Carolina Hurricanes

The Carolina Hurricanes and center Sebastian Aho reached an eight-year, $78 million contract extension Wednesday.

EIGHT!! MORE!! YEARS!! pic.twitter.com/maYITokDnu

— x - Carolina Hurricanes (@Canes) July 26, 2023

"Sebastian has developed into one of the best two-way centers in hockey," Hurricanes president and general manager Don Waddell said in a press release. "He's a tremendous leader on and off the ice who sets a great example for our younger players. We're grateful that he's decided to stay in Carolina for the foreseeable future."

Aho, 26, has spent his entire seven-year career in Carolina. He recorded 67 points (36 goals, 31 assists) last season and is a two-time All-Star.

The Hurricanes have made the playoffs each of the last five seasons, with Aho playing a major role. He's compiled 218 goals and 250 assists in 520 career games, leading the team in scoring in five of the last six seasons. Martin Necas overtook Aho as Carolina's leader in points in 2022-23.

The deal locks in Aho as the team's highest-paid player for the foreseeable future. Andrei Svechnikov is the only other player on the roster who has a long-term contract on the roster averaging more than $5 million.

It's likely Necas will soon follow in signing an extension with restricted free agency facing him next summer, but for now, Aho is the clear franchise face in Carolina.

The Carolina Hurricanes have made the postseason in each of the past five seasons but have gone no further than the conference finals. This past season, Carolina was swept by the Florida Panthers.

If the Hurricanes are looking to add one final piece to make a championship run, San Jose Sharks defenseman Erik Karlsson would certainly fit the bill. The reigning James Norris Trophy winner was fantastic this past season, accumulating 25 goals and 101 points along with his seventh All-Star nod.

Karlsson could help a Hurricanes team that ranked 15th in goals scored last season.

According to Josh Yohe of The Athletic, the Hurricanes are interested in acquiring Karlsson on the trade market, as are the Pittsburgh Penguins.

"I can tell you that I've heard the same thing that others have reported, that the Penguins and Hurricanes are the two teams currently vying for his services," Yohe wrote.

Acquiring Karlsson would present challenges, though. The 33-year-old is scheduled to carry a cap hit of $11.5 million this season. The Hurricanes have just $3.4 million in cap space. Even if San Jose is willing to absorb some of Karlsson's contract to facilitate a deal, it's unlikely to take on much of it.

"For people who think we're going to eat 50 per cent of his contract and all this type of stuff, it's probably not going to happen," Sharks general manager Mike Grier said, per Sportsnet's Sonny Sachdeva.

However, Carolina isn't in a position where creating the cap space is impossible. Clubs are also allowed to exceed the cap by 10 percent in the offseason, which would provide the Hurricanes time to make additional moves.

A bigger obstacle may be Pittsburgh's presence in the Karlsson sweepstakes.

Yohe reported back on July 1 that Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas had spoken with Karlsson and could perhaps involve a third team to help orchestrate a trade:

"Dubas engaged in talks with San Jose's star (and very expensive) defensemen Erik Karlsson, a team source who requested anonymity so they could speak freely confirmed to The Athletic. A deal to Pittsburgh, which now appears more unlikely following the spending spree that followed, would have been complex and included a mystery team along with the Penguins and Sharks."

A third team could be necessary for Pittsburgh both to come up with a player package that San Jose wants and to make the financials work—the Penguins are $2.3 million over the cap. Finding one could take time.

That's one reason why the Hurricanes should push to get a deal done now. Another reason is the impending arbitration hearing of Penguins wing Drew O'Connor.

Even with a third team involved, Pittsburgh may have to get creative to jettison enough salary to take in Karlsson. O'Connor's situation could potentially provide it. Under NHL guidelines, the Penguins will get a second buyout window following a restricted free agent's arbitration case is settled or awarded.

O'Connor's hearing is scheduled for August 4, and Pittsburgh will have 72 hours from then to buy out veteran contracts and create additional cap space. This means that August 4 is a potential deadline for teams like Carolina to get out in front of Pittsburgh and make a move on Karlsson.

Of course, Carolina general manager Don Waddell shouldn't wait until the 11th hour to make his move. Karlsson has a full no-trade clause in his contract, and if he becomes sold on the idea of joining Sidney Crosby, Kris Letang and the Penguins, the Hurricanes could miss out entirely.

Other teams may enter the equation too. Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman linked the Edmonton Oilers to Karlsson at the trade deadline, though obviously, no deal got done at that time.

