Hurricanes Bolster Future with Stankoven & Draft Assets…

The Carolina Hurricanes took another step toward securing long-term success with a bold series of trades, reinforcing their commitment to both present competitiveness and future growth.

In a surprising late-night, three-team trade involving the Chicago Blackhawks and Colorado Avalanche, Carolina parted ways with key players Martin Necas and Jack Drury. Necas, the team’s leading scorer in 2022-23, and Drury, a reliable center, had both been integral pieces. However, in return, the Hurricanes acquired former league MVP Taylor Hall and positioned themselves to sign elite forward Mikko Rantanen.

Initially, the plan was for Rantanen to become a key part of the franchise, especially alongside Carolina’s strong Finnish presence. However, when he declined to commit long-term, General Manager Eric Tulsky quickly pivoted, making another move to ensure lasting benefits for the organization.

“We knew there was a risk, but the potential upside was significant,” Tulsky explained. “It’s rare to acquire players of this caliber, and if you can lock them up long-term, it’s a huge advantage. Even though Rantanen didn’t sign, we were able to turn the situation into a positive by bringing in Logan Stankoven and additional draft capital.”

Stankoven, a highly touted 22-year-old forward and former second-round pick, joins an already deep core of young talent, including Sebastian Aho (27), Seth Jarvis (23), Andrei Svechnikov (24), and Jesperi Kotkaniemi (24). With promising prospects like Bradly Nadeau (19) and Alexander Nikishin (23) on the rise, the Hurricanes are well-positioned for sustained success.

Tulsky emphasized the team’s approach of creating opportunities for young players to develop and contribute, ensuring Carolina remains competitive year after year. Stankoven, described as a “little bulldog” by former teammates, brings a high-energy, relentless style reminiscent of Seth Jarvis—both offensively skilled and defensively responsible.

Through the series of trades, Carolina ultimately exchanged Necas, Drury, and multiple draft picks for Stankoven, Hall, two first-round picks, and two third-round selections. While parting with a star player like Rantanen was not ideal, Tulsky is confident in the long-term return.

“When you look at the overall picture, we recovered a lot,” he said. “It’s always tough to trade away a player of Rantanen’s caliber, but between adding Taylor, Logan, and multiple high-value draft picks, we’ve set ourselves up well for the future.”

With their newfound draft assets, the Hurricanes now have flexibility—either to use the picks in future drafts or package them for immediate reinforcements. Though the timing prevented them from making additional moves before the deadline, the organization remains in a strong position moving forward.

“You have to balance short-term losses with long-term gains,” Tulsky concluded. “Bringing in Logan, who fits our team right away and has room to grow, along with valuable draft capital, made this the right move for the franchise’s future.”

While the road took an unexpected turn, Carolina has emerged from these trades with a promising outlook, maintaining their aggressive approach while ensuring sustained success.