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New York Times
2 days ago
- Business
- New York Times
Hurricanes have the roster and cap space to pull off a very memorable offseason
RALEIGH, N.C. — For the second time in three seasons and third time since Rod Brind'Amour took over as coach in 2018-19, the Carolina Hurricanes' season ended just short of the Stanley Cup Final with a loss in the conference final. And so begins another offseason of Carolina attempting to find the missing pieces that will get them over the hump. The good news for rookie GM Eric Tulsky? He'll enter his second year on the job with a lot more flexibility and without an expected exodus of key players — along with a boatload of cap space and assets with which to get creative. Advertisement Unlike last summer, when the Hurricanes lost Jake Guentzel, Stefan Noesen, Brett Pesce, Brady Skjei and Teuvo Teravainen — all key contributors — due to a cap crunch, Carolina doesn't have a lot of in-house business to take care of this summer. At forward, Eric Robinson and Jack Roslovic are the only full-time contributing forwards who are on expiring deals. The contracts of Jesper Fast and Tyson Jost — injured for the season and a depth player, respectively — also come off the books; Jost could remain a depth option. Despite having a 22-goal, 39-point season, Roslovic's time in Raleigh is very likely over. He was a healthy scratch in six of Carolina's 15 playoff games, but his goal total — 17 of which came before the calendar flipped to 2025 —will surely intrigue some teams looking for secondary scoring. Robinson, on the other hand, was a perfect fit in Brind'Amour's system. He too did much of his damage early in the season — nine of his 14 goals and 20 of his 32 points came in the first three months — but his contributions on the penalty kill and as a bottom-six forward were valuable. There should be a path for Robinson and the Hurricanes to renew their partnership. On defense, veterans Brent Burns and Dmitry Orlov were second and fourth, respectively, in average ice time for Carolina this season, combining for nearly 41 minutes a night. Both are now headed toward free agency, and with them goes more than $14 million in salary cap obligations. Both had their ups and downs this season. Burns, once one of hockey's elite point-producing defensemen, had less than half the amount of points this season (29) than he did two years ago in his first year in Raleigh (61). Orlov was statistically consistent, but his defensive play was often erratic. Still, both were valuable top-four contributors and a key part of the NHL's top penalty kill. That said, there is youth coming (more on that in a moment), and unless Burns and Orlov are willing to take a haircut on their salary and accept a diminished role, chances are the team will move on from them. Carolina got a glimpse at the future of its defense when Brind'Amour's hand was forced in the playoffs due to injuries to Jalen Chatfield and Sean Walker. They know they have a stud in Alexander Nikishin, who went from being lost in his first career NHL game — Game 5 against the Capitals and one of his idols, Alexander Ovechkin — but quickly improved. Scott Morrow had a solid first professional season in the AHL but looked overwhelmed at times when thrust into the NHL playoffs. Advertisement Both are good enough to hold down spots next season — Nikishin for sure — but the Hurricanes will need to decide if they can afford to replace two seen-everything veterans with a pair of rookies. The other young player to watch is Bradly Nadeau, who scored 32 goals and had 58 points in 64 games with the Chicago Wolves as a first-year pro. He can fill the net — a need for Carolina — but his 200-foot game is a work in progress. He'll need to have a more impressive training camp than last season to earn a roster spot. The expected departures and a bump in the cap ceiling mean the Hurricanes should have more than $28 million in space with which to add to their roster — and not many holes to fill. If Nadeau, Nikishin and Morrow all make the team out of camp, Carolina would have 12 forwards, six defensemen and two goalies. The Hurricanes also don't have many big-ticket items coming up after next season. Mark Jankowski and Frederik Andersen will be UFAs. Logan Stankoven, Jackson Blake, Morrow and Nikishin will be RFAs, with only Nikishin holding arbitration rights. That means Carolina is poised to be a big player this offseason. Mitch Marner is expected to be the biggest name on the market, and he fits the archetype of what the Hurricanes are looking for: an elite point producer who can boost a power play. The bonus with Marner is that he's also a reliable penalty killer. Of course, Marner will be