Hurricanes bolster top-6 forward group with addition of Ehlers

After the NHL Draft, free agency and other offseason moves, NHL.com is examining where each team stands in preparation for the 2025-26 regular season, which starts Oct. 7. Today, the Carolina Hurricanes:

2023-24 season: 47-30-5, second in Metropolitan Division; lost in Eastern Conference Final

Key arrivals

Nikolaj Ehlers, F: The 29-year-old unrestricted free agent signed a six-year contract on July 3, giving Carolina a top-six forward with skill and scoring touch. Ehlers, who had played his entire 10-season career with the Winnipeg Jets, had 63 points (24 goals, 39 assists) in 69 games last season and seven points (five goals, two assists) in eight Stanley Cup Playoff games. … K'Andre Miller, D Carolina acquired the 25-year-old from the New York Rangers on July 1 for a second-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, a conditional first-round pick in the 2026 or 2027 NHL Draft and defenseman Scott Morrow. Miller was signed to an eight-year contract and likely will slot in the top two defense pairs. He had 27 points (seven goals, 20 assists) in 74 games last season.

Key departures

Brent Burns, D: Signed a one-year contract with the Colorado Avalanche on July 2. Burns, who holds the NHL's active games-played streak at 925, had 29 points (six goals, 23 assists) in 82 games last season playing with Jaccob Slavin on the top pair. He also had five points (one goal, four assists) in 15 playoff games … Dmitry Orlov, D: Signed a two-year contract with the San Jose Sharks on July 3. He had 28 points (six goals, 22 assists) in 76 regular-season games and four assists in 15 playoff games last season. … Jack Roslovic, F: An unrestricted free agent, he had 39 points (22 goals, 17 assists) in 81 games last season and four points (one goal, three assists) in nine postseason games. … Scott Morrow, D: Had six points (one goal, five assists) in 14 regular-season games and no points in five playoff games last season.

On the cusp

Bradly Nadeau, F: The 20-year-old had 58 points (32 goals, 26 assists) in 64 games in his first professional season with Chicago of the American Hockey League. Selected in the first round (No. 30) of the 2023 NHL Draft, Nadeau played two NHL games last season and could earn playing time with the Hurricanes despite a deep forward group. … Justin Robidas, F: Selected in the fifth round (No. 147) of the 2021 NHL Draft, the 22-year-old had 55 points (20 goals, 35 assists) in 70 games with Chicago of the AHL last season. He made his NHL debut in April and had a goal and an assist in two games. … Domenick Fensore, D: The 23-year-old made his NHL debut last season, playing in Carolina's final two regular-season games. In 67 AHL games, the third-round pick (No. 90) in the 2019 NHL Draft had 32 points (nine goals, 23 assists).

What they still need

A second-line center and a veteran defenseman. Jesperi Kotkaniemi has struggled to produce in a top-six role during his four seasons with the Hurricanes. In 78 games last season, the 25-year-old had 33 points (12 goals, 21 assists). He had four assists in 14 playoff games. … Carolina was able to navigate the regular season without a seventh NHL defenseman on the roster, but injuries to Sean Walker and Jalen Chatfield left the Hurricanes short-handed in their five-game loss to the Florida Panthers in the Eastern Conference Final.

They said it

"If there's something out there that can make us better, we're going to try to figure out how to get it. The additions were the best we could do. We just want to have a chance. I feel like we do." -- coach Rod Brind'Amour

EDGE stat to watch

Carolina led the NHL in offensive-zone time percentage at all strengths (47.2 percent) last season. Nine of the League's top 10 players in offensive-zone time percentage at even strength last season were Carolina skaters, including all of the top six. Defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere led the NHL in offensive-zone time percentage at even strength (49.0 percent) and all strengths (51.3 percent). The Hurricanes, who finished in the top five in high-danger shots on goal, midrange shots on goal and long-range shots on goal, could get a boost from the signing of Ehlers, who ranked in the 94th percentile in top shot speed (93.92 miles per hour) and top skating speed (23.30 mph) last season. -- Chris Meaney

Fantasy spin

Since 2019-20, Ehlers is 12th in the NHL in 5-on-5 points per 60 minutes at 2.52 (minimum 100 games). Carolina, meanwhile, has led the NHL in 5-on-5 shot attempts percentage in each of the past three seasons. Ehlers could be a perfect fit on the first power play, and the top line with center Sebastian Aho and wing Seth Jarvis and has a ceiling of leading the Hurricanes in goals this season. -- Pete Jensen

Projected lineup

Nikolaj Ehlers -- Sebastian Aho -- Seth Jarvis

Andrei Svechnikov -- Jesperi Kotkaniemi -- Jackson Blake

Taylor Hall -- Jordan Staal -- Logan Stankoven

Jordan Martinook -- William Carrier -- Eric Robinson

Jaccob Slavin – K'Andre Miller

Alexander Nikishin -- Jalen Chatfield

Shayne Gostisbehere -- Sean Walker

Frederik Andersen

Pyotr Kochetkov