2025 Offseason Free Agency Overview

RALEIGH, N.C. - With the 2024-25 season in the rearview, there's still plenty to come in a potentially busy summer for the Carolina Hurricanes.

Armed with over $28M in cap space, the fifth-most in the NHL, and the most among any team that made the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Canes are in great shape to make an already good team even better.

There's also some housekeeping to be done, with GM Eric Tulsky and Co. needing to navigate new deals for as many as eight restricted free agents and 12 unrestricted free agents.

(Post-publishing note, 6/30: Following the re-signings of Juha Jaaska and Eric Robinson, the team has just north of $26M in cap space. Following the issuing or non-issuing of qualifying offers, the team now heads to July 1 with 11 unrestricted free agents. Click here to see an updated list of signings and departures.)

Restricted Free Agents (RFAs)

The following players played at least one game for the Canes during the 2024-25 season and are RFAs this summer:

• Skyler Brind'Amour
• Domenick Fensore
• Yaniv Perets
• Ty Smith
• Ryan Suzuki

The following players did not play for the Canes during the 2024-25 season, but are also RFAs:

• Noel Gunler
• Anttoni Honka
• Ronan Seeley

Qualifying Offers

(Info courtesy of PuckPedia)

In order for a team to keep a player's RFA status, they must provide a Qualifying Offer. If they do not provide a Qualifying Offer, the player becomes a UFA. Qualifying Offers must be provided to the player by the later of the Monday after the Entry Draft or June 25.

A Qualifying Offer cannot actually be accepted before July 1. If a Qualifying Offer is not accepted, it expires by July 15 unless extended in writing by the team.

Signing Deadline

A Group 2 RFA must sign by 5 p.m. EST on December 1 in order for the contract to be valid for the season. An RFA would not have a valid contract and therefore cannot play if signed after December 1.

Unrestricted Free Agents (UFAs)

The following players played at least one game for the Canes during the 2024-25 season and are UFAs this summer:

• Brent Burns
• Juha Jaaska (Re-signed to a two-year contract on June 26)
• Tyson Jost
• Spencer Martin
• Dmitry Orlov
• Eric Robinson (Re-signed to a four-year contract on June 20)
• Jack Roslovic
• Riley Stillman
• Dustin Tokarski

The following players did not appear in a game with the Canes during the 2024-25 season and are UFAs this summer:

• Tarmo Reunanen
• Joakim Ryan
• Jesper Sellgren

Carolina has exclusive negotiating rights to these players until July 1, unless traded elsewhere.