One of the last big pieces of business for the Carolina Hurricanes before free agency begins on Wednesday is the issuing of qualifying offers to some of their restricted free agents. The Canes had 11 players eligible to receive offers this season. Only seven of them received one, with the final four able to hit the market when things begin in two days.
The Canes announced that they'd extended offers to forwards Viktor Neuchev, Noel Gunler, and Justin Robidas, defensemen Alexander Nikishin, Aleksi Heimosalmi, and Ronan Seeley, and goaltender Cayden Primeau, retaining their rights. These seven players will have the first 15 days of free agency to accept those offers, but the Canes can still negotiate new contracts beyond then.
Even though the list of unqualified players is small, with just four not receiving offers, they included forward Skyler Brind'Amour, son of the Hurricanes' head coach, and defenseman Domenick Fensore. Brind'Amour made his NHL debut at the end of the 2024-25 season, scoring a goal, and Fensore has played three games over the last two season in the NHL while being a big part of the Chicago Wolves.
I expected both to remain Hurricanes for another season, though both are up there in age for AHL players with little NHL experience. I wasn't as surprised that the team allowed goalies Amir Miftakhov and Nikita Quapp to walk. The door isn't completely closed for any of them, meaning they can return as free agents, but that remains unlikely for now.
Hockey can be a brutal business sometimes. It's not often that a player is in the same organization as their father, so it has to be a bit of an awkward situation letting Brind'Amour walk. In the end, the organization is doing what it feels is best for its future. We'll keep our eyes open for the new deals for the seven players qualified, which I imagine will be resolved by the start of training camp.
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