General manager Eric Tulsky shocked a sea of 150,000 fans by re-signing the veteran enforcer mid-celebration, securing a key locker room leader for the title defense.
As if the Carolina Hurricanes hadn't already knocked their Stanley Cup celebration out of the park, the team brought even more energy to the table on Saturday, announcing on-stage at the team's rally that Nicolas Deslauriers was being extended for two more years.
"We've got a team full of people who are happy to be here," said general manager Eric Tulsky on stage. "They know we're building something special and they want to be a part of it. Something that really stood out to me after Game 6, we were on the ice doing our congratulations and player after player kept telling me, 'Thank you for bringing me here.'"
"One of the players who said that is a free agent.... Nic Deslauriers, come on up. We've gotta take of this right now. We have a contract for you to sign."
The crowd erupted into cheers at that moment and Deslauriers embraced Tulsky, then held up his pen in triumph.
After signing, Deslauriers leaned into the mic and screamed, "Two more f---ing years!"
The contract is indeed for two more years and will pay the 35-year-old enforcer $850,000 in 2026-27 and $900,000 in 2027-28.
While Deslauriers has only been on the team for a short while, being Carolina's only acquisition at this year's trade deadline from the Philadelphia Flyers, he's quickly become a beloved figure in the room.
“Nic has fit in with our locker room and culture from day one when he got to Raleigh,” said Tulsky in a press release. “He provides a veteran presence and adds a physical element to our roster.”
He didn't see much action with Carolina, but that never bothered the long-time veteran.
Deslauriers is the kind of player that knows he has a role to play and he just generally enjoys being in the room and withe guys everyday and it's important to have those kinds of players around.
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