Heading into this summer, the Carolina Hurricanes had a lot of questions about who would represent the club on its blueline. Today, the National Hockey League Players Association announced that 24 players have officially filed for arbitration, one of which has already been settled. Among that list were two Hurricanes restricted free agent defensemen. Maxime Lajoie and Ethan Bear.
Bear was acquired from Edmonton when free agency opened in 2021 and started last season off incredibly well. However, Bear has had an ongoing battle with the Coronavirus after his battle with the infection left him with long-term side effects.