NHL Free Agency is finally here. Coupled with their NHL Draft selections, the Carolina Hurricanes are already showing signs of roster improvement. Here are the latest moves.
The Canes landed one of the top free agents on the market, signing 29-year-old Nikolaj Ehlers to a six-year deal through the 2030-31, averaging 8.5 million per season.
“Nikolaj was the top free agent available on July 1, and we are proud that he’s chosen to make Carolina his home,” said General Manager Eric Tulsky. “He’s a highly-skilled winger who can really skate and will fit very well with our forward group.”
Originally a first round pick in the 2014 NHL Draft, Ehlers enters his 11th NHL regular-season spending his entire career with the Winnipeg Jets. Ehlers has scored 20 or more goals in eight of his 10 seasons.
Logan Stankoven, whom the Canes acquired from Dallas in the Mikko Rantanen trade, signed an 8-year deal worth $48 million. Stankoven tallied nine points (four goals, five assists) in 19 regular season games for Carolina, but came alive in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, tallying eight points (five goals, three assists) in just 15 contests.
The Canes don’t have a ton of physicality on their roster – and addressed that weakness by adding a young, star defenseman. Carolina traded for the 6’5”, 210-pound K’Andre Miller, who played his first five NHL seasons with the New York Rangers.
Miller, just 25 years old, will be a Cane for at least eight seasons ($60 million contract). Last year in the Big Apple, Miller scored seven goals and dished out 20 assists. Miller should slot into Carolina’s top line alongside All-Star Jaccob Slavin.
The Canes also added defenseman Mike Reilly, a former New York Islander, to bolster their defense. A team can never have too much goalie depth, with Carolina also adding former Montreal Canadiens goalie Cayden Primeau and Tampa Bay Lightning draftee Amir Kiftakhov.
Tyson Jost signed a 1-year deal with the Canes last offseason – and signed the same contract again earlier Wednesday.
As Carolina gets deeper into free agency, expect more moves to be made. The Canes are good enough to make the postseason, but they need more upgrades to win their second Stanley Cup in franchise history.
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