Carolina Hurricanes losing senior VP Rick Dudley, still in talks with TV's John Forslund

RALEIGH, N.C. -- Carolina Hurricanes president and general manager Don Waddell said Wednesday that executive Rick Dudley won't return and the team is still in talks with longtime TV play-by-play announcer John Forslund on a new deal.

The 71-year-old Dudley had worked as Carolina's senior vice president of hockey operations since 2018, part of nearly five decades in professional hockey. That included serving as general manager for four NHL franchises, and he also played and coached the Buffalo Sabres.

"Rick and I talked months ago and he said that at the end of his contract, he was going to move on," Waddell said in an interview with The Associated Press.

Waddell said the team has reached agreements with all employees whose deals expired Tuesday so far except for Forslund, who is in his 25th season with the franchise and also does national broadcasts with NBC.

"We've had multiple talks: I've talked to the agent numerous times, I've talked to John a couple of times," Waddell said. "We've laid it out. They didn't yesterday ask for anything other than some time."

Reached by the AP on Wednesday evening, Forslund said: "I've said it (before), the door's always open until it's completely closed. And as of right now, that's where it stands."