Former Rangers defenseman Fredrik Claesson at Hurricanes camp on a PTO
Someone finally is giving Claesson a look
Last night reports surfaced that former New York Rangers defenseman Fredrik Claesson was a late addition to the Carolina Hurricanes training camp. Claesson joins the Hurricanes on a PTO. The Rangers chose not to qualify Claesson after the 2018-19 season, thus making him an unrestricted free agent. He’s coming off of a one-year, $700k contract.
Defenseman Fredrik Claesson, a late PTO addition to #Canes training camp, is on the ice today. Defenseman Chase Priskie, who visited the doctor yesterday, is not skating but is in the building. pic.twitter.com/w3I777rJsG
— Michael Smith (@MSmithCanes) September 14, 2019
Claesson scored two goals and picked up four assists in 37 games with the Rangers last season. Despite the fact that he was frequently a healthy scratch, the Swedish defender was one of the team’s best players in the defensive zone.
He finished the season with a +3.43 Rel CF% (relative Corsi For percentage), the second best on the blue line behind only Kevin Shattenkirk (among defenseman who played in at least 10 games). Claesson also finished just behind Shattenkirk in Rel xGF% (relative expected goals for percentage). Those are some pretty exceptional numbers considering the price tag that he carried.
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By inviting him to their training camp, the Carolina Hurricanes have put themselves in an enviable position to add some inexpensive depth to their blue line. Claesson may not be the best puck-moving defenseman in the league, but his skills away from the puck make him a valuable option for the third pair or as the seventh defenseman on many NHL rosters.