Hurricanes Activate Jaccob Slavin Off Injured Reserve
The Hurricanes will be welcoming back a critical piece of their back end for tonight’s game against Seattle. The team announced that defenseman Jaccob Slavin has been activated off injured reserve.
They’ll be hoping that the second time is the charm when it comes to returning from injury. Last month, Slavin returned from a lower-body injury only to sustain an upper-body issue in his third game back. As a result, the 31-year-old has been limited to just five games so far this season.
Slavin has received down-ballot Norris votes in each of the last nine seasons and is widely regarded as one of the top shutdown defenders in the NHL. He’s sitting on 299 career points in 750 career regular season contests so he has certainly been more than just a traditional stay-at-home blueliner. His previous play was good enough to earn a spot on Team USA for the Olympics next month despite hardly playing in 2025-26.
The Hurricanes enter tonight’s action atop the Eastern Conference which is especially impressive given how infrequently Slavin has been available to them. He’s listed by the team as being likely to be on their top pairing tonight alongside Jalen Chatfield.
On Friday, Carolina sent blueliner Joel Nystrom back to AHL Chicago without calling anyone else up. As a result, they had an open roster spot to activate Slavin. Their roster now stands at the maximum of 23 players once again.
Hurricanes Reassign Joel Nystrom
The Hurricanes announced they’ve reassigned defenseman Joel Nystrom to AHL Chicago. While there’s no corresponding transaction yet, the open roster spot could indicate that top shutdown man Jaccob Slavin will come off injured reserve on Saturday before their clash with the Kraken.
Nystrom is having an impressive enough rookie season to warrant a four-year, $4.9MM extension from the Canes last month. His waiver-exempt status means he’s still a logical candidate to get ferried between the NHL and AHL when roster space is needed, but he’ll be a full-timer from the drop on Carolina’s roster starting in 2026-27.
This might be the second time in a month that Nystrom’s roster spot is sacrificed for Slavin returning from IR. The latter initially attempted to return from his lower-body injury on Dec. 14 but sustained an upper-body issue three games later that put him back on the inactive list. Nystrom was sent down then, too, to make room for his activation, but was immediately recalled again when Slavin got re-injured.
Averaging 15:37 per game across 33 contests, the 23-year-old Nystrom has eight assists with a +4 rating. That’s already far more than anyone expected out of the right-shot Swede, who was a seventh-round pick in 2021. He’s posted spectacular possession numbers, including a 62.0 xGF% and 60.0 CF%, while bouncing up and down the lineup.
Nonetheless, the 5’11” puck-mover has yet to score a goal since arriving in North America at the end of last season. In nine career AHL contests, he’s got two assists with a +3 rating. That comes after Nystrom led his Swedish Hockey League team, Färjestad BK, in scoring from the blue line with 27 points in 51 games last year.
Slavin has been absent from Carolina’s lineup for all but five games this season. His limited workload in his brief return to the lineup means he’s only averaged 17:24 of ice time per game after starting his career with a 10-year streak of 20 or higher. Regarded as one of the league’s best defensive defensemen for the last decade, the missed time means he’s likely to go without earning a Norris Trophy vote since his rookie year.
Carolina Hurricanes Shopping Jesperi Kotkaniemi
The Carolina Hurricanes are reportedly considering trade offers for center Jesperi Kotkaniemi, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported this morning.
According to Friedman, the Hurricanes “recognize [Kotkaniemi] needs a fresh start” and are considering trade offers for the 25-year-old pivot at this time. 
He also added that he believes “there is legit interest” in Kotkaniemi, and that the Hurricanes already included Kotkaniemi in their trade talks for Quinn Hughes and Phillip Danault, who were ultimately dealt to the Minnesota Wild and Montreal Canadiens, respectively.
Kotkaniemi, the No. 3 pick in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft, has had an up-and-down pro career and his time in Carolina has been no different. At times, the 6’3″ center has flashed the kind of coveted attributes that made him a top prospect in the first place, but finding consistency has been a massive issue.
Kotkaniemi had a strong 34-point season as an 18-year-old rookie in Montreal, but his inability to build on that campaign and live up to the pressure of being such a high draft choice ultimately led to his exit from the Canadiens. He left Montreal via an offer sheet from Carolina.
