MORRISVILLE, N.C. (AP) — At first glance, Carolina Hurricanes general manager Eric Tulsky doesn't have a ton to do with the roster as the Stanley Cup champs head into the offseason.
Then again, the Hurricanes have never been the type to just sit back, either.
They're fresh off beating the Vegas Golden Knights to claim the Cup for the second time, the first coming 20 years ago when coach Rod Brind'Amour was captain. The team has most of its core locked
up to long-term deals, though that won't stop the Hurricanes from looking to bolster the roster all the same.
“There’s always room to improve, there’s always spots we can get better,” Tulsky said Friday night after the first round of the NHL draft.
“Our goal is to build a team that even when we’re not playing our best, even when we have some injuries, we still can win the Cup. ... We need to keep taking steps to get to where we can be favorites year in and year out no matter what comes our way.”
The Hurricanes headed into the offseason with 36-year-old veteran Frederik Andersen — who anchored the net during Carolina's 12-1 march through the Eastern Conference playoffs — as their biggest-name unrestricted free agent. Reserve forward Nicolas Delauriers and seventh defenseman Mike Reilly were the other unrestricted free agents, though the Hurricanes signed Deslauriers to a two-year deal on the stage of their downtown-Raleigh championship rally.
There's another variable with defenseman Alexander Nikishin. The 24-year-old former top prospect became a lineup regular and worked in the third pairing through the playoffs, so the Hurricanes must decide whether to sign him — bridge or long-term — or potentially trade him.
Nikishin's name has been popular for trade speculation. Tulsky said the Hurricanes had to pivot quickly to draft preparations and next week's start of free agency, so contract negotiations for him hadn't been a priority yet.
“It's easy to punt for a little bit and let the dust settle and take care of the things that are pressing, then figure out where we're going to go from there,” Tulsky said.
There's another issue to monitor: the health of top-line forward Seth Jarvis. Tulsky said Jarvis is expected to be out up to six months after shoulder surgery, a timeline that would could linger into next season. That could open a lineup spot for rising prospect Bradly Nadeau or someone else.
The Hurricanes had been aggressive before in trying to push a perennial playoff team over the top, notably by adding Jake Guentzel and Mikko Rantanen to find more high-end finishers. But they ended up dealing Gutentzel's rights to Tampa Bay in summer 2024 shortly before his expected departure in free agency, then had to move Rantanen after just 13 games in 2025 when it became clear he wouldn't sign an extension.
The latter deal, however, worked in securing forward Logan Stankoven as the primary return from the Rantanen pivot. Stankoven centered the second line with Taylor Hall and Jackson Blake that scorched its way through the playoffs, with that trio combining for 25 goals and 55 points in the playoffs.
The question now is how much to tinker after rolling to a 16-3 playoff record en route to the Cup, especially with the roster set to return largely intact.
The motivation, though, won't change.
“I promise you, we're going to try to do it again,” Brind'Amour told fans during the team's championship rally.
Five of Carolina's top nine forwards are signed through at least 2030-31, while physical forward Andrei Svechnikov is signed through 2028-29. Among the outliers, 37-year-old captain Jordan Staal — who won the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP — and Jordan Martinook each have one more year on their deals.
Staal wasn't ready to retire on a high note, telling The North State Journal after the June 20 parade: “No, I want to win another one.”
As for defensemen, Jaccob Slavin and K'Andre Miller are notably lined up through 2032-33, while top-four defenseman Sean Walker is signed through 2028-29. Blue-liners Jalen Chatfield and Shayne Gostisbehere are each entering their final contract year.
Beyond Andersen in net, Stanley Cup Final hero Brandon Bussi is entering a three-year deal signed in February and reserve Pytor Kochetkov has one more year. on his deal.
“That can’t make you complacent,” Tulsky said of winning the Cup. “That can’t have you saying, ‘You know what? We’re fine where we are.’ Other teams are taking steps, things change year to year. We need to keep finding ways to get better every time we can.”
___
AP NHL: https://apnews.com/NHL
