Eddie Lack excited about trade to Hurricanes: 'Carolina really wanted me'

Eddie Lack believes his best hockey is ahead of him, which is good news for the Carolina Hurricanes.

Carolina traded a third-round pick and a 2016 seventh-rounder to the Vancouver Canucks for Lack during second-day action at the NHL Draft on Saturday to replace Anton Khudobin, who was sent to the Anaheim Ducks for defenseman James Wisniewski.

Lack was formally introduced as a member of the Hurricanes on Sunday and the enthusiasm he has for his new team was readily apparent.

"Carolina really wanted me," Lack told the Hurricanes website. "It's a great opportunity for me, and I'm really excited."

Lack was called upon to be Vancouver's starting goaltender at times over the last couple seasons, including a 21-appearance stint while Ryan Miller dealt with a knee injury in 2014-15. His experience with the Canucks taught him what it takes to stop pucks at the highest level.

"I matured as a person. From a goaltending standpoint, I feel like I've gotten so much better," Lack said. "To be honest, I still feel like I have a lot to give. I feel like I'm two or three years away from my prime. I'm never satisfied. I keep pushing forward, and that's what's going to help me in the long run."

Hurricanes general manager Ron Francis wasn't going to deal Khudobin unless he had a replacement netminder lined up, and he's very bullish about what Lack will bring to Carolina's lineup.

"We certainly feel Eddie Lack is more than capable of stepping in and playing games," Francis said. "Everything we heard about him, not only as a goaltender but also as a person, checked out. We're really excited to add him to our lineup."

Lack joins veteran Cam Ward in the Hurricanes' crease. Ward struggled with injuries and consistency over the last three seasons and took a back seat to Khudobin at times, but Lack - no stranger to goaltending controversies from his time in Vancouver - sees the situation as more of a partnership than a rivalry.

"Cam Ward has been playing great for a lot of years," Lack said. "We're going to push each other and hopefully achieve some really great results together."