James Guillory-Imagn Images [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/3a088c42-4a5b-45f3-b4a8-b292b4830d88.jpeg] James Guillory-Imagn Images The Carolina Hurricanes [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/carolina-hurricanes] may have finished with one of the best regular-season records and advanced all the way to the Eastern Conference Final this past season, but they went through a lot as a team. In January, the Hurricanes completed a blockbuster trade acquiring superstar Mikko Rantanen from the Colorado Avalanche in a deal that included Martin Necas. Rantanen played in just 13 games in Carolina before it became clear that he was not willing to sign a contract extension with the Hurricanes, which resulted in the team trading him to the Dallas Stars ahead of the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline. While Carolina received young emerging forward Logan Stankoven in the trade with Dallas, losing both Necas and Rantanen had a big impact on the Hurricanes. The Hurricanes ultimately lost to the Florida Panthers in the Eastern Conference Final, something goalie Pyotr Kochetkov partly feels is due to the loss of Necas and Rantanen. “Florida had a deeper bench, a stronger lineup,” Kochetkov said. [https://thehockeywriters.com/hurricanes-pyotr-kochetkov-reflects-on-past-season-career-life-changes/] “They managed the salary cap really well, while we lost some players. Yes, we added Stanky [Logan Stankoven], and I’m confident he’s going to be a big player—he already showed it in the playoffs. But we lost [Mikko] Rantanen and [Martin] Necas—it would be foolish to ignore that, because they’re key players, team leaders. Even though Rantanen didn’t become a leader with us, you saw yourself what he did in Dallas. “You could say he carried the team to the second round when they beat Colorado in Game 7. I think we lacked depth, and maybe a bit of that gritty play and the kind of guys who thrive in that kind of hockey,” That’s all in the past now though, as the Hurricanes believe in Stankoven’s potential, so much so that they gave him an eight-year, $48 million contract extension this summer. The Hurricanes Reportedly Have Been ‘Keeping Tabs’ On Mason McTavish [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/e492232d-e1d9-4493-b4ce-1f904eb80189.jpeg] The Hurricanes Reportedly Have Been ‘Keeping Tabs’ On Mason McTavish The Carolina <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/carolina-hurricanes" target="_blank">Hurricanes</a> have had an eventful offseason, but they may not be done just yet. [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/carolina-hurricanes/latest-news/the-hurricanes-reportedly-have-been-keeping-tabs-on-mason-mctavish] Hurricanes general manager Eric Tulsky went out and made big moves this offseason to bolster the roster, including signing Nikolaj Ehlers and trading for K’Andre Miller. Despite the whole Rantanen fiasco, the Hurricanes still are Stanley Cup contenders and have gotten even better over the summer. Now, we’ll have to see if the Hurricanes are ready to face their demons and power their way through the Eastern Conference en route to the Stanley Cup Final in June.