The offer sheet, seen by many as retribution for the Canadiens’ own offer sheet of Hurricanes star Sebastian Aho (a characterization the Hurricanes strongly denied, to be clear), was followed up by an eight-year, $4.82MM contract extension. Kotkaniemi has four years remaining after this one on that deal.
There were times in his tenure in Carolina that Kotkaniemi looked to be becoming the quality middle-six two-way pivot he was long projected to be. He scored 18 goals and 43 points in 2022-23, and added seven points in 15 playoff games. But ultimately, that season stands as a career-high, and Kotkaniemi proved unable to seize on the repeated opportunities he was provided to become Carolina’s trusted No. 2 center behind Aho.
After scoring 33 points last season, Kotkaniemi is on pace for a career-low level of offensive production. His six points in 25 games this season give him a 20-point 82-game scoring pace, though it’s worth noting he has missed some time with injuries. Kotkaniemi is averaging 11:08 time on ice per game this season without any regular special teams usage.
Given his inconsistency and inability to seize his opportunity in Carolina, it’s fair to question whether the Hurricanes will be able to receive a significant return in a Kotkaniemi trade. On one hand, he doesn’t appear to be a player worth a huge amount, especially with four additional years left on his deal at a $4.82MM AAV.
But on the other hand, there are reasons to believe Kotkaniemi, for all of his flaws, remains a coveted asset. For one, the supply of available centers on the market is extremely low, something Philadelphia Flyers GM Danny Briere confirmed after signing center Christian Dvorak to a recent extension. As a result, a team in need of a center might not have many superior options available than Kotkaniemi.
Additionally, to some, Kotkaniemi’s contract might be seen as a negative, or even a deal breaker. To others, they might see it as an opportunity. If Kotkaniemi could simply get back to his level of play from 2022-23, for example, he would be providing surplus value on that cap hit with team control until the end of the decade. If a team truly believes its staff can get the most out of Kotkaniemi, the chance to have him under control at that rate would be a positive, not a negative.
At this point, we can only speculate as to what that all means for the Hurricanes’ current efforts to trade Kotkaniemi. One thing is clear, though: the 2018 No. 3 pick is looking increasingly likely to continue his career, at some point in the near future, with another franchise.
Photos courtesy of Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
Hurricanes Activate Seth Jarvis
2:05 p.m. Jarvis’ activation is official, per the team.
9:36 a.m.: The Hurricanes are expected to activate right winger Seth Jarvis from injured reserve, per Walt Ruff of NHL.com. Carolina has had an open roster spot since sending Gavin Bayreuther to AHL Chicago last week, so no corresponding transaction is required.
Jarvis, 24 next month, is likely to draw back into the lineup tonight against the Stars after serving as a full participant in this morning’s practice in third-line duties with Jordan Martinook and Jordan Staal. It’s a quicker return than expected for the budding star, who sustained what looked to be a serious rib injury on Dec. 19 against the Panthers. He was placed on IR the following day, listed as week-to-week, but returned to practice on New Year’s Day, less than two weeks later.
All things considered, Carolina will take an eight-game absence. Even with the missed time, he’s well on his way to a third straight 30-goal season. He’s tied for fourth on the Canes in scoring with a 19-10–29 line in 34 games, and while his 0.85 points per game are a small dropoff from last season, his underlying numbers are virtually identical across the board.
Carolina felt Jarvis’ absence acutely. They’re 3-5-0 in those eight without him, allowing five-plus goals in all of those losses. In addition to his goal-scoring impact, the Canes control over 60% of shot attempts when he’s on the ice at 5-on-5, so he’s a big element of getting their normally stout two-way game back under control.
Image courtesy of Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images.
Hurricanes Acquire Juuso Valimaki From Mammoth
Late tonight a small trade occurred as Juuso Välimäki has been traded from Utah to Carolina in exchange for future considerations, as was first shared by Utah. According to Stephen Whyno of Associated Press Hockey, Välimäki will report to AHL Chicago.
The former first round pick cleared waivers just prior to New Years, and was assigned to AHL Tucson, but now will receive a fresh start with the Hurricanes organization.
