Hurricanes Make Extragavant Signing of Enforcer Nic Deslauriers

The Carolina Hurricanes won their first Stanley Cup since 2006. 

In those 20-years, the team went through a lot of changes to make themselves the cup-worthy team they are today. General manager Eric Tulsky, an analytics wunderkind in the sport of hockey, has shown that the nerd-jock connection can make great things happen in the world of sports. 

For Tulsky, who has a knack for building teams that make it to the postseason consistently, he doesn't forget about his fourth-line players. 

Deslaurier was acquired in trade from the Philadelphia Flyers in March 2026 for a conditional 2027 seventh-round pick. 

Today, during the team's Stanley Cup victory parade, he made an extravagant gesture towards the beloved bottom-six forward. 

It was announced that he'd signed a new, two-year contract with the Carolina Hurricanes. The 32 Thoughts Podcast's Elliotte Friedman reported the deal pays him an average annual value of $875K over the next two seasons. 

Not a hefty reward for the enforcer who can dance, but a team-friendly deal that ensures protection for forward Sebastian Aho, Seth Jarvis, and Andrei Svechnikov. 

In the midst of this celebration, the Hurricanes announced a 2-year, $875K extension for Nic Deslauriers.

Great to see him rewarded https://t.co/Dr9NhV1dnt

— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) June 20, 2026

The pomp and circumstance surrounding the signing of Deslauriers isn't one we see too often, even for someone of Deslauriers' stature, which, in earnest terms, is in a support role and a forechecking role. 

However, he will get to wear the Canes crest another two seasons, and stick with the players who helped win a Stanley Cup in 2026. 

Deslauriers has played 708 games in the NHL and scored 106 points (53 goals, 53 assists) playing on teams such as the Minnesota Wild, Buffalo Sabres, Montreal Canadiens, and the Philadelphia Flyers under John Tortorella. 

The same coach his new team beat in the Stanley Cup finals, you couldn't write a more ironic ending to the 2026 season.