Top 5 NHL free agents Carolina Hurricanes must target in 2024 offseason ft. Jonathan Marchessault

The Carolina Hurricanes will be one of the most interesting teams to watch this summer. They will not only have a number of their own stars needing new contracts, but the club is without a permanent general manager following Don Waddell's resignation.

After falling short of their Stanley Cup goals yet again, the Carolina Hurricanes remain one of the top contenders in the Eastern Conference entering the 2024-2025 season. That being said, they may need to make several moves this offseason as the club has several notable players hitting free agency, including Jake Guentzel and Teuvo Teravainen.

If they are unable to re-sign some of these stars, they will need to explore the free agent market to find adequate replacements. This does not mean that they will not be able to retain several of their pending free agents. Another key storyline for the Hurricanes will be the restricted free agency of Martin Necas, who could draw interest from teams across the NHL. It is going to be an interesting summer.

5 free agents Carolina Hurricanes should pursue this offseason

#1 - Jonathan Marchessault

Jonathan Marchessault might be the perfect free agent target for the Hurricanes if they are unable to re-sign Jake Guentzel. An elite scoring forward, Marchessault is coming off the best regular season of his career with the Vegas Golden Knights, racking up 69 points through a whopping 42 goals and 27 assists in 82 games. He could slot in nicely for Carolina's top lines, as well as their powerplay.

#2 - Jake Guentzel

Sometimes the grass is not always greener on the other side. Even though Jake Guentzel is expected to pursue all options on the free agent market, the Carolina Hurricanes could be the best landing spot for him. The Stanley Cup winner could rejoin a Canes squad that features one of the league's most talented players, Sebastian Aho, and form a dynamic duo for years to come.

#3 - Chris Tanev

Although much of the attention this summer will be placed on the Hurricanes' offensive needs, they will also need to bolster their defensive core. The team has a few pending free agents who could find themselves with another club, which would make the addition of Chris Tanev even more important. An elite shot blocker and shutdown defenseman, Tanev could help the Hurricanes on the blueline.

#4 - Vladimir Tarasenko

Although Vladimir Tarasenko is getting older, he still remains a solid goal-scoring winger. After recording 55 points through 23 goals and 32 assists in the regular season with the Ottawa Senators and Florida Panthers, Tarasenko could help provide the Carolina Hurricanes with another top-tier scoring threat.

#5 - Tyler Toffoli

Tyler Toffoli is another aging forward who can still put the puck in the net. Toffoli is coming off yet another 30+ goal season and could be yet another veteran that the Carolina Hurricanes can look to add to their talented core. Even though Toffoli is now 32 years old, he remains as reliable of a scoring forward as there is on the open market.