Hurricanes Sign Mark Jankowski To Two-Year Extension
According to a team announcement, the Carolina Hurricanes have signed forward Mark Jankowski to a two-year extension through the 2027-28 season. The two-year extension is worth $3.7MM ($1.85MM AAV). Jankowski is in the final season of a two-year, $1.6MM ($800K AAV) contract that he originally signed with the Nashville Predators.
In the announcement, General Manager Eric Tulsky said, “Mark has been an excellent fit for our organization throughout his time here. He’s proven he can contribute in different ways, and we are glad he’s chosen to remain with the organization.”
Jankowski has spent his career bouncing between the NHL and AHL, including stints with the Calgary Flames, where he tallied a career-high 32 points in the 2018-19 season. He then played a year in Pittsburgh and Buffalo before signing with the Predators, playing between their farm system in Milwaukee and Nashville. This extension eclipses his previous highest contract value of $3.35MM ($1.68MM AAV) with the Flames in 2018-19.
The 31-year-old forward finished the 2025-26 regular season with 11 goals and 21 points in 68 games. He’s added an assist in eight playoff games so far this postseason. The Hamilton, Ontario native has been a mainstay for Carolina in their bottom-six since last year. The Hurricanes acquired Jankowski in a deal at the 2025 trade deadline that sent him from the Predators to the Hurricanes in exchange for their fifth-round pick in 2026.
The Hurricanes still have around $12.4MM in cap space entering this summer. Their unrestricted free agents include Nicolas Deslauriers in the forward group, as well as defenseman Mike Reilly and goaltender Frederik Andersen, with only Alexander Nikishin as a restricted free agent to round out their expiring deals. Carolina will also have Jusso Valimaki’s buried contract coming off the books, which will free up a small $850K.
Domenick Fensore Considering KHL Options
For the last three seasons, Domenick Fensore has been a productive defenseman in the minors but his NHL opportunities have been limited. As a result, it appears as if he’s exploring other options for next season. Among those being pondered is the KHL as Sport-Express’ Artur Khairullin reports that Fensore is considering potential opportunities in that league.
The 24-year-old was a third-round pick by Carolina back in 2019, going 90th overall. Fensore played out his full college eligibility at Boston University, taking big strides offensively in the final two seasons where he collected 31 points in each. That earned him a contract from the Hurricanes for the 2023-24 season.
Beyond a brief stint in the ECHL early in his rookie year, Fensore has been a regular at the AHL level with the Chicago Wolves for his three-season professional career. He has been able to carry over his college production, notching 32 points last season and 35 this year despite only playing in 60 games.
But that output hasn’t landed him much of an opportunity with Carolina. Aside from a trio of late-season appearances when the Hurricanes were openly resting players for the playoffs, Fensore hasn’t had a taste of a meaningful game at the top level. And with the Hurricanes having some strong defensive depth, that might not change next season either.
With that in mind, it’s not entirely surprising that Fensore is considering other options. A pending restricted free agent, he has performed well enough for Carolina to tender him a qualifying offer to retain his rights but that would limit his options in North America. Accordingly, a stint overseas to try to show that he’s worthy of a legitimate NHL opportunity might be the next best step for him.
Nikishin Returns From Concussion
- The Hurricanes welcomed back a key part of their back end tonight against Philadelphia with the team announcing (Twitter link) that Alexander Nikishin was returning to the lineup. The rookie sustained a concussion in the final game of their opening-round series versus Ottawa and missed the first two games of this round. Nikishin had 11 goals and 22 assists in 81 games during the regular season while averaging over 18 minutes per night.
Injury Notes: Cates, Dvorak, Tippett, Nikishin
The Philadelphia Flyers’ postseason hurdles just reached a new height. Down 2-0 as the series shifts back to Wells Fargo Center, head coach Rick Tocchet confirmed the worst-case scenario for his forward group: Noah Cates is out for the remainder of the series.
Cates, who hit career highs this season with 47 points and has been the team’s most reliable two-way presence, suffered a lower-body injury after taking a shot off the foot in Game 2. While he finished that game, he was seen in a walking boot on Wednesday, and the team has officially ruled him out for the duration of the second round.
Additional injury notes:
- The Anaheim Ducks receive a boost as Troy Terry is expected to return to the lineup for their series against Vegas. However, the blue line takes a hit as veteran Radko Gudas remains out with a lower-body injury. After battling recurring injuries throughout the season, Terry made his return in Game 1 against Vegas.
- Carolina Hurricanes high-profile rookie defenseman Alexander Nikishin has been cleared to play. After missing the start of the series due to a concussion sustained in the first round, he is an option for Game 3 and will likely slot in alongside Shayne Gostisbehere.
