Report: Hurricanes' Gardiner likely set for LTIR again

Jake Gardiner's return to the Carolina Hurricanes lineup appears to have hit a setback.

Luke DeCock of the Raleigh News & Observer reports Gardiner is not expected to be in training camp with the Hurricanes this week and is likely to end up on long-term injured reserve for the second straight season. The veteran defenceman was not on the team's training camp invite list released Tuesday.

The report comes three months after Hurricanes general manager Don Waddell said in June that Gardiner had been fully medically cleared to continue his playing career.

Signed through this season at a cap hit of $4.05 million, Gardiner spent the entire 2021-22 season on long-term injured reserve after undergoing hip and back surgeries last September.

The 33-year-old had eight assists in 26 games with the Hurricanes during the 2020-21 season and appeared in one playoff game with the club. 

He was selected 17th overall in the 2008 NHL Draft by the Anaheim Ducks and has 49 goals and 277 points in 645 career games with the Toronto Maple Leafs and Hurricanes.

Cap Space in Carolina

The Hurricanes could have more than $11 Million in cap hits on LTIR if Gardiner joins off-season addition Max Pacioretty on the list.

Pacioretty suffered a torn Achilles in early August, less than a month after the Hurricanes acquired him from the Vegas Golden Knights. Carolina also received defenceman Dylan Coghlan in the deal, with Vegas receiving future considerations.

The 33-year-old was given an expected recovery time of six months after undergoing surgery, putting off his return to the ice into the new year. He appeared in 39 games last season for the Golden Knights and posted 19 goals and 18 assists.

Currently listed at $2.62 million over the cap without using LTIR by CapFriendly, the Hurricanes could have more than $8 million in cap space when the season begins.