pursued by several teams willing to give him a blank check. Also, Carolina hasn't exactly been predictable with its moves. The combination of cap space, draft picks — two extra first-round picks from the trade that sent Mikko Rantanen to Dallas — and assets means Tulsky can get creative with what he and the front office pursue. Let's say, for example, the Hurricanes want to get a top-pairing defenseman to play alongside Slavin. They could potentially use assets like Morrow and a first-round pick to acquire such a player. Advertisement What if Carolina had its eye on an impact forward on the trade market? The team's wealth of young forwards could be used to upgrade the top of its lineup, and low-priced talent will be attractive to teams looking to clear cap space while still getting back a player who can contribute in the present. In a nutshell, the Hurricanes have the means to do a lot of things if they can find the right fit. Since Tom Dundon took over as owner, the Hurricanes haven't been shy about being a bit ruthless, and this summer could see more of that. If Carolina wants to shake up its roster, that won't mean just bringing more players in — some will have to head out too. Jesperi Kotkaniemi's contract has four years at under $5 million, and a team desperate for size down the middle could look back on Washington's acquisition of Pierre-Luc Dubois and think there's a reclamation project in the making. Could the defense be reworked if an upgrade comes along? Don't forget how the Hurricanes traded away Calvin de Haan after just one season of the four-year contract they gave him. While Andersen and Pyotr Kochetkov are locked in on reasonable contracts, if an upgrade came along, would anyone be surprised to see Carolina pounce? The fact is, no one usually sees what's coming from the Hurricanes. From the Guentzel, Burns and (both) Rantanen trades, to the signing of Orlov and the blockbuster deal that started it all — Elias Lindholm and Noah Hanifin to Calgary for Dougie Hamilton, Micheal Ferland and Adam Fox — Carolina isn't afraid to make noise. Without any roadblocks other than negotiating with agents or rival GMs, this Hurricanes offseason has the potential to be the wildest one yet. (Top photo of Alexander Nikishin and Dmitry Orlov: Bruce Bennett / Getty Images)
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Carolina GM With Message To Fans, Organization
The Carolina Hurricanes' season came to an end Wednesday night, as the team fell to the Florida Panthers in the Eastern Conference Final. Despite the result, it was still overall a successful campaign for the Canes in their first year under new general manager Eric Tulsky. Following the team's elimination, Tulsky took to X with a message for the fanbase. "This has been a remarkable season, and I want to take a minute to thank everyone who helped make it special. First and foremost, that means the fans." "The passion you show is incredible. You show up hours before the game to start the party, and when the game starts, it ramps up even more. The players go all-out every shift, but they get to go to the bench between shifts; you bring the energy nonstop for 60 minutes. Heck, some of you even come to the airport at 1 AM to cheer our return after a road game. I can't tell you how much your support means to us." Tulsky also had some positive words on the players as well as all the members of the organization who each play a role in making the season possible. "From the outside, you may not see what an incredible effort goes into making this all possible. You see the effort the players put in on the ice, but should know how hard they work on everything from fitness to nutrition to sleep to optimize their performance." "You know our games are fun, but should know how hard our game ops crew works to keep the arena buzzing, how hard our sales staff works to keep it full, how hard our arena ops crew works to keep the experience smooth. From an equipment manager preparing gear at 6 AM to a team services person working at midnight to find the best travel options for a call-up, from a chef doing prep at 6 AM to a development coach going over prospect video at midnight, the effort is tremendous." Finally, Tulsky ended his thread with a look toward the future. The Hurricanes are positioned very well with the majority of their core locked into team friendly deals, a talented pipeline and a ton of upcoming cap space. "It obviously did not get us to the result we want yet. But we are building toward it; this organization is special, and I want to sincerely thank all of you for your part in that." Stay updated with the most interesting Carolina Hurricanes stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News to never miss a story.
