Carolina Hurricanes work slowly into NHL free agency, pick up steam on the first day

Eric Tulsky’s imprint as general manager of the Carolina Hurricanes began to be more strongly defined Monday and will continue in the offseason.

The Hurricanes, after trading forward Jake Guentzel on Sunday to the Tampa Bay Lightning, turned their attention to others who became unrestricted free agents at noon Monday when NHL free agency began. Tulsky’s job: determine how much of the team’s core would be retained or how much of a makeover the team would undergo, and Monday was a start.

The Canes began the day by announcing defenseman Jaccob Slavin had signed an eight-year, $51.69 million extension with the team. That was expected. So was the re-signing of UFA forward Jordan Martinook, called the “heart and soul” of the team by Tulsky.

But the Hurricanes lost veteran defensemen Brady Skjei and Brett Pesce, both unrestricted free agents — Skjei to Nashville and Pesce to New Jersey. Forward Teuvo Teravainen left for the Chicago Blackhawks after eight seasons with Carolina and Stefan Noesen went to New Jersey with Pesce.

That came a day after the Canes sent Guentzel, another UFA, to Tampa Bay after being unable to sign him to a long extension.

“Today is not the only day of the offseason,” Tulsky said Monday in a media briefing. “There’s plenty of time between now and training camp to adjust the roster. We plan to keep exploring all of our options.

“We’ve built what we consider a sustainable path to success by avoiding the temptation to take shortcuts. The urge to splurge on July 1 is always very high and often regretted.”

The first official order of business for the Canes on Monday was the contract announcement for Slavin, a former NHL All-Star and a two-time Lady Byng Trophy winner. Slavin, 30, had one year remaining on his contract, and extension he signed is worth about $6.46 million per season, widely regarded as a discount on what he may have commanded on the open market next summer.

Slavin had his family on hand Monday as he signed his new contract at PNC Arena.

“We’ve made a life here, made a family here, and it’s something we’re extremely happy about,” Slavin said. “With the life of this deal I’ll be here my whole career, which is extremely exciting.”

While losing Skjei and Pesce, the Canes signed defensemen Shayne Gostisbehere and Sean Walker -- in Gostisbehere’s case, a return to Raleigh and the Hurricanes.

On the players the Canes lost Monday:

Pesce signed a six-year deal with the New Jersey Devils with an average salary of $5.5 million.

Skjei, Pesce’s defensive partner for much of the past few years, is headed to Nashville on a seven-year deal worth $49 million.

Teravainen headed back to Chicago and the team that drafted him on a three-year deal worth $5.4 million per season.

And Noesen agreed to a deal with New Jersey worth $2.75 million per season for three years.

The Hurricanes agreed to terms with Martinook, an alternate captain, on a three-year deal worth just $3.05 million per season.

The Gostisbehere deal was completed late Monday, the veteran getting a three-year deal with an average payout of $3.2 million. Walker, who played for Philadelphia and Colorado last season. Walker, a right-shot D-man, got a five-year deal worth $3.6 million a season.

The Canes also added depth forwards, inking William Carrier to a six-year, $12 million contract and Eric Robinson to a one-year, $950,000 deal. Carolina also picked up forward Tyson Jost for one year at $775,000.

In addition to the Canes’ UFA’s, forwards Martin Necas, Seth Jarvis and Jack Drury, and defenseman Dylan Coghlan were restricted free agents who received qualifying offers from the team on Sunday.

The Canes had hoped to re-sign Guentzel, a proven scorer and former Stanley Cup winner with the Pittsburgh Penguins obtained in a March 8 trade with the Pens. But the negotiations stalled over the weekend during the NHL Draft in Las Vegas, and Carolina traded his rights to Tampa Bay for a third-round pick in the 2025 draft.

There also is the continuing intrigue over the future of Necas. The Czech forward, the team’s leading scorer in 2022-23 and another former first-round pick, could be traded by the Canes. Or another short-term contract could be arranged for a speedy winger who has expressed an interest in being used at center — by the Canes or for another team.

It was possible another team could tender an offer sheet for Necas or Jarvis in an attempt to snatch one of the RFA’s away from the Canes. Carolina, which faced that situation with center Sebastian Aho in 2019, then would have a week to match the offer.

The Hurricanes, under Rod Brind’Amour’s leadership as head coach, have reached the playoffs each of the past six seasons and won at least one playoff series each year. They won the Metropolitan Division in the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons and were second — with 111 points — to the New York Rangers this past season as New York won the Presidents’ Trophy with 114.

But change was looming with so many players due to become UFA’s. Don Waddell resigned his position as Carolina’s president and general manager May 24 to go to the Columbus Blue Jackets, and Tulsky first was named interim GM and then took over as general manager.

Now, it’s Tulsky’s turn.

