The Carolina Hurricanes have done a great job at supplementing their team with young talent.

While the core of their group is young in and of itself, most are still under the age of 30, the organization still continues to add a strong undercurrent young talent.

Last year was a good example as the Canes had nine rookies draw into the lineup at different parts of the season, but there were four who specifically had big roles on the team, even playing in the postseason.

One of those four, one was traded (Scott Morrow was dealt to the New York Rangers as part of the package for defenseman K'Andre Miller), but the other three — Jackson Blake, Logan Stankoven and Alexander Nikishin — are all set to play big roles for the Canes this upcoming season.

If the postseason is any indication for the trio, where Carolina coach Rod Brind'Amour stated that they "just aren't looking like rookies," there are big things on the horizon. 

And it's also clear that the Hurricanes have big plans for both Blake and Stankoven, as each was signed to eight-year extensions that won't even kick in until the 2026-27 season.

Blake, 21, earned his way up from fourth line minutes at the start of the season to top line and top power play time by the end of it.

The winger led all Hurricanes forwards in Corsi For (61.23%), expected goals for (60.52%) and actual goals for (58.46%) in the regular season and had 17 goals and 34 points.

The young forward has a very simple approach to the game, but it's his hockey smarts that allow him to be as successful as he is.

The kid thinks the game at a high level and has the poise to do things with the puck that will only get better and better as he ages.

While the Canes added some potential top line competition in Nikolaj Ehlers, Blake should still very well be expected to play top-six minutes for Carolina this upcoming season.

What To Expect From Jackson Blake In Year 2? <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/carolina-hurricanes/latest-news/carolina-hurricanes-bet-big-on-promising-rookie-with-massive-deal" target="_blank">Fresh off of becoming a $45 million man</a>, it's clear that Jackson Blake isn't a rookie anymore.

Stankoven, 22, was the big piece that the Hurricanes acquired from the Dallas Stars in exchange for Mikko Rantanen and the team has been very excited by what he's shown.

The 5-foot-8 winger continues to impress even at such a young age and really settled into his role in Carolina, especially in the postseason.

The forward has over 100 games of NHL experience under his belt between his time in Dallas and Raleigh and is scoring at over 0.5 points per game (20 goals, 52 points in 102 games).

This past postseason too, he was one of the Canes' top options with five goals and eight points in 15 games.

While Stankoven isn't the biggest guy, he plays well above his size. A direct, no-nonsense style where he's unafraid to go into the corners or the net front.

He's also starting to come more into his shot, scoring more than a few big goals for the Canes.

Where he winds up in the lineup this season will be interesting to see, but the team sees him as a big piece of the future.

"That's another kid that, I think, is just getting going in his career obviously, but there's still another level he can get to," Brind'Amour said. 

With the Canes also now down two top-four defensemen with the departures of Brent Burns and Dmitry Orlov, Nikishin may very well be tossed right into a prominent role as well.

The 23-year-old blueliner appeared in four postseason games for the Hurricanes after injuries depleted the Canes' backend. 

While the first few games were rough for the Russian, you could definitely tell he was acclimating on the fly as he got more and more experience. 

It got to the point where Nikishin truly did look like a capable NHL defender, despite being a rookie with virtually no NHL experience facing the eventual back-to-back Stanley Cup champions.

"It's been pretty impressive, especially with the minutes we're kind of getting forced to play him," Brind'Amour said following Game 4 against the Florida Panthers. "We went to him and it was a rough first outing, but obviously he's seizing the moment right now."

Add that alongside Nikishin's high-end talent, his significant KHL experience — where he was breaking records and captaining a playoff team in SKA St. Petersburg — and his physical maturity (6-foot-4, 216lb) and it certainly bodes well for the future.

The Hurricanes have high hopes for the former KHL star and they see him as an integral piece of the blueline for years to come.

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