The Carolina Hurricanes took care of one piece of offseason business Friday, signing forward Eric Robinson to a four-year extension through the 2028-29 season.
Robinson, 30, will be paid an average of $1.7 million a season.
Advertisement
Robinson, in his first season with the Canes, was a winger who could play up and down the lineup. He played all 82 games in the regular season, finishing with career highs in goals (14), assists (18), points (32) and plus/minus rating (plus-14.).
“It’s no surprise to us that Eric had his best professional season last year with Carolina,” Canes general manager Eric Tulksy said in a statement. “His size and speed make him an excellent fit for the way we want to play, and we are thrilled that he’s chosen to remain a Hurricane.”
Robinson was due to become an unrestricted free agent July 1 if not re-signed by the Canes. He signed a one-year, $950,000 free-agent contract with the Hurricanes on July 1, 2024.
At 6-foot-2 and 211 pounds, Robinson added size and physicality to the Canes’ lineup and proved to be more than a “depth” forward addition. He helped the Hurricanes advance to the Stanley Cup playoffs for the seventh consecutive season and reach the Eastern Conference final, totaling a goal and two assists in 15 games.
Advertisement
“It was probably opportunity,” Robinson said of his career-best NHL season. “I felt like I got a good chance here from the beginning. And probably confidence, too. Once you have a good start and you’re playing every night, it just builds.”
Robinson and his wife, Alli, became the parents of a baby girl, Blaire, in late-April.
“When you have a family, you start thinking about maybe term (on a contract), seeing if you can set roots somewhere,” Robinson said after the season.
Tulsky and the Canes still have decisions to make on other pending unrestricted free agents such as defensemen Brent Burns and Dmitry Orlov, and forward Jack Roslovic.