Tulsky Talks: 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs First-Round Media Availability

RALEIGH, N.C. - Carolina Hurricanes players and coaches were rewarded with a day off the ice on Tuesday, following their double overtime victory in Game 2 over the Ottawa Senators.

To fulfill media requirements, General Manager Eric Tulsky spoke with reporters inside the media room at Lenovo Center.

Below are a few key answers to some questions. A full video of the press conference can be found below.

Ryan Henkel/The Hockey News: How satisfied have you been with the additions of Nikolaj Ehlers and K'Andre Miller?

Tulsky: "They've been great. This team is playing at its best right now, and those two are a big part of it, right? They've elevated us from where we've been in past years. I think they've added dimensions of defensive depth from K'Andre and offensive firepower and flare, for lack of a better word, from Nikolaj. It makes us a stronger and deeper team. It gives us a dimension that we haven't always had."

Sara Holland/CBS 17: What have you made of Logan Stankoven's performance as of late?

Tulsky: "He's been great. The last time I talked to you guys was after the trade deadline where, I got asked if we were comfortable with him. I described then that we had felt that line had been controlling play all year long. He was producing at five-on-five, he just wasn't getting a lot of power play time, so the overall point total hadn't showed up. Since then, he's gotten more power play time, we've seen more shots go in, because sometimes that happens, and he's played 20 games since that. He's had 12 goals and 19 points. You knew this was in him. People worry a lot about his height, but in the end, it's about how hard you fight, and he wins as many puck battles as anyone. He's been great for us. He drags a lot of people into the fight, and he makes us harder to play against."

Jesse MacWilliam/Spectrum News: Can you give us an update on how Pyotr Kochetkov is doing health-wise, and do you foresee a chance of him playing here in the postseason?

Tulsky: "He's healthy. He's cleared to play. It's just a matter of where there's an opportunity for him to get into games. Right now, obviously, Freddie has gotten the first two. We'll see how it goes from here. He is ready to go."

Ryan Henkel/The Hockey News: Has there been any contact with Alexander Nikishin's representation (regarding a new contract), or is that something that's tabled until the offseason?

Tulsky: "We've talked to them throughout the year. I would say right now we don't want players thinking about their contract, we want them focused on playing. Every player is different and their mindsets are all different. I'm not going to say we would never do one now, because if someone came to us today and said, 'Let's get it done,' we'd get it done. But most of the time, that's not where their head is, so we let them focus on their play."