The Carolina Hurricanes have secured one of their top players, Sebastian Aho, with a long-term contract. The team announced on Wednesday that Aho has signed an eight-year, $78 million extension.
The contract will go into effect during the 2024-25 season and will have an average annual value of $9.75 million until the end of the 2031-32 season.
Don Waddell, the Hurricanes’ president and general manager, expressed his excitement about Aho’s extension, emphasizing Aho’s development into an elite two-way center and his leadership qualities. Waddell is grateful that Aho has chosen to remain in Carolina for the foreseeable future.
Aho was drafted by the Hurricanes as the No. 35 pick in the 2015 NHL Draft. Over his seven seasons with Carolina, he has accumulated 218 goals and 250 assists. In the 2022-23 season, Aho had an impressive performance with 67 points (36 goals and 31 assists) and contributed 12 points (five goals and seven assists) in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Aho’s most successful season was in 2018-19, where he achieved a career-high 83 points (30 goals, 53 assists).
Among Hurricanes/Hartford Whalers players, Aho ranks fifth in both points (468) and goals (218). He is only one season behind Eric Staal for the most 30-goal seasons in team history, with a total of four.
In addition, Aho shares the franchise record for the most shorthanded goals with Eric Staal, both having scored 16 goals. He has also scored nine career overtime goals.
