Hurricanes Solidify Center Depth With Mark Jankowski Contract Extension

There seems to be a trend for the Carolina Hurricanes when it comes to signing contract extensions. Last season, they signed Frederik Andersen and Taylor Hall to extensions during the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Following their Round 2 sweep of the Philadelphia Flyers in the 2026 Playoffs, they announced on Monday, May 11, the extension of center Mark Jankowski. What does it mean for both sides following the announcement?

Two More Seasons of Jankowski

After being acquired in a trade with the Nashville Predators during the 2024-25 season, Jankowski seemed to fit in seamlessly with the Hurricanes. In the second year of his current two-year deal, the Hamilton, ON native tallied 11 goals and 21 points, while being a plus-7. During the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs, he has one assist but should also have two goals, but they were taken off the board.

On Monday, the deal was announced as a two-year, $3.7 million extension, which will keep Jankowski in Carolina through the 2027-28 season. The average annual value (AAV) will be $1.85 million over the next two seasons. He will be 33 years old when the contract expires, making him an unrestricted free agent. Following the announcement, general manager Eric Tulsky stated, “Mark has been an excellent fit for our organization throughout his time here. He’s proven he can contribute in different ways, and we are glad he’s chosen to remain with the organization.”

What helps Jankowski is the versatility he brings to the Hurricanes’ roster for head coach Rod Brind’Amour. Throughout his time in Raleigh, he has played 5-on-5, the penalty kill, and even the power play at times. Brind’Amour, along with assistants Jeff Daniels and Tim Gleason, is not afraid to play the 6-foot-4 forward in any situation. He has proven time after time how his size benefits the Hurricanes. His height, reach, physicality, and sneaky scoring touch have been pivotal at times.

When asked about signing his extension, Jankowski stated on Monday, “Ever since I’ve been here, I’ve felt like it was a seamless fit. I wanted to stay… I’m super excited to be here for a couple more years.” He brings knowledge of the Hurricanes’ system for the next couple of seasons, along with the center depth of himself, Sebastian Aho, Logan Stankoven, and Jordan Staal.

After the signing of Jankowski, the Hurricanes have 13 of their current 14 forwards signed through next season. Only Nic Deslauriers is not signed for the 2026-27 season. Regarding the cap, the Hurricanes will be paying their forward core $64.023 million next season. With the cap going up to $104 million, that leaves a ton of room for the Hurricanes to sign and/or trade for more players.

The fact that the Hurricanes were able to extend Jankowski now gives them some relief to know they have their current center core for another two seasons. Their center depth of Aho, Stankoven, Staal, and Jankowski helped the team tally 111 points during the 2025-26 season, along with winning the Metropolitan Division and claiming the top seed in the Eastern Conference.

It’ll be interesting to see what the Hurricanes do this offseason, with most of the roster signed for next season. However, there could be chances of trades and other signings to provide some upgrades if necessary. When it comes down to it, this is a win-win deal for both sides. The Hurricanes know what they have in Jankowski, while “Janks” stays in a place that’s fit his style of play the best. It’s two more years of Jankowski in Raleigh; it’ll be something to keep an eye on for the center and roster depth moving forward.