Hurricanes Sign William Håkansson to 3-Year Entry-Level Contract

The Carolina Hurricanes have been relatively quiet this offseason after winning the Stanley Cup on June 14. While they have made some trades and signings that don’t necessarily move the needle, they are making moves nonetheless. However, on Wednesday, they signed one of the players they selected in the 2026 NHL Draft.

Håkansson Signs Entry-Level Contract

On Wednesday afternoon, the Hurricanes announced that they signed defenseman William Håkansson to a three-year entry-level contract (ELC). Håkansson was drafted 51st overall after moving out of Round 1 on night one.

The ELC for Håkansson will pay him $850,000 in 2026-27, $900,000 in 2027-28, and $950,000 in 2028-29 at the NHL level. In the American Hockey League (AHL), he will be paid $87,500 per season. The deal also includes a signing bonus, totaling $288,000 throughout the contract, along with a potential $40,000 games-played bonus.

After the announcement, general manager Eric Tulsky said of Håkansson, “William proved he could hold his own playing with men in the SHL last season. We’re excited to support his continued development.”

During the 2025-26 season with Luleå HF of the Swedish Hockey League (SHL), Håkansson recorded two assists in 22 games. He was loaned to Almtuna IS of the HockeyAllsvenskan, where he tallied two goals and four points in 16 games.

The 6-foot-5 defenseman should fit well in the Hurricanes’ system because of his great range, and he can play a fast game. It also doesn’t hurt that he plays with some grit. After being selected by the Hurricanes, associate general manager Darren Yorke stated, “William Håkansson is a player that we’ve known very well, playing in the international events and in Sweden… Big, rangy defenseman that skates well and has nastiness. (We want our defensemen) to be able to hold tight gaps and play fast defensively, and he fits that style of play perfectly.”

During the draft, Håkansson mentioned that his player comparison is Hurricanes defenseman Jaccob Slavin.

It’ll be interesting to see how Håkansson does on North American ice after signing his ELC. If his game in the SHL translates well to the AHL, he will be someone to watch this season. The Swedish defender will have a ton of eyes on him this fall. All in all, the next wave of Hurricanes prospects is coming with Håkansson leading the way.