- The Flyers also noted forward Christian Dvorak is currently day-to-day and took a maintenance day on Wednesday, though he is expected to play in Game 3. Also, Owen Tippett, who has missed the first two games of the series, remains a game-time decision for Thursday. While he has returned to practice, his availability hinges on a final evaluation before puck drop.
Alexander Nikishin Cleared To Return
Philadelphia Flyers center Noah Cates‘ availability for game three against the Carolina Hurricanes appears to be in question after he appeared to suffer a foot injury in game two. Mike Sielski of the Philadelphia Inquirer reported that Cates was seen after game two “trundled on a cart down a hallway” and “holding a walking boot that would have fit his right foot.” The Flyers did not have an official update on Cates’ status.
- Carolina Hurricanes rookie defenseman Alexander Nikishin has officially been cleared to return after missing two games with a concussion. Nikishin was previously paired with veteran Shayne Gostisbehere, a role that has since gone to veteran Mike Reilly. Nikishin scored 11 goals and 33 points in a strong first regular season in the NHL, averaging 18:11 time on ice per game along the way.
Hurricanes Reassign Charles-Alexis Legault
5/4/26: The Hurricanes announced today that Legault has been reassigned back to Chicago. The Wolves have an extremely important game tomorrow – a game five against the Texas Stars. Win, and they advance to the Central Division Finals. Lose, and they are eliminated. With the stakes that high, the Hurricanes have elected to reassign Legault, a key penalty killer for the Wolves, back to the AHL.
Of course, if the Hurricanes still felt a pressing need for Legault as an NHL option, they’d keep him on their roster, regardless of the situation in Chicago. Their playoff run comes first, just as it does for any other NHL team as it deals with its AHL affiliate.
But as Alexander Nikishin gets closer to returning from his concussion, and Reilly proves himself as a capable fill-in, it appears increasingly unlikely Carolina will be in a position to dress Legault for playoff games. As a result, the most efficient move, the one the team has elected to take, is to reassign Legault and give the Wolves a boost.
4/27/26: The Carolina Hurricanes shared earlier today that Charles-Alexis Legault has been recalled from the AHL’s Chicago Wolves.
With Chicago currently in the Calder Cup playoffs, it’s an inopportune time. There’s a real need to add a defenseman to the team’s stock, although Legault’s chances to get into the playoff action are slim. The transaction is likely stemming from Alexander Nikishin‘s concussion, suffered in the fourth and deciding game of the opening round versus Ottawa.
Luckily for the Hurricanes, they made quick work of the Senators, and will have several days to rest up prior to Round Two. Still, if Nikishin will miss any time, Mike Reilly will be set to enter the lineup, needing an extra blueliner, leaving Legault to take duty. Reilly, 32, has 21 games of playoff experience, his last tenure coming as an Islander, where his club were sent packing in five games, interestingly against the Hurricanes themselves.
Legault, 22, broke into the NHL for the first time this season, his second campaign as a professional, skating in 12 games. After an eight game stint early in the year, the defender had to wait until mid-April for another look, making four more appearances to close out the regular season, benefiting from top players getting rest. Such circumstances resulted in an uptick in ice time, as he played 22:01 in game 82 against the Islanders, by far a career high.
Standing at 6’4″, the righty has made his mark physically across the NHL and AHL this year, 63 penalty minutes across both leagues. A strong penalty killer still working to put together a more complete offensive game, Legault was a steal in the fifth round of the 2023 draft out of Quinnipiac University, with real NHL third pairing upside. As a small note worth mentioning depending on his eventual development, the pick was acquired from Vancouver in the Ethan Bear trade.
The Wolves will hope he can return for their playoff matchup against the Texas Stars shortly. Yet with the puck dropping on game one tomorrow night, their series could very well be concluded by the time Nikishin’s fate is known, directly affecting the Wolves in a domino effect of sorts.
As for the big club, Carolina’s second round opponent could be finalized tonight, as they await the winner of the Flyers/Penguins series. Either way, they’ll get started on home ice, with Legault expectedly taking in the experience from the press box. As his teammate Reilly’s contract ends this summer, the Montreal native could be in for a bigger role next year, even if he doesn’t skate on the biggest stage this spring.
Latest On Alexander Nikishin
The Carolina Hurricanes expect to keep rookie defenseman Alexander Nikishin out of their lineup for tonight’s game against the Philadelphia Flyers as he recovers from a concussion, head coach Rod Brind’Amour said today. Nikishin hasn’t played since suffering a concussion in game four of the team’s first-round sweep of the Ottawa Senators. Brind’Amour told the media, including North State Journal’s Cory Lavalette, that keeping Nikishin out of the lineup is a “health decision.”
