Jordan Staal isn't done in Carolina, and the Hurricanes just made that official for one more season.
Elliotte Friedman confirmed a one-year extension for the 2027-28 season, and the structure of the deal is worth breaking down.
Staal gets a $4,000,000 signing bonus and a $900,000 base salary, with up to $5,100,000 available in additional performance bonuses.
That's a contract built almost entirely on incentives, a clear bet that Staal still has real production left in him even at 38 years old.
He posted 36 points in 75 games last season, adding 8 goals and 4 points in 19 playoff games for a Hurricanes team that finished 53-22-7.
That kind of playoff scoring is exactly why Carolina wanted him back rather than letting a proven veteran walk in free agency.
Carolina finished second overall this season, and GM Eric Tulsky clearly sees Staal as part of the formula that got them there.
Why the bonus structure actually protects both sides
Building this deal around bonuses rather than a flat salary gives Carolina real protection if age finally starts slowing Staal down.
It also gives Staal a real path to a bigger payday if he keeps producing at a level close to what he showed in the playoffs.
Head coach Rod Brind'Amour keeps a proven veteran presence in his bottom six, someone who's already shown he can still contribute in the games that matter most.
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Staal's current cap hit sits at $2,900,000, and this new deal structure suggests Carolina wanted flexibility rather than locking in a fixed number for an aging player.
For a 38-year-old still producing in the playoffs, this is about as fair a bet as either side could ask for heading into a new contract year.
Whether Staal earns the full $5,100,000 in bonuses will say a lot about how much he still has left in the tank next season.
Will Jordan Staal earn the full performance bonuses in his new Hurricanes deal?
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