Hurricanes GM Eric Tulsky teases aggressive offseason with free agents like Mitch Marner, Sam Bennett on radar - "Going to spend all summer trying"

Carolina Hurricanes GM Eric Tulsky says the team is ready to spend big this summer. They exited the playoffs after losing to the Florida Panthers in the Eastern Conference finals series in five games, having defeated the New Jersey Devils in round 1 and the Washington Capitals in round 2, also in five games.

After another deep playoff run, Tulsky confirmed Carolina plans to use its cap space to improve the roster.

"We have the full buy-in to spend to the cap if there are ways to do it to get better," Tulsky told reporters on Tuesday. "We have so much space and such a strong team. There’s no guarantee we can find ways to spend all that money, but we’re going to spend all summer trying."

With the NHL’s 2025-26 salary cap projected at $92.4 million, the Hurricanes - per Tulsky's hint - are in a strong financial position to look for further upgrades to the roster, despite having most of their core under contract.

Two names reportedly on Carolina’s radar are experienced two-way players Mitch Marner and Sam Bennett. Marner’s contract status in Toronto remains uncertain, while cap constraints could impact Bennett’s future in Florida.

The Hurricanes also face key decisions on current players. Defensemen Brent Burns and Dmitry Orlov - along with forwards Jack Roslovic and Eric Robinson - are pending unrestricted free agents. Tulsky confirmed talks are ongoing with all of their agents ahead of the July 1 deadline.

“We’ve talked to the agents of every free agent we have," Tulsky said, via NHL.com. "Those conversations are ongoing."

After losing in the Eastern Conference Final two years in a row, Carolina knows what’s at stake. This summer, they’re ready to act.

“Until we have the 20 best players in the league, there’s still room to get better," Tulsky said. "We’re going to keep working towards that. Every time we see an opportunity to bring in someone who we think helps us take a step forward, we’re going to take advantage of that.”

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Hurricanes avoided a playoff sweep this season

The Carolina Hurricanes avoided a playoff sweep by beating the Florida Panthers 3-0 in Game 4, before their Game 5 loss. Frederik Andersen stopped 20 shots for the shutout. Logan Stankoven scored the game’s only goal in the second period. Sebastian Aho and Jordan Staal added empty-net goals.

It was Carolina’s first Eastern Conference Final win since 2006. They had lost 15 straight games in that round before this win. The team played strong defense and limited Florida’s scoring chances.

Game 5 was held in Raleigh, where the Panthers won and ended the series. The Hurricanes’ season ended, but they managed to avoid being swept again in the playoffs.