Josiah Slavins Return Keeps Carolina Depth In A Tough Spot

Josiah Slavin cements his leadership role with the Chicago Wolves as he re-signs with the Hurricanes AHL affiliate, poised for potential future NHL opportunities.

Josiah Slavin is sticking around the Hurricanes organization, and the Chicago Wolves will keep a steady hand in the captain’s chair for the next two seasons.

Chicago announced that Slavin is returning on an AHL contract, and the deal runs two years. For the Wolves, that means a familiar presence remains in place after Slavin was named captain before the 2024-25 season.

The 27-year-old has spent the last several years with Chicago and delivered a solid first year wearing the “C,” putting up 12 goals and 21 points in 66 games with a -6 rating. He followed that with another productive campaign last season, finishing with six goals and 25 points in 69 games and a +1 rating.

Slavin also got back to the NHL mix last season because of the two-year, two-way contract he had with Carolina. Once the Hurricanes had already locked up first place in the Metropolitan Division, he earned a call-up and made his first NHL appearance since the 2021-22 season, when he was with the Chicago Blackhawks. He went scoreless in the regular season for Carolina before heading back to AHL Chicago for the Calder Cup playoffs.

The wrinkle with this new arrangement is simple: it’s an AHL deal, so Carolina can’t recall Slavin unless he signs an NHL contract during the 2026-27 season. That said, the Hurricanes have just 38 players signed to NHL contracts for 2026-27, leaving them room to add him if injuries force their hand.

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Hurricanes Quietly Added A College Standout With One Big Step Left

The Hurricanes have added another name to the prospect mix, landing the signing rights to forward Stiven Sardarian from Buffalo in a move that flew a bit under the radar. Sardarian, 23, had been stuck in contractual limbo after not signing an entry-level deal with the Sabres, with NCAA eligibility and NHL Central Registry notification issues complicating the situation.

For Carolina, the appeal is straightforward: a college standout becomes a potential pro option without much public noise around the transaction. The next step is the one that matters, since the organization is now positioned to bring Sardarian into the fold on a professional deal and see where he fits in the system. [Read more 🡒]

Hurricanes Face A Blue-Line Problem They Cant Easily Fix

The Hurricanes are heading into the offseason with one of their more important blue-line questions still unresolved, and it is a big one. Alexander Nikishin gave Carolina exactly the kind of two-way punch it was hoping for during the regular season, piling up 33 points while also driving strong defensive results, but his playoff run was a quieter version of that impact. For a team built around control and depth, losing that blend of offense and stability would leave a noticeable hole.

Carolina is already having to think through what comes next if the roster does not include Nikishin, and there are not many easy answers. Shayne Gostisbehere can help absorb some of the puck-moving load, while the organization may also need to look at AHL depth to patch the rest of the picture. The challenge is less about finding a single replacement than finding enough coverage for a role that was doing a lot of different things at once. [Read more 🡒]