New York Times
19-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
The Doctor behind the Hurricanes, GM Eric Tulsky's bold moves are paying off — with even bolder ones ahead
RALEIGH, N.C. — It was Sunday afternoon, a few hours before the puck would drop on Game 7 of the Toronto Maple Leafs-Florida Panthers series and Eric Tulsky would learn which team his Carolina Hurricanes would play in the Eastern Conference final. Asked how his nerves were as he waited, the Hurricanes' first-year general manager, chuckled: 'I don't stress very easily.' Advertisement Not a shock. Tulsky, who went to Harvard and has his PhD in chemistry from Cal Berkeley, is in his 11th year with the team but is a scientist by trade and comes across as Steady Eddie. There's a reason some around the organization kiddingly call him 'Doctor.' And considering what Dr. Tulsky went through this season — acquiring Mikko Rantanen from the Colorado Avalanche and then having to trade the pending unrestricted free agent to the Dallas Stars when Rantanen declined to sign a contract extension — it's a good thing Tulsky doesn't 'stress very easily' because that was the kind of pressure that could have cratered even the most senior of GMs. Many figured the rookie GM screwed up by making such a gamble. But in the end, Tulsky, like a gutsy poker player, was saved when he calmly connected on an inside straight on the river. 'I wasn't worried about it at all, honestly,' Tulsky told The Athletic. 'Look, truthfully, there were no bad outcomes there. The worst-case scenario was we didn't see a trade we liked, and we kept him, and we had a good playoff run with him. He would've helped us a lot in this playoff run, and then we would see what happens at the end of the year, and that wouldn't have been the end of the world. 'The only question was whether we could find a trade partner who was willing to offer something up that was more attractive to us than that, and we did.' The Hurricanes acquired Rantanen in January for a package that included Martin Necas and Jack Drury — and also brought 2018 Hart Trophy winner Taylor Hall to Raleigh. That gave Tulsky a couple of months before the trade deadline to try to sign Rantanen, then rectify the situation if he needed to use Rantanen as a rental of his own. Several teams pursued Rantanen, but many of the offers were solely futures. Tulsky inquired about Toronto Maple Leafs star Mitch Marner, but Marner wouldn't waive his no-move. Dallas was a team in hot pursuit, and once Rantanen agreed to extend his contract with the Stars at the tune of $12 million annually over eight years ($500,000 less per year than Carolina's offer), the deal was set. The Hurricanes got forward Logan Stankoven, two conditional first-round picks and two third-round picks. Advertisement Stankoven, a second-year pro about to play in his second straight conference final, has been an impact player for the Canes, as has Hall, who also re-signed for three more years. Like any good, player at the green felt, Tulsky's poker face isn't showing much — but you know it has to be gratifying that after taking a risk like that, the Hurricanes are still kicking and have a chance to end the season of the defending Stanley Cup champs in the league's semifinal. 'I'm very comfortable with where the team ended up,' Tulsky said. 'I think the team we exited the year with had a group of players who are all a really good fit for the way we play, and all are really bought into what we want to do. That's a big part of what makes us effective. The way we play requires that sort of uniform buy-in, and setting aside what happened in the middle of the year, I think we exited the year with a group of players who are an outstanding fit for the way we want to play.' Rantanen, after a slow end to the regular season with Dallas, has erupted in the playoffs and leads all NHLers with nine goals — one more than Carolina star Andrei Svechnikov — and 19 points. He looks a lot different than he did in scoring twice in 13 games with the Canes. And is Tulsky hinting that Rantanen didn't conform to the way Rod Brind'Amour wants his Canes to play? The GM wasn't about to throw more shade. Instead, he focused on what Stankoven and Hall have added to the Canes. 'They've added a lot of scoring punch and grit to our game,' Tulsky said. 'That's a combination that's important to us. We play a very forecheck-heavy attack, and we need guys who can get in on the forecheck and be disruptive and create off of it, but we need to couple that with skill. You can't just forecheck to get the puck and then do nothing with it. Advertisement 'Bringing in two players like that who are aggressive and strong and can play along the walls but also have the skill to create once we get the turnovers, that's what makes this team go.' This is Carolina's seventh consecutive playoff appearance and third trip to the conference final during that streak. Plenty of teams would trade places in a nanosecond. Yes, the Canes want to get over the hump and advance to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 2006 — but the consistency that this organization has shown, especially with Brind'Amour at the helm, has been impressive. Before replacing his longtime boss, Don Waddell, as GM this season, Tulsky was an analyst, director of analytics and assistant GM. And he hasn't just stayed the course. While the team's core has been around for a while, Tulsky brought in more than a half-dozen new players this season and said those players 'have had a phenomenal hit rate.' He said he would never expect seven to 10 new players to all fit like a glove, but the front office's goal is to find players who fit Brind'Amour's mold, and this group was made to play Hurricanes hockey. 