The biggest move was matching the five-year, $42.27 million offer sheet given to Aho by the Montreal Canadiens on July 1. The 21-year-old forward, who was a restricted free agent, had an NHL career-high 83 points (30 goals, 53 assists) last season and led Carolina with 12 points (five goals, seven assists) in the Stanley Cup Playoffs to help the Hurricanes reach the Eastern Conference Final.
"He told us before and after (the offer sheet) that this was the place he wanted to be and keep building," Hurricanes general manager Don Waddell said. "The offer sheet didn't have anything in it that would make us] think twice about it."
***[RELATED: [Complete Team Reset coverage]*
Carolina also made trades that will impact its roster this season. Defenseman Calvin de Haan and forward prospect
Aleksi Saarela
were traded to the Chicago Blackhawks for defenseman Gustav Forsling and goalie
Anton Forsberg
on June 24. Three days later, the Hurricanes acquired Haula in a trade with the Vegas Golden Knights to likely replace forward Micheal Ferland, who left via free agency. They also traded a sixth-round pick in the 2020 NHL Draft to the Toronto Maple Leafs on June 22 for forward
Patrick Marleau
, a conditional first-round pick and a seventh-round selection in 2020. Marleau's contract was bought out five days later.
Mrazek agreed to a two-year contract July 1, one day after the Hurricanes acquired veteran goalie James Reimer in a trade with the Florida Panthers to replace Curtis McElhinney, who signed a two-year contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Carolina hopes to re-sign captain
Justin Williams
for his 19th NHL season. Williams, an unrestricted free agent who had 53 points (23 goals, 30 assists) last season, has not decided whether to retire or continue playing.
"I think he potentially could be leaning toward playing, but in the next couple weeks it will shake out," Waddell said. "If he plays, we feel he's going to play in Carolina."
