Jordan Martinook doesn’t need big scoring totals to matter in Carolina. He’s built his value the hard way - with voice, edge, and a role the Hurricanes trust every night.
Since arriving in 2018, he’s been one of those players who just fits, the kind of forward who can swing a series one night and spark a line the next. That’s part of why he’s become such a fixture for the Canes, and why his future is already a talking point as he heads into a contract year.
The production dipped last season, at least by his usual standards. Martinook had put together three straight years in the low teens in goals and the low 30s in points, but this year he didn’t hit either mark.
He opened strongly, though, collecting assists in each of the first three games and in four of the first five. After that, the offense came in waves rather than steady rhythm.
He had just one multi-point game all season, and that came late in the year in Utah.
Even with the quieter scoring line, Martinook still finished with 12 goals and 29 points, both his lowest totals since 2021-22. The physical side stayed loud, though. His 112 hits were his most since his first season with Carolina in 2018-19, a reminder that his impact goes well beyond the box score.
The postseason brought a few flashes, too, even if it was mostly a subdued run for him. Game 2 against Ottawa stood out.
Late in overtime, Martinook was hooked on a breakaway, taking away a chance to score. Carolina scored during the delayed sequence, but the goal was waved off because the play was offside.
Martinook still got the penalty shot and was stopped. Then, in double overtime, he made it count, scoring his first overtime goal of his playoff career.
That was one of only two goals he scored in the Hurricanes’ run. The other came in Game 3 against Vegas and started a comeback that eventually ended in a double-overtime loss. Martinook finished the postseason with five points in 19 games, while also placing in the top five on the team in hits and blocked shots.
With free agency looming next summer, an extension feels like the natural next step. It’s difficult to picture Carolina letting Martinook reach the market after everything he’s done over the last eight years.
His game matches the identity of this team, and the possibility of losing him and Jordan Staal potentially retiring in the same year would leave a major hole in the third line. An extension seems likely, and the expectation here is that it would happen before free agency opens next July.
It also doesn’t sound like the kind of deal that would break the bank. A 2-3-year contract makes sense, and with the cap rising, Carolina should be able to handle it.
Martinook is also nearing a couple of milestones: he’s three games away from 800 in his career, and he needs three more points to reach 200 with the Hurricanes. Both figures should come quickly this season if he stays on his usual track.
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