If the Hurricanes believe that Karlsson is the missing piece to their championship puzzle, they must act sooner than later, and they most definitely must make their move before the pieces fall into place for Pittsburgh.

The Pittsburgh Penguins and Carolina Hurricanes are among the teams pursuing a trade for San Jose Sharks star Erik Karlsson.

Josh Yohe of The Athletic reported the Penguins remain in hot pursuit of Karlsson, whom they nearly acquired on July 1. The Hurricanes have also been a strong bidder for the reigning James Norris Trophy winner.

The Sharks are expected to continue exploring a trade for Karlsson as they look to retool their roster after missing the playoffs for the fourth straight season. Karlsson is coming off a sterling 2022-23 campaign, setting career highs in goals (25), assists (76) and points (101) but somehow posting the second-worst plus-minus of his career (-26) due to the team's failings.

The Penguins missed the playoffs for the first time since 2005-06 last season and have been determined to improve their veteran-laden roster. Karlsson would instantly be a fit in the first line and give Pittsburgh a much-needed boost on both sides of the ice. His dynamic passing could also help lessen the load on the aging forwards group led by Sidney Crosby.

The Hurricanes have made the playoffs five straight seasons and likely view Karlsson as a potential final piece to their championship puzzle. Carolina reached the conference finals for just the second time in the past decade but was swept with ease by the Florida Panthers.

Adding Karlsson would be a signal to the fanbase that the front office is all in on creating a championship contender next season.

Karlsson is under contract through the 2026-27 season with an average annual salary of $11.5 million.

The NHL offseason has been red-hot with free-agency moves, but all eyes remain on Norris Trophy winner Erik Karlsson and a potential trade from the San Jose Sharks to a bona fide contender.

One such team, the Carolina Hurricanes, continues to push for a trade, according to TSN insider Pierre LeBrun.

The Hurricanes continue to push on Erik Karlsson. We’ll see where it goes, but the next 24-48 hours should be interesting on that front.

— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) July 2, 2023

Karlsson is fresh off a career year in 2022-23 in which the defenseman accumulated 101 points on 25 goals (Sharks defensemen scored 36 total) and 76 assists and a shooting percentage of 12.

The 33-year-old was an elite player for a Sharks team that failed to make the postseason, despite his efforts offensively and defensively. In the latter area, he prevented 28 more goals when he was on the ice as opposed to when he was not.

His efforts and the lack of advancement for the team ignited Karlsson's desire to be dealt to a team with a genuine chance at hoisting the Stanley Cup.

The Hurricanes are such a team having finished last season with the second-best record in the East. They appeared in the Eastern Conference Finals but were swept by Florida. Still, even with the lopsided 4-0 record, they lost the series by a total of four goals and twice in overtime.

They were not far off from playing for the Cup and a player such as Karlsson, who can get them the goals or create them via assists, is exactly what the team needs to get over the hump.

Carolina was already a great defensive team, allowing the league's second-lowest goals against per game at 2.53.

Add the league's best defenseman to that unit, and you have a squad that can compete against Florida, a Boston Bruins squad coming off a historic season and an explosive Toronto Maple Leafs team.

Factor in what he brings to the table offensively and there are likely Hurricanes' front-office staff relishing the idea of adding a player of Karlsson's ability to the roster.

His arrival would make them the favorites in the East, thanks to top-tier teams like Boston and Toronto currently struggling with the salary cap and unlikely to look like the conference favorites they were a season ago.

Veteran defenseman Dmitry Orlov is reportedly on the move this offseason.

According to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman, Orlov has signed with the Carolina Hurricanes on a two-year, $15.5 million contract. Orlov finished last season with the Boston Bruins after being acquired at the trade deadline from the Washington Capitals, with whom he had played 10-plus seasons.

Boston had a historic regular season, breaking the NHL record for wins at 65-12-5 and points with 135. However, Orlov and the Bruins were disappointingly bounced from the playoffs in the first round by the Florida Panthers in seven games.

Orlov has developed a reputation for being able to produce offense while playing as a defenseman. He had seven goals and 29 assists between Washington and Boston for a career-high 36 points. Over the course of his career, he has 64 goals and 209 assists for 273 points in 709 games.

Friedman noted that prior to being traded, Orlov had been seeking a long-term commitment from the Capitals, but general manager Brian MacLellan "only wanted to go three or four years."

ESPN's Greg Wyshynski pointed out that "the two-year term is likely a function of the NHL's salary cap, which remained essentially flat this season at $83.5 million." When Orlov hits the open market again in 2025, "the NHL salary cap is expected to be well north of $90 million."

