Hurricanes sign Valentin Zykov to one-way contract
Valentin Zykov’s new contract with the Hurricanes is likely to keep him with the Hurricanes.

The AHL’s leading goal scorer from last season agreed to a one-way contract with Carolina on Friday, making it much less likely that he will return to Charlotte next season. Zykov, who had been a restricted free agent, agreed to a two-year deal.

“Valentin is a big body who proved he had the ability to finish around the net on the AHL and NHL levels last season,” Don Waddell, the Hurricanes’ president and general manager, said in a team release.

In addition to the 33 goals that earned him the AHL’s Willie Marshall Trophy for goal-scoring prowess, Zykov also earned seven points (3g, 4a) in 10 games with the Hurricanes last season. The 23-year-old native of St. Petersburg, Russia, also led the AHL with 17 power-play goals and set a league record with shooting percentage of 29.5. He and Warren Foegele represented the Checkers at the 2018 AHL All-Star Classic.

After Zykov’s signing, two of the Checkers’ other top scorers, Greg McKegg and Lucas Wallmark, remain restricted free agents. Five others who had been on NHL contracts with Carolina (defensemen Jake Chelios, Brenden Kichton, Dennis Robertson and Philip Samuelsson and goaltender Jeremy Smith) are set to become unrestricted free agents this Sunday, July 1.