The Carolina Hurricanes are working on signing defenseman Jaccob Slavin to a long-term contract extension, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reports.
Slavin is scheduled for unrestricted free agency in 2025 and is eligible to sign an extension as of July 1. The 30-year-old is due to play out the final campaign of a seven-year, $37.1-million contract next season.
The Hurricanes are expected to be among the league's busiest teams this summer, as they have 13 expiring contracts and approximately $26.8 million in space to work with, per Cap Friendly.
Jake Guentzel, Jordan Martinook, Teuvo Teravainen, and Brett Pesce are among the notable names that can walk via free agency this summer, while Seth Jarvis and Martin Necas are key restricted free agents in need of new deals.
Locking up Slavin now would provide the Hurricanes with an important building block on the back end, as prospect Scott Morrow is their only blue-liner signed for 2025-26.
Slavin was a fourth-round pick of the Hurricanes in 2012, and broke into the NHL in 2015-16. He's blossomed into one of the league's top defensive defensemen, and he chipped in with 37 points in 81 games in 2023-24 while averaging over 20 minutes per contest.
He's received down-ballot Norris Trophy votes in seven of the past eight seasons, and is a two-time winner of the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy as the NHL's most gentlemanly player.
The Hurricanes parted ways with general manager Don Waddell following the club's second-round playoff exit, and they're reportedly expected to hire an internal replacement.
