While the Hurricanes still have many pending UFAs to juggle this offseason, they’ve already turned their attention to 2025 and beyond. High on their list of priorities is getting No. 1 defenseman Jaccob Slavin signed to an extension shortly after becoming eligible on July 1, and The Fourth Period’s David Pagnotta reports those talks have already started.
Slavin, 30, is entering the final season of a seven-year, $37.1M extension signed by former general manager Ron Francis in July 2017. He costs only $5.3M against the cap, a bargain price for a player who finished top 10 in Norris Trophy voting twice since 2020.
Unfathomably, Slavin saw the lowest usage of his NHL career in 2023-24. After Carolina stocked up their already elite blue line with the addition of Dmitry Orlov in free agency last summer, head coach Rod Brind’Amour utilized his three pairings roughly equally, leading to an ice time reduction of more than a minute per game. His 20:56 average checked in three seconds fewer than his previous career-low, set during his rookie season in 2015-16.
That didn’t stop him from remaining one of the best possession-control defenders in the league. His 37 points in 81 games this year were the second-most of his career, and he logged an expected rating north of +10 for the fifth time in the last six seasons. With Slavin on the ice at even strength this season, the Hurricanes controlled 56.2% of expected goals and 60.2% of shot attempts, the latter of which was a career-high.
The 6-foot-3, 207-pound defender would be one of the top defenders available in free agency in the summer of 2025, but the chances of him reaching the open market are infinitesimal. With the Hurricanes seemingly more aggressive about extending him than pending UFAs Jake Guentzel, Brett Pesce and Brady Skjei, it even seems unlikely he’ll remain without a new deal past next month.
There’s good news for Hurricanes interim GM Eric Tulsky as he navigates negotiations — comparables for Slavin don’t favor a premium price tag on a long-term deal. In fact, Evolving Hockey projects a $6.5M cap hit on a seven-year extension for Slavin if signed next month, and while his market value will likely push the final number a bit higher, it’s a reasonable price to pay, especially considering the deal could very well present a negative value proposition as he enters his mid-to-late 30s.
All three of the Hurricanes defenders currently signed to one-way deals next season — Slavin, Orlov and Brent Burns — are all set for UFA status in the summer of 2025.
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