The 31-year-old Russian joins a Hurricanes team that finished first in the Metropolitan Division with a 52-21-9 record but lost to the Panthers in a four-game sweep in the Eastern Conference Finals.

The Carolina Hurricanes and captain Jordan Staal have come to terms on a new contract.

The team and the veteran were reportedly at an impasse in negotiations, but it now appears that the two have come to terms on a four-year deal with a $2.7 million average annual value.

As the #hurricanes work through the final details on an extension with captain Jordan Staal, I'm hearing it'll be a four-year deal.

Expect the AAV to come in at $3M or a little below.

— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) June 24, 2023

Once the deal is finalized it will be 4 years and $2.9 M AAV as @reporterchris also said here.
Both aides finalizing no-trade language https://t.co/huWZcPYjYi

— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) June 24, 2023

Staal has been with the team since being traded to the team in 2012. He previously signed a 10-year, $60 million deal with the team after the trade, which expired at the end of the 2022-23 season. The 34-year-old will now be under contract until the 2026-27 season.

Staal, the 2006 2nd overall pick, spent the first six seasons of his career with the Pittsburgh Penguins, winning a cup with the team in 2009, before being dealt to Carolina. He joined his brother Eric with the Hurricanes, but has outlasted him and is the team's longest tenured player.

He has scored 275 goals and has 645 points in 1,173 career games, but his biggest value comes in the defensive zone. He is a consistent presence in the race for the Selke Trophy and helped lead the Hurricanes to the second-ranked defense in the NHL in 22-23.

He had 17 goals and 17 assists in 22-23, suiting up in 81 games, and led Carolina to a Metropolitan Division title and a berth in the Eastern Conference Final. He scored eight points in 15 playoff games on the run and had a +4 rating.

His return to the team in 2023-24 guarantees that a Staal brother will be on the Hurricanes roster dating back to the 2003-04 season.

It's a never-ending party in South Florida right now.

Just 24 hours after the Miami Heat took a 3-0 lead in their Eastern Conference Finals matchup against the Boston Celtics, the Florida Panthers continued to match them.

The Panthers are now just one win away from their second-ever Stanley Cup Final appearance after taking a 3-0 series lead of their own over the Carolina Hurricane on Monday night at FLA Live Arena.

It was a defensive masterclass on the part of Florida as it shut the Hurricane out 1-0 to end the game in regulation for the first time this series.

In three games, it has allowed Carolina to score just three goals and that's all thanks to the continued sensational play of Sergei Bobrovsky, who seems simply unstoppable at the moment.

The 34-year-old goalie saved all 32 shots sent his way Monday, including a couple highlight reel stops to preserve the shutout. He has saved 67 consecutive shots now and has stopped 132 of the 135 shots he's seen over the entire series.

The Panthers have arguably looked like the best team in hockey since coach Paul Maurice decided to put Bobrovsky back in goal midway through the team's first-round series against the Boston Bruins.

And all it took was a second period goal by center Sam Reinhart off a power play to secure the win.

NHL Twitter heaped all the praise on Bobrovsky for yet another masterpiece.

SERGEI BOBROVSKY.

THAT’S IT. THAT IS THE FREAKING TWEET.

— x - Florida Panthers (@FlaPanthers) May 23, 2023

No stick? No problem. Sergei Bobrovsky is on it. 🚫 #StanleyCup

🇺🇸: @NHL_On_TNT ➡️ https://t.co/LaJpv7c3yx #NHLonTNT
🇨🇦: @Sportsnet ➡️ https://t.co/uEVY6yXLpz pic.twitter.com/oImFEEOy96

— NHL (@NHL) May 23, 2023

If it's a Florida/Vegas Stanley Cup Final, win or lose, I think it would be Sergei Bobrovsky's Conn Smythe to lose.

— Nick Alberga (@thegoldenmuzzy) May 23, 2023

The Bob is The Unstoppable. https://t.co/gmQ5kH0qKW

— Stephen Whyno (@SWhyno) May 23, 2023

Panthers Sergei Bobrovsky sets record for the most saves within the first 3 games of a Conference Final or Stanley Cup Semi-Final series (126 & counting)

Previous record-holder was Johnny Bower (125 saves) for Maple Leafs vs Canadiens in the 1960 Stanley Cup Semi-Final.

