The NHL’s new contract landscape is already doing exactly what some around the league expected: pushing teams and players to get long-term business done before the rules tighten and the cap keeps climbing.
That backdrop helped drive a wave of extensions and new deals, including big commitments for Cutter Gauthier, Luke Evangelista, Jordan Staal, Justin Sourdif, and Alex Newhook, plus a one-year deal for Arber Xhekaj.
Anaheim got in first with Gauthier, signing the 22-year-old forward to a six-year contract carrying a $13.5 million salary cap hit. The deal buys out one year of unrestricted free agency, and in the final season Gauthier will have a 10-team no-trade clause. His contract is structured with heavy signing bonuses throughout, including $18.651 million in 2026-27 and $13.755 million in 2027-28.
New Jersey followed by locking up Evangelista on a five-year extension with a $7.25 million cap hit. His deal includes trade protection that ramps up over time: a seven-team no-trade clause in year three, a five-team clause in year four, and a three-team clause in the final year. The contract also comes with sizable bonuses, including $8.8 million in 2027-28 and $7.31 million in 2028-29.
Carolina took care of captain Jordan Staal with a one-year extension for the 2027-28 season at a $4.9 million cap hit. The 38-year-old will have a $900,000 salary, a $4 million signing bonus, and up to $5.1 million in performance bonuses.
Cory Lavalette of the North State Journal noted that Staal could make up to $10 million for the 2027-28 season, which would be his 21st in the NHL. Hurricanes GM Eric Tulsky called him the anchor of the group in the team’s release: “Jordan is not only our captain, he’s the bedrock of the culture we’ve established in this organization,” Tulsky said.
“His leadership and on-ice performance throughout last season and especially in the playoffs was a primary factor in bringing the Stanley Cup back to Raleigh.” Carolina still has more than $8 million in cap space for this season and still needs to sign RFA defenseman Alexander Nikishin.
Washington made one of the biggest commitments of the day, signing Justin Sourdif to an eight-year extension with a $6.35 million cap hit. The 24-year-old forward will have a 15-team no-trade clause from years three through five, then a full no-trade clause for the final three seasons. His contract is loaded with bonuses early, including $7.3 million in each of the first two seasons and $6.2 million in 2029-30.
Sammi Silber highlighted Sourdif’s path and the role he now plays as an example for others, noting: “Justin Sourdif’s story is also inspiring. His Mom’s from Ghana, and he grew up watching the Caps and Black players like Joel Ward.
Just signed an 8-year deal and is now a role model himself.” Sourdif added, “It means a lot to know that (young players will) want to try to aspire to be like me.”
Montreal rounded out the flurry by extending Alex Newhook on a four-year deal with a $5.55 million cap hit and no trade protection. The Canadiens also signed Arber Xhekaj to a one-year, $1.5 million contract. He’ll be owed a $1.575 million qualifying offer and would then be one year away from unrestricted free agency.
In Other News...
Hurricanes Just Made A Captain Decision That Says Everything
Jordan Staals latest deal keeps one of the Hurricanes defining figures in place after a season that only added to his rsum. Carolina has extended its captain for another year, rewarding a player who has been a steady, physical presence for this team across 16 seasons and who now arrives with a Stanley Cup and Conn Smythe Trophy in hand after being named postseason MVP.
The move says as much about the Hurricanes view of their room as it does about Staal himself. He is still central to how they want to play, and the contract gives the organization another season of that leadership and reliability while leaving the long view just a little hazier, since Staal will be 39 by the time it runs out. [Read more 🡒]
Hurricanes Suddenly Face A Blue-Line Problem At The Worst Time
Alexander Nikishins arrival in Carolina has taken an unexpected turn just as training camp opens, with the Hurricanes announcing that the restricted free agent defenseman will not take part because his contract remains unresolved. For a team trying to build off its Stanley Cup run, the situation adds another layer of uncertainty to a blue line that had already been under close watch this offseason.
Reports have indicated Nikishin asked for a trade after the run to the Final, and the Hurricanes have been gauging the market while preparing for the possibility that he does not come back. Carolina has also added Mike Reilly and Pierre-Olivier Joseph as depth insurance, a clear sign the club has been bracing for this possibility even as one of its more intriguing defense questions remains unsettled. [Read more 🡒]
Hurricanes Enter Camp With One Blue Line Situation Hanging Over Everything
The Hurricanes opened camp with a familiar kind of offseason tension hanging over the blue line, this one centered on a player who was supposed to be part of the long-term picture. Carolina said Alexander Nikishin will not report to training camp while he remains without a contract, leaving one of the more important roster questions unresolved as the season approaches. The team has not offered further comment, and the situation now sits alongside the usual September business of sorting out roles, depth and expectations.
Rod BrindAmour did not sound interested in turning it into a distraction, calling it part of the business and making clear the club will move forward either way. A contract extension is still possible, but the longer this drags on, the more the possibility of a trade seems to hover over it. For a Hurricanes team that has built so much of its identity around defensive stability, the uncertainty around Nikishin is the one camp storyline that cant be ignored. [Read more 🡒]