Stakoven would have been an RFA in 2026 but is now in Raleigh for a long time
July 1st isn’t just the big day for Unrestricted Free Agency, it’s also when players who are entering the last year of their deal can negotiate and sign extensions.
With the new CBA making this the last season that eight year extensions can be offered and signed, this summer is going to see a lot of players weighing whether they want the certainty of term even if it comes at a bit of a reduced price they could get by going to market sooner. For the Canes, this summer is especially important as Logan Stankoven, Jackson Black, Scott Morrow, and Alexander Nikishin are all Restricted Free Agents in the summer of 2026.
Well, actually Logan Stankoven isn’t any more.
Before the clock struck noon on Tuesday and Unrestricted Free Agents could officially sign deals with new teams, the Hurricanes announced that they had come to an agreement with Logan Stankoven to stay in Raleigh for eight more years after the 2026 season. The total cost of the deal is $48 million, meaning the per year cost on the cap will be just $6 million.
Stankoven was perhaps the biggest return from Dallas in the deal that sent Mikko Rantanen to the Stars along with some first round picks. His style fit in with the Canes immediately, producing a total of 38 points in all of the 2024-25 season for both teams, and had eight points in the playoffs for the team.
With Stankoven set to finish his initial contract, the eight year extension means that Stankoven will be under contract until 2034, and it’s the first domino to fall as the Canes set up their core and team with some of the biggest amount of cap space available in the NHL.