The Carolina Hurricanes are among the off-season winners list after landing prize free-agent forward Nikolaj Ehlers and acquiring defenceman K'Andre Miller in a blockbuster trade with the New York Rangers. 

The Hurricanes are looking to take an elusive step forward, having reached the Eastern Conference Final three times in seven years under head coach Rod Brind'Amour, but failing to advance further. 

The Hurricanes were eliminated in five games by the Florida Panthers in the conference final this year, a season in which the team acquired and traded star winger Mikko Rantanen. 

“You’re hopeful it makes you better,” Brind'Amour said Monday of the team's off-season additions, per NHL.com. “The additions were the best we could do. It’s already a great group that we have. The group does a great job of bringing in the new people and making them feel at home so that they can play their best.”

Ehlers took his time in free agency waiting two days after the market opened before inking a six-year, $51 million contract with the Hurricanes. It's a rare free-agency win for the Hurricanes, who were unable to sign Rantanen long term this year nor Jake Guentzel the year prior. Carolina parted with winger Martin Necas, who was also unsure on his Carolina future, to land Rantanen and Brind'Amour believes Ehlers will help fill that void.

“Ehlers is a piece of that,” Brind’Amour said of adding more offensive output. “Can he play with some of our top guys and make them better? We know we have to get a little better at the skilled areas like the power play. We lost Necas, who is good at 5-on-4 and overtime. For me, it’s talent, and that’s what Ehlers has. How it all fits, we will see when we get there.”

The Hurricanes paid up to acquire Miller, sending first- and second-round picks to the Rangers along with defenceman Scott Morrow. Miller then inked a eight-year, $60 million contract.

At a $7.5 million cap hit, Miller becomes the highest-paid player on a Carolina blueline that lost veteran defencemen Brent Burns and Dmitry Orlov to free agency. 

“We needed a top-end 'D,'” Brind'Amour said. “I give the organization credit. Who was the top guy out there? I feel like it was [Miller].

“We know from watching that he’s big, he’s strong, he can skate. He’s got a great shot and all the instincts are there. It’s a good package. For some reason it hasn’t worked for the [Rangers] or he wouldn’t be available. Whatever we think the potential is with him, we’ve got to get it out of him.”

After a strong off-season the Hurricanes own the second-highest odds of winning the Stanley Cup in 2026 at FanDuel, going off at +750. The Panthers remain the favourites to three-peat at +700, while the Vegas Golden Knights and Edmonton Oilers are tied for the third-highest odds at +850.