— Sportsnet Stats (@SNstats) May 23, 2023

sergei bobrovsky training specifically for the 2023 stanley cup playoffs pic.twitter.com/iONJ3zab9L

— Ava (@avatarrant) May 23, 2023

Only one of last 100 shots against him have gotten past Bobrovsky, who continues fabulous playoff run. Panthers up 1-0 after two periods, looking to take 3-0 series lead.

— Barry Jackson (@flasportsbuzz) May 23, 2023

Bobrovsky allowing only 1 goal per every 45 shots in this series. Absurd.

— Michael Amato (@amato_mike) May 23, 2023

right now we're in Shutdown City....Paul Maurice is your mayor...and the lead detective on the case is Sergei Bobrovsky

— Roy Bellamy (@roybelly) May 23, 2023

Florida holds on for 1-0 win in Game 3, take a 3-0 series lead over the Hurricanes

Sergei Bobrovsky did the things

— Kristen Shilton (@kristen_shilton) May 23, 2023

Sergei freaking Bobrovsky

Take a bow

— Jesse Granger (@JesseGranger_) May 23, 2023

SERGEI BOBROVSKY AND THE FLORIDA PANTHERS

— jeremy taché (@jeremytache) May 23, 2023

Coolin' himself off because Bob brought the HEAT tonight. 🔥 #StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/BaaAHcEzqC

— NHL (@NHL) May 23, 2023

The only blemish on the Panthers' performance was that captain Sasha Barkov left the game with a lower body injury in the first period and didn't return. He was questionable to come back for the rest of the night.

Barkov has been a huge piece of Florida's run thus far and would be a huge loss if he's out for an extended period of time.

After crashing into the playoffs as an eight seed, the Panthers now have a chance to clinch a spot in the Stanley Cup Final on their home ice in Game 4.

Game 4 is set for Wednesday night at 8:00 p.m. ET.

The Carolina Hurricanes and their fans have been in a strange predicament these past five years.

There's considerable whiplash for everyone involved when a small-market team goes from owning the league's longest playoff drought to becoming everyone's favorite happy-go-lucky Cinderella story to five straight years of playoff contention.

Ever since owner Tom Dundon, GM Don Waddell, and head coach Rod Brind'Amour took over, Carolina went from irrelevant, to the tongue-in-cheek "Bunch of Jerks" that instated an unconventional postgame celebration called the Storm Surge, to a team that sells out every regular season game and is consistently relevant on the ice.

Nothing like a Storm Surge to close out a series. 🌪 pic.twitter.com/buIAo7ReUz

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) May 12, 2023

The thing is, when you're in a small market, that chip-on-the-shoulder feeling doesn't go away so easily. The Canes have done it their way, bucking tradition without any apology. They've continued on with things like revenge offer sheets, social media antics, and iterations of the Surge.

The refusal to "act like they've been there before," if you will, has gained them some enemies along the way. Most recently, Bally Sports' Pete Blackburn has been on a mission to point out how defensive some Canes fans can be.

No fanbase in the entire NHL is as eager to be disrespected as Hurricanes fans https://t.co/fXp4COe9oN pic.twitter.com/KVyQTMi23v

— Pete Blackburn (@PeteBlackburn) May 4, 2023

Oh my god it goes all the way to the top https://t.co/mr3wngjr7W

— Pete Blackburn (@PeteBlackburn) May 10, 2023

Guess I can sleep in today pic.twitter.com/25jLuuAZPI

— Jawn F Kennedy (@o__teezy) May 10, 2023

The Carolina Hurricanes are heading to the conference final and THEY WILL NOT BE DISRESPECTED https://t.co/u8TlojXWlZ

— Pete Blackburn (@PeteBlackburn) May 12, 2023

As someone who covered the Hurricanes for The Athletic for four years during their rise to relevancy, I personally believe a lot of folks on the outside get it wrong when it comes to the Canes and their fans. Yes, they can be annoying online at times. Yes, they tend to exaggerate some all-encompassing bias against them. But they're annoying because they care, and because for the longest time, you didn't. Plus, lack of attendance and relocation jokes would make you defensive, too.

I fell in love with a lot of things about this team and the people around it in my four years in Raleighwood, and despite some of the collectives' silly internet takes and angst, it's a team worth rooting for.

And it's about to get even more intense. The Canes are headed to the Eastern Conference Finals after taking the down the Devils with a Game 5 overtime win Thursday.

If you're not on now, here are the reasons to hop on the bandwagon, in no particular order.

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The forecheck, the system, and the defense's role

It's ironic that a system largely revolving around shot suppression is also so fun when it comes to defense, but here we are.

