Carolina Hurricanes’ 3 Best Contracts for 2026-27

In the salary cap era, trying to stretch the roster to every dollar matters. It doesn’t matter if it’s the superstar player or the third-pairing defenseman, or even the goalie tandem; the general managers have to navigate an ever-changing landscape. Even for teams that win a Stanley Cup, they have to find ways to stay under the cap and hope to keep their rosters together to keep the contention window open.

Regarding the Carolina Hurricanes, the cap flexibility puts them in a fantastic place. With the cap raising to $104 million, along with team-friendly deals, the Hurricanes find themselves with $11.105 million in space, and almost the whole Stanley Cup team returning. That said, which three contracts are certified steals, moreover, great deals for the defending Stanley Cup champions?

Jackson Blake

On July 24, 2025, the Hurricanes signed Jackson Blake to an eight-year, $40.94 million deal, giving him an annual average value (AAV) of $5.117 million. What makes the deal an absolute steal for the Hurricanes is that it was signed during Blake’s final year of his entry-level contract (ELC). Furthermore, this was before he had a career season in his sophomore year in the NHL.

During the 2025-26 season, Blake had 22 goals and 53 points in 81 games, building off a 17-goal, 34-point rookie season the year before. Plus, he led the Hurricanes in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs with 13 assists and 20 points. In the previous playoffs, he had three goals and six points in 15 games. Not only did he have a better regular season, but also a stellar postseason.

That’s the kind of season where, if he wasn’t already signed to the extension, he could have garnered $7 million or more per year. However, Blake has mentioned how it was a no-brainer to sign last summer to stay in Raleigh for his career. As of July 1, he has one of the best contracts under the Hurricanes, with a chance to become an elite player. Signing Blake to a deal under $5.5 million before he was 23 and on the trajectory that he is on is tidy work by general manager Eric Tulsky.

Jaccob Slavin

If there was ever a player who took a team-friendly deal to leave room for cap flexibility, it’s defenseman Jaccob Slavin. On July 1, 2024, the Hurricanes signed Slavin to an eight-year, $51.17 million extension, with the AAV being $6.369 million per season. The 2025-26 season was the first season in the eight-year deal that pays the best defensive defenseman in the NHL much, much lower than what he’s worth.

At the time, there were projections that Slavin could have reached $9 million or more a season. However, he took a discount to help the Hurricanes sign players, as the cap was under $100 million at the time. Now entering the second season of the deal, it’s still a steal for the two-time Landy Byng winner.

While he did play in 39 games last season due to injuries, Slavin still managed one goal and eight points, along with a plus-8. On top of that, he went on to win a Gold Medal at the 2026 Milano-Cortina Games and a Stanley Cup. He became only the second American player to accomplish both in the same season. Slavin is viewed around the NHL as one of the best defensive defensemen, and it shows with how much he shuts down opposing players.

Slavin averaged 21:19 of ice time last season, making it 11 straight seasons of 20 or more minutes. For his career, he has averaged 22:23 in 784 regular-season games. Plus, he only has 98 PIMs over that time, with Slavin only having four in 2025-26. Over the last four seasons, he has had eight or fewer minutes in the box. In terms of the playoffs, Slavin has 10 PIMs in 105 games, with the last two postseasons seeing him have zero each. His best ability is his availability. All of that to say, Slavin is worth more than his current cap hit, but he decided to take less to help the team, and it’s considered one of the best contract steals for a player of his caliber.

Logan Stankoven

Along the same line as Blake, the Hurricanes signed forward Logan Stankoven to another deal that people around the hockey world consider a huge steal. On July 1, 2025, Stankoven signed an eight-year, $48 million deal, paying him $6 million annually through the 2033-34 season. The Hurricanes managed to lock down Stanloven and Blake to reasonable eight-year deals, keeping their window open longer.

During the 2025-26 season, Stankoven had 21 goals and 44 points in 81 games. In the faceoff dot, he finished with a 44.3%, a number that grew throughout the season. He followed that up with 11 goals and 16 points in the playoffs, leading the Hurricanes in goals. Stankoven also had a 46% faceoff percentage in the postseason.

Like Blake, Stankoven could have gotten more money after the season he just had, but decided to sign earlier and get it over with. Now he’s the second-line center for the Hurricanes with Blake on his right wing and Taylor Hall on his left. The three have become the Junkyard Dog line after putting on a clinic in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

There is a great chance Stankoven could have an over 50-point season in his second full season in Raleigh. With how he is trending upwards in his career, he will only get better, and his contract will become even better as it ages. Tulsky once again with a solid move to lock up Stankoven to $6 million a season at 23 years old.

All in all, there are many great contracts for the Hurricanes. In reality, there are arguments to be made that over 95% of the contracts on the roster are excellent deals. Regarding Blake, Stankoven, and Slavin, these are the three best contracts to help the Hurricanes continue to build every year. It’s tough to say otherwise when it comes to the tidy work Tulsky and the front office have done to keep the contention window open for a long time.