2026 Free Agency Overview

RALEIGH, N.C. - Fresh off their Stanley Cup victory, it's a shorter summer than ever for the Carolina Hurricanes.

The opening of the free agency period is set for Wednesday, July 1, at 12 p.m. ET, but the good news is that, in contrast to some previous years, there's not a ton of business that the team needs to take care of.

With Nicolas Deslauriers' new two-year extension taken care of at the team's Championship Celebration, there are just two roster mainstays, Frederik Andersen and Mike Reilly, set to become unrestricted free agents this week. All-Rookie Team defenseman Alexander Nikishin is a restricted free agent.

Perhaps the biggest question of all came to light during the later rounds of this weekend's draft, when the team acquired defenseman and pending unrestricted free agent John Carlson from the Anaheim Ducks. How will he factor in, if at all, and what would that mean for Nikishin?

Below is what you need to know ahead of July 1.

Restricted Free Agents (RFAs)

The following players played at least one game for the Canes during the 2025-26 regular season and are RFAs this summer:

• Skyler Brind'Amour
• Domenick Fensore
• Alexander Nikishin
• Justin Robidas
• Ronan Seeley

The following players did not play for the Canes during the 2025-26 regular season, but are also RFAs:

• Noel Gunler (Signed a two-year contract in Sweden)
• Aleksi Heimosalmi
• Cayden Primeau
• Nikita Quapp

Qualifying Offers

(Info courtesy of PuckPedia)

In order for a team to keep a player's RFA status, it 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.

A Qualifying Offer must be a one-way offer if the player has:

A) played 180 or more games in the previous three NHL seasons, B) Played at least 60 NHL games in the previous NHL Season, AND C) not cleared waivers in the period between training camp and the end of the season of the most recent NHL season.

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 2025-26 regular season and are UFAs this summer:

• Frederik Andersen
• Noah Philp (Signed a contract in Sweden)
• Mike Reilly
• Josiah Slavin

The following players did not appear in a game with the Canes during the 2025-26 regular season and are UFAs this summer:

• John Carlson
• Amir Miftakhov (Group 6)
• Givani Smith
• Ryan Suzuki (Group 6)

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

A Group 6 NHL free agent is a player on an expiring contract who becomes an unrestricted free agent (UFA) rather than a restricted free agent (RFA) because they are at least 25 years old, have completed three or more professional seasons, and have played in fewer than 80 NHL games