The Hurricanes played Nikishin on a pairing with veteran Shayne Gostisbehere when he was healthy. Nikishin wasn’t able to dress for game one against the Flyers, so the Hurricanes turned to veteran Mike Reilly in that slot. The 32-year-old provided Carolina with an instant return-on-investment, registering two assists in the team’s 3-0 victory. As Carolina hopes to continue its march towards another Eastern Conference Final, the status of Nikishin, one of the league’s top rookie blueliners, will be a storyline to monitor.
Injury Notes: Hayton, McBain, Paul, Ehlers, Nikishin
There could be some alterations to the Mammoth’s forward group as they look to stave off elimination at home in Game 6 tonight against the Golden Knights. Center Barrett Hayton returned to the lineup for Game 5 after missing over a month with an upper-body injury, but he’s been downgraded to a game-time decision for tonight as he continues to be on a pain management regimen, head coach Andre Tourigny said (via Cole Bagley of KSL Sports). Hayton played a minimal role in Wednesday’s double overtime loss, logging 12:49 of ice time as he shifted to the wing on the fourth line with Kevin Stenlund and Brandon Tanev. He had a -1 rating and went 6-for-14 (42.9%) on faceoffs. As for McBain, he missed time down the stretch with a lower-body injury before returning for Game 1, although he hasn’t played since. It’s unclear if he reaggravated that one or if it’s a different ailment keeping him out. The regular season saw McBain, 26, produce nine goals and 25 points in 75 games with a team-leading 271 hits in a bottom-six role.
More lineup notes from around the league as the first round nears a close:
- Lightning center Nick Paul was a late scratch for their Game 5 loss due to illness. However, his absence will end there as Renaud Lavoie of TVA reports he’s back in the lineup for Game 6. With Tampa trailing 3-2 and facing a fourth consecutive first-round elimination, Paul has yet to record a point in the series and has a -2 rating after a wildly disappointing regular season that saw his ice time slashed en route to posting a 7-8–15 scoring line and a -15 rating in 51 games.
- Nikolaj Ehlers wasn’t on hand for the Hurricanes when they dispatched the Senators in a sweep last weekend. After a long rest, Carolina’s second-round tilt against the Flyers will get underway tomorrow. Today, head coach Rod Brind’Amour said it “looks like” Ehlers will be available after missing Game 4 against Ottawa with a lower-body injury (via Walt Ruff of NHL.com) – along with defenseman Alexander Nikishin, who left that contest due to a concussion. Despite averaging over 20 minutes per game, Ehlers had been limited to one assist through his first three playoff outings as a Cane. His checking line with Jordan Staal and Jordan Martinook was spectacular at controlling play, however, logging a 62.2% expected goals share, per MoneyPuck. Meanwhile, the rookie Nikishin was held without a point in the series but eked out a +1 rating while averaging 16:31 of ice time per game.
Nikishin, Ehlers To Return For Game 1
- The Carolina Hurricanes will enter their second-round playoff series against Philadelphia with Nikolaj Ehlers and Alexander Nikishin healthy and ready to play, head coach Rod Brind’Amour announced. Ehlers missed the final game of Carolina’s sweep of the Ottawa Senators with a lower-body injury. He’s one of the Hurricanes’ top offensive talents, producing 71 points in his debut season with the club. Nikishin was knocked out of game four against the Senators with a concussion, but appears to have worked his way back and will resume his role on a pairing with veteran Shayne Gostisbehere.
Nikishin Back Skating In Non-Contact Jersey
Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Alexander Nikishin skated in a non-contact jersey this morning, his first time hitting the ice since he suffered a concussion against the Ottawa Senators. The move indicates that Nikishin is progressing closer to a return to the ice in time for the start of the team’s second-round series, which will either be against the Pittsburgh Penguins or Philadelphia Flyers. Nikishin played on the left side of Carolina’s third pairing for the team’s first-round sweep of the Senators, also handling some power play duties.
Long seen as one of Carolina’s top prospects, Nikishin had a successful rookie campaign and his return bolsters a Hurricanes team that is one of the league’s finest. He averaged 18:11 time on ice per game this season, chipping in on both sides of special teams. He scored 33 points across 81 games, ranking second in scoring among rookie blueliners across the league. The former captain of the KHL’s SKA St. Petersburg was a star defenseman back in Russia and if he can end up returning before the start of the second round, he would only further underscore Carolina’s position in the upcoming series as heavy favorites.