After Mikko Rantanen, another star forward refuses to join the Hurricanes!

After the Mikko Rantanen fiasco in Carolina, it seems like the Hurricanes have faced another rejection, though this one does not sting as much.

Back in 2020, the Canes selected Lucas Mercuri in the sixth round, and while he should find himself lucky to be able to reach the NHL, he reportedly does not intend to sign with the Hurricanes once his season with the University of Massachusetts in the NCAA ends in the coming weeks, according to Steven Ellis of Daily Face-off. 

That means that Carolina will be forced to try to trade the rights to the 23-year-old Quebec native before August 15. Otherwise, he will become an unrestricted free agent and be able to sign with any team of his choosing.

Mercuri is set to complete his fourth and final year of college hockey. So far this season, he has posted 10 goals and 31 points in 38 games for UMass, helping his team reach the NCAA tournament.

Before making the jump to the NCAA, Mercuri played two seasons in the USHL with the Des Moines Buccaneers. He moved to the United States at age 16 after spending two years in the M18AAA Development League with the Châteauguay Grenadiers organization. Despite his intention to play in America after his midget hockey stint, he was selected in the second round of the 2018 QMJHL Draft by the Val-d’Or Foreurs.

Praised for his defensive responsibility and positioning, Mercuri is likely to draw interest from several NHL teams thanks to his 6’3’’, 192-pound frame.

Would you want your favorite club to get him?