I will fully admit that the Carolina Hurricanes' Stanley Cup run has me a little ill-prepared for the start of the NHL Draft on Friday night. We have a decent idea of how the top of the draft will look, but I've been cramming over the last few days to get an idea of what the Canes might do when they are on the clock.
Over the last several weeks and months, sites and draft experts have put together their mock drafts for the first round or the first few rounds, hoping to accurately predict what will happen, though we know that no one really knows. In that same vein, I thought I'd throw my two cents in there to play along. What follows is my seven-round mock for the Canes, complete with a few trades for some fun.
Heed this warning now before you get too invested in the words that follow. I have no clue what the Carolina Hurricanes are going to do during this draft. I have no clue who they are targeting, though I have my thoughts on some organizational needs. This is an exercise done with the fun spirit of the draft in mind. It's supposed to be a good time, and I certainly had fun putting it together.
The Hurricanes surprise no one and move out of the first round
One of the worst-kept secrets about the draft is that the Carolina Hurricanes are always looking to maximize their picks. It's a little hard to do when you only have four of them, and they're mostly spread out (1 first, 1 fourth, 2 sixths). That's why, to the surprise of exactly zero people, I don't think the Canes will make a selection on Friday night, waiting until the last minute to find a trade partner.
Plucked directly from my trade ideas piece on Thursday, I'm sending the 31st pick to the Flames for picks in the next three rounds. I admitted that it might be a slight overpay, but trade prices have been through the roof for players all week. This doesn't feel like the most egregious move of all time. Regardless of what it ends up being, I'm sticking to the idea that the Canes won't pick until Day 2.
2nd Round, 36th Overall: Niklas Aaram-Olsen, RW
If you take the time to watch some of the highlight tapes and montages of Niklas Aaram-Olsen from this season, one thing becomes abundantly clear. He can shoot the puck. While he only played 29 games in the U20 Nationell this season, Aaram-Olsen scored 20 goals for the season straight season, posting 40 points for Orebro HK.
Born in Oslo, Aaram-Olsen has represented Norway at the last three U18 World Juniors and the last two U20 World Juniors D1A tournaments. He tied for the tournament lead in goals (6) and the team lead in points (10) to help Norway jump into the top division for the U20 tournament before scoring a hat trick in the relegation game at the U18 tournament to keep Norway in the top division.
If your immediate thought was that the Hurricanes already have a top Norwegian prospect in Felix Unger Sorum, these are two different players offensively. Unger Sorum is much more of a playmaker. Aaram-Olsen is a pure sniper. Opinions are divided on whether he has the skills to contribute regularly in the NHL, but the Canes are in a position to take a few risks on boom-or-bust prospects.
3rd Round, 65th Overall: Rudolfs Berzkalns, C
It might be wishful thinking to project Rudolfs Berzkalns making it to the start of the third round, but it's my mock draft, so just roll with it. One issue that the Hurricanes have with their current prospect pool is a lack of true centers in the system, though Charlie Cerrato's selection last year is a good start. Berzkalns could be a good addition to provide some depth as a defensive specialist.
Berzkalns hasn't been a big producer in the USHL for Muskegon, scoring just 25 points in 48 games this season. However, while his game can show flashes of offensive flair, he'll be looked upon as a checking forward. The Latvian center has represented his country at the World Juniors twice already, and he's committed to play at Boston College next season.
4th Round, 100th Overall: Alexander Grunin, LHD
Any prospect that earns the description of "the draft's best-kept secret," as Elite Prospects dubbed him, seems to be a Hurricanes-coded player. Alexander Grunin won't show up on many mock drafts or draft boards, but he checks a few boxes that would seemingly attract the Canes. He's Russian. He's a defenseman. He's over 6'3". He can skate. And did I mention that he's Russian?
Grunin doesn't appear to be a massive force offensively, posting 15 points in 44 games at the MHL level in Russia. That doesn't mean something can't develop in the future. He'll profile as a strictly defensive-minded defenseman for now, but his athletic abilities should open some doors for him at the next level. There's some seasoning left to do, but the Canes might have a worthwhile project.
The Canes make another deal to move down, pick up a fifth-round pick
How boring would it be to project a move-down in the first round, a move we know is almost certain to happen, and have that be the only trade of the mock? That wouldn't be fun at all. That's why we're making another trade to move down in the draft. This time, the Canes use their additional fourth-round pick to move back in the round and add a pick in the fifth round from St. Louis.
4th Round, 123rd Overall: Juuso Ainasto, G
Goalies are an anomaly to scout because there's no telling where some of them will end up, especially the further down the board you go. The Canes used their first pick last season on Russian netminder Semyon Frolov, but the cupboard still needs a little more in it. While relatively inexperienced at more competitive levels, Juuso Ainasto could be a good get if he falls this far.
Standing 6'4" out of Finland, he's described as having some serious bravado and isn't afraid to get into it with his opponents. He almost sounds like another goalie I know for the Hurricanes. From the little I've seen of him, Ainasto looks like a real gamer. He got used to seeing a lot of rubber on a nightly basis. The Canes will likely take a goalie at some point, and I would really like for it to be him.
5th Round, 139th Overall: Jonas Woo, RHD
The first re-entrant of this mock, Jonas Woo can score points in bunches. He played with a lot of good players over his last two seasons in Medicine Hat, including presumptive #1 pick Gavin McKenna. The draft came and went last year without his name being called. How did he respond this season? By leading all WHL defensemen with 86 points in 56 games, including 29 goals.
The only discernible reason that he would possibly go this low in the draft is his size, which always seems to be a bigger deal than it is. He's listed at 5'9", but Woo is used in all situations. He's a good skater, he has a good shot, and he has excellent eyes. He might not be what the Canes are looking for, but there's no reason that his size should limit him. Woo is committed to Arizona State next year.
6th Round,165th Overall: Niko Tournas, RW
Another player taking another stab at it, Niko Tournas is going through this process for the third time after being passed up in 2024 and 2025. If there's one thing he knows how to do, it's put the puck in the back of the net. Playing in the QMJHL for the first time last season, Tournas scored 43 times, finishing tied for fifth in the league. He can score from just about anywhere on the ice.
The major thing hampering him from taking the next step is whether he has any other NHL-level skills to complement his incredible shot. He's not considered the fastest or most technical skater in the world. He's not a complete liability on defense, according to the metrics. Still, the further into the draft we go, the more gambles you can afford to take. Tournas feels like an appropriate gamble.
6th Round, 192nd Overall: Alexander Morozov, LHD
Let's finish this exercise by going right back to the Canes' bread and butter: a Russian defenseman. Alexander Morozov is another big body at just 17 years old, standing at a little over 6'3". He's played 48 games in each of the last two seasons in the Lada Togliatti system, recording ten points a season ago. Again, it's not the most exciting statline in the world.
However, Morozov does his job defensively and can pitch in offensively when needed. As with many Russian draft prospects, there's a tougher line to the NHL than if he were elsewhere in Europe or already in North America. I think there might be such a thing as too many Russian prospects, but the Canes might not care. He, too, might be worth a late-round flyer.
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