Tulsky Talks Roster Decisions and More At Season-Opening Presser

RALEIGH, N.C. - On the eve of the team hanging a banner at Lenovo Center and kicking off the NHL's 2026-27 season against the Florida Panthers, Carolina Hurricanes General Manager Eric Tulsky conducted his annual season-opening press conference.

Covering a variety of topics, including Pyotr Kochetkov's contract extension, Alexander Nikishin, the opening night roster, Seth Jarvis' recovery, and more, here are a few notable offerings from the GM.

Why did the organization decide to get Pyotr Kochetkov's contract extension done now instead of waiting to see how the season goes? (Ryan Henkel/The Hockey News)

Eric Tulsky: "He's an important part of our team. He's played well for us and won a lot of games. He plays an aggressive style that really fits with the way we've played. We saw an opportunity to get a deal done that both sides were happy with, take this off our plate, and move forward."

Can you give us an update on the Alexander Nikishin situation, and is there a path to him even playing here again in your mind? (Cory Lavalette/North State Journal)

Eric Tulsky: "We're trying to find a resolution. He has largely kept things out of the media, and I want to be respectful and make sure that when players talk to me, they know it's between us. So, if they're not talking to the media, I'm not going to either. Both sides are trying to find a resolution and figure out how to go forward from here."

Alexander Nikishin recently changed agents. How does that affect any of what has happened from the previous stuff that had been outside in the insider world of negotiations? (Joe Ovies / OG Triangle Media)

Eric Tulsky: "It doesn't change our position any. I doubt it changes his. It brings a new voice into the room, and maybe that helps us find a resolution. I don't know. "Ultimately, we both understand where the other side is; we just need to find a way to resolve it."

There was a lot of discussion this preseason about both Bradly Nadeau and Felix Unger Sorum, and both were assigned to Chicago. Was it a matter of that they didn't make a big enough impression to usurp the veteran guys, or how did the organization look at it? (Ryan Henkel/The Hockey News)

Eric Tulsky: "They both played extremely well in the preseason. Honestly, they did everything they could. They earned a lot of trust from Rod. I know they will be here this season. I don't know if it will be 15 games or 70, but they're clearly ready. That being said, we've got a lineup of skaters who were all at a ring ceremony last night, and it's a tough team to crack right now. The veteran had a great preseason too. There was nobody who lost a spot. For the time being, it is what it is. Both of those guys will get their chances. They will be here. Rod's ready to play them when they're here, and we're looking forward to seeing how that goes."

Along similar lines, there were tough decisions to be made on the blue line. What can you tell us about the decision to keep Charles Alexis Legault and Mike Reilly? (Walt Ruff/Hurricanes.com)

Eric Tulsky: "Both of them played very well. Juuso (Valimaki), Joel (Nystrom), and P.O. (Joseph) also put themselves in the mix. It was a tough decision. I think all of those guys can be counted on when we need them. We went with the guys who we felt like showed up most in the preseason and were most ready to go. Again, we know there will be injuries. We know there will be swaps. People will get their chances. But we started with the guys who showed best in the preseason."

Seth Jarvis says he's feeling good and he's skating in a non-contact jersey. He says he can tell differences, but obviously, he's a little ways off. What are your observations now that he's had the surgery done? (Aaron Beard/AP)

Eric Tulsky: "It'll be really nice to have fixed. There's been things that we asked him to do that he has had to be a little more careful on in the past, and now he'll be able to go full bore. He is an incredibly driven player, and has done absolutely everything he can to keep his injury timeline as short as possible. If it were up to him, I bet he'd be in the lineup tomorrow. But ultimately, it's up to his body and mind and the medical staff. We'll see over the coming weeks how the finishing touches on his rehab go."