Free agency is now a little more than a month away and teams are looking ahead to when it opens. There will be several impact players set to hit the open market in July while many teams have key restricted free agents to re-sign as well. We continue our look around the NHL with an overview of the free agent situation for the Carolina Hurricanes.
Key Restricted Free Agents
F Jesse Puljujarvi – After being acquired from the Edmonton Oilers at the 2022-23 NHL trade deadline, Puljujarvi did not take a serious step in getting his offensive production back on track in Carolina. In 58 games with Edmonton prior to the move, Puljujarvi scored five goals and nine assists, also increasing his physical play by managing 112 hits. After the trade, Puljujarvi managed 17 games with the Hurricanes, only scoring two assists. Things did not improve much in the playoffs, as Puljujarvi only played in seven of a possible 15 games. The Hurricanes will likely give serious consideration to non-tendering Puljujarvi, making him an unrestricted free agent.
D Dylan Coghlan – Coming over in a trade with the Vegas Golden Knights last summer that also landed Pacioretty in Carolina, Coghlan was primarily used as a depth defenseman for the Hurricanes this season. Only managing to suit up in 17 games, Coghlan scored three assists for Carolina, averaging almost 13 minutes of ice time a night. To his disadvantage, the Hurricanes’ defensive depth was simply too deep for Coghlan to find any more playing time.
Other RFAs: D Maxime Lajoie, F Dominik Bokk, F Stelio Mattheos, D Cavan Fitzgerald
Key Unrestricted Free Agents
F Max Pacioretty – In one of the most disappointing storylines from the Hurricanes this season, the offseason acquisition of Pacioretty did not pan out for the team. Shortly after the team acquired him, Pacioretty suffered a torn Achilles tendon during an offseason workout, which ruled him out for the first several months of the 2022-23 season.
Upon making his return on January 5th against the Nashville Predators, Pacioretty immediately became the player that Carolina was hoping he would be. In five games played, Pacioretty scored three goals, providing offense to a team that was severely lacking in that department in relation to their spot in the league standings.
In a horrible sequence, on January 19th, two weeks to the day that he made his return to the ice, Pacioretty once again suffered a torn Achilles in a game against the Minnesota Wild. Although it will be both incredibly physically and mentally difficult to make a return to the ice following this injury, the Hurricanes could look to retain Pacioretty at a much lower price point, given his injury history over the past couple of seasons. If he is to make another return to the NHL, Carolina would surely benefit from the offense that he has been able to provide to teams in the past.
D Shayne Gostisbehere – Acquired from the Arizona Coyotes for a third-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, the addition of Gostisbehere to Carolina’s defensive core shored up all of the edges. Re-igniting his offensive flame since joining the Coyotes last season, Gostisbehere managed back-to-back seasons of being a half-point-per-game player. In 23 games in Carolina, Gostisbehere scored three goals and seven assists, while also adding three assists on the Hurricane’s run to the Eastern Conference Finals this season.
F Jordan Staal – Finishing off the last season of a 10-year, $60MM contract extension signed prior to the 2012-13 season, Staal has spent the majority of his career in Carolina. Taking over as full-time captain during the 2019-20 season, Staal has become a foundational leader in the Hurricanes locker room. Although his offensive contributions have waned over the last several years, Staal is still very much capable of providing 30-40 points each season and still remains one of the better defensive centers in the game, highlighted by his faceoff percentage and takeaways.
G Frederik Andersen – One season removed from winning the William M. Jennings trophy, the 2022-23 season did not go as planned for Andersen. Dealing with injuries for much of the season, Andersen managed to play in 34 games, posting a 21-11-1 record, garnering a .903 SV% and a 2.48 GAA. In the playoffs, however, Andersen found his game, accruing a 5-3-0 record with a .927 SV% and a 1.83 GAA.
Other UFA’s: F Jesper Fast, F Mackenzie MacEachern, F Paul Stastny, F Derek Stepan, D Calvin de Haan, G Antti Raanta, G Zach Sawchenko, D Jake Gardiner, F Ondrej Kase, F Jack Dugan, F Ryan Dzingel, F Malte Stromwall, D William Lagesson
Projected Cap Space
For their financial outlook, the Hurricanes are projected to have around $24.1MM available in cap space heading into the summer. They currently have eight forwards, five defensemen, and one goaltender currently projected on the roster. This should be plenty of money to fill in their depth around the edges, and even make some improvements in other areas of the team.
On July 1st, major players such as Sebastian Aho, Martin Necas, and Brett Pesce will all be able to sign extensions, and that should be where the priority lies for Carolina this offseason. The Hurricanes only have three players currently signed beyond the 2025-26 season, and will have to find ways to keep their core around if they wish to continue being a regular Stanley Cup contender.
Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images. Contract information courtesy of CapFriendly.