We want to be aggressive’: Tulsky’s trades position ‘Canes for Cup success

RALEIGH — The Carolina Hurricanes, in the Stanley Cup Final for the first time in 20 years, are a reflection of their head coach Rod Brind’Amour.

But general manager Eric Tulsky’s fingerprints are all over this roster, too. Since being promoted to general manager in the spring of 2024, Tulsky’s moves — both big and small – have paid off brilliantly for the Canes.

The Hurricanes open the Stanley Cup Final against the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday at Lenovo Center in Raleigh.

Of the 21 players who have played at least one game in this postseason, plus backup goaltender Brandon Bussi, Tulsky acquired eight of them. Small trades, big trades. Free-agent signings that slipped under the radar and others that made headline news. Bussi was a waiver wire pickup, who ended up winning 31 regular-season games.

“We’re just always looking to get better,” Tulsky said Monday. “It’s really just about accumulating as much talent as we can. Try really hard not to be dogmatic about looking specifically for one thing. You don’t want to pigeonhole yourselves in looking for a specific opportunity and miss out on other players. We’re just trying to add talent every time we can.”

A scientist with more than two dozen patents in nanotechnology, Tulsky took an unconventional route to hockey — through writing for a fan blog. His analytical work led to consulting work with teams and, eventually, a full-time job with the Hurricanes in 2014. 

He became assistant GM in 2020 and was promoted to the top job in the spring of 2024.

“It is still wild to me that I ended up here,” Tulsky said. “I don’t know how that happened. Obviously, thrilled with the way it’s going. Never would have thought I’d have this opportunity. Coach [Brind’Amour] and the players have brought us here and I’m looking forward to seeing how it wraps up.”

In July 2024, the Hurricanes signed forwards William Carrier and Eric Robinson and defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere and Sean Walker — all key contributors to this team.

During that season, Tulsky took his biggest swing. He traded for Colorado star Mikko Rantanen and former No. 1 overall pick and league MVP Taylor Hall in a three-way trade with Colorado and Chicago. The Hurricanes gave up Martin Necas, Jack Drury and three draft picks in the swap. 

Rantanen, a free agent-to-be, was a disappointment on the ice and told the front office that he wasn’t going to sign a long-term deal with Carolina.

So six weeks after the blockbuster, Tulsky pulled off another, dealing Rantanen to Dallas for Logan Stankoven, a first-round draft pick, two third-round selections and a fourth. Stankoven signed an eight-year, $48-million deal with Carolina that begins next season.

The Hurricanes used the first-round pick acquired from Dallas as part of a trade, along with a second-round pick and defenseman Scott Morrow, for defenseman K’Andre Miller, who they signed to a long-term contract (8 years, $60 million).

Hall, Stankoven and Miller have been the team’s best players this postseason.

“Fundamentally, we want to be aggressive,” Tulsky said. “Rod has the team playing very aggressive on the ice, we want to be aggressive off the ice, too. And when you have a chance to add a really high-end player, we never want to miss out on it. We never want to get worried about what-ifs. 

“That being said, sometimes it doesn’t go the way you hoped, and you’ve got to be ready to figure out how you’re going to move forward from there. One of the strengths of our organization is we’re not afraid to take those swings. But we’re also confident that if we just keep staying aggressive — some will work out, some won’t — we’ll end up ahead of where we would be if we just stayed passive the whole time.”

Miller, who has been a breakout star in the playoffs, was one big addition to a team that lost again in the Eastern Conference Final. Free agent Nikolaj Ehlers was the other. He signed a six-year, $51-million deal with Carolina, which had plenty of cap space due to a series of shrewd signings.

Carolina acquired Mark Jankowski in a 2025 trade. The fourth line of Carrier, Jankowski and Robinson, which has been pivotal in the playoffs, was acquired since Tulsky took over. 

Mike Reilly (2025 free agent) and Nicolas Deslauriers (2026 trade) have played in earlier rounds due to injury.

“The guy’s pulled all the strings the right way,” said Bussi, who was claimed off waivers before the season and signed a three-year contract during the season. “We’re where we are right now. I’m not someone that really makes comments about roster moves, but I think all the guys that we have in the locker room, we love each other, we care for each other, we work hard. We’re obviously doing good things on the ice. He’s done all the right things.”