Three Hurricanes that Deserve a New Contract Now

The Carolina Hurricanes will have six Free Agents this summer to who they will lose without a contract in place on 1 July. Here are three that deserve new contract now!

The Carolina Hurricanes are coming into the time of year where they will need to turn on the jets and make a play for the playoffs. Sometimes a little stability towards the future is just the motivation players need to help them turn things on.

Last season saw the Carolina Hurricanes re-sign Jordan Martinook and Teuvo Teravainen to team friendly deals midway through the season and that helped push both players towards focusing on the game. Each player signed for their own special reason and together they became special players for the Carolina Hurricanes.

This season there is a chance to do the same as the Hurricanes have three unrestricted and three restricted free agents to take care of before 1 July where the UFAs get a shot at the open market, and the UFAs get a shot at getting offer sheeted. And we all know how those deals seem to go down.

So who should get the opportunity to sign an extension with the Carolina Hurricanes this season and what kind of contract should they get? As you sip your eggnog and thank your aunt for those lovely pair of socks she seems to think you want every holiday season just because you do not have the heart to tell her that you will never wear them, take a gander at our glorious list.

Warren Foegele

• Status: 3 year ELC, RFA 1 July
• Current Cap Hit: $746,667
• Age: 23

Warren Foegele is criminally underrated this season. That is what happens when you are on a team of guys that includes Sebastian Aho and Andrei Svechnikov. You have to respect the grind he brings to the game day in and day out. In fact, with help from the aforementioned Svechnikov and Jordan Staal, Foegele is one of the best lines in the whole league:

But now his ELC is coming to a close. Warren Foegele will soon need to have a new contract. Now granted he is a RFA and they have until well into next season to secure him a new contract. But Why wait? Why not give him a reason to double down his focus and continue to grind and chip away helping guys like Staal and Svechnikov secure their position on the team?

So what would a new contract for Warren Foegele look like? Not much history to look back at with him. Perhaps a similar player on the team can help establish his value. I am talking of course of Brock McGinn, who signed last offseason before going into arbitration for $2,100,000 for two years. I can see Foegele getting something similar but for a little more value.

In fact I would say that a two year $2,500,000 deal is exactly the value the team needs to secure him at now and save themselves the trouble of going into the offseason with Foegele possibly applying for arbitration like McGinn did.

Considering his age and his high ceiling I can understand if that new contract came with an NMC or NTC. After all I would protect him during the upcoming Seattle Expansion Draft. He is a big part of this team moving forward and quite honestly, a big part of the success we see today.

Erik Haula

• Status: 3 Year Standard Contract, UFA 1 July
• Current Cap Hit: $2,750,000
• Age: 28

Happy Haula-days! You knew this one was coming. Erik Haula has only played 18 games due to tendonitis in his previously injured knee, but that hasn’t stopped him from putting up ten goals, including two in his last outing against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Originally signing a contract with the Vegas Golden Knights for their inaugural season, Haula’s contract comes to an end 1 July. That said, there is more than enough motivation for him to sign a contract extension with the Carolina Hurricanes before the season ends.

The first reason is simple. He has found a home here with the Carolina Hurricanes. His ability to crash the net has helped create a serious chemistry between himself and linemates Ryan Dzingel and Martin Necas. The second reason is precious. That’s right, Erik Haula is about to be a dad by this upcoming may, so why not have some stability for the family?

Who wants to move teams with a newborn child? Probably not Erik Haula. Much like new dad Jordan Martinook did last season, I wouldn’t be surprised if Haula re-signed with the Hurricanes in the next few months. The only question is; is Don Waddell and the Carolina Hurricanes also thinking of an extension for Erik Haula?

Haula is a risk, the tendonitis in his knee can keep him out of games at any time. That said, he is absolutely worth the value of a team friendly contract when he is playing. Even after missing about half the season so far he is still FOURTH on the team in scoring. There is no excuse not, at the very least, consider a new contract for Haula in the next few months.

So what would a new contract for the upcoming new father look like? It can be anywhere from two to four years depending on how well he manages to stay healthy. At 28 years of age, It will be difficult to see him going for the higher end of that range unless he can prove that his health will last him that long.

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If he does sign for 4 years, I can see the AAV being as high as $4,000,000, which would be a bargain price for a good center if he manages to remain health. Otherwise, I do not expect the Hurricanes to offer any more than $3,500,000 if he only signs for two or three years. Giving him an NMC or NTC is not out of the question either. As long as he remains healthy, Haula is an asset to the future.

The Carolina Hurricanes are building something special here for the first time in a long time. So this holiday season make sure to be on the lookout for a few new contracts in the next few months. This team is the real deal. That means ensuring the best players on this roster stay here for as long as they remain positive members of this team.

Question For CC Readers: Which players are the most deserving of a new contract now?