Blake still has a season left in his Entry Level Contract, but has signed an eight-year contract extension worth $5.625 AAV ($45M total) due to the new CBA rules that limit contracts to seven years starting in September. Blake had a standout rookie season in 2024-25, finishing ninth in Calder Trophy voting after putting up 17 goals, 34 points and a +10 plus/minus in 80 games played.
After making his NHL debut in 2024-25 with Carolina, Ryan Suzuki has earned himself a one-year, two-way contract with the Hurricanes to come back to Chicago (AHL) for a sixth season. The 24-year-old was Carolina's 2019 1st round pick (28th overall) and he had 12 goals and 59 points in 69 games with Chicago last season. He is expected to return to the Wolves for the start of the 2025-26 season but will provide Carolina with depth throughout the year.
Carolina will bring Ronan Seeley back for a fourth season in the organization after the 22-year-old signed a one-year, two-way contract extension. The stay-at-home defensemen enjoyed a strong season in 2024-25 with Chicago (AHL), picking up three goals, 10 points and a -6 plus/minus in 69 games played. He is expected to spend 2025-26 back in Chicago.
After a short two-game showing with the Carolina Hurricanes in 2024-25, Domenick Fensore has earned himself a one-year, two-way contract to remain a Hurricane for the upcoming season. The 23-year-old puck-moving defenseman took a step forward in 2024-25 with Chicago (AHL), putting up nine goals and 32 points alongside his 39 PIMs in 67 total games played. He is expected to start 2025-26 in Chicago but will provide Carolina with some much-needed defensive depth.
The biggest free agent target is off the board after Carolina agreed to a six-year, $51 million contract ($8.5 million AAV) with Nikolaj Ehlers on Thursday. The 29-year-old star winger leaves Winnipeg after 10 up-and-down seasons and a 24-goal, 63-point campaign in 2024-25. He is expected to take a top-six and top power-play role in Carolina.
Jost was an effective depth player for the Hurricanes last season, scoring nine points (4G / 5A) in 39 games, and will return on a one-year, two-way contract. The 27-year-old NHL veteran has 149 points (61G / 88A) in 495 career games.
Hours after being acquired from Montreal for a 2026 seventh-round pick, Cayden Primeau signed a one-year, $775,000 contract with Carolina. The 25-year-old has appeared briefly for Montreal for the last six seasons, making 11 appearances in 2024-25, posting a 2-3-1 record, 4.70 GAA and .836 SV%. He will likely begin the season with Charlotte (AHL) in the minors, providing Carolina with goaltender depth throughout the season.
Miller has been rumoured in trades since last season, finally materializing in a deal sending him to the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for Scott Morrow, a first-round pick, and a second-round pick. He was immediately signed to a massive seven-year contract worth $7.5 million AAV. The 25-year-old Miller will likely step into a larger role on Carolina's blueline after the expected departure of Brent Burns. He spent his first five seasons with the New York Rangers, recording 132 points (36G / 96A), 504 blocks, and 661 hits in 368 career games.
Miller has been rumoured in trades since last season, finally materializing in a deal sending him to the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for Scott Morrow, a first-round pick, and a second-round pick. The 25-year-old Miller will likely step into a larger role on Carolina's blueline after the expected departure of Brent Burns. He spent his first five seasons with the New York Rangers, recording 132 points (36G / 96A), 504 blocks, and 661 hits in 368 career games.
Mike Reilly missed a significant portion of the 2024-25 season, attending to medical concerns with his heart, but returned to action before the end of the season and will continue his career on a one-year deal with the Carolina Hurricanes. The 31-year-old Reilly has 124 points (18G / 106A) in 418 career games.
After four seasons in the KHL, goaltender Amir Miftakhov will be coming to North America after signing a one-year deal with Carolina at the start of free agency. The 25-year-old Russian netminder appeared in 30 games with AK Bars Kazan (KHL) in 2024-25, posting an impressive .927 SV% to go alongside his 2.18 GAA and 13-11-3 record.
Carolina acquired Stankoven at last year's trade deadline in the blockbuster that sent Mikko Rantanen to Dallas and will remain a Hurricane for at least eight more seasons after signing a team-friendly 8-year deal worth $6.0M AAV ($48.0M total). The 22-year-old is coming off his first full NHL season, where he put up 14 goals, 38 points and 194 SOG in 78 games played.
The Hurricanes solidified their goaltending by acquiring Primeau, who will likely rank third on their depth chart behind Frederik Andersen and Pyotr Kochetkov. The 25-year-old Primeau had spent the entirety of his career with the Montreal Canadiens. He struggled last season, posting a 4.70 GAA and .836 SV% in 11 games with the Canadiens (7-2-3).
After a successful first campaign in North America with both Chicago (AHL) and Carolina, Juha Jaaska has earned himself a two-year, $1.55 million contract extension ($755,000 AAV) to remain with the Hurricanes. The 27-year-old Finnish forward made his NHL debut last season and had four assists and nine PIMs in 18 games played.
Fresh off of posting a career-high 14 goals and 32 points in his first season in Carolina, Eric Robinson has signed a four-year, $6.8 million contract extension ($1.7 million AAV) to remain a Hurricane on Friday. The undrafted 30-year-old left-winger has been in the NHL for eight years but has never caught on with an organization until Carolina. In 388 career games, he has 54 goals and 123 points.
Fast missed 2024-25 due to neck surgery and has unfortunately announced his retirement from professional hockey after seven seasons in the NHL on Monday. The 33-year-old Swedish winger started his career with New York in 2013-14 and had 91 goals and 248 points in 703 games across seven seasons with the Rangers and Hurricanes.
Andersen snapped Carolina's 15-game Eastern Conference Final losing streak with a 20-save shutout in Game 4 to keep Carolina alive and the series at 3-1 Florida. The 35-year-old Danish netminder will take the crease yet again on Wednesday for Game 5 and will hope to remain hard to beat this postseason, as shown by his 1.84 GAA, .914 SV% and 8-4-0 record. He will host the Florida Panthers, who are looking to close out the series and reach the Stanley Cup Finals for a third consecutive campaign.