'We had as much turnover as any team in the league, and each of the years before that we had a lot of turnover,' Tulsky said. 'We have just been really fortunate that our staff continues to find players who can step in, and our coaching staff continues to be effective at integrating them. I think it's about the alignment between the coaching staff and the front office. 'Rod has the team playing a very distinctive style that is very aggressive and requires very specific skills from players and a certain attitude from players. The front office has really focused on finding players who can play that way and who we can bring in and expect to see and thrive. Our pro scouting staff has really focused on identifying players who we think will look better here than they would somewhere else.' Advertisement 'It's a credit to the scouting staff, it's a credit to the management group, it's a credit to the coaching staff that we are able to identify those players and bring them in and that the coaching staff can integrate them and not miss a beat.' Sometimes, a GM can feel helpless in the playoffs. The roster is set, and all you can do is sit back, watch and hope. But Tulsky and his staff are hard at work behind the scenes, planning for the future. In a month, maybe this story ends with Tulsky lifting the Stanley Cup high above his shoulders, but complacency is not in his nature. Listening to him talk, listening to Brind'Amour forecast that 'sexy' players are coming and knowing how motivated owner Tom Dundon is to add stars to the Carolina lineup, you know Tulsky's got some more cards he hopes to pull from the deck. He went for Rantanen. He went for Marner. And he's got cap space in the coming years. 'Our goal is always to get better,' Tulsky said. 'The easiest thing in the world to do in my situation is to just sit back and let it play out and maybe you get there and maybe not, but you can't really be criticized for not doing stuff if you have a good team and just wait and see. I don't want to take the easy way out. I want to keep pushing and taking swings and trying to get better. We've built a team that is very, very deep, and it is hard to get better by tinkering at the bottom of a deep lineup. 'The way we get better from here is by finding high-end players who can improve the top half of our lineup, and that was the idea behind the swing we took in middle of the season.' Not that Tulsky doesn't think this lineup can win it all. When the Canes were in the Eastern Conference final two years ago against Florida and had trouble scoring, Svechnikov was shelved with a season-ending torn ACL. He's healthy this time and playing the best the Canes have ever seen him in the playoffs. Advertisement Sebastian Aho can hurt an opponent in all situations. Seth Jarvis, as former Hurricanes forward Jake Guentzel told The Athletic last spring, 'has the whole world in his hands.' Defenseman Jaccob Slavin, as displayed during the 4 Nations Face-Off, may have the best stick in the NHL and could cause problems for Florida's deep forward group. And he seems to have revitalized former Norris Trophy-winning partner Brent Burns, who was on the ice for only one goal against in the second round (an empty-netter). And then there's oft-maligned goalie Freddie Andersen, who has been superb in the playoffs (7-1, 1.36 goals-against average and .937 save percentage) after Tulsky considered but ultimately did not tinker with the team's goaltending in advance of the trade deadline. 'He's been incredible,' Tulsky said. 'I think through his career, he has been on a lot of teams where he played pretty well and the team didn't advance and whether fairly or not, that got hung on him sometimes. But if you go back and look through what he did, there's a lot of times he won Game 3 of a series, 2-1 and won Game 4 1-0 and then lost Game 7 and got blamed for the team not advancing. 'He's had a good career, both regular season and playoffs.' As Aho said Monday, 'to be the best, you've got to beat the best,' and the Canes are hungry. Brind'Amour feels the reigning Cup champs are actually better than last season with the additions of Brad Marchand and Seth Jones. But after the Canes felt they deserved better in getting swept by the Panthers in the 2023 East final, Tulsky is anxious to see if the team he helped assemble is up to the challenge. 'People's careers are not that long, and you don't get that many opportunities to win in this league,' he said. 'Everybody knows that every single year is precious, and you want to make sure you do everything you can to put yourself in position to win a championship. That series two years ago, I think we felt like we played very, very well, and every one of those games could have gone either way. Sometimes it doesn't go your way, and that's tough. 'You've just get back to it next year and hope to put yourself in that position again.' The Canes are in that position yet again. But Dr. Tulsky is hardly stressed. (Top photo of Tom Dundon, Eric Tulsky and Rod Brind'Amour: Bruce Bennett / Getty Images)
Washington Post
03-05-2025
- Sport
- Washington Post
Hurricanes sign goaltender Frederik Andersen to a 1-year. $2.75M contract extension
RALEIGH, N.C. — The Carolina Hurricanes have signed goaltender Frederik Andersen to a one-year contract for next season that is worth $2.75 million. General manager Eric Tulsky announced the deal Saturday, a little over 48 hours before his team starts the second round of the playoffs against Washington. Andersen could earn up to $750,000 in incentives for games played and his participation in a potential run to the Eastern Conference final next year. He would get $250,000 for playing 35 or more games, another $250,000 for getting to 40 and $250,000 if the Hurricanes reach the East final and he plays in at least half of the playoff games.
