The Carolina Hurricanes do things that other NHL front offices need to start taking notice of, because the Canes will turn into a dynasty if the rest of the league doesn’t start taking notice of what they are doing.
The Hurricanes won the Stanley Cup in 2026, and they can be a very big threat to the Eastern Conference for years to come, and here is why.
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Getting superstars on team-friendly deals
Feb 1, 2026; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Hurricanes center Sebastian Aho (20) skates with the puck against the Los Angeles Kings during the first period at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images
This is one of the best things the Hurricanes do: get their young players on long-term contracts, and the players are elite. They signed Jackson Blake to an eight-year contract worth $40.9 million, and he is coming off a solid year. A 4th-round pick who produced 53 points in 81 games.
Logan Stankoven’s trade was a huge hit for them, and he is on an eight-year, $48 million deal. But it gets better. Sebastian Aho is their highest-paid player, and it is under $10 million. Jaccob Slavin is on a bargain-bin contract, and he is one of the best defenders in the entire league. His contract is eight years at $51.1 million.
Getting your top players on bargains allows you to sign big-name players in free agency, like Nikolaj Ehlers, who was one of the best players in the free agency class. They were able to add him on a nice deal too.
Spending their money in the right area
Jun 9, 2026; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Brandon Bussi (32) makes a save against Vegas Golden Knights left wing Ivan Barbashev (49) during the 3rd period in game four of the 2026 Stanley Cup Final at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images
Some teams put too much money into signing a goalie. If you pay a goalie lots of money, it limits you from adding more forwards to help with scoring or the defensive side. The Hurricanes won a Stanley Cup, rotating three goalies with Brandon Bussi, Frederick Anderson, and Pytor Kochetkov.
Anderson is now off to Edmonton, so their goalies are making a combined $ 3.9 M. That is insane value, especially how they played last year. They have done a great job of utilizing their cap space, and it only helps them even more that the salary cap is rising every year.
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Trustworthy coach
Carolina Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind’Amour in a pregame press conference prior to the game against the Vegas Golden Knights in game six of the 2026 Stanley Cup Final at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images
Rod Brind’Amour has been the head coach of the Hurricanes since the 2018-19 season and has a career winning percentage of 65.9%. He is a winner and has established a great culture with the Hurricanes. In zero seasons has he finished below .500%. Brindamour is also a coach who has now won a cup as both a coach and a player, and is only one of 14 people who have done that in the NHL.
Building a culture is important, and when you play against the Hurricanes, it is like you’re playing an actual Hurricane with the shot surplus their team does, and they always have a great defense in front of their goalies. It is a recipe for success, and they finally were rewarded with a Stanley Cup.
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