Below is some information on the players, plus insight from Assistant General Manager Darren Yorke, who runs the draft for the back-to-back Metropolitan Division Champions.
2022-23 Primary Team & Statistics: 42 GP - 10 G - 36 A - 46 Points with Leksands (Sweden U20)
The first Norwegian-born player ever selected by the Canes, Unger Sorum was one of the youngest players available in this year's draft. Just two days away from being 2024 Draft eligible, the high-level passer has played his junior hockey in Sweden with the Leksands program for the past five seasons.
Yorke:"He sees the ice incredibly well. He's a guy that kept getting better and better and better (this year). He's incredibly smart and playmaking. He can put players on his back hip and spin off them to find the open man. He goes to the net and he plays with a bit of sandpaper. On top of that, he's a competitive player."
Oh yeah, Felix Unger Sorum will fit in just fine with the #Canes. 😏
2022-23 Primary Team & Statistics: 61 GP - 24 G - 48 A - 72 Points with Chicago (USHL)
The Canes were slated to pick at #71 in the third round, but in the moments leading up to the choice the team elected to move back. That slot went to San Jose in exchange for picks #94 and #100. #94 was Carolina's spot originally, dealt to the Sharks in last year's deal for Brent Burns.
And with that pick, the team set the tone for what would be a continued trend.
Perron became the first of two players selected from Chicago today, meaning that he has two pre-existing connections to the organization. The skilled forward played with 2021 selection Jackson Blake while on the Steel, where they were coached by Brock Sheahan, who coached Carolina's American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate during the 2022-23 season.
From the same hometown as Seth Jarvis, the Winnipeg-born center is committed to the University of North Dakota for the fall, where he'll play with Blake once again.
Yorke:"Playmaking with high-end skill. He's able to take the puck from the neutral zone and get into the offensive zone. He's able to spin off his checks... He's a kid that we know really well given that Brock coached him. We really didn't expect to see him that late in the draft."
Height: 6'0" | Weight: 176 | Birth Country: Russia | Shoots: Left
2022-23 Primary Team & Statistics: 20 GP - 4 G - 7 A - 11 Points with Chelmet Chelyabinksk (VHL)
With the second pick acquired from San Jose, the Canes chose their first of what would become five players selected from Russia today.
Yorke:"It was a benefit for us that he missed time last year, but he's one of the highest-scoring players of all time in the VHL for an 18-year-old. He's competitive smart and playmaking. He's able to handle the men, which is something you don't normally see from an 18-year-old."
Stanislov Yaravoy (F)
Round 4, Pick #126 Overall
Height: 5'11" | Weight: 190 | Birth Country: Russia | Shoots: Right
2022-23 Primary Team & Statistics: 45 GP - 9 G - 7 A - 16 Points with Vityaz (KHL)
At 19 years old, Yaravoy had been through the draft a couple of times already, but a strong season in Russia's top league propelled him onto the scene ahead of this year's event.
Yaravoy:"High-end skill, high-end compete, high-end motor. Sort of that prototypical, Carolina forward. At the same time, he's been able to score and produce against men, which is not something you normally see from 19-year-olds."
2022-23 Primary Team & Statistics: 40 GP - 2 G - 9 A - 11 Points with Quinnipiac (NCAA)
Another player with connections to the organization, the big-bodied defender won a National Championship with Rod Brind'Amour's son, Skyler, and now-fellow Canes prospect Yaniv Perets this spring.
Yorke:"He plays the defensive style that we want to play, which you don't normally see from college kids. He's able to get up into the offensive zone, flush down the wall, seal off the d-zone and play a fast, defensive game... He's a strong skater and we're looking forward to watching him grow with Quinnipiac."
Ruslan Khazheyev (G)
Round 5, Pick #158 Overall
Height: 6'4" | Weight: 201 | Birth Country: Russia | Catches: Left
2022-23 Primary Team & Statistics: 23 GP - 8-8-7 - .923 SV% with Chelyabinsk (MHL)
The first of two goaltenders taken by Carolina this afternoon, Khazheyev's past two seasons made him a prospect that grew up draft boards.
Yorke:"He's incredibly powerful and balanced... Our goalie coaches were just so impressed with that balance in combination with that power."
Timur Mukhanov (F)
Round 6, Pick #163 Overall
Height: 5'8" | Weight: 179 | Birth Country: Russia | Shoots: Right
2022-23 Primary Team & Statistics: 31 GP - 4 G - 4 A - 8 Points with Omskie Krylia (MHL)
Keeping the trend of existing connections going, Mukhanov spent time this past season playing with Carolina's top pick in 2022, Gleb Trikozov.
He's small, but he's a very exciting player with the puck. SMAHT Scouting had him ranked as the 25th-best available player in the draft.
Yorke:"As good as he is competitively, he's probably just as smart offensively. He probably slipped a little bit in the draft because of his size, but that's really not fair to him."
Michael Emerson (F)
Round 6, Pick #190 Overall
Height: 6'2" | Weight: 192 | Birth Country: United States | Shoots: Right
2022-23 Primary Team & Statistics: 60 GP - 30 G - 34 A - 64 Points with Chicago (USHL)
A teammate of third-round selection Jayden Perron, Emerson joins him and Blake at NoDak for 2023-24.
Yorke:"He probably would've got drafted last year, but he got hurt. He's got straight-line speed and he's able to get the puck from the neutral zone to the net. He was one of the best players in the USHL at that."
Another big-time value pick by the Carolina Hurricanes at 190. I really liked Michael Emerson as a re-entry this year, really improved his overall game and he can score. Listed him at 91 on my final rankings.
Height: 6'2" | Weight: 172 | Birth Country: Russia | Catches: Left
2022-23 Primary Team & Statistics: 21 GP - 6-10-5 - .915 SV% with Proton Novovoronezh (NMHL)
With Pyotr Kochetkov already in the system, Velmakin joins Khazheyev and Yegor Naumov as Russian goalies in Carolina's system.
Already 20 years old, Velmakin is signed with Dinamo Minsk (KHL) for at least the 2023-24 season.
Yorke:"We were impressed with how his season went. He got better each and every game. We were very happy to get him there right at the end of the draft."
