The Carolina Hurricanes have a significant off-season ahead, with a handful of key players needing new deals. The Maple Leafs could be among the teams targeting one UFA.
The Carolina Hurricanes have a significant off-season ahead, with a handful of key players needing new deals. The Maple Leafs could be among the teams targeting one UFA.
The Carolina Hurricanes made two of the biggest moves before the March trade deadline, acquiring Jake Guentzel from the Pittsburgh Penguins and Evgeny Kuznetsov from the Washington Capitals. Since then, they've won eight of their last 10 games heading into their March 26 contest with the Penguins.
Hurricanes GM Don Waddell's focus is currently on his club's pursuit of the Stanley Cup. However, he faces some big decisions regarding his roster this summer.
Nine players, including Guentzel, Teuvo Teravainen, Brady Skjei and Brett Pesce, are slated to become UFAs. Meanwhile, Martin Necas, Seth Jarvis and Jack Drury will become RFAs.
The Hurricanes have a projected salary-cap space of $30.8 million for 2024-25 with 13 active roster players under contract, per PuckPedia. Nevertheless, it's not enough for Waddell to re-sign everyone.
During his post-trade deadline press conference, Waddell indicated no contract discussions occurred with the Guentzel camp. He prefers to leave that until the off-season.
Re-signing Guentzel will be expensive. Sportsnet's Luke Fox believes the two-time 40-goal scorer will be in high demand if he tests the open market on July 1. He suggested an average annual value similar to Columbus Blue Jackets winger Patrik Laine ($8.7 million) might be a suitable comparable. However, his next annual cap hit could be as high as $10 million.
Fox also indicated a “wait and see vibe” regarding Teravainen, Skjei and Pesce. Of the three, Pesce could draw the most interest. The 29-year-old right-shot defenseman has been the subject of frequent trade speculation since last summer. If he prices himself out of Carolina, Fox believes the Toronto Maple Leafs will be among the teams lining up to sign him.
Necas and Jarvis' RFA statuses give Waddell some control in their negotiations.
Jarvis, 22, is completing his entry-level contract, giving Waddell the flexibility to sign him to an affordable short-term “bridge contract.” The 25-year-old Necas, however, has arbitration rights this summer and the leverage to seek a lucrative long-term deal after completing a two-year deal worth $3 million annually.
Necas occasionally surfaced in the rumor mill stretching back to last season. Waddell could trade him if his contract negotiations prove difficult.