40-year-old Brent Burns addresses uncertainty surrounding his future with Hurricanes

Brent Burns and the Carolina Hurricanes' playoff journey came to an end after losing to the Florida Panthers in five games in the Eastern Conference Final.

Burns' eight-year, $64 million contract has expired, and he will be an unrestricted free agent on July 1.

During the Hurricanes' locker room clean-out media session, Burns expressed his affection for the team and his hope to remain with the organization. However, he also acknowledged uncertainty about his future.

"We’ll see what happens, but we love it here and would love for it to work out," Burns said via NHL.

Burns also revealed that he underwent surgery following the previous season and spent much of the year managing his physical recovery and assessing his body's response post-surgery. He experienced a noticeable drop in his offensive output this season, falling short of the points total he had achieved in recent years.

If he chooses to continue his career, with the Hurricanes or another team, he is likely to sign a short-term deal with a salary significantly lower than his previous $8 million cap hit.

Burns racked up five points through one goal and four assists in 15 playoff games. In the regular season, the defenseman notched 29 points through six goals and 23 assists with a +7 rating.

Hurricanes HC Rod Brind'Amour reflects on tough ECF loss

Rod Brind'Amour has enjoyed a successful tenure as head coach of the Carolina Hurricanes, establishing the team as a strong contender in the Eastern Conference.

Despite consistent regular-season results and a talented roster, playoff success has remained elusive. Following the Hurricanes' loss to the Panthers in the Eastern Conference Final, Brind'Amour noted that the team faced a challenging, physical series and struggled to adjust to an even higher level of intensity.

“We came off a real hard, physical series, and all of a sudden, it went to another level,” Brind’Amour said via NHL. “It took us a little time to adapt to it, and I thought we did. We were good. You just can’t give these guys a 3-0 lead and expect to come back. It’s a big hole."

Brind'Amour has posted a record of 325-160-49 during his seven-year stint with the Hurricanes and lost three conference finals.