5 Carolina Hurricanes Who Aren't Expected Back Next Season

The Carolina Hurricanes fell short of their historic comeback and have been eliminated in six games at the hands of the New York Rangers. Now they enter a phase of serious change.

The Hurricanes' roster is littered with pending unrestricted and restricted free-agents and there's no doubt some serious business decisions are coming this summer. There's also head coach Rod Brind'Amour who doesn't have a contract as of yet for next season, so the level of uncertainty in Carolina is sky-high at the moment.

Regarding their roster, here's five 'Canes who may have played their last game for the franchise:

Jake Guentzel

Carolina had a history of not being able to score big goals in the Stanley Cup Playoffs so they finally made a blockbuster in-season trade to bring in Jake Guentzel and his decorated resume, unfortunately it wasn't enough. Guentzel performed very well in a Canes uni, scoring 25 points in 17 regular season games and another nine points in 11 playoff games. He'll be one of the big fishes on the free-agent market and is likely to strike one of the richest deals of the summer. The Hurricanes will make an offer, but at this point it's hard to see Guentzel returning to Carolina. A return to Pittsburgh is not out of the question. 

Brett Pesce

Pesce is about to become a very rich man. The pending UFA is going to be coveted by a long list of playoff contenders this summer as right-handed defensemen who play with an edge are seemingly hard to find. At 29 years old, look for Pesce to try and sign for as long as possible this offseason as this could be his last change at a lucrative long-term deal, which is part of the reason it's likely not going to be signed in Carolina. One team is going overpay immensely.

Antti Raanta

Raanta couldn't stay healthy enough to contribute consistently this season and fell off the depth chart pretty quickly. At 35 years old, the veteran is likely to land a one-year league minimum contract this summer with a chance to battle for a backup role next season. It's just not likely coming from the 'Canes who appear settled on Frederik Andersen and Pyotr Kochetkov next season.

Anthony DeAngelo

For someone who was supposed to provide consistent offense from the back end this season, DeAngelo didn't live up to expectations. He managed 11 points in 31 games during the regular season and only two points in nine playoff games. Look for the Hurricanes to move on and DeAngelo to sign his next contract elsewhere.

Teuvo Teravainen 

In a free-agent class that is limited with high-end talent, Teravainen could be in line to cash in this summer. On the good side of 30, he's likely looking for a five-or-six year deal. This past season, 'Turbo' recorded 25 goals and 53 points in 76 regular season games and another six points in 11 playoff games. The Hurricanes have loads of cap space with $27 million available, however ownership is looking for a new direction moving forward meaning Teravainen could be one of the many who are moving on.

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