t turning things over completely to the kids. But we do need to leave room for them to keep growing and keep assuming newer and bigger roles.”
This comes off the departures of Teuvo Teravainen, Stefan Noesen, Jake Guentzel, and others during the first few hours of July 1. Unger-Sörum signed his entry-level contract right after camp in 2023 and is signed through the 2026-27 season where he will become a restricted free agent when he is 21 years old. His cap hit if he plays for the Hurricanes will be an annual average value of $831,667.
He has a strong two-way 200-foot game that fits in well with head coach Rod Brind’Amour’s system and one that puts him up on the other top-end prospects. While guys like Jackson Blake, Bradly Nadeau, and Scott Morrow might need time to get some American Hockey League (AHL) time with the Wolves, it feels like Unger-Sörum might be the prospect that fits Tulsky’s bill to jump onto the main roster for the 2024-25 season.
Unger-Sorum Has Made Strong Case To Make Hurricanes This Season
When it comes down to it, if the Hurricanes want to put one of the younger players on the main roster to start the NHL season, Unger-Sörum is the right choice. He showed in the highest level of the SHL that he can play, even with his numbers not jumping off the page. The 62nd-overall 2023 pick showed before the 2023-24 season he had what it takes to make the roster.
Now, it is more evident than ever that he is ready to make the jump onto the main roster. Could he spend some time with the Wolves in the AHL? Yes. However, if Carolina’s front office wants to know where they are at with their development and how the younger guys will play at the NHL level, Unger-Sorum is the guy to do it with. He has all the tools to fit within Brind’Amour’s system right away and could fit within the top six on the right side ice and even on the second power-play unit.
Either way, Unger-Sörum has made a case to make the Hurricanes roster come Oct. 11 for the home and season opener versus the Tampa Bay Lightning. It all comes down to what Brind’Amour and his staff, along with the front office, want to do with the young forward. Hopefully, he starts the season for the Hurricanes and thrives in 2024-25.