Selected 16th overall by Calgary in 2017, Välimäki figured to be a future top-four two-way defender with high end skating and IQ, along with size at 6’2″. Unfortunately, like so many other defenders in the 2017 class, the Finn has not panned out. An off-season torn ACL prior to his age 21 season in 2019-20 seriously stunted Välimäki’s growth, and after 82 total games as a Flame, he was placed on waivers before 2022-23, catching on with the Arizona Coyotes.
Showing resilience, Välimäki had a career year at age 23, putting up 34 points in 78 games, and earning an extension. It appeared that Calgary had relinquished their former top prospect too soon. The defenseman continued to contribute in the Coyotes final season, moving along to Utah in their inaugural campaign. After 43 games with underwhelming play, Välimäki was waived and found himself back in the AHL with the Roadrunners. There, he tore his ACL again, immediately ending his 2024-25 season.
Finally healthy again now, Välimäki hasn’t been able to return to form with Utah. In three AHL games this season, he has recorded three points, but the 27-year-old has simply been passed up on the Mammoth depth chart, and due for a change of scenery. Even if he does not crack the Hurricanes lineup at any point, Välimäki joins a considerably better AHL team in Chicago and will give them a big boost on the back end with his 271 games of NHL experience.
An unrestricted free agent at season’s end, Välimäki brings a cap hit of $2MM at the NHL level, but now in Chicago, it will drop to just $850k. The former first rounder may bring intrigue as a depth option for the Canes, with his past legit NHL production, but his inflated contract may make it more difficult to work himself into the big club. After much adversity to this point, hopefully the lefty will stay injury-free and make his mark with his third franchise in a bid to extend his North American career.
Hurricanes Assign Ivan Ryabkin To Juniors
The Hurricanes assigned center prospect Ivan Ryabkin to the Charlottetown Islanders of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League on Monday, according to a team press release.
Ryabkin, 18, had begun the season in the pros with the AHL’s Chicago Wolves. A second-round pick this year (No. 62 overall) from the Muskegon Lumberjacks of the United States Hockey League, he was not subject to the NHL’s transfer agreement with the Canadian Hockey League. He was thus eligible for a full-time minor-league assignment.
However, today’s news means Ryabkin cannot be called up to Carolina (unless under emergency conditions) or reassigned to the Wolves until his junior season is over. Charlottetown picked up Ryabkin’s CHL rights in this year’s import draft and will now reap the benefits of that selection, albeit a few months later than most expected.
Carolina sending Ryabkin to the AHL to begin his post-draft season was a surprise. While often touted as a first-round talent based on skill alone, there were league-wide concerns over the Russian pivot’s conditioning and two-way game.
Nonetheless, the Canes saw enough of his offensive ceiling in Muskegon, where he scored 19 goals and 30 points in 27 games, to at least give him some initial reps in the pro game. He filled a role as an agitator in Chicago, averaging north of two penalty minutes per game, but it’s clear his offensive game needs more development before he’s ready to shoot for a top-six job in the AHL.
In 25 games with the Wolves to begin his pro career, the 5’11”, 205-lb Ryabkin scored one goal and six assists with a -2 rating. Tabbed as the No. 6 prospect in Carolina’s system by Steven Ellis of Daily Faceoff and No. 8 by Elite Prospects, the Canes will look for Ryabkin to feature among Charlottetown’s top offensive producers – if not their points-per-game leader – down the stretch.-
Carolina Hurricanes Reassign Gavin Bayreuther
Shortly before puck drop between the Carolina Hurricanes and Colorado Avalanche, the former shedded a defenseman from their active roster. The Hurricanes announced that they’ve assigned Gavin Bayreuther to the AHL’s Chicago Wolves.
Carolina originally recalled Bayreuther on December 29th as a corresponding move to placing netminder Pyotr Kochetkov on the injured reserve. It was the second time Bayreuther had been brought to the NHL roster this season.
Still, he has yet to be featured in any games for the Hurricanes. To this day, his last playing experience in the sports’ highest league was in the 2022-23 season with the Columbus Blue Jackets, when he scored two goals and 14 points in 51 games.
After spending the entire 2023-24 season with the AHL’s Texas Stars, Bayreuther looked for a different opportunity overseas, signing with the NL’s Lausanne HC. It was a productive year for the 31-year-old blue liner, scoring five goals and 23 points in 52 games with a +5 rating, before returning to North America last summer. He has registered four goals and 13 points in 24 games with the Wolves.