If you're into the emerging concept of positionless hockey, this Hurricanes team is for you. There's a reason so many defensemen come to Carolina and have career seasons. Of course, playing next to Jaccob Slavin will give anyone a boost, but it's more than that—it's the system and the attitude.

The easiest way to explain it? Canes coaches encourage all players on the ice including defensemen to jump the rush, and players are rarely punished for making a mistake while doing so. It's something that can take getting used to when defensemen arrive from stricter schemes, but once they let loose you see them just take off.

Game 5 regulation alone saw 17 of Carolina's 31 shots coming from defensemen. Brent Burns came up with that huge equalizer with less than 40 seconds left in the second, and he's got two goals and eight points through 11 games this postseason. More on Burns later, but Slavin and Brett Pesce both have two goals and six points in 11 playoff games. Everyone's a factor, and it's a huge reason the Canes have stayed afloat despite losing Andrei Svechnikov and Teuvo Teravainen.

Then there's the forecheck, and the best way to explain that is "No one wants to make coach Brind'Amour mad." It's relentless and comes in waves, with hard-working forwards constantly putting pressure on the opposing team.

Color commentator Tripp Tracy

To know longtime Hurricanes broadcaster Tripp Tracy is to love him, so much so that many consider him the Frank Sinatra of the NHL. He's been with the Canes since 1998, through the highs of the 2006 Stanley Cup Championship and the lows of the playoff drought.

Tracy has provided so many laughs throughout the years with his trademark humor that sometimes we've taken his brilliant insight and eye for the game for granted.

Raise Up You Huge Caniacs ⚒️ #LetsGoCanes pic.twitter.com/jTUB8h3Vku

— TrippTracy (@TrippTracy) May 5, 2023

But this season, as Tracy has bravely shared his sobriety journey, we've seen him at the top of his game. He's still hilarious, but he's sharper than ever and you can tell he's found a confidence he's always deserved. How special would it be for the Hurricanes to win the Cup to cap off a special year for someone who has always been one of their best ambassadors.

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The friends, family, and fan vibes

Stick around long enough after Hurricanes practices, and you'll see Brind'Amour out there shooting pucks with his youngest son, Brooks. He told me a few months ago that he coaches Brooks, Burns' son, and Justin Williams' daughter on his off days.

The famous tailgates start early and last all day in Raleighwood. All are welcome.

A former NHL GM of a different team once told me PNC Arena is the loudest arena in the playoffs, and after experiencing a dozen NHL arenas during the postseason, no one has proved him wrong.

There's a mutual appreciation and sort of closeness between a team and its fans when you're in a small market that just recently became good. No one is able to capture that magic on Twitter, you just have to go to Raleigh and see it for yourself -- and I highly recommend doing that.

What a VIEW of the Canes OT series clincher 🤯 https://t.co/k2e7XWR4wZ

— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) May 12, 2023

Brent Burns' shot at the Cup

Objectively, Burns has had better seasons in his decades of playing in the NHL. But he looks like a kid again and he's playing some of the most fun hockey of his career at 38 on this Hurricanes team. You can tell he and Brind'Amour have a unique relationship, as Brind'Amour was also late in his career chasing that one Stanley Cup. Brind'Amour accomplished that feat, and you get the feeling Burns might, too.

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Head coach Rod Brind'Amour

Remember when people were skeptical that the "poverty" Hurricanes' new management promoted an in-system assistant coach instead of outsourcing the usual carousel?

None of those people ever met Rod Brind'Amour.

First of all, Brind'Amour's entire playing career embodied what it takes to be successful in a traditional market that won't always bring in the flashiest players in the league. He's hard work, he's no shortcuts, and we all know he captained the one Hurricanes team to win the Cup in 2006.

The Hurricanes haven't missed the playoffs since he took over behind the bench. He's breaking all sorts of "fastest to X wins in franchise history" records. He's already got a Jack Adams.

You see flashes of who he was as a player in the contemporary Hurricanes—the emphasis on shot suppression, the respect for conditioning with Head Strength and Conditioning Coach Bill Burniston, the stars logging ample TOI, and the lively penalty kill.

He does things the right way, the way they need to be done if a team without a Connor McDavid or an Andrei Vasilevskiy is to win the Cup. I can't think of a current NHL coach who has built more with less and who wouldn't get behind that?

Above all else, the Hurricanes are fun. And isn't that what sports is all about? Having a good time watching a sport we enjoy. The Canes and their fans are having a blast. We all might as well join in.