'Seamless Fit' Makes Jankowski's Extension An Easy Decision

RALEIGH, N.C. - Naturally, there was some uncertainty as Mark Jankowski stepped into a new locker room mid-season for the first time in his career.

Traded to the Carolina Hurricanes minutes before the league's deadline on March 7, 2025, the then-30-year-old entered uncharted territory in his eighth year in the NHL.

"I was pretty nervous," he recalled. "This was the first time I was traded. I’d been on different teams, but that was all in the summer, (and I went) through training camps, so this was the first time changing a team mid-season."

It didn't take long for the nerves to fade, something Jankowski credits to the culture in Carolina. And now, some 14 months later, the locker room he was nervous to enter will be his home for the next two seasons after inking a contract extension on Monday.

“Ever since I’ve been here, I felt like it was a seamless fit, and I wanted to stay here," said Jankowski.

"Right from my first day, talking to all the guys, everyone was so welcoming, and talking to the coaching staff and Rod just made me feel welcome right away, which made that transition so easy," he continued. "I think anyone who comes in here and has the right attitude, you’ll definitely be able to have success here because everyone just makes it such a great spot to be. It’s awesome to come to the rink every day.”

Of course, making NHL history by scoring on his first four shots with the team surely didn't hurt, either.

“It was obviously a great start. Getting a couple in that first game right away also took away some nerves," added Jankowski with a laugh.

Acquired with the intention of adding size and stability down the middle of the team's lineup, Jankowski's goal-scoring pace has understandably returned to Earth. But the Hamilton, Ont. native continues to thrive throughout a variety of roles, becoming exactly what the team hoped he'd be when they swung the deal last season.

"Ever since he's showed up on the scene, all he's done is play great and done his job," said Canes Head Coach Rod Brind'Amour. "We've used him everywhere. He's had to kill penalties, and power play, wherever you throw him into, he's done his job really, really well. It's kind of an easy extension. An easy guy to continue playing for us."

That versatility earned Jankowski 68 games in the lineup during the 2025-26 regular season, his most in a single season since 2018-19. And while his game is built more on nuance and structure rather than production, he still recorded his third-highest point total and buried three game-winning goals along the way.

"I feel like my game jells well with how Rod and the coaches want to play and how the rest of the team plays," he said. "We play such a great system and everyone plays the same way. We play hard, and it’s a fun team to be a part of, so I think just to add my skill set to that team, it’s just been a real great fit."

The $1.85 million he'll be taking home over the next two years is a nice perk for the long-time pro, adding a seventh digit to his annual salary for the first time since 2020. But years of navigating life bouncing between the NHL and AHL have given Jankowski a grounded outlook on his career, regardless of what his paycheck says.

“(The salary raise) definitely feels nice, it definitely feels like all my hard work has been rewarded a little bit, but you definitely don’t want to get complacent. That’s something that I’ve been through a lot, I’ve seen a lot, been to a lot of different organizations. I’ve been up, I’ve been down, and I think that’s something I can always carry with me, to never get complacent," he said.

"Just keep pushing forward, keep working, keep your foot on the gas. It definitely feels nice to get that deal and feel like you were rewarded a little bit, but [I’m] not taking anything for granted and not getting complacent, that’s for sure.”