Carolina Hurricanes re-sign Jordan Martinook to three-year deal

The Carolina Hurricanes are reportedly going to be bringing back the heart and soul of the locker room as the team has supposedly come to terms on a contract extension with Jordan Martinook for a three-year, $1.8 million AAV contract according to Pierre Lebrun.

The forward will be taking a bit of a paycut in AAV as he’s coming off of back to back lackluster seasons — the most recent seeing him score just four goal and nine point — but his biggest value has been in his intangibles, namely leadership.

Martinook is a huge piece of not only the team’s culture, but its community as well.

If he can stay healthy, there is strong possibility that he might have a bit of a bounce back to the level he reached when he first came to Carolina three seasons ago, but regardless, he brings affordable depth to the forward group.

Update: Martinook has seemingly confirmed that he’ll be back

Update: The Hurricanes have confirmed the signing, here’s their release:

‘CANES AGREE TO TERMS WITH MARTINOOK

Alternate captain posted 13 points in 44 NHL games last season

RALEIGH, NC – Don Waddell, President and General Manager of the National Hockey League’s Carolina Hurricanes, today announced that the team has agreed to terms with forward Jordan Martinook on a three-year contract. The deal will pay Martinook an average annual value (AAV) of $1.8 million.

“Jordan has played a tremendous part in helping to change the culture of our organization over the past three years,” said Waddell. “He’s an asset to our team and our community, and we’re a tougher team to play against with him on the ice.”

Martinook, 29, recorded 13 points (4g, 9a) in 44 games during the regular season and added three assists in 11 playoff games with the Hurricanes in 2020-21. The 6’1”, 204-pound forward ranked fifth on the team with 90 hits last season and ranks second on the team in hits since 2018-19. Martinook was also named an alternate captain prior to the start of the 2019-20 season. The Brandon, Man., native has registered 51 points (20g, 31a) in 171 games with Carolina during the regular season and tallied 10 points (2g, 8a) in 29 playoff games since 2018-19. Originally drafted by Arizona in the second round, 58th overall, of the 2012 NHL Draft, Martinook was acquired by the Hurricanes from the Coyotes on May 3, 2018, with a fourth-round pick in the 2018 NHL Draft (Luke Henman) in exchange for Marcus Kruger and a third-round pick in the 2018 NHL Draft (Ty Emberson).