Carolina Hurricanes sign 2024 NHL Draft pick Dominik Badinka to entry-level deal
On Sunday, Carolina Hurricanes general manager Eric Tulsky announced that the team has signed 2024 NHL Draft pick Dominik Badinka to a three-year, entry-level contract.
The defenseman will receive the League minimum of $775,000 at the NHL level and $85,000 in the American Hockey League (AHL) level for all three seasons. The deal will include signing bonuses worth $282,150.
INKED!
The #Canes have signed Dominik Badinka, 34th overall selection in the 2024 NHL Draft, to a three-year, entry-level contract 🖊️
Details » https://t.co/7vOchYfdO4 pic.twitter.com/ldmCKIeaV1
Badinka was selected by Carolina in the second round (No. 34) of the 2024 NHL Entry Draft. He was ranked 35th in Daily Faceoff prospect analyst Steven Ellis’ final prospect rankings ahead of the draft.
The 18-year-old joined Joakim Ryan, who was also signed by the Hurricanes on Sunday, as a member of the Malmo Redhawks in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL). In 33 games last season, he tallied four points (one goal, three assists) and finished with a minus-9 rating. While playing for the J20 Redhawks in the J20 Nationell, Badinka recorded 13 points (two goals, 11 assists) with a plus-8 rating in 17 games.
“Dominik is a puck-moving defenseman with good length and mobility,” Hurricanes assistant general manager Darren Yorke said in a statement released by the team Sunday. “He played very well as an 18-year-old against tough competition in Sweden last season, and we’re excited for him to take the next steps in his development.”
In 2022-23, Badinka played 43 games in Finland with Jokerit’s junior team. He registered 23 points (five goals, 21 assists).
As a part of Team Czechia on the international level, Badinka has played in the U17 and U18 World Junior Championships. In 2022, he recorded four points (two goals, two assists) in 13 games for Czechia U17. He bested those numbers in 2023, tallying seven assists in 20 games for the U18s.
The 6-foot-3 right-handed defenseman also represented Czechia at the 2022 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, where he posted two assists in five games.