Hurricanes acquire Kyle Masters from Ducks for Noah Philp
The Carolina Hurricanes and Anaheim Ducks are exchanging pending unrestricted free agents (UFAs) a day ahead of NHL Free Agency.
On Tuesday, the Hurricanes acquired defenseman Kyle Masters from the Ducks. In return, Anaheim will receive forward Noah Philp.
🚨Trade To #FlyTogether Noah Philp, UFA To #Canes Kyle Masters, UFA after not being qualified puckpedia.com/trade/1185?6a4…
Masters, 23, was not extended a qualifying offer by the Ducks, meaning he is still set to hit free agency unless Carolina signs him to a new deal. The Edmonton native had been with the Hurricanes since getting acquired from the San Jose Sharks in January, but was moved to Anaheim on June 27th as part of the deal for defenseman John Carlson’s rights.
Masters spent the 2025-26 season with the ECHL’s Wichita Thunder, where he played just 10 games and registered no goals and three assists.
Initially selected by the Minnesota Wild in the fourth round of the 2021 NHL Entry Draft, Masters played his junior hockey in the Western Hockey League (WHL), splitting his time between the Red Deer Rebels and Kamloops Blazers. In 2022-23, his final junior season, he broke out with 11 goals and 54 assists for 65 points in 66 regular season games while playing for the Blazers. During the Memorial Cup that year, Masters suffered a scary injury after colliding into the boards, forcing him to be taken off by a stretcher and miss the remainder of the tournament.
In October of 2025, the Wild dealt Masters to the Sharks in exchange for forward Oskar Olausson. Masters has yet to play in the NHL.
Philp, 27, is also a pending UFA, and spent most of last season with the AHL’s Chicago Wolves after getting claimed off waivers from the Edmonton Oilers in December. The Canmore, Alberta native had eight goals and nine assists for 17 points in 29 games for the Wolves. He also had two goals and three assists in 17 combined NHL games between the Oilers and the Hurricanes. Philp did sign a two-year contract with the Swedish SHL club HV71 on June 24th, but his NHL rights can still be traded.