Here is a running alphabetical list of the players who are/were free agents, and their current status, as well as those players from other teams who have signed with the Canes:

Signed by the Hurricanes

William Carrier (F)

Age: 29; 2023-24 salary: $1.4 million (Vegas): A fixture on the Vegas Golden Knights’ roster the past seven seasons, Carrier has struggled to play full seasons in the NHL, topping off at 71 games played in 2019-20. He played just 39 games in the regular season a year ago, and seven games in the playoffs.

Update: the Hurricanes have signed Carrier to a six-year deal worth $12 million, an AAV of $2 million per season,

Jalen Chatfield (D)

Age: 27; 2023-24 salary: $762,500: Chatfield has been a steady, reliable defender for the Hurricanes the past two seasons. In the 2023-24 regular season, he had eight goals and 14 assists and was a plus-15 while averaging more than 15 minutes of ice time per game over 72 games.

Update: Chatfield signed a three-year, $9 million contract with the Canes on June 13.

Shayne Gostisbehere (D)

Age: 31; 2023-24 salary: $4.125 million (Detroit): Gostisbehere is a puck-moving defender who has been prolific in the past on the power play. Last season, he played on a one-year deal in Detroit, putting up 10 goals and 46 assists for 56 poins for a team that missed the playoffs by a few points.

Update: The Hurricanes are bringing the speedy defender back. He was a trade deadline acquisition in 2023 and had 10 points in 23 regular-season games playing largely third-pair minutes. His reported deal with Carolina is three years at $9.6 million, or $3.2 million annually.

Tyson Jost (F)

Age: 26; 2023-24 salary: $2 million (Buffalo): Jost has been a depth forward for Colorado, Minnesota and Buffalo the past several seasons after being selected in the first round, 10th overall, by the Avalanche in 2016. His best NHL season came in 2018-19, when he put up 26 points in 70 regular-season games in Colorado.

Update: The Hurricanes have signed Jost to a 1-year, $775,000 deal.

Jordan Martinook (F)

Age: 31; 2023-24 salary: $1.8 million: A heart-and-soul player for the Canes worth far more than his 32 regular-season points, his relatively small cap hit and his value to the team in grit, heart and durability (he was one of three Canes to play in all 82 games) make him a likely returnee. But at 31, he also could be looking to make one last splash as a free agent.

Update: According to multiple reports, Martinook is re-signing with the Hurricanes at what many will consider a hefty sum. The deal is a three-year deal worth $9.15 million, approximately $3.05 million per season.

Eric Robinson (F)

Age: 29; 2023-24 salary: $1.6 million (Buffalo/Columbus): A depth forward, Robinson has filled a fourth-line forward role with both Buffalo and Columbus in recent years. In 47 NHL games in 2023-24, Robinson had three goals and seven assists for 10 points. His best season came in 2021-22, when he scored 10 goals and added 17 assists in 67 games.

Update: The Hurricanes signed Robinson to a one-year deal at $950,000.

Ryan Suzuki (F)

Age: 22; 2023-24 salary: $863,333: Suzuki is one of those players who needed a bit of organizational patience, given his medical history. He’s played mostly in the minors since signing his entry-level deal, and if he does sign elsewhere, it would likely be more for a change of scenery than a big raise.

Update: Suzuki signed a one-year deal with the Canes worth $775,000 for the 2024-25 season.

Sean Walker (D)

Age: 29; 2023-24 salary $2.65 million: A skilled defenseman who can carry the puck, Walker was with Los Angeles for a while before making his way to Philadelphia and then Colorado last season. A durable player, he is not going to score a ton of points but he will prevent them.

Update: The Hurricanes have rebuilt some of their blue line with a pair of late-day acquisitions, to include Walker. The defender joins Carolina on a five-year deal worth $18 million, or approximately $3.6 million per season.

Signed with another NHL team

Jake Guentzel (F)

Age: 29; 2023-24 salary: $6 million: The Canes’ top trade acquisition this season, his cap hit here was only $4.5 million after Pittsburgh retained some of his salary for the remainder of the season. But Guentzel will be a prize free agent, and will almost assuredly command a salary, and term, larger than his previous contract. In his short stint with the Canes, he made his presence known, racking up eight points in eight playoff games to go with 25 points in 17 regular-season games with Carolina.

Update: After being unable to reach a deal with Guentzel before the start of free agency, the Hurricanes traded his rights to the Tampa Bay Lightning for a third-round draft pick in 2025. Guentzel has since signed a 7-year, $63 million contract with the Lightning.

Stefan Noesen (F)

Age: 31; 2023-24 salary: $762,500: Speaking of grit, Noesen adds a sandpaper element to the forward group, and so many of his 37 points during the regular season came from within 6 feet of the net. He has a scoring touch — he led the AHL in scoring the season before he earned his roster spot in Raleigh — and plays well defensively. He may not command a large salary on the open market, but he’s surely due a raise.

Update: Noesen cashed in on the first day of free agency, signing with the New Jersey Devils on a three-year deal worth $8.25 million, an average of $2.75 million per season.

Brett Pesce (D)

Age: 29; 2023-24 salary: $4.025 million: One of two big-name defenders the Canes have to reckon with as a UFA this season, Pesce has been a staple on the team’s second defensive pairing since signing a six-year deal in 2018. He’ll be due a significant raise next season and beyond. A non-contact injury early in the playoffs forced an early end to his season, but that injury shouldn’t impact his next contract, which will be significant.

Update: The Hurricanes were likely not ever in on Pesce at his ultimate signing price, but reports now indicate that the defender will no longer skate for Carolina. Multiple outlets have posted that Pesce will sign a 6-year, $33 million contract with New Jersey, with a cap hit of $5.5 million per year.

Brady Skjei (D)

Age: 30; 2023-24 salary: $5.25 million: The other of the Canes’ top two defensive UFAs this offseason, Skjei has been a dominant force on the Canes’ second defensive pairing since being acquired from the Rangers in 2020. He set a career high for points in the regular season this year with 47, after setting a career-high in goals last year with 18. Skjei will be one of the most coveted players on the free-agent market this offseason.

Update: Brady Skjei is also gone to the highest bidder. The powerful defender will next ply his trade for Nashville, which is doling out a 7-year, $49 million contract with an average cap hit of $7 million for the blueliner.

Teuvo Teravainen (F)

Age: 29; 2023-24 salary: $5.4 million: Teravainen’s is a perplexing case. The Canes acquired him from the Blackhawks in 2016, and signed him to a five-year contract in 2019. He’s never crested 65 points in a season, despite his elite playmaking ability, but he’s always been a consistent regular-season piece of the team’s forward group. He may be a player the Canes look to keep, if they can get him for less money.

Update: The Hurricanes would likely have kept Teravainen if the forward had commanded less money, but given his reported deal, the Canes chose not to pursue him as a free agent. Teravainen appears to be headed back to Chicago on a three-year deal for $16.2 million, with an average annual cap hit of $5.4 million.

Unrestricted free agents

Tony DeAngelo (D)

Age: 28; 2023-24 salary: $1.675 million: DeAngelo is on his second stint with the Hurricanes after a failed sojourn to the Flyers last season. He was a healthy scratch for the majority of the regular season, but drew back in during the playoffs after an injury to Brett Pesce. In the regular season, DeAngelo had three goals and eight assists in 31 games and was a minus-11. In his first six playoff games, he had one assist.

Antti Raanta (G)

Age: 34; 2023-24 salary: $1.5 million: Raanta’s time with the Hurricanes all but ended with his assignment to the AHL earlier this season, and the team’s subsequent signing of Spencer Martin to an extension. With Frederik Andersen and Pyotr Kochetkov under contract next season as well, Father Finn is likely to sign elsewhere, if at all.

Restricted free agents

These players are free to sign with any club that offers them a contract, with the restriction that if Carolina chooses to match that offer, the player would stay with the Hurricanes. These are mostly players who are coming off rookie deals, or bridge contracts following rookie deals. And some of these players will also be due for hefty raises.

Dylan Coghlan (D)

Age: 26; 2023-24 salary: $850,000: Coghlan has played far more in the AHL than the NHL in his career, having come to Carolina in the trade with Vegas that also brought Max Pacioretty to Raleigh for a hot minute. Coghlan has been used as a spare defender for the Canes, and if he’s willing to reprise that role, for his current salary, the Canes will likely be willing to listen. But if he gets an offer elsewhere, the Canes would probably not match it.

Jack Drury (F)

Age: 24; 2023-24 salary: $925,000: Drury has served notice this season that he’s going to be an NHL regular, something that wasn’t necessarily apparent last season, when he spent more time in the AHL than in the NHL. Drury has a history of betting on himself, and he doesn’t lack confidence. No doubt he’ll listen to offers as an RFA this season, but if it isn’t exorbitant, the Canes will likely be interested in matching an offer.

Seth Jarvis (F)

Age: 22; 2023-24 salary: $894,167: This is where a chunk of the Canes’ offseason money will likely go. Jarvis is a key piece of the Canes’ puzzle going forward. He’s become a reliable two-way player already, and his rookie-deal salary was a steal. His next deal will not be, but the feeling is the Canes will try to get an extension done before anyone else has a chance to back up the money truck.

Martin Necas (F)

Age: 25; 2023-24 salary: $3 million: This is the end of the bridge deal Necas signed coming off his rookie deal (a bridge deal similar to what Jarvis may command in length, though his may be more lucrative). Necas has been a conundrum, though. The skill he has is all-world, but his per-game point production has dropped significantly during the playoffs in each of his five playoff runs with the team. Last year, he had 71 points in 82 regular-season games, but just seven points in 15 playoff games. This past season, he dipped to 53 regular-season points and was sub-zero in plus-minus for the first time in four years.