Throughout most of the offseason, the Carolina Hurricanes had some news here and there, but not frequently. However, that has changed over the last couple of weeks. Now it feels like the Hurricanes are announcing something every other day. Whether it’s a re-signing, a prospect showcase roster, etc., the Hurricanes are staying busy. In the latest Hurricanes News & Rumors, we dive deeper into the defending Stanley Cup champions.
Hurricanes Re-Sign Mike Reilly to One-Year Deal
On Thursday afternoon, the Hurricanes announced that they re-signed defenseman Mike Reilly to a one-year, two-way deal. At the NHL level, Reilly will be paid $850,000, while at the American Hockey League (AHL) level, he will be paid $450,000. During the 2025-26 season, Reilly tallied one goal and nine points in 42 games. Regarding the playoffs, he had two assists in two games.
Reilly passed the threshold for games played (41) to have his name engraved on the Stanley Cup. Last season as the seventh defenseman, he was a solid option for the Hurricanes with the number of injuries on the blue line. It’ll be interesting to see where Reilly begins the season because of the Hurricanes signing Pierre-Olivier Joseph on Wednesday, Sept. 8.
Whether it’s in Raleigh or with the Chicago Wolves in the AHL, veteran depth is never a bad thing. Reilly brings 460 games of NHL experience to a group that is loaded with talent. The younger defensemen in the system have also shown they can be viable options. However it plays out, the Hurricanes know they have a Stanley Cup champion waiting in the wings.
Elliotte Friedman on Connor Hellebuyck & Alexander Nikishin
On Sept. 9, Pierre LeBrun, in a recent article for The Athletic (NHL rumblings: Decentralized draft stays, plus latest on Gauthier, Kucherov, Hellebuyck, more), mentioned the Hurricanes were one of the frontrunners for Winnipeg Jets netminder Connor Hellebuyck. The following day, on the most recent episode of 32 Thoughts: The Podcast, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman more or less confirmed LeBrun’s notions about Hellebuyck and the Hurricanes.
Friedman mentioned how he thinks the Buffalo Sabres, Utah Mammoth, and Hurricanes are still interested in the 33-year-old netminder. He also mentioned that he had mixed messages on whether the New Jersey Devils were interested or not. He went on to say the Jets were prioritizing getting a goalie in return. The Hurricanes have a choice between Brandon Bussi and Pyotr Kochetkov to include in a trade if that is what the Jets require. If they do choose, it’ll most likely be Kochetkov because Bussi signed a three-year extension back in February.
During the segment about Hellebuyck, Friedman mentioned the Nashville Predators being possibly interested in defenseman Alexander Nikishin. He also stated that the Predators received two picks in the trade that sent Luke Evangelista to the Devils. They were a 2028 first-round pick and a 2028 second-round pick. While those are solid picks overall, the Hurricanes already have two first-round picks in 2028, one being their own and one from the Dallas Stars in the Logan Stankoven trade.
Regardless, the Hurricanes stated in the offseason that they want a star player back in return if a team wants Nikishin. If not a bona fide star, at least someone who can plug right into the lineup. If the Predators are interested, it’ll probably take more than picks to acquire Nikishin.
As of now, there is no indication of whether Nikishin will be traded or not. Plus, it doesn’t mean that if he is traded, it’ll be for Hellebuyck. The only thing that is for certain is that Reilly is returning to the Hurricanes organization. As we’re now 18 days from the start of the 2026-27 season, the rumor mill will only get hotter as the days pass.
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