Every team has a few players who aren't superstars, but their role is integral to what they're trying to get done on and off the ice. For the Hurricanes, Jordan Martinook is at the very top of the list. He's not leading the team or the league in goals or points, but he's a vocal leader in the locker room and one of the team's best personalities.
Since the Canes acquired him in 2018, Martinook has played his role and done what has been asked of him. Sometimes, that has meant taking over a series, as he did against the Devils in 2023. Other times, it just means changing the momentum of a game with his linemates. He and the captain are a package deal, and it ended with Martinook lifting Lord Stanley in June after years of grinding.
Despite fewer points, Martinook continued to be one of the team's heartbeats
Over the previous three seasons, Martinook had consistently found himself somewhere in the low-teens in goals and the low-30s in points. This year, he failed to reach either mark, but his success has never been gauged by his offensive production. He started the year well, picking up assists in the first three games and four of the first five.
While he had spurts throughout the year, Martinook would go long stretches without finding the back of the net. He only had one multi-point game the entire season, picking it up at the very end of the year in Utah. Martinook finished with 12 goals and 29 points, both the lowest totals he's had since 2021-22. However, his 112 hits were his most since his first season with Carolina in 2018-19.
Martinook had a quiet postseason, but Game 2 against Ottawa was an exception. Late in overtime, Martinook was hooked on a breakaway, preventing him from getting a scoring chance. During the delayed sequence, the Canes scored, but it was disallowed because they were offside. Martinook still got his penalty shot, but he was stopped. In double overtime, he earned his redemption.
His goal in Game 2 was the first overtime goal of his postseason career. It was one of just two goals that he scored during the Canes' run. The other kickstarted the comeback in Game 3 against Vegas, which ultimately ended with a loss in double overtime. Martinook recorded five points in 19 games while finishing in the top five in hits and blocked shots.
Entering a contract year, the Canes could look to extend Martinook early
After all he has done for the team over the last eight years, it's hard to envision a world where the Hurricanes let Martinook walk at the end of the season. It fits the mold of this team so well, and the thought of losing him and Jordan Staal potentially retiring in the same year could be devastating to the team's third line. That's why I feel an extension is likely.
The Canes have shown a knack for getting stuff like this done sooner rather than later, which is why I think this should get done well before free agency begins next July. It won't be a long-term deal. I imagine something in the 2-3-year range. It also won't be a terribly expensive contract, so the Canes can definitely afford it with the cap going up.
Martinook is closing in on a few round numbers. He's three games away from playing in the 800th game of his career, and he needs just three points to reach 200 with the Hurricanes, both of which should be reached quickly this year. He has been consistent with his production over the last four years, so the groundwork is in place for what we expect him to do this season.
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