Meanwhile, Bayreuther’s reassignment means that defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere has returned to the Hurricanes’ lineup. He’s missed Carolina’s last three games due to injury. Throughout the year, he’s been a stud for the Hurricanes, scoring four goals and 29 points in 28 games. He joins Zach Werenski and Cale Makar as the only defensemen who have averaged over a point per game this season.
Should Hurricanes' Top Trade Target Be A Goalie This Year?
- With over $14MM in current cap space, per PuckPedia, the Hurricanes are well-positioned to try to add to their roster. Justin Pelletier of the Raleigh News & Observer suggests that Carolina’s top priority should be to go after another goaltender. With Pyotr Kochetkov out for the year and Frederik Andersen struggling, preseason waiver claim Brandon Bussi has taken over the starting role. While he has done rather well so far, sticking with him as their top option would be risky for a team with legitimate contention aspirations. Having said that, there aren’t a lot of viable netminders available at the moment so if GM Eric Tulsky does want to go in that direction, he may have to be patient for a little while to see what options materialize.
Seth Jarvis Added To Team Canada's Standby List
- Schaefer isn’t the only skater from the Metropolitan Division to find himself on Team Canada’s standby list. Seth Jarvis, who skated for Team Canada in last year’s Four Nations Face-Off, is also on Team Canada’s standby list, according to Sportsnet’s Eric Engels. Although arguments could be made for other forwards, it’s difficult to say Jarvis hasn’t earned it with 19 goals and 29 points in 34 games this season for the Carolina Hurricanes.
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Hurricanes’ Pyotr Kochetkov Placed On IR, Potentially Out For Season
The Carolina Hurricanes have placed goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov on injured reserve. Kochetkov has been battling a hip injury since the start of the season. He missed all of October and the last week of November due to the issue. Now, after being forced out of the lineup for a third time, Kochetkov has elected to undergo surgery to address the injury, head coach Rod Brind’Amour told Chip Alexander of The News and Observer.
Kochetkov has only played in nine games this season. He was successful in those appearances, posting a 6-3-0 record, .899 save percentage, and 2.33 goals-against-average. He also had one shutout on the year. Kochetkov’s stat line ranked second in Carolina’s goaltending room across the board, behind emerging starter Brandon Bussi.
Bussi will be who Carolina leans on in Kochetkov’s absence. The 27-year-old has posted 12 wins, a .910 Sv%, and a 2.10 GAA in the first 14 games of his NHL career this season. He has been a standout in the minor leagues since signing with the AHL’s Providence Bruins out of college in 2022. Bussi posted a first .922 Sv% in the first 37 games of his AHL career, spanning the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons. That entrance into the league earned Bussi an AHL all-star recognition in 2023 – an accolade he followed with 23 wins and a .913 Sv% in 41 games with Providence in 2023-24.
In competition with Michael DiPietro, Bussi fell to a .907 Sv% in 33 AHL games last season. That slip prompted a move to the Hurricanes this summer, which has quickly paid off. Bussi has not appeared in the AHL yet this season and could have a clear path to a true starter’s role ahead of struggling veteran Frederik Andersen.
In a corresponding move to Andersen’s IR designation, the Hurricanes have also recalled defenseman Gavin Bayreuther. He will help the team back up a handful of game-time decisions on defense, Brind’Amour told NHL.com’s Walt Ruff. Bayreuther spent last season with Lausanne HC in Switzerland’s National League. He scored 23 points in 52 games, a small scoring spark that seems to be bleeding into this season. His 13 points in 24 games rank second on the Chicago Wolves’ blue line behind Domenick Fensore. Bayreuther hasn’t played in the NHL this season, his last game being back in 2023, though he has been recalled as a backup once by Carolina.
With their shifting lineup, the Hurricanes will hope surgery helps Kochetkov return to form. He has posted a sub-.900 save percentage across his last 56 NHL games, dating back to the start of 2024-25. The performances have been a steep drop from the 38 wins and .910 Sv% Kochetkov recorded in 69 games through his first three NHL seasons. He is a fringe starter when healthy and should still fill a need in Carolina’s lineup on the other side of his recovery. Kochetkov carries a $2MM cap hit through the end of next season.