With the first day of training beginning today, the Hurricanes will have another player on a PTO to go along with Sam Gagner and Skyler Brind'Amour in Rocco Grimaldi
When the Canes open training camp today in preparation for the the 2024-2025 season they will have another player amongst the group in Rocco Grimaldi.
The Hurricanes announced yesterday they have signed the former 2nd round pick in the 2011 NHL to a PTO.
Grimaldi, 31, has not played a game in the NHL since the 2021-2022 season when he played in 7 games for the Nashville Predators.
Grimaldi has spent the last 3 years playing in the AHL between the Milwaukee Admirals, San Diego Gulls, Rockford Icehogs and the Chicago Wolves.
Aside from the Wolves being the AHL affiliate of the Hurricanes, part of the reason GM Eric Tulsky likely invited Grimaldi to camp was the season he had last year in the AHL. In 72 games played for the Wolves last season, Grimaldi finished 2nd in the AHL in scoring with 36 goals, 37 assists and 73 points.
While Grimaldis' best season of his NHL career game in the 2019-2020 season with the Nashville Predators when he scored 31 points in 66 games played, he is most well known for a feat he accomplished during the 2020-2021 season.
In game against the Detroit Red Wings on March 25th of 2021, Grimaldi still a member of the Predators, scored 4 goals in the contest. Grimaldi became just the 2nd Predator at the time to score 4 goals in one game joining Eric Nystrom as the only other player to do so. Current Predator Filip Forsberg would join the club the following November when he scored 4 goals against the Columbus Blue Jackets.
In 203 games played at the NHL level split between the Florida Panthers, Colorado Avalanche and Nashville Predators, Grimaldi has scored 30 goals and 37 assists